Pricing

[mitzi531]

Hi

I am trying to sell vintage, collectible items.  

First, is there something I need to know to select the category when I list it? The choices are usually ok, but sometimes I don't know where to go with my item because I might not know what it was called or it has something distinctive and I don't know a word to describe it. Ebay doesn't always give great choices either. Is there a way to add to the subcategories? For example, I have a vintage massage pillow in the box. Where does that go? I can't remember what I settled on, but no one wants it. I don't know if it's because no one wants it or because the people that do want it call it something else or look in a different category? 

Is it better to use the word "Collectible" "Vintage" "Mid Century Modern"? 

A third question is how to find the value if there isn't anything comparable on Ebay or online? For example, I have a tray that is collectible, but not unusual. I have another tray that is different in style but matches the tray I have. I can't find it anywhere online. I went to the manufacturer's site and found nothing.  How do I know if that's because it is rare or because it is junk? If it is rare because someone says they know it's rare, but not what it's worth, how do I find out what it's worth so I can put a not-greedy price, but not put a boy-is-this-person-a-chump price? I have so many different things that I don't know where to look. 

Thanks.

Mitzi

[this*old*attic]

I actually dropped her a note telling her to come look and ask questions - this is exactly how I learned, by hanging out on the boards and getting creamed.... um, schooled.

Wow, like 17 or 18 years ago. My then-1st grade and high school daughters are MARRIED now. I be Old!!!!!! 😱😱😱

[Anonymous]

@mitzi531 

I confess that I didn't read your post because the font is a little hard to read. Others have given you excellent advice to improve your listings.

I looked at your cookie cutter listing and I have no idea what this means -

"What if you filled a cutter with the vegetable of the day and it can be eater bit by bit."

Try to keep things simple so you don't confuse your potential buyers.

[mitzi531]

Wow! Thank you all so much. No one hurt my feelings. I do feel a little embarrassed though. I appreciate everyone taking so much time to guide me. 

I didn't know about a $30 picture taking light kit. What a gift that is. Thank you,

Looking on Ebay for comp prices, especially sold items, is what started to make me question the whole pricing thing. I would see the same thing sold for $3 and for $30. That is such a big difference.

So my strategy has been to price things high and lower the price if it doesn't sell.

I know people with State Glasses often sell in lots and mix the more desirable glasses with not so desirable one to get more than they would for the less desirable one alone.

That was my thought when pricing the books.

Another thing that made me quesiton pricing was learning that a Pez dispenser without feet is more valuable than a Pez dispenser with feet. Who knew? 

I never intended to sell things when I bought them and I posted a few things to see what happened. Things happened and didn't happen I really don't know why. You all gave me some explanations for that. 

What are scammers? How do they scam someone? I don't send anything until it is paid for. I don't think like a cheater and liar so I can't imagine. (Those people are sometimes smart and creative. Too bad they use their skills for bad instead of good.I bought empty boxes because of the art and marketing lines. 

My favorite cleaner is cleaner plus bleach. I am afraid to clean some things, especially plastic things like the Scrubbing Bubbles thing that fades when bleach touches it. I will try other cleaners. 

OK, that Las Vegas picture illustrates a lot of my problem. I don't know where I got it and I don't like it. I don't know how to find out about it or what to call it and I can't imagine there is more than one and that anyone would want it. My lack of interest in it showed.

Titles-I am never sure what to say in the title or in the description. I kjnow I'm supposed to use all the space, but what to put in there? 

The Make Me an Offer was based on what other sellers had in their descriptions and the shipping is paid by buyer thing was based on other sellers too. Some sellers said No Returns. In my mind, I am honest and the last thing I want to do is make people unhappy. If someone wanted to return something because they didn't like it or it didn't fit, whatever, I am fine with that. I do hate shipping costs in general and that makes me reluctant to pay for shipping because someone changed their mind. Whatever you are writing about sounds nasty, but again, I guess things happen I never considered. 

Auction style, etc. -I have been using the pricing format the Ebay gives me for free. I just learned there is the Promoted Pricing where you give a percentage to Ebay if it sells. What about that? I like that it's 30 days because I get some breathing room. I did Auction Style when that was free. Is this a mistake? 

I am sometimes careless and make mistakes. I had just made a series of mistakes when I wrote that because I don't want anyone think I don't care. Ironic. 

That Make an Offer? I thought I put those on Auction pricing and someone could just bid on it. A few people have done that, mostly on little things. Am I doing it wrong? 

I read a lot of things on Ebay. I must not have understood a lot because I had no point of reference. 

And my vegetable thing... A bad habit I have had for my whole life and in every area of communication is expiecting people to read my mind. 

Now I am going to hope I can check helpful on everyone's replies. And if it doesn't happen it's because I still have trouble navigating the Ebay site.

Thank you all again. 

[castlemagicmemories]

You say you have seen similar items sell for $3.00 or $30.00.  There are many different reasons that can account for this.  The person who listed at $3.00 had no idea what to ask for the item, or his item was in poor condition, or the listing was poor, dark or fuzzy pictures, poor title and keywords, a description that is mostly not there and has no information a buyer would look for.  The seller might be new, or may have bad feedback.  Or the seller who asked $3.00 just wanted to get rid of the item fast.

As far as titles, think what terms you would use if you were a buyer looking for that item.  

[moo*cow*corner]

You do have some work ahead of you, but you seem to have an open mind about learning, and a good attitude. Don't give up!

Research, research, research is the name of the game, especially in the categories you are listing in. Study sold listings carefully. Titles, descriptions, pricing, shipping. Attention to detail doesn't ever hurt.

Find a few sellers you like and emulate (not copy) them. You can learn a lot over time by finding good sellers and watching what they do. The why's will come as your brain absorbs the information and you develop your own style. I've been here a long time, and I still check in on my favorite fellow sellers once a month or so.

Yes, sometimes prices are all over the map. Depending on what I paid for something, my prices tend toward the middle of the pack. Cheaper if I've had something awhile and just want it gone. I sold some plates today that I'd had listed for about 4 years!

Selling on ebay isn't as easy as some would have you believe. But with the right practices, a good attitude and some good old fashioned elbow grease, a decent little gig can be built over time.

Make use of this board! Many of us (if not most) are long time successful sellers, and we enjoy nothing better than helping a newbie do a good job and find their own greatness!

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

And a LOT of lower "sold" prices are sellers who use auctions with a very low start bid thinking they're sure to get bids and they end up selling for the low starting price and getting hosed.

[abfabvintage]

Hi, Mitzi. Thank you for your very positive attitude about selling on eBay. It does have a bit of a long learning curve.

In your last comment you asked about Promoted Listings. I would work on the other areas of your listing before even going there. You can always come back here to get more advice. Don't take on too much more right now...And as far as leaving helpfuls for posters, that should be the least worry on your mind.

Good Luck. Eventually you will be able to do this with your eyes closed (or at least half closed lolol).

[no_zero369]

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@mitzi531

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What are scammers? How do they scam someone? I don't send anything until it is paid for. I don't think like a cheater and liar so I can't imagine. (Those people are sometimes smart and creative. Too bad they use their skills for bad instead of good.

Read the selling threads - every day there will be one or two sellers here screaming about getting scammed!  Most of the time it is sellers who are ignorant of eBay's policies: MBG and the Requirements for Sellers i.e. returns that I posted.   There is a mantra around here sellers chant every morning: You can refuse returns, but you can not refuse refunds!

The point is that you might run across a buyer who wants to return something.  They are given a choice of reasons to select for the return - some are considered "buyer's remorse" (didn't like it) and in those cases, if you don't have free returns in place, the buyer has to pay return shipping.  However, there are a large number of reasons that fall under the category of Not As Described" (NAD) or Significantly NAD (SNAD).  In SNAD cases the seller is REQUIRED by eBay policy to cover return shipping.  Now a lot of sellers, ignorant to eBay polices, "fight" those returns and when the buyer asks eBay to "step in" eBay will either issue the buyer a return label on the seller's dime OR issue a full refund to the buyer with the seller's funds and NOT require a return.  Then the seller shows up on these boards and has a tantrum about how eBay is ripping them off, I have been a seller for 10, 15, 20 years, I have 100% Feedback as a seller, blah, blah, blah. 

There is an old saying around Courthouses: ignorance of the law is no excuse!  Or a line from an old Steve Martin bit - Your Honor!  I FORGOT armed robbery was illegal!  So the point is that one needs to get educated on how the MBG works and a seller's obligations.

Next, on top of that, bad situations will happen and one needs to be prepared for it when it happens.  Reading just this last week's threads from disgruntled sellers will come up with scams and techniques others have used to avoid them or to handle them when they occur.  But NOT understanding that bad things can and might happen AND not being prepared for them is a huge oversight by a seller!  The easiest thing is to set up a self insurance fund or a "cookie jar fund" (CJF) for when things happen.  You raise your price by some amount and take that little bit "extra" and place it in the CJF.    THEN when a return comes or something else, you "pay for it" using the CJF and the experience is less painful.  However, not being prepared and the "cost" is often a shock and causes a seller to get bent out of shape and make emotional, not business decisions.

That last part is key - learn to deal with selling as a business and NOT take things personally.  Often the best "business decision" to to suffer a small loss, rather than fighting like heck, spending a bunch of emotional energy and ending up loosing anyway and taking a LARGE loss.

My favorite cleaner is cleaner plus bleach. I am afraid to clean some things, especially plastic things like the Scrubbing Bubbles thing that fades when bleach touches it. I will try other cleaners. 

The "universal solvent" is water!  Sometimes warmer water works better than cold water.  Always start with that unless the item is hydrophobic.

As you read more, keep posting questions and keep learning!  There is a lot to learn, just be diligent with the process and patient with yourself as you go!  Good luck!

[penguins_dont_fly]

My favorite cleaner is cleaner plus bleach. I am afraid to clean some things, especially plastic things like the Scrubbing Bubbles thing that fades when bleach touches it. I will try other cleaners. 

The "universal solvent" is water!  Sometimes warmer water works better than cold water.  Always start with that unless the item is hydrophobic.

No bleach on vintage items, unless you absolutely know that they can take it.

For dishware and glass, or almost anything  ... Dawn dish detergent and warm (not hot) water. Use a soft cloth and don't scrub too hard. 

A white vinegar soak for  glassware can get rid of hard water deposits.

Don't put old dishes or anything hand painted or with gold, silver or platinum trim in the dishwasher. Older dishware can't take the heat or the abrasiveness of the detergents.

On newer dishware that says "dishwasher safe", go ahead and use the dishwasher 🙂

I'm glad you aren't scared away LOL

The main thing right now is to focus on your actual listing style ... you will get to the point where it will be second nature ... but in the beginning, you really need to focus on what's important (and what isn't)

Good Titles, Accurate Condition Descriptions, Item Specifics and factual descriptions with plenty of details are key, and go hand in hand with good pictures ... then followed closely by appropriate pricing and shipping charges.

Ask questions, we have all been where you are right now ... but don't overwhelm yourself with "what if" scenarios.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@myjunqueyourtreasure wrote:
And a LOT of lower "sold" prices are sellers who use auctions with a very low start bid thinking they're sure to get bids and they end up selling for the low starting price and getting hosed.

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So true, so true.  The anticipated bidding war never happens, and the $3.00 item rides off into the sunset with just one bid.  

[this*old*attic]

I wash my vintage clothing in cold water and Johnson’s Baby Shampoo.

I’m picky and won’t sell problem items - I’ve used both Zout and Totally Awesome to work at stains and haven’t ruined anything in 18 or so years.

DO NOT get crepe fabric wet - that stuff shrinks into a doll dress!!!!

[mitzi531]

OMG...Thank you all so much. Thank you for your suggestions and support. Everyone is so great, I'm staying here even if I don't sell anything! lol

I am going to ask another question. 

I have so much stuff. This overwhelms me. There are many things I would rather group as a "lot" than sell individually. 

I have this random collection of cowboy stuff. There are a couple of things that are desirable, a few things that may/may  not be collectible and some aren't anything but I just want to throw them in. (Lightweight items) 

So, in my description I listed everything and described their condition. Oh so many pictures to take though. Can I sell it as a "Mystery Cowboy Box" (I know I can't say mystery. You know what everyone says...mysteries. Clever. 

There are maybe 15 or so items. I can group some of the items together and take 12 pictures.  What do you guys think about that? 

I am probably older than your grandma. Yes, people repeat because they aren't sure of themselves. I'll admit to that in this scenario. People also repeat because they are not getting the answer they want to hear. Some people repeat because they were teachers and teachers always have to repeat. It's a habit. And some other people have a husband who played in a band for years and he can't hear very well now. Repetition is necessary. 

[castlemagicmemories]

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@myjunqueyourtreasure wrote:
And a LOT of lower "sold" prices are sellers who use auctions with a very low start bid thinking they're sure to get bids and they end up selling for the low starting price and getting hosed.

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Ebay suggests starting listings at ninety nine cents to generate interest, but that may not generate the interest desired or needed.

[moo*cow*corner]

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@mitzi531 wrote:

OMG...Thank you all so much. Thank you for your suggestions and support. Everyone is so great, I'm staying here even if I don't sell anything! lol

You're very welcome!

I am going to ask another question. 

I have so much stuff. This overwhelms me. There are many things I would rather group as a "lot" than sell individually. 

I have this random collection of cowboy stuff. There are a couple of things that are desirable, a few things that may/may  not be collectible and some aren't anything but I just want to throw them in. (Lightweight items) 

So, in my description I listed everything and described their condition. Oh so many pictures to take though. Can I sell it as a "Mystery Cowboy Box" (I know I can't say mystery. You know what everyone says...mysteries. Clever. 

There are maybe 15 or so items. I can group some of the items together and take 12 pictures.  What do you guys think about that? 

Personally, I like the idea. As long as you are aware of the risks. Someone could keep the desirable items and just return the rest, and you'd be expected to give them their money back.

I see youtube videos of people opening mystery boxes all the time. Not my cup of tea, but ya never know, eh? There are some rules about mystery boxes, but with plenty of pictures and a few extra items, I think it'd be ok.

If I'm mistaken, someone else will be along shortly to correct me.

I am probably older than your grandma.

I have 7 grandchildren ranging in age from 12 to 25. Oldest granddaughter recently married, so the first great-grand may not be too far off.

Yes, people repeat because they aren't sure of themselves. I'll admit to that in this scenario. People also repeat because they are not getting the answer they want to hear. Some people repeat because they were teachers and teachers always have to repeat. It's a habit. And some other people have a husband who played in a band for years and he can't hear very well now. Repetition is necessary. 

This just tickles me to no end. Hubby played in a band for several years in the 80's. Early metal, hard rock and hair band covers. I'm actually going to see KISS next month!

His elderly mom is a retired teacher. His late grandmother was also a teacher. Yes, repetition is definitely necessary! 

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