How does one decide to go to a fixed price item or to an auction listing? What do others take into consideration when deciding this? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Hi John, I recently visited the auction site only to re-affirm an earlier perception ......An ungodly amount of listings (over 1000 a day) consisting way much collateral, common, off-centered items with frequently over priced reserves, and fallacious descriptions (superb, gems,etc), that largely wind up with no bids. Mind you I'm generalizing, but it was, for me, enough to sour consideration of this aspect of Hipstamps that is out of control. With no financial output for the seller unless the item is sold, a ton of recycled "bait" is cast out there reeling in an occasional taker. One can, I suppose, dumpster dive through in hopes of an elusive reward for one's scrounging labors. What I would like to see changed is placing a limit on the items a dealer could post and maybe a token listing fee so as to discourage what I would call frivolous listings. At that point, I would probably consider activity of buying/selling in this venue. Just my take.
"consisting way much collateral, common, off-centered items with frequently over priced reserves, and fallacious descriptions (superb, gems,etc)"
I'll bet that alot of those listings that you find (and I have seen them as well) as synced in from Ebay. Sellers on Ebay love to over-dramatize their stuff with "vintage" this "rare" that and "antiquities" being the most common.
I may be an anomaly with the items I offer here on HipStamp . . . but I much prefer AUCTIONS.
•• I am often very surprised what an item will sell for when a bidding war erupts! That wouldn't happen if I picked a price point myself -- and I would be missing out on top dollar.
•• I really like the fact that I know ahead of time when I need to make time for packing and mailing the items I'm selling, rather than being blindsided on a busy day by a sale that comes in unexpectedly.
"What I would like to see changed is placing a limit on the items a dealer could post and maybe a token listing fee so as to discourage what I would call frivolous listings."
Isn't this already the case? I'm under the impression that auctions have a 'listing fee' whereas fixed price listings do not.
All auctions do have a 3 cent listing fee for each auction. I try to have a few auctions going every day, mainly as a way to get traffic to my store, and in some cases trying to move some stamps where I have enough in stock that my great grandchildren will still be selling the stamps. If I am unsure of the value of an item or stamp auction is a good way to find the value. If some one offers to buy the auction item at a "good" price to save me "time" I figure that I have something good and that there will be good bidding, more so at Feebay than here.
My ignorance of the auction pricing has been made evident, having not participated as a seller there and that presumption has been corrected. My general perception of the auction remains; perhaps tainted by listings of, say, common plate blocks such as US 927 now offered starting at 1.99 (plus $2.00 shipping). Were it not for the occasionally-seen bid/purchase of these, I might not be so ruffled. Yeah, yeah, I'm imagining all the ensuing comments defending or justifying the reality of this - it's not borne out of some sense of nobility, but I just don't feel comfortable defrauding (my term) or seeing it happen. I suppose it could be argued that the whole hobby is merely based on conferred value, and if one wants to go there to dismiss my example, have at it. Maybe my squawking simply reflects a naive notion of what I'd envisioned the auction place to be. My bad.
Ron Lenke: "My general perception of the auction remains; perhaps tainted by listings of, say, common plate blocks such as US 927 now offered starting at 1.99 (plus $2.00 shipping)."
You mean like this?
Buy It Now:
vs Auction ($2 shipping plus 25c each additional stamp)
There isn't enough wool in this world that I could pull over a customer's eyes, to fleece him or her this way.
I got my fingers burnt listing a KGV Seahorse stamp at auction on hipstamp for 0.99p start. Yes - it sold for 99p but should of realised between £5 to £6. No more auctions for me thank you.
In general I am disappointed with sales on this site. I now just list here as a "Shop Window" and don't hold my breath. Sales just seem to pay my fees and pay for a few months in advance. I know that I deal mainly in first day covers and this is mostly a stamps site - but sales on ebay are 98% greater than here? ....................."C'est la vie"
We currently sell just under $1 Million in stamps each month on HipStamp, and approximately 25% of that amount is through auction. We have many Sellers who focus primarily on auctions and are very successful in doing so.
We also have many Sellers who focus primarily on fixed price listings and are very successful in doing so as well. It really depends on what you're looking to achieve. If you're looking to auction a large amount of material, feel free to reach out to us to discuss options we have available to help you be successful. Just click on "Contact Us" at the bottom of any page on HipStamp under "Help".
Comments
I'll bet that alot of those listings that you find (and I have seen them as well) as synced in from Ebay. Sellers on Ebay love to over-dramatize their stuff with "vintage" this "rare" that and "antiquities" being the most common.
•• I am often very surprised what an item will sell for when a bidding war erupts! That wouldn't happen if I picked a price point myself -- and I would be missing out on top dollar.
•• I really like the fact that I know ahead of time when I need to make time for packing and mailing the items I'm selling, rather than being blindsided on a busy day by a sale that comes in unexpectedly.
Isn't this already the case? I'm under the impression that auctions have a 'listing fee' whereas fixed price listings do not.
https://www.hipstamp.com/store/fatdanes-stamp-store
You mean like this?
Buy It Now:
vs Auction ($2 shipping plus 25c each additional stamp)
There isn't enough wool in this world that I could pull over a customer's eyes, to fleece him or her this way.
In general I am disappointed with sales on this site. I now just list here as a "Shop Window" and don't hold my breath. Sales just seem to pay my fees and pay for a few months in advance. I know that I deal mainly in first day covers and this is mostly a stamps site - but sales on ebay are 98% greater than here? ....................."C'est la vie"
We also have many Sellers who focus primarily on fixed price listings and are very successful in doing so as well. It really depends on what you're looking to achieve. If you're looking to auction a large amount of material, feel free to reach out to us to discuss options we have available to help you be successful. Just click on "Contact Us" at the bottom of any page on HipStamp under "Help".