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.