Selling more sets on Local site rather then eBay is it a Floke

[anolian]

I have only really tried to sell my lego sets on ebay. I have been doing pretty good but all those fees always kill be in the end. I recently posted some more sets on my local buy and sell sites and i have sold more sets on thats site in one weekend then i have in 2 weeks on ebay. Is this a floke? or do other people have the same results. if that's the case i will scrap ebay and only post big expensive sets on there and stick with my local site.

[KShine]

Yes - If that isn't a Floke, I don't know what is.

[Ciglione]

If you can sell locally, you should do so. I think it rules over selling on ebay. You just have to start building a customer circle and you will sell. Maybe the price you will get is lower than ebay. But you will have no problems with fees, risks, etc. Also you will have less exposure. Which is always good. Just get the fell which sets sell better locally and which are to be sold on ebay. So you will reach the perfect mix. I just follow this strategy and I think it works.

[Guest TabbyBoy]

I no longer sell on eBay.  I do very well using local adverts and word of mouth.  All cash transactions and no fees meaning I can undercut any eBay seller in my area.  I started by listing large/expensive sets as collect only as I didn't want anal buyers to try it on with postage and box condition complaints with so much at risk.  Since buyers often drive to visit me, they've never backed out of a deal - yet.  If they are fussy, I have a small discount in mind or can offer a free small set or polybag.  Either way, they don't want a wasted trip.

 

I'd never risk posting a large/expensive set to an eBay buyer due to a lot of them "exercising their rights", I just don't trust them anymore - sorry.

 

Just spread the word among your local community and through various clubs.  For security, I always keep my stock in a friend's secure lockup and I only collect sets from there once they've been sold.

 

HMRC is also less aware of cash transactions ;-)

[tractorboy]

You learn something new everyday...

 

*warning: contains rude language!*

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Floke

[Migration]

You learn something new everyday...

 

*warning: contains rude language!*

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Floke

I always preferred "frack".

[Guest TabbyBoy]

... nothing that's not in the Oxford dictionary these days. ;-)

 

OP, Innit ment two bee flook not floke?

[Guest TabbyBoy]

I always preferred "frack".

 

Now that is VERY offensive to some Brits at the moment ;-)

[surfnut]

Is it dangerous to meet people to sell expensive sets? Are Craigslist transactions are always in person? The ebay/Amazon fees are very high so finding an alternative would be awesome

[Guest TabbyBoy]

Is it dangerous to meet people to sell expensive sets? Are Craigslist transactions are always in person? The ebay/Amazon fees are very high so finding an alternative would be awesome

So far I've had no problems as most buyers are normal parents or friends of friends of friends. I have a wood axe by the back door anyway as that's where my logs are for the burner.

[justafrog]

Is it dangerous to meet people to sell expensive sets? Are Craigslist transactions are always in person? The ebay/Amazon fees are very high so finding an alternative would be awesome

 

I haven't sold LEGO on CL, but I've sold a ton of unwanted household stuff for us and for my other family members and I've never had one creepy gross person experience yet.

 

They do tend to TALK a lot sometimes, which is why I generally avoid CL. First, I don't find most people very interesting and really wish they wouldn't tell me the story of their lives and second, I really don't have time.

 

If you're concerned, meet them in a well-lit, public place and don't go alone -- or the parking lot of the police station, if you're really worried.

[segreto]

 

 

They do tend to TALK a lot sometimes, which is why I generally avoid CL. First, I don't find most people very interesting and really wish they wouldn't tell me the story of their lives and second, I really don't have time.

 

I know exactly what you mean.  This one time, a substitute came into my classroom and started telling me this long story about how he was a born reader, and how he always had books in his house growing up.  He didn't like English, but he could write, and he wrote all the time.  In fact, this one time he wrote a story and sent it to a science fiction mag.  He actually used the word "mag", so I was kind of put off right away.  I don't use the word mag, do you?  Anyway, he started telling me what his story (the one he sent to the "mag") was about, but I wasn't listening.  I was thinking of what to put on the board for the kids.  I usually just put the Common Core standard we are doing that day and maybe a happy quote, but that day's lesson was new, so I decided to put an example question that went with the lesson.  So, as this guy keeps talking, all of this stuff is going through my head, and I was like "sheesh, he can talk a lot!".  I started to put the stuff on the board I wanted to and it hit me that I had to pee, too.  So I started thinking about my quandary:  should I pee first, or should I write the stuff on the board first?  And all of these things were going through my head while he was still talking about this "mag" thing.  At least I think he was still talking about it.  Well, long story short, I forgot what I did first because this was almost a week ago.  

[Cross]

Greatest. Post. Ever.

You just topped Dante, Homer, Woolf, Sartre, Cervantez, Wilde, Beckett, Proust, and Balzac as greatest storyteller ever. A+ !!

I know exactly what you mean.  This one time, a substitute came into my classroom and started telling me this long story about how he was a born reader, and how he always had books in his house growing up.  He didn't like English, but he could write, and he wrote all the time.  In fact, this one time he wrote a story and sent it to a science fiction mag.  He actually used the word "mag", so I was kind of put off right away.  I don't use the word mag, do you?  Anyway, he started telling me what his story (the one he sent to the "mag") was about, but I wasn't listening.  I was thinking of what to put on the board for the kids.  I usually just put the Common Core standard we are doing that day and maybe a happy quote, but that day's lesson was new, so I decided to put an example question that went with the lesson.  So, as this guy keeps talking, all of this stuff is going through my head, and I was like "sheesh, he can talk a lot!".  I started to put the stuff on the board I wanted to and it hit me that I had to pee, too.  So I started thinking about my quandary:  should I pee first, or should I write the stuff on the board first?  And all of these things were going through my head while he was still talking about this "mag" thing.  At least I think he was still talking about it.  Well, long story short, I forgot what I did first because this was almost a week ago.

[Cross]

I will add this...

I have done a lot of business on Craigslist. gratefully, I am in Southern California where the market is robust, but nonetheless- these tactics can work anywhere...

I advertise locally as "cash-in-hand, delivered to a Starbucks of your choice-beverage included!"

This creates a safe environment for both you and the buyer, and offers the opportunity for face-to-face interaction. I have used this strategy to be the "go-to" guy for several buyers; a lot of folks want older sets but don't have access/information the way many of us do.

I always offer very fair pricing as well locally. It is worth it to offset the risk of returns/scams over the Net.

[akohns]

They do tend to TALK a lot sometimes

I want a scientific explanation as to why. Because it's sooooo true.

[minicoopers11]

Huh. I tend to just buy on CL and I never get the talkers. Maybe the "yeah, this was my son's old Lego, here you go, thanks bye," but that's it.

[tsbarbosa]

You are not alone.

eBay might work for some bussiness, but usually it's a better idea to invest your time and money on your on ecommerce.

[Dkc]

by the way, another good idea that I've used to sell expensive stuff on CL is to ask to meet inside the lobby of my bank.  The bank is filled with security cameras, guards, etc.  Once I do the transaction, I deposit the cash into my account with the teller, and I walk out of the bank without the possibility of getting robbed.