Chicken boarders

[beach chick]

I have some bits I would like to sell - things I dont like basically! none especially valuable but am just fed up with them cluttering up the house. anyone got any advice/pitfalls?

 

I've looked at ebay but am thinking it might be better to go along to a local antiques market and take things to the 'right' dealers there - so postcards for the postcard dealers etc.

 

there are few old prints (Bateman & Louis Wain cartoons given to us by inlaws - I LOATHE Louis Wain cats in particular, they gave them to me as I love cats - go figure...). Lots of 1930's postcards - English, Indian, Ceylonese. Some pre-fall of the Berlin wall communist memorabilia, and even a pair of Rolling Stones binoculars circa 1980!! a right old mish-mash in fact.

 

some small bits of jewellery, again old or second-hand which I will never wear and cant see my girls wearing either - would a jewellers be better for that?

 

I realise I might have to be a bit pushy and not accept the first offer (eek, how hideous!!) so again, anyone got any advice on that?

[Cinnamon]

I would actually eBay them - you get a much wider audience that way,especially if you are willing to sell overseas

 

Save up all you packaging materials for postage,& make sure you add a decent amount for the P&P charges.

[Olly]

I'm inclined to agree, you get a wider market, and you'll find a lot of dealers actually buy on there as well.

Do a search or two to try and find out a realistic price so you can set a reserve if appropriate.

[Cinnamon]

.........................or do as I do,start everything at 99p,preferably on a free listing day,& hope for the best

 

I tend not to set reserves,as they are expensive,& prefer a 'hope for the best' type of auction ....you can always finish a listing if it has 12 hours or more to go,if it looks like selling for 99p.

I sold a top the other week for 99p, the buyer didn't pay up,so I relisted it & it sold for £8.......it very much depends on who wants that particular item at the time.

 

Put LOADS of really great photos on the listing too,& as much honest detail & description as you can.

[beach chick]

ok that sounds sensible. I was just a bit off-put by the whole ebay thing. good photos and good description I can do.

 

if you dont set a reserve, can you just pull something out? say a piece of jewellery for example, that I know cost around £180 - I dont want to sell that for £2.50!!

 

I sell lots of books etc on Amazon, but that's kind of different...

[Cinnamon]

Yes,you can stop an auction,even if it has bids,if it has 12 hours or more left to run.

That has always been the case,although eBay in their wisdom do change things around,so you may ant to check.

Then just give it a month & relist,hopefully on a free listings day (you can sign up to get email alerts for these )

 

If you are not a regular or experiences Bayer,then make sure your terms & conditions are well explained........ payment within a week, Paypal only in Sterling only from overseas buyers & so forth.

Hope I am not trying to teach granny to suck eggs here - just some helpful advice

[beach chick]

I can suck eggs cinnamon!!! and in fact def need to - I find ebay quite hard to get to grips with in terms of selling, hence why I was wondering whether to trawl the antiques market.

 

in fact, I have to go into town on friday, so I might go for a quick potter about, chat with some stall holders etc - after spending tomorrow night pootling about on ebay!

 

many thanks for all the advice.

[Redwing]

maybe consider a real life specialist auction. get advice and set reserves, it may mean taking the items to different places but could be worth it

 

The trouble with selling to the trade (shops/stall holders) is that they will need to make a profit on it so will try to get you to accept a low amount - thats probably the least hassle way to sell the items though!

[Aunty e]

You can set a high starting price if you don't want to set a reserve - that's what I tend to do on expensive stuff (like the cube and OH's laptop). I'm generally very happy with eBay (although I did spend half an hour on the phone to their RUBBISH customer service the other day, I wouldn't call them unless you want to be enraged), and sell quite a bit of furniture, electronics etc on there. Good photos are REALLY important though.

[beach chick]

hmmm, I think it's going to be ebay. took some bits of jewellery into the jeweller's yesterday, and he could only offer me s"Ooops, word censored!" value. he advised me that because some of them are Victorian and very pretty to either hang on to them or try ebay.

hold on or not? I've 'outgrown' them and cant see either of my girls wanting to wear them unless fashions change drastically. oh well, see what I can get I suppose!