>> Recently,
a friend asked me to help her brother sell his
collection on Lladro glass figurines on eBay. These are
expensive glass collectibles and I knew nothing about
them - but I don't have to. The principles for selling
expensive collectibles on eBay are the same, regardless
of what is being sold.
Obviously, like any eBay auction, the seller must have a
powerful listing with great pictures. This is always
true regardless of what the merchandise is. Expensive
collectibles offer splendid opportunities, but also need
special precautions.
1. Price: decide the lowest amount you will accept for
each figurine and set that price as a reserve. Then make
your opening bid absurdly low - yes, absurdly.
Example: if you will accept $1,000 - make your opening
bid $25. There is no risk in this, because you don't
have to sell unless the bidding reaches $1000, but the
low price attracts buyers, (assuming there is demand, of
course).
Looking at completed eBay auctions allows us to track
prices, Again and again we learn that starting the price
where the seller hopes it will end is not a wise tactic.
For instance, a seller wants to get $750 for his
figurine. An opening bid of $750 won't attract nearly as
many buyers as an opening bid of $25 and - surprisingly
- the lower bid almost always gets higher prices. There
is some psychology at work with the cheap price. It may
not make logical sense, but it's the reality of life on
eBay.
2. Devote space in your auction listing explaining how
you will pack your item to ensure safe transit. This is
critically important because in the back of every
buyer's mind is the dread of receiving a package that
rattles. A collectibles buyer will inevitably be
thinking of the hassle she will have to go through - and
the possible loss of purchase price - if her item is
broken. She needs to know that the seller has carefully
considered this issue and has a solution.
3. For the protection of both of you, insist that the
buyer pay for appropriate insurance. Don't allow this to
be an option. You definitely do not want the liability
of a broken collectible that costs hundreds of dollars.
In fact, if a customer objects to paying for insurance,
this might possibly be a red flag. A genuine collector
is very eager to add to her collection and wants her
figurine to be protected.
4. We can safely assume that every Internet buyer has
heard stories of fraud on eBay and elsewhere on the Net.
Therefore, anything you can do to prove the authenticity
of your collectible is well worth your time. Is there a
marking on the bottom? Do you have the original box or
other container? Does it have a label? Is there a
certificate of authenticity or an appraisal by a
respected organization? If the answer to any of these is
"yes", then be certain to emphasize your authenticity in
your auction. Taking pictures of your proof is
especially effective.
5. I don't suggest offering a guarantee except in the
most general way - that is, you, the seller, are telling
the truth about the product. Anyone bidding on a
collectible is knowledgeable and therefore they know
what they're buying so there should be no reason for a
return. If someone expresses dissatisfaction and mails
your merchandise back, there is every likelihood of it
being broken. You do not want the hassle of trying to
collect on broken merchandise or putting yourself into a
litigious situation with someone who refuses to believe
that the collectible was broken via return shipping.
Also, you don't want to take a loss on your eBay fees,
which might be substantial if the price is high.
6. With a really expensive item, always offer the option
of an escrow service - at the buyer's expense, of course.
They may not take want this service, but make certain
they have the option. You, of course, know that your
merchandise is legitimate, but the buyer isn't so
certain. eBay recommends an escrow service that is
available to all members.
7. If you're willing to ship worldwide, you need to take
special steps to protect yourself. In the US we have AVS
(Address Verification System) which offers some
protection. A very large portion of the fraud suffered
by buyers occurs outside the United States and you are
justified in protecting yourself. Losing the purchase
price on a $5 item isn't such a big deal - but a $1,000
collectible absolutely does matter.
Your bank can advise you on the time it will take to
verify foreign funds. Be certain to let any prospective
buyer know in your auction that there will be a delay if
they are outside of your country. Do not let your
merchandise out of your hands until you are sure!
If you follow these 'rules', the chances of selling your
expensive collectibles at the highest possible prices
will be greatly increased. << |
