eBay, baby

[Topnotchman]

The only legitiminate slump in sales I can recall in a decade plus of selling, is the week before Christmas up to Christmas day. After Christmas to New Years is great. The two weeks after Thanksgiving going into December, they even have an online Black Monday, very high demand weeks. The rest of the year I can't recall any type of slump. If you have the books, in grade, the books sell themselves.

 

I was the first Ebay comic seller to get to 30,000 feedbacks which was in 2007, this was achieved primarly before Ebay stores developed.

 

Post 2007 when I got my Ebay store up to 2000 listings you have enough key words in there to attract a wide variety of searches. I also run about 30 to 50 auctions a week, most with minimum bids.

 

Having the right books, in desirable grade, priced at current market values = success on Ebay.

[songsaboutclouds]

For the majority of the time WHATEVER you put in your title

is what you're selling.

You don't need a picture or a description.

They are not looked at or read, the price is what matters.

 

My links are too old to show but I tested this theory a few years back.

 

I regularly used to put at the bottom of the description

"please contact me to have your postage refunded"

Out of around 500 sales, I never had a postage refund.

 

One time at band camp

or one listing

 

for a cheap 80s Green Lantern issue.

 

Title - Green Lantern #197

Description - this Buy it now is for 1 odd sock.

 

Sold, posted Green Lantern #197, received positive feedback

[FIREFLY]

**Don't be dissuaded, intimidated or pressured by other sellers complaining about your price if it undercuts them. Ebay is a free market and no other seller can tell you how to sell your book. It's your book.

 

I recently received this email from someone:

"Just so you know, not cool you're trying to cut the market for these great comics. It's not helping you're under-cutting the market and trying to get a quick sale."

 

My response:

"I appreciate your comment, but I must let you know that this is my book. What right do you have to tell me what to do with it? Are you going to pay my bills? Didn't think so. Good luck with your sale and your book. Please leave my sales to me. Thanks."

 

Hilarious.

[Balham's Finest]

**Don't be dissuaded, intimidated or pressured by other sellers complaining about your price if it undercuts them. Ebay is a free market and no other seller can tell you how to sell your book. It's your book.

 

I recently received this email from someone:

"Just so you know, not cool you're trying to cut the market for these great comics. It's not helping you're under-cutting the market and trying to get a quick sale."

 

My response:

"I appreciate your comment, but I must let you know that this is my book. What right do you have to tell me what to do with it? Are you going to pay my bills? Didn't think so. Good luck with your sale and your book. Please leave my sales to me. Thanks."

 

Hilarious.

 

That's never happened to me, but I guarantee I wouldn't have been that polite if it did.

 

My tip - if you're running a lot of auctions, make sure they end no less than 5 minutes apart. A lot of the time people are interested in more than one item but need time to make decisions on price (assuming they're not sniping), and if you have similar items ending bang bang bang one after the other you may lose interest.

[MediumLover]

**Don't be dissuaded, intimidated or pressured by other sellers complaining about your price if it undercuts them. Ebay is a free market and no other seller can tell you how to sell your book. It's your book.

 

I recently received this email from someone:

"Just so you know, not cool you're trying to cut the market for these great comics. It's not helping you're under-cutting the market and trying to get a quick sale."

 

My response:

"I appreciate your comment, but I must let you know that this is my book. What right do you have to tell me what to do with it? Are you going to pay my bills? Didn't think so. Good luck with your sale and your book. Please leave my sales to me. Thanks."

 

Hilarious.

 

This has happened in the forum marketplace.

[youmechooz]

i also thought sunday evening was the best time to end auctions, statistically it's the best time, from what ive read. but i think that only applies to certain categories. comics can end any day of the week, at night though, and still sell well. if revival 1 9.8 is set to end on a sunday it will end between $90-$110, if it ends on a tuesday night, its around the same price. at least thats what has happened to me.

[Taco]

I mostly do buy it now listings. I usally list 25 cents less than the cheapest lowest price + shipping. I offer free shipping, but still price it 25 cents less than lowest price + shipping. So if someone buys two comics or more from me I still make that extra $4 per issue since I don't have to give a discount for combined shipping.

[youmechooz]

if you ship through ebay, customs forms are cake.

[mangbus]

Going through eBay/PayPal for international shipping is easier with regards to printing postage, filling out forms, etc.

 

I just dislike the lack of protection sellers receive when they use a form of shipping other than Express (for USPS.) Unless they have made huge improvements to the tracking for Priority, I just don't use it anymore. I had a few items 'arrive at customs on xx/xx day' and they sat there for 2 weeks. By the time the customer got them, they complained that it took forever to ge to them. I can't let customs times and other elements beyond my control allow buyers the ability to ding my DSR stars or feedback. I don't do international anymore. It hasn't hurt a single one of my sales yet (since almost everything I've sold has been at or above what I hoped it would sell for.)

 

I do find that auctions ending (any day) at 9pm EST have the best results for me.

[Erndog]

For the majority of the time WHATEVER you put in your title

is what you're selling.

You don't need a picture or a description.

They are not looked at or read, the price is what matters.

 

 

I agree about the price, but this is the FIRST time I've ever heard anyone say that you don't need pictures, etc.

 

I literally click right out of an auction that doesnt have pics. I know if they have the CGC grade that matters but I dont know anyone in their right might who would buy a key SA mid-grade book without a pic.

[Taco]

You can't list on eBay without a picture?

[Balham's Finest]

You can't list on eBay without a picture?

 

Is that a question? You can list without a pic.

[jreezy]

I am Ron Burgundy?

[CBT]

i think you need pictures, everything else I agree with in that post.

 

TopNotch also nailed it on the head. I agree with everything he said too, except the 30K thing, MileHigh used to sell a trillion books on Ebay before the fees changed. Back in like 05/06, they had a lot more than 30K to my memory.

[B-Smooth]

I cant state this one enough but good, clear, large, crisp SCANSSS!!!

 

Also, state in the auction where you are willing to ship (and prices if you can). I can not STAND finding a nice book I want but have no idea if the U.S seller is willing to ship to me in Canada and at what price.

Thank you!

[TJ325]

You can't list on eBay without a picture?

 

Yes and no. Yes, Ebay requires that you post at least one picture to list an auction. No, it doesn't have to be your picture because ebay now has a catalog of pictures for most comics.