Selling a collection

[Long Beard]

Don't Private Message me with offers or asking about something specific. If/when I'm selling something, it'll be up in the sale section and not before.

Some of you will remember me. I used to buy and sell large quantities of gear on MCB. MCB helped with a fundraiser to bring our youngest son home via adoption. This community has been amazing to be part of for many years.
The reality is that I haven't really played paintball in at least 10 years. After talking with another old paintball friend, I think I'd like to both get back into paintball....and also get out of it.

What I mean is...I'd like to start playing again...but I have also accumulated a decently size collection of markers and gear. I know I'll never play with 95% of it...and think it's time to stop having a mini museum in my basement.

So I'm looking for some thoughts and opinions.
Would it be easier to sell off as collections? or as individual items?

For instance..I believe I have every Sheridan marker except for the side-tubed PG in barely used (or mint), original finish condition. Should I sell those individually or is there the possibility that someone would buy it all.

Also a large lot of weird and odd old hoppers.

I know most gear I can sell individually, and did lots of sales that way over the years. This is sort of a different beast. I'm not sure what the market is these days as it's been a bit since I've dabbled here.

If it matters I'm in PA....maybe for shipping purposes.


AGAIN.....I'm not selling ANYTHING right now. Do not ask. I'm just feeling things out.

[DieManInTheRough]

Listing it in like lots is the easiest way to get attention on it.

Serious collectors may snag the whole lot for the 3 pieces they need and the disseminate the rest on there own, negating the need for you to separate the lots.

[Jonnydread]

Agreed, selling in lots will likely be wayyy easier to deal with, even if the ROI is slightly less.

[cheapguitarscheapthrills]

Second this even if you just make mini group lots. I just sold nearly every video game I've been collecting since I was a kid while selling a few games here and there is good it's better and easier to unload the bulk on one buyer/collector (not resellers). It cushioned the blow a lot knowing the kid I sold most of my stuff to really loved the stuff. That's my 2 cents

[superman]

Welcome back!
As far as selling, i think it depends on what your after. Are you after capturing every dollar you can from the sales then individual is the way to go.The downside to individual sales is obviously the time that is committed to each listing, pictures, testing, descriptions etc. If you are looking to purge all of it and get a large portion of that back then selling as a collection is the way to go. It may be difficult to find a buyer for the lot. I can say there are a bunch of guys in the north east that like brass and will likely chime in. MCB is certainly the place to sell that stuff.

Best of luck and again welcome back.

[Jonnydread]

One thing I would ask you to consider is that if you do decide to sell in lots please allow the community to enter in some feedback first in terms of the players who buy up Lots.

There are some folks who like to buy up lots and resell everything at astronomical markup and end up putting it out of the community's reach, who are the ones keeping things alive.

[Riot]

Atttaaaa boy, Jdread!

[Ecapnation]

In this market piece meal is your best band for your buck.... Anyone buying large lots is looking to flip things and will undercut you.

[scottieb]

I believe in individual sales as best practice. Good to see you're back on the boards!

[Sneak Miester]

Individual sales and maybe a discount if you buy multiple items.

[mueller]

Best way to sell?
• Quick, low effort, good (profit) --- you can pick two.
• Superman summed it up pretty well from there.

Where to sell?
• Ebay takes +10% more than paypal in fees but you don't have to manage a million conversations/negotiations/lowballs.
• Facebook groups are the next most active but it's super high touch, and FB marketplace platform is hot garbage. it's designed to keep people on FB, not to sell stuff.
• Forums are OK. Not nearly what they were 10yrs ago.
• Use pirateship.com to ship!!

Emotionssssssss
• Is this a business transaction or are you trying to preserve your legacy or anything? What really matters to you?
• Players have some real feelings about how things are sold, completely normal business anywhere else (EG buy bulk low, put in work & sell for profit) can catch some feelings when you bring them up on MCB. Which is fair but might not matter to you. Bottom line -- it's your stuff, you decide how to handle it.

[XEMON]

Im suppised no one called bacci paintball
He has done large collection brokering before

[Long Beard]

Best way to sell?


Emotionssssssss
• Is this a business transaction or are you trying to preserve your legacy or anything? What really matters to you?
• Players have some real feelings about how things are sold, completely normal business anywhere else (EG buy bulk low, put in work & sell for profit) can catch some feelings when you bring them up on MCB. Which is fair but might not matter to you. Bottom line -- it's your stuff, you decide how to handle it.

To be clear, I didn't buy bulk lots on MCB and resell on MCB. I'd buy giant lots of gear on Craigslist or locally. I'd find old players getting rid of everything. I usually kept what I wanted and sold off everything else. The collection I have is either stuff I've kept from the exchanges or pieces I paid full price for because I needed it for the collection. No one should have any hurt feelings from anything I currently own. I do appreciate the thought though. I know that that's be a no no here.

[Chuck E Ducky]

Selling Individually will net you the most. It’s also the most work for you.

Selling as a lot is going to be harder and you will need to make it worth the buyer taking what they want from the lot leaving equity to sell off and ship the rest individually.

If you sell on EBay the only one making anything is EBay everyone loses in an EBay sale. (+ Sales tax, Fees)

BookFace is a nightmare to deal with (Dumpster Fire)

I am curious what you have collected. I collect unique Stock Class stuff. Not sure where you are in PA but I’m in NY.

[Axel]

Now this is the way! We met once at Linglestown many years ago, and that group has since evolved (devolved?) into The Expandables. We play at OXL (what used to be LP), Wanna Play, occasionally Ski Round Top, and OXCC in Maryland. Join us!

[russc]

Welcome back! I don't bother with FB BST. It attracts the wrong kind of folks and needs way too much attention. The whole community is also wildly spread out over different pages. I prefer to list here or eBay at the expense of either exposure or profit, respectively.

On the plus side, since all the other forums are dead, MCB is kind of like the independent video stores that inherited all of the die hards after Blockbuster went out of business.