I need Help with Where to Sell Items on the Internet

[Sondra Craft]

I would like to find the best site to sell my items on. I have Depression Glass, a Barbie Collectible (not Vintage or Antique but still a collectible), and a Set of Brass Flatware that I would like to sell. I attempted to sell the Flatware on eBay and didn't even get a bid. I have heard of a few other sites to use, but it seems that they are all for Antiques and Vintage items, and not for more recently made Collectibles. Is there anywhere that I can sell all of my items in 1 place?

Does Bonzale allow all kinds of items? Does Etsy allow all kinds of items? Has anyone ever used BooCoo? Anyone ever used SeeAuctions?

Please help me if you can! I really need to get these items posted somewhere where they are likely to sell, as I really need the $ from them!

[Linda Caricofe]

You might want to try Ruby Plaza , the sister site to Ruby Lane. From now till the end of 2010 , Ruby Plaza is only charging a flat $ 9 fee per month, no other charge. You can learn more about this by going to Ruby Plaza's Face Book page, which is a fabulous page to join, even if you decide not to sell your items there. Best wishes, RC Linda

[Dan Gillitzer]

I'd suggest eBay as having the best exposure and most popular. There are costs involved, but if you're really intent on selling, if you know what you're doing and have realistic expectations on the value, I really think you'd do best on eBay. I'd rather see an item out for a 7 day auction rather than some of these venues where the item just sits forever without selling.
There is some hoops to junp through in getting set up as a seller, though. Nothing too bad, mainly getting set up with PayPal so you can accept PayPal payments.
Look through eBay, I bet you'd see a lot of the things you have listed for sale there. Most anything can be found there, there is a list of things you can't sell, but the things you mentioned are no problem.
Gilly

[Sondra Craft]

Dan--I did try to sell the Flatware (my best and most expensive piece) on eBay. I had put a starting price for the Auction at $40 (this set is worth around $200), and never even got 1 bid on it during a 7 day Auction. I have been told of other sites, but seem to get no response from them when I ask questions of them, or when they tell me "we will call you shortly to finish registering you as a seller". How soon is "shortly"? Am I supposed to wait 1 month, 5 months, 1 yr???

I may try Ruby Plaza like suggested. I do have problems with my pictures not coming out very clear (when put on the internet), so am trying to get clearer pics of the items. I may have to play around with the pics on Photobucket or another site.

I would hate to have to keep listing the items over and over again and paying fees to eBay for them even if they don't sell. I just cannot afford to keep spending $ on an attempt to sell. I really NEED to sell them.

[Dan Gillitzer]

it takes a bit of getting used to starting prices on eBay. The best resource is eBay itself. If you do an "advanced search" (you check the advanced search box near the search box), then check "show completed listings only", that will give valuable info. Even if an item is unsold, even if there were no bids, you can see what the seller was asking and what they were asking for was obviously too high. It may be hard to find a comperable item at times, though.
On many areas on eBay, they have now gone to $0 listing fees, only final value fees, and charges for extra pictures for example, all peanuts.
I am assuming you did sign up for PayPal?

[Sondra Craft]

Yes Dan, I did link a PayPal account to the eBay account. I had an existing one, but made a Premier PayPal account for selling items on the internet. I figured for 137 pieces of Brass Flatware that $40 was way low, and from what I have seen people are listing the 100+ piece sets at $100 or more. I guess I could try again, and list it higher and hope like crazy that it sells. I am really starting to get discouraged about trying to sell at all, much less on the internet. Places around here are out of sight on the prices for even a small space to sell.

[Dan Gillitzer]

If they are SELLING on eBay for $100 and you had no bid at $40, then there is some problem, possibly in the description or pictures or people are put off if you have a low rating (due to lack of experience or sales), or your item isn't comperable to what is sellong at $100. Or the shipping price is too high? Very important to be able to analyze the data properly on eBay and compare the descriptions.

If you are considering selling locally you could also entertain the thought of a consignment store. Or might be interesting to see if an eBay placement store could do any better, but watch out for what the fees are.

As an aside, have you been having to pay to list the items on eBay, because many categories are no longer charging the upfront listing fees an longer.
Gilly

[Chicago Retro]

ebay really sucks, they drive the prices down to pennies on the dollar - I sold on there for over ten years before there fees just got so rediculase that I couldn't stand it anymore - then they took away your ability as a seller to have a fair transaction and after nearly 100,000 positive feedbacks (and only 9 negative) I finally dropped them -- They're crooks!!

[Chicago Retro]

btw they raised the fvf and varias other fees around the site (ie store listing fees etc.) so your fees are acctually higher in the end than they used too be!!!!!!

[Dan Gillitzer]

Would still do better than selling locally, typically. Way better than consignment. The lack of a listing fee is what really helps, so you aren't paying up front for something that doesn't sell. Main thing is to know what it should cost to ship and charge accordingly. The shipping calculator on eBay usually is accurate, as long as you are accurate with the weight! DAMHIK!

[Sondra Craft]

Dan--No I didn't have to pay to list that Flatware. I did pay $5 to eBay to get verified though. I said it would ship Ground due to the weight. It seemed to be the cheapest. I will attach below (in this post) the pictures of the Flatware that I have. I did not take the photos myself, so they are nice and clear.

I clicked on the Trading Associate thing to see about something locally, and "YIKES!!!". The company here wanted $50 to pick the item up, then based on the final selling price they charged 30% to 38% fee! I won't be robbed like that!!!!

Yes, I did notice that the only ones selling anything on there are all "Top Rated Seller". How the blazes can you get to that if you cannot make any sales???

I guess I will have to struggle with the photos/old digital camera that I have and hope to find somewhere that I can list these items. I really need to sell them for the $ and to open the space back up in the Apartment, before they come to turn the furnace on for the winter.

Johny's Gems Brass Flatware photos:

I have listed these on a friends site for $100, and I will list them elsewhere, if I can find a place to do so where I am confident that they will sell.

[Craig Phillips / B & C Emporium]

time is money, the trading assistant has rent utilities, and labor cost to do this for you, and experiance.

do you get the mechanic to work for free, or an attorney work for free,

and ebay may be hogs from what they once were as others stated but still are cheaper than the local auction hall, and you are in control of what it sells for.

List it for $99. not 100. it seems to sell better, I know it almost is the same amount, but it works.

Craig

[Craig Phillips / B & C Emporium]

there is 47 lots on ebay for brass flatware, not all like yours and only 1 lot has a bid onit, so there must not be much demand for them ??
Craig