Ebay sellers tips needed. Comic book auctions.
 

I am about to get selling my entire old comic's selection. Mostly back issues I had from when I was running a store. Good assortment of Marvel, DC, Image, Darkhorse, and many small companies. Also a whole shit load of foil covers, cut out covers, die cut covers, first issues, and so on. Oh a good selection of signed copies as well.

Now I figure I can make a bunch of 10 issue grab bags, sell them super cheap in the range of like 5.00 and guarentee at least a double value in every grab bag. Any thoughts or suggestions on this?

Ebayers any other tips I should know? My seller account does have all positive feedback.

Grab bags should be a good idea.

I used to be BIG on eBay and owned a toy/hobby store for awhile, so I know what you are talking about.

Grab bags are a good idea because it helps you get rid of the things that aren't worth as much money. I would also suggest starting some auctions at $0.99 and see how that works. For me that worked well and helped intice more buyers to watch the auction.

Good luck! Feel free to hit me up on IM if you have anymore questions.

Thanks!
Bryan

I figured a bunch of .99 auctions with buy it now prices.


Anyone know what days is best to start auctions, how long they should last?
Normal auctions or dutch style?
I already have shipping down and will USPS media mail for lowest rates possible.

Do normal auctions. Dutch auctions don't work as well for grab bag style auctions.

You do not want auctions ending on Friday Nights, Saturday Nights, or Sunday (no matter what time it is. Sunday's are horrible days to end auctions)

I would suggest doing 3 day auctions.

Cool thanks.
Will be nice to reclaim all the space that these things took up. Seriously talking like 20-30k comic books alone.

Hmm think there is possible results in some bulk ones, try to hook some ebay profiteers who like to buy and resell?

I would say trying to re-sell to people to sell on eBay is a bad idea. We tried doing that with toys and there just isn't enough of a markup to make it worth your while.

If you are really looking to get rid of them quick I would suggest going to a comic book store to see what they offer. They will low-ball you, but it might be worth a shot.

I hear ya as far as space... I still have a 2,000 sq. ft. warehouse full of old inventory and my garage is full. I still collect Hot Wheels and have over 30,000 in my collection. I bet you will be happy to get space back!!!

Umm no :)
I used to run a shop in town as it is, and well the others either "do not deal in back issues" or are total assholes that I have never gotten along well with. Plus I know the game to well. They will either try to pick the gold out and leave me with the rest while offering a super lowball price, or they will go with the old classic. Bring them on down here, then after you do they offer like a nickle an issue. Well you already hauled them down there via a super large truck in multiple trips, they already went through many of the boxes messing the order up on purpose, and figure you have to sell now or it means your gunna have to rehaul and then resort when you get back home. Fuckers!

I would definately not do grab bags. I collect comic books and when I go online I'm looking for an exact comic/issue/artist.

I'd put everything up over a period of a month or two, stuff that doesn't sell put into a few big auctions. Also, you can put up all your X-men together instead of individual issues for every auction. Either that or put them up in pack of 10 issues in sequential order.

Well my grab bags are not totally random.
Its sorted like:
Spawn 1-11, missing issue 4.
Wetworks 0-15 plus 1 ashcan.
Or like Grendel 1-7, plus 2 assorted same publisher titles (a foil and a #1).

Most everything is pre-1993.

Oh and there is no way I want to photograph 5-10k or more issues, organize them and handle individual auctions for them. I want this quick, cheap, and easy.

to get the most bids and highest dollar amount time your sales to end weekend evenings between 10pm and midnight.

If they are of any value.. sell them individually. Tuck all the pure crap into grab bags.

I have found weekday 6-8 est to be a good ending time

ebay may work ok for the grab bag idea, but perhaps you can find out where the local comic book hotel shows are - and buy a table for $50 for the day. then try your grab bag idea. I did that ages ago (10+ yrs) when i cleared out my comic store. my grab bags were $1 a piece w/ two books per bag and then wrapped in brown paper bags or gift wrapping. Then I filled up long boxes full of all the grab bags and made a large sign that simply read "$1 each" - then I randomly inserted retailer premiums (golds, platinums, foils, ashcans, autographs, etc) to make it interesting. I did so well all the other dealers were bitching about how I was conducting a lottery - then they realized that I wasn't because everyone got 2 books for $1 and the cover prices were worth far more than $5. I had lots of premiums to go around - lots. My first show I sold out of 10 long boxes. Over the course of a few more shows I had sold most of my backstock, back issues, dupes etc. I must have had 500 Wildcats #1 (LOL) but I also had a huge stock of Spawn #1 & Shi #1 & #2, Rai #0, Gen13, Bone, McF Spideys, etc - that I used for premiums (back when they were rare and hot - loved the cover to Rai 0.)

At some shows I had people lining up and dropping every $ they brought to the show. Some people paid for my grab bags , didn't care about the crap books and gave them away or back to me. :1orglaugh It was so much fun I even went around to other comic stores buying they're overstock for 10 cents per book to use for my grab-bag fodder. I bought so many Valiants, Image, Dark Horse, etc. for .10 and flipped them the next weekend. :) I dumped them at shows across the nation and made more at shows then my store.

sorry about the long post... just remembering good times... don't even get me started on how I dumped my Magic cards... :1orglaugh

either way, good luck... even though I miss those days, I wouldn't want to have to inventory/transport all those books ever again.

have fun.

true. just don't have an ending time when most people are at work.

I have sold over 35000 items on eBay.

1. If you are willing to start your auctions at .99, start them at .01 instead. Run the auction for 10 days.

2. Noon to 3pm EST is also a good time to end auctions. A lot od people do their buying at lunchtime while at work. Otherwise, try 11pm to 1AM EST

listings with pictures do MUCH better.

I have found ending them on Sunday night is the best. Friday and Sat night people are out and not caring about ebay. Plus when you end on Sunday night you are on the "going going gone" page for a good portion of the weekend.