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auction site vs. Ebay

OrpeanutOrpeanut Posts: 7
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum
I have a 62 topps football set that I'm planning on selling its the 8th ranked set on the registry. In your opinion what is the best auction site to use? Is it worth it to pay the 15% sellers premium? Do you make that much more on a major auction site than you would on Ebay? When the buyer has to pay a premium too?

Thanks for your advice,

Leon

Comments

  • scotgrebscotgreb Posts: 809 ✭✭✭
    Leon,

    I wouldn't worry too much about the 15% fee -- Depending on how you sell the cards on ebay, it will be close to that number anyway.

    It sounds like you don't want to break it but that will be your best option to maximize the price. You can solicit here and to other registry collectors first to minimize fees -- then sell the remainder on ebay.

    Otherwise, I would first list on ebay with a BIN you're willing to accept then see what happens.

    You have lots of options, especially if you are (can afford to be) patient.

    My 2 cents.
    Focusing on baseball “playing years” HOFers. My HOF Set; https://psacard.com/psasetregistry/baseball/hall-fame-sets/hall-fame-players-managers-owners-executives-pioneers-commissioners-umpires/publishedset/77755

    Always plenty of PSA-graded cards in my ebay store -- https://ebay.com/str/thelumbercompanysportscards
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Hi Leon and welcome to the boards.

    I went and looked at the 8th set and is it the one that is 98% completed and grades at 6.88?

    If so, is it your intention to complete it before you sell?

    Also, it might be in your interest to try to get the GPA up to 7.00 if possible.


    If it is not and you are selling it as is IMO you might be better off selling it yourself (or at least make an attempt) on ebay.

    There you have a few options, BIN, BIN with Best Offer, Straight auction with a start at the minimum you would take for it.

    There at least you will get some views and if it does not sell there you might get some offers offline, that has been done before.

    Not sure i would sell through an auction house.

    I say all the above with the caveat being I do not know how desirable the 62 set is and what key rookies are in it. In fact I did not

    even open the page up to see if you had any 9's etc.

    Good luck in whatever avenue you choose and I'm sure some of the football guys will chime in.

    Steve

    Good for you.
  • OrpeanutOrpeanut Posts: 7
    Steve,

    Yes I do plan on completing it in PSA 7 if possible. Some of the SP's come up pretty few and far between on Ebay and can go for $150 plus. I need to upgrade 5 or 6 more that go for crazy prices. So you guys aren't big fans of auction houses? It seems like they generate good prices but they seem to get a huge cut for their fees.

  • bobbyw8469bobbyw8469 Posts: 7,139 ✭✭✭
    Most auction houses charge the seller a commission. They also charge the buyer around 15-20% commission. With charging buyers a steep comission, most of them factor that into their bids and bid accordingly. That is a disadvantage if you are trying to maximize your price.
  • MuggymanMuggyman Posts: 688
    Auction houses charge a 15-20% surcharge to buyers AND sellers?

    Ripoff.org!
  • bobbyw8469bobbyw8469 Posts: 7,139 ✭✭✭
    Buyers pay 15-20%. In addition, sellers get charges anywhere from 0-20%. Both of the ones I use charged me 10%.
  • OrpeanutOrpeanut Posts: 7
    Bobby,

    Were you happy with the results?
  • sbfinleysbfinley Posts: 357 ✭✭
    It depends. If you intend to break the set up and/or need cash now, ebay would be your best bet. However, with that route you risk taking a hit on individual card auctions or BIN's that set dormant for a long period.

    I would suggest one of the major annual auctions. Yes you will give up a commission to the house, but with them you are pretty much guaranteed that the heavy spenders will be aware of your item and you will get another small percentage of buyers who might normally wouldn't have been interested. I.E. All year I set cash for REA so something I might aggressively pursue in REA might not get a bid from me in a late Oct. ebay auction because I know I don't have the funds to win out.
  • KbKardsKbKards Posts: 1,782 ✭✭✭
    Auction houses are good for widows. You know more about your set than they do and have access to the same buyers. It's a waste of money to complete it as every $150 low pop common card you buy now is now only looked at as a $20 common when adding up the total SMR of the set. Break it and the good stuff will be easy to sell at a good price. You be the one selling the $150 low pop commons for $150 rather than buried in the set and getting 70% of the SMR common price.
  • bobbyw8469bobbyw8469 Posts: 7,139 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Were you happy with the results? >>



    I was happy with one and disappointed with the other.
  • OrpeanutOrpeanut Posts: 7
    Does it always pay to break sets up instead of selling complete?

    The SMR for a complete 62 set is pretty high. The set has 176 cards so its not that big. The black borders are tough and the set is hard to complete in a 7. I think the breakup value on this one wouldn't be as high as on some others. Like was mentioned it would take a lot longer to sell individually and you would have a batch of commons that would take a long time to get close to SMR and others that would go way over. I think it would even out in the long run to be close to what you'd get as a set. It's just takes finding a couple people that want to bid on a full set. I think a couple years ago you could put something like this on Ebay with a low starting point and it would bring enough. I don't think I'd be wise to do that now.

    Does anyone know if there is a VCP on the set?
  • MeteoriteGuyMeteoriteGuy Posts: 7,140 ✭✭
    I think KbKards was spot on about not completing the set. You will not get back what you put in the final low pop cards. They will likely be seen as an average common in the lot.
    Collecting PSA graded Steve Young, Marcus Allen, Bret Saberhagen and 1980s Topps Cards.
    Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Plus you run the risk of having the auction house selling someone's elses 62 Football set.


    Piecemeal is the way to go IMO.

    I'd list 10 to 20 cards at a time and mix in a few low pops because generally the same people will be buying and

    you don't want any collusion.


    Steve
    Good for you.
  • OrpeanutOrpeanut Posts: 7
    Would'nt you be able to see if they switched cards by the serial numbers? I guess it would be possible. Another problem I've heard to consider is the money has to come in from the buyer and the auction house. That could use the buyer not paying as an excuse not to pay in a timely manner.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Leon

    Not sure what you mean? Changing serial numbers?

    I meant if you send your set in and someone else sends a set in you know have 2 sets being auctioned at the same time.

    It has happened before.


    Good for you.
  • OrpeanutOrpeanut Posts: 7
    Oh I see what you're saying. I thought you meant the auction house could switch what's being sold and keep your item
  • CEOBIDMCCEOBIDMC Posts: 275
    try selling it here on the BST, or at Net54/ SGC
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