Selling Pipes --Best Way Suggestions Please

[alan73]

Bought hundreds of pipes, never sold one. Most bought from my fab 4 of eBay, you know em. Trying to narrow the collection a little, plan on selling 30 or so. Most are well known pipes ranging from Petersons to Dunhill to Sixten Ivarsson and everything in between.
Is there a best way to sell each type of pipe ranging from the low end to mid end to high end? With the goal of net money received.
I have lots of conflicting thoughts when analyzing what to do. For example, say a Sixten Ivarsson pipe ... on one hand I know what I paid for it, which I think was reasonable. I can personally try to sell it at a fixed price, an auction , or hire one of the studs on eBay to auction it, seen some crazy auctions over the last two years.
Which outcome is best?

 

[nevadablue]

Why complicate it? Decide what you want for a given pipe, put it on ebay with a 'buy it now' and 'make an offer'.

 

[twoonefive]

Pipestud is my first and only choice when thinning the herd. I would highly recommend his services.

 

[zack24]

I sold 12 of my older pipes that I made on EBay over the past couple of months. On average, they sold for about 40% of the price a well known retailer received for a couple of my pipes that he bought in Chicago and resold. Our strategies were identical- no reserve pricing starting at $.99. I used a very nice layout with good pictures. (My pictures were actually slightly better)
There was one difference- he had over 10,000 positive reviews- I had 10. I would suggest you contact Michael Gluckler(Briar Blues) or Steve Fallon (Pipestud)- you’ll make more money with them photographing and auctioning than you will make yourself...

 

[cortezattic]

A picture of it would help determine its desirability and value, and the sales approach can go from there.

 

[alan73]

Zach : I saw your comment from a different post of yours highlighting your different results when using Chance. got me thinking.
Additionally, I do value my time and have sold other stuff on eBay (Roman coins) and familiar with bad bidders.

 

[alan73]

top down left right --briarworks Todd Johnson unsmoked, Tim Thorpe , Peterson Sherlock Holmes, Dunhill Redbark Gold Band, Buckeye unsmoked 2016, Sixten Ivarsson

 

[briarblues]

Hi Alan
E-Bay for a less than known seller = lower end sale prices. Steve ( pipestud ) does very well. He is well known, has an excellent reputation ( which I find really hard to believe - tongue planted firmly in cheek ), and gets top dollar. Fast and efficient. Rodrigo Garza ( treasurepipes ) also does very well. If Steve, Rodrigo and I each listed similar pipes on E-Bay, Steve and Rodrigo would ( in the end ) get a better end price, than I would. They have the reputations, the track record, and are well known, on E-Bay.
Of the pipes in the photo you've shown, on the Dunhill and Sixten you'd be far better off with a pro, like Steve or Rodrigo.
Regards

Michael J. Glukler

 

[orobusto]

Wonderful, classy and professional response Mr. Glukler. I have bought from you on ebay and hope your presence there increases. You all are great people to deal with.

 

[scrooge]

Mike I applaud your honesty an since of good business. Not to many people these days would put another seller before themselves. Great job!!
Alan beautiful pipes! Who's the bamboo By.

 

[zack24]

Of the pipes in the photo you've shown, on the Dunhill and Sixten you'd be far better off with a pro, like Steve or Rodrigo.

Michael, you're killing me- i just offered to take that dogged out, grungy Dunhill off his hands so i could make a proper reproduction...and now

He'll probably think it's worth $50 or so....
In all seriousness- i would love to get my hands on a squashed Bulldog for a few days- love that design!

 

[dochudson]

I be interested in that Pete..

 

[alan73]

The bamboo is Sixten Ivarsson

 

[mikethompson]

Have you considered posting them in the classifieds here?

 

[alan73]

Mikethompson: honestly no, it's a lot of pipes , lot of pictures, etc. and the upload process is a bit of a hassle when you consider 8 pictures a pipe or so.
I thought maybe personally auction off higher valued well named pipes myself, and Send the majority of the pipes to one or more of the ebay guys mentioned. I am starting to be convinced of the merits of outsourcing the sales to guys with big pipe collector followings, I do believe they will get better prices on average than I will achieve, but a 30% fee keeps me scratching my balls, I mean head

 

[mikethompson]

30% is alot of cake
Do you think the other guys can get you 31% more for your pipes than if you sold them yourself? It's just a numbers game at this point

 

[alan73]

Net it's like 15%, I think eBay charges me 10% , plus I think PayPal takes a cut. then there is the time. not to mention pipe auctions can be inefficient both ways, way too low a price for unproven sellers and too high a price sometimes for the well known sellers . I was reading a British Pipes thread today before posting this thread, some crazy stuff happens sometimes in hot auctions .

 

[admiral]

If not in a hurry - one by one here on the forum.

If in a hurry and you dont want to deal with details - dump it to Steve and the others
Or split between these options

 

[pipestud]

Mike is being too generous (but thanks!)... BriarBlues is one of the most respected names in the business. He'd get you a return on your sales as good (or better) than anyone.

 

[briarblues]

Thanks for the kind words all, but I only said what I know to be true and correct.
As far as the net end results ...... 15% is on the high side. I calculate my net is closer to 10%, when taking into account, E-Bay fees, Pay Pal fees, cost of box, labels, cost of website, time for cleaning, photographing, and travel to shipper etc.
Regards

Michael J. Glukler