So, um, sorry for spamming you today, and stuff

[cleolinda]

So, an update on my first foray into selling on eBay: what I've decided to do is throw in a copy of the book (it does, after all, have "Lord of the Rings in Fifteen Minutes" in it), which would make this a TOTALLY UNIQUE AUCTION ZOMG. So you would be getting 1) an 11" Toy Biz Eowyn mint-in-box; 2) the book, hardcover, 400 something pages, as

Comments

[adventurat]

Set an opening bid of $0.99, set a reserve of $40, and be prepared to answer OMG THOUSANDS of questions about shipping costs.

Good luck!

[cleolinda]

Oh God. I have no idea what to charge for shipping. I ought to just be like, look, throw me ten bucks, flat fee, and we'll call it even no matter where I'm sending it.

[adventurat]

No no no! Bad idea. Find out how much she weighs, all wrapped up to ship, and have the numbers READY when bidding opens. Seriously, people will ask!

Also, the book? Although a lovely inclusion, will drive up the shipping cost like nobody's business. And it's the buyer who pays shipping, so if you say $40 minimum for Eowyn, and $10 for shipping, and it costs you $30 to ship her AND the book, you're down on the deal. Which is the opposite of what you want.

Don't jump in unwary, my friend. Don't forget that your seller's fees (usually a % of final selling price, and variable depending on starting price, reserve, etc.) must also eat away at any arguable profit. If she doesn't reach your reserve, you don't have to sell her. Don't give her away.

[cleolinda]

Oh, I definitely don't want to sell her for too little--I think that's part of what my "doing it wrong" fear is about.

[thecolourclear]

$6.99 US / $9.99 international, maybe?

Also, are you going to have a 'buy it now' option for like, $50 or summing?

[adventurat]

Another excellent question! See, Cleo, you have so much to think about before you do this!

[cleolinda]

Well, that's also why I thought I'd run the pictures past y'all first--it seemed like a good way to prompt a discussion of how not to screw this up, oh God, I'm going to screw this up.

[adventurat]

You are not. We won't let you. :)

[cleolinda]

Actually, I don't think I will. I'm kind of curious to see what people would be willing to pay, and I'd like to swing a (Cheap-Ass) Edward and a Faramir out of this.

[thecolourclear]

Ahahaha! Edward! I can't wait to see the girls react to him!

[carebear8six]

Whenever I sell on ebay first I search for the same item I'm selling and see what people are setting as the initial bid and buy it now price. Then I see what it sells for, or what some of the bids are at least. Also check how many are available and what the people are willing to pay.

You can probably get more than $40 with the book included and ebay makes it pretty easy to calculate shipping.

Good luck!

[jennnk]

If she & the book will fit into a flat rate box, that's $9.80.

[kailisu]

Exactly what I was going to say.

There are two different sizes of flat rate boxes, too. Go to your post office - they usually have a few lying about that they'll give you.

If not, calculate what the postage is from your zip code to one in, say, Hawaii or Alaska. Use that as your one-shot shipping amount. I really can't see that shipping for over $10, though - US, that is.

International is anyone's guess.

[jennnk]

flat rate boxes & envelopes are always free! seriously! it's awesome!

I also love exclamation marks.

and overseas is WAY variant. Like a box that would have cost me $10 to send to BC cost me $38.60 to send to Uruguay. And I had to confirm that there wasn't anything radioactive in it o_O.