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Sellers - My suggestions for how to improve transaction threads

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MansGame

Active member
Sep 25, 2009
15,324
20
Dallas, TX
I will preface this by saying I do not sell much on here (I deal 99.9% Albert Belle cards) but I do drop into the "baseball - transaction" section often to look around and I thought I would just offer up my 2 cents for how a seller could improve their thread(s) and make it 100x more likely to get a deal(s) done, etc.

If you have any thoughts about my ideas or if you have any of your own, or if you just want to discuss the topic of making transaction threads better, please do :)

Here I go...

#1 - Post pictures, making sure they are embedded and don't link mobile users to photobucket, etc.

#2 - Post prices and an additional value-add would be giving the range for what they sell for on eBay

#3 - "Mention" members who are listed on FCB as collectors of what you have; the thread is a sticky in the baseball section or use this link: http://www.freedomcardboard.com/forum/showthread.php?t=119553

#4 - Don't be too creative with your title, you want people to at least drop-in for a look

#5 - Don't have too shot of a timeline (ie "tomorrow morning this will all go on eBay") because you want to provide a little time for the traffic to catch-up to your thread or the transaction section in general.

I obviously know none of this increases the overall traffic to the transaction sections on FCB but I think if people took the steps above, they might come back more often. For example, I can tell you not doing #1 , especially linking back to photobucket, just 100% discourages people on the mobile app and you're dead at the door if you're linking people away.

The idea with a sell thread is to get traffic to your thread and make it as easy as possible for the user (buyer) to see what you have (on mobile as well) and to make quick decisions for whether they want something or not... think like they're walking by your table at a show. IMO these steps above might take some additional time but will increase your chances of having a successful sell thread here by 100x.
 

IUjapander

New member
Jan 28, 2011
1,003
0
Indianapolis
#6 Type out player names. Especially on another board I can't sift through pages of stuff, but if you type (at the minimum) the players name then it would show up when using the search feature.
 

MansGame

Active member
Sep 25, 2009
15,324
20
Dallas, TX
#6 Type out player names. Especially on another board I can't sift through pages of stuff, but if you type (at the minimum) the players name then it would show up when using the search feature.
Yes, this is another great example. I will sometimes search "Belle" on here in hopes a transaction thread pops up.
 

jcmint

Super Moderator
Aug 7, 2008
5,677
2
Price your cards at or below market value. I just bought 400 lot that was priced right
 

MansGame

Active member
Sep 25, 2009
15,324
20
Dallas, TX
Price your cards at or below market value. I just bought 400 lot that was priced right
Yes, this is great. I thought the eBay "range" was more/less hinting at this but you're right... if priced right, quick deals to be had.
 

corockies

New member
Mar 23, 2013
1,213
0
Colorado
I like when people add the team name to the description too. Since I collect a team it makes my searches that much easier.
 

Pine Tar

Active member
Mar 1, 2009
27,701
12
Oswego,Illinois
Yeah yeah. Everyone who would buy wants a 35-40 off eBay prices and then wants to offer even less then that. Sellers should not have to do this. But it's what happens almost every time.

I have done most of what you list here, and still no sale. I even look at the player collectors list before even making a thread send them a PM offer said stuff to them at or below eBay.

I end up just listing it on the bay with a bin/ bo and have a range I'll take and go on in life. I sell less on here then I do on eBay even if I give a great discount.

I would like to see more being sold on here, but it looks to me that will not happen anytime soon
 

MansGame

Active member
Sep 25, 2009
15,324
20
Dallas, TX
Yeah yeah. Everyone who would buy wants a 35-40 off eBay prices and then wants to offer even less then that. Sellers should not have to do this. But it's what happens almost every time.

I have done most of what you list here, and still no sale. I even look at the player collectors list before even making a thread send them a PM offer said stuff to them at or below eBay.

I end up just listing it on the bay with a bin/ bo and have a range I'll take and go on in life. I sell less on here then I do on eBay even if I give a great discount.

I would like to see more being sold on here, but it looks to me that will not happen anytime soon
I think 35-40% off eBay sales is a little excessive... not sure that's what the expectation is on here personally.
 

Pine Tar

Active member
Mar 1, 2009
27,701
12
Oswego,Illinois
I think 35-40% off eBay sales is a little excessive... not sure that's what the expectation is on here personally.

It is. But that seems to be what the tire kickers want from a seller if trying to sell on here. Now granted some of the stuff offered on here can be some really low end stuff and there seems to be more flippers then collectors on here as well most of the time for anything that has a value on the market right now (ie prospect base stuff) . But again trying to match up a buyer with what the seller has, has been a tough time on here for a few years now. Take a look at that the other boards traffic level. Baseball is #1 and will always be...... Football #2 and on life support. Basketball #3 and Hockey#4 seems all but dead as well since there has not been many new threads added to the last 2 or even posts on the ones that are there. I know it is the off season for those to right now as well. Also newer product has not come out for a while too but traffic is down on this place, and seems to be getting lower and lower by the week.

So when someone busts a product of anything other then baseball, The eyes are not on that thread, so moving stuff is nearly impossible. Again I'm not trying to crap on what you stated here at all, just wondering if anything will change even if those selling did what you stated as how it get a sale down.
 

MansGame

Active member
Sep 25, 2009
15,324
20
Dallas, TX
It is. But that seems to be what the tire kickers want from a seller if trying to sell on here. Now granted some of the stuff offered on here can be some really low end stuff and there seems to be more flippers then collectors on here as well most of the time for anything that has a value on the market right now (ie prospect base stuff) . But again trying to match up a buyer with what the seller has, has been a tough time on here for a few years now. Take a look at that the other boards traffic level. Baseball is #1 and will always be...... Football #2 and on life support. Basketball #3 and Hockey#4 seems all but dead as well since there has not been many new threads added to the last 2 or even posts on the ones that are there. I know it is the off season for those to right now as well. Also newer product has not come out for a while too but traffic is down on this place, and seems to be getting lower and lower by the week.

So when someone busts a product of anything other then baseball, The eyes are not on that thread, so moving stuff is nearly impossible. Again I'm not trying to crap on what you stated here at all, just wondering if anything will change even if those selling did what you stated as how it get a sale down.
All I can tell you is that maybe you are doing the five (or six) things laid out in this thread but if I jump over to the transaction thread right now, I doubt I'll find hardly any threads who do. So I'm not trying to get into a pissing match with you but I bet less than 5% of the people who post over there take these pretty simple but easy steps to help their threads out. I personally believe if more people tried these simple steps things would improve over time.

For example, mentioning members who collect said players or teams can ONLY help and hardly anyone does that, it's usually another member giving someone a heads-up -- I believe you've done this a lot for me and I've actually ended up with the Belle cards, where I probably wouldn't of known they were over there ;)
 

Pine Tar

Active member
Mar 1, 2009
27,701
12
Oswego,Illinois
:lol: Wow, I was not trying to be the Debbie Downer here. I was just trying to be the tried this approach, and it seems to maybe not add to the movement of stuff. As for mentioning members, yes this can work, since I for one almost always go into a thread and add the people I know collect what's maybe for sale, since most of the board members seem to miss them.
And that is because of one of your things you list is DON'T BE WITTY WITH YOUR TITLE.

I go to almost every part of the boards here and look around for others needs on a daily basis. I have list of what members are looking for right on my desk, so if I see something, I then look at that list and see if their is a match. If I don't see one, I go to the player collectors thread and then match-up someone with what maybe offered up, or even let someone know what was just hit in the box breaks, even if the breaker maybe not wanting to move anything from it. Just passing long that info to the worlds that align in the card world.

I add no value to this site most of the time. But, I don't care to have that badge on my chest, as one of the people who people seem to like and even who they look up to so to speak. When I seem to play devil's advocate in a thread it can have a negative effect almost always every time. But I'm just trying to make others see both sides but before they take their side. (does this make sense). I sometime can't type out what I truly mean to say, thus it comes off as I'm the know it all to end all. It seems to rub people the wrong way most of the time.

Again. Great ideas for others to think about, and hopefully use, so they can get something done with those that need something.
I commend you on this thread with the knowledge your trying to drop on the masses. Keep it up. Because we're only as good as the information we get, and the information we leave. :grouphug:
 
Last edited:

jcmint

Super Moderator
Aug 7, 2008
5,677
2
Quit clogging up the boards with wtb wttf it's less space on the first page for items actually for sale
i will pay slightly less then ebay on clean prospect cards. I used to spend thousands here a month now it's a few hundo some months nothing
in short don't gouge buyers mark the cards a little less then ebay and they will sell
also deadwood don't sell. Whatever your trying to sell see if it's selling on ebay
if it's not selling there it sure ain't gonna sell here. It's not rocket science guys
 

MansGame

Active member
Sep 25, 2009
15,324
20
Dallas, TX
Quit clogging up the boards with wtb wttf it's less space on the first page for items actually for sale
i will pay slightly less then ebay on clean prospect cards. I used to spend thousands here a month now it's a few hundo some months nothing
in short don't gouge buyers mark the cards a little less then ebay and they will sell
also deadwood don't sell. Whatever your trying to sell see if it's selling on ebay
if it's not selling there it sure ain't gonna sell here. It's not rocket science guys
I am guilty of bumping my Buying Belle thread but it's worked for me to pick up tons of Belle cards on here but can see that for some it's "clogging" up the thread... not sure how to fix that? I mean it's just like in the Baseball section all the "Official ______ Discussion Thread" for all sorts of players and teams... I mean I'm sure some people hate seeing the McGwire Official Discussion thread bumped every day or the Griffey or whatever but you just pass over it?

I agree with your statement about doing a little research first and if it's not selling on eBay, chances are it won't on here either.
 

MansGame

Active member
Sep 25, 2009
15,324
20
Dallas, TX
I don't have much but thinking about making a FS thread tonight or tomorrow to test this out and just see for myself how this might work... we will see.
 

Crewfan82

New member
Apr 21, 2009
1,243
0
Best way to sell is price them right and post pics. As a buyer I refuse to look through a list, and I also stop paging through a sale thread if the prices are above eBay even a little bit. I'm not going to gouge a seller, but I am sure looking for a slight discount off of going rates since I am saving the seller fees by buying off eBay.
 

VizquelCollector.com

Active member
Jul 31, 2009
1,494
0
#6 Type out player names. Especially on another board I can't sift through pages of stuff, but if you type (at the minimum) the players name then it would show up when using the search feature.

If someone mentions me or better yet PM's me about a card I don't have or even a nice one that I already do but really like, I'll try to buy it. I appreciate the gesture and happy to pay a very fair price. I wouldn't expect a serious discount.
 

Bill Menard

New member
Aug 26, 2008
3,421
0
Yeah yeah. Everyone who would buy wants a 35-40 off eBay prices and then wants to offer even less then that. Sellers should not have to do this. But it's what happens almost every time.

I have done most of what you list here, and still no sale. I even look at the player collectors list before even making a thread send them a PM offer said stuff to them at or below eBay.

I end up just listing it on the bay with a bin/ bo and have a range I'll take and go on in life. I sell less on here then I do on eBay even if I give a great discount.

I would like to see more being sold on here, but it looks to me that will not happen anytime soon

Actually, I think you've contacted me a couple of times and I've bought from you because you initiates the contact. Had you not, I probably wouldn't have seen the great cards too had to offer, so I thank you for doing so and your prices were fantastic!
 
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