this is the companion thread to the buying thread, I know a lot more of us are buyers & not so much sellers, but was wondering what selling techniques have worked well/consistently for you ? here are a few of mine...
1.be honest with everything you know about your item, omissions will haunt you.
2. make it right if your really at fault with a forgotten/hidden fault in the item. many of us have things that had an issue & we forgot about them over time.
3..always test run the item before listing it, steam it, hook it up to a belt & operate it....whatever its suppose to do, make sure it does it. I have found some things don't work after sitting around for awhile.
4.I never say "the pictures are the description" that is a cop out imho & leaves someone off the hook for a known problem,I describe the item good & bad to the best of my ability.
5. I frequently supply belts to operate things that require it, I want my customers to be "ready to run" when possible.
6. I nearly always tag in a recent video for the potential buyer to know what it operates like, or how well/poor it runs, I figure this produces 30% more return when I do this, people like PROOF that it works.
7. I package very well , dbl boxing is strongly encouraged ,but not necessary all the time.
again....there are lots more tips from those experienced E-bay sellers, kindly share with the rest of us please, what has helped you sell ?
Another great thread. I sell my surplus on eBay and other websites. I do not have the time to test and steam engines, so if I saw it running, I say it is running. If I did not see it running, and never tested it, I say untested, just be honest. My Facebook private collectors group outsells my eBay by 4 times.
Good thread for all.
Even if you only buy, this thread can help you know what to look for in a description.
Recent pictures are best. Old pictures sometimes show a small part like an oil cup or screw you don't remember taking off for another piece 5 years earlier.
Have pictures clearly showing defects.
Don't use phrases like "worked the last time it ran" or "ran the last time it worked". They are pure BS.
OK to say "in storage since last run about 15 years ago"
If it has been sitting for a long time, test it if you can. If all is good, then make the claim it is a running piece, good runner and just tested, etc.
You will find your self having fun testing some of these little wonders...!!!
I have, on occasion, tested something to sell, maybe added back a missing part or two and wound up reminding myself how much I enjoyed it to begin with. When this happens, I might find another piece to sell.
Gil
You folks too huh...lol
I have cleaned my Wilsco D22 (my 1st engine) up on 2 different occasions to sell...
But couldn't 😟
I find it extremely hard to sell on eBay. I prefer to know where it goes so try to get my brother to buy it.
Be honest in your descriptions, have multiple good photos and even photos showing issues/damage such as a dented boiler. Treat the potential buyer like you would want to be treated yourself. Don't surprise a buyer.
This past winter I sold a gorgeous DR Mercer traction engine which got destroyed in transit...despite double boxing etc., something VERY heavy was dropped on top and ruined the engine. Fortunately I had insured through UPS and though it took many months to resolve, I ultimately got a full refund and turned it over to the buyer...again, that is how I would want to be treated if I were in their shoes.
For highly valuable engines...I won't sell outside the USA as carriers won't honor insurance in cases of damage outside the USA, otherwise I will sell into most markets including Canada, Aust, NZ and Europe. Sorry to say I just don't trust shipments to Latin America.
I have gained many faithful/repeat buyers while selling on E-bay , networking is important to be really successful , I have gained many personnel phone numbers from buyers over time & have learned what they are collecting & have a desire for, I have tipped off a few of my past customers onto an engine that I knew they collected/have an interest in (not even my listing) this has always been very appreciated & creates a lot of good will for both of us.
another thing is to ship timely, I always say in my listing that I ship next day (and I do), many people have already waited seven days watching this thing, & they don't really want to wait another 3 days for somebody to bother wIth shipping. (I have personally waited 9 days for someone to even ship an item) I also let them know that I'm a steamer , & I personally know about this item & will guarantee that it does what I claim it will.
