Online Auction Selling Tips
Stamp Collecting with GS
Online stamp auctions are very busy places, where
dealers and collectors list auctions for sale. Here are
a few tips to help you when you list your stamps for
sale online.
Time the end of your auctions when bidders on the
West Coast are online, but not past 11:00 PM on the
East Coast. That leaves you with a two-hour window
of from 9:00 et (6:00 pt) to 11:00 et (8:00 pt).
Check the calendar. Don't end your auction on a major
holiday when people will be away from their terminal.
Spread out the closing time of lots listed within the same
category. Try to space out the closing time of your lots
by five or six minutes. If you list 10 lots of Irish stamps
that all close within moments of each other, some bidders
will miss out bidding on a few lots because they're waiting
a particular item.
You must have a clear scan of your stamps for sale, and
please make the scan larger than a postage stamp. If you're
not getting crisp pictures from your scans, read and learn
from one of the online resource sites about scanning.
If the condition of the back of your stamp is important to your
bidders, include a view of it along with the face, and be sure to
scan it against a contrasting color.
Many active stamp collectors search the stamp categories
with keywords so be sure that the title of your lot contains
as many important words as possible, such as the country,
the Scott #, exceptional condition if applicable, "on cover"
if applicable.
If you have a specialized stamp publication, you might try l
isting it with the stamps of that country, rather than under
"publications."
List your lot where the bidders are. Spend a few days checking
the auction site's traffic and check closed auctions for lots like
yours. Ask a few stamp collectors who've sold online for advice.
Don't leave bidders guessing. State how you will accept
payment (money order, check, etc.) and what the
postage/shipping cost will be. Many bidders will figure
the postage and cost of a money order into their bid, so
don't charge $5 shipping for a $1 stamp.
The USPS will insure up to $50 for $1.10. Be familiar with
their insurance coverage and go to their Web site. If you
think it's a good idea, put something like "Successful bidder
can add $XXX for insurance."
If there's a minimum amount of money you'll accept for your
lot, you can set the initial bid at that price, or you can set it
lower and set a reserve price.
Describe your stamps accurately, such as "United States,
#987 mint, never hinged." Let the scan do the talking about
color, perfs and centering, but be sure to disclose all known
defects that are not readily apparent in the scan, such as
thins or repairs.
Our friend Marek suggests: "Ebay and Yahoo let you list an
item for a maximum of 10 days. List your auctions Thursday
night so you'll hit two weekends. Don't pick automatic
relisting. Relist auction yourself next Thursday. This way
you hit another two weekends and take advantage of fee
weiver. Traffic increases on weekends and also depends on
the season of the year in the northern hemisphere. Late fall,
winter, and early spring puts more people in front of their
computer."
Online stamp auctions are very busy places, where
dealers and collectors list auctions for sale. Here are
a few tips to help you when you list your stamps for
sale online.
Time the end of your auctions when bidders on the
West Coast are online, but not past 11:00 PM on the
East Coast. That leaves you with a two-hour window
of from 9:00 et (6:00 pt) to 11:00 et (8:00 pt).
Check the calendar. Don't end your auction on a major
holiday when people will be away from their terminal.
Spread out the closing time of lots listed within the same
category. Try to space out the closing time of your lots
by five or six minutes. If you list 10 lots of Irish stamps
that all close within moments of each other, some bidders
will miss out bidding on a few lots because they're waiting
a particular item.
You must have a clear scan of your stamps for sale, and
please make the scan larger than a postage stamp. If you're
not getting crisp pictures from your scans, read and learn
from one of the online resource sites about scanning.
If the condition of the back of your stamp is important to your
bidders, include a view of it along with the face, and be sure to
scan it against a contrasting color.
Many active stamp collectors search the stamp categories
with keywords so be sure that the title of your lot contains
as many important words as possible, such as the country,
the Scott #, exceptional condition if applicable, "on cover"
if applicable.
If you have a specialized stamp publication, you might try l
isting it with the stamps of that country, rather than under
"publications."
List your lot where the bidders are. Spend a few days checking
the auction site's traffic and check closed auctions for lots like
yours. Ask a few stamp collectors who've sold online for advice.
Don't leave bidders guessing. State how you will accept
payment (money order, check, etc.) and what the
postage/shipping cost will be. Many bidders will figure
the postage and cost of a money order into their bid, so
don't charge $5 shipping for a $1 stamp.
The USPS will insure up to $50 for $1.10. Be familiar with
their insurance coverage and go to their Web site. If you
think it's a good idea, put something like "Successful bidder
can add $XXX for insurance."
If there's a minimum amount of money you'll accept for your
lot, you can set the initial bid at that price, or you can set it
lower and set a reserve price.
Describe your stamps accurately, such as "United States,
#987 mint, never hinged." Let the scan do the talking about
color, perfs and centering, but be sure to disclose all known
defects that are not readily apparent in the scan, such as
thins or repairs.
Our friend Marek suggests: "Ebay and Yahoo let you list an
item for a maximum of 10 days. List your auctions Thursday
night so you'll hit two weekends. Don't pick automatic
relisting. Relist auction yourself next Thursday. This way
you hit another two weekends and take advantage of fee
weiver. Traffic increases on weekends and also depends on
the season of the year in the northern hemisphere. Late fall,
winter, and early spring puts more people in front of their
computer."
posted by Audio Ebook Emporium | 7:45 PM
1 Comments:
Hey Guys, I recently found my dad's stamp collection, but it is on very old collection book and I wanted to trans fer stamps to a new book. Can you people please guide me how to do that without damaging the stamps.
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