Tool Talk
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Papaw on December 20, 2015, 09:20:10 PM
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As you may know, I retired last year on December 19th and have had some medical issues since. I am relatively healthy at 73, but realize that I won't last forever.
I have been considering letting go of the many wrenches I have accumulated over the last 20 years, and have sold a few this year. I have seen that the market is quite soft and I probably will take a loss on a bunch of them.
Ebay offers the largest pool of possible buyers, but "Sold" prices seem way down. Guess I will just have to take my lumps and move them out slowly.
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I have noticed that ebay prices drop near the holidays, also watch the numbers of offerings in each category. Will be watching the market come the new year, I should sell some of the excess too.
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yes, the market is soft, but today on ebay, the Rufus H. Woodbury 1985 (unmarked) adjustable wrench just sold for $2,433.oo
it had 3 bidders.
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I haven't bought anything off ebay for the 6 months, all over priced, not near as many "cool" things on there.
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That is a 1885 patent. The Petrie adjustable bicycle wrench and air pump sold for $400.00. The rare stuff seems to still bring the money with some of the buyers. I know of one other Petrie but never saw another Woodbury although Woodbury is listed in Copes and Petrie isn't.
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I'm not convinced that ebay offers the biggest pool of "buyers" anymore. I think it's more the biggest pool of people wanting to watch and see what comes up for sale. It's hard to sneak in on a rare wrench on there, even if poorly listed, but the middle-high to mediocre wrenches will hardly command much interest.
The one plus with ebay right now is that you can list 50 things for free each month. That way you can list stuff at the minimum you think it should be worth and let it run a couple times if needed. I recently watched a wrench not sell for the starting $75 for 3 weeks. The fourth listing it brought $191.
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I have noticed prices are about double what they were 10 years ago. of course most of you have different interests in tools than I do so that may explain why I see a different trend than you. of course I realized when I started collecting that it was kind of the "ground floor" so to speak and tool collecting was an affordable hobby and naturally prices would go up. although it is an investment I prefer to look at it as an obsession and i'm more of a hoarder than a collector. :grin:
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Prices are down, except for the rare items. There seems to be less starting collectors, and many of the advanced collectors are just not into it as they use to be. Also, many advanced collectors are only needing the rare items.
You may want to start your auctions at the least amount you will take, if they do not sell, you can relist them in a few weeks at a slightly lower price.
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I have been taking advantage of the free relistings, starting at a reasonable price, then dropping a bit each time. Some just end up on a 30 day fixed price listing hoping to sell, and then I'll get a very lowball offer.
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I've heard the shipping "damage scam" and the seller getting ripped off is way up. One guy I know said he was 1 in 5 being out of his money. Is that true? he sell bottles. They way some package is horrible. One guy got a batch of bad tape, the box made it here but nothing was in it. an early Indian jr scout tranny case. I still don't have one. 1932-36, the s/n is unreadable. There is a lost Philco mini-scope somewhere in Tennessee among the missing.
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Papaw, what's your ebay handle?
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Papaw, I've been selling a few items for about a year and a half. Last year and this year there was a bit extra sales near the holidays, then a slowing. The slowing in sales picked with the approach of Spring.
The free listings will allow you to relist until the market improves a bit later in the year.
I have found about the lowest starting bid I will ask is about $4.00 (they pay shipping at that price). Between eBay's 10% final value fee and PayPal's 3%+30cent transaction fee, you have to be careful. I don't understand how people list things with a starting bid of $0.99. I bought a game a few weeks ago that was selling regularly at $25 for the starting bid of 0.99. And the seller shipped it Priority Mail for $3. He ate it on that one.
This week I sold a Fordson wrench and a Nash wrench for about $4 to $5 net profit (each).
Maybe you should post your seller name here so the group can check out your sales. Mine is "grafvonv".
If anyone from ToolTalk sees an item and makes an offer I will consider selling (once the auction is over - to be fair to eBay).
Good luck
Al
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My Ebay name is--- papawswrench
Current offerings are - http://www.ebay.com/usr/papawswrench (http://www.ebay.com/usr/papawswrench)
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If you factor in that a 2015 Dollar is 50ยข of 2005 money, you're really loosing your ass.
If you want to feel good, consider the guy down the road from me has been trying to sell his investment in gold plated SnapOn wrenches in a glass front box he was sure were a good retirement plan for about 5 years now.
Man has shunned me since he tried selling them to me and I told him I was ugly, not stupid.
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I have been taking advantage of the free relistings, starting at a reasonable price, then dropping a bit each time. Some just end up on a 30 day fixed price listing hoping to sell, and then I'll get a very lowball offer.
I wouldn't drop the price unless you have to sell. List it a few times at your minimum. If it doesn't sell, set it aside and try it a couple months later. Timing and rarity seem to be the biggest factors with ebay buyers. It also seems that the current market place likes over cleaned stuff. I'll never figure that one out.
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Papaw - whoops! Your link is somehow my stuff. Ya might wanna edit that.
Regards
Al
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current offerings,takes me to mine...whats up with that
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Sorry. I fixed it. http://www.ebay.com/usr/papawswrench (http://www.ebay.com/usr/papawswrench)
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anyway if someone doesnt know,you need to click advanced search then click find a member,.to find ebayers
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I have been selling tools on Ebay since 1999. Yes, I would say prices are down overall now. I have noticed over the years that one the best times to sell tools is in January and February. My theory is that guys do not get what they want for Christmas or spend a lot on their family, and then decide to treat themselves afterward.
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Hello, All. I have been selling tools on ebay for over 10 years now. The user quality tools, and fairly common collectible tools, are not doing well. Things that are rare, clean & well cared for, new old stock, or original box tools , usually do quite well. Shipping is the deal breaker for most buyers, so I try to group similar items, and use a Priority Mail Flat Rate Box . Extreme care in packaging is a must, ebay seems to side with the buyer, and I try to take a photo of the packaged item before I seal up the box. I rarely offer free shipping, I have no friends, relatives, or connections with the USPS, I have to buy postage just like everyone else. Good luck with your sales, and a Merry Christmas to all!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sorry to hear about your issues, Noel. It kinda seems to catch up with all of us eventually, doesn't it?
I never sold on ebay, and stopped buying about a year and a half ago. The fees and shipping pretty much almost doubled the price on the things I usually go after. Just couldn't justify it. But I think with the economic times as they are people have less disposable income, and are cutting back. Just my 2 cents..
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I never sold on ebay. I usually sell on the forums. Tools and antique auto parts and accessories.
It was better 2 years ago. Been slowing for quite a while. Rare or hard to find , I usually have multiple buyers at the same time. I have a lot of nice pieces that guys can't justify the shipping and the item both.
The " ordinary" items end up at the flea market or garage sale.
Eventually , when I'm gone , it will all be disposed of in some way.
There just aren't a lot of 20-30 year olds looking for antiques.
Usable " used" tools , cheap , sell.
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Shipping is the deal breaker for most buyers, so I try to group similar items, and use a Priority Mail Flat Rate Box .
Keep in mind, I sell older, heavier cast implement wrenches for the most part while reading this....
I always believed the same thing. Until I started watching the guys at some of the on-site auctions that allowed for taking out items and having them sold as individual lots. Guys would pull out a ton of them to have them sold separately. They just don't even want to deal with the stuff that they don't want for themselves. Personally, I think that's crazy to do that. Box lots are almost always cheaper than an individual item would be.
As far as selling on ebay.. I've switched to listing the majority of my stuff as single items a few times. If they don't sell I'll either group them up or set them aside to try a few months later. The biggest thing is getting the buyers on ebay to understand the whole concept of combined shipping. As simple as it is, it's amazing how many buyers can't figure it out. As it goes for me and the types of wrenches I sell.... Buy 1 average size wrench that weighs over 13 ounces, the cost is $6, but you can buy 3 or 4 and still get $6 in a flat rate envelope. (Sandwich the wrenches in cardboard and bubble wrap and there are no issues with the envelopes). Buy 5 to 10 or 12, shipping costs $12, medium flat rate box. More than that will usually jump it to the large flat rate box at $18, but when you split that cost between 15 or more wrenches it makes it a pretty small cost per item. For sellers selling the heavier cast wrenches like I do, I highly suggest looking into the regional rate boxes the USPS offers too.
Also to those that are saying that the flat rate envelope and box don't cost $6 and $12, remember that ebay is charging the seller 10% on what they charge for shipping, so I get that back by using the 6 and 12 rule.
I have been selling tools on Ebay since 1999. Yes, I would say prices are down overall now. I have noticed over the years that one the best times to sell tools is in January and February. My theory is that guys do not get what they want for Christmas or spend a lot on their family, and then decide to treat themselves afterward.
I have to agree that it's better that time of year... but I'd say it's more due to there are not as many auctions, flea markets or other avenues for these people to get their "tool fix" during that time of year.
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I guess that I will throw in my 2 cents here, I had sold on bay, but not for a few years now.
when they told me that I had to use paypal that they owned, I was not happy. I had been taking postal checks & personnel checks
and had no problems. a few customers only used their checks and were not paypal contributors.
paypal charging for postal collections is very unjust. they are pushing for free shipping.
as for buying, yes, I buy on bay and most of the time I just figure the cost of shipping it to me is cheaper than the cost of running around
looking for that same item.
bundle, bundle, bundle, yes, it is a good thing as far as shipping.
one complaint while checking some sellers S/H fees, they are making it out of this world. "menobuyfromthem."
bad feedback ? buyers rule over sellers under paypal/bay rules. there are a few buyers that are scammers.
OPTIONS, yes, look for tool swop meets. can't beat buyer/seller one on one. friendships are made at these meets,
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I have sold at a few tool swap meets, but there are none near me these days, and I haven't been much for traveling
lately.
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I have been selling tools on Ebay since 1999. Yes, I would say prices are down overall now. I have noticed over the years that one the best times to sell tools is in January and February. My theory is that guys do not get what they want for Christmas or spend a lot on their family, and then decide to treat themselves afterward.
+1 on this...Old tools just aren't a common Christmas gift, and I personally prefer to pick out my own tools myself. I find that my eBay sales start cooking in January and really take off in February-March. Summertime can be slow too.
Shameless opportunistic plug: http://stores.ebay.com/Elk-Point-Tools
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2, H D Smith "S" handled adjustable wrenches just sold on eBay for $148 and change and $146 and change. One was 8 inches and the other was 6 inches. They supposedly came out of the same tool box. Both looked in almost new condition. I was surprised to see the 8 inch bring a few dollars more than the 6 inch.
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I was watching those, the same buyer took both wrenches.
just prior to that, the same seller sold a wood handle, perfect handle screwdriver.
he is now selling a perfect handle tire iron that is only going for $7
almost all his bids start at $6 and I have never seen him put any on reserve.
he is from Conn, as are the perfect handle tools.
goes by stno1y
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I have bought from him in the past. He is honest and has good tools for sale.
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A trend I've been seeing on FleaBay is the sellers charging astronomic shipping fees with a very low starting bid.
While at first blush it's a way to not pay ebay their percentage, it also rips off the buyers.
Paying .99 for an item with a huge shipping fee is not going to look like such a smart deal,
if there's anything wrong with the item and you want to return it.
Nuts
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Nuts, eBay charges amateur sellers like me 10% on the item and shipping cost. There's no way around it. Paypal takes 3% and 30 cents off the total payment as well. I don't know what "eBay store" owners pay - at $20 a month for the store - I'm not in that league.
We will be seeing the cost of eBay items rise because the Post Office has seen fit to raise Priority Mail rates by nearly 30%. In their literature they say the raise is about 10% but it's all in Priority Mail - it only averages out to 10%.
Al
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It's funny how markets move around. I own more Stanley router planes than I can really justify (four). A year or so ago, I looked at sold prices, and they were hovering around $20 with one cutter; not worth my while to put them up. Now the same tools in good shape start at $60 and go north from there, sometimes over $100. Time to select which one to clean up for sale.