How to Sell 40K armies on eBay

[Darkseer]

Howdy folks,

when it comes to selling armies on eBay, what's the best way to go about it.

For example, say I had a 2500 points army all beautifully painted with custom carry case (this is just an example!)

Would it be better to break it up and sell it unit by unit or as a single lot?

Obviously, I'd make the sale/s available internationally.

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn121/AMBSphotobucket/1.jpg

IMPORTANT: I'm researching this for a friend. No one lose their minds thinking I'm selling my Tau (http://warhammer-tau-army.blogspot.com/) any time soon! ;)

[Aldramelech]

Depends on how desperately you want shot of it I suppose. Single units are more likely to sell, there arnt that many people who can afford a whole army. Whether you get a better price this way is debatable.

Stiffneckstudio would be a good member to ask.

[faete]

I will add that you can sometimes have better luck with trading sites such as Bartertown. I've seen people there drop $500-1000 on armies, something which rarely works with E-bay.

[sketchesofpayne]

If you are patient you can always try selling the army as a whole. If no one bids on it then break it down into units.

Always post several good pictures with the auction.

[trjames]

I think as squads you're more likely to get better money for your eBay sales. I've been looking at expanding to a non-imperial army lately and have been looking specifically at tau and dark eldar. Adding things up as a buyer I think I would have always spent less money on a full army than on individual squads.

Going along with that, I have ideas about how I want things to look troop wise, and I'm not going to bid on a 2000 point dark eldar army if it has 2 taloi and a scourge squad when I know that I'm only going to use ravagers in my heavy support slots.

I don't know how other people feel about it, but I'm going to re-paint what I buy on eBay regardless. I will always bid LESS for a model if it is painted than if it is bare. I'm more interested in the hobby portion than the gaming portion (but I do still want a usable army), and painting and converting are my favorite parts. It doesn't matter to me if your paint scheme looks nothing at all like mine, because your models are going to spend a few days in a simple green bath anyway. Obviously I'm not in the market for something done by a real pro (as opposed to an eBay 'PRO PAINT MASTER!'). By the way, your Tau are utterly fantastic and way better than anything I could do myself. It's a personalization and "ownership" thing.

Sell things as squads. You'll make more money, the person on the other end will be able to make up their army how they like it, and everyone will be happier.

[Brass Scorpion]

I have to agree. Most of the time I've seen people trying to sell whole armies for large sums of money they rarely get it. Most people just don't have the large lump of cash needed, especially if the seller is looking for a few hundred dollars or more. Whole armies seem to go for bargain prices unless they are exceptionally well painted and advertised. Most of the time it seems to be a bigger money maker to sell off units separate from each other. It's more work, but more money in the end.

[Lerra]

An average or poorly painted army will often sell better by unit.

A very well painted army can sell for MUCH higher than what you paid for it (you need to find a buying looking for a display army or a best-painted award type army). I've seen auctions of especially well-painted armies go for 2-3 times the original purchase price, if not more.

[Darkseer]

Okay, so what if I sold this Tau army (example!) as a job lot?
Think I'd get the big bucks for selling a beautifully painted army complete or should I sell it off peicemeal?

[Lerra]

I would try to sell it as an army using the "Buy it now or best offer" option. If that doesn't sell, do it piecemeal.

By the way, it's okay to post links to ebay auctions here or mention that you are selling your tau.

[Stiff Neck Studio]

Here is my opinion on selling an army on Ebay

1. You always get more for the army if it is fully based and all the army matches. If it doesn't then sell it individually. Although it is a real pain to list individual units you will probably get more that way.
2. Buy it now or best offer if selling it as an army. You have to have a high enough rating to do this option
3. Pictures,Pictures,pictures. Very well painted models with crappy pictures might as well be crappy painted models as far as a potential buyer is concerned.
4. As i mentioned above if the entire force is fully painted and matches (Like the Tau army above) you WILL get more for it regardless of what everyone else is telling you to do as far as breaking it up. BY having it all in one army with a case and everything else you are creating additional value that individual units would not create. Yes there are more people that can afford a couple hundred for a single unit but you would be suprised how many people out there will come up with the cash for a very good offer on a very well painted and built army. SNS

[trjames]

I would try to sell it as an army using the "Buy it now or best offer" option. If that doesn't sell, do it piecemeal.

By the way, it's okay to post links to ebay auctions here or mention that you are selling your tau.

I agree entirely with this. Put it up for a month listed maybe 25% more than what you want to get for it and see what happens. After that split it out into lots.

You have a very strong advantage in selling that army whole because it's 100% painted, it's based, the paint job looks awesome, and it's not TOO pretty (I wouldn't be scared to take it out of a case). 90% of the armies I've looked at recently didn't have that.

[Darkseer]

Thanks guys,

yes, I am considering selling them.
I just didn't want any mad hysteria from people telling me to keep my army.

I shall return with a new Tau army in time.
But right now the Codex is dated and so are many of the miniatures. Especially when you look at the new Forgeworld designs.

All aboard the Space Wolves bandwagon baby! :D