Pins & Selling 101
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The following is "For what it's worth..." in regard to the other posts about pins and selling. I'm a teacher, I can't help it - so, if you're interested in a brief PinSelling101, let's go to school:
First - a field trip: http://www.rolbe.com/ebay.htm
...back already?
So, as per the example in another thread, if a pin sells for $22...
Postage = $1.41 if the seller prints through Paypal ($2.19 at the Post Office)
The LBE (bubble-ope) = $.50
Cost to acquire the pin (+ tax) = $9.50
Ebay fees $3.14 (per 'field trip' Olbe calculator above)
Paypal fees $.94 (Olbe again)
[ink and paper for labels is too small to worry about, but still a factor in the long run]
[[drumroll please...]]
...the seller nets right around $6 for the time and aggravation it takes to list, properly package/wrap it up, print/adhere the label, get it to the Post Office and safely get it to the buyer. Not too bad, but wait...important caveat: that figure is the one pin out of twelve (if they're lucky) that actually sells and each listing costs $.50. ...Net profit = ...zero...nada...zilch.
Is that eye opening to anyone?
***Granted there could be variables in the example I used, but that is just an example.
Now, from time to time some of us do choose to sell off some of our older traders in order to score something new [shiny eyed look/rubbing hands in anticipation of Christmas pins! ]. Sometimes it is tough to get the seven-degrees of pin trading to all line up so you end up with the new 'must have!' and cashing out of old traders and in to the new is an alternative. However, those who are scooping up tons of pins thinking they're going to be rich are going to be sadly mistaken and surprised in the long run.
Again - anyone else find that surprising? As a buyer, I always thought the seller selling the $8.95 pin for $22 was making a killing out there. Uh, notsomuch.
First - a field trip: http://www.rolbe.com/ebay.htm
...back already?
So, as per the example in another thread, if a pin sells for $22...
Postage = $1.41 if the seller prints through Paypal ($2.19 at the Post Office)
The LBE (bubble-ope) = $.50
Cost to acquire the pin (+ tax) = $9.50
Ebay fees $3.14 (per 'field trip' Olbe calculator above)
Paypal fees $.94 (Olbe again)
[ink and paper for labels is too small to worry about, but still a factor in the long run]
[[drumroll please...]]
...the seller nets right around $6 for the time and aggravation it takes to list, properly package/wrap it up, print/adhere the label, get it to the Post Office and safely get it to the buyer. Not too bad, but wait...important caveat: that figure is the one pin out of twelve (if they're lucky) that actually sells and each listing costs $.50. ...Net profit = ...zero...nada...zilch.
Is that eye opening to anyone?
***Granted there could be variables in the example I used, but that is just an example.
Now, from time to time some of us do choose to sell off some of our older traders in order to score something new [shiny eyed look/rubbing hands in anticipation of Christmas pins! ]. Sometimes it is tough to get the seven-degrees of pin trading to all line up so you end up with the new 'must have!' and cashing out of old traders and in to the new is an alternative. However, those who are scooping up tons of pins thinking they're going to be rich are going to be sadly mistaken and surprised in the long run.
Again - anyone else find that surprising? As a buyer, I always thought the seller selling the $8.95 pin for $22 was making a killing out there. Uh, notsomuch.