advice needed on sterling silver lots

mugsisme · Mar 16, 2015

I currently have 3 mixed lots up on Ebay. I have a ton more silver I want to unload. A lot of rings, necklaces, bracelets, etc. Should I continue to make mixed lots, or just throw all the rings together, all the ten gazillion earrings I have in one lot, etc?

What do you think will get me the most bang for my buck?

Beachkid23 · Mar 16, 2015

Just from experience the signed stuff sell singly and all the other stuff together. At least the rings. if it's something that looks like you would buy separately and pay good money for it then sell it separately. if it's a whole bunch of miscellaneous stuff do one big lot.

mugsisme · Mar 16, 2015

Oh Beach, I meant, should I make one lot of rings, one lot of earrings, one lot of necklaces, one lot of bracelets, and one of pendants? OR, I can mix them up and match them like I have right now, vintage style pieces with vintage, the whole kit and caboodle, modern looking stuff with modern stuff. One big mixed lot.

kali_is_my_copilot · Mar 17, 2015

If you really have that much stuff then just mix and match. I'm trying to unload a bunch myself right now, so tonight I'm starting a small-ish lot of beach-themed charms, a sports lot (bracelet & two charms) and then a big lot of SW-type stuff that's 60-70 grams and has some necklaces, some bracelets, a ring, a bunch of charms/pendants, stickpins charms etc. Part of it is that I haven't really found a method that works that well, I'm currently experimenting with the idea of lots that are small enough and stylistically similar enough to appeal to individual collectors while still being a not-terrible buy for a dealer.

kali_is_my_copilot · Mar 17, 2015

Also this is slightly off-topic, but what's everyone's take on pricing for these? I've basically given up on auctions because gold & designer silver sell just fine as BINs and that makes up most of my sales; I don't want to run these lots as auctions either because they never do as well at auction as I would like. The last couple of months I've been starting them at what I consider an "optimistic" price (2-2.5x melt), let that ride for a week, and then start discounting weekly til the stuff sells or I get sick of looking at it and scrap it or trade weight for weight for new crap at the flea market. That's only happened once actually, and if I'm remembering correctly the lowest any of my other junk silver lots went for was still above 2x melt, so I can't really complain I guess. The bottom line for me is that with great pictures, listings & prices I could probably list ALL of my stuff individually as BINs and it would eventually sell for more than I make piecemeal when I sell in bulk, but ain't nobody got time for that. I'd much rather be turning over that lower-end inventory and focusing on the nicer stuff I sell.

Beachkid23 · Mar 17, 2015

On the Sterling charms o used to separate the bracelets and the charms and sell a charm separately. I do usually get about $10-$15 per charm. And if they move or had enamel on them sometimes more.

As for pricing on auctions I've done fine just starting them off at $.99. I've been watching a lot of them also and with seem to get bid up pretty good to.

mugsisme · Mar 19, 2015

Kali, most of this stuff came from a jewelry jar. As long as I can get more than melt, and that includes the Ebay/PP fees, then I am good. I have 3 auctions for mixed lots up right now, 200g, 251g, and 254g. They all have bids, I think over a hundred.
I put up a lot of 4 brooches. No one seems interested, but I did price them at $20, which I figured they could turn around and sell for like $20 a piece ($15 profit). The ring lot is going really slow. :-( I was surprised; I thought that one would fly. I have no patience to list each piece of silver individually. I also realized that anything I sell for less than $10 isn't worth it, once you factor in fees and stuff. I don't know how these sellers are selling stuff for a buck with free shipping. Doesn't make sense to me.