eBay selling strategies ... rant loading

[Lansky1]

I've been buying and selling on eBay for a long time. From my experience, it seems there are basically 5 types of eBayers:

1. Guys who have a low end price in their head for which they will not take less, and they list their auctions with a Buy It Now price. For the knife market, many (but not all) of these appear to be dealers who are willing to let their auctions ride, and often expire without a bid. They're clearly not in a hurry to sell. These guys often use "stock" pictures (with more than 1 of that particular knife for sale) which I find annoying as their auctions don't show the nuances or color of a particular knife - it comes down to the luck of the draw if you get a nice one. These are the "take it or leave it" guys.

2. Guys who are informed and are willing to start their auctions low, with the confidence that their knife will get attention & rise up to where it should be. These guys take many good pictures and add much detail in the description so that their product gets attention to foster additional bids & put more $$ in their pocket. I call these the "confidence sellers", because they know their knife will sell close or above where it should, and are ok with losing a little bit here and gaining a little bit there.

3. Then you have the collectors that don't really want to sell their knife at all ... they list it well above market value and hope for a sucker. eBay is filled with these. I call them "fishermen" as their strategy probably succeeds once in a blue moon and they just keep doing it, clogging up eBay. It must be a game to them.

4. Then there are the estate sellers or novices, basically "non-knife" people. They may be eBay savvy, but due to lack of knife knowledge, have bad listings without detail, bad auction titles without using key words, start auctions at off times, and often have lousey pictures which don't show the key areas of a knife. Those of us in the know can capitalize on them, if we're willing to put in the time and find them where others don't, and gamble a little.

5. Finally, the most annoying of all ... the high shipping cost sellers. I haven't found a knife yet that I can't ship in the USA for $3.15 via USPS First Class mail (I recycle all my mailing envelopes/small boxes). Those that charge $7.20 are only doing so because they're using the free USPS Priority Mail boxes for their convenience and passing that cost to the buyer. I tend to avoid those on principle unless a low selling price can clearly offset the shipping upcharge.

5a. I lied, most annoying of all are the high handling charge sellers. I had a guy once that had a nice Case muskrat in an unusual color that was trending at about where it should, but had a $32 shipping fee (imagine those who were bidding market rate couldn't have even noticed the crazy shipping charge). I asked him if that was a typo, as he was shipping USPS First Class & I figured he meant $3.20 instead of $32.00 (one decimal point off ??) ... but he wanted the buyer to cover his "time", gasoline and wear and tear on his car to drive to the next town which is where the nearest post office was. To me, that's his circumstance and problem, and simply a cost of doing business on eBay ... in no way the responsibility of the buyer.

Anyways, not sure where this whole topic originated from ... but if you would like to chime in with your eBay strategy, other strategies that I may have left out, selling strategies that annoy you too /annoying eBay stories, anything at all on the eBay selling topic, or if my rants are annoying you ... lets hear it !

[ScoutKnives]

If I want it I’ll buy it , I don’t give a how much shipping or handling is charged
Life is to short to stress over a few bucks !

[Paladin]

I've been buying and selling on eBay for a long time. From my experience, it seems there are basically 5 types of eBayers: ,,,,,,

2. Guys who are informed and are willing to start their auctions low, with the confidence that their knife will get attention & rise up to where it should be. These guys take many good pictures so that their product gets attention to foster additional bids & put more $$ in their pocket. I call these the "confidence sellers", because they know their knife will sell close or above where it should, and are ok with losing a little bit here and gaining a little bit there.

5. Finally, the most annoying of all ... the high shipping cost sellers. I haven't found a knife yet that I can't ship in the USA for $3.15 via USPS First Class mail (I recycle all my mailing envelopes/small boxes). Those that charge $7.20 are only doing so because they're using the free USPS Priority Mail boxes for their convenience and passing that cost to the seller. I tend to avoid those on principle unless a low selling price can offset the shipping upcharge.

5a. I lied, most annoying of all are the high handling charge sellers.

Anyways, not sure where this whole topic originated from ... but if you would like to chime in with your eBay strategy, selling strategies that annoy you too, annoying eBay stories, or anything at all on the eBay selling topic, lets hear it !

I guess I fall under #2, 5 and 5a. I am not always confident but I do count on my knife to find the true market value when I list it. Occasionally, when a knife is sitting there after 6 days and is still at the $9 starting price and no bid, I will go in and raise the starting price to $12 or $15 just to keep the knife from selling for $9. I do not do that in all cases but only if I am not willing to let it go for that opening amount. I will usually do that if there are 0 or very few 'watchers'. As you say, some sell higher than I thought they might and some sell lower.
As to shipping costs (#5), there are more reasons for using priority boxes than you state. First, I can combine shipping in a small flat rate box and I charge nothing for doing that. I guarantee a buyer that I will combine at least 4 folding knives and I can often put more than that in a small flat rate box. I do not charge even if the total number of knives goes beyond the stated limit of 4 so long as they fit into the box.
Second, according to the guys and gals at the counter in the USPS, Priority Mail gets preferred handling. I have yet to lose a knife in any damaged Priority Mail box. I have had trouble with padded envelopes and I avoid them except in the case of what I call low profile knives. Yes, they furnish the boxes and they also furnish tape. I print my labels online and I get a little 5% discount for doing that. I charge $6.50 and I pay $6.85 so I am automatically losing 35 cents, plus eBay gets 65 cents right off the top.
This is my preferred method of handling and I realize the 1st Class method has its benefits but last time I tried to mail a first class package the cost was within 3 cents of the cost of priority mailing.
Under 5a, I have no handling charges but I find those charges to be irritating also.
Good thread and relevant today.

Ray

[kennedy knives]

If I want it I’ll buy it , I don’t give a how much shipping or handling is charged
Life is to short to stress over a few bucks !

[gino]

I don’t do FLEA BAY have had too many crappy experiences selling and buying

[Lansky1]

I don’t do FLEA BAY have had too many crappy experiences selling and buying

Funny, I have had almost 900 transactions over 15 years or so, and can count the bad experiences on one hand ... I"ve heard the horror stories and feel fortunate I've managed to escape those issues. Maybe I've just been lucky.

[gino]

Maybe

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

Funny, I have had almost 900 transactions over 15 years or so, and can count the bad experiences on one hand ... I"ve heard the horror stories and feel fortunate I've managed to escape those issues. Maybe I've just been lucky.

Your original post and this comment echo my own experience as a long-term on & off buyer of many things besides knives. I have had 1 bad experience as a seller and maybe 2 or 3 experiences (out of a couple of hundred) as a buyer where I felt the seller purposefully tried to slip one by me. I have also had a few other cases that fell into your #4, where I took a risk trying to get a deal - and it turned out not to be a deal. That's as much my fault as the seller, and I have had plenty of other times where I *did* get the deal I hoped for.

BTW, I wish you hadn't included #4 - that's been my secret strategy for many years - especially looking for auctions that end at odd times. I have gotten some great deals on auctions that ended on Christmas, Thanksgiving Day, etc.

[rangerbluedog]

I'm a cross between a number 2 and a number 5:
I tend to start with a low starting bid and hope that good pictures and a good description will allow the knife buyers to get to the proper price.
I do use the convenient small priority boxes from USPS, but I charge a flat $5 priority mail shipping to all buyers in the continental U.S.

Don't sell as much on eBay anymore, with the fraudulent buyers, buyers remorse, and 14% charges from eBay and Paypal. Then if you sell a lot of stuff - even if it did just come out of your attic - eBay wants to send you a form so you will have to pay income taxes on the knives you sold.

[Paladin]

I have had few bad experiences when buying. Just a very few. Nowadays, eBay is so protective of buyers it is hard for a buyer to get the short end of the stick. It is not a problem for me as I have a 'no questions asked' return policy so long as the knife is returned in the same condition as when it left my possession. There is a 14 day limit at the insistence of eBay. My buying problem came before eBay was so aggressive in it's protection of buyers.
As a seller I fairly frequently encounter non-paying buyers. They usually have minimal (5-10) feedbacks or zero feedbacks. I just file with eBay to get my selling fees back and put the buyers on my blocked list. Sometimes, you get a buyer who makes payment after the eBay filing but they wait until the last day or so before they pay. I block those buyers also. Life is too short to put up with problem buyers/bidders.
The non-payer seems to be about the worst problem I have had as a seller. I am aware that Triple F (Scott) has recently had a buyer problem and I hope he'll post to tell about it.

Ray

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

Ray, you would love me as a buyer. I'm usually hitting that pay button about 10 seconds after the auction ends. If I buy something, I want it as soon as I can get it!

[Lansky1]

Ray, you would love me as a buyer. I'm usually hitting that pay button about 10 seconds after the auction ends. If I buy something, I want it as soon as I can get it!

same here ... every time. Faster we pay, faster we get the item.

[Lansky1]

Maybe

this is your opportunity to vent ... care to share ?

[Paladin]

Ray, you would love me as a buyer. I'm usually hitting that pay button about 10 seconds after the auction ends. If I buy something, I want it as soon as I can get it!

same here ... every time. Faster we pay, faster we get the item.

I would love both you guys. You pay me at the end of the sale and I get the knives boxed and ready to go. I drop them off at the counter at the post office between 8AM & 9AM the next morning.
My listings make the commitment for same day or next business day mailing and I make every effort to live up to it.

Ray

[tallguy606]

I recycle small boxes, too. I'm not paying (or charging) $7.20 for a priority mail box when I can send a small box of my own for $3-4. Mine goes priority just like the $7.20 box.

[Lansky1]

I recycle small boxes, too. I'm not paying (or charging) $7.20 for a priority mail box when I can send a small box of my own for $3-4. Mine goes priority just like the $7.20 box.

exactly

[LongBlade]

I love ranting about eBay ...

Never did sell and only bought so here is a buyers perspective - I always pay or paid within minutes of auction end! I got fed up when I was burned on 2 auctions within a short time frame - 2 sellers who both outright lied about knife condition - one who even messaged me to say the knife had great opening and closing snap and no wobble - it had absolutely no snap and wobbled like an old wagon wheel ... Even though he had a no returns policy he took it back as I told him I would contact ebay immediately as I have evidence of a fraudulent description - guess that is your buyers protection .. Other case the seller hid all damage in photos by his angles and again he never described it when asked - I made him even pay return shipping!! So I got gun shy on ebay and became sick of the gamble...

Nowadays I only bid on rare occasion - when I see something that goes un-noticed due to wrong categories etc, titles etc and usually this is from sellers who are not knifers - and I can see it is a nice knife... Maybe I bought 5 times on eBay in last year or so... also mostly uneducated sellers - or "junk" dealers who have a few knives - I have helped a few out in the past understand my questions and the great majority have been grateful as they learned how to describe a knife and a few cut me breaks by accepting offers that both of us were happy with in the end! I got a knife for a fair price and in the future they would know how to sell a knife and what is important...

So speaking of shipping - last time I had a seller who listed $7 shipping (originally they listed $14 shipping and after I asked why the seller lowered it to $7 in the auction without answering me) - bought the knife & it came in a padded envelope which I hate as I had a knife lost once in an envelope - just don't trust those envelopes & I expect a box for $7 - Anyway I saw the price was $3.50 for shipping on the envelope... so they were actually making up for eBay's cut... as a buyer I was pissed - why am I paying for your decision to pay eBay's fee game on my wallet - that is wrong!! It is a matter of principle not the $3.50...

The whole eBay system feedback game is terribly flawed - yes in favor of buyers but I can feel for the sellers as some buyers can be ridiculous with expectations... and if a seller doesn't give me feedback after I just paid immediately and was more than polite if I asked any questions than I should get my feedback after I pay - not waiting for them to see what I will say for them - sorry it all is just a game...

Give me a knife show, a find at a local venue in antiques, vintage items etc or somebody who I know that deals in knives rather than gamble on eBay!

[Lansky1]

AGREE about the feedback system being flawed. I hate to admit it, but I'm one of those guys that holds my feedback until a customer leaves theirs. I've been burned by unreasonable buyers leaving bad feedback, and have had no recourse because I've already left positive feedback. I figure if I don't leave instant feedback, a buyer will be less likely to ding me if I still have the retaliatory feedback hammer in my back pocket. This is the mutually assured destruction concept ebayified. For the record, I do leave instant positive feedback for the buyer as soon as they post feedback for me.

[Miller Bro's]

Here's my eBay rant..........

I bought a knife, ( what else?), I get this message from eBay when I try to check out

! This item does not ship to P.O. boxes. Here is what you can do:

Change address
To ask for an exception, please request a total from the seller

Really? The seller doesn't ship to the United States Post Office? In this day and age with package theft I think it is wise to have your packages delivered to the local post office. If I go away for a few days I don't have to worry about a box sitting in my mailbox or on the front porch where it can be rained on or stolen.

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

That probably means he doesn't use USPS. UPS & Fedex will not ship to a PO box.

[Railsplitter]

Here's my eBay rant..........

I bought a knife, ( what else?), I get this message from eBay when I try to check out

! This item does not ship to P.O. boxes. Here is what you can do:

Change address
To ask for an exception, please request a total from the seller

Really? The seller doesn't ship to the United States Post Office? In this day and age with package theft I think it is wise to have your packages delivered to the local post office. If I go away for a few days I don't have to worry about a box sitting in my mailbox or on the front porch where it can be rained on or stolen.

I've been thinking about getting a PO box but I'm having trouble deciding if it's worth the expense. Now I have another reason that I might not do it.

When listing an item on Ebay there is a section that you can check off certain shipping exclusions like countries, territories, PO boxes, etc. The first time I saw PO boxes as one of the exclusions my thoughts were similar to yours. Why would anybody not want to ship to a PO box?

[zzyzzogeton]

When I see that a seller does not ship to a PO box, I ask why, and tell them I am interested in their auction BUT I only accept deliveries to my PO Box to avoid "porch pirates" and "mailbox shoppers". I have only had 1 seller refuse to ship to a PO box. He had some bogus BS reason for not doing so. I just said, "Well, you'll have to sell it to someone else."

For those not using a PO box, check with other POs than the one closest to you. Many larger POs accept UPS and FedEx deliveries IF the address used is the physical address of the PO, rather than your PO box number.

I have lived in the boonies for the last 30 years. I had a rural address between 2 small towns. I used to have multiple items a year (not just knives) lost due to "mailbox shoppers" and "porch pirates". The items would show delivered but I dang sure never saw them.

When the PO built a new big PO in the larger town 13 miles away (towards Austin, I drove by it every day going to and from work), they put out a flyer saying that they would accept USPS and FedEx deliveries (using their address as stated above). I shifted to having every delivered package go to the PO. Failed deliveries dropped to zero. (Still had issues with stupid packagers, but that's another tail.)

When I moved 58 miles to another rural location between 2 small towns, I just left all packages going to that PO and make a trip over there (46 miles) every 7 to 10 days. The PO makes for a very secure temporary storage facility when I have to go out of town for a few days.

I think a PO 17 miles closer has started accepting UPS and FedEx deliveries now, so I'll be checking it out and, if so, will be moving to that PO when my box rental is up in May.

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

You must have a postmaster that understands they service rural customers. I don't think it works that way in the city. UPS & Fedex won't leave it there, and the post office won't accept it. What most people do in that situation is get a box at one of the local "UPS Store" type of businesses. (UPS Store used to be called "Mailboxes Etc." There are a ton of them by many names: "Postal Anex", "Mailbox Center", etc, etc.

[mrwatch]

I too have come home too find a package (S) with very expensive items sitting. No signature required. Or they called because their was no apartment number. Gave up apartment life. My now rant is that eBay has add choices with "that women's" face "Hillary" showing more than once. Seems like fleabay became very wealthy and doesn't need add choices.