Selling a Cemetery Plot on eBay ....

[rainbowcolorz]

As opposed to putting an ad in the local newspaper, I did a search for "cemetery plots" and saw quite a few but I'm trying to learn which way is the best to sell one on eBay.

I just read a post where someone said: "I assume cemetery lots are a kind of 'real estate' ... and all real estate is listed in eBay's Classified Section."

Cemetery plots/lots are not actually real estate otherwise a Realtor would be able to accept a request to sell one and to my knowledge, they won't do this.  

My search on eBay came up with plots being listed under:  Everything Else > Funeral & Cemetery > Cemetery Plots. 

Looking at some listings I see they have a price and then:  Best Offer + Free Shipping.

Free Shipping??  

Others say Best Offer + $3.50 Shipping.

$3.50 Shipping??

Another was Auction Style + Free Local Pickup.

Free Local Pickup? 

I saw one with a set price BIN with $11.75 Expedited Shipping.  

Expedited Shipping? 

Some listings have 1 photo with  just pretty flowers and others have a photo of the actual cemetery itself.  

Any suggestions or info will be appreciated.

Thanks.

[scratch*post]

Shipping would be for the plot certificate / assignment of ownership, I would guess.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the other poster - shipping is so you can send the paperwork. Expedited shipping makes sense due to the nature of the product. People can be under a short timeline to acquire a plot when there's an unexpected passing.

List with multiple shipping options: first class, priority, expedited

Depending on how much you're selling it for you might want/need signature confirmation.

[luckythewinner]

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Cemetery plots/lots are not actually real estate otherwise a Realtor would be able to accept a request to sell one and to my knowledge, they won't do this. 

You are wasting your time trying to make arcane legal points stick to eBay policy. eBay policy is actually quite clear - when listing an item, you are required to choose the most appropriate category. 

So if eBay has the category "Everything Else > Funeral & Cemetery > Cemetery Plots" for cemetery plots, by policy that is where you should list your cemetery plot. 

Free Shipping? Free Local Pickup? Expedited Shipping?

Some items simply are not a good match for the eBay selling model. eBay does not have a good business model to support items that cannot be delivered or shipped.

Since eBay generally requires a return policy and a shipping policy for all listings, I'm sure these sellers had to choose something - so they did. I wouldn't read too much else into it. 

Any suggestions or info will be appreciated.

A quick search for the exact phrase "cemetery plot" shows just 3 sold listing over the past three months.

[18704d]

I thought it'd be in the Real Estate category?

?

Lynn

[Anonymous]

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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Any suggestions or info will be appreciated.

A quick search for the exact phrase "cemetery plot" shows just 3 sold listing over the past three months.

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That sales history says it all: this kind of item is a better sold locally. OP- you are more likely to find a buyer using outlets specific to your area.

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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Any suggestions or info will be appreciated.

A quick search for the exact phrase "cemetery plot" shows just 3 sold listing over the past three months.

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That sales history says it all: this kind of item is a better sold locally. OP- you are more likely to find a buyer using outlets specific to your area.

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I tend to agree with this statement.

If I'm looking for a cemetery plot, I'm looking for somewhere local to me (or to the deceased). Wading through listings in California, Maine, New York, Texas, etc is not going to be of any help to me here in Florida.  Even listings in South Florida would be too far away 😞

[pburn]

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@penguins_dont_fly wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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Any suggestions or info will be appreciated.

A quick search for the exact phrase "cemetery plot" shows just 3 sold listing over the past three months.

---

That sales history says it all: this kind of item is a better sold locally. OP- you are more likely to find a buyer using outlets specific to your area.

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I tend to agree with this statement.

If I'm looking for a cemetery plot, I'm looking for somewhere local to me (or to the deceased). Wading through listings in California, Maine, New York, Texas, etc is not going to be of any help to me here in Florida.  Even listings in South Florida would be too far away 😞

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Agreed. That's where the "Item Location" filter would be useful.

[rainbowcolorz]

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@pburn wrote:

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@penguins_dont_fly wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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Any suggestions or info will be appreciated.

A quick search for the exact phrase "cemetery plot" shows just 3 sold listing over the past three months.

---

That sales history says it all: this kind of item is a better sold locally. OP- you are more likely to find a buyer using outlets specific to your area.

---

I tend to agree with this statement.

If I'm looking for a cemetery plot, I'm looking for somewhere local to me (or to the deceased). Wading through listings in California, Maine, New York, Texas, etc is not going to be of any help to me here in Florida.  Even listings in South Florida would be too far away 😞

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Agreed. That's where the "Item Location" filter would be useful.

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Yes, I saw that when I went looking to see how others listed their plots.

I just thought perhaps eBay might be a better place to sell the plot as opposed to my local newspaper because I know there are people living in other states who have relatives in other states (mine, for example) who want to be buried here.  

So listing it on eBay might give everyone an opportunity regardless of where they live, to purchase a plot where ever they choose to be buried.  

Thanks.

[sam9876]

Why would you advertise in a newspaper?

[pburn]

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@rainbowcolorz wrote:

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Yes, I saw that when I went looking to see how others listed their plots.

I just thought perhaps eBay might be a better place to sell the plot as opposed to my local newspaper because I know there are people living in other states who have relatives in other states (mine, for example) who want to be buried here.  

So listing it on eBay might give everyone an opportunity regardless of where they live, to purchase a plot where ever they choose to be buried.  

Thanks.

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I think that's a great point. You should list it wherever you'd like, including eBay, for the maximum exposure.

[mansons2005]

The first thing you should do it check with the cemetery in question to be absolutely certain that you can sell the plot. Different states have different laws governing these things, and some cemeteries have different policies. In most states if there are multiple "beds" within a plot and one of them is used you can NOT sell the other, unused beds.

My family has been in the cemetery business for over a century and I personally still own 6 "beds" in plots that can not be sold due to various laws/covenants. I HAVE donated empty beds in unfilled family plots for the use of the indigent as opposed to letting them go to "Potter's Field'.

[luckythewinner]

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@rainbowcolorz wrote:

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I just thought perhaps eBay might be a better place to sell the plot as opposed to my local newspaper because I know there are people living in other states who have relatives in other states (mine, for example) who want to be buried here.  

So listing it on eBay might give everyone an opportunity regardless of where they live, to purchase a plot where ever they choose to be buried.   

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That may be true, although eBay's sales history for that category does not suggest that there is much demand here. 

[coolections]

Maybe it is just me but I find it kinda cheap buying or selling a cemetery plot on Ebay. I can see telling friends how I got a great deal on Ebay for  grandmas cemetery plot.

[pburn]

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@coolections wrote:

Maybe it is just me but I find it kinda cheap buying or selling a cemetery plot on Ebay. I can see telling friends how I got a great deal on Ebay for  grandmas cemetery plot.

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My father wanted to be buried in a cemetery near our family home because it was adjacent to his favorite golf course. At the time he died, the cemetery was owned by the city (which also owned the golf course) and was managed and maintained by the Parks and Recreation department. We chose the plot looking at blueprints spread over the hood of a Parks and Rec employee's work truck from a guy with his Parks and Rec uniform on.

Doesn't matter. It's a beautiful cemetery, the plot is in a great location, and it was what he wanted. What matters is the person's life, the person's death, what the person meant (and still means) to you and others, not where you purchased the cemetery plot or how much you paid for it.