Is there a secret to getting traction on BST posts?

[toledo_mudhen]

Originally Posted by rugbymarine

Improve the quality of your photos and/or scans. A photo with 4-6 cards, using a carpet as a backdrop is objectively awful. A scanner, with quality settings, and repeatable technique will yield improved sales results for you.

I would add that the acquisition of a "high quality" scanner (and taking the time to learn how to use it) will improve anyone's sales rather quickly.

I do know that Epson makes some great scanners -

I personally invested in a Canoscan 9000F Mark II Scanner and couldn't be happier with it.

[wdwfan]

Yea, I just told my wife last night that I need a new scanner. I'd like to get one that also prints the eBay labels (the sticky ones you just adhere to the package) so that I'm not constantly using tape to tape on the labels, lol. Not sure they make one of those though. But I do need a new scanner. However, as I've said, I have to have coined photos for other sites. So I just use that and crop out the coin since it takes 5+ minutes to do one scan (scan, upload, edit, download, upload to Flickr, change size, etc and post). Just takes a while.

Originally Posted by toledo_mudhen

I would add that the acquisition of a "high quality" scanner (and taking the time to learn how to use it) will improve anyone's sales rather quickly.

I do know that Epson makes some great scanners -

I personally invested in a Canoscan 9000F Mark II Scanner and couldn't be happier with it.

[gregndodgers]

I will echo what others have already said. If you are selling high demand (or even medium demand) pre-war cards at a reasonable price, it will sell. Knowing what is in demand and what is not is one of the keys to selling in any platform.

I’ve bought numerous pre-war cards here. It’s a great service!

[wdwfan]

No. I just don't know all the rules. Like there's an end time, but it someone wants to bid late then they allow it. Or the buyer's premium. Don't know exactly what that is either. That's what I"m talking about. I know you're supposed to call in and bid. But that's about it.

Originally Posted by 4815162342

Buy high and sell low has always been my motto.

You don’t know how to bid in an auction? Come on.

There’s the eBay museum, but there are decent deals there every now and then as well.

[Snapolit1]

Common scenario

Recent comps for card are $5000

Seller lists for $7500, expecting he will be knocked down anyway so why not

Potential buyer comes in with $3500. Best he can do, doesn't really think recent comps are reliable, will probably point out how card for sale is not quite as nice as the ones that sold for $5000. If nothing better comes along keep me in mind.

Nothing happens.

[4815162342]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

No. I just don't know all the rules. Like there's an end time, but it someone wants to bid late then they allow it. Or the buyer's premium. Don't know exactly what that is either. That's what I"m talking about. I know you're supposed to call in and bid. But that's about it.

Every auction house has their rules prominently posted on their respective websites and in their catalogs. Calling in bids hasn’t been a thing for a minute.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

True trading cards for cash is easier. But you don't get the same value. You're going to sell at 75% of value, and yo're going to buy at 125% of value. So that's why I prefer to trade cards for cards.

And not sure what you mean by the second part of the comment. I've never bought anything at an auction house. I don't even know how to do that. I just try to buy on Facebook, here and Blowout. I try eBay, but everything is so overpriced, and you can't get any decent deals.

My second comment was not applicable to your situation just a tactic some people use on the BSt.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Common scenario

Recent comps for card are $5000

Seller lists for $7500, expecting he will be knocked down anyway so why not

Potential buyer comes in with $3500. Best he can do, doesn't really think recent comps are reliable, will probably point out how card for sale is not quite as nice as the ones that sold for $5000. If nothing better comes along keep me in mind.

Nothing happens.

Sometimes the market doesn’t clear! And as both buyers and sellers, we should be okay with that.

[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by raulus

Sometimes the market doesn’t clear! And as both buyers and sellers, we should be okay with that.

Yeah, I think that is true. There are a limited number of interested buyers on Net54. Sometimes you find a deal, but many times you don't. And that's ok. When you do find a deal, it's usually a good deal, and it's an efficient deal because there are no fees or at least limited fees on the transaction. Plus you get to build a relationship with a fellow member here.

As a buyer, there are certain cards I have on my list. If one of them comes up on here I am all over it. Then there are other cards that are not on my list but are still interesting, and if the price is enticing, I might go for it.

As a seller on BST, I want to focus on the first situation. I would rather sell to someone here than on Ebay of course. If I can help a fellow collector fill their want list, I want to do that.

But if nobody on here wants it, I would rather move it to Ebay, than to keep dropping the price on here until somebody decides that it is too good a deal to pass up. And the reason for that is that there is a much bigger market on Ebay than here, and I will probably find somebody who is looking for the exact card I am looking to sell.

Here's an example. I had a nice 67T Seaver PSA 7. It had great color and focus, and very good centering. I had it up on here for a couple weeks at 10% over VCP. Nobody was interested. I probably would have taken an offer of VCP, but nobody made one. I put the card up on Ebay for 30% over, and it sold pretty quickly. I hated to go that way, because Ebay's fees were about $400, and I hate paying fees, but I found a buyer that wanted that card.


That's just the way it is. Sometimes you find a good match here, sometimes you don't.


Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

...I need a new scanner. I'd like to get one that also prints the eBay labels (the sticky ones you just adhere to the package)...

Here's a nickel's worth of free advice:

If you want to get a good scanner, buy a good scanner. Don't try to get a piece of multipurpose equipment. Those all-in-one devices tend to do a mediocre job at multiple things. Their scanner (for example) typically lacks the technology to scan items with depth. Long story short: the scans of graded cards will look blurry and defeat the purpose of having a new scanner.

[wdwfan]

That's the problem of the one I have now. The PSA and SGC slabs are all blurry. The regular cards are pretty good (see below). That said, I just bought a ring light yesterday. So my weekly card budget is gone. And I plan on buying a new webcam next week with that week's allotment of $40, lol. So maybe the week after I can get a scanner at Walmart or something.

Originally Posted by Eric72

Here's a nickel's worth of free advice:

If you want to get a good scanner, buy a good scanner. Don't try to get a piece of multipurpose equipment. Those all-in-one devices tend to do a mediocre job at multiple things. Their scanner (for example) typically lacks the technology to scan items with depth. Long story short: the scans of graded cards will look blurry and defeat the purpose of having a new scanner.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

That's the problem of the one I have now. The PSA and SGC slabs are all blurry. The regular cards are pretty good...

For slabs, I believe you want a scanner with a CCD element. Fact check that, though. I'm not 100% certain that's what they're called.

[ricktmd]

To get good traction on mid to lower grade vintage post good scans, provide timely communication and competitive prices. Definitely lower than ebay. If there are examples of the same item on ebay for similar prices I dont believe you will get much traction at all
If you items are rare its a different dynamic.

[iwantitiwinit]

Originally Posted by packs

Good scans and fair prices will lead to fast sales.

It's as simple as that.

[Eric72]

If you want your BST posts to gain traction, you might want to consider one of the following:

1. Clearly state in your title that you're only trading
2. Actually offer the cards for sale

Three times today, I saw a listing in the BST that interested me. When I clicked on them, each one had "trades only" or something similar. Each time, it was a post of yours. I wasn't interested in trading; however, I would have made a purchase if possible.

As someone else mentioned earlier, there are some people whose posts they don't even bother clicking on. I'm seeing the logic in that mindset.

[Leon]

I try to put FS (for sale), WTB (want to buy), LTT (Looking to Trade)....or something similar.

There are no rules but maybe if that were one it would help? We are very slow to make any rules on the forum but that might be one that helps everyone? And it's super obvious if someone doesn't do it. They won't "not" do it for too long around here. I am sure folks will self police it.

Originally Posted by Eric72

If you want your BST posts to gain traction, you might want to consider one of the following:

1. Clearly state in your title that you're only trading
2. Actually offer the cards for sale

Three times today, I saw a listing in the BST that interested me. When I clicked on them, each one had "trades only" or something similar. Each time, it was a post of yours. I wasn't interested in trading; however, I would have made a purchase if possible.

As someone else mentioned earlier, there are some people whose posts they don't even bother clicking on. I'm seeing the logic in that mindset.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Eric72

If you want your BST posts to gain traction, you might want to consider one of the following:

1. Clearly state in your title that you're only trading
2. Actually offer the cards for sale

Three times today, I saw a listing in the BST that interested me. When I clicked on them, each one had "trades only" or something similar. Each time, it was a post of yours. I wasn't interested in trading; however, I would have made a purchase if possible.

As someone else mentioned earlier, there are some people whose posts they don't even bother clicking on. I'm seeing the logic in that mindset.

Its good to start a sales Subject line with any of the following so its clear what the intention is.

FS: For Sale
LTB: Looking to buy
FT: For trade

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Leon

I try to put FS (for sale), WTB (want to buy), LTT (Looking to Trade)....or something similar.

There are no rules but maybe if that were one it would help? We are very slow to make any rules on the forum but that might be one that helps everyone? And it's super obvious if someone doesn't do it. They won't "not" do it for too long around here. I am sure folks will self police it.

I was just answering the OP's question. They wanted to know why their BST threads weren't gaining traction.

Perhaps because it was a tiny bit frustrating to interact with those threads?

Reading others' comments, I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that way of thinking.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Its good to start a sales Subject line with any of the following so its clear what the intention is.

FS: For Sale
LTB: Looking to buy
FT: For trade

+1

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by BobbyStrawberry

And here's another one for the "you know you've been on net54 a long time when...." collection:

...when you see a BST post of a card you want, but upon seeing who the poster is, you don't even bother clicking on it because you know the price is going to be too high

And in the FB card groups. Except there, it's the people who consistently price at about 20% above comps (and some people will pay that b/c it's easy shopping with a familiar name).

Which is fine, but a no go for anyone else.

[wdwfan]

Thanks for the insight. I will have to start putting FT in my posts. I don't think it'll help much because no one really trades/collects anymore. Everyone is only about buying and selling. So thank you for that. And as for the second part, as I said before, I don't typically sell. I don't get anything in return whenever I sell. I really only sell when I absolutely have to. But I will definitely start putting more words in my stuff.

Originally Posted by Eric72

If you want your BST posts to gain traction, you might want to consider one of the following:

1. Clearly state in your title that you're only trading
2. Actually offer the cards for sale

Three times today, I saw a listing in the BST that interested me. When I clicked on them, each one had "trades only" or something similar. Each time, it was a post of yours. I wasn't interested in trading; however, I would have made a purchase if possible.

As someone else mentioned earlier, there are some people whose posts they don't even bother clicking on. I'm seeing the logic in that mindset.

[wdwfan]

Thanks. I will start doing that going forward. I don't think it'll help, but I'll do it.

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Its good to start a sales Subject line with any of the following so its clear what the intention is.

FS: For Sale
LTB: Looking to buy
FT: For trade

[wdwfan]

Thank you. I'm getting feedback about my selling posts. But I'm talking that as well as buying. Not having any lucky buying around here. I think there's a buyers/sellers group, and I just haven't been around long enough to be a part of it. That's what I was told anyways.

Originally Posted by Eric72

I was just answering the OP's question. They wanted to know why their BST threads weren't gaining traction.

Perhaps because it was a tiny bit frustrating to interact with those threads?

Reading others' comments, I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that way of thinking.

[wdwfan]

I just edited my last 4 selling/trading posts to add FT in there.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

Thanks for the insight. I will have to start putting FT in my posts. I don't think it'll help much because no one really trades/collects anymore. Everyone is only about buying and selling. So thank you for that. And as for the second part, as I said before, I don't typically sell. I don't get anything in return whenever I sell. I really only sell when I absolutely have to. But I will definitely start putting more words in my stuff.

I really wish you would stop suggesting that collecting requires trading. I'm a pure collector. I literally never sell a card. I only buy cards for my personal collection. And because of this, I virtually never trade either. Trading means getting rid of a card I collect and love. So I don't do it. I purchase cards for my collection. That is collecting in the purest sense.

[wdwfan]

Yea, I guess it's more of a mindset I've gotten by setting up at and attending shows. I ask people who or what they collect. And a lot say they only buy and sell to flip and don't collect. I guess it might be different when it comes to vintage guys, which I believe most around here are. But I do tremendously miss the old days where everyone traded. I don't understand why people don't anymore as it's as safe and easy as ever. I'm one where I can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars a week on cards. So, I have to take what I have and try to turn it into what I want, and the only way to do that is with trading. But yea, I guess there's some collectors out there that don't trade and only buy and sell. But you don't see if often.

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

I really wish you would stop suggesting that collecting requires trading. I'm a pure collector. I literally never sell a card. I only buy cards for my personal collection. And because of this, I virtually never trade either. Trading means getting rid of a card I collect and love. So I don't do it. I purchase cards for my collection. That is collecting in the purest sense.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

Yea, I guess it's more of a mindset I've gotten by setting up at and attending shows. I ask people who or what they collect. And a lot say they only buy and sell to flip and don't collect. I guess it might be different when it comes to vintage guys, which I believe most around here are. But I do tremendously miss the old days where everyone traded. I don't understand why people don't anymore as it's as safe and easy as ever. I'm one where I can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars a week on cards. So, I have to take what I have and try to turn it into what I want, and the only way to do that is with trading. But yea, I guess there's some collectors out there that don't trade and only buy and sell. But you don't see if often.

I can appreciate your style. I just don't understand it. Even if I was in a position where I had to get rid of cards in my collection in order to obtain something I want in my collection more, trading usually makes little practical sense. In order to trade I would need to find a specific person with the specific card I want. And that specific person would need to also want the cards I want to get rid of. And be willing to do so in exchange for the card I want. With the advent of the internet, trading became pointless. Now you don't have to find someone with the card you want who also wants your cast offs. You just reach a massive audience of people willing to buy your card. Then take that cash and find the person who has the card you want. It's so much easier, and far more likely to actually happen than a trade. Trading doesn't exist much anymore simply because it no longer serves much of a purpose for the collector. There are better/faster/easier ways to turn the cards you have into the cards you want nowadays.

[Snapolit1]

To each his own, but whenever I see people talking about trading and trading meet ups, it seems they are more interested in keeping the idea of trading alive in principle. It's the idea of trading, like when we were kids and none of this mattered, that I think people are sentimental about. I agree with you . . the idea of me going to a trading event and seeing something I need and having an item of relatively similar value to trade to a willing trader seems infinitesimal. Others' maybe have more stuff to trade or more diverse interests.

A board member runs an annual trading event and meet up and it is well enjoyed by many, but my recollection from reading the posts is that very little if any trading takes place, and it's just people showing off their great stuff.

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

I can appreciate your style. I just don't understand it. Even if I was in a position where I had to get rid of cards in my collection in order to obtain something I want in my collection more, trading usually makes little practical sense. In order to trade I would need to find a specific person with the specific card I want. And that specific person would need to also want the cards I want to get rid of. And be willing to do so in exchange for the card I want. With the advent of the internet, trading became pointless. Now you don't have to find someone with the card you want who also wants your cast offs. You just reach a massive audience of people willing to buy your card. Then take that cash and find the person who has the card you want. It's so much easier, and far more likely to actually happen than a trade. Trading doesn't exist much anymore simply because it no longer serves much of a purpose for the collector. There are better/faster/easier ways to turn the cards you have into the cards you want nowadays.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

I really wish you would stop suggesting that collecting requires trading. I'm a pure collector. I literally never sell a card. I only buy cards for my personal collection. And because of this, I virtually never trade either. Trading means getting rid of a card I collect and love. So I don't do it. I purchase cards for my collection. That is collecting in the purest sense.

+1

I posted a similar sentiment a while ago. I don't trade because I only buy what I want and don't want to give up something to get something else.

[wdwfan]

It's more so to get rid of stuff I don't want. I buy collections, lots, starter sets and even packs/blasters from time to time. Anything I don't want or doesn't fit into my collection is what I try to trade. No sense in keeping it if it's not anything you collect/want.

But I also try and trade to get even value on stuff. For example, if you've got a $100 card that doesn't fit your collection that you want to get rid of, you're going to sell and lose out on fees and shipping. You're going to make $75. Whenever you go to replace it with something else, you're going to have to pay $125 (on eBay anyways as tons of sellers list prices are over comps) plus shipping and taxes. So you're losing $50. If you trade, you give up a $100 card and you get a $100 card. That's the way I look at it, and that's why I prefer to trade.

But it can be tough to find a match, as you said. You've got to find someone that has what you want and has something you need in return. But the conversation and back and forth is the fun part of the hobby.

The trading thing explains why my BSTs where I'm selling/trading never get any interest. But that doesn't explain why my posts looking to buy don't. The one I just created did, and I've bought 2 lots from people that reached out in response to my post. But that's not usually the case. It's usually just crickets.

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

I can appreciate your style. I just don't understand it. Even if I was in a position where I had to get rid of cards in my collection in order to obtain something I want in my collection more, trading usually makes little practical sense. In order to trade I would need to find a specific person with the specific card I want. And that specific person would need to also want the cards I want to get rid of. And be willing to do so in exchange for the card I want. With the advent of the internet, trading became pointless. Now you don't have to find someone with the card you want who also wants your cast offs. You just reach a massive audience of people willing to buy your card. Then take that cash and find the person who has the card you want. It's so much easier, and far more likely to actually happen than a trade. Trading doesn't exist much anymore simply because it no longer serves much of a purpose for the collector. There are better/faster/easier ways to turn the cards you have into the cards you want nowadays.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

It's more so to get rid of stuff I don't want. I buy collections, lots, starter sets and even packs/blasters from time to time. Anything I don't want or doesn't fit into my collection is what I try to trade. No sense in keeping it if it's not anything you collect/want.

But I also try and trade to get even value on stuff. For example, if you've got a $100 card that doesn't fit your collection that you want to get rid of, you're going to sell and lose out on fees and shipping. You're going to make $75. Whenever you go to replace it with something else, you're going to have to pay $125 (on eBay anyways as tons of sellers list prices are over comps) plus shipping and taxes. So you're losing $50. If you trade, you give up a $100 card and you get a $100 card. That's the way I look at it, and that's why I prefer to trade.

But it can be tough to find a match, as you said. You've got to find someone that has what you want and has something you need in return. But the conversation and back and forth is the fun part of the hobby.

The trading thing explains why my BSTs where I'm selling/trading never get any interest. But that doesn't explain why my posts looking to buy don't. The one I just created did, and I've bought 2 lots from people that reached out in response to my post. But that's not usually the case. It's usually just crickets.

So you're buying collections with a lot of stuff you don't want, but since you're trading it instead of selling it, you're a true collector. Got it.

[wdwfan]

Thanks everyone for the helps, tips and advice. Good to know there's still some good, forthcoming people in this hobby. Going to delete this post now and use the advice I was given going forward on future posts/comments. Thanks again so much.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by jayshum

So you're buying collections with a lot of stuff you don't want, but since you're trading it instead of selling it, you're a true collector. Got it.

By golly, my way of collecting is the only true way of collecting. Everyone else is just a bunch of poser goons doing something else that is a poor facsimile of collecting.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

It's more so to get rid of stuff I don't want. I buy collections, lots, starter sets and even packs/blasters from time to time. Anything I don't want or doesn't fit into my collection is what I try to trade. No sense in keeping it if it's not anything you collect/want.

But I also try and trade to get even value on stuff. For example, if you've got a $100 card that doesn't fit your collection that you want to get rid of, you're going to sell and lose out on fees and shipping. You're going to make $75. Whenever you go to replace it with something else, you're going to have to pay $125 (on eBay anyways as tons of sellers list prices are over comps) plus shipping and taxes. So you're losing $50. If you trade, you give up a $100 card and you get a $100 card. That's the way I look at it, and that's why I prefer to trade.

But it can be tough to find a match, as you said. You've got to find someone that has what you want and has something you need in return. But the conversation and back and forth is the fun part of the hobby.

The trading thing explains why my BSTs where I'm selling/trading never get any interest. But that doesn't explain why my posts looking to buy don't. The one I just created did, and I've bought 2 lots from people that reached out in response to my post. But that's not usually the case. It's usually just crickets.

Why is it that you consider fees associated with selling on ebay, but don't consider selling items in forums without said fees. Yet you are comparing it to trading via platforms that have no fees?

You can find a buyer with no fees the same way you find a trading partner with no fees.

There are trading platforms that take fees, just like selling platforms that take fees. No one is forcing you to use those. The fact that selling in some platforms includes fees is not really a reason to suggest that trading is the only way to get rid of cards with no fees.

[Yoda]

The B/S/T feature was a great help, with Ted Z.'s encouragement, for me to try for a backrun of the T206 John McGraw - glove showing. Many members were helpful, pointing out where I might have some luck. Well, I did finish it, sans the Uzit, as well as nice T213 and M101-2s. The Old Mill was a nightmare.

Eventually, I will be putting the whole package up for auction.

[molenick]

I suggest postings that specify that you are looking for a certain amount in trade value but will sell for a different (higher) amount.

That might encourage trading but also make it worthwhile to sell if the price gives you what you think is fair value back (minus fees, shipping, etc.).

[campyfan39]

I haven't given up on BST, but I have not had much success in the last 2-3 years. I have seen the same card(s) on other platforms, and so I know many are dealers or flippers.

I am a collector who sells when I have duplicates or have made upgrades.

For example, I have listed many 1952 highs that I have upgraded for less here than in other places. Still, they sold elsewhere.