I come to ye and thee with hat in hand

[sharingtheland]

Okay, admitting my Ludditeness here and asking for help.

I have a billion (or two) different accessories that go with those Christmas village decorating sets.  Some (a few) realize prices worth the time and effort of separate listings; most don't.  They're all different but they are all accessories to one specific huge set o' things.

Can I do a multi variation listing with these?  Like people do with lipstick, etc?

Every time I've "practiced" setting up a listing, as soon as I change the category (oh sudden brain gas cloud - maybe it's the category that's the issue) I no longer see "variations" on the listing form.   But there is a very specific category for these that I assume people use ?

I've also tried to figure out what accessories to include with what larger building (the buildings sell), thus eliminating some listing time and shipping costs, and I need to get crackin'.  People are starting to drag the holiday stuff out and list it, thus prices are heading downward.

I really, really don't want to do 50-100 listings, most for a miserly amount of profit each when all is said and done with photo and prep time, fees and shipping.  But maybe I need to put on my big girl panties and say, hey, big girl, you thought this was a great idea last April ...

[a*river*runs*through*it]

Any chance these are Dept 56?

[sharingtheland]

Well, maybe.   

[sg51]

Can I do a multi variation listing with these?  Like people do with lipstick, etc?

Variations are only available in some categories.

As I read your intent, I don't think variations will work.   An example of one which would be against policy is "choose gloves or shoes".  Legal are colors, sizes, stuff like that.

You can create whatever lots you like.

[sharingtheland]

Thanks, sg.  I know the gloves vs shoes rule (ebay wants those listing fees); just was faintly hoping there was some way to call it an accessories listing.  Which is exactly what they are called by Dept 56 - Accessories.

But I guess ebay was smart and that's why those categories were created.  Nah, I think ebay just got lucky on that one.

I will make lots, no doubt.  Individual item shipping would be excessive, not to mention the packing up and doing part.

[a*river*runs*through*it]

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@sharingtheland wrote:

Well, maybe.   

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That's a good thing!

Why not sell them as lots?

Like a lot of fences, lights, walkways, people, etc.

Many collectors of Dept 56 are usually happy to buy lots of the accessories. I know I'd prefer to buy lots.

I don't think you can do the buildings in a Multiple Variation listings.

Crawling off to the slow typers corner now.

[goodluckselling]

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@sg51 wrote:

Can I do a multi variation listing with these?  Like people do with lipstick, etc?

Variations are only available in some categories.

As I read your intent, I don't think variations will work.   An example of one which would be against policy is "choose gloves or shoes".  Legal are colors, sizes, stuff like that.

You can create whatever lots you like.

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@sharingtheland  @sg51  has this one correct.  Although I understand the reason and it actually makes sense that the same buyer would be interested in any of these accessories as indivdual items, eBay says it is confusing to buyers when different items are included in multi variations options.

Good Luck Selling!

[sharingtheland]

I've listed (and sold) most of my buildings; the ones I left are the least profitable and I'm working on throwing in some accessories with a building in a box.   

I'm a very slow and inept photographer and then editing/downloading and organizing/storing of photos so I just tremble at how long that's going to take if I list these individually.  I'm also an over-describer of any issues so a tiny mark gets a photo and words about it.   Too much competition in this category to try to skate by with the least amount of effort.

The hardest part of putting them all in lots (besides figuring out what to put together) is coming up with titles for the listings, believe it or not.

The second hardest part is telling myself to get off of this board, quit stalling, get it done, lol.

[timemachine777]

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@sharingtheland wrote:

Okay, admitting my Ludditeness here and asking for help.

I have a billion (or two) different accessories that go with those Christmas village decorating sets.  Some (a few) realize prices worth the time and effort of separate listings; most don't.  They're all different but they are all accessories to one specific huge set o' things.

Can I do a multi variation listing with these?  Like people do with lipstick, etc?

Every time I've "practiced" setting up a listing, as soon as I change the category (oh sudden brain gas cloud - maybe it's the category that's the issue) I no longer see "variations" on the listing form.   But there is a very specific category for these that I assume people use ?

I've also tried to figure out what accessories to include with what larger building (the buildings sell), thus eliminating some listing time and shipping costs, and I need to get crackin'.  People are starting to drag the holiday stuff out and list it, thus prices are heading downward.

I really, really don't want to do 50-100 listings, most for a miserly amount of profit each when all is said and done with photo and prep time, fees and shipping.  But maybe I need to put on my big girl panties and say, hey, big girl, you thought this was a great idea last April ...

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I don't know what you have for pieces, but you might try to do groups that create a scene. Man, Woman, 2 Children, Bench, Lamp post. Something like that.

[moo*cow*corner]

Does the category have the 'bundle' option available? Seems that would be a good fit maybe.

OTOH, I still haven't seen any good explanations on how exactly bundling works or how the listings appear in search, so....

As far as I can tell, what us old folks used to call lots, the kids have decided that they really should be called bundles....

Just a thought...I'm kinda facing the same type of listing dilemma with dolls and accessories....

[d-k_treasures]

Just use generic 'dept 56 figures' or something like that as a title. Just start typing in dept 56, and a list of suggestions will come up based on how they are searched(but usually in alphabetic order).

[myboardid]

Ok, you're in my neighborhood now, as I have sold Dept 56 here for 20 years.  It probaby won't make you feel any better to know that I have over 1000 listings, each item individually listed!  However, there is a difference - I don't sell used pieces, only new ones, and currently available, not retired if I can help it.  That said, if I can help you identify anything or find out what village it belongs to, or answer any other questions, please feel free to contact me!  I have a lot of guide books, etc, and a pile of old catalogues. 

As to listing, the accessories will sell best if listed in lots of items for the same village, and general accessories that will go with any village.  I would keep the lots small - two or three, maybe four items - since collectors are often looking to find a specific item they may have missed, or one they broke.   Be ready to be flexible and take an item out of a lot if someone asks. 

Most accessories weigh less than a lb and can therefore be shipped First Class.  On my new items I ship those for free, but that is a choice you make after looking at what your competition is selling them for.  As to buildings and heavier accessories, weigh them, account for packaging and use calculated shipping.  Since I live on the extreme East coast, I set my price to be competitive with any seller east of Chicago and let the sellers west of there sell at lower prices than my price + shipping . 

Again, contact me if you want to, I'll be glad to help. 

[llllady]

In addition to the great advice given to you by myboard, I found this site last year that was helpful to me when I acquired several Dept. 56 pieces:

https://www.department56.com/category/community/history+lists.do

It breaks it down by the different sets.  It gives you the item number, description, year issued, year retired, issue price (and I think that last column is the current suggested price--not sure on that part).

This is a short sample view of what is there.

[sharingtheland]

Thanks so much myboard and lil.  I do know what each piece is and its "village" and almost all of them are retired.   I did all that research before I bought the inventory at various auctions.  I have some very early 2000 stuff, maybe earlier?  Most of the accessories are still new in box.  The boxes aren't in color, lol.

I just got done sorting the accessories into lots of similar type and there are piles all over my foyer and dining room.   Incentive to get this done?  Oh, probably not.  Just step over them for a while, lol.

I'm putting a few big things together - houses that don't sell for much - and maybe an accessory or two that would go with it - florist stuff, etc - and letting my shipping department wrangle it all together. Although, he just stubbornly spent 10 minutes trying to fit 5 or 6 round containers of cobblestone and road into a LFRB and anyone could tell in 10 seconds that wasn't going to work.

Myboard, I'm getting killed on shipping - not just on this but on everything lately - I'm east coast too and I'd say 80%-85% of my sales are going Zone 8/9 now, free shipping or not.  Once ebay saw some of those shipping charges, you know where they sent my views.    And it's not just Department 56; it's all of my listings.  Provable to those who think I'm wearing tinfoil attire.

Okay, I'm not getting killed but it is costing $5-$10 or more on every item; money that could have gone into my pocket.

Oh well, at least I'm making sales  but I will not cut my prices when everyone and their little friends list for 99 cents at auction and start the race to the bottom; I'll just pull and wait until after the storm has passed.

Myboard, you don't happen to have an extra Graceland chandelier, do you?  That missing piece is going to cost me.  The Dept 56 person I talked to was quite snotty about not having that replacement.

Okay, break over.  Time to take another opioid and continue to torture the spine to take photos.  

[odditiesandantiquities1]

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@sharingtheland wrote:

Okay, admitting my Ludditeness here and asking for help.

I have a billion (or two) different accessories that go with those Christmas village decorating sets.  Some (a few) realize prices worth the time and effort of separate listings; most don't.  They're all different but they are all accessories to one specific huge set o' things.

Can I do a multi variation listing with these?  Like people do with lipstick, etc?

Every time I've "practiced" setting up a listing, as soon as I change the category (oh sudden brain gas cloud - maybe it's the category that's the issue) I no longer see "variations" on the listing form.   But there is a very specific category for these that I assume people use ?

I've also tried to figure out what accessories to include with what larger building (the buildings sell), thus eliminating some listing time and shipping costs, and I need to get crackin'.  People are starting to drag the holiday stuff out and list it, thus prices are heading downward.

I really, really don't want to do 50-100 listings, most for a miserly amount of profit each when all is said and done with photo and prep time, fees and shipping.  But maybe I need to put on my big girl panties and say, hey, big girl, you thought this was a great idea last April ...

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Kudo's to using Ludditeness. Are you a Brit. Seems only one of them would know the definition.....lol.