Ebay is absolutely insane (*hint: sell now!*)

Actually, I've seen (and gotten) some pretty good deals on ebay since Christmas. I got the WB Molly for $66, and I think another Molly (but advertised as an AGOT--we'll find out when she gets here) for a bin of $40.

My cheapest ebay single doll purchase was a BIN of $25. I've gotten two dolls in a lot before where the price each came out to be between $25-$30. Or a doll with a lot of clothes where the price for the doll probably worked out to be around $30 max.

There are a lot of inexpensive AG dolls out there, if you are willing to put in a bit of work on them. I agree with Ashley's Mommy--the silver eyed dolls are a good example. Most of the dolls we have here the majority of ebayers would have rejected due to their condition at the time of auction. But I have yet to make an ebay purchase of an AG doll that I have regretted. The quality of these dolls (especially the PM ones) is such that the vast majority of them are restorable to a near new condition.

Linda

Why do they fix the eyes for free? The cheapest service I could see on the website was $20 for a basic clean???? Is it because it is considered a fault?

Juliette

Yes, the silver eye is considered a manufacturing defect, so they fix it for free.

Linda

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Originally posted by Juliette:
Also we don't have any clothing here for 18" dolls so I have to make all of Jenna's stuff (Maplelea) because it would cost me a small fortune to have any kind of outfit bought and sent here.

I guess I picked an expensive hobby - gulp!

Juliette

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I've ordered CDs from Australia (I'm obsessed with Savage Garden/Darren Hayes [img]redface.gif[/img] ) and it was only like $4.99 for the 3 of them in a small box. It took like 3 weeks, but I got them. I can't see why an outfit would cost more to ship from the US to Australia than 3 CDs would be to send here.

I went to the USPS site and checked. A doll is about 4 lbs. If a person put it in the smallest box possible, and used economy rate, a doll COULD be shipped from the US to Australia for about $12. Estimated delivery time to Australia is 4 - 6 weeks but I've always gotten these kind of packages in about 3. I don't know what part of Australia you are in, so I can't really give any closer than that.

Alot of sellers don't like to ship this way, but it can be done. I assume you have a decent postal service down there, and wouldn't have the issues with stolen packages and things that come into play shipping to asia and latin america.

Hey there,
The surface shipping actually take minimum 2 months and can take as much as 4 months (belive me I know!!!!) It just isn't worth the wait. You always worry and then there is the chance that a heavier box has sat on your package for that length of time. They say 4 -6 weeks but it NEVER is.

The $45 - $55 is what AG quoted me for shipping for a doll and an outfit together in the same box.

I know what shipping is from here to the US but I'm afraid it isn't the same the other way around.

Juliette

Wow! I was just going by what the postal site said. That is SO crazy. Why on earth would it take months (and more $$) to send it there and only weeks to get here. It's the same trip no matter which way it goes. Ahh the mysterys of international mail.

I am begining think California is a super fast place to ship to from most parts of the world and I'm way spoiled. [img]redface.gif[/img]

I just had a seller quote me $41 for airmail shipping. When I checked on the USPS site this is for a 6 lb package. When I weigh my Maplelea doll in a box on my scales she comes to only just under 3 lbs so I'm not sure what's going on.

Juliette

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Originally posted by Juliette:
I just had a seller quote me $41 for airmail shipping. When I checked on the USPS site this is for a 6 lb package. When I weigh my Maplelea doll in a box on my scales she comes to only just under 3 lbs so I'm not sure what's going on.

Juliette

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Alot of sellers use LOTS of packing nuts and heavy boxes and things. And boxes far larger than need be, needing even more packing materials. And they tack on fees because they have to actually take international mail to the post office unlike US mail. So they charge for the trip to the PO and stuff.

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ January 20, 2006 11:58 PM: Message edited by: GreyMyst ]</font>

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Originally posted by Cheri444:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by judiaci:
Congratulations on your successful auctions and thanks for the tip about selling now. Do you think it is better to have auctions end at night, during the day on a weekday or on a weekend?

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I've had this site bookmarked for quite a while.

http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Ne.../calendar.html

I've never used, but it's supposed to tell you when is a good time to list auctions and for how many days. Again, I've never personally used it (in fact, I've never sold anything on ebay--I just bookmarked it "in case").

Cheri

Edited to add, according to this site Sunday is the best day to end auctions.

<font color="#051E50"><font size="1">[ January 20, 2006 04:06 PM: Message edited by: Cheri444 ]</font></font></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Cheri - that is a cool little link. Thanks!

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Originally posted by kitschywoman:
Were any of your bidders newbies? I've noticed a lot of noobs on eBay during the holiday season. They tend to bid early, nibble bid and drive prices up in massive bidding wars.

[img]confused.gif[/img] I guess they like to flush their money away.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes, actually one was a newbie. They definitely drove up the bidding. The other person didn't seem to be a newbie but still drove up the bidding early on in the auction.

It's amazing how invested some people get in ebay! I wonder if 1/2 the fun is the "game" and excitement/entertainment involved in bidding.

as for reselling to make a profit... well, I've never done that, but I don't see the problem with it because if people are going to pay a ton of $$$ for stuff on ebay, might as well take advantage of it, as long as you don't have any personal moral issues against it. It's the bidders who are to blame. If everyone bid reasonable amounts, there would be no reason for so many people to have ebay as their 2nd (or 1st!) income source. The tax issue, however, is another story! I couldn't do ebay as such a huge income, however. It feels weird right now taking so much for the outfits when I would have happily sold them for much less! oh well, into the Jess fund. [img]wink.gif[/img] if I don't spend it all on Grad school applications. [img]confused.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img]