ebay tips? Have any good ones?
seateddime
Posts: 6,180 ✭✭✭
I am writting a site on some good ebay tips so I figured I would see if any board members had anything good to add.
Anyone?
Anyone?
I seldom check PM's but do check emails often jason@seated.org
Buying top quality Seated Dimes in Gem BU and Proof.
Buying great coins - monster eye appeal only.
Buying top quality Seated Dimes in Gem BU and Proof.
Buying great coins - monster eye appeal only.
0
Comments
for buyers: even though a coin is slabbed doesn't mean it doesn't need a good looking at. a lot of people assume b/c it's slabbed it's going to be nice, but they should examine the coin for spots and other things that detract from the eye appeal.
sellers: good pictures will save you a ton of grief, by not having to answer as many questions, and save you from potentially unhappy buyers.
-Paul
Hell, I don't need to exercise.....I get enough just pushing my luck.
If you have never seen them before, check out their feedback and their terms..CAREFULLY
If you have seen them before...learn their habits...what days they like listing on, do they remove auctions "at a whim" (ie...you can't trust them to leave the auction up till closing), do they carry the same type of goods over and over (ie...coins) or do they dabble in everything (this is important to me as it tells me who is more specialized and who is most likely, honestly, just getting rid of extra items).
That's for a start.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
One thing NEW sellers cannot have enough of is patience with buyers.
Many folks are on top of things and are great customers. Others are disorganized and flakey yet the auction , in the end, can result in a payment and good feedback.
EXPERIENCED sellers don't need my advice.
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
If you haven't found this already, You can call Joe here for your money:
JosephMakarewicz Deadbeat
Page 18 of this document:
Joe's PO Box
I hate deadbeats
1) Buy coins only when a return privilege is offered and the seller is established.
2) Try to buy only from established sellers (high feedback numbers and high percentage positive feedback response).
3) Buy coins only with a large, clear picture.
4) Ask any and all questions before auction ends. If coin arrives having any problems previously inquired upon, then coin can be returned. Usually the ask and answer period will weed out unworthy coins.
5) Avoid raw coins that would normally be found holdered due to scarcity, price, and high incidence of counterfeit examples; 1901-S quarter, 1916-D dime, 1914-D cent, etc, etc...
6) Avoid raw Unc. coins with retail prices $100.00 or higher (or set price one feels comfortable with risking). Circulated coins can be judged by their grade and originality with a decent scan. Unc. coins are much more difficult to grade or determine a past cleaning. Holdered coins are not without problems, but the risk is greatly reduced, especially with a return privilege.
7) Be patient when seeking a specific date or coin. Patience is almost always rewarded by finding the right coin at the right price.
For sellers:
1) huge scans and accurage descriptions
2) $1.00 start price and true auction.
3) Low shipping and generous return privilege.
Tyler
Sellers: Accept Paypal, and always, if the coin is valued over $250.00 and paid via Paypal, mail not only insured, but USPS Signature Confirmation unless you really, really trust (know) the buyer.
peacockcoins
try typing the description INCORRECTLY.
The find can be stunning and WITH NO BIDDERS
It seldom works with coins however
Buying top quality Seated Dimes in Gem BU and Proof.
Buying great coins - monster eye appeal only.
<< <i>I am writting a site on some good ebay tips so I figured I would see if any board members had anything good to add.
Anyone? >>
1.Don't buy from anyone with less than 99.9% positive feedback, until you read their neg's to determine if they are valid complaints or not.
2.If you're new to eBay, realize up front that at least 95% of the raw coins are overgraded by the sellers, and the few that aren't are usually overpriced. When you do see a really nice coin for the grade, be prepared to pay a decent premium over greysheet bid or any other price guides.
3.Be aware that most of the coins in eBay "store" listings are even more overgraded and overpriced than the regular listings are. I personally have never found a true "bargin" in any of them.
4. If you really want an accurately graded, higher-end coin badly, you'll have to snipe it, and don't send a boy to the mill!
- Jim
COMMUNICATE.
I will give an example of how important this is:
I had good communications going with a buyer before and after one of my more pricey coins sold. Buyer gets coin in hand. I get money. Everything okay, right?
Nope. I leave feedback (positive). Buyer never did leave me feedback of any kind. He inflated the grade of the raw coin I sold him and listed on ebay trying to get more money than he paid. I had graded my coin properly and he's just "full of it" with his assignment of grade.
I "communicated" with this slick buyer/seller by simply blocking him from bidding on future ebay auctions that I might have.
Why did I do this? It's not always about just the money with me. I couldn't care less if someone gets more money for a coin that I sold them but the decent thing to do is to leave me some positive feedback. Donch ya think?
COMMUNICATE.
Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.
Best sellers have 100% FB, long track histories (3 years or more), return privileges, good photos, honest descriptions. There's nothing wrong either with bidding on a no-return 3rd party PCGS or NGC coin if you like the photo and know what your downside is.
Avoid sellers with constant buy it now features that are either right above the opening bid, or miles away from it. Not worth the trouble. You won't get the coin at the price you want or it will be way overpriced if you do. Remember that 90% of ebay sales put you into a 10-20% loss position from the start. Sales with high reserve prices often move slowly. Best to just avoid them as most will usually not make reserve price and knowledgeable bidders pass them by.
Avoid being the only bidder. Set up your search to include auctions with at least one bid. It's not likely that you will be the only bidder on the "Holy Grail."
Set up your search function to exclude the major retailers or power sellers. Frankly, it's hard to beat them at their own game and markups on ebay. If you want to deal with them do it off ebay at their stores or at shows where you can see stuff in person and get a better price. Most newbies should not be buying on ebay except in top tiered TPG coins. Exclude all the lower tier grading services from your searches to save time. 90% of the time they'll beat you. For that 1 out of 10 coin that you score on, the other 9 will kill you.
Avoid sellers that constantly state how great their coins are. If they are all upgrade material, or OGH's, rattlers, PQ++, mark free, etc. then that seller is probably full of it. Few if any retailers on ebay have an inventory with even 10% PQ coins, let alone 50-100%.
Ebay as a rule is full of tired, average, problem and leftover coins. Finding the those that fall into the top 10% takes some skill...and luck. Your best chance of finding something neat is the offbeat seller who doesn't sell all that often (ie fresh meat).
Be wary of hijacked auctions. If the price is just too cheap visit toolhaus again. It makes no sense that a seller who formally dealt in bracelets and dollhouses or antiques at under $100 each, is now selling his first coin, a $5000 19th century gem gold coin. Not believeable in most cases. Better to pass on a possible bargain than to win a hijacked coin and be out all your dough.
roadrunner