Sell full set or do set-break?
judgebuck
Posts: 996 ✭✭✭
I have been upgrading my 1954-73 Topps baseball sets. I have noticed that many eBay sellers are selling sets of cards by the individual card. I hope that I won't sell my cards for many years, but when I do, is it best to sell as a set or set-break? Thanks for your replies.
Always looking for Mantle cards such as Stahl Meyer, 1954 Dan Dee, 1959 Bazooka, 1960 Post, 1952 Star Cal Decal, 1952 Tip Top Bread Labels, 1953-54 Briggs Meat, and other Topps, Bowman, and oddball Mantles.
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1) sell the whole thing. good part gets it done at once. less seller fees. bad part may detract buyers who only want part of your set. may not get as much in total as if you broke it up
2) sell in lots- good part some seller fees but not as bad as one-by-one. still if you don't have the exact cards that a buyer wants they may pass.
3) sell it one by one good with time and effort makes the most money-a pain in the butt to list each card on ebay and to ship to a lot of buyers.
the best way (IMHO) is to offer it on this board and let members put together their own lots based upon needs. happy buyers will give you a good price because they are saving a ton on shipping and they get only cards they need.
I've noticed quite a few sellers "breaking up" a raw 1960 set and many of the cards went for PSA 7 money or better.
Buying trends change, so who knows which way will be best a few years from now.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do
Always looking for Mantle cards such as Stahl Meyer, 1954 Dan Dee, 1959 Bazooka, 1960 Post, 1952 Star Cal Decal, 1952 Tip Top Bread Labels, 1953-54 Briggs Meat, and other Topps, Bowman, and oddball Mantles.
<< <i>If you have the time, (that being the key phrase) you would come out much better breaking up the sets and selling the individual cards. However, it takes a long time to scan those cards and create the individual listings. As pointed out, your listing and final value fees would be higher, but at the same time your profits would be larger. You could aslo make more money off the shipping - say like $3.00 for the first card and $.50 for each additional card. Those additional cards add up! >>
Bad way to start a life here poa.
My Auctions
Not sure? What's that supposed to mean?
<< <i><<Bad way to start a life here poa.>>
Not sure? What's that supposed to mean? >>
Many members don't look to kindly on gouging on shipping and I think even fewer like when people explicitly state it as a profit center.
My Auctions
<< <i>First of all, it was only a suggestion. $3.00 for the first card and $.50 each additional card is reasonable shipping. That's supposed to be gouging? Second, take a look at YOUR OWN AUCTIONS! You are charging $3.50 for the first card and $1.00 for each additional card. Is that some kind of double standard? >>
I wasn't the one making suggestions on someone raising shipping costs and profiting off of it.
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I have over 2700+ feedback on eBay without ever a negative, so I must be doing something right. We can talk again once you get your first 10 feedback!
<<Know your role>>
How about minding your own business and knowing your own role!
<< <i>I stand behind what I said. $3.00 for the first card and $.50 for each additional card is not gouging and he makes a little money off it, so what! He's not going to get rich off it and I'm sure he's not going to quit his day job.
I have over 2700+ feedback on eBay without ever a negative, so I must be doing something right. We can talk again once you get your first 10 feedback!
<<Know your role>>
How about minding your own business and knowing your own role! >>
Someone is a little sensitive.
You will not make many friends here advertising about gouging on shipping and encouraging others to do it as well. That's just a fact.
I am not going to get in a pissing match with you about your eBay sales or mine, quite frankly I don't care.
So go on telling a whole community of collectors, to whom you are still new, that you yourself practice, as well as encourage other people to rip them off on shipping charges.
As I said, its a bad way to start a life here.
My Auctions
All at once.
Then go buy something cool.
Like a Chia Pet.
Just for record, here is what 4SC is charging:
"$4.00 For 1 Auction
$6.00 For 2 Auctions
$8.00 For 3 Auctions
Buyers must add $0.25 for each auction in excess of the initial 3 auctions"
And here is what DSL is charging:
"$4 FOR 1 AUCTION
$6 FOR 2 AUCTIONS
$8 FOR 3 OR MORE AUCTIONS"
Being the new guy on the block, perhaps you should read some threads from days gone by. This will give you some perspective on whom the established and respected members are here. zef is a top notch guy that I won't hesitate going to bat for.
Until then, take your own advise and
<<Know your role>>
I am not defending my S/H practices. That is not what is in question. What is in question is my suggestion to the original author of this thread to charge others $3.00 for the first card and $.50 for each additional card. So far, I have been told that was “gouging” “knowingly overcharging” and as you put it, “excessive”, although others disagreed.
I am not here to argue about it. It is simply my opinion as a buyer and a seller that the rate that I quoted was in line with what everybody else is charging.
Zef may be a top notch guy here. I am not questioning his character, integrity or anything else. I guess you could say that he has EARNED THE RIGHT more than I have to give his two cents worth on this board, especially to the “new guy”. However, I don’t need to hear that the prices that I suggested were, “gouging“ from someone who is charging $3.50 for the first card and $1.00 for additional cards in his own auctions, has only 6 feedback and absolutely no feedback as a seller. I guess you can say that I HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT as far as that goes. Top notch or not, where I come from, saying one thing and doing something else is called a hypocrite. And as far as the “Know your role” comment, it was made to me first! He edited it before you read it. Who the hell does he think he is – the Rock? Know your role?
I have one question for you. It is real simple and only requires a yes or no answer. “Do you think it is ‘excessive’, ‘gouging’ or ‘knowingly overcharging’ to charge $3.00 for the first card and $.50 for each additional card?” Again, a real simple question, only requiring a yes or no answer!
<< <i>Top notch or not, where I come from, saying one thing and doing something else is called a hypocrite. And as far as the “Know your role” comment, it was made to me first! He edited it before you read it. Who the hell does he think he is – the Rock? Know your role? >>
Hypocrite, BAH!
All I said was it is not a way to make friends to advertise and encourage others to charge MORE in shipping.
Know your role.
My Auctions
This is the exact definition of gouging. You seem to be caught up in the amount you charge rather than what you actually do with that money. Whether you charge $3, $5 or $15, if you actually use that money for shipping, then you are being an honest seller. If you charge $3 and only use $1.50 to ship, then you are ripping people off. I'm not sure how much clearer this could be.
Lee
<< <i>I have one question for you. It is real simple and only requires a yes or no answer. “Do you think it is ‘excessive’, ‘gouging’ or ‘knowingly overcharging’ to charge $3.00 for the first card and $.50 for each additional card?” Again, a real simple question, only requiring a yes or no answer! >>
When you say, "You could aslo make more money off the shipping - say like $3.00 for the first card and $.50 for each additional card."
Yes because you, as well as actively encouraging others, are making money off the S/H, which is a violation of eBay's TOS.
Also, it's a violation of the board's trust, which does not go unnoticed.
I suggest just letting it go and moving along because you will not win....
<< <i>If the seller is charging $3 plus .50 for each additional card and is wrapping the card(s) in bubble wrap and using a bubble envelope then I do not feel those rates are excessive or gouging. The seller has supplies, actually USPS charges, time, gas, wear and tear on their car. Just don't advertising that your intent is to make money at those rates. >>
BINGO.
That is all that I was suggesting in the first place.
My Auctions
"Sellers may charge reasonable shipping and handling fees to cover the costs for mailing, packaging, and handling the items they are selling. While eBay will not prescribe exactly what a seller may or may not charge, eBay will rely on member reports and its own discretion to determine whether or not a seller’s shipping, handling, packaging, and/or insurance charges are excessive. Shipping and handling fees may not be listed as a percentage of the final sale price.
Sellers who want to be sure they are in compliance with this policy may charge actual shipping costs plus actual packaging materials cost (or less).
In addition to the final listing price, sellers are permitted to charge:
Actual Shipping cost: This is the actual cost (i.e. postage) for shipping the item.
Handling Fee: Actual packaging materials costs may be charged. A handling fee in addition to actual shipping cost may be charged if it is not excessive.
Insurance: Sellers offering insurance may only charge the actual fee for insurance. No additional amount may be added, such as “self-insurance”. Sellers who do not use a licensed 3rd party insurance company may not require buyers to purchase insurance. This is a violation of state law."
As for what started all this I was told by another board member "Many members don't look to kindly on gouging on shipping and I think even fewer like when people explicitly state it as a profit center." I just think it funny for someone to tell me that, when their own auctions state $3.50 for the first card and $1.00 for additional cards (higher than my suggestion). So what I quoted is "gouging", but a "Master Collector" can quote a higher price for shipping for his own auctions and that's okay? Anybody else see a problem with that? Perhaps in his auction he doesn't "state it as a profit center", but isn't it the same thing?
I stick to what I said. What I quoted was reasonable S/H. If the seller happens to make some money off it, so what! It is not against eBay's policy to profit from the S/H, it is against their policy for it to be "excessive." There is a difference between the two. Next time you take your car to the mechanic for a brake job (or whatever), they are going to purchase the parts and mark them up to you, the consumer. They are in business to make a profit. They are also going to charge you book time for the labor. If the job requires 3 hours and the mechanic can do it in 1, you still get charged for 3 hours!!! And you say what I am talking about is gouging? Then they are going to charge you for shop supplies - grease, rags, etc. Don't leave your car there for more than 3 days after the job is completed or they will start charging you storage. Etc, Etc, Etc. My point is that not every business makes their profit on just 1 aspect. That relates to eBay as well. The seller has to PAY HIMSELF for his top loaders, bubble mailers, time to prepare package, time to go the the PO, gas, etc that he incurs, not just strictly the postage. There is nothing wrong with that. Why should he work for free? Do you? That's where the "and handling the items they are selling" part of it comes in (eBay's policy). If you can't understand that, then I apoligize. Perhaps I should have worded my original post different.
preowned, you're throwing shots at jordan for his being new at ebay and less than 10 feedback. I myself have given him more than 20 feedback, have him as a favorite seller, and have his auctions in my favorites list. His feedback was over 3000 the last time I looked. He's not new at ebay and he's not a scammer.
Most people here have more than one ebay account, most of us have a buying and a selling account, and many of us have an account we can use to protect people from scams and take a negative that won't keep us from selling things. I believe Jordan also has more than one acct.
There's a lot of REAL GOOD people here, who go out of the way to help people and protect them from stolen scam auctions, trimmed or counterfeit card auctions etc. With ebay's anti-honesty rules, you risk your account by telling someone about a scam. I lost a 4000+ feedback account over that - a guy was selling slabs with photos of cards, not the real cards. I told someone who happened to be a shill of his, and I got tossed. Now I have a 10 or less feedback acct for that.
Maybe go back and read some of his older posts from before you got here. He's a good guy.
jim
Not one person has said $3.50 was gouging when that's the cost. It's almost like you are spinning the problem into different directions but missing the point.
The problem is you are ENCOURAGING others to "make more money off the shipping". By stating this, we assume that you are profiting off the S/H, which is a violation of eBay's TOS and this board's trust.
Are we clear?
Just like you're telling people shipping costs $3, but you only spend $2 and pocket the extra $1. Is ripping people off for $1 excessive? Hardly. But is it still misrepresentation and stealing? Yep.
I'm beginning to think they don't teach business ethics in public school anymore.
Lee
I am not disputing the fact that he is a good guy. You’re not the only one who said that, so I am taking your word for it. I am not accusing him of scamming either. He probably has excellent credentials. It was said by another member that perhaps I am missing the point, but I think everybody is missing mine.
My point is how can someone tell someone else that $3.00 for the first card and $.50 for each additional card is “gouging” when that same person charges $3.50 for the first card and $1.00 for each additional card? Is that some kind of double standard? My suggested price was too high, but he can charge higher and it’s okay? Or perhaps the post office charges him more to ship cards than everybody else in America so it’s okay for him to do it?
He’s entitled to his opinion and I am entitled to mine. However, I don’t need to be told “Know your role”! He edited his comments, but that’s what he said!
To the others who think I am “gouging”,
I just left the post office and I shipped 4 different items - 1 box of 286 different cards and 3 single PSA graded cards.
The box of cards weighed 1lb, 7oz and cost me $6.20 to ship from Houston to zip code 55920 via Priority Mail. Each card was individually sleeved in a penny sleeve. After all, they do cost a penny each, so that is an extra $2.86 that I paid that the buyer doesn’t see or realize. The 300 count box cost me $.50 cents. Total cost to ship these cards was $9.44. I only charged the buyer $7.00 for shipping. My profit from shipping: -$2.56. You can verify it for yourself, check out eBay item #320130893244. However, the buyer will get the package, look at the postage and think it only cost $6.20 to ship never realizing the cost of the supplies and the box to mail them (or my time or anything else).
Each of the 3 PSA graded cards were mailed in identical bubble mailers, each weighing 2.20oz and each costing $1.47 in postage ($4.41 total). I sent all three with delivery confirmation so that was an additional $2.25 ($.75 each). I buy my bubble mailers at Wal-Mart and I believe they cost around $4.00 for a package of 10 (or $.40 each). Therefore, let’s add another $1.20 for bubble mailers. We won’t count the cardboard (no it wasn’t free) that I shielded the cards with or the scotch tape that went around the cardboard and on the outside of the bubble mailer for extra protection. We also won’t include my time, gas or anything else. Total to mail the 3 packages: $7.86. I charged $4.00 each ($12.00 total), so I made a HUGE PROFIT of $4.14.
I guess I stuck it to those guys! I really saw them coming and bent them over good! Maybe with that $4.14 I can put a little gas in my car or pay myself for the time that I lost. Again, the buyer only sees the postage on the outside of the package and never takes into consideration OTHER COSTS INVLOVED! I guess the shipping should just be FREE? I’m sorry, but I know what my time, gas, etc is worth and I am not going to give it away! I’ll keep everybody posted when I make my first million!