[78-L] eBay rules

[Taylor Bowie]

You also need this  Handy Phrase Book for jolly interaction with your 
buyers,  including these all-time favorites:

"I've been selling vinyl for [however many] years so I know what I'm doing."

"I am an expert about 78s [this one posted by several people who seem to 
know very little about the subject]"

"I know how to pack 78s...don't worry."

Which is often followed a couple weeks later with

"I'm really sorry the record I sent to you in an old paper sack with lots 
and lots of Scotch Tape on it arrived broken.  This is the first time this 
has happened since I started selling records in [fill in the year of your 
choice].

One time some old psycho dude named glassrecords or something tore me a new 
one after I wrote him and told him that my nice E+ Clarence Williams Okeh 
had gotten cracked in the shipping.  Old man told me in a profanity-laced 
reply that I should have requested the "deluxe shipping" if I was so worried 
about the record arriving intact (or "in tact" as one seller posted).

But,  my usual closing remark about eBay.  There are many,  many fine 
sellers who list records there and it really doesn't take too much smarts to 
figure out pretty quick who is trustworthy and who isn't.  If it did take 
smarts,  I wouldn't have had thousands and thousands of happy transactions 
and only a handful of bummers.

Taylor

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Lennick" <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2010 11:11 AM
Subject: Re: [78-L] eBay rules


> If it's only recorded on one side, it's super rare.
>
> If it's on a label you've never heard of, it's mega rare.
>
> If it's by Caruso, you can retire. Ditto The Andrews Sisters.
>
> dl
>
> On 9/29/2010 2:08 PM, Malcolm Rockwell wrote:
>>    From years of slogging through eBay record offerings I've come up with
>> these
>> eBay SELLERS RULES TO LIVE BY:
>>
>> 01) if the artist's name has "Blind" in it you can start it for $100 or 
>> more
>> 02a) if the title has "Blues" in it it really is a Blues, no matter what
>> the genre...
>> 02b) and it should be started at $20 or more
>> 03) if an item has been listed once and doesn't sell, it must be
>> re-listed over and over again until it does
>> 04) putting "Rare" or "Scarce" or "Collectible" before the description
>> really will help sell your crap...
>> 04b) and remember, the more scratches a record has and the grayer it is
>> the more authentic it is. Price accordingly
>> 05) being a "Power Lister" really means something and the little stars
>> eBay gives out are really important Really
>> 06) using an out of focus photo whets the buyer's appetite and
>> encourages sales
>> 07) always ignore clients packing instructions - you know far better
>> than they do
>> 08) the condition of a record can be brought up a grade by smearing it
>> with shoe polish, or linseed oil,
>>         or silicone spray, or peanut butter. Use your imagination, no one
>> will ever know
>> 09) and if the record doesn't sell you can always put up the sleeves
>> alone - much cheaper to ship, too
>> 10) finally, if your record doesn't sell priced at $7.00 (what it may be
>> worth), you should write a highly detailed
>>         treatise on it and put it back up for a $50 minimum
>>
>> I'm sure there are more, especially for other items up for sale, but
>> since this is a 78 oriented crowd
>> that should do it!
>> Mal
>>
> _______________________________________________
> 78-L mailing list
> 78-L at klickitat.78online.com
> http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l
>