Best way to list a set break on eBay

Big80s

Good evening, friends!

I'm going to be listing about 70 cards from a set that I was putting together and I'm wondering what the best way to list them is. Obviously, I don't want to list all 70 at once, but would it be okay to break that up into two groups of 35/week? I just don't want to overwhelm the set collectors that might be bidding, with too much at once. Does this make sense?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

cpamike

Hey Jeff, if they are all different cards from the set (i.e., no dups), I would list them all on the same day. I would also have the auction end on a Saturday or Sunday. Most set breaks are done over one or two days and that is a whole set. This is only 70 cards and I think most collectors like to bid on one day as opposed to having to wait until the next day to finish up their bidding. As long as you space them about 5 minutes or so, you should do well IMHO.

Just my thoughts.

Mike

Dpeck100

I think it really depends on the price point. If they are not expensive get them listed as a group for all 70 ending the same day.

If it is going to take some bucks to win a bunch spread them out.

Unless you have unlimited funds buyers tend to pull back on a few cards they need if there are big names going off that they know if their max bid is hit they may spend a small fortune.

If you choose to spread them out then definately spread the star power.

I think it is a tough call with the limited information you gave us.

Good luck either way!

Big80s

Thanks for weighing in guys. It's a '77 OPC baseball partial set break. My thinking, the set collectors would be able to bid more if the lots were spread out - say 15 cards per week. If I put them all up at once, it might spread the interest too thin.

twiley

15 cards per week is a safe bet. I would even break the 15 up and do something like 8 end on Sunday and 7 end on Monday.

gameusedhoop

Cheap cards relatively speaking. List them all at once with a shipping discount. I usually pass on one or two cards that I need when shipping is 50% of my price paid, but if I can get 20-30 cards at once and pay a flat rate of $10 for shipping it is alot more palatable.

Dpeck100

I agree a major shipping discount tends to favor bidding on a lot of items at once. No matter how you spread them out I would combine shipping on them for free or a very small charge.

KeepItWarm

As a buyer, I love to see set breaks that all end on the same day. Two-minute spacing is more than enough I think...and that's only for the people living in the mid-1990's who still physically GO TO EACH AUCTION to type in a bid.

When I see a set break with many interesting cards, I simply load up my sniping software. I've had snipe bids set for up to 46 seperate auctions from the same set break before. So easy a caveman could do it.

And the deep discount shipping is another plus. Maybe max it out at a specific dollar amount no matter it you win one auction or 61 auctions.

arex

<< <i>Cheap cards relatively speaking. List them all at once with a shipping discount. I usually pass on one or two cards that I need when shipping is 50% of my price paid, but if I can get 20-30 cards at once and pay a flat rate of $10 for shipping it is alot more palatable. >>


I agree. And you take the chance by listing them over several weeks is that the set collectors will find their cards somewhere else. Dont try to overthink this. List them all, give a good shipping discount, have them end the same day, or maybe over 2 days, and take the money and run.

Big80s

I appreciate all if the advice guys!

cards651

I'm a buyer and I agree with all of the comments here. If a set is broken up over a few days or week, I tend to pass. When all of the cards are ending on the same day, I often bid away. I tend to agree that weekends work well as someone mentioned. - Kevin

miconelegacy

I agree with the comments. Are these graded, and what grades?

I wouldn't end it on a Saturday IMO. If they are somewhat rare and you want the most exposure start it on a Thursday to end on Sunday. A 10 day auction. It has to be worth your wild though.

I like 10 day auctions Thurs to Sun. For 40 cents more you get 2 full weekends that way, with another 3 days of exposure. We are in Football season too, so time it right.

Good Luck with whatever you decide. Also please PM me if they are graded, I might take them off your hands.

Big80s

Again - I appreciate everyone's feedback on this topic. And I 100% agree with the discounted shipping on multiple items - I think that's pretty much a no-brainer and is already standard on all of my auction items.

Here's where I differ from many people's opinions. I think listing all of your set break cards at once is great - if you're looking at it from a buyer's standpoint. You're much more likely to get items at a better price, because there's so many different items up for sale.

However, looking at it from a seller's standpoint - I would rather put a few items out at a time, and let the interested parties have time (and money) to bid on what they want. If you have everything up for sale at the same time, funds are spread thin.

And to answer Mike's questions - the cards are all PSA graded with several Pop 1 PSA 9 and 10's.

fattymacs

Don't forget:

L@@L@@L@@L@@K !!!!!!! SET BREAK !!!!!! WOW !!!! PSA !!! SGC !!! BGS !!! GEM !!! NM !!! MINT !!! LOW POP !!! 1/1 !!!

Big80s

Do people actually list "Set Break" in the title of their auctions?

Dpeck100

I did it twice on some wrestling sets.

I am not sure if it helps or not but it can't hurt.

Big80s

I'll give it a rip and see if I notice any difference. The new extended descriptions are a key-word spammers dream!

hammered

If you are listing 70 PSA-graded cards then it is not even a set break

And if they are PSA 10s and 9s then you won't be getting the set-break buyers, anyway.

Just list them how you would list any other graded cards

MBMiller25

Send it to Probstein and let them deal with it!

My time is very valuable, and for the 10% plus EBAY fees that they charge to handle the entire transaction, its completely worth it to me. Rick and his team are breaking an 86 Fleer Basketball set for as we speak.

miconelegacy

<< <i>Send it to Probstein and let them deal with it!

My time is very valuable, and for the 10% plus EBAY fees that they charge to handle the entire transaction, its completely worth it to me. Rick and his team are breaking an 86 Fleer Basketball set for as we speak. >>



Most efficient way IMO. I've had Rick list 23 or 24 shipments of cards since Feb. Great exposure, employees he has Rock, no hassles, you'll get paid quicker, he has a huge following, etc, etc. Just sent him another batch this morning. Give it a try.

Big80s

The cards are in the mail to Rick, as of this morning. I'm hoping the first batch will go up on Sunday evening.