03-10-2022 06:44 PM - last edited on 04-14-2022 03:57 PM by kh-sandra
For anyone interested, I recently put together a blog post entitled "How to list comic books on eBay" which offers my five step process for selling comics.
Would love to get anyone's opinion on it (and get some pointers on anything I might have nissed).
Thanks!
03-11-2022 06:14 AM - edited 03-11-2022 06:16 AM
I don't sell or collect comic books, but I read your guide all the way thorugh. It is excellent in nearly every regard, and all its general points would be helpful to anyone selling anything on eBay.
I have only one caveat, and that is with this: "eBay allows you to set a starting bid and a reserve price. If you set the starting bid too high, you may discourage people from ever bidding in the first place, so start low and aim high."
Sellers should be aware that (a) the fee for running a reserve auction if hefty and (b) that hefty fee must be paid whether or not the item sells. eBay did that to discourage reserve auctions. Buyers hate reserves and will often hit the back button as soon as they see the word. Or they will will nibble- and sport-bid just to disclose the reserve and then back out of the transaction.
So, better advice is, I believe, to make the opening bid the least amount the seller is willing to take for the comic.
I believe the best advice for new sellers is to not run auctions at all but sell at fixed price, immediate payment required, no offers. I won't go into detail here but you can find plenty of commentary on the Sellers forum to the effect that new sellers are scam magnets, and they are are more likely to be targeted when they run auctions.
But, as I said, your guide is really very good. It's clearly written, logically organized, nicely laid out. I hope potential comics sellers find it.
.
03-11-2022 06:22 AM - edited 03-11-2022 06:24 AM
I meant to include the Reserve Fee in the above:
Since it is an "Optional Selling Upgrade," it is charged in additon to all other fees. It is currently $5.00 or 7.5% of reserve price, whichever is greater (maximum fee $250). The Reserve Fee is charged whether or not item sells.
https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/selling-fees?id=4822#section5
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03-11-2022 06:25 AM
Very nice! I agree with Maxine's point about the reserve option - it's a turn off to many buyers, and it is costly for sellers. Buy now pricing is a good idea if the seller has done the homework to know what price to ask - and that could depend on whether the slow dime or the fast nickel is sought.
Rita
04-14-2022 03:03 PM
Very good info, especially on grading & how to find the value of comics.
I came across 300+ comics between 2000-2016 which I've been selling on ebay..
I've never gotten negative feedback on eBay ever until recently.
When I ship I board & seal in poly bags then put in Kraft envelopes.
Apparently that is not good enough.
The P.O. has managed to fold the envelopes and jam them in the buyers mailbox.
This leaves a crease in the comic.
I refund the buyer, he keeps the comic.
Then he gives me negative feedback.
I get it the message, only ship comics in Gemini comic boxes.
But I'm still stuck with negative feedback.
I've communicated this to eBay, they basically don't care.
I only wish that comic buyers would not get so angered by
damage done by the post office.
..just venting.
04-14-2022 03:40 PM - edited 04-14-2022 03:41 PM
@chillebear wrote:When I ship I board & seal in poly bags then put in Kraft envelopes.
Apparently that is not good enough.
Your buyer's complaint is that you didn't board it: "Mine arrived with no cardboard, rolled up and shoved into my mailbox... The book was shipped without any protection whatsoever."
I've no idea which of you is right, but you can't both be. Either there was cardboard inside the envelope, or there wasn't.
02-06-2024 09:04 AM
Hi,
I'd like to see your blog post but don't see a link. Apologies if I'm missing something. New here.
Thanks!
02-20-2024 09:43 AM
Yes, I would love to read it too...
02-20-2024 09:43 AM
Where is this guide now? I would love to read it.
02-20-2024 09:47 AM