I am looking around to separate myself from some items, so to speak, and wonder who would be the best to have sell my items? thanks much Tiep
Tom Wittman, Paul Hogle, Tom Johnson all have reasonable consignment fees and have a lot of credibility and a lot of visitors to be able to sell reaonably quickly.
You typically set the price you want, they tack on the consignment fee, then list and sell it for you.
You get paid after the item is sold, the money received and the inspection period is over (in case of returns).
John
Or buy a premium membership and sell them here yourself.
Tiep, (Rich) old colleague. Trying to sell on the forums (this one or WAF) is a tough road. Most folks haunting the forum sales are real cheap and seem to think collectors should be giving their stuff away. sure there are some who appreciate a good deal but for the most part like the good book say`s cast not your pearls before swine.
Much better to consign IMO however you have to appreciate that the dealers are also having a real slow tim of it these days. Mostly for the opposite reason...just too darn expensive in an increasingly declining market.
If I lived in the U.S I would definitely send my stuff to Craig; his auctions are excellent and whilst the market decides I have seen some very good & fair results both for buyer`s and sellers. JMO
I agree with Landser. Selling here can be rewarding, but so many are "bottom feeding," it's often difficult to get a fair price for your items. It can be done, but unless what you are selling is scarce, desirable and in nice condition, you likely will get no buyers, or they will try to "low ball" you. In any case, you must decide what your final price is and stay with it as well as you can. Most of the "big dealers" seem to be doing well enough. Check Wittmann's and Johnson's sites for items sold. They also seem to have little or no problems selling the more expensive items. Some feel more comfortable buying from established dealers, rather than from individuals and auctions. The dealers have an established clientele, their own sites, do the packing, shipping, etc., for consignment pieces, etc. It will cost you, but it may be worth it in the prices realized and less hassle than trying to sell on your own.
Selling here can be a challenge because the audience is knowledgeable and will try you on for size. Not as bad as some posters think, but still a bit of work. But it's cheap at $32.95 a year for unlimited sales which beats the 20% minimum that big dealers charge. Might be worth a try first. I would offer two pieces of advice - describe your item(s) in great detail with many clear pictures and .... Never, never, ever, send out the item until the money is in the bank. No poop.
Dealers charge various percentages. Should not be more than 20%. These are sometime negotiable downwards if you have good items that will move quickly. Biggest mistake is that you want full retail and the dealer adds 20% .... and that's why you see stuff sitting forever in inventory.
You could go over to AHF and sell the relics for NO FEE!!!And the membership is FREE also
Thanks for all the good advise. Changing jobs, moving, downsizing my collection, I really appreciate the advise. T
(cast not your pearls before swine.) How true that statement is.