I don't understand why CT-er's list Silver on eBay

I can get a box of 100 claps envelopes for around $9 shipped on amazon, which works out to around 9 cents each.

A box of 100 bubble envelopes would be around $30 with postage.

So for every 100 sales you save about $20, not much, but it's $20 you didn't have before. I like to keep my bottom line reduced, in order to keep shipping rates low.

The only good a bubble mailer is for items in plastic. Proof sets, graded coins, coins in original government packaging, etc.

I'm not trying to sound like a know-it-all here, it's simple logic.

If something is bloody strong enough to BEND a coin, or otherwise damage it during shipping, the 10mm layer of bubble wrap will be useless to protect it.

I hate being sent bubble mailers. I cannot even shred them, they clog my shredder.

Sure, bubble wrap will protect a proof set or a graded coin from cracking the plastic, but if something is strong enough to bend a silver dollar, then the bubble wrap will be useless.

I'm telling you, bubble mailers are a complete waste of time and resources for sending non-encapsulated coins.

It would be like sending a rock in a bubble mailer and hoping the thin layer of air protects the rock from a blow with a pickax.

I've made 6 sales since I've mentioned that, and I don't even carry "popular items" like wheat pennies or silver dollars.

I offered you a referral link that would of allowed you to list 40 items completely free of charge, and would of only had to pay 6 whole percent if they sold. You refused. You would of not have paid one cent if nothing sold.

You could of listed 40 ten dollar items and not have paid a cent until they sold, and the difference between feebays 13% and etsy's 6% would of worked out to around $28.00 saved.

The reason it took me a while to sell anything is because buyers are cautious when buying from a new seller, everyone goes through that phase.

You claimed at one time you had 10k in inventory, if you would of put half that on etsy, and if all of it sold, you would have saved around $350.

I love etsy.

It's cheaper than eBay, the community is more friendly, and I don't have to put up with the quasi-nazi tactics eBay keeps forcing on sellers.

 

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I simply agreed with ONE POINT Detecto made, a point I agree with 110%. I never said he was the 'last word', or anything to that effect (no offense, Detecto). I think if there were a poll, more would not approve of having coins mailed in an envelope than would. But again, I DO agree with trying to keep shipping to a minimum. As for 'self insuring', I'm sure a lot of buyers don't buy that...'self insure' just means 'oh well, if it gets lost, I eat it'. It just MAY be appreciated, but IMO, not by the majority. And again, it is policy to supply tracking, not an option, so there ARE going to be those buyers just looking for freebies, and there'll be much more looking for freebies the more ebay becomes a fixed listing marketplace, on the horizon. It's becoming a huge Collector's Corner.

 

Comparing ebay guidelines to nazi tactics...aaaaaand I'm out.

 

Or, you increase your sales price a whopping 5 cents each and then you can provide proper protected shipping.

This is completely wrong. They are an excellent choice for coins shipping in 2x2s or airtites. They provide excellent cushion to the coin. Tim...if something is going to bend the package so badly that the coin is going to be ruined...your clasp envelope will bend too. Bubble mailers provide extra protection from being tossed into bins and moved around.

Why are you shredding them? There is nothing on a bubble mailer that needs to be shredded.

Again, your method of using a clasp envelope with cereal box pieces for added strength don't provide any protection from this either. This is a useless argument.

You keep saying it over and over...but have yet to provide a good reason as to why it's wrong. Simply repeating it over and over again is not enough evidence to change the most popular shipping method for coins.

I don't think we need to worry about pickaxes beating up our coins in the mail...if we do your method is just as vulnerable.

It might be a good idea to avoid Nazi comparisons. It's kind of inappropriate and is completely undeserved. I know eBay has some frustrating policies...but they certainly aren't Nazis.

Also, one thing to consider about eBay. Yes, they have higher fees and difficult policies but their exposure is much better than anywhere else. Therefore, it's far easier and faster to sell items there. Often, an investment is needed to make a profit. Sometimes, a bigger investment (like using eBay) is worth it. You say he would have saved $350 using your other site...but would he have sold the whole inventory as fast? I highly doubt it.

 

I did.

Bubble mailers are only a good option to keep plastic from cracking as they absorb impact.

However they don't have nearly the protection the stop metal from being damaged.

Take a junk silver coin, and put it in a bubble mailer, and hit it as hard as you can with a miner's pick.

I will bet you 10 to 1 it will be damaged.

That's my point, if something is strong enough to damage a solid metal disc (aka a coin), through a clasp envelope, and another layer of cereal board, then it would damage a coin through a bubble envelope. That's why it's a waste. Anything strong enough to bend, nick, or otherwise damage a coin through a clasp envelope and a sheet of cereal board will damage a coin through a bubble mailer.

No, but with any business, there is always risk. May have been a risk of time, but no risk of money.

The problem with eBay is that they used to be community driven until the latest CEO (the C stands for Crap) took over and ruined eBay.

You will noticed there is a far higher presence of buy it now items instead of auctions like in the "good 'ol days", and you can thank him for that.

He forced a lot of new rules that disadvantaged both the buyer and the seller, and even though thousands of sellers complained, there was nothing they could do as eBay is the Walmart of retail.

Two of the biggest things that ruined eBay are 21 day hold times for sellers. How would you have liked to start your dental practice, and be told all the money you make would have to be held for 21 days?

Worse yet, in the initial stages of the policy, sellers were being held shipping money as well and had to ship things on their own dime, now that's completely unfair.

The second thing he did was instate a 9% Final Value Fee on Shipping, and this was around the time they pushed to offer free shipping.

So not only were sellers encouraged to bake the shipping price into their items, they had to raise their rates 9% or loose money.

Charging a fee for sellers on shipping is ridiculous, since many sellers were trying to be fair and charge fair prices for shipping.

He also over-commercialized it by allowing "big box sellers" such as toys r us and best buy to sell on there. They also scrubbed negative feedback off their slate for them as well.

eBay was NEVER meant to be Amazon, it was always supposed to be for small and medium sellers, but the CEO got dollar signs in his eyes and ruined it.

 

Again...this example is pointless. I can say the same thing about tour method. A miner's pick has nothing to do with it. But, if I put a junk silver coin into a bubble mailer and I put one in your package and threw it into a mail bin a few times...I'll bet the coin in the bubble mailer comes out better.

I'm not talking about bending the coin...I'm talking about a small ding. It doesn't take much to do that. The more protection the better...especially when the cost is so minimal.

Have you ever heard the phrase: "time is money." That's a business saying.

I'm not going to get into another "evil CEO" discussion with you as you clearly have no understanding how a big business is run. The fact is, eBay has the MOST exposure for selling these kinds of items. They know that...and they charge for it. It's like any kind of advertising. The more people it reaches, the more expensive it is.

As for "eBay never meaning to be amazon"...who says? They are both major corporations who compete. When one finds a successful niche...the other is going to try and jump into it. There is nothing wrong with that. Businesses that don't evolve with the time...fail.

 

That's not what I meant.

I meant that the CEO forced many things people didn't like, but people had no choice as eBay was so big. Luckily alternatives are growing in size.

eBay abused sellers because they could, people could either deal with it, or have nowhere else to sell.

..and yes, that IS evil, when you force things onto people that the majority disagrees with, because they have no other option, then really there is no other word for it besides evil.

 

I offer free shipping on everything except auctions. One advantage is realized when a customer buys more than one item. The cost of shipping is baked in to the price of both items, so it's extra profit.

I wouldn't send anything without tracking. Besides the extra security, it makes me eligible for Top Rated status.

Bubble mailers run me 16-18 cents apiece.

 

That's why I don't offer free shipping, it's not fair to people who want to buy multiple items.

 

There is nothing wrong with that. There is nothing wrong with building it into the price. The change in price is pretty minimal. If that nets you a few extra bucks every now and again that's great. Plus, by getting "free shipping" the buyer is also happy because they believe they are getting something for free. A happy buyer is a return buyer. There is nothing wrong with that.

It's not evil at all. eBay has to pay a huge overhead to run their site. They are always looking for places to save money. Their policy changes have ALL been to save them money. If people don't like their policies...they are welcome to go elsewhere. The problem is, there is nowhere else to go with the same exposure. eBay is the best. Nobody is being "forced" to do anything. If you want their exposure, you play by their rules. If you don't want to play by their rules...the consequence is losing that exposure.

 

Not fair? Nobody is forcing them to buy two things at once.
And besides, I choose the prices that I offer products at. If I offered a shipping discount I could raise the prices of the merchandise.

 

All you have to do is offer a discount to anyone who buys more than one item.

 

Amen. I make no secret of my hatred for ebay I feel their policy's vile their fees offensive (I can consign to a real live auction with real bidders for less then 13% I do it all the time) they've removed all protection for the seller so problem buyers can walk all over you and as more and more quality sellers get fed up (not just coins) it's turned to a low end flea market I used to use it to occasionally buy high end early Americana and the occasional early coin. There's none of that at auction level it's either overpriced buy it now or problem or fake I quit ebay forever in 2005 and will never go back

 

Oh... so you mean last week, and unless it's mommy who's trying to part-out a scooter, now?

I'll never understand why (as this isn't the first time) you claim to no longer sell on ebay, and act as if it was your choice to leave, yet continue selling there. All anti-eBay rants and complaints aside, there is just no reason for pretending this is something past since you're obviously still selling there FOR A REASON and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. There are plenty of people that do not like ebay, but wisely use it to their advantage.

Does this in any way sound familiar?

 

I don't sell on eBay, my parents do, I give them stuff, they sell it, and then I give them a percentage of the profit.

 

That is you selling on Ebay.

 

i wish that i were allowed to sell on ebay. even if i had the option of paying somebody else to list my items, that would be still be decent. but i don't have those options. i would agree with the op that listing junk silver is not the best way to make money on ebay, but listing junk, low grade, low value coins and pretty much anything else is a good way to make money on ebay. during the time that i was allowed to sell on ebay i received more bids and better prices for items when i offered free shipping. free shipping, 7 day listings, decent photos, money back if not satisfied, the formula for selling on ebay is very simple.

 

Who cares if bkozak33 sends out coins in letter envelopes? Won't his customers decide if they ever want to do business with him again? Everyone's business is a reflection of the choices each business owner makes, good or bad.
As far as free shipping. Nothing is free. Intelligent buyers understand this and adjust their buy price accordingly.

 

I list them here first and if no interest I'll list on eBay

 

What you are doing is selling on eBay. It may not be your account...but they are your items being sold on eBay. Again, nothing wrong with this. But it is a little hypocritical that you bash eBay while your items are up for auction on that very site.