Hi All
This is an opinion question: What's the best method to sell old games and
figs? I have things like 1) a whole company of GW Blood Angels marines,
painted, with scouts and terminators (about 100 or so) 2) a pile of old AD&D
and other games stuff (too numerous to list in any reasonable time) 3) Some
other games I never play anymore (Microarmour, etc). etc.
I might want to dispose of some of the least used stuff with the idea that it
is senseless to have stuff in scales you don't play (28mm) and for games you
don't play much when you could have more stuff in the games you do play and in
the scales you do use.
I have considered: 1) posts to the list (but it might be commercial and
therefore inappropos) 2) posts at a local hobby store 3) posts on the web (ie
put up some pics and a list and see what happens)
4) on-line actions like E-bay (but I'm ignorant of how this works or how
successful it might be)
Some of you have undoubtedly done this. Please share with me your secrets,
advice, warnings, etc.
> Hi All
The usual method on THIS side of the big pond is to take them along to the
bring-and-buy at a show, but I don't know how practical this would be
over
there......
Re: 1) above, I don't think anyone on the list minds the occasional
announcement that a fellow lister has something to sell, provided this isn't
abused and any enquiries are taken straight to private mail or to
method (3).....
I'd have to say, for the GW stuff, eBay probably is the way to go, if you're
fairly proud of the paint job. Timing is tricky, and if you haven't traded
before, the lack of a track record can be a problem. Also, good piccies are a
must.
The other items depend on details; if you're including painted micro armor,
it'd go well on eBay, but usable and, I hope, appropriate to offer to
Dirtside players. I'd say my impression is folks don't mind a one-time
sale notice on this list; we'd hate to see another weekly reminder or update.
Having just received my copy of Ragnarok; (I was going to be concerned that my
membership would lapse before I received a followup to my initial copies
;->= ) there was comment about using Evil Empire (tm) figs for pressure,
last minute, con game. I believe I've heard folks playing SGII with GW.
Other rule sets, box games, pretty much case by case, but have you looked at
USENET (viewable on Deja News amongst other places). Sometime some of those
lists can be good places. Otherwise, search for what you've got on eBay, use
the Search Completed to see what they've done in the past month. I know there
are other places doing more detail analysis, but I think these cost.
Course, there's some risk however you go with over the internet: I was very
sloppy closing some auctions during my convalescence, including paying one
person twice (praise his honesty) and stiffing someone else. Also, you may
hear from folks thinking you owe them.
Come to think of it, did I ever get those ships from you so long ago?
;->=
***
IMO: Don't do it if you don't have to. Ten years from now, you'll wish you
hadn't.
***
I keep thinking this in my own case, but my SO has a point on how much space
I'm hoggin' of the house.
The_Beast
-Douglas J. Evans, curmudgeon
One World, one Web, one Program - Microsoft promotional ad
Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuhrer - Adolf Hitler
Tom, by far the best way I know of is at a flea market table. Put a
reasonable price on everything, negotiate and bargain - have fun. I had
a giant pile of junk that I was going to throw away when I moved several years
ago. My girlfriend at the time said, "have a yard sale." I didn't think it
would work, I mean the stuff was JUNK! But sure enough I got $150 for 90% of
it, the rest I posted as free after 3:30. By 4:30 there was no evidence
of anything left behind - not even the card board boxes I brought stuff
down in. I was left just with cash.
My club has a Flea market table and it generates lots of cash for the club
every year at conventions. It works.
General selling tips to anyone
If you MUST get rid of it - and there will always be something that
you kick yourself for down the road:
(1) Flea markets at gaming conventions are always good places to
unload - IF you like to dicker and haggle. If you're a wallflower and
would rather not...
(2) Lists and the Newsgroups. It's best to treat these as sales
rather than self-run auctions, and will cause you MUCH less headache
that way. Just post the list of prices and shipping terms and you're off to
the races.
...invariably there will be stuff that the above ingrates don't want or won't
give you the money that it's worth...
(3) EBay. I've had very good experience as a seller on EBay. It's simple, list
it, and a week later, reap the benefits of the easy
marks that fell for it - erm - I mean the deserving folks who have
bid for your goodies. Seriously, you'd be surprised what some people will pay
for things that you thought were junk. Of course sometimes you experience the
opposite as well, but it all evens out in the end.
Hope this helps.
On Tue, 31 Oct 2000 21:30:00 +0000, Ground Zero Games <jon@gzg.com>
wrote:
> The usual method on THIS side of the big pond is to take them along to
Most of the conventions in North America are bigger, regional things. It's a
function of the fact that the US and Canada (especially Canada) have a much
lower population density. Shows tend to be larger but more spread out, in time
and location. I drool with envy at the British gaming conventions.
Of course, driving from Glasgow to London is considered a big deal and takes,
what, 8 hours? I'm driving to "Fall In" at Gettysburg in two days: about 10
hours from Toronto. GenCon is 12 hours in the other direction.
At conventions, you don't get a lot of what you call "bring and buys". I'm not
sure exactly what they are, either. I mean, I can guess based on the name, but
I don't know the structure. Is it an auction? Or do you have a table or booth?
In North America, you usually only have auctions. Most of them are a hit and
miss kind of thing. GenCon, for instance, has so much stuff that it's easy to
never see anything you were after. Your stuff often gets lost at conventions.
On Tue, 31 Oct 2000 16:02:44 -0500, "Barclay, Tom" <tomb@bitheads.com>
wrote:
> I have considered:
I have some stuff I've considered selling, like old Rogue Trader GW stuff. I'd
probably go through eBay, though I've heard that Bartertown is the bigger GW
enclave. However, the problem with eBay is that you need a reputation. You'll
get a higher price if you aren't a new eBay user, if your rating is over 10 or
so. You get this rating from buying and selling. This seems to be particularly
important with GW stuff, as a lot of people selling GW are younger, less
responsible kids.
The trick with eBay and other such auction places is that they are starting to
get really saturated. It's harder for your stuff to stand out.
That being said, the auction places will get you the most people seeing them
and there are people who are constantly looking there.
Posting on rec.games.miniatures.misc (there is no marketplace newsgroup in the
rec.games.miniatures hierarchy, an oversight) wouldn't be bad, but make sure
you have a web site with pictures. Pics are a necessity. You'll get more money
in an auction, too, if you have pictures.
You could try posting here. I'm interested in microarmour, depending on what
it is and the quality.
I doubt a store will really get you much. This is a niche market. There may be
only a couple of hundred people who go to a local store, maybe 10% of those
who would pay you anything close to what you'd want for the stuff, and maybe
only 10% of those who want the stuff right now, and that's all very
optimistic. In an auction, there's more immediacy, more "buy it or lose it". I
did sell a lot of Magic cards in a local store, on consignment, but Magic
cards lend themselves more to buying bits and pieces. The local miniatures
store in Toronto has a lot of figures that haven't moved in months. Your area
may be different, but stores are usually not a great way to go.
On the othr hand, put them in a store and see. You can always leave them at
the store for now, and if they don't sell you can pull them and try to sell
them online.
3F5]
Sender: owner-gzg-l@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU
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Delivered-To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu
Let me know what the AD&D stuff is, i will be interested.
3F6]
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Oops, sorry all. My mistake (finger trouble). After all i'm not getting any
younger and my UNSC fleet keeps taking a toeing. Maybe i should just play
Magic instead
:-)
> Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2000 16:02:44 -0500
tom,
try Bartertown at:
www.bartertown.org
it's a place for buy/sell/trade of historical and non-historical minis.
i sold a couple of things with little hassle.
dave
On Tue, 31 Oct 2000 16:02:44 -0500 "Barclay, Tom" <tomb@bitheads.com>
writes:
> Hi All
Yawn, Oh sorry...
> 2) a pile of old AD&D and other games stuff (too numerous to list in
Sigh. Trying to sell these off myself...
> 3) Some other games I never play anymore (Microarmour, etc).
Microarmour?!?! Want any 25mm historicals in trade?
> I might want to dispose of some of the least used stuff with the idea
SSSH! We heretics that believe 'that' can be pummeled with bits of lead until
we beg to recant if the 'can't have enough lead' fanatics find
out...
> I have considered:
Fair, limited exposure but you and/or buyers can ensure each is on the
'up and up' as a trader fairly easily...
> 3) posts on the web (ie put up some pics and a list and see what
deja.com has a rec.games.miniatures.misc and r.g.m.warhammer(?) plus
r.g.m.historical lists. Plus a r.g.boardgames(?).marketplace?
E-groups.com has several lists you could check out.
> 4) on-line actions like E-bay (but I'm ignorant of how this works or
I used to bid on stuff but when the final buyers were buying at 200% of
original retail
> Some of you have undoubtedly done this. Please share with me your
It's just like off line selling, only chopped up in bits of conversation
via e-mail. And the usual rik of misunderstanding without facial
expessions/gestures as in real conversation - or tone as in telephone
conversations.
You forgot:
4) Convention Flea markets!
As this is becoming a trifle redundant, except for potential religious wars on
payment methods and, *shudder*, reserves, could we bury this now?
Oh, one thing, though...
***
deja.com has a rec.games.miniatures.misc and r.g.m.warhammer(?) plus
r.g.m.historical lists. Plus a r.g.boardgames(?).marketplace?
***
Those are USENET lists; deja.com merely archives and sorts. *seeth*
The_Beast
-Douglas J. Evans, curmudgeon
One World, one Web, one Program - Microsoft promotional ad
Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuhrer - Adolf Hitler