Selling on Amazon vs. eBay?

[RockMyAmadeus]

So, I've been looking into other avenues for selling, and I had considered Amazon before, but their fees look to be 15% of the value of the item...a tremendous percentage, all things considered.

 

With eBay as a Top-Rated Plus seller, I'm paying essentially 8% in FVFs. That adds up to quite a bit of a difference.

 

Is the additional eyeballs and price achieved worth it?

 

For example: last year, I wanted to sell one of my Harby #1 9.8 SS. Someone else happened to be selling another of my copies I had sold in 2011. They got $1550 for it. I auctioned mine, and it ended up at $846.

 

That was ridiculous.

 

So, is Amazon worth it? I'm finding precisely zero interest in much of anything I have listed, despite having Best Offers and prices that are, in general, around GPA, maybe a little higher for negotiating, but no one's even looking, much less making offers. But, when I auction items, I'm getting less than those buyers were already willing to pay in a BIN.

 

 

Have eBay buyers simply stopped looking at BINs any more? Is Amazon working for people?

 

Any other suggestions?

[BlowUpTheMoon]

What are the benefit's of selling on Amazon vs eBay?

 

Amazon infiltrating the collectibles market

 

Selling on Amazon - Will Make An Offer feature open up new doors?

 

Anyone have any experience selling comics on Amazon?

[RockMyAmadeus]

What are the benefit's of selling on Amazon vs eBay?

 

Amazon infiltrating the collectibles market

 

Selling on Amazon - Will Make An Offer feature open up new doors?

 

Anyone have any experience selling comics on Amazon?

 

This is a NEW thread, cuz it's by ME.

 

[Junkdrawer]

look into MCS for hot moderns that would do well on eBay. They have a structured commission rate that drops should your book sell for X and even lower if to breaks XX. Auction houses like CC, HA or Clink just don't have the modern audience, but you know that already.

[RockMyAmadeus]

look into MCS for hot moderns that would do well on eBay. They have a structured commission rate that drops should your book sell for X and even lower if to breaks XX. Auction houses like CC, HA or Clink just don't have the modern audience, but you know that already.

 

I'm not a fan of MCS.

 

And yes, the things I deal in (1975+ books) don't have an audience with the auction houses.

 

I guess the issue is that I don't mind auctioning off items, except that I'm getting less than those exact same bidders would pay for them outright. Got $79 for a one of one Gen 13 1/2 SS 9.8 that the winner had made me a $200 offer for a few months before.

 

That one stung.

 

 

Maybe I should just let everything ride and get the hell out of Dodge.

[wombat]

I'm not sure how many people think of Amazon for comics. My guess is you would have far less of an audience.

[Michelangelo]

I'm not sure how many people think of Amazon for comics. My guess is you would have far less of an audience.

 

I agree.

 

If someone is going buy a comic book on Amazon and pay $1550 for a book worth $850, that's probably because they're a complete noob and don't know any better... I can't really explain that.

 

I've done a few amazon searches for comics before and haven't really found much luck

 

as for your issues with eBay, I'm finding the same thing - it's frustrating when I price my books at GPA and they aren't selling... I'm terrified to put them up for auction due to how low some of the final sale prices have been lately.

 

I'm very strongly contemplating MCS

[Michelangelo]

as for why no one touches BINs lately.... perhaps the buyers don't trust the sellers anymore... 99% of BIN prices are outrageous and it was really only a matter of time before buyers shy away from any BIN... most likely because they probably think they're getting duped.

[tv horror]

I have found that there seems to be a multiple listing for some books on Amazon Ebay and Abe books from the same sellers and the same price. In fact I've bought the cheapest by postage alone from whichever company offers the best deal, however it is the very same book as the descriptions match. I can't explain how it works but it is true, maybe you could try it yourself. It will be very interesting to see your results.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I'm not sure how many people think of Amazon for comics. My guess is you would have far less of an audience.

 

I agree.

 

If someone is going buy a comic book on Amazon and pay $1550 for a book worth $850, that's probably because they're a complete noob and don't know any better... I can't really explain that.

 

They were both eBay sales.

 

I've done a few amazon searches for comics before and haven't really found much luck

 

as for your issues with eBay, I'm finding the same thing - it's frustrating when I price my books at GPA and they aren't selling... I'm terrified to put them up for auction due to how low some of the final sale prices have been lately.

 

Doesn't say much for the state of the market, eh...?

 

 

 

[Chaseman210]

Maybe a year or so ago I had an ASM #300 9.2. This was before it got REALLY hot (I believe I bought it for $125 on eBay). I wanted it in the PC, but I listed it on Amazon for an outrageous price (about $350). A few weeks later, I got an e-mail saying my item had sold. So even with the 15% fees, I ended making a lot more than I would have on eBay. The only downside (unless it has changed since) is that I could only charge $3.99 for shipping even though it was a graded comic. I lost a bit on the shipping since it costs a good deal more than $4 to ship a CGC book. But overall, the buyer was satisfied and so was I. It might be worth a shot just to try out :shrug: .

[jsilverjanet]

My question would be on buyer protection vs seller protection and the differences vs eBay

 

Also are you shipping international on Amazon or rather can you?

[ComicConnoisseur]

So, I've been looking into other avenues for selling, and I had considered Amazon before, but their fees look to be 15% of the value of the item...a tremendous percentage, all things considered.

 

With eBay as a Top-Rated Plus seller, I'm paying essentially 8% in FVFs. That adds up to quite a bit of a difference.

 

Is the additional eyeballs and price achieved worth it?

 

For example: last year, I wanted to sell one of my Harby #1 9.8 SS. Someone else happened to be selling another of my copies I had sold in 2011. They got $1550 for it. I auctioned mine, and it ended up at $846.

 

That was ridiculous.

 

So, is Amazon worth it? I'm finding precisely zero interest in much of anything I have listed, despite having Best Offers and prices that are, in general, around GPA, maybe a little higher for negotiating, but no one's even looking, much less making offers. But, when I auction items, I'm getting less than those buyers were already willing to pay in a BIN.

 

 

Have eBay buyers simply stopped looking at BINs any more? Is Amazon working for people?

 

Any other suggestions?

Amazon works,but not instant gratification.

Instead of something selling in 7 days on Ebay,expect 30 days on Amazon. The plus is stuff sellls for higher prices on Amazon. It's just not fast like Ebay.

Also feedback is rare on Amazon.

[the blob]

someone here has indicated it is a great place to unload junk for ok to dopey prices and if people buy multiple items from you really nailing them on shipping

 

 

[the blob]

as for why no one touches BINs lately.... perhaps the buyers don't trust the sellers anymore... 99% of BIN prices are outrageous and it was really only a matter of time before buyers shy away from any BIN... most likely because they probably think they're getting duped.

 

that is what best offer is for

[JayT]

While ebay is gigantic, it was passed by Amazon awhile ago and there really is no traffic comparison. I think we all understand that.

 

I think what you get is the more common buyer, the less specialized, who trust the Amazon brand even when it comes to buying from third-parties, and whatever is there, if they also don't see it at Bestbuy or Walmart to compare a price to they just role with it. I've sold many books (real books not comics) at several multiples of what I'd every get on ebay, where I think people are just trained to think another one is coming around.

 

I've never had an issue as a seller on Amazon, though I know as a buyer, Amazon has the best customer service imaginable for a company that big. They are remarkable in my experience and on multiple occasions they've gone so far and above it's frankly ridiculous.

 

Also, and I think this is important for those of us who use it multiple times a day and I can't imagine a life w/o it, but I also think people would be surprised how many people don't have paypal accounts. It always shocks me when I run into one but I run into a TON who don't, and when I question them about it they look at me like I'm weird.

 

As an aside, I always find discussions like this interesting, especially as it relates to GPA. I'd suggest if people have BINs that don't get popped and fear the auction price, don't they just kind of know they have overpriced merchandise no matter what GPA may tell them? If you see multiple recent results that are lower than your BIN, then that sounds like checkers too me, the seller has overpriced their items for that period. I always wonder what some sellers are doing as I monitor some books that literally sit for years but then you remember this is esoterica.

 

I'd also suggest that for specifically moderns and coppers and premium books of those eras exists a small and specialized base that don't mind waiting for a deal. You see it with board sales here where if you don't have the flavor of the month, you better be slashing prices, many times below GPA, and it's understood - so why would that not apply on ebay?

 

BINS. When they are too high I won't even bother making an offer just to not insult someone or risk getting blocked from a potential future source of something I want. We see this with dealers off ebay now that have offer opportunities but set remarkably high original prices and I've just stopped checking even though I like the books and service from the past. I, and I think most shoppers for comics, are not trying to set the next GPA record, and there are BINS that seem to be fundamentally against that.

 

Now, as a buyer of comics specifically I do view it as risk, but admittedly I feel the same way about books that, like I have said, do well for me. You often don't get a specific item picture, so it's less convenient, and you have to navigate through numerous drop shippers, which is a terrible reality for comic collectors in particular thinking they are getting a specific book.

 

I'm not sure it's there yet for comics, mostly because I don't sell on a level to test it but I can easily image larger operations who have manpower to add it to their list of venues are probably doing quite well and it wouldn't blow my mind that Amazon would be a force for more recreational comic sellers in the future because the infrastructure is there. These guys have mastered the way commerce is happening today, and eventually you're slabs are going to be shipped via amazon prime for free via drones .

[SuperZar]

So I thought I'd give amazon a try. First thing I noticed, besides poor selection, is that most items have poor descriptions and terrible photos/scans of actual comics ... if any.

 

OK. So I actually found 20 moderns from 2 different sellers I'm interested in - mostly Neal Adams cover variants on various issues. I figure they're so new, the NM/MT claims are likely true. My first attempt is just one seller for a total value of $52. Shipping and Handling $73 .... what!? Seems there is no combined shipping. Am I missing something here? As I mentioned, this is for a single seller. Seems that Amazon is completely useless if you want to purchase more than one item together. Total fail. No wonder it's got so little traffic for comic sales.

 

 

[JayT]

So I thought I'd give amazon a try. First thing I noticed, besides poor selection, is that most items have poor descriptions and terrible photos/scans of actual comics ... if any.

 

OK. So I actually found 20 moderns from 2 different sellers I'm interested in - mostly Neal Adams cover variants on various issues. I figure they're so new, the NM/MT claims are likely true. My first attempt is just one seller for a total value of $52. Shipping and Handling $73 .... what!? Seems there is no combined shipping. Am I missing something here? As I mentioned, this is for a single seller. Seems that Amazon is completely useless if you want to purchase more than one item together. Total fail. No wonder it's got so little traffic for comic sales.

 

 

Just contact the seller via amazon and request a total price with combined shipping and they will refund you back. I bought some variants I couldn't find anywhere in bulk a couple of weeks ago this way. I will admit I just bought half of them first to see how quality the stock was, and then after I was pleased ordered the rest.

 

Also, look at feedback percentages more than totals with products that aren't very popular (like comics). Amazon buyers, and I know this sounds funny since we see tons of them on more mainstream products on the site, are known to not leave a lot of feedback when it comes to what most people view as disposable entertainment type products fro secondary vendors (i.e. not amazon).

 

It's definitely a crapshoot in the way ebay was until you found the trusted sellers, but it's not just comics, like even with books many times there is one stock image and it just comes down to contacting the individual sellers, getting pics etc etc and making a deal happen.

 

It's definitely not optimal, but like CGC example by the poster above, I can see that happen a lot in the near future where grade is understood/trusted.

 

BTW sellers can post their own images, that they haven't probably speaks to a time/profit ratio dealing with comics but, like I said, even collectible books are like that and the best bet is to contact them and get pics and ask questions.

[Kevin76]

Stuff on Amazon just flies!

 

The downside to Amazon is the returns, even if you fulfill the order yourself (merchant fulfillment) and someone decides to open the slab of a $1500 comic book, reads the comic, then decides "nah, I don't want this" Amazon will accept the return and you have zero say about it, not only that, Amazon will refund the buyer before you even get the book back. Amazon is the one who pays you every 2 weeks, and they will take the money back out of your account and emailed you the following "Sellersupport@ "We have initiated a refund an order to the buyer" and you'll see -$1500.00 on your seller account. So you'd be left with a $1500 comic you can't sell and $1500 poorer with Amazon telling "Sorry, that's just the cost of doing business"

 

With eBay, there is none of that, cause you don't have to accept returns.

 

Amazon is real simple though...Anything with a bar code, sell it on Amazon.

 

Anything that is collectible, sell it on ebay.

[Kevin76]

Trade paperbacks do well on Amazon, I bought and Alias #2 TPB at a comic show for $3, sold it for $28 on Amazon...Here's a little hint with Amazon, the Amazon Sales Rank number actually means something to a seller and there is a certain number you want to stay under when you want to sell anything, a comic book or a can opener, each sales rank number has a meaning to each item and will tell you how quickly something will sell. I know how to decode the number cause I do Amazon FBA, too bad I'm not going to share that info here