auction house or ebay?

[majordanby]

after trying and failing to sell a few cards on the net54 BST (which is a great resource, regardless of my lack of success), my next step is to either keep the card and relist later (and hope the "market" gets better) or to consider selling it through an auction and let the current market settle the price.

i've done ebay and have sold items at a few auction houses. for lower end (price wise) items, i stick to ebay. but, i've debated on what to do with more higher end items (dont think t206 honus wagner or anything that would sell for, say, 2K and above). i've actually lost money selling items through auction houses, largely because of the fees associated with consignments. at the same time, i feel like selling a higher end item will garner more attention and views through an auction house vs. ebay.

anyone have more experience selling on ebay vs. auction houses for items pricing, say, around $600-$1500 and can suggest which route is best?

thanks in advance

[barrysloate]

Don't forget that ebay and paypal charge fees too, so selling it yourself is not a freebie. If you attempt to sell an expensive card on ebay today you might want to consider putting a reserve on it. Auction houses charge a little more but are probably more consistent. I've sold both ways and I've never been able to determine that one route is definitively better than the other. I've had successes and disappointments with both.

[V117collector]

Don't forget that ebay and paypal charge fees too, so selling it yourself is not a freebie. If you attempt to sell an expensive card on ebay today you might want to consider putting a reserve on it. Auction houses charge a little more but are probably more consistent. I've sold both ways and I've never been able to determine that one route is definitively better than the other. I've had successes and disappointments with both.

Barry, what happen to your acution house is it still up and running? Always looking for an honest face!:)

[barrysloate]

Thanks Brad, but I don't plan to do anymore. I think I've hit the wall. I'm still in business however.

[jbsports33]

I have had mixed results with both, over the years eBay has been good with lower end items say under 200.00 - but when you get over that you tend to get less activity unless the item is rare or popular. I rarely place anything on eBay over 1000.00, and most likely would choose an auction house that is best for the item I am selling or wait for a large show to come around. The auction houses had the upper hand the last few years, but with more collectors selling items on their own through private sales and other resources both eBay and auction houses are hurting for consignors in this economy. I would also say because of fees as Barry stated, but I think the hobby is improving with all the different options. I run my own site as well, but always try and use the best options for me or my consignors and hope to expand my site. I have used the B/S/T a few times, but it really depends what others are looking for and it’s up and down.

Jimmy