Ebay Best practices for selling obscure photo stuff on eBay?

[Laroche]

My apologies for being off-topic, but I’m looking at putting a bunch of photo stuff on ebay and am wondering if anyone here can share with me some tricks of the trade/best practices, etc etc. Please let me know if you can help! Thanks!

 

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[NB23]

Always add “rare Leica” in the title.

 

[BrianShaw]

... and “mint condition “.

 

[BradS]

Now that you are a subscriber, try selling here first.

 

[Hawkeye]

I like setting auctions to end at 7 pm pacific time on Sunday evenings. Use the schedule start option. Seems like that’s when most of the action is.

Offer to combine shipping for multiple purchases.

I like to start with low starting prices. Valuable items will get lots of bids and go for good prices.

Add a note on listing to “Check my other auctions for more photography items.”

 

[removedacct1]

Whatever you do, do NOT use the words "rare" or "mint" in the description. Anyone who goes to fleabay to look for photo equipment will know this is a deceptive/coercion practice and avoid you as a seller.

 

[Laroche]

I like setting auctions to end at 7 pm pacific time on Sunday evenings. Use the schedule start option. Seems like that’s when most of the action is.

Offer to combine shipping for multiple purchases.

I like to start with low starting prices. Valuable items will get lots of bids and go for good prices.

Add a note on listing to “Check my other auctions for more photography items.”

Thanks!
Do you have a standard way of shipping things?
I also heard to start with $1 with no reserve and let the bidding do itself. Have you tried that?

 

[Hawkeye]

Thanks!
Do you have a standard way of shipping things?
I also heard to start with $1 with no reserve and let the bidding do itself. Have you tried that?

Start low with no reserve is a good strategy. Some start to high and the item does not attract as much attention. If you want the items sold, I’d avoid a reserve.

As for shipping, I usually use USPS priority mail for lighter items and UPS or Fedex ground for heavier items. You can ship through eBay and get a discount.

If you have not sold on eBay Before start with a couple of smaller items to get the feel for it.

 

[perkeleellinen]

Take lots of pictures in good light. Write a good,honest description and make an offer to send more photos to people if needed.

I start all my actions at 0.99 and let the market decide the final price. I've never felt I've lost out doing that. I resist all messages to end the auction early. I ensure my auctions always finish Sunday afternoon / evening.

 

[MattKing]

Do what you are trying to do here - find out information about what you are selling, and put it into the listings.
Also, learn about the pitfalls of PayPal and the vagaries of shipping. Think about the time and effort and expense involved in preparing the listing and securely packaging what you are selling for shipment.
A fair bit of what we have seen may be subject to shipment restrictions - both for national and international sales. You will need to consider that before you prepare the listings.
Become aware of the complexities involved in international sales and shipping.
Educate yourself about any shipping savings that may be available to you.
Learn about and use PayPal invoices.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

Also, avoid the idiotic use of "vintage" in the title. Why do so many sellers of photo stuff use this term?

 

[Kino]

If you have items that you don't want to put a reserve on, but want a certain minimum price, list it at your bare minimum acceptable price. Not as attractive as a 99 cent opening bid, but at least you will get what you want at a minimum. Most auctions for desirable items will see the maximum bidding in the last 30 seconds of the auction, but that doesn't mean a short auction will bring you the best price! 6 day auctions tend to be the best compromise between getting seen and attracting bidders and length of the sale.

Make sure you don't mispell the item being listed; no matter how weird it may be. Keyword searches are important, as are properly identifying any flaws or problems. If you don't know, SAY you don't know; don't try to obscure your lack of knowledge. I have bought lots of cameras and equipment that have problems because the seller was honest, showed the problems to their best ability AND i thought I could repair the item.

If you list items for top dollar, you had better be darned sure they are working correctly or you'll be refunding money, getting negative feedback and having a lousy time!

USPS priority is good for anything that will fit in their boxes. I have found FedEx Home Delivery to be a less expensive alternative for shipping larger items, but the buyer must give you a residential address and you must ship from same.

Don't forget insurance on items of substantial replacement value; it could get broken in transit, the buyer will get a refund and you'll get left holding the bag!

Just a few tips...

 

[Kino]

Whatever you do, do NOT use the words "rare" or "mint" in the description. Anyone who goes to fleabay to look for photo equipment will know this is a deceptive/coercion practice and avoid you as a seller.

"Uncommon" or "Hard to Find" are better terms but don't abuse them! A Kodak Brownie is NOT Uncommon or hard to find; be sure the item is such...

 

[MattKing]

I'm going to link here to one of my Photrio ads - not because I should be seen as an ultimate authority, but instead because it would be likely to give you a sense of how clear and careful you should be about your descriptions and your expectations.
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...duction-now-canadian-dollars-all-sold.165783/
If you are selling on eBay, you need to be careful with any qualifications you include in descriptions. eBay has rules that define some terms.

 

[beemermark]

As many good,excellent pictures you can post. Shipping is always free and starting out I would avoid shipping overseas. If items aren't worth a lot of money start the bid at what you figure shipping will cost. If it's a pricey item then list it for what's it worth (plus commission and shipping) and make it a "buy it now". Never state best offer for an item with a buy it now price. You'll just get a ton of emails with ridiculous offers (like $100 for a 50 Summilux Asph). Remember also that if the buyer doesn't like or has buyer's remorse you're going to get it back minus shipping both ways. You have no recourse. Don't sell to buyer's with less than 10 feedback, and check the feedback to ensure the buyer didn't just buy a lot of 99 cent items. If your just starting in eBay then list low priced items because buyers are always wary of a new seller.

 

[Down Under]

Ebay will take over and control your life if you let it. The trick (and the difficult part) is to control it...

Obviously most posters here prefer auctions, but in the days when I sold (I no longer do) I went with Buy It Now sales. Profit was never my motive, rather my goals were to clear the mountains of photo gear I accumulated over three decades and free up space at home. Yes, sure, the spare cash was great to have, but for me it was just that, spare cash.

Use the Advanced option in Ebay and check for recent sales. Not just the first sale, but as many of them as you can find - check what prices were paid and read the descriptions to note how they were worded.

Ideally, set yourself a reasonable goal and stay with it - like no items over $100, $150 or $200.

If selling cameras, be particularly careful - you will surely get at least one case of 'buyer's remorse' who will then try to fabricate a complaint to get their money back, as well as the time-old trick of trying for a refund AND keeping the item.

Watch your descriptions!! For example, many sellers say something like 'sold as is, no returns' but then go on to add 'returned items at buyer's expense' which sends a mixed message. Be cautious in your wording. Don't over-inform. Avoid verbiage. Err on the side of brevity. Stay positive. Avoid empty praise words ('minty' is my pet hate but 'mint' 'vintage' and 'rare' are also three that truly irk me) and stay away from puff like the following three I read recently on Ebay - "speeds all work well except 1 second to 1/15 when the shutter stays open" "this can be repaired cheaply" and "the lens has some separation but this won't show in the images". Sure as anything these will result in buyer complaints and I reckon well deserved they are too!!

Try to avoid selling expensive camera gear on Ebay if you can. After two bad experiences with dishonest buyers in 2018 and 2019, which involved me in no end of discussion with Ebay until I was able to get the items returned by the buyers, I saw the light and I now sell good cameras on consignment with a reputable dealer in Melbourne. The commission I pay is 25% and at times I get less back than I could have with Ebay - here again, comparing sale prices in posted ads and in finished sales on Ebay will be both revealing and educating - but the potential headaches I avoid by going with shop sales are, for me, worth more than the cash value.

We live and we learn. We all need a certain amount of aggravation to keep us functioning in life, but for me Ebay was too hard going.

 

[Bearman]

Great advice, ozmoose.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

Great advice, ozmoose.

Yes, I second that; excellent advice. I, too, sold a lot of excess equipment around 10 years ago. The selling process seemed to be easier then. Maybe ePrey has become the haunt of scammers (scummers) who think they can get something for nothing or naive buyers who think a 50-year-old camera or lens should be perfect without a spot of haze or discoloration. The consignment advice is excellent, but unfortunately, many of us live in smaller towns where there is no camera store any more.

Some more hints:

1. Take close-up and high-resolution pictures of your merchandise. You may need these if a buyer claims that the merchandise suffers from XYZ fault.
2. If selling a body or lens, I think sample pictures taken with that device verify that it is working properly.
3. Avoid the lame and imbecilic "Lens has [haze, fungus, "cleaning marks", spots, separation], but no effect on pictures." An intelligent buyer will know if the stated fault will have any effects. For the naive buyer, better not promise anything.

Good luck with your sales; I hope it goes well.

 

[Sirius Glass]

"hard to find"

"highly sought after"

"must have"

 

[markjwyatt]

If it is obscure stuff I would set the price what you want, then add a "Make Offer" button to sell for less. If you auction something truly obscure with a $0.99 start price, you may end up giving it away. Truly obscure stuff likely will not sell fast (unless really interesting). On the other hand if you are exaggerating about the stuff being obscure, that is another story.

 

[mgb74]

First rule is to understand ebay's definition of condition. If you classify an item as "used", it means working properly. Unfortunately, there is not a classification for "I think it works, but not sure". I have received a number of free cameras via ebay. They were sold as used and they didn't work when received. The sellers did not want to pay for their return. So they sit in my basement - of course they don't work.

You should start all listings at $0.99. Or you should have a fixed price for everything. I know, "huh?". I've seen lots of items sell for less in auctions than they sell for via "buy it now". And I've seen the reverse on occasion. But I believe fixed price sales get a higher price than auctions. If you know the value of an item, and have time to wait for someone to agree to your price, set a "buy it now" price that is towards the high end but not extreme. If you don't know the value, or are in a hurry, do an auction. There is not a single "right way".

Here's an example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-FM-3...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Decent pictures, listed as "tested and working", yet garnered only one bid and sold for less than comparable FMs in the same time period. Take the item you're selling and compare.

There was a time when ebay buyers at their keyboard, following the bidding on an item, and getting caught up in the excitement. But I think now most ebay buyers just use sniping software.

Make sure you know the cost to ship your item before you set the shipping cost. An extra ounce of packed weight can cost you a few dollars if it bumps you up to higher postage.

I figure ebay and paypal fees cost me a total of 15%.

I like to take photos of the item as I pack it; though I've never had to use them.

 

[Laroche]

As many good,excellent pictures you can post. Shipping is always free and starting out I would avoid shipping overseas. If items aren't worth a lot of money start the bid at what you figure shipping will cost. If it's a pricey item then list it for what's it worth (plus commission and shipping) and make it a "buy it now". Never state best offer for an item with a buy it now price. You'll just get a ton of emails with ridiculous offers (like $100 for a 50 Summilux Asph). Remember also that if the buyer doesn't like or has buyer's remorse you're going to get it back minus shipping both ways. You have no recourse. Don't sell to buyer's with less than 10 feedback, and check the feedback to ensure the buyer didn't just buy a lot of 99 cent items. If your just starting in eBay then list low priced items because buyers are always wary of a new seller.

Thank you so much! Those are some good pointers.

 

[monopix]

Never state best offer for an item with a buy it now price. You'll just get a ton of emails with ridiculous offers (like $100 for a 50 Summilux Asph).

You are able to set automatic rejections of offers below a specified value. That stops stupid offers getting through (at least, on ebay UK you can).