Questions regarding Kids VHS tapes

[ltldpr]

1.  I can't test them but none of the other listings for the same tape/episodes reveal whether or not theirs work either. I also would not be able to tell if someone did the old switcheroo and returned a broken one in place of my functional one.   Should I reveal that I cannot test them?
2. I have 3 that are the infamous Dr. Seuss. I searched and only came back with "books" that were posted about here in the forums and they are 2 year old posts. Do VHS tapes fall into the same category as books when it comes to "banned"? Do VHS tapes fall into the same "existing stock" that some people were saying made selling the books okay? Can I list them?
3. Are other VHS tape sellers sticking these into bubble envelopes in order to get the cheapest Media Mail shipping price? I don't know how safe that is going to be, but putting them in a box is going to raise the shipping price. How are other sellers packaging VHS tapes that they sell - either individually or in a lot?

Thanks!

[buyselljack2016]

VHS tape in a box still ships MM. How much is it going to raise the cost to ensure safe arrival? Bundle them (multiple in a listing) to not have separate shipping charges.

You are responsible for the tape being operational tested, or untested. I would make no mention of being untested, as it offers you no protection, and just offers the possibility of a buyer taking advantage of your statement.

[chapeau-noir]

I used to sell VHS tapes, but would not sell any that I couldn't test. Tape is a fairly unstable medium with a tendency to deteriorate over time. The "infamous" Dr Seuss books were pulled by the author's estate, so eBay might just have a general ban on the title to make things easier, or a ban on just the books.

Still, the books are available pretty much anywhere because so many editions were published. I would just lot up the VHS tapes if you really wanted to sell them, but I personally wouldn't.

[mtgraves7984]

@ltldpr 

1) I wouldn't sell VHS tapes that I couldn't test.
2) There are only a handful of Seuss that were banned, and I'm not sure those titles were ever available VHS.
3) I'd not use bubble mailers without cardboard. With Media Mail, I'd think the price difference would be minimal.

[buyselljack2016]

On another note. I have none to sell, but your post now makes me want to pull all the VHS tapes out of the cabinet to see what I have. Few if any store-bought. Likely most of what is on the ones that I have come up on the TV, likely at a better quality than ours. 

Last year or so I sold all the new/unopened blanks. Difficult as they do not qualify as MM, and I had to compete with all the fraudulent sellers offering MM ship cost.

[chickadee8618]

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@ltldpr wrote:

1. Should I reveal that I cannot test them?
2. How are other sellers packaging VHS tapes that they sell - either individually or in a lot?

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1.You should put in the listing that they have not been tested. It shows the buyer that they are at risk buying a tape that may or may not play. If it works and the buyer is happy, thats great. However, if someone does purchase it and it doesnt play, they can easily return it through the Money Back Guarantee Program, regardless of what you put in the listing. 

2.Lots sell faster, individually may vary depending on how rare the tape is or how popular. Horror VHS always seems to sell. Id box up any tape that is over $25-30. The rest just use a standard bubble mailer. 

[itsjustasprain]

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@ltldpr wrote:

I have 3 that are the infamous Dr. Seuss. I searched and only came back with "books" that were posted about here in the forums and they are 2 year old posts. Do VHS tapes fall into the same category as books when it comes to "banned"?

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Dr. Seuss is not 'infamous' and those titles are not 'banned' but his estate asked that 6 of his titles be withdrawn and are no longer published. I would GUESS that VHS versions of the original book titles would probably fall under that same limitation.

I have no idea if your listings would be actually cancelled by Ebay so I cannot say either way. I would note that the Ebay market goes through 'phases' like any other place so what is banned one day will eventually return anyway later on. There was a big kerfuffle a few years back over the Confederate battle flag to the extent that you could not even sell 'Dukes of Hazzard' items that had the flag on them (such as the Dodge Charger 'General Lee' because of the battle flag on the roof) but that seems to have died down now. (You cannot sell the actual flag here but images of the flag no longer provoke a hair-trigger response.)

I would not mention that you cannot test them but a buyer can return them if they do not play properly. If you are seriously going into the VHS resale business you should probably stop by the nearest Goodwill or Salvation Army store and pick up one or two old VCRs. Our local places sell them for $5 each. (Our Goodwill outlet even offers a 3-day guarantee on their used electronics in case your VCR purchase turns out to be DOA.)

If a tape is shedding its oxide coating badly it will gunk up the playback heads on your VCR pretty quickly so have a little bottle of alcohol (or acetone - nail polish remover) and Q-tips or cotton pads handy so you can do periodic cleaning. Not difficult.

For shipping they do qualify as Media Mail (commercially recorded titles, Yes - blank media No) and I would think a padded envelope would be sufficient unless they get stomped on. If you do happen to get a high-value sale you should probably ship it in a small box to be extra safe.

VHS tapes are not all that popular in general so I would not plow a ton of money into this but you can still give it the ol' college try. Good luck.

[buyselljack2016]

switcheroo.....................  I would not concern myself with that. I would not be getting a VHS tape back. I would just be refunding rather than paying to get something back that might be unsellable. There is a row on my tax form for writing off refund losses. 

Meanwhile back at shipping in a bubble mailer. Likely has a very good chance of arriving just fine. 

[buyselljack2016]

if someone does purchase it and it doesnt play, they can easily return it through the Money Back Guarantee Program, regardless of what you put in the listing. 

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and that statement right there negates there being any point in stating that they are untested, as you say, they can return it anyway, so no reason to pre-seed the though into a potential fraudster's head.

eBay MBG................ there is no buyer risk😁

[nobody*s_perfect]

1. Yes, you should reveal that you cannot test them. 

2.  eBay banned the 6 Seuss titles and since the videos stay close to the books' content those would probably get pulled, too, so I wouldn't list them.

3.  Media Mail is priced per pound. I think you can ship a VHS tape in a box for under one pound; if not, the postage cost for 2 pounds is just 75 cents more than one pound. I recommend selling in small themed lots, which eases the per-item shipping cost.

[johnrj1226]

You can  most anything  you like in your  listing BUT what eBay publishes for used  items it  what counts.

Read this eBay condition description.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/creating-managing-listings/item-conditions-category?id=47...

Hint:  Don't  list it/them

[ltldpr]

"I would not mention that you cannot test them but a buyer can return them if they do not play properly. If you are seriously going into the VHS resale business you should probably stop by the nearest Goodwill or Salvation Army store and pick up one or two old VCRs. Our local places sell them for $5 each. (Our Goodwill outlet even offers a 3-day guarantee on their used electronics in case your VCR purchase turns out to be DOA.)"

We have a Brick & Mortar (but actually 3+ acre lot and outbuildings) where we sell salvaged building materials and anything left behind that we think might sell when a building or house has been deemed for demolition. The in-person traffic is where we make our money, but we list just a few items on eBay.

These tapes, about 25 of them, were left at a house that was deemed for demolition and we got the salvage contract.  I'm in no way getting into the VHS tape reselling business lol. I just have a paper bag full of them at the moment. I also have a small case of 8-track tapes from a different job, and a box of cassette tapes from yet another job, that I can't test either. 

I'm going to take all the suggestions into consideration and list them in similar lots, like you and others have suggested. Only odd man out is the sealed Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends. He'll be listed separately I think.

[inhawaii]

I'm not sure how many you have or what they're worth, but I wouldn't even bother selling them on ebay.

You're just asking for trouble and headache.

I would sell them "as is" in large lots at a in person venue.

If some of them don't work, you'll never see the buyer again.

[luckythewinner]

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@ltldpr wrote:

1.  I can't test them but none of the other listings for the same tape/episodes reveal whether or not theirs work either. I also would not be able to tell if someone did the old switcheroo and returned a broken one in place of my functional one.   Should I reveal that I cannot test them?

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If you sell them  on eBay, you are essentially agreeing to a return or refund if they do not work. It does not matter to YOU whether you admit you have no idea if your condition is accurate, but it will matter to your buyers.

And yes, you could not tell whether a buyer did a switcheroo. But then again, do you really think kids VHS tapes are big targets for fraud? 

Is there any demand for your tapes? I just put all mine in the freebie shed at the dump.

[chickadee8618]

Fraudster is going to scam either way, so if its worth the risk , take it.