Toys & Hobbies > Model RR, Trains > N Scale > Micro-Trains Line (MTL)It can be difficult to know how much to bid or where to set a price for Micro Train cars. The tips I will cover in this guide apply equally to both situations. But first, some general tips for sellers that will encourage confidence in buyers.

Most importantly, the title should clearly identify the particular car you are selling. Many buyers have searches set up to locate specific cars. If your title is sparse, many potential buyers might not see your item. To get the best response, always include the MTL stock number. If it's Kadee, put that in for sure! Do not waste a character with # sign. Most people will recognize numbers from words.  Make sure  that every word and number also stands alone with a space before and after. Sacrifice commas to get everything in. Also, include the road name and number in the title. A good listing would look like this:

Micro Trains 23456 NYC 40' boxcar 345678

From that base you can put anything else that might fit, like NIB, MINT, RARE, RUNNER, CLIP ON WHEELS, etc. 

Sellers  -  a sparse description is a lazy listing that does not inspire confidence. Develop a basic template that covers such things as condition, flaws, history. And take as close a picture as you can and crop it to fill the screen. There are few good reasons that the road number shouldn't be readable when viewed on a regular computer monitor.

 There are guides that list collector car values. Then there are eBay values. These can be swing wildly from hour to hour, but there is an anchor point. At the top of each Micro Trains listing is this line:

. Toys & Hobbies > Model RR, Trains > N Scale > Micro-Trains Line (MTL)

Click on this part:

Micro-Trains Line (MTL)

Lets say you want to buy or sell a 21190. Enter  21190 in the left top search block. Be sure the title & description box is checked if you are buying as this will lead you to hidden listings where the numbers are only in the description, such as 2 or 3 car lots.This search will do 3 important things. First it will show you every current auction with this car for sale and the current sales price. If you have customized your search properly, it will also show you the shipping cost, a very important element in the equation. Secondly, and maybe more important, it will show eBay Store listings and shipping costs. Third, by moving down the left hand yellow column and clicking on Completed Listing, you will see recently completed sales and no sales of the item. Only sales are important. With this information, it doesn't take much to figure 2 things out:

First, as a seller, it wouldn't make sense to try to get more than a store's Buy It Now price.

Second, as a buyer, it surely wouldn't make sense to bid more than the Buy It Now price.

 Store items are usually very carefully listed and satisfaction is the foundation of their business. Auctions come and go, but the store is always there. There is no rush to buy in the stores. Ask questions, maybe even negotiate a bit. Sometimes a price might seem out of line. Maybe it is and can be adjusted. Ask! But be reasonable. Stores have ongoing costs that auctions don't. They serve as a benchmark for pricing and an excellent choice for guaranteed quality and follow-up service. And there is no waiting!