Advice wanted from other ebayers....

[clovis]

As most of you know, we ebay and flea market for a living.

This past weekend, I went to an estate auction, and bought a large collection of old tractor wrenches.

Tractor wrenches can be very collectible, but many of them are common. There isn't a price guide that I can use to determine value. Using ebay's completed listings is not a good source either. Prices seem to be all over the board, with some selling at 99 cents and others at $55.

I probably have over 100 different wrenches. Determining exact value is going to be nearly impossible. For instance, I have a plow wrench. One exactly like it sold for $90 at a farm collectors auction last fall, but another example of the same wrench only sold for $26 on an ebay auction. (As with most things, ebay selling prices are really soft on many items right now.)

How would you list these wrenches?

I am trying to maximize profits.

(FWIW, 99 cent starting auctions are totally out of the question.)

I know this may seem like a dumb question for the forum, but sometimes I get great ideas from you fellow posters!!!!

Thanks in advance!!!!!!! I really do appreciate it!!!!!

[blufford]

I would trot out my rarest wrench(s) and list some of the more common wrenches with them as a sweetener. It doesn't matter that you can't find enough information on their worth. Your wrenches are worth what they'll bring at auction. List them low enough to bring some interest but high enough to make it worth your time. 9.99 might be a good starting price. In addition the lower the starting price may bring more interested bidders which would encourage a bidding war which is what you want! Take a nice clear picture showing the exact items the buyer is bidding on.

I don't know a whole lot about tractor wrench collectors but you might want to appeal to collectors by conforming to how they collect them. Such as someone who collects Ford wrenches only, 1950's era only , etc etc. I might also cross list them as a collectible and as a part that someone might need to make a repair. Some of the more unusual looking wrenches could even be considered a a decorative collectible that could be hung on the wall so you may have to list it in a corresponding category so that a buyer will see it.

I list on ebay every week and really enjoy making the sale. Have fun.

[happychick]

Originally Posted by clovis

As most of you know, we ebay and flea market for a living.

I don't know a thing about tractor wrenches, but the first line of your post really caught my attention. I would love to know how you 'ebay and flea market for a living'!?! I've got a eBay store going, and am thinking about how I could start making enough money between eBay, estate sales, flea markets etc. to count as a 2nd income...You saying you do it for a living really made me think there must be a profitable method to it.
Any tips you could give me would be greatly appreciated! Thanks -

[Ken Scharabok]

Depends on what you consider a living.

My past sales: 05: $41.3K, 06: $52.7K, 07: $41.4K, 08: $49.7K, 09: $42.6K, 2010: $41.2K. 2010 is down since a knee replacement kept me out of the shop for some weeks. 2011 will be down since I have simply cut back on the effort.

Of course, net comes out of that.

Let you in on a little secret: Try to sell something on eBay no one else is listing.

As someone above noted, list one hard to fine one with one or two more common ones.

[Allen W]

I would list them at a price you are happy with, start them too cheap and you might sell the for that. The common cheaper ones sell at the flea market instead of grouping them with a more collectible wrench.

[ladytoysdream]

Find yourself a tractor forum and start a thread there asking questions where and how to list them. Bet you find some interest there.
I know a tractor only forum. If you need the url, just PM.