Ain't Nobody Here Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 I've spent the last year selling my father-in-law's 1970's collection of model aircraft kits - all unmade - on Ebay and have this week sold the last one . I've sold 571 models to 33 different countries (among them Russia, Columbia, Finland, the Philippines, Japan & Singapore). I've made just over £4,000 (after costs) with the highest price for a model being £56 . My lovely f-i-l has insisted we use the money to fund YS's Biology trip to Borneo in July . One nice story came from a elderly chap who is helping to restore the last remaining Lancaster Bomber in Australia and wanted models to display in their museum . You really can sell anything on Ebay - the last item was an empty box . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 How lovely - all of it! Your FiL must be happy they've gone to other enthusiasts to enjoy and what a wonderful gesture to use the proceeds to fund your son's trip. It's good to read of a positive ebay experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickat Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Congratulations Ain't "Ooops, word censored!"ody here........ Once I sold an empty box on eBay too--- for $76.00. You have to love eBay----and conversely you can find anything on eBay. I will bet that you now have a great 'feeling of satisfaction in accomplishing the redistribution of the model collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Well done you You must have soooo much patience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Gosh, it takes a lot of organisational skills to photograph & list that many items, well done! I once sold a box set of records; The excitement of the buyer who won the item, he was soooo happy, that made my day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Well done ANH. What a smashing story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Love the box you sold at the end. Wonder how many of them will get made up now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Wow, congratulations indeed, that's an awful lot of sales in one year You must be exhausted now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 That is fantastic We once sold a single apple on eBay. ES did it as an experiment to see if you really could sell anything. He got £10 which he gave to charity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Well done ANH, I have only bought things on ebay OH is selling some things at the moment and DS sells too but I can only manage to buy Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Ahhh what a lovely ending! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 I actually really enjoyed the experience although it did take quite a bit of work. I took each model out of the box and arranged the pieces neatly for the photograph along with the box and instructions. It was time consuming but I had quite a lot of feedback complimenting me on this and saying that's what really encourages a buyer to bid. I only had a couple of disasters - two models posted to Wales got crushed by the PO and one model posted to South Africa never arrived. One took a month to reach France - I'd refunded him by this point but then he refunded the refund - refreshingly honest . One guy in Australia disappeared completely from Ebay after winning a model but I just offered it to the next bidder (coincidentally also in Australia). I also sold quite a few to a bloke who lives in Edinburgh - he used to come to the house to collect them and gave me some good advice including putting the word "vintage" in my titles. My little local post office must be missing me now - I spent almost £900 in there . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Fantastic ANH!!! I've just started selling a few bits (easy to post items) on ebay, quite addictive, isn't it!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I love selling on ebay & when I am in the mood to list a few things you had better hide anything you want to keep in this house,as nothing is sacred I used to collect beanie babies - had some very rare ones - & got into eBaying when I decided to sell off my collection & made just under £1000 Glad you enjoyed the experience too,ANH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Well done ANH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Well done ebay is great way to sell things and also a great way to aquire things, we have bought most of our dinner service that way. It is worth making an extra effort to list things well and post things quickly that have been well packaged, it is so satifying to get grateful and glowing feedback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I used to collect beanie babies - had some very rare ones - & got into eBaying when I decided to sell off my collection & made just under £1000 I bought some a few years back for my lovely girl. I wonder if they were yours Vicki, this is a great story & what a lovely fil. He'll feel so good when your laddie goes off on his field trip, knowing he helped to fund it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 Fun isn't it! I've been selling off bits and bobs of baby stuff on eBay that we're not going to use again and have made about £400 in the last few days (there were a couple of big bits of furniture in there). Unfortunately somebody wants to return something they've bought, which is a bit of a faff. Why people expect something that looks brand new when the listing says 'two years old, well used, faded by washing but perfectly functional' I don't know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 I hate seeling on Ebay so well done to you. I sold some pushchairs recently and one person claimed it had bleach and mould on the hood. Do they really think I'd sell a pushchair like that? I wiped it over before it left me so I think I'd have noticed! Fortunately the other buyers gave glowing feedback so it made up for it a bit. I normally just give things to charity shops so I don't get the hassle. I buy loads on Ebay though, I can't help myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Wow! Dad sold some motors for model trains, (1 was a broken gearbox, which fetched about £50), the working one sold for about £80. It's a little bit insane the money some of these people pay, but then they clearly really want it! I think they sold for that much as I don't think they make them anymore, but that's really beside the point for a few bits of kit. My tutor at college lost both his parents in the past few months and has been clearing out their old house. He found a huge box of dinky toys he had when he was a child, and his Dad always made him look after them and the majority still have boxes, so the whole lot were being sold on by his son and were fetching around £4000! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 A few years ago when I was into selling, and latterly buying on eBay, a friend found a brilliant seller who had the most wonderful vintage things for sale. We speculated that he was selling the contents of his mother's house, and she must have had an amazing and glamorous social life. My friend bought a piece of vintage costume jewellery off him, and discovered he was a local councillor, and well known in his area (North West). We followed his sales, which went all over the world, the linens, knick knacks, fur coats, unopened packets of silk stockings, beautiful evening gowns, and lots of high end costume jewellery. He was making over £1000 per week. It was so interesting watching his sales, most big items of clothing and linen went for £100 or so, and the costume jewellery also did really well. Suddenly the selling came to an abrupt end and it turned out he died at the age of just 43, halfway through selling all the goods off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 What a wonderful story but what a sad end . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...