My first listing....tips please.

IlikeZARcoins · April 23, 2006 11:05PM

Well I have just listed my first coin on Ebay.

The only mistake I made ( I think/hope ) was in the return policy which was listed as 30 days although I am sure that I had 7 days down.

Anyhow I would be grateful if some of you good people could review the listing and point out where I could improve, what extras I should add on etc etc.

My first listing.

TIA.

ajaan · April 23, 2006 11:07PM

Coins have two sides not counting the edges.

tbirde56 · April 23, 2006 11:13PM

It would be helpful to list shipping to the U.S. as I assume (wrongly?) that there would be a larger volume of interest from there.

IlikeZARcoins · April 23, 2006 11:23PM

OK - thanks guys.

I've fixed those problems........next.

Oh - if I have several of the same coins could I use the same picture for all of them ? I have 8 1898 pennies all up but only 2 look different than the rest so would it be wrong if I used the same picture for the 6 similar coins ?

ajaan · April 23, 2006 11:35PM

<< Oh - if I have several of the same coins could I use the same picture for all of them ? >>

NO!!!!!!!! Well you could, but you shouldn't.

I would also get rid of the

Item Specifics
Condition: Used

IlikeZARcoins · April 24, 2006 12:30AM

Is it possible for me to see how many people are watching my item ?

If so, where can I find that function ?

laurentyvan · April 24, 2006 12:45AM

Watchers should show up on your "my Summary" page or "items I'm selling" page.

I dislike the "you make up your own mind" statements as to condition. Simply list the grade in a professional manner.

I would not bid on the basis of your image-not clear or large enough. I had to learn to take a picture that almost put the auction item in
the prospective buyers hand as it were.

The tone of your auction item is timid, not positive. I would change that.

I don't intend this as a criticism, but as a critique-I've seen many worse auction pages than yours.

Edited to add: if you go into "revise my item", I think you can change the return policy to seven days, wimo is preferable.

tonyhar · April 24, 2006 1:49AM

I have put a bid in to get it started.

I agree with the comments given so far.

IlikeZARcoins · April 24, 2006 1:57AM

Thanks Tony.

coachleonard · April 24, 2006 2:08AM

As far as listing a grade, i've always thought it best, if you're not sure, to simply not attempt to assign a grade-- of course, this applies only if you have a good picture. Cuz oftentimes if you do, your word is taken for gospel-- next then you know, you're being called on it. I'd simply omit saying "you judge the grade for yourself."

satootoko · April 24, 2006 2:16AM

Why include

<< loved by collectors and investors alike >>

for a coin which really has zero attraction for a coin "investor"

worldcoinguy · April 24, 2006 2:57AM

I think this is a good start. I might suggest adding the condition to the title, and perhaps eliminating "Nice Quality From" from the title. This is subjective at best, and does not have any keywords in it. The title is your change to hit the keywords that people will use to search.

Also - sometimes it is helpful to put Krause numbers, metals, mintages, etc to show you are knowledgeable about the coin you are selling, and not just somebody selling a coin they found in an 'estate sale'.

Good luck.

ccrdragon · April 24, 2006 3:33AM

agree with the above comments and would add that there is a seperate catagory on ebay for South Africa (as a subset of Africa). you can either list the coin in both catagories or I would prolly list it just in the South Africa catagory (sometimes I'm lazy and don't feel like scanning 50+ pages of African coins to see all of the South Africa listings so I just look at the South Africa section).

mojoman · April 24, 2006 5:43AM

Not To bad ,change the s/h to the U.S $2.00U.S IS FAIR

rhound1977 · April 25, 2006 8:15AM

Nothing personal, but the images aren't very clear, better images would attract more attention?

IlikeZARcoins · April 25, 2006 8:21AM

I am still wrestling with the camera !!!!

I wish that I could take pictures like you guys.

IlikeZARcoins · April 25, 2006 8:26AM

Is there any special spreadsheets that you guys use to calculate/monitor costs/profit etc ?

Obviously people don't make profit on every coin they sell - what percentage would be sold at a loss ?

Please feel free to volunteer info.

21Walker · April 25, 2006 8:35AM

Gosh ZAR, I think al the inputs above are valid. The pix should be a little bigger and clearer. Your shipping is reasonable. As said above, put the grade in the title. Give it your best opinion....trust me the buyer will make his own decision (with good pix). I have seen dog coins overgraded in the title and I have seen coins very undergraded in the title. Give it your honest opinion and the knowledgeable buyers will make up their own mind. Keep your grading conservative if your not sure.

Hope this helps............& good luck.............Rick

rhound1977 · April 25, 2006 8:59AM

<< Is there any special spreadsheets that you guys use to calculate/monitor costs/profit etc ?

Obviously people don't make profit on every coin they sell - what percentage would be sold at a loss ?

Please feel free to volunteer info.

>>

I never kept track of gains or losses, if I was concerned about something going to cheap I just set the opening bid at
the least I would take, and some items did not sell.

I have lost on some items and got 2x to 3x what my cost was on some and broke even or a little above on the majority.

Numismatics · April 25, 2006 11:28AM

<< Nothing personal, but the images aren't very clear, better images would attract more attention?

>>

Agree. A larger picture would be better.

IlikeZARcoins · April 25, 2006 3:40PM

OK, Ebay makes the pictures that size. How do I make them or post them bigger ?

Gazza · April 26, 2006 4:50AM

<< 

Oh - if I have several of the same coins could I use the same picture for all of them ? I have 8 1898 pennies all up but only 2 look different than the rest so would it be wrong if I used the same picture for the 6 similar coins ? >>

NO, NO, No. I'm into collecting types now and I've been burnt several time by pictures of the type I'm looking for and a different coin turns up.

It then transpires that the seller is using a stock picture or even another picture altogether that has been ripped off from a previous auction because they can't arsed to take another photo.

21Walker · April 26, 2006 5:16AM

I put my pix on my hard drive. When I am listing an item and I post the pic, I browse and grab it directly from the hard drave and it comes out just as I want it. If your posting your pix to web shots or photo bucket or one of the others, I believe they might resize them hence the differant size when you post them on your EBAY item..............Hope this helps....>Rick

ormandh · April 26, 2006 10:39AM

If you do not have a macro feature on your camera, at least make sure it has plenty of light and make the pics larger.

-Dan

Numismatics · April 27, 2006 3:26AM

<< OK, Ebay makes the pictures that size. How do I make them or post them bigger ? >>

You can use the HTML code.

coinpictures · April 27, 2006 5:33AM

Doesn't Ebay limit the size of the images you can upload unless you use their paid image services?

I host my own images, so I've never encountered any problems, but it's not uncommon for me to have 150-250K of images in any given auction...

Numismatics · April 27, 2006 12:10PM

<< Doesn't Ebay limit the size of the images you can upload unless you use their paid image services?
>>

You are right. I use imageshack.us to host my pictures. Larger pictures are always better.

My first listing....tips please.

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