"A question about selling on eBay" Topic

Firstly, let me make clear that I am not advertising anything for sale ion this thread. I have listed an army I painted for auction on eBay and set a minimum price of £325.00 GBP, and the auction is set to run for a week. I just got a bid for £287.00 GBP, but it is only good for 24 hours. This is my first time selling anything and I didn't know that someone could make an offer with a time limit like that. I set the minimum bid based on £5.00 GBP per figure which means I'm not seeing any real profit if you consider time spent on them and I'm just excited that someone is willing to part with their hard-earned cash to buy something I made. So here is the question:

Does it make sense for me to accept this bid, or should I let the auction run its course? Right now, it is only available to UK buyers and I've had a message from someone in the US asking if I will amend it to include international bids, which I'm planning to do. So, in relation to the bid I do have, Deal or no Deal? What say you?

Having spent much of my career involved in property sales I'd let the auction run its course (even if the bid was over the minimum price).

When you set up the auction, you didn't unmark the offer button ( it is a yes unless you unmark it) Its by the place you emter price. I would wait the auction out. There is a new scam on e-bay to make offer, the seller is agrees and the buy put it into his basket, but wait to pay.

Yes, wait.

Have you set a reserve price of £325.00 GBP on the auction or is the £325.00 GBP minimum price in the auction description?

Buyers do not see the reserve price, but when they place a bid they are told if it has met the reserve price.

Buyers will of course see any price in the description text.

If the auction ends with the reserve price not met, the item will not be sold.

You have the option of reducing your reserve price, and it may be the buyer is hoping you will do so.

So if you have set a reserve price of £325.00 GBP, the buyer knows that they will not get the item if you do not respond. I suggest it would be better to let the auction run and see if higher bids are made.

When I last sold on eBay many years ago, I refused to drop below my reserve price – it never stopped timewasters who would try to get me to reduce it.

I would probably let the auction continue. Don't get discouraged if you don't see early bids or a bidding war. A lot of bidders wait until the auction is almost over before doing anything. Also, I suggest running a longer auction.

A substantial part if wargaming miniatures sellers aren't looking to make money, so to speak -- they are trying to get figures out of the house and get some money in. I'm not trying to be rude, but nobody that is bidding cares if you break even. If items don't sell, they are frequently overvalued for a variety of reasons. If you are trying to supplement your income with the price point you listed, you might have better luck selling units instead of armies.

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

What were you expecting to sell it at and does the bidder have positive feedback?

Let it ride. It is very easy to realist. You can also add a "buy it now" option at a higher price than your minimum bid.

One of the first sales I ran on eBay, was purchased by one of multiple snipers. It look to me like the sale ended with no bids, but I received notice it had sold for far more than my minimum bid.

Let it ride. If it doesn't sell, it should auto-relist a few times anyway.

FWIW, I sell on eBay U.K. from time to time. My approach is to set my starting price at the minimum I'm happy to sell the item for, offer "free" P&P, have offers switched off and only sell to people in other countries via eBay's Global shipping Programme (GSP). That takes all the hassle out of internationally selling as you only have to get the item to the U.K. hub. They handle all the customs paper work and take responsibility for the package once it is in their hands. In my experience it usually costs the buyer a bit more than other options (often not that much more though) plus the buyer will be aware of what he'll pay in advance.

The TMP team comes through again, so thanks to all. I'm letting it ride. I've had a hell of a time figuring out the shipping costs to the US and updating it on their system. I will definitely use their automatic shipping service next time.

I imagine shipping costs to the US are horrendous.

I was on eBay for years. Barely sold 10% of what. Posted. Painted miniatures and new books. So I stopped. Increasing shipping costs helped my decision.

Late to this but while I havent deleted the offers option I usually politely decline as its more interesting to let it run its course.If youve got a number of watchers thats usually a good omen.That can translate into last minute bidding.
Offers tend to be on the lower side, someone hoping to get something without a last minute flurry.
I only sell within the UK just because the posting process is simpler. Its nothing personal.

You cant hope to recoup the original cost or your painting time but Im one of those who regards it as better than nothing.
Ive been pleasantly surprised what people will pay for decently painted items.

I restarted selling on eBay and was doing reserve auctions but wasn't selling so I figured: I know my price, just list it for sale. That's worked much better. Since things relist automatically, it is "set and forget"

I used to sell very heavily on Ebay but bugged out when the bank account tie-in thing happen back in…what 2015?

I just got a bid at my asking price!