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Its not just ebay. We are in a recession so less spending period so fewer people looking period. Also its after Christmas so people are taped out.

For me, I stopped using eBay, because:

1) Shipping prices have gone way, way up. I refuse to pay more than 20% of the final auction price for shipping. Sorry. Oh how I miss the old days of $3 2-3 Day Priority Shipping from the USPS (and they actually delivered in 3 days or less). Amazon offers free shipping. I'll shop there, kthxbai.

2) Auctions? What auctions? They are either all buy it now or start at a price that is not really a bargain. Unless I absolutely need an item (and I can't find it on Amazon) I'll avoid these "auctions". Gone are the days where eBay actually had auctions that started at $0.01 and let the market determine the value.

Sure, there may be some deals still to be had, but it's a lot more work to find them now than it used to be. Moreover, if I spot a good deal, the shipping prices will prevent me from putting in a bid.

The rise of the internet has enabled people to very easily find out what their stuff is worth.

Just as we all want a bargain, sellers want to get as much as possible for their goods, some take things too far by over-valueing their goods and setting huge reserves or silly buy it now prices. I have found, as a buyer, that these things coupled with terms such as rare, oop or the infamous pro painted just put me off even looking.

There are bargains to be had, but it is often down to compromising on condition, the time you want to wait to find your stuff and the quantity you want to buy.

pro sellers up-bidding items they want to re-sell is deeply frustrating as it stops genuine gamers and collecters being able to field the armies they would want to and sees all of these cool miniatures gathering dust in someones store room.

One of the best ways of getting a good deal for both parties is to use places like the Dakka swap shop, this way there are no fee's, postage always tends to be realistic if not covered by each other and you can negotiate a deal a lot better, it also allows both parties to change their minds up until the last minute, in some cases this can be frustrating but having that option can make people feel a lot more secure.

It seems to me that the introduction of sitess like Craigslist make for a much more attrative venue for people looking to simply get rid of various personal items. That leaves Ebay as the route for those people who are not just casual sellers, but are running an organized enough of a business o make it worthwhile.

Ebay sucks balls between dodgy prices and shipping fees there are no bargains to be had. I would rather just buy from an online store more reliable and cheaper 99% of the time.

Also ive seen a mate get burned twice on used minis that have been painted in enamel and are immune to green stuff =(

I dont sell much on ebay anymore because of the generally lowball bids. With the economy being down people want things extra cheap. After the fees its not worth it.

I still do a good bit of buying on there however. Since the closest decent games store is 2 1/2 hours from me I have to shop online. I have a group of sellers I use frequently and get good prices and service from them. If I cant find what I want at the price I want I go to thewarstore.com or FRPGames .com and get it from them.


Craigslist is a joke, I wouldnt even bother with them. Its the official home of the cheapskate. You can post up a new in box item worth $200 for $100 firm and you still get 10 emails offering you $50. On top of that when you reject them at least 1 will send you a nasty email ranting about you trying to rip people off.

Also never, ever buy phones or electronics from craigslist...its virtually guaranteed to be stolen. Theres almost as many thieves on there as cheapskates.

pombe wrote:2) Auctions? What auctions? They are either all buy it now or start at a price that is not really a bargain. Unless I absolutely need an item (and I can't find it on Amazon) I'll avoid these "auctions". Gone are the days where eBay actually had auctions that started at $0.01 and let the market determine the value.

I always start at 99p to make the listing free. It's the best way to go what with the way eBay fees are going. It's always a bit hairy on items which I know are worth much much more.

You still find little gems on there every once in a while.

In fact, I found (and bought) a box of Stormblades for my Warmachine Cygnar army. They're usually 40-45 bucks - I got them for $20!

Howard A Treesong wrote:

pombe wrote:2) Auctions? What auctions? They are either all buy it now or start at a price that is not really a bargain. Unless I absolutely need an item (and I can't find it on Amazon) I'll avoid these "auctions". Gone are the days where eBay actually had auctions that started at $0.01 and let the market determine the value.

I always start at 99p to make the listing free. It's the best way to go what with the way eBay fees are going. It's always a bit hairy on items which I know are worth much much more.

Most, if not all, of mine start at this level. Bidders are much more interested at this sort of price.

Essentially, my wargaming gear is 2nd hand tat and as such its value is reliant on what somebody else wants to pay for it, my own valuations are worthless and my expectations are low.

By and large I get what I want, and more besides.

Patience is a virtue, when buying on e-bay. Sooner or later I get those bitz or models at a decent price. I will however, pay a good price for hard to find or rare items.

Main problem is noobs actually bidding up prices at or above retail !!!

Jubear wrote:Ebay sucks balls between dodgy prices and shipping fees there are no bargains to be had. I would rather just buy from an online store more reliable and cheaper 99% of the time.

Also ive seen a mate get burned twice on used minis that have been painted in enamel and are immune to green stuff =(

Enamel can be stripped with brush restorer, as long as the figures are metal. Plastic figures will be dissolved.

I've worked for two different small businesses that included a strong ebay element to their retail and both of them stopped listing on ebay during my tenure there. This isn't surprising given that...



...people are just as likely to turn to craig's list as they are to turn to ebay when they want something.

Apparently, as other people have been mentioning, ebay practises terrible policies. This causes people do not want to sell things through them, which reduces the volume of sales, which reduces the likelihood that you'll find something you want if you're a buyer, which means you're less likely to go to ebay when you want something, which drives down sales through ebay.

I mean, it's still a way you can get things done as far as retail is concerned, but anemic sales might just not be problems with you - they might be reflective of systematic problems with ebay itself, far beyond your control.

Cable wrote:

Main problem is noobs actually bidding up prices at or above retail !!!

Ive noticed that as well. Many times Ive seen people bid an item higher than several buy it now auctions. They just start firing bids at the auction ending soonest without shopping around.

I have been on eBay since '98 mainly as a buyer but with a healthy stint as a seller as well. Since eBay's policy change regarding sellers being unable to leave negative feedback I have become apprehensive about selling items, especially painted miniatures. The fickleness and unrealistic expectations of some bidders makes me cringe every time I hand over a parcel to be shipped because I do not want my pristine feedback score dinged by an unreasonable bidder.

I am currently selling an entire painted Cygnar army on eBay and while I am going to dread packing and shipping 40 separate listings I have to say that I am thrilled by the amount of attention (and bids!) that the army has received. I had listed the army numerous times on here and Bartertown with an asking price a few hundred dollars lower than what I am currently getting on eBay. While eBay and Paypal's bites from the final value of the army will be large, I am glad to be able to clear out some space and make some money on an army I no longer use which was something I was unable to do on either of the two aforementioned trading forums. So, while eBay carries with it some anxieties, in instances like selling my Cygnar army I am happy to put up with the hassles that come with using the site.

Agamemnon2 wrote:Speak for yourself, I'm picking up cheap miniatures hand over fist. Four-dollar Harlequins, 20€ unpainted plastic squat squads, etc, etc. It's never been so good.

yeah I managed to pick up a 20 sisters of battle for a little over 1.25 a pop. people were bidding up the other lots from the same seller so i manged to snag the ones no one was paying attention to at the 11th hour. I love ebay. edit to add this

I also sold alot of stuff on ebay. some of it i took a bit of a hit some i was shocked how much i got mostly for them ie some old jeans i was I was going to goodwill (thrift store).

I got some good AT-43 scores on ebay recently. Kolossus and Tacarm boxes, most were about $5, a couple a little bit more. All brand new. Not bad for box sets that retailed for $25-$35 each.

A bit of advice for selling miniatures...be very specific about the quality, even down play it a bit. Also be sure to mention they will be well packed but you cannot guarantee treatment by the shipping company. That way if someone does do any complaining your bases are covered and you have a good case for disputing any negative feedback.

I sell stuff on eBay sometimes, mostly to supplement my income when thing happen...like having both my cars in the shop at the same time. Arg. I find it's really pretty fun, it's a rush seeing my items go from .99 to $100 (just happened last week, I was AMPED!). So I start almost all my auctions at .99.

Mad4Minis wrote:
A bit of advice for selling miniatures...be very specific about the quality, even down play it a bit. Also be sure to mention they will be well packed but you cannot guarantee treatment by the shipping company. That way if someone does do any complaining your bases are covered and you have a good case for disputing any negative feedback.

That isn't going to help you at all I just refunded a guy and didn't even make him send the minis back and still got negative feedback. No help from ebay at all.

Mad4Minis wrote:

A bit of advice for selling miniatures...be very specific about the quality, even down play it a bit. Also be sure to mention they will be well packed but you cannot guarantee treatment by the shipping company. That way if someone does do any complaining your bases are covered and you have a good case for disputing any negative feedback.

Ha, you are assuming people read auction descriptions. Silly man.

Ailaros wrote:I've worked for two different small businesses that included a strong ebay element to their retail and both of them stopped listing on ebay during my tenure there.

I am so not hiring you to do my ebay.)

JK. Sorry.)

I think one of the things that has led to many businesses not selling on ebay is based on what they sell. New product is going to be the most difficult in some ways, because everyone has access to it. If 10 stores list the same item, they will start lowing prices on ebay so that their shop sells the item. Buyers can easily see who is cheapest. So new items end up generating a very slim profit margin. With shipping going up, wages going up, ebay fees going up, and retailers cutting margin to compete with each other, you will hit a point where a lot of retailers don't find it worth their time and resources to compete for a small profit. The couple guys left are the ones who have learned to be very efficienct, or have a lower cost of doing business.

I don't bother selling new items. Not worth it. But ebay is great when I just want to liquidate slow selling games or books, and I only care about getting the cost I paid for them back in my pocket. Used items are also a good catagory for me. Many gamers want to sell or trade off their old models, and are too lazy to put them up on ebay. I spend evenings sorting out the stuff I take in at the shop, keep a bit for myself, sell off the rest in small lots. Better margin for me, and instant gratification for the people that don't want to deal with ebay.

I basically had to find a way of doing business that was profitable enough for the time and effort it takes for ebay to be worth my attention. I can easily see how it's not worth it for some people, and yet is working for me.


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DarkTraveler777 wrote:

Mad4Minis wrote:

A bit of advice for selling miniatures...be very specific about the quality, even down play it a bit. Also be sure to mention they will be well packed but you cannot guarantee treatment by the shipping company. That way if someone does do any complaining your bases are covered and you have a good case for disputing any negative feedback.

Ha, you are assuming people read auction descriptions. Silly man.

+1. You have to be so specific in the auction listings, because many people don't pay attention.

However, you can't dispute negative feedback. The buyer can lie to you, ignore you, ignore ebays rules, and nothing you do matters.

Ebays advice is to "get over it and keep selling, it will cycle out in a year".

Hah, just swiped a Warhammer Quest Dwarf with 1 sec to go. I love nipping in at the last possible moment

Whats your rating on ebay OP? I know the lower your stars, the further down your listings are.

Thanks to e-bay, I now have three units of 20 strong Daemonettes from all three prior editions (plus 20 plastic new ones bought retail) What can I say, its an "addiction"

Time to make up my mind on a paint scheme!!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Almost forgot, check out "Mikhaila's" upcoming auction on March 6th at Showcase Comics.

And, no I wasn't paid for this plug (all fees are in pints)!!


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Mad4Minis wrote:

Cable wrote:

Main problem is noobs actually bidding up prices at or above retail !!!

Ive noticed that as well. Many times Ive seen people bid an item higher than several buy it now auctions. They just start firing bids at the auction ending soonest without shopping around.

I've also been successful with last "20 second" bids !!!!! .........(and for decent savings)

Ebay is a Buyers tool these days.

I don't sell on ebay much any more because the fees are silly.

However I skim it regularly for bargain items and bits:

Just this week I got a old style Hellhound (which I prefer) for $17 (free shipping) and a Leman Russ Demolisher for $25 with shipping. Two models for cheaper then one of them new, delivered to my doorstep and already assembled and ready for priming/painting. Score!

Bargains indeed, just picked up another 16 Dwarf Warriors for £9.50 (RRP £18). Some Mum cleaning out her son's room apparently. Would pay to see his face when he comes back from University.

I sell religously on ebay, and honestly though their costs have increased so too has my profit margins. Do I enjoy shelling out $100-$200 a month in fees not really but when I made 4k in gross it can be worth it believe me.

My favorite negative feedback was on an old computer joystick. We clarified in the description that it had a game port plug, not USB. The customer gave us a negative feedback because "it didn't work with their computer" and eBay refused to remove it. Another guy contacted us outside of eBay when we were teetering on power seller status and said he was going to leave negative feedback and make us lose power seller unless we sent him free cords with his stuff. Since the contact was outside of eBay they wanted nothing to do with it. It can be really, really bad.

DarkTraveler777 wrote:

Mad4Minis wrote:

A bit of advice for selling miniatures...be very specific about the quality, even down play it a bit. Also be sure to mention they will be well packed but you cannot guarantee treatment by the shipping company. That way if someone does do any complaining your bases are covered and you have a good case for disputing any negative feedback.

Ha, you are assuming people read auction descriptions. Silly man.

I dont care if they read it, when they whine about something that was stated in the auction I simply point it out. Keeps me from feeling I left something out, thus owing them a refund. Same reason I post at least one pic. They can still make any claim they want, but it will be wantonly false, thus they will get no refund.

Not that its much of a worry, I have 100% feedback, just like to be covered.


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Cannerus_The_Unbearable wrote:Another guy contacted us outside of eBay when we were teetering on power seller status and said he was going to leave negative feedback and make us lose power seller unless we sent him free cords with his stuff. Since the contact was outside of eBay they wanted nothing to do with it. It can be really, really bad.

My response to that would have been:

Dear _____

Contact pertaining to auctions made outside Ebay communication is forbidden.

Also, I would seriously reconsider the course of action you are about to take. Please remember that I do have your name and address. Should you follow through on that course of action I shall have no choice but to contact the authorities in your area and file charges of extortion against you, along with any other charges that may be fitting.





Chances are the person is just an ITG and the reminder of the fact that you have his name and address, along with the mention of police, will likely deflate any BS.

Ebay is a joke at the moment. Sold an auction and despite it being marked as UK only a guy from beligum buys and then leaves me negative feedback because he didn't like the postage costs. Sellers get screwed over way to easily these days.

Some of the issues people have posted are definatly from the suck bucket. I thought I had it bad! LOL

Talking about buyers bidding items up to high though, ebay is notorious for shoppers thinking something is rare and valuable. It is usually those resellers that want to get the item and then jack up the price to make a profit. I wish those guys would get a clue. I have a RPG book that I have been searching for years for and everytime it hits ebay people bid it up to insane amounts of cash or try to sell it on Amazon. If they would just go to a rare book website they can find the exact book for about ten dollars less than what they just spent on it in ebay. It so frustrating!! I want to buy it but I am not going to pay that price for it hence why I shop on ebay.

Also someone asked what my rating is and its low compared to these sellers with 10000+ ratings. Its about 150.