tnernie
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posted on May 11, 2004 08:54:26 AM new
I have a book on Tennessee Walking Horses which was locally published about 30 yrs ago. When I searched the internet for information (prices, etc.), I only found one mention of it at Tomfolio.com. They are calling it very rare and selling it for $250.00. Does this mean anything? 
I know nothing about selling books or collectibles on eBay...so should I even try to sell this book there?
Any and all advice/opinions are greatly appreciated!
[ edited by tnernie on May 11, 2004 08:54 AM ]
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stopwhining
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posted on May 11, 2004 08:56:08 AM new
did they mention condition of the book??
first edition,signed ??
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
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tnernie
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posted on May 11, 2004 09:04:23 AM new
This is a copy/paste of their description:
A very scarce copy in very nice condition. Great for the collector. Not Stated. Jacket condition: No Jacket Hard Cover. Book condition: Very Good+. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall
My book would be in comparable condition. It shows very little shelf wear. I bought it new when I was around 12 yrs. old.
edited to add- What *I* would consider very little shelf wear. It has some slight 'rub marks' on the top and bottom edges.
[ edited by tnernie on May 11, 2004 09:10 AM ]
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Roadsmith
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posted on May 11, 2004 09:10:48 AM new
If I were selling it on Ebay, I'd put a reserve on it. And this sort of book would be double-listed (of course with "rare" in title, legitimately)--in both books and collectibles/animals/horses. I may have the 2nd category garbled a bit, but there is a subcategory I often use for animal books. It may be animals/pet care, or such, but eventually you get to horses.
Given the "value" listed elsewhere, I'd start it at, say, 29.95 with a reserve of maybe $75.
Might help to have the location (town?) where it was produced in the title, too.
I know there are others who would start the bids higher, or list it elsewhere. Just telling you my hunch, after selling old and rare books on Ebay for quite a while.
The asking price is not necessarily going to be received, as you know from other threads here. One of the big irritants at "estate" sales is the sellers who say "this is going for $25 on Ebay," and almost always they're quoting a price that won't be realized.
If you have a good site to sell rare books on, I would try that first and see what happens.
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tnernie
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posted on May 11, 2004 09:23:04 AM new
The title is "The Tennessee Walking Horse Owner's and Trainer's Directory Vol. 1", which is going to make it a pain to list!
I know I'll never get what the other site has it listed for...I was shocked when I saw that price. I was expecting maybe $9.95 tops! LOL
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stopwhining
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posted on May 11, 2004 09:29:30 AM new
are you selling 8 volumes or just volume I??
is 750 for all 8 volumes?
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
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tnernie
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posted on May 11, 2004 09:34:34 AM new
Stop - To the best of my knowledge, there were never any other volumes published. The lady who published and sold the book was a trainer's wife and served on several TWH committees/boards. I can't find any record of her publishing any other books after this one.
Did you find other volumes listed?!?!
[ edited by tnernie on May 11, 2004 09:37 AM ]
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tnernie
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posted on May 11, 2004 09:41:13 AM new
Is that what the "8vo" stands for? I was going to ask what that meant.
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Roadsmith
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posted on May 11, 2004 09:45:53 AM new
The "8vo" means the way the book was assembled, I believe.
I too was going to ask if there are other volumes already written and published. If so, that would explain the high value placed on the book.
If so, I'd start your book much lower.
Also, I would not try to get the whole title in the description--something like "rare bk--Tennessee Walking Horse--"etc.
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sharronn
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posted on May 11, 2004 10:16:45 AM new
8vo refers to the size of the book. Its a book that is up to 9.75" tall.
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iareateacher
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posted on May 11, 2004 10:51:24 AM new
Go to Google.
Type this:
define:8vo
Ooh and aah.
Try a few other terms to get a summary of Web definitions. Bookmark this so you'll be able to find it again when you need it.
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ArtNouveau
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posted on May 11, 2004 12:20:50 PM new
What they’re asking and what it actually sells for are two different things. These books typically sit and sit on lists like this and I can point out others. Do a completed items search on ebay and you might get an idea of what it’s really worth.
If it’s the book by Webb, you'll find one that sold on 4/24 (item 4207177702) for $61. Not $250, but not bad.
Rarity, by the way, has little to do with worth.
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tnernie
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posted on May 11, 2004 02:12:25 PM new
ArtNouveau - No, my book is not by Webb. It's by Mary Ruth Motes. I started my search in the eBay completed listings and didn't find anything like my book. I finally found the one copy for sale by Googling the author's name. This is why I came here and asked...I wasn't sure if "rare" necessarily meant "sellable".
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parklane64
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posted on May 11, 2004 02:13:37 PM new
Bet you get more.
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tnernie
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posted on May 11, 2004 02:30:50 PM new
Given the "value" listed elsewhere, I'd start it at, say, 29.95 with a reserve of maybe $75
I think I'll try Roadsmith's suggestion and give it a try. Would ya'll recommend having a BIN price? Worst that can happen is no bids and I'm used to that! LOL
Also...should I mention the other site's price at all?
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iareateacher
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posted on May 11, 2004 03:00:12 PM new
Ahem.
Why is everyone assuming the best marketplace for this tome is eBay?
Hmmm?
Let's think outside the pizza box here, shall we?
Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association has a membership magazine that I bet accepts classified ads:
http://www.twhbea.com/
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stopwhining
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posted on May 11, 2004 03:34:43 PM new
or put a reserve of 75 and see what happens.
you can mention what the other site said,but ebay bidders are so cheap,it wont make any difference what other site said.
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
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tnernie
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posted on May 11, 2004 03:44:21 PM new
iareateacher - Actually, the "Voice" magazine published by the TWHBEA was my first thought, but...
It would cost me a minimum of $1.00 per word to advertise it to a circulation base of 18,000 people.
Whereas on eBay...I pay a maximum of $4.00 - $6.00 and have the potential of advertising it to over a million people.
I think "business-wise", it makes more sense to go with option #2.
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glassgrl
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posted on May 11, 2004 03:51:32 PM new
don't do the BIN, there's always the free relist if it doesn't sell.
IMHO I hate reserves. If you want $75.00 for it - start it at $75.00.
Any Tenneseee Walking Horse books in completed auctions selling for $$? That's where I would take my clue from.
Start it High, and then if it doesn't sell, start it lower on the relist.
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iareateacher
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posted on May 11, 2004 04:21:08 PM new
have the potential of advertising it to over a million people
Uh-huh. And 997,999 of them (at least) are not the least bit interested in Tennessee Walking Horses or in books about them.
Please, I beg of you. Pick up a marketing book and read about "qualified leads". This is basic stuff every eBay seller should get acquainted with, especially when they run across specialty items.
Any marketer worth her salt is going to pay a few bucks more to put her message in front of 18,000 people who are known to have an interest in it.
I know what a Tennessee Walking Horse is, but only because I fell off one at age five and landed in my uncle's creek.
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dacreson
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posted on May 11, 2004 04:31:52 PM new
....and don't be afraid of listing it for 75.00. Many bidders such as myself click on price and look at the higher ticket items in our category as price usually relates to something worthwhile. (We also look at stuff with multi bids as possible sleeper item).
David
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stopwhining
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posted on May 11, 2004 05:48:45 PM new
what the heck,list it at 1 million and then relist at one penny,you would get plenty of attention.
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
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tnernie
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posted on May 11, 2004 07:40:54 PM new
iareateacher-
Uh-huh. And 997,999 of them (at least) are not the least bit interested in Tennessee Walking Horses or in books about them.
I didn't proclaim (nor flatter myself) to think that over a million eBayers would be interested in Tennessee Walking Horses or books about them.
I merely stated that I would have a much wider potential advertising base. The number of subscribers to the "Voice" is minuscule compared to the actual TWH devotees out there. Only 18,000 subscribe, but yet over 230,000 show up in Shelbyville, Tennessee every year for the National Celebration.
Any marketer worth her salt is going to pay a few bucks more to put her message in front of 18,000 people who are known to have an interest in it.
So...following your logic, I would actually be better off to pay for a booth/table at the Celebration this year and try to sell my book. Okay.
[ edited by tnernie on May 11, 2004 07:41 PM ]
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tnernie
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posted on May 11, 2004 07:46:10 PM new
....and don't be afraid of listing it for 75.00.
David, thanks for this reassurance. I confess I do have a fear of starting things "high", but I do hate using reserves.
what the heck,list it at 1 million and then relist at one penny,you would get plenty of attention
LOL Stop! I may just try that...
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OhMsLucy
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posted on May 11, 2004 07:47:16 PM new
Hi Tnernie,
I definitely agree with Roadsmith's take on this. Trust me - - she knows of what she speaks.
Double category listing is important. Sometimes I skip the book category altogether in favor of one that has to do with the subject of the book. Dogs, knitting, weaving, model cars, whatever...
Thanks for posting, it's nice to see what people have to sell on eBay. Your book is unusual and I'm sure it will do very well.
Please come back and let us know how it works out.
Lucy
P.S. Nice to meet you!
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sparkz
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posted on May 11, 2004 08:23:57 PM new
I agree with Lucy. The last book I sold was by Don Blanding. I listed it in the pottery category in the Vernon Kilns sub category. Got a great price for it. I had bought the book at an antique mall and they had never heard of Blanding, so I got it for 2 bucks. In addition to being an author, he designed the graphics for the highest priced line of pottery Vernon ever made. In your instance, I would tend to believe this may be a cross collectable and take Roadsmiths's advice and consider a dual category listing. Even though the TWHBEA publication may be a targeted audience, you will still likely find a large number of them browsing Ebay in addition to a large number of the assn. members who are not subscribers. And Ebay sure as hell won't charge you a buck a word to list, not yet anyway.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
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TnErnie
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posted on May 12, 2004 02:58:38 PM new
MsLucy -
Thank you for the warm welcome and the advice. I've been lurking for well over two years now, but only recently started posting.
I am a complete "fish out of water" in the collectible book area and truly respect your opinion, as well as the opinions of several others on this board (ooh...I hope I don't get accused of brown-nosing now!). LOL
sparkz -
Even though the TWHBEA publication may be a targeted audience, you will still likely find a large number of them browsing Ebay in addition to a large number of the assn. members who are not subscribers. And Ebay sure as hell won't charge you a buck a word to list, not yet anyway.
Exactly!
I am definitely going to do the 'double category' listing.
Thanks again to everyone for all the advice and I'll make sure to let y'all know how it turns out.
[ edited by TnErnie on May 12, 2004 02:59 PM ]
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glassgrl
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posted on May 12, 2004 03:07:45 PM new
when I look at Yorkie (aka Yorkshire Terrier) I ALWAYS start at the highest priced and work my way down. So if you have/had a rare Yorkie thing and started it at 99 cents, I wouldn't even see it.
Good luck with your book, it feels like it may do well. Start high(er) and relist if necessary - 2 weeks exposure is not bad in itself.
I've had thing I've listed one week - no bids. Second week - out the roof. Same thing with things I meant to bid on and didn't. First week, I could of had it for $9.99. Second week? Yowzah - I couldn't afford to bid on it!
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OhMsLucy
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posted on May 12, 2004 03:59:07 PM new
Hi TnErnie,
Aha! Finally figured out your ID.
I'm glad you posted about your book. Please stop lurking - I learn so much from other posters!
Always glad to help, as are most of the others here.
A couple of years ago I had a little book about the care and raising of some obscure breed of dog. Can't even remember what it was... Anyway, I listed it in the dog category and ended up with 3 or 4 people bidding against each other. The book ended up going to Europe and the buyer was absolutely delighted to get it!
The point being the book categories aren't necessarily the best place to list.
Lucy
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