The common (wo)mans  guide to acquiring items to sell on ebay.

I started selling on Ebay when my love of antique auctions became an addiction and my house became a museum of sorts.

I spend a good share of my summer traveling around Southwestern Wisconsin attending auctions and looking for items to put in my eBay store. One would think that buying at an auction is fairly easy, but in order to use this items to turn a profit, there is definately some skill involved.

In this guide, I will share with you some of the most important tips of auctioning.

BE PREPARED-

Subscribe to your state auction newsletter, this publication will generally have all your auction listings. It will also be a great place to starting gathering websites of auctioneers so you can subscribe to their mailing lists for notices. Some companies even offer the ability to be notified if an upcoming auction will have something you are looking for.

Review the listings not only in the paper (hard copy) but also on line. The online option will generally give a more complete list of items available at the sale. It may also offer pictures.

Research the items you are going to bid on. There are several avenues to do this; start with Ebay, see what people are paying for an item. This is a real life up-to-the minute value. Check other internet sites, invest in an updated buyers guide or check with a reputable antique dealer. However, it is important to remember that even if Ebay, a book or any other source indicates one amount the item will only be worth what someone is willing to pay you for it.

Know your auctioneer, know the terms and conditions of the auction. I have noticed more and more companies charging  a bidders fee which can be anywhere from 5 to 10%. Personally, I will not attend an auction where I am charged to bid.

Know the reputation of the auctioneer. I have had a couple of instances where the auctioneer wasn't honest about some items. My advice is to stay away from these sales. When you buy an item it is yours. It is your responsiblity, when you post it on eBay, your buyer isn't going to care what the auctioneer said. You are are going to be held responsible for it. Your buyers look to you to provide a good item and if the item isn't up to par it will reflect in your feedback.

Take advantage of early viewings. Sometimes if an auction is being held at an auction house, buyers will be allowed to view the items early.

Take notes, examine not only the items you are interested in but other pieces. Occasionaly a piece may not have anyone bidding on it, however remember even if you only pay a couple of dollars for it, if you can't resell it, it's junk that you have to deal with. 

Note any damage, chips, cracks or missing pieces. If it is an auction with lots of items group together in boxes, go through each box, make an note of the outside of the box. If it's a numbered sale make a note of the number so when the bidding starts you will know exactly what you are bidding on. At this point set a limit of what you are willing to pay for the box or item.

GO PREPARED

Watch local weather channels, if the sale is outside dress correctly, it's no fun to stand outside freezing. Take hand sanitizer for use after going through boxes (plus generally if it's outside there's a porta potty). Take a magnify glass to read markings. Take newspaper and boxes or plastic tubs to wrap fragile items. Get directions to the sale, if need be take a trailer or other means to haul your items home. Tarps, bungy cords and tie downs are also helpful, if hauling a large lot. Take a runner (someone to take boxes to your car so you dont' have to miss anything) Don't forget your driver's license and checkbook!

Eat breakfast. You can't auction on an empty stomach. Go early, but not so early to beat the auctioneer, that's tacky! Get your auction number. Park your vechile in a convenient location, especially if you don't have a runner. Stacking up your items really isn't a good idea as eventually you will have to leave your items to load them and leaving your items unattended is a huge NO NO. Again, when you arrive go through the boxes that you previously looked at, sometimes things get moved. It is very disappointing to bid on box only to find out what you thought you were bidding on is no longer in there.

BIDDING

When bidding begins, pay attention live bidding moves very quickly an item that starts at $1 can move to $10 in a heartbeat. Don't let the excitement take over, stick to your limit that you set earlier. This is where your value research comes in. If you get caught in a bidding war, reselling the item at a profit could be difficult if you go above your limit.

The auctioneer generally starts the bidding higher and then brings the bid down to get people to start bidding. Wait for the auctioneer to bring the bid lower or you can offer a lower bid. Again, pay attention to what the bid is at and if you are the high bidder and win the item make sure you note what the winning bid is. This will also speed your checkout process, as you will want to compare your list with what the clerk has for your final bill.

BUYING

If you are buying anything electrical make sure right then and there it works, if not let the auctioneer know. Generally, they will re-sell it with the knowledge that is it defective. Same goes for other items, if the auctioneer makes a statement about the condition and you purchase the item and the statement isn't correct you MUST bring it to attention of the auctioneer right then and there. If you bring something to their  attention immediatly and they do not take the item back I would suggest not attending another of their auctions and definitely calling it quits for the day.  However, if you remove any item from the location and then come back saying it is defective they will not honor it. 

Throughout the day move around, however, try and maintain eye contact with the auctioneer and his helpers. If you know the items you are looking for you really don't need to be up front. By being up front you open yourself up to people bidding against you just to run up the price. Keep what you do with the items to yourself sometimes others will run the price up just because you are a dealer. Moving around helps keep a low profile.

At the end of the day remember to pay your bill. Aks the clerk to rerun your bill and double check it yourself before you leave. Keep all your receipts this will help you set prices when you place things on ebay.

SELLING

When you get your items home, go through each and every box. You never know in some cases what you might find tucked inside an old envelope or book and for me that is the best part of this treasure hunt, finding something unexpected.