Author Topic: Seeking advice on eBay selling (Read 1530 times)

Stewart Bailey · « **on:** June 10, 2022, 08:24 AM »

Hi All,

I am looking for opinions on how to present an item for an eBay auction. The item is a Tucker/Veritas patternmakers vise.

I bought this vise new in 1990 even though I did not really need it or have a place to set it up. That continued to be my situation so it has been in dry, but unheated storage in the pacific northwest for 32 years. After much debate I have decided to sell it unused.

My question is, which would generate more interest, offering it as is, unopened, or to open it so someone could see the actual vise, not just the box.

Thanks,

Jeff

Dan C · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2022, 08:28 AM »

You’ll be better off opening and showing pics of its current condition. I get the desire to show the box is sealed, but to your audience it matters less than you think. I sell new/open box all the time and when it comes to tools and such I see the same price for open boxes that list as new as sealed boxes. Even though the box is open the item is still new, just be forthcoming in the listing that the pics are of the item and you opened it just to show the condition. If something is wrong inside that box that you are not aware of, you’ll pay more trying to make right by the buyer too.

DynaGlide · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2022, 09:11 AM »

@Stewart Bailey I might know a guy interested. He's a big hand tool worker. If you could DM me some more info.

Quote from: Stewart Bailey on June 10, 2022, 08:24 AM

Hi All,

I am looking for opinions on how to present an item for an eBay auction. The item is a Tucker/Veritas patternmakers vise.

I bought this vise new in 1990 even though I did not really need it or have a place to set it up. That continued to be my situation so it has been in dry, but unheated storage in the pacific northwest for 32 years. After much debate I have decided to sell it unused.

My question is, which would generate more interest, offering it as is, unopened, or to open it so someone could see the actual vise, not just the box.

Thanks,

Jeff

Vanhalo · « **Reply #3 on:** June 10, 2022, 09:17 AM »

Quote from: Stewart Bailey on June 10, 2022, 08:24 AM

Hi All,

I am looking for opinions on how to present an item for an eBay auction. The item is a Tucker/Veritas patternmakers vise.

I bought this vise new in 1990 even though I did not really need it or have a place to set it up. That continued to be my situation so it has been in dry, but unheated storage in the pacific northwest for 32 years. After much debate I have decided to sell it unused.

My question is, which would generate more interest, offering it as is, unopened, or to open it so someone could see the actual vise, not just the box.

Thanks,

Jeff

https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/payments-and-fees/2022-changes-to-ebay-and-your-1099-k

SRSemenza · « **Reply #4 on:** June 10, 2022, 09:29 AM »

You will need to open it and let buyers see it. But post a picture of the sealed box as well.

Seth

SRSemenza · « **Reply #5 on:** June 10, 2022, 09:29 AM »

And ..................

Welcome to the forum!

Seth

JimH2 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2022, 02:58 PM »

Quote from: SRSemenza on June 10, 2022, 09:29 AM

You will need to open it and let buyers see it. But post a picture of the sealed box as well.

Seth

Definitely true as you do not want your buyer surprised if it is not in "new old stock" condition. Anyone going after this will know it was not used.

SRSemenza · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2022, 03:05 PM »

@Stewart Bailey You could also just try putting here on the FOG Classified board. If you do, please read through the classified rules and warnings. And understand there are no protections offered through FOG.

Seth

smorgasbord · « **Reply #8 on:** June 11, 2022, 07:24 PM »

I disagree - do not open the box!

There are plenty of old reviews and listings for this vise. It's worth more in a sealed, new box.

https://www.antiquesnavigator.com/d-3140410/tucker-vise-from-lee-valley-veritas-rare-woodworking-tool-for-workbench%C2%A0.html
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/i-scored-a-tucker-vise.474911/
https://forum.canadianwoodworking.com/forum/the-swap-meet/the-swap-meet-aa/1278977-for-sale-veritas-tucker-vise
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/tucker-vise-lee-valley-veritas-1936182827

ChuckS · « **Reply #9 on:** June 11, 2022, 07:56 PM »

Jeff,

Have you sold anything on eBay? Do you have a perfect feedback record?

Rarely would one trust a box sealed with its content only known by what you describe or state, if you do not have a long, impeccable sales history. Potential buyers who are users rather than collectors won't mind the box opened.

You are not selling something worth just $300 to $500. As an eBay seller and buyer (with over 500 feedback and over two decades), I know I won't take the risk if all I see is a box.

Have you ever considered asking if Lee Valley Tools is interested for its own collection? It may not be, but if it is, its offer is expected to be fair.

Mark37 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 12, 2022, 11:38 PM »

HI
I am new to this forum, so I hope I am not violating any forum rules by saying i would be very interested in your Tucker vise

Mark
Seattle WA

Vanhalo · « **Reply #11 on:** June 12, 2022, 11:45 PM »

I would keep it sealed if you have a good reputation on eBay.
I have been selling on EBay since 1997 and have 0 negative feedback.
Over 500 feedback rating.

Stewart Bailey · « **Reply #12 on:** June 13, 2022, 01:56 PM »

Thank you all for the comments.

I have come around to agreeing with Vanhalo, in that I should keep the box closed because it is the situation one has when one buys anything new. If you buy a new vise from Lee Valley/Veritas or anyone else, they are not going to open the box and show you the product. Rather you are going to see generic images of it because they are going to sell you something that has been opened and then resealed. If I opened it I could not advertise it as "new". When you buy something new, you want to be the one to open it. Besides, anyone seriously interested is going to know about the vise and there are images online for those who don't know what it is.

Also, I am not inclined to put it on the FOG classified as I would have to fix the price and I have no idea what it is worth today. I paid about $500 back in the day and seeing as they are out of production it is likely worth more than that. On eBay I can set the minimum bid and let the buyer determine the price. As a friend of mine used to say, "the value of something is not what you think it is worth, but what a buyer is willing to pay."

batmanimal · « **Reply #13 on:** June 13, 2022, 02:54 PM »

For pricing, if you are doing an auction, set the starting price to roughly reflect market value. (Based on previously shared links, it looks like $1300+ would be a fair starting price, but I don’t know this product line at all!)

Set the auction to 10 days vs 7.

The risk with auction is that interested buyers may not “catch” your listing, so you want to set the floor price to something that you’re happy with, in case your auction is unlucky and doesn’t see the action you expect. That way if you get only one bid, the floor price is enough to ensure fair market value is met.

But my guess is that there are a good handful of ebay buyers out there with a notification on this particular item so they will be alerted once you post it by name. That should bring high-intent bidders to your auction quickly.

I agree you should just leave the box sealed. For a highly specialized item like this, the buyer will know exactly what is inside.

Good luck!

xedos · « **Reply #14 on:** June 13, 2022, 02:56 PM »

Here's the issue - I don't care how long you've been selling or how much feedback you have. If I buy that vise from you, I'm expecting a pristine , new in the box condition. Can you attest top that

.

Nope !

There's a good chance it is ; but if I open it up and it's got surface rust on it from your unheated storage in the pacific northwest for 32 years - that's gonna be a problem. Or there's a defect, or.... Cause that ain't how it shipped from the factory. And if I make a beef about it, you're going to get the short end of the stick from ebay. Meaning, you'll be refunding my money including shipping both ways and I'll bet that's going to be a pretty penny to absorb.

Not mentioned yet are the fees you're going to incur on a seamless sale. 10-13% transaction cost + taxes. That's not trivial.

ChuckS · « **Reply #15 on:** June 13, 2022, 03:12 PM »

Quote from: xedos on June 13, 2022, 02:56 PM

Here's the issue - I don't care how long you've been selling or how much feedback you have. If I buy that vise from you, I'm expecting a pristine , new in the box condition. Can you attest top that .

Nope !

Snip.

Agreed.

If I buy something, say, priced at $1,500 from Lee Valley Tools (or for that matter, any reputable vendors like Lie Nielsen, Highland Woodworking, etc.), I don't need to see or worry about what's really in the "box" because I trust their return and refund policy if it's the wrong item, or rusty or is just a concrete slab inside (free return shipping in the case of Lee Valley). I may also have back-up protection from my credit card merchant. (I didn't open the box at the store when I picked up my Kapex...I know Lee Valley would deal with it to my satisfaction if anything went wrong.)

Would I still be protected to the same degree in an eBay transaction with a seller who hardly sells anything before (and with little to no relevant feedback track record)? I might be, but might be not. I simply don't know. Given that uncertainty factor, I'd pass.

It all depends on the target. A collector may value an unopened box (assuming the collector never wants to showcase the content). A buyer who is an user will keep the box, but will not leave the box unopened -- unless the purchase is to be used as some dead weight!

Something else: If a potential bidder asked to see the content before entering a bid, would the box be opened? No? One fewer bid.

At the end of the day, it's not a product issue per se, but a trust issue.

RussellS · « **Reply #16 on:** June 13, 2022, 05:50 PM »

Quote from: xedos on June 13, 2022, 02:56 PM

Here's the issue - I don't care how long you've been selling or how much feedback you have. If I buy that vise from you, I'm expecting a pristine , new in the box condition. Can you attest top that .

Nope !

There's a good chance it is ; but if I open it up and it's got surface rust on it from your unheated storage in the pacific northwest for 32 years - that's gonna be a problem.

I agree with xedos and ChuckS. The vise is new and unused and sealed in the box. But you cannot guarantee its in "new" condition because you have not seen it. It could easily be covered with surface rust. I am well aware this does happen to steel tools sitting in my toolboxes in the basement.

An analogy. You are buying an RV trailer. You see pictures of it on the outside and the seller says it is new. But no inside pictures. You buy it. And its delivered to your house. You walk in the door and its poorly constructed cheap as possible materials on the inside. But its new. Its all cheap junk poorly constructed and looks terrible. But it is all new on the inside and outside. Harbor Freight sells new junk all the time. Tough luck sucker for not getting pictures of what you are buying. Ha Ha.

As for selling it on ebay unopened. Maybe put a clause in the listing saying you are selling it new and unopened, but at the buyer's request you will open it before shipping and inspect the box contents. And take pictures and send them to the buyer before finalizing the deal. If there is surface rust then something happens. I don't know what. Something or other where you are selling in new and unopened and the buyer can search the internet for pictures of what they are buying. But still leave some method so everyone is happy and gets what they want.

krudawg · « **Reply #17 on:** June 13, 2022, 06:25 PM »

Quote from: Stewart Bailey on June 10, 2022, 08:24 AM

Hi All,

I am looking for opinions on how to present an item for an eBay auction. The item is a Tucker/Veritas patternmakers vise.

I bought this vise new in 1990 even though I did not really need it or have a place to set it up. That continued to be my situation so it has been in dry, but unheated storage in the pacific northwest for 32 years. After much debate I have decided to sell it unused.

My question is, which would generate more interest, offering it as is, unopened, or to open it so someone could see the actual vise, not just the box.

Thanks,

Jeff

I recently sold a few items on EBAY and got the surprise of my life when they 1099'd me. Apparently, when an item is now sold on ebay it is considered "earned income" to the seller and tax must be paid on this "earned income"

Vanhalo · « **Reply #18 on:** June 13, 2022, 06:39 PM »

From Ebay…

Starting on Jan 1, 2022, eBay and other marketplaces are required by the IRS to issue a Form 1099-K for all sellers who receive $600 or more in sales.

The new tax reporting requirement will impact your 2022 sales and taxes that you file in 2023—it will not apply to your 2021 sales and taxes that you file in 2022. Throughout 2022, look for updates from us that will help explain what’s changed and what you need to do next.

If you haven’t already given us your Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN), we’ll ask you to provide it once you reach $600 in sales.

No need to worry— you only pay taxes on profits. You won’t owe any taxes on something you sell for less than what you paid for it. For example, if you bought a bike for $1,000 last year and then sold it on eBay today for $700, that $700 you made would generally not be subject to income tax.

While eBay is unable to give tax advice to our sellers, we want to help make dealing with taxes as easy as possible. Our goal is to help all sellers, casual or those selling as a business, with these new requirements.

ChuckS · « **Reply #19 on:** June 13, 2022, 07:30 PM »

Quote from: RussellS on June 13, 2022, 05:50 PM

Snip.

As for selling it on ebay unopened. Maybe put a clause in the listing saying you are selling it new and unopened, but at the buyer's request you will open it before shipping and inspect the box contents. And take pictures and send them to the buyer before finalizing the deal. If there is surface rust then something happens. I don't know what. Something or other where you are selling in new and unopened and the buyer can search the internet for pictures of what they are buying. But still leave some method so everyone is happy and gets what they want.

This is a good suggestion.

I don't know about the current eBay policy about deal cancellations as I haven't sold for a long time.

Vanhalo · « **Reply #20 on:** June 13, 2022, 07:43 PM »

Quote from: ChuckS on June 13, 2022, 07:30 PM

Quote from: RussellS on June 13, 2022, 05:50 PM
Snip.

As for selling it on ebay unopened. Maybe put a clause in the listing saying you are selling it new and unopened, but at the buyer's request you will open it before shipping and inspect the box contents. And take pictures and send them to the buyer before finalizing the deal. If there is surface rust then something happens. I don't know what. Something or other where you are selling in new and unopened and the buyer can search the internet for pictures of what they are buying. But still leave some method so everyone is happy and gets what they want.

This is a good suggestion.

I don't know about the current eBay policy about deal cancellations as I haven't sold for a long time.

Anyone who has sold on EBay in the last decade will tell you…if the buyer wants a refund….
They are getting it.
It is best just to do it quickly.

ChuckS · « **Reply #21 on:** June 13, 2022, 08:15 PM »

Quote from: Vanhalo on June 13, 2022, 07:43 PM

Anyone who has sold on EBay in the last decade will tell you…if the buyer wants a refund….
They are getting it.
It is best just to do it quickly.

eBay used to be my prime source for selling things, but for more than a decade, I've turned to Kijiji (think Craiglist). That was how I disposed of my CT26, TS75, etc. In the past, I tried to extract the highest returns for my goods, now, the simplest way to get it done.

JimH2 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 14, 2022, 10:25 AM »

Quote from: RussellS on June 13, 2022, 05:50 PM

Quote from: xedos on June 13, 2022, 02:56 PM
Here's the issue - I don't care how long you've been selling or how much feedback you have. If I buy that vise from you, I'm expecting a pristine , new in the box condition. Can you attest top that .

Nope !

There's a good chance it is ; but if I open it up and it's got surface rust on it from your unheated storage in the pacific northwest for 32 years - that's gonna be a problem.

I agree with xedos and ChuckS. The vise is new and unused and sealed in the box. But you cannot guarantee its in "new" condition because you have not seen it. It could easily be covered with surface rust. I am well aware this does happen to steel tools sitting in my toolboxes in the basement.

An analogy. You are buying an RV trailer. You see pictures of it on the outside and the seller says it is new. But no inside pictures. You buy it. And its delivered to your house. You walk in the door and its poorly constructed cheap as possible materials on the inside. But its new. Its all cheap junk poorly constructed and looks terrible. But it is all new on the inside and outside. Harbor Freight sells new junk all the time. Tough luck sucker for not getting pictures of what you are buying. Ha Ha.

As for selling it on ebay unopened. Maybe put a clause in the listing saying you are selling it new and unopened, but at the buyer's request you will open it before shipping and inspect the box contents. And take pictures and send them to the buyer before finalizing the deal. If there is surface rust then something happens. I don't know what. Something or other where you are selling in new and unopened and the buyer can search the internet for pictures of what they are buying. But still leave some method so everyone is happy and gets what they want.

For some items, like this one, the buyer will want to see the condition to be sure it is new. New versus new-in-box is not relevant for an item than can deteriorate (rust in this case). It will be immediately obvious if it has been used before or if it has rust. It's not a big deal to open it up and see what you have. You could always include a photo of the box unopened and then partially opened.