It is shocking. But, it's the cost WE pay for the enjoyment. You could PM me anytime or call just about 24/7/365 . I would be happy to assist you, if able. No spam intended. I think any dealer here would help you but maybe I'm wrong.
Once again, fabulous responses...thank you. I shouldn't take for granted that it's a hobby, not a business. I'd starve if it was a business. I just can't buy like the big boys can (or even some of the smaller dudes).
<< <i>Why did you pay $5 for shipping an inexpensive item? First class, 3 oz bubble mailer with DC would have cost $1.69? with the label generated through eBay. >>
I goofed on this in a couple of ways. I wanted to send a standard envelope with a safe-t-mailer but the postal clerk refused to insure it unless it was in a padded envelope. So, I figured I need to buy there smallest padded envelope and use that (which I was none too happy about, but I wanted to do my buyer a favor and ship immediately). So, that added to the cost, plus the fact that the mailer was larger than I needed and I got the upcharged postage fee, plus insurance (I have private insurance with Hugh Wood, but they require minimal insurance or registered for anything I ship). Lesson learned.
I might try eBay again with coins in the under couple hundred dollar range but as suggested, start with a higher bid and maybe not offer free postage.
For my raw material, I might have more limited choices on how to move it, but I'll possibly work with some people on this board and other dealers I already have good relationships with. I just have to realize that selling my coins above wholesale (net) will be a long game where I have limited options.
For slabs, they will likely be attractive to a wider range of dealers, plus auction houses which I will start contacting to see what my best options are in that arena.
Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I have accumulated so much stuff over the years (with almost always the same reasoning...wow, a scarce coin, looks great, and a fair price...what the heck!) that I know have quite a chore on my hands. I guess I became a kind of a coin hoarder and I now realize that some of these "friends" have to move into different hands.
<< <i>In addition to the" "price guide" and "trends" sections there should be a "price reality" list. A Real World for coins list.
The "Want to Buy" section at the end of smoe mags give a clue too. >>
I think to counter your point somewhat, a "wanted to buy" list can be revealing of the opposite end of things. i.e. lowballers/looking for the rip/hotel buyers/buying a no-problem '01-S quarter for bullion (yes, I went there again.)
An item's true "worth" to another end-user (collector looking to keep for awhile, not to flip or a dealer, which is a different level of current value) probably lies somewhere in the middle of these extremes.
I was just thinking about this situation again, and I should mention to the OP that if you keep good records, the net of your sales will probably still be in the plus column, but remember - the less "profit" that you realize over the course of the year - the lower your tax bite will be. Keep a good account of ALL your costs associated with selling.
The pricing will take care of itself, for better or worse, but your real objective is to cash in and start on another quest. Minimizing the tax bite is a major part of your objective.
Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally
<< <i>I was just thinking about this situation again, and I should mention to the OP that if you keep good records, the net of your sales will probably still be in the plus column, but remember - the less "profit" that you realize over the course of the year - the lower your tax bite will be. Keep a good account of ALL your costs associated with selling.
The pricing will take care of itself, for better or worse, but your real objective is to cash in and start on another quest. Minimizing the tax bite is a major part of your objective. >>
Fortunately, I do keep very detailed records. This is one of the reasons why I so painfully know when I've eaten it on another sale.
Based on the variety of opinions and options (and PM's) I've received due to this thread, I think I feel a bit more at ease about moving forward on selling parts of my collection.
I think what I'm going to do is decide exactly which coins I absolutely want to keep, instead of deciding what to sell. I have a feeling this means I'll be selling 80-90% of my current collection over time. I'm fortunate that I don't need to do any "fire sales" and I can be somewhat patient. I'll have to strategize on how various coins should sell versus other coins (such as raw vs. slabbed, higher-end vs lower-end, etc.).
Hopefully this thread has been helpful to others as well.
I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers.
<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers. >>
I didn't necessarily say $5 is unreasonable, but that for many ebay buyers, such a shipping cost on a $90 coin will result in some dinged DSRs on the shipping rating. The buyer doesn't care if you are a casual/infrequent seller on ebay.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers. >>
I didn't necessarily say $5 is unreasonable, but that for many ebay buyers, such a shipping cost on a $90 coin will result in some dinged DSRs on the shipping rating. The buyer doesn't care if you are a casual/infrequent seller on ebay. >>
Assuming that those buyers read the terms and still bid, it doesn't seem fair to ding someone when you paid up at your own free will. Anyone with even smidgen of eBay experience should have an idea what reasonable shipping costs are.
<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers. >>
I didn't necessarily say $5 is unreasonable, but that for many ebay buyers, such a shipping cost on a $90 coin will result in some dinged DSRs on the shipping rating. The buyer doesn't care if you are a casual/infrequent seller on ebay. >>
Assuming that those buyers read the terms and still bid, it doesn't seem fair to ding someone when you paid up at your own free will. Anyone with even smidgen of eBay experience should have an idea what reasonable shipping costs are. >>
Are using ebay buyers and the terms fair and reasonable in the same sentence?
I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you are a seller and are charging $5.00 to ship coins valued at under $100, you will get dinged on the shipping DSR rating. All it takes are a couple of those and you can wave good bye to your FVF discount (if you qualify for one). It's not fair, but it's the reality of the ebay experience these days.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers. >>
I didn't necessarily say $5 is unreasonable, but that for many ebay buyers, such a shipping cost on a $90 coin will result in some dinged DSRs on the shipping rating. The buyer doesn't care if you are a casual/infrequent seller on ebay. >>
Assuming that those buyers read the terms and still bid, it doesn't seem fair to ding someone when you paid up at your own free will. Anyone with even smidgen of eBay experience should have an idea what reasonable shipping costs are. >>
Are using ebay buyers and the terms fair and reasonable in the same sentence?
I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you are a seller and are charging $5.00 to ship coins valued at under $100, you will get dinged on the shipping DSR rating. All it takes are a couple of those and you can wave good bye to your FVF discount (if you qualify for one). It's not fair, but it's the reality of the ebay experience these days. >>
I don't sell on eBay and if I was a casual seller I wouldn't give a rat's ass about some DSR rating. Simply put, if you don't like the terms don't bid. I'll pass on a listing if I think shipping is excessive. I don't buy it anyway and bash the seller later. One can always ask about terms ahead of time. There are a lot of dorks on eBay that's for sure.
I didn't read all the responses, so my comments may have already been said.
There is no way to sell raw coins worth <$100 without getting taken to the cleaners. BST is your best bet.
In my experience, ebay is best for midrange, slabbed coins.
Consider auction and/or dealer (possibly letting a dealer place the coins at auction for you - he gets better rates than you due to volume) for more valuable coins.
Welcome to the hobby
P.S. If you have a weekday off and want to meet up for a ski day, let me know. Conditions have been great the last few weeks.
<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers. >>
I didn't necessarily say $5 is unreasonable, but that for many ebay buyers, such a shipping cost on a $90 coin will result in some dinged DSRs on the shipping rating. The buyer doesn't care if you are a casual/infrequent seller on ebay. >>
Assuming that those buyers read the terms and still bid, it doesn't seem fair to ding someone when you paid up at your own free will. Anyone with even smidgen of eBay experience should have an idea what reasonable shipping costs are. >>
Are using ebay buyers and the terms fair and reasonable in the same sentence?
I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you are a seller and are charging $5.00 to ship coins valued at under $100, you will get dinged on the shipping DSR rating. All it takes are a couple of those and you can wave good bye to your FVF discount (if you qualify for one). It's not fair, but it's the reality of the ebay experience these days. >>
I don't sell on eBay and if I was a casual seller I wouldn't give a rat's ass about some DSR rating. Simply put, if you don't like the terms don't bid. I'll pass on a listing if I think shipping is excessive. I don't buy it anyway and bash the seller later. One can always ask about terms ahead of time. There are a lot of dorks on eBay that's for sure. >>
You can afford that viewpoint since you don't sell on ebay, or even if you sold just occasionally, but for those who qualify for FVF discounts, a few dinged DSR ratings can take real money out of your pocket.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>You can afford that viewpoint since you don't sell on ebay, or even if you sold just occasionally, but for those who qualify for FVF discounts, a few dinged DSR ratings can take real money out of your pocket. >>
This is why I rarely run auctions. With fixed price listings, you can offer "free" shipping and have the buyer pay whatever cost you want without risk to your DSRs.
<< <i>You can afford that viewpoint since you don't sell on ebay, or even if you sold just occasionally, but for those who qualify for FVF discounts, a few dinged DSR ratings can take real money out of your pocket. >>
This is why I rarely run auctions. With fixed price listings, you can offer "free" shipping and have the buyer pay whatever cost you want without risk to your DSRs. >>
Good idea. If you factor it in the BIN price with free shipping, ebay will automatically rate your 5.0 on shipping.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers. >>
I didn't necessarily say $5 is unreasonable, but that for many ebay buyers, such a shipping cost on a $90 coin will result in some dinged DSRs on the shipping rating. The buyer doesn't care if you are a casual/infrequent seller on ebay. >>
Assuming that those buyers read the terms and still bid, it doesn't seem fair to ding someone when you paid up at your own free will. Anyone with even smidgen of eBay experience should have an idea what reasonable shipping costs are. >>
Are using ebay buyers and the terms fair and reasonable in the same sentence?
I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you are a seller and are charging $5.00 to ship coins valued at under $100, you will get dinged on the shipping DSR rating. All it takes are a couple of those and you can wave good bye to your FVF discount (if you qualify for one). It's not fair, but it's the reality of the ebay experience these days. >>
I don't sell on eBay and if I was a casual seller I wouldn't give a rat's ass about some DSR rating. Simply put, if you don't like the terms don't bid. I'll pass on a listing if I think shipping is excessive. I don't buy it anyway and bash the seller later. One can always ask about terms ahead of time. There are a lot of dorks on eBay that's for sure. >>
You can afford that viewpoint since you don't sell on ebay, or even if you sold just occasionally, but for those who qualify for FVF discounts, a few dinged DSR ratings can take real money out of your pocket. >>
I can imagine that's true. Once he pays by PP you can always email him and tell him what a POS he is and hope that he doesn't retaliate.
Remember, when selling online, your fees are essentially 'buying eyeballs'. Nothing more, nothing less.
The more eyeballs you have on the auction, the closer you can get to the true market value. eBay is the 900 lb gorilla when it comes to this, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
Even with the high fees, I seem to do the best on eBay, for my material, which tends to be certified, mid-grade material worh < $250.00. The bonus is every once in a while you can get two or three collectors fighting over a coin and get much, much more.
Good luck!
Dave
Always looking for original, better date VF20-VF35 Barber quarters and halves, and a quality beer.
<< <i>It's quite tough to sell to dealers and still make a profit. I do it all the time but in retrospect I don't really know why when I could probably get more selling on the BST. >>
Because sometimes breaking even and liquidating that asset is more important than profit. That's my reason, anyway. That's why I always bring stuff to the bourse and sell to dealers. I don't sell everything to dealers, just the stuff I need to move that weekend or else.
<<I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers.>>
I would have no issue with $5 shipping on a $90 item. Shipping isn't free, i.e. mailers, labels, time, fuel. What is a good round number for selling on Ebay for a casual seller? 15%?
<< <i>Bottom line, you sold the coin on ebay to a huge audience, and the fees allowed you to SELL the coin.
This is a no brainer, use ebay ..... >>
Actually,
It's not a "no-brainer" for coins which have a thin profit margin. Unless you're looking for income tax deductions, it makes little sense to sell at a loss. >>
Great business plan: Buy high, sell low, make up the difference on volume
Comments
<< <i>Why did you pay $5 for shipping an inexpensive item? First class, 3 oz bubble mailer with DC would have cost $1.69? with the label generated through eBay. >>
I goofed on this in a couple of ways. I wanted to send a standard envelope with a safe-t-mailer but the postal clerk refused to insure it unless it was in a padded envelope. So, I figured I need to buy there smallest padded envelope and use that (which I was none too happy about, but I wanted to do my buyer a favor and ship immediately). So, that added to the cost, plus the fact that the mailer was larger than I needed and I got the upcharged postage fee, plus insurance (I have private insurance with Hugh Wood, but they require minimal insurance or registered for anything I ship). Lesson learned.
I might try eBay again with coins in the under couple hundred dollar range but as suggested, start with a higher bid and maybe not offer free postage.
For my raw material, I might have more limited choices on how to move it, but I'll possibly work with some people on this board and other dealers I already have good relationships with. I just have to realize that selling my coins above wholesale (net) will be a long game where I have limited options.
For slabs, they will likely be attractive to a wider range of dealers, plus auction houses which I will start contacting to see what my best options are in that arena.
Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I have accumulated so much stuff over the years (with almost always the same reasoning...wow, a scarce coin, looks great, and a fair price...what the heck!) that I know have quite a chore on my hands. I guess I became a kind of a coin hoarder and I now realize that some of these "friends" have to move into different hands.
Thank you.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
The "Want to Buy" section at the end of smoe mags give a clue too.
<< <i>In addition to the" "price guide" and "trends" sections there should be a "price reality" list. A Real World for coins list.
The "Want to Buy" section at the end of smoe mags give a clue too. >>
I think to counter your point somewhat, a "wanted to buy" list can be revealing of the opposite end of things. i.e. lowballers/looking for the rip/hotel buyers/buying a no-problem '01-S quarter for bullion (yes, I went there again.)
An item's true "worth" to another end-user (collector looking to keep for awhile, not to flip or a dealer, which is a different level of current value) probably lies somewhere in the middle of these extremes.
The pricing will take care of itself, for better or worse, but your real objective is to cash in and start on another quest. Minimizing the tax bite is a major part of your objective.
I knew it would happen.
<< <i>I was just thinking about this situation again, and I should mention to the OP that if you keep good records, the net of your sales will probably still be in the plus column, but remember - the less "profit" that you realize over the course of the year - the lower your tax bite will be. Keep a good account of ALL your costs associated with selling.
The pricing will take care of itself, for better or worse, but your real objective is to cash in and start on another quest. Minimizing the tax bite is a major part of your objective. >>
Fortunately, I do keep very detailed records. This is one of the reasons why I so painfully know when I've eaten it on another sale.
Based on the variety of opinions and options (and PM's) I've received due to this thread, I think I feel a bit more at ease about moving forward on selling parts of my collection.
I think what I'm going to do is decide exactly which coins I absolutely want to keep, instead of deciding what to sell. I have a feeling this means I'll be selling 80-90% of my current collection over time. I'm fortunate that I don't need to do any "fire sales" and I can be somewhat patient. I'll have to strategize on how various coins should sell versus other coins (such as raw vs. slabbed, higher-end vs lower-end, etc.).
Hopefully this thread has been helpful to others as well.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers.
You can list all your stuff there, for free, and get eyes on them. If they sell, good deal, if not, there are other, more costly venues.
Just because one 1888 - 3cent nickel (not a popular series) didn't sell, don't take that as a "sign".
<< <i>Just because one 1888 - 3cent nickel (not a popular series) didn't sell, don't take that as a "sign". >>
It's a pretty good sign if the coin is typical of the ones he wants to sell. Based on his choice of avatars, it might just be.
<< <i>
<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers. >>
I didn't necessarily say $5 is unreasonable, but that for many ebay buyers, such a shipping cost on a $90 coin will result in some dinged DSRs on the shipping rating. The buyer doesn't care if you are a casual/infrequent seller on ebay.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>
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<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers. >>
I didn't necessarily say $5 is unreasonable, but that for many ebay buyers, such a shipping cost on a $90 coin will result in some dinged DSRs on the shipping rating. The buyer doesn't care if you are a casual/infrequent seller on ebay. >>
Assuming that those buyers read the terms and still bid, it doesn't seem fair to ding someone when you paid up at your own free will. Anyone with even smidgen of eBay experience should have an idea what reasonable shipping costs are.
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<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers. >>
I didn't necessarily say $5 is unreasonable, but that for many ebay buyers, such a shipping cost on a $90 coin will result in some dinged DSRs on the shipping rating. The buyer doesn't care if you are a casual/infrequent seller on ebay. >>
Assuming that those buyers read the terms and still bid, it doesn't seem fair to ding someone when you paid up at your own free will. Anyone with even smidgen of eBay experience should have an idea what reasonable shipping costs are. >>
Are using ebay buyers and the terms fair and reasonable in the same sentence?
I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you are a seller and are charging $5.00 to ship coins valued at under $100, you will get dinged on the shipping DSR rating. All it takes are a couple of those and you can wave good bye to your FVF discount (if you qualify for one). It's not fair, but it's the reality of the ebay experience these days.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
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<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers. >>
I didn't necessarily say $5 is unreasonable, but that for many ebay buyers, such a shipping cost on a $90 coin will result in some dinged DSRs on the shipping rating. The buyer doesn't care if you are a casual/infrequent seller on ebay. >>
Assuming that those buyers read the terms and still bid, it doesn't seem fair to ding someone when you paid up at your own free will. Anyone with even smidgen of eBay experience should have an idea what reasonable shipping costs are. >>
Are using ebay buyers and the terms fair and reasonable in the same sentence?
I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you are a seller and are charging $5.00 to ship coins valued at under $100, you will get dinged on the shipping DSR rating. All it takes are a couple of those and you can wave good bye to your FVF discount (if you qualify for one). It's not fair, but it's the reality of the ebay experience these days. >>
I don't sell on eBay and if I was a casual seller I wouldn't give a rat's ass about some DSR rating. Simply put, if you don't like the terms don't bid. I'll pass on a listing if I think shipping is excessive. I don't buy it anyway and bash the seller later. One can always ask about terms ahead of time. There are a lot of dorks on eBay that's for sure.
There is no way to sell raw coins worth <$100 without getting taken to the cleaners. BST is your best bet.
In my experience, ebay is best for midrange, slabbed coins.
Consider auction and/or dealer (possibly letting a dealer place the coins at auction for you - he gets better rates than you due to volume) for more valuable coins.
Welcome to the hobby
P.S. If you have a weekday off and want to meet up for a ski day, let me know. Conditions have been great the last few weeks.
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<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers. >>
I didn't necessarily say $5 is unreasonable, but that for many ebay buyers, such a shipping cost on a $90 coin will result in some dinged DSRs on the shipping rating. The buyer doesn't care if you are a casual/infrequent seller on ebay. >>
Assuming that those buyers read the terms and still bid, it doesn't seem fair to ding someone when you paid up at your own free will. Anyone with even smidgen of eBay experience should have an idea what reasonable shipping costs are. >>
Are using ebay buyers and the terms fair and reasonable in the same sentence?
I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you are a seller and are charging $5.00 to ship coins valued at under $100, you will get dinged on the shipping DSR rating. All it takes are a couple of those and you can wave good bye to your FVF discount (if you qualify for one). It's not fair, but it's the reality of the ebay experience these days. >>
I don't sell on eBay and if I was a casual seller I wouldn't give a rat's ass about some DSR rating. Simply put, if you don't like the terms don't bid. I'll pass on a listing if I think shipping is excessive. I don't buy it anyway and bash the seller later. One can always ask about terms ahead of time. There are a lot of dorks on eBay that's for sure. >>
You can afford that viewpoint since you don't sell on ebay, or even if you sold just occasionally, but for those who qualify for FVF discounts, a few dinged DSR ratings can take real money out of your pocket.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>You can afford that viewpoint since you don't sell on ebay, or even if you sold just occasionally, but for those who qualify for FVF discounts, a few dinged DSR ratings can take real money out of your pocket. >>
This is why I rarely run auctions. With fixed price listings, you can offer "free" shipping and have the buyer pay whatever cost you want without risk to your DSRs.
<< <i>
<< <i>You can afford that viewpoint since you don't sell on ebay, or even if you sold just occasionally, but for those who qualify for FVF discounts, a few dinged DSR ratings can take real money out of your pocket. >>
This is why I rarely run auctions. With fixed price listings, you can offer "free" shipping and have the buyer pay whatever cost you want without risk to your DSRs. >>
Good idea. If you factor it in the BIN price with free shipping, ebay will automatically rate your 5.0 on shipping.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
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<< <i>I have found that offering free shipping (in general) does not correspond with a higher purchase price by the amount of the shipping cost. That said, $5.00 to ship a $90 coin would be considered high for most ebay buyers. >>
If you are a casual/infrequent seller on eBay who doesn't TPI/self-insure [unless you consider eating losses as self-insurance] $5 is reasonable IMO. I'd be more interested in some kind of low cost insurance that protects one against lowlife buyers. >>
I didn't necessarily say $5 is unreasonable, but that for many ebay buyers, such a shipping cost on a $90 coin will result in some dinged DSRs on the shipping rating. The buyer doesn't care if you are a casual/infrequent seller on ebay. >>
Assuming that those buyers read the terms and still bid, it doesn't seem fair to ding someone when you paid up at your own free will. Anyone with even smidgen of eBay experience should have an idea what reasonable shipping costs are. >>
Are using ebay buyers and the terms fair and reasonable in the same sentence?
I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you are a seller and are charging $5.00 to ship coins valued at under $100, you will get dinged on the shipping DSR rating. All it takes are a couple of those and you can wave good bye to your FVF discount (if you qualify for one). It's not fair, but it's the reality of the ebay experience these days. >>
I don't sell on eBay and if I was a casual seller I wouldn't give a rat's ass about some DSR rating. Simply put, if you don't like the terms don't bid. I'll pass on a listing if I think shipping is excessive. I don't buy it anyway and bash the seller later. One can always ask about terms ahead of time. There are a lot of dorks on eBay that's for sure. >>
You can afford that viewpoint since you don't sell on ebay, or even if you sold just occasionally, but for those who qualify for FVF discounts, a few dinged DSR ratings can take real money out of your pocket. >>
I can imagine that's true. Once he pays by PP you can always email him and tell him what a POS he is and hope that he doesn't retaliate.
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<< <i>Just because one 1888 - 3cent nickel (not a popular series) didn't sell, don't take that as a "sign". >>
It's a pretty good sign if the coin is typical of the ones he wants to sell. Based on his choice of avatars, it might just be.
Maybe, but I don't sell ugly blond guys from the 80s.
The more eyeballs you have on the auction, the closer you can get to the true market value. eBay is the 900 lb gorilla when it comes to this, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
Even with the high fees, I seem to do the best on eBay, for my material, which tends to be certified, mid-grade material worh < $250.00. The bonus is every once in a while you can get two or three collectors fighting over a coin and get much, much more.
Good luck!
Dave
<< <i>It's quite tough to sell to dealers and still make a profit. I do it all the time but in retrospect I don't really know why when I could probably get more selling on the BST. >>
Because sometimes breaking even and liquidating that asset is more important than profit. That's my reason, anyway. That's why I always bring stuff to the bourse and sell to dealers. I don't sell everything to dealers, just the stuff I need to move that weekend or else.
Amat Colligendo Focum
Top 10 • FOR SALE
I would have no issue with $5 shipping on a $90 item. Shipping isn't free, i.e. mailers, labels, time, fuel. What is a good round number for selling on Ebay for a casual seller? 15%?
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<< <i>Bottom line, you sold the coin on ebay to a huge audience, and the fees allowed you to SELL the coin.
This is a no brainer, use ebay ..... >>
Actually,
It's not a "no-brainer" for coins which have a thin profit margin. Unless you're looking for income tax deductions, it makes little sense to sell at a loss. >>
Great business plan: Buy high, sell low, make up the difference on volume