"Does selling painted figures ever work?" Topic

I have been using EBay for nearly ten years now and I started off selling a lot of my old gaming stuff that I wasn't using. A lot of it was painted Star Wars 25mm figures, split into units for the Miniatures Battles games. They didn't really sell particularly well, I mean they all sold but they went for about the same price as I paid for them unpainted.

A similar story recently occurred with some 28mm Vikings I sold to make way for new stuff. They didn't go for anywhere near as much as I thought they would and barely made more than their cost price. I wasn't too bothered, as I did intend on using them when I originally bought them and they weren't painted for profit, but I was quite surprised.

Are people just not willing to spend money on painted figures? A lot of time and patience (and in some cases skill) has gone into them, so what gives? I know some people will only buy painted stuff, so what is their opinion on this?

I'm not attacking anyone here for buying painted figures, BTW, it's your money, buy what you want with it, just idly musing.

I have generally been quite satisfied selling things on ebay. Some stuff has gone for less than I thought it would while other stuff has gone for much more than I thought it would.

Personally, it does not matter if they are painted or not.
I like to paint my own figs, so if they are painted, I'll strip them back down to bear metal anyway…
Its just something I do.

I find everyone is looking for a deal. Why not put a figure up and start the price closer to what you want? If it is a nice looking figure you might be surprised at what you get. If you start the bid at the lowest, then unless it is a hard to find figure, they sell low.

Just my thoughts on what I have seen.

45th Div, it's a bit of a two edged sword though isn't it? A high starting price can put people off bidding at all!

The only time I have actually tried painting something to sell (a GW Imperial Guard Tank) it actually sold for LESS than the cost price. I did have a reserve, but it barely made that!

I've always gotten great money for my painted stuff. Of course I have only ever tried to sell them here in the Marketplace.

People are looking for deals. Unless you have something that is in high demand, your going to loose money. I have had good and bad tries at ebay selling stuff. Warhammer stuff goes fast, usually, and a pretty good return.

I usually offer free shipping on everything, and that sometimes helps.

I get about an average 50-60% recovery. But I sell everything painted.

Tom
tidesofwargaming.blogspot.com

I always repaint anything I buy. So I only buy stuff at bare metal price or less. Same goes if I sell it. I enjoyed painting and playing with it, that is 'profit' enough.

There is little that I have actually bought second hand, and I did repaint it all anyway, so I can see why those kinds of people would want to only pay cost price or thereabouts. But what about gamers who only buy painted stuff to game with? The only thing I buy pre-painted are the Wings of War planes, but I have also repainted a few, but their expensive price puts me off doing that…

Personally I want unpainted stuff as like to paint stuff myself. However there are a lot of people on Ebay whose painting skills aren't up to much but seem to think they've turned out master pieces and want prices to match. This seems especially true of second hand GW stuff were a lot of people have probably reduced the value of the miniatures by painting them rather than increasing them.

I always sell my armies as one item on a "buy it now" and always do OK.

I've been pretty successful over the years selling painted figures. I don't use ebay though, I advertise here on TMP, o the Lead Adventure Forum and on various Yahoo Groups. I try to price to sell, never more than twice the bare metal cost.

. I try to price to sell, never more than twice the bare metal cost.

Interesting thread, your comment above is exactly what I am considering for about 100 painted Front Rank Peninsular Anglo-Allied here on TMP. I don't want to "give them away", but likewise not expecting to add to my retirement fund either. Your approach sounds good.

BTW, you wouldn't be the N Nascati who wrote some stuff for the old "Table Top Talk? Don't blame you if you'd rather not comment, acknowledging "TTT" would date both of us rather profoundly.

Cheers,

As someone who buys painted minis on EBAY and uses them as they are painted here's my 2 cents. I try not to spend more than $5 USD per painted figure 28mm (S&H is included in my costing). On occasion I may go as high as $8 USD to $10 USD for really nice paint jobs (I have someone that will paint my minis for $5 USD a figure). Part of the problem is matching the right person with the right mini. You could have your 1812 French army painted to museum quality and I would not offer you 50 cents a figure, but most any mini from about 1900 to 1938 (NO WW2) I will at least consider bidding on. Currently I'm "into" the early 20th century so almost any painted unit of armed figures will work for me. Mexican Revolution, Russian & Spanish civil wars, Banana wars, WW1 east Africa, and the list can go on. I hope that helps. It's not that your stuff isn't good enough it's more wno is looking and for what.

Frank

Usually works out for the buyers, if they are in good condition, and nicely painted.

For the sellers, not so much, unless you get really lucky.

In this economy, it seems like it is hard to sell anything at a decent price, since many people seem to be looking for deeply discounted deals, or aren't spending their money at all.

I once tried to paint professionally. But I found my hobby was turning into work. And customers had a problem with that whole paying for it thing.

As someone who buys painted minis on EBAY and uses them as they are painted here's my 2 cents. I try not to spend more than $5 USD USD per painted figure 28mm (S&H is included in my costing).

So, figuring that I won't ever actually get to use my big 28mm plastic zombie horde, it would not be unreasonable to sell them as painted in lots of 20 for about $3.00 USD a figure with shipping included in the price? (So fixed price of $60 USD for a blob of 20 nicely painted zombies.)

If you are desperate for money, you will never get what they are worth.

Taking excellent pics, both of units and individual models, is often what makes the difference between a good and great price.

You'll never get back the time and effort you spent, nor the enjoyment once they are finished. You will regret selling them.
Especially as you get older and can't see as well to paint….

Well, this is a tough one and complicated. You have good and bad times of the year. You have hot and cold spells. You have high demand and low demand models. You have high demand and low demand painters. Skills vary. Styles vary.

Buyers can be unpredictable. The economy can be sluggish. Most pro painters will not name Ebay as the place to sell and profit. They will mention that Ebay serves to showcase their abilities; This in turn brings them commissions. It sometimes can be salesmanship 101. Basic economic fundamentals apply. Sales and marketing can also play a part.

In the last 7-8 years, the Asian competition has brought big supply and this has knocked prices a bit. Many guys have tons of figures painted overseas. When they need cash, they dump 600-700 on Ebay at $2 USD a pop for a clean paint job. This was unusual 10 years ago. Remember you can get a pretty decent "museum" figure for $5 USD-6 in Sri Lanka and after discounts maybe even less.

I remember when Ebay had 20-30 listings for painted figures and that was it. Try a search today and you get an infinite number. This makes a difference. I do it for fun and relaxation. If guys need something for a game, and it is something I enjoy painting, I do it otherwise I avoid it. Is it about the money? No way. Not for me.

I keep my prices at a level that pays for my time and materials. I paint mostly commissions now. I don't paint large quantities of figures on a whim like I once did. I only take small orders. I guide people overseas for large orders. Storage costs money-space is tough to come by. At certain prices, I sell out of figures and then what? It takes me years to re-stock a collection. You need to find a balance.

Small adjustments in price, in the right place, and the right time, can be the difference between selling it all or selling nothing. Another key is running into the right buyer-the guy that wants to game and he wants both complete armies. He is willing to pay and doesn't procrastinate. He can spend $1,000 USD-$3000 easy. No sweat. No haggling.

I find everyone is looking for a deal. Why not put a figure up and start the price closer to what you want?

I did this on ebay and made a lot more money.

Have a go at the TMP marketplace, as suggested above. It won't cost you anything.

I find one gets better prices off the internet, at your local convention's bring-and-buy. Figures are much more seductive in person where they have weight and immediacy, unlike on the internet, where they're just pictures.

Like I said at the beginning, this is not so much about me selling for profit. As Martin mentioned, I enjoyed painting them so was happy to get cost price back anyway, I was just surprised that they didn't go for more. I think all the above are valid reasons and I knew a few of them anyway, having sold other things on Ebay for a while now. One week something will sell for a pound, the following week; ten.

I think a lot of its down to the lack of disposable income these days. Especially here in the UK.

To WOLFPROPHET that sounds like a very good price to me. It is tempting as I would like to dabble in "post-apocalypse" & or zombie skirmish as a side track to the other games I play. I am newly reemployed after 7 months off otherwise I would ask you to send me some pics.

Frank

I doubt it's a way to make a huge profit unless you are VERY good and in demand- when I've sold it's to tidy up and make room. Usually they are items that were acquired and painted years ago so the original cost is long forgotten, so anything I get is perceived as a bonus.

I buy "painted" miniatures mostly because I was looking for those miniatures and not the paint job. They usually end up stripped and repainted.

If I wanted to purchase painted miniatures, they have to be high quality paint jobs and maybe some conversion work. Not your standard three tone scheme.

Display your minis on CMON and if you get a rating higher than 6, then you should be able to sell at price or higher.

I find that I make a lot more on my painted figures than I do selling bare metal ones.

I recently sold all my WW2 28mm collection on EBay. I asked for what I thought it was worth and got it for most of the collection. There was not any bidding wars, usually they went after one bid, I guess that is because I asked a decent price for them all.