ebay selling

[s-man]

Does anyone have any tips about selling comics through ebay? I have bought several issues through ebay, but am now looking to sell a few of my own. Or is there a better place online to be selling?

[Mr. Zipper]

* Big, clear scans (100%, 75dpi, descreen)

* Accurate grading... if you're not sure, give a range with a good scan to let the buyer decide

* Accept multiple forms of payment

* Ship fast

* Don't wait for $5 checks to clear from established buyers (my pet peeve... I have almost 500 positive with zero negatives and people hold $7 checks for 2 weeks. Gimme a break.)

* Cheerfully offer refunds if buyer is not satisfied

* Don't play games with feedback - when/if the buyer pays promply, leave feedback. I can't stand sellers who hold it over your head making the buyer leave feedback first. There is an implied threat IMO when this happens.

 

Good luck!

[DawgPhan]

I think that i might be able to handle this...

 

1. Great Description

2. Huge scan of the actual book(dont use someone elses scan since that is frowned upon)

3. Offer a return policy

4. Dont profiteer on shipping. Charge What it cost to ship it.

5. Dont add in extra charges to cover paypal and ebay fees

6. Dont charge sales tax when there is no need.

 

I think that might just about cover it.. Um you could list the books in the marketplace of this board, on comiclink, heritage, or a million other places on the internet....maybe you could use google to get a better list of places....ebay will offer the most viewers of your auctions though....

[Rob]

As others have said, the #1 thing is huge clear scans. Even if you do grade correctly, no one can know for sure until they get the comic in their hands. And most bidders (myself included) aren't willing to take the risk. To guarantee more bids, and a higher selling price, provide huge scans (aka - don't use eBay picture hosting), so bidders can judge the grade for themselves, and reduce the risk.

[sterlingcomics]

In order of highest priorty to lowest:

 

1. Large, vivid scans (Descreen a must)

2. Accurate description of book / grade

3. Flexible payment options

4. Ability to professionally field questions

5. No Reserve-no games-no kidding

6. Return policy for non-certified books

7. Fair shipping charges

[s-man]

Sterling... Whats Descreen?

[Rob]

Sterling... Whats Descreen?

 

It's a setting on most scanning software. It'll prevent colored sections of printed material to have a grid effect.

[DiceX]

Sterling... Whats Descreen?

 

It's a setting on most scanning software. It'll prevent colored sections of printed material to have a grid effect.

 

The grid effect is called a moiré.

And yes. Descreen prevents this, but slightly blurs the picture.

[Rob]

Sterling... Whats Descreen?

 

It's a setting on most scanning software. It'll prevent colored sections of printed material to have a grid effect.

 

The grid effect is called a moiré.

And yes. Descreen prevents this, but slightly blurs the picture.

 

Quickly fixed with Filter> Sharpness in Photoshop.

[drbanner]

The grid effect is called a moiré.

And yes. Descreen prevents this, but slightly blurs the picture.

 

This scan is not "descreened"...note the checkerboard pattern in the Marvel Comics banner. If someone could post a descreened scan, you'll see that it does appear more blurred, and doesn't look as good IMHO...

 

[DiceX]

Sterling... Whats Descreen?

 

It's a setting on most scanning software. It'll prevent colored sections of printed material to have a grid effect.

 

The grid effect is called a moiré.

And yes. Descreen prevents this, but slightly blurs the picture.

 

Quickly fixed with Filter> Sharpness in Photoshop.

 

Still not the same. You lose detail with the descreen that can never be recovered.

Some books have to be descreened. No way around it.

[FlyingDonut]

 

what does this spotting come from?

 

 

only shows up on certain books.

[DiceX]

what does this spotting come from?

 

 

only shows up on certain books.

 

Moiré from the dot pattern on the print conflicting with the pixel pattern.

[s-man]

so then which books should I descreen and which should be left alone?

[RTBrandy]

In order of highest priorty to lowest:

 

1. Large, vivid scans (Descreen a must)

2. Accurate description of book / grade

3. Flexible payment options

4. Ability to professionally field questions

5. No Reserve-no games-no kidding

6. Return policy for non-certified books

7. Fair shipping charges

 

I'm just curious, are reserves really frowned upon? Why?

 

I don't sell yet, but I don't understand the downside of that....basically, you're just getting a market quote doing that........

[DiceX]

so then which books should I descreen and which should be left alone?

 

I wouldn't descreen any of them, unless they look like the one Donut posted above.

That's a descreen candidate.

 

Donut, if you turn the book on the scanner about 15 degrees it would make it look better. Then crop and rotate it back.

If you have a scan that looks bad, try turning it at various angles on the scanner bed until you hit a spot where it looks better.

You probably won't be able to get rid of it completely, but you can definately make it look better.

 

Golden Age comics are more likely to show a moiré because the line screen was lower. Meaning that there are fewer dots per inch, thus they are larger , more coarse and more visible.

A book printed at 150 lpi (Lines Per Inch) is less likely to show a moiré than one printed at 100 lpi.

[drbanner]

I'm just curious, are reserves really frowned upon? Why?

 

I don't sell yet, but I don't understand the downside of that....basically, you're just getting a market quote doing that........

 

They're frowned upon by buyers, but just about every book worth over $500(?) is listed with a reserve. So the downside is that some people won't even bid on a book with a reserve as they simply assume it's too high.

 

The upside for the seller is that if "The Buyer" for the book is on vacation that week, just blew his wad on hookers, is otherwise unable to purchase it right then, doesn't see the auction, etc.,. at that discrete point in time, they will catch it "next time 'round".

 

Which brings up an interesting question...what is they highest auction anyone has seen that started at under $10 w/no reserve??

[s-man]

having been in the uncanny x-men shopping mode for a while, i saw a few early editions start out at around $10 w/no reserve and they ended over $100 to $200. But they looked like they were worth around that price anyways.

 

What is to stop a seller who doesnt like the price to just close auction in the last minute or so? (other then morality, of course! )

[DiceX]

What is to stop a seller who doesnt like the price to just close auction in the last minute or so? (other then morality, of course! )

 

A foot in his arse.

[s-man]

ouch!