How to list a Box of Magazines that are Searchable by Specific Magazine Issues.

[tomatbay]

I have a "Lot" of many magazines spanning multiple years.

How can I set up my listing so that if someone is searching for a particular issue AND that issue is in  my lot, my listing will come up in his search?

My listing is basic and not the one with shipping policies etc. (I don't know what to call that "fancy" listing.)

I have seen listings where people put huge spam lists somewhere in their listing which become Keywords so almost any search will go to their listing.  I don't know where such lists are put, but a search for "June 1999" would hit on one of those lists if either "June" OR "1999" was present - that would not work for me. 

[richard1rst]

Without knowing what the magazines are about or their theme U can only offer a generic suggestion:

Name of Magazine Issue #--- Date month year (and then something unique about that issue - headline or lead article theme, etc)

Remember you have 80 characters. The name date and issue shouldn't use that many of them.

[janet9988]

VARIATION LISTINGS??????  

Allow buyers to buy a specific issue.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/creating-managing-listings/multiquantity-listings-listing...

[tomatbay]

I see, you misread my ambiguous title:  I have one listing for:  "Lot of <Magazines>..." which is how you entitle a listing for a box of magazines.

I changed the post to "Box of magazines" to be clear.  (My bad)

You are thinking I have a listing for one magazine.

[richard1rst]

Well, if someone is looking for a specific issue of a specific magazine (your basic premise) my guess would be that they are not interested in buying a box of assorted magazines just to get the one.

[janet9988]

Why would anyone buy a whole lot of items if they only wanted ONE specific issue?

[tomatbay]

I know about Variations.  But not worth the effort - I have >1000 issues.

I'm grouping them and selling in USPS Medium Flat Rate Boxes.

If I was sensible, I'd toss them even though some have bulk prices >$5 each.
Issues w/$1 or less bulk price will be given away, donated or simply trashed. 

Collections include:  Car Craft, Hot Rod, Motor Trend Car & Driver, Audio, Stereo Review, Video, Video Review, Playboy, Penthouse and Oui. 
 

[tomatbay]

I'm interested in getting answers, not criticism (although I am open to advice.)

Some issues are worth enough to buy a bunch just to get.  I don't have time.

It's like baseball cards from the 60s.  Some are worth a lot, but if a lot has a gem in it, the lot will sell. 

And I do have 1000's of baseball, basketball, etc. cards and they will NOT be sorted and inventoried - box lots only.

Think "Estate Sale" or "Auction"

[tomatbay]

They are not "assorted" they are issues of the same magazine all within a narrow time period.  The older the time period, the higher their bulk price.  In many cases, a complete year or two of a magazine. 

Some people look for Skyline GT-R articles.  I have used AI OCR to make the Covers and TOC searchable in the description.  This is a big deal, because it will yield search hits that bulk listings will not.  Collectors of Skyline lore may get hits they did not even know to search for.

ChatGPT you can teach to OCR those complicated pages perfectly - and it remembers how to do it. 
I am considering paying for Chat since it's almost a slam dunk once have pic of TOC page.
Still, not sure if worth time.

 

[tomatbay]

Again, I don't need advice why not to do what I'm asking.  I already knew those arguments before I posted here.  

I am open to alternative strategies.

[tomatbay]

Maybe I need to use this SPAM technique from another auction:

Use this:  "Add Custom Item Specific"  - I was able to define "YEAR" and was able to add "1997 1998 1999"  (don't know if I should use commas)

Instead, I'd put my issues:  "SEP 1965", "NOV 1965", "JAN 1966", ...
using some kind of method to keep the month and year together for a hit, not an OR.

Superseded Part Number

221 239 255 337 215 223 262 Flathead, 348 409 302 402 L65 L78 L72 L88 ZL1 LS6 331 352, 392 273 315 318 325 340 383 440 426 Hemi Mopar, AMC Buick Cadillac Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ford, Axle, Posi, Carrier, Open, Rear End, Exhaust, Pipe, Durant Elgin Franklin Gardner LaSalle Paige, Fargo Hudson Auburn Cord Graham Hupmobile Nash, Fender Skirts Grille Visor Bumper Guard Wing, Ignition, Cap, Points, Brush Set, Bracket, Choke, L6 Inline Project Straight 8 Cylinder Assembly, Lafayette Lincoln Mercury Olds Oldsmobile Chevy, Old School Pre-War Touring Open Closed Cab, Packard Pierce Arrow Pontiac REO Studebaker Star, Restoration Hardware Rebuild Poly Restore, Terraplane Henry J Rambler Chandler Dodge Brothers, Traditional Period Correct AACA Car Club Cruise, Vintage Original Patina Rat Rod Hot Rod Driver, Vintage, Accessory, RPO, Yenko, COPO, Washer Jar, Voltage Regulator, Coil, Rotor, Hub, Willys BBC SBC 216 235 265 283 327 350 396 427 454

[fm2000]

Nowadays, many common magazines cannot be sold at a profit individually (with modern Ground Advantage prices being so high), so it is natural the OP is selling them in lots.

If you just list each issue's date in your item description, it might (big might) show up in a search. It probably will if they search item descriptions and not just titles. It is a lot of (very monotonous) work, though. (eg. "Car Stereo Review January 1989, March 1990, April 1990, December 1991" etc.)

Stereo Review and Video Review magazines are decent to sell, it is a good niche interest (valuable magazines are almost always niche interests), and there are people interested in vintage AV gear. The rest of your magazines will be very, very difficult to unload, and even in a lot are worth so little what you can get for them will probably barely cover shipping costs and your FVF fees. I sell magazines, and tried to sell those titles in the past myself, always regretted it in the end.

[pickapaper]

@tomatbay 

I'm sure you are aware that eBay has specific rules about selling some of those "adult magazines".

[fm2000]

Those titles are explicitly allowed by eBay rules.

[m60driver]

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@tomatbay wrote:

I have a "Lot" of many magazines spanning multiple years.

How can I set up my listing so that if someone is searching for a particular issue AND that issue is in  my lot, my listing will come up in his search?

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I would not bother.  Most magazines don't sell for much individually.  And if someone wants just one magazine in your lot then you have to go back and edit that listing.  It is usually not worth the effort.