List A, B, C, D or E first ? 16 December 2022 at 10:21PM in Ebay, auctions, car boot sales, post & parcels 10 replies 339 views

zackary71

So I have a dilemma. I'm selling 5 extremely rare statues in the next month or two. They're ultra hard to come by and the holy grail for the Collectors who will want them. Provenance is spot on...and I've been advised by an expert to start each as an Auction with mid to high hundreds ££s starting price. What they can achieve is anyone's guess. They seldom appear for sale, but I'm unsure which to list first.

A and B are pretty average compared to most of the rest of the complete set of 12 or 13, made in the early 80s.
C is stunning and probably the one that will make the most
D isn't far behind and would probably fetch a figure approaching it
E is an eye-catching 'wow' piece but some very minor damage.

So which do I list first ?
A/B and generate interest for the better ones to follow ?
C to create a (hopeful) buying frenzy, but highly risky if word hasn't got out there via collectors, and may sell under what is achievable ?
D or E - statement pieces 

What do members think ? Appreciate all advice on a tricky call.

Spoonie_Turtle

Any reason you can't list them all at once? 

I don't buy anything that expensive but when a seller has something I specifically want, I always check to see if they have anything else I want too.  I'd imagine the same might apply to collectors.

forgotmyname

With any auction you need the right buyer in the right place at the right time.  Always a gamble.

Same as above though, a buyer may not travel or pay for a single item but additional items maybe worth their
time and effort to put a bid in or worth travelling etc.

Damage needs to be listed carefully in great detail. Some items even a tiny barely noticeable piece of damage may

devalue it greatly.

I used to travel all over to collect items but it them became cheaper to arrange delivery, even with the high fuel prices
some items are worth collecting. Had an item on my watch list that was 70 miles away, if it was sub £250 inc fuel costs
it would have been worth collecting but it sold for more than double that without the collection costs.

Another £230 the buyer could have bought a new one not something 7 years old.

TripleH

Do you have packaging that is sturdy enough to transport each item safely?

If you don't,  then I'd sort that out first before looking to sell.

The last thing you want is to sell an item and it arrive broken.

Also ensure adequate insurance when posting.

I'd consider listing the damaged one and the more common ones first. Good feedback received before risking higher value items (unless you have plenty of good feedback already).

zackary71

TripleH said:

Do you have packaging that is sturdy enough to transport each item safely?

If you don't,  then I'd sort that out first before looking to sell.

The last thing you want is to sell an item and it arrive broken.

Also ensure adequate insurance when posting.

I'd consider listing the damaged one and the more common ones first. Good feedback received before risking higher value items (unless you have plenty of good feedback already).

Yes, packaging all sorted. Being done professionally via Mailboxes ETC, as it means the ceramic items are covered for insurance worldwide, which they wouldn't be if I self packed and posted. Obscene prices, but I'm not paying. The Feedback is 100% with lots of positive comments about 'epic packing'  !

KxMx

Personally I would list the best example first on it's own, which you suggest is C. 

All the collectors will then be chasing that one item which should hopefully give you a great price. 

GrubbyGirl_2

If it's a limited market and prices are high you might want to think how many people have enough money to buy more than one at a time. I collect expensive glass but can only afford to buy one at a time.  If you list more than one then you are potentially spreading the available money and diluting it.  I would list your best first them put on your listing that you will be listing more in the future

baser999

Wondering if these items are that rare and ‘the holy grail to collectors’ why you’d bother selling on eBay, knowing all the attached risks? Alleged damage, non-delivery. Even taking every precaution available there are risks.
Think if I was in your shoes I’d go the auction route. Paying a premium but less hassle

zackary71

Ibaser999 said:

Wondering if these items are that rare and ‘the holy grail to collectors’ why you’d bother selling on eBay, knowing all the attached risks? Alleged damage, non-delivery. Even taking every precaution available there are risks.
Think if I was in your shoes I’d go the auction route. Paying a premium but less hassle

I've checked Sold Prices on SaleRoom, and these figures don't tend to work at Auction. Different markets and customer base. Some items are more suited to eBay than traditional Auction Houses. As an example, I had a canteen of cutlery fail to reach reserve at Auction this week. If it had hit reserve, I would have got c. £65 back after commission. They sell on ebay for c.£150, so when timed with reduced listing fees, I'd double my money. 
Re the Damage, they're sent via the same Shipper as the Auction House would use, so the risk is exactly the same.

RFW

I'd list them all at once, unless there's a logistical reason you can't.

Stagger them so there's 30 minutes to an hour between each one.

List the one you expect to be the most sought after first, that way if there are multiple bidders some losing will possibly bid on the others.

If you haven't already checked I'd have a look for some social media pages you can share them on.

zackary71

Thanks for the feedback all. In the end, I went for A first. Already had Collectors contacting from USA and beyond. It's on Social Media too, so hopefully there will be enough interest to drive the rest of the set forward.  Thanks again