Kit Values

[m3fan]

I was wondering how you fellow modelers put a value on kits that are long OOP and no current listings on evilbay are to be found? Do you let things happen naturally on bidding or put reserves or start high.

Just wondering thoughts.

Thanks

These are mostly resin kits 

[SfanGoch]

It's an arbitrary number. There is no set value. All the prices in those collectors guides are essentially Bravo Sierra. Like artwork, coins, stamps or other items, it comes down to what one feels its value is and is willing to pony up.

[vamach1]

Forget what you paid or what you think they are worth.  Start at about 75% of what you think the item will sell.  Don't quote outrageous shipping costs.  Describe the item truthfully.  Time the auction to end on a weekend and sit back and watch the fun.  If no one bids lower it by 20% the next time.  Do not sell to people with very low or bad feedback and cross your fingers.  Ebay will take the buyers side in any dispute.  I had some refuse to pay for an expensive item (Lego set) because just the box was a little bent (pictures never sent either).   In the end the cheapskate paid me less that half of the bid.  Ebay or Paypal would do noting and the buyer refused to return the item if he was so unsatified. I've bought and sold models and have not had any problems in 20 years.

[Mike999]

Also been buying/selling on eBay for about 20 years, off and on.  Rex covered the basics pretty well.  It sounds like you haven't sold on eBay before???

This will get long-winded, but I'm about to have an eBay sale right now.  Here's how I get ready, after gathering the kits I want to sell:

1. I make up a Sell List in Notepad.  This is the headline and text that will be in the eBay listing. Just a short description of each kit I'm selling.

2. Take photos. For resin kits, I'd shoot at least 1 photo showing the parts. I re-number the photos so they're in sequence with the listings. The first listing gets photo #1, the second #2, etc.  If I take more than one pic of a kit, they're numbered 1a, 1b etc.  This saves time when I'm posting the photos to eBay. I don't have to search thru the eBay photo browser for "IMG_4679.jpg" etc.  

3. Measure and weigh the kits. eBay will ask for the size and weight of each package, to calculate its shipping.  I use a tape measure and a cheap postal scale.  I put the size & weight under the kit description, in the text file, since it must be posted to eBay.

4. Here's the sequence of what you will have to do on eBay, to list your kits:

--Write Headline and Description. I cut-and-paste these from my text file.

--Add photos. Use the eBay photo tool to browse to where the photos are on your computer, point and click.

--Tell eBay the price you're asking and whether it's an auction, a Buy It Now or both.  If you use auction and Buy It Now together, the BIN option will disappear when someone bids on the kit.  You also have to tell eBay what payments you accept. I only accept PayPal.

--Shipping: you have to give eBay the size and weight of the kit.

--IMPORTANT:  Shipping Locations.  You can ship to the whole world, or exclude certain countries.  The default is "ship everywhere." So if you don't want to ship to Bangladesh or Brazil, you'll have to exclude those countries.  

--Click "Preview Listing" and make sure the listing looks like you want. If everything looks good, hit "List Item."  

--Save everything you just did as a template, so you don't have to keep filling in the same info over and over.

A couple more things: 

--When researching kit prices, make sure you check "Completed Items." That will tell you what kits have actually sold for in the past few months. 

--Offer combined shipping. I put the following text in all my eBay listings:  "IMPORTANT!  If you win multiple items, DO NOT pay instantly. Wait for my invoice after the auction, or request a total.  If you pay instantly for multiple items, you will be charged shipping on each item. If that happens I will refund your excess shipping thru PayPal." And yes, some people STILL ignore it and pay immediately, then win 3 or 4 more items. And eBay charges them shipping for every one.

Edited August 19, 2019 by Mike999
goof3

[m3fan]

Thanks for the replies. I have sold on ebay but very limited so the extra info is appreciated!

[Tom Geiger]

10 minutes ago, Mike999 said:

--When researching kit prices, make sure you check "Completed Items." That will tell you what kits have actually sold for in the past few months. 

Very important!  Anyone can ask any amount for anything, but the proof of value is when someone buys it!

A couple of years ago I was contacted by a guy whose father had died and he wanted to sell the diecast collection.  It was all 1/18 scale stuff, all mint in boxes.  To his credit this fellow had created an Excel sheet with every friggin vehicle on it.... brand, manufacturers stock number, everything!  There were over 300 vehicles.  He contacts me very enthusiastically saying, "Some of them are selling for over $100 on eBay!".

So I take a look.  Yes, on a specific car, there are a few listed. One is over $100. There are a few lower than $50 and down to $10 plus shipping.  I check the "Completed Items" and there are a few that have expired without selling at $10.   I actually wound up on a phone call with the guy to explain the situation.  And I let him know that the diecast ship has sailed, they're no longer that sought after.  He said his dad thought of this all as an investment.  He's disappointed.  He asks me what I'd pay for the lot and I tell him I'm just not interested. I tell him the best thing he could do would be to take the who enchilada to a flea market and sell them for $10 each. That way they walk off without having to list / ship etc.  

He thanks me for my time and says he'll check a few dealers.   About two weeks later he calls me again and asks me if I'd pay $5 a car... um, no I don't want them and a $1500 outlay for stuff I don't want.  He then lowers it to $3 a car.   Still no sale.  I have no idea what he did.

 

One bit of advise from me.  A lot of sellers won't sell outside the USA. They think it's a big pain to fill out the very simple customs form.  Especially if you are selling foreign kits, your heavy bidders may be from other countries.  And some odd things may occur.  Over time I sold two different Ford Maverick 1/32 scale kits.  BOTH sold to Brazil.   Turns out that Maverick's are very popular there.  And 1/32 is slot car size, also popular in Brazil.

[modelercarl]

3 hours ago, m3fan said:

I was wondering how you fellow modelers put a value on kits that are long OOP and no current listings on evilbay are to be found? Do you let things happen naturally on bidding or put reserves or start high.

Just wondering thoughts.

Thanks

These are mostly resin kits 

Just a note for you....back in January this year I decided to sell off some of my stash of resin kits and listed 2 Tom Coolidge kits that I had.  These were kits that I bought for friends that wanted replicas of the cars they had after they graduated from high school in 1959.  I bought these about 8-9 years ago and I just never got around to building them as the guys just seem to lose interest.  I listed them on eBay with starting bids of $90 each and 2 guys got into a bidding war and the winner ended up paying me $642 plus shipping for the 2 of them.  The info you got from others for listing is all good, I would suggest taking and posting 2 or 3 pics at least though.  Good luck!

[StevenGuthmiller]

Just don't be one of those guys that thinks he's sitting on a gold mine and lists for way more than it will ever bring.

There are vintage kits on ebay that I have been seeing for several years because the guy thinks he has something really special........and doesn't!

 

 

Steve

Edited August 20, 2019 by StevenGuthmiller

[m3fan]

thanks again for everyones input. One thing I am with my stuff is realistic. Not trying to retire on anything but the market will pay what the market will pay