March 'Ask a Seller'

[tyler@ebay]

Hi everyone - 

Thanks for all your input on this over the last few months! 

This month's question is as follows:

Where do you begin to research an item you have that ‘gut feeling’ is a good sell but you don’t have expertise in it?

Feel free to share your input below!

Tyler

PS: If you have a question you'd like to see featured as an 'Ask a Seller' please feel free to send me a private message!

[2nd-time-around-jewelry]

I have always looked at eBay listings to see if someone else has sold this item before. I may even ask the seller about it to get more details. I then look to see what these items sold for.  When eBay started out it was a showcase for unique, unusual, one of a kind items.  It was the place to go to find weird & wonderful things.  Sadly those type of sellers are being pushed out of the market by huge sellers of new & useless products.  I have mostly sold vintage & older collectible items on eBay & enjoyed doing it. I am deeply saddened by all the new policies, making it hard for the little guy to survive.

[reallynicestamps]

In a recent estate buy, we got a few 'stevengraphs',   woven silk pictures about the size of a postcard.

I started with googling the company (one of the pictures had advertising on the back) then went to eBay UK, since it was a British company with British subjects.

Then I went to etsy, because they have odd and vintage items. That was a bust-- too US oriented.

Then to Ruby Lane which deals in higher end antiques and collectibles.

Those gave me a picture of asking prices as well as some information on scarcity (not very) and demand (less).

[msmaggie060]

I will often google the item. I find google images very helpful for just this situation since they tend not to disappear.  Hummh!🤔

[around_again_records]

Google, and if you can't find it, don't list it until you are able to find information from someone or somewhere. 

[femmefan1946]

Don't rely on only one marketplace for information. EBay is an excellent generalist site, but there are specialist sites that can give you more precise information.

[great_junque_finds]

First - figure out what it is. You'll never find anything if you're searching for an "abc" and the widget is actually an 'xyz' = )