Part 3 of AntiquesAvenue’s guide to selling you antiques and collectibles covers eBay. This is not going to cover the mechanics of how to sell on eBay but more when eBay is suitable for selling them and what to look out for . Incase you are wondering how qualified I am to discuss this please do take a look at my eBay selling account AntiquesAvenue.

What is ebay good for:

• Selling  just a few items ( selling a lot is time consuming but quite possible)
• Selling very rare collectable item ( if you get it right the price can still go very high)
• Selling smaller items ( you can post worldwide)
• Named brand items eg Antique Wedgwood or Limited edition collectables

What eBay is not so good for:

• Every day run of the mill stuff such as grannies old plain china tea set ( car boot or local auction house for that)
• Lots of items ( you will spend all day packing – I know I’ve done it)
• Technophobes – you need good photographs and you must be able to use e.mail, a website and till need a paypal account
• If you need the money immediately – auctions take a week and then you have to wait for the buyer to pay and for paypal to send you the money
• If you have no time to spend on the selling process

 

What to look out for:

• Practice selling and build up some feedback before you auction off your best moorcroft vases or anything valuable
• Good Photographs sell you item and write a good title for it
• Make sure the buyer pays you before you post your antique and check that paypal has cleared the payment for shipment
• Pack the parcel as if someone was going to play football with it – you dont know what is going to happen in the post
• Send the parcel by registered Post, Special Delivery or International Signed for service to make sure that you are covered against the parcel going missing and fraudulent buyers.
• Research which category you are going to advertise your item in – look through the Antiques, Collectables and Pottery, Porcelain and glass sections to help you decide which gets the most adverts for similar items.

Perhaps I’ll write a comprehensive buying and selling collectables on ebay guide one day in the mean time if you have any specific questions – Do Ask.