Rare Book Monthly
eBay Offers Trap Door on the Book Market
Learning to sell on eBay is like learning to drive a car.
How will you get paid?
On eBay there is a payment processor called PayPal. If you are going to be selling at least fifty lots I would use it. It makes it easy for people to pay and I think increases, at the margin, what people bid. I know that if a seller requires I pay by check I specifically look to see how many lots they have sold and what their feedback is. If I have the slightest doubt I pass. The downside of PayPal is that it isn't free. To compensate you may want to buy some eBay stock before you begin selling. All in all PayPal is worth the cost.
Listing Period
eBay virgins know how to save money. They list for only 3 or 5 days because it is marginally cheaper than 7 and 10 day listings. Go with 10 days. You are looking for exposure. Give yourself the opportunity to get some. If the lot doesn't sell you can relist but it's not free. Give yourself the best chance now.
When do I start my listing and when does it end?
I personally think listings should end on a Monday or Tuesday if I'm selling and Wednesday or Thursday if I'm buying. Mid-week seems to be quieter and the prices lower when the auctions end later in the week. For ten day auctions if you start them on Friday or Saturday they will end on Monday or Tuesday. Don't end them on Monday if it's a holiday. The world is full of people who say "I would have bought it but..." So you're thinking it doesn't make a difference really because you can bid anytime while the auction is underway. True but I have lost too many lots by leaving an early bid. I don't do it anymore. You will see me for the first time just as the clock expires. I'm not interested to give other bidders a moment to think about whether they're willing to increase their bid. TOO LATE! For sellers this means that you are going to relive, with each eBay lot, the military adage "Hurry up and wait."
Use the optional visitor counter to see [and show] the traffic count on your listing. As an eBay seller you will also be able to see how many people are TRACKING the listing. It will be visible in your eBay seller's control panel. You may not have any bids yet but you can see what the flow is. With experience you'll sense what is happening.
Most eBay sellers seem to take a philosophical approach. They post ten items and some do well, some okay and some badly. On average they do fine. If you did a thorough listing, started it at the appropriate time and obtained only a fair result chances are the market value is simply less than you expected. The listing sites may have it posted higher but if in three months those listings are still there who is to say the price you received isn't the right price.
Best of luck if you decide to try it! Its great fun and I'll be bidding on some of your items if they fit my collecting and research interests.
Editor's Note: This article has generated several Letters to the Editor. To see them, Click here.
