my first ebay auctions(painted 40k)

[jahminis]

hey CMON...

i\'ve decided to try my hand at sellin\' my minis on ebay...
the first auctions are up...
i\'m not sure about what i\'m doin\' yet, as far as presentation goes, but i\'ll learn as i go along...
any hints and tips would be most welcome...

the first one is Typhus, who was accidentaly listed as a 5 day auction, so he ends on friday...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=250395115924

the other three auctions end on sunday...
we have an Iron Hands Sgt.:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=250395120801

a Black Templar Assault Sgt.:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=250395119045

and a Forgeworld Tech-priest:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=250395122470

i hope you like what you see, paint-wise, and throw a few bids out there...

cheers
jah

 

[Gearhead]

Great zoinks, that Typhus is AWESOME!!

 

[ScottRadom]

Jah- Good Luck! the figs are great! I\'ve been having a lot of fun lately with eBay. I\'m really new to it as well but here\'s some tips I was given that seem to have worked so far....

-You can put as many pics in the item description as you want, just use the HTML option for your description and cut and paste the appropriate link from your photo sharing place of choice.

-I\'d jazz up your description a little more. You only used like one sentence to descirbe your award winning Typhus model! Sure, the pic speaks volumes but from your posts on this site I know you can add a little more!

-I know that the auction link problems here persist but I have gotten twice the watchers and way better bids on the stuff I have featured here on CMON. The Auction credits are 75 cents each, and I\'ve taken to linking up the auction after the auction is up and running and after the images are approved here on CMON and they\'ve started working again.

-Someone told me the best time to start and end auctions are Sunday nights. I think it\'s supposed to be the highest traffic night for viewing.

-Not a pro tip, but something I was worried about. I tried to start all my auctions at at least 5 bucks just in case someone sneaks in a single bid at a buck and wins it somehow. Your stuff is rock solid and I don\'t think this will affect you but the concern for myself was that if my shipping calculations were off (and they sure as hell were! Shipping to Slovakia is BUCKS!!!!) then the minimum bid might help alleviate that.

Those are my thoughts. I am watching youy Typhus as I want to see how high it gets! Sorry, no bidding on painted minis for me though... I\'d rather get one dirty-ed up myself!

Good luck, I would suspect BIG things from a couple of these pieces!

 

[NGArtStudios]

I\'ll second everything that Scott said and just reinforce the whole shipping prices point. Make sure you either check international rates at first or list your item at a higher starting bid. Shipping overseas especially can be much more expensive than one would think.

 

[jahminis]

thanks for the views, and the advice, guys...

i have checked with the post office here in mazatlan, and the international registered post is $150 pesos for half a kilo(which is $10 dollars), so i shouldn\'t take a loss on shippin\'...

i plan to become a paying member here next month, so i will start to feature the auctions soon...
right now i\'m just tryin\' to build up a little feedback...
someone is goin\' to get some really cheap, well painted, minis off these auctions...

i just sold my Elysian Captain for $120u.s., which is still $30 off my commisssion starting price...so watchin\' an award winner like Typhus or the Tech-Priest go for peanuts is gonna hurt, but if it helps me build up a new customer base, i\'ll be stoked...

thanks for the interest and compliments on my work...

cheers
jah

 

[NGArtStudios]

That is exactly what you\'ve got to do. Start cheaper to build some feedback and a decent customer base. You will also be able to pick up a few commissions from eBay customers.

What I would suggest in that light, is get yourself some basic business cards. (You can usually get some printed for free just having to pay shipping from www.vistaprint.com) If you have a website/blog list that on there, your email and your name, also any other way you would like people to contact you, and just throw a business card in with every package you send. That way it makes it so much easier for you customer to contact/remember you when they need some work done.

 

[JojoTheFlamingMonkey]

I haven\'t put anything up on eBay in over five years, so please take that into consideration when reading my post. I have to assume that the basics are the same, but that some of the finer points (like auction cost, booo!) are quite different.

If you\'re worried about your work going for peanuts, then my advice is not to put your absolute best work up. When I did sell on eBay I would paint things specifically for eBay that were nice, but nowhere near the top of my ability. That way I didn\'t feel too bitter if it went for next to nothing. It\'s demoralizing, to say the least, to watch something you spent 10 hours on go for $15. That might be a good wage in some countries, but certainly not for us over-privileged Americans.

The suggestion about the business card is absolute gold, but another thing to consider is to ask the winners of your auctions if they would like to be put on a mailing list so they can be notified when you have new auctions listed. Also, make sure they\'re aware that you\'re willing to take commissions (that is of course if you even want to take commissions).

Selling on eBay can be a little trying at times. Sometimes things you think will go for nothing go for far more than you expected and somethings things you expect to sell for a lot barely cover the cost of the bare metal. I don\'t mean to discourage you, but I just think you should be aware of this.

That Typhus is *really* nice and I\'m going to cry along with you if it does go for peanuts!

 

[NGArtStudios]

Originally posted by JojoTheFlamingMonkey
I haven\'t put anything up on eBay in over five years, so please take that into consideration when reading my post. I have to assume that the basics are the same, but that some of the finer points (like auction cost, booo!) are quite different.

If you\'re worried about your work going for peanuts, then my advice is not to put your absolute best work up. When I did sell on eBay I would paint things specifically for eBay that were nice, but nowhere near the top of my ability. That way I didn\'t feel too bitter if it went for next to nothing. It\'s demoralizing, to say the least, to watch something you spent 10 hours on go for $15. That might be a good wage in some countries, but certainly not for us over-privileged Americans.

The suggestion about the business card is absolute gold, but another thing to consider is to ask the winners of your auctions if they would like to be put on a mailing list so they can be notified when you have new auctions listed. Also, make sure they\'re aware that you\'re willing to take commissions (that is of course if you even want to take commissions).

Selling on eBay can be a little trying at times. Sometimes things you think will go for nothing go for far more than you expected and somethings things you expect to sell for a lot barely cover the cost of the bare metal. I don\'t mean to discourage you, but I just think you should be aware of this.

That Typhus is *really* nice and I\'m going to cry along with you if it does go for peanuts!

I agree completely. The mailing list idea is also brilliant.

Selling your minis on eBay won\'t make you loads of money, so look at it as a way to establish a customer base for commissions, which is where it will really pay off.

 

[jahminis]

luckily, all the paintjobs on the minis i\'ll be sellin\' over the next month or so are 5, or more, years old...
they have been sitting in my carryin\' case for a long time, gettin\' no love...
they have travelled half the world though...

this is a learnin\' process, still in the experimental phase...
i will take all the advice, apply some, and hopefully sales will get stronger with each week...

one thing that i forgot to mention, is that i also have links up on dakkadakka, warseer, bartertown, and facebook...
so i\'m not just hoping i get lucky to catch the odd person lookin\' in the trading post here...

thanks again...

cheers
jah

 

[Dragon Forge Design]

One thing Id suggest is get larger photos and host them to a photo bucket account.

Once in PB, there will be 4 sets of code, copy and paste the 3rd set into your auction details when its in the HTML setting. This will hot link your PB photo to your auction and show a much large image than what eBay will give you. Larger pictures =more money! And its free to you to do so.

Well thats the goal anyways. But it can never hurt to have better images.

 

[jahminis]

i\'ve had a photobucket account for quite a few years:
http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l266/jah-minis/

when i went to upload the pics on ebay, it just went to my harddrive...
do i put the links in the little box, instead of browsing???

my next auctions may actually make me look like i know what i\'m doin\', since everyone is helpin\' me out...

cheers
jah

 

[marcineczek0]

You should put the 3rd link from Photobucket (the one starting with <a href) into the Description window on eBay (after swiching it to HTML).

Don\'t worry it took me some time to work out all the eBay stuuf too.
What I would suggest is...
Always cover your own ass... You need to clearly state what is the item that you are selling, what is your personal policy for payment, shipping and returns. It\'s very important to save all the questions and information from a to buyer. It help wen you are dealing with stupid people and gives you a lot of advantage when filing a claim to eBay in case of someone wants to scam you.

Take a look at my page and feel free to use any information you like...

My auctions

Using CMON for addvertisment is a blessing. I got 200% more hits on my auction that way and the business is gooooood. See even now I did it... Have you seen my Stompa?hahahaha sorry lol

 

[Pictish Mini Painting]

Hey Marcineczek0,

is your gargant auction pics made using the 3rd option on photobucket?

I ask as i use auctiva atm, but if i can get big pics like that in my model auctions i would be a lot happier.

using the html in ebay can be fun, as it can save mucho pennies on the listing fees.

just curious.

cheers

Rick