Does seller's reputation sell the book or does the book sell itself?

[maryj0w]

Best advice is pretty simple. Grade the book's as best you can. Describe any unseen faults a book may have. Price them accordingly. Charge the exact cost for shipping. Package them for shipping and let the buyer decide if they want to pay extra for insurance, tracking, delivery conformation. Make the book as secure as you can for there trip to there new owner.

 

If people still wont by from you. That is there problem, not yours.... My book arrived just fine. So I would buy from you again without any hesitation at all. Good Luck with the future sales...

 

THANKS...It means alot.

 

 

[MightyBeanComics]

Mary, welcome to the boards...

 

When I came to this forum, I had some great advice from friends...go slowly, meet people, and don't plan on selling right away, they won't trust you....

 

Since I have been one of those dreaded "ebay sellers" for years...and I was not unhappy listing there (and couldn't even figure out how to list here;) ..I wasn't worried about selling. I also had quite a few friends here, that I knew from Ebay...so I had a small comfort zone.

 

I spent some time here, met some wonderful friends, learned more than I ever imagined...and listed a few things after a while. Sometimes they sell, sometimes not...as someone else said, it depends on timing and price. I never use the guide as a bible...just as a preliminary guide for prices...then I check Ebay, Heritage, wherever I can ...I might ask people if it's a book I don't know very well...and I price stuff at prices I hope people will like, but if they don't sell for that, I keep the books, or list them on Ebay. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised, here, or there.

 

Buy a grading guide, it helps. Read Nik's threads with the grading contests...take a little time to learn.

 

Get to know people for a bit...when you come here and after a few days, go right to the sales forum, you have less of an audience, and less people who are likely to buy, some people will think you are ONLY here to sell....you also miss learning...and there are non comic subjects here as well.

 

Not every book will sell, even the really top sellers, have threads where people don't want the specific books...it's not really that huge a pool here....and you just can't expect to sell quickly or easily in this economy, unless you are selling something that is in demand, either by rarity, or because you have priced it So low, people think it's a bargain.

 

Best of luck

 

Sharon

 

THANKS SO MUCH!!!

That means so much to me, you will never know. I have felt like the kid who transfered schools in the middle of a criticle grade. I guess I can explain it best as finding the nerve to jump into freezing cold waters, and then saying its not that bad actauly i am getting use to it!

 

 

Mary/Returner

 

I have read this whole thread and it has caused me to think of my own time trying to mature as a seller.

 

I think one of the important things is your reaction to feedback or problems.

 

This is a hobby board and people have much more passion (rightfully so!) than on EBAY It takes a lot of time to cultivate a good relationship.

 

I try to resolve everything properly. Here are some of the problems I have had and my resolution.

 

1. Sold an over-graded book. I refunded via Paypal the second I received the IM

2. Prices were too high initially. People sent PM's and I thanked them and adjusted accordingly.

3. Found myself in an argument with a dealer in a thread. I backed out before I might have said or done something that may have tarnished my image. Even when you are right, you have to consider perception.

4. Bad scans. Sometimes I would send the book in advance of payment. Risky indeed for me, but it worked out well.

 

I see some of the reactions the two of you have and whether warranted or not, cause people to have a bad perception of you.

 

Lie low....all books sell eventually, just don't be a detriment to yourself. Price your books right, if they don't move adjust. Don't get into flame wars, comment where you add value, and when you get ready to speak...take time to think your response through.

 

Last but not least. You have to have a love of comic books. If you don't you will never succeed as a seller.

 

Also, use paragraphs, many people don't bother to read the "word wall"

 

Dave

 

[Calidream'n]

Dave,

Thanks for the advice. Just so you know, these are Mary's husband's books and not mine. I'm just a helper from her neck of the woods. She really isn't involved in what's been happening in this thread except for the mentions of her sales. She isn't really a "lover of comics". She is here simply to sell some books she came into. I'm sure the busy lady w/ a hubby and a job and children will be gone to never "return" after they are sold.

The problems w/ me and some of the people on the boards go waaay back. It isn't really worth mentioning but for the fact that some people won't let certain things die. End of story. Schoolyard immature BS. As far as I'm concerned, old news.

Thanks for writing. Do you like my sentence structure?

Peace

[thehumantorch]

Mary, welcome to the boards...

 

When I came to this forum, I had some great advice from friends...go slowly, meet people, and don't plan on selling right away, they won't trust you....

 

Since I have been one of those dreaded "ebay sellers" for years...and I was not unhappy listing there (and couldn't even figure out how to list here;) ..I wasn't worried about selling. I also had quite a few friends here, that I knew from Ebay...so I had a small comfort zone.

 

I spent some time here, met some wonderful friends, learned more than I ever imagined...and listed a few things after a while. Sometimes they sell, sometimes not...as someone else said, it depends on timing and price. I never use the guide as a bible...just as a preliminary guide for prices...then I check Ebay, Heritage, wherever I can ...I might ask people if it's a book I don't know very well...and I price stuff at prices I hope people will like, but if they don't sell for that, I keep the books, or list them on Ebay. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised, here, or there.

 

Buy a grading guide, it helps. Read Nik's threads with the grading contests...take a little time to learn.

 

Get to know people for a bit...when you come here and after a few days, go right to the sales forum, you have less of an audience, and less people who are likely to buy, some people will think you are ONLY here to sell....you also miss learning...and there are non comic subjects here as well.

 

Not every book will sell, even the really top sellers, have threads where people don't want the specific books...it's not really that huge a pool here....and you just can't expect to sell quickly or easily in this economy, unless you are selling something that is in demand, either by rarity, or because you have priced it So low, people think it's a bargain.

 

Best of luck

 

Sharon

 

THANKS SO MUCH!!!

That means so much to me, you will never know. I have felt like the kid who transfered schools in the middle of a criticle grade. I guess I can explain it best as finding the nerve to jump into freezing cold waters, and then saying its not that bad actauly i am getting use to it!

 

 

Mary/Returner

 

I have read this whole thread and it has caused me to think of my own time trying to mature as a seller.

 

I think one of the important things is your reaction to feedback or problems.

 

This is a hobby board and people have much more passion (rightfully so!) than on EBAY It takes a lot of time to cultivate a good relationship.

 

I try to resolve everything properly. Here are some of the problems I have had and my resolution.

 

1. Sold an over-graded book. I refunded via Paypal the second I received the IM

2. Prices were too high initially. People sent PM's and I thanked them and adjusted accordingly.

3. Found myself in an argument with a dealer in a thread. I backed out before I might have said or done something that may have tarnished my image. Even when you are right, you have to consider perception.

4. Bad scans. Sometimes I would send the book in advance of payment. Risky indeed for me, but it worked out well.

 

I see some of the reactions the two of you have and whether warranted or not, cause people to have a bad perception of you.

 

Lie low....all books sell eventually, just don't be a detriment to yourself. Price your books right, if they don't move adjust. Don't get into flame wars, comment where you add value, and when you get ready to speak...take time to think your response through.

 

Last but not least. You have to have a love of comic books. If you don't you will never succeed as a seller.

 

Also, use paragraphs, many people don't bother to read the "word wall"

 

Dave

 

A very nice post Dave.

[maryj0w]

THANKS DAVE!

SO sweet of you to take the time to help!

Mary