RE: Antique furniture appraiser blowing smoke.
September 21, 2017 at 6:40 am
(This post was last modified: September 21, 2017 at 6:59 am by Athene.)
(September 21, 2017 at 4:16 am)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: No doubt. But those shipping costs will be factored in one way or the other. Furniture being heavy and bulky, those costs will add much to the bill one way or the other. Buyer pays shipping? Add a couple of hundred dollars to the tab. Seller picks up shipping? Add a couple of hundred to the listing price. Cost me well north of a hundred to ship a 70-lb amp to Texas, and that was compact and not bulky. I don't know what furniture he has in mind, but a chest-of-drawers isn't going t be cheaply sent.
Were it my own, I'd simply go consignment through a local antique house. Less shipping risk (because monkeys throw stuff around, forklifts slam it, and so on) and if such happens with an Ebay sale, the buyer gets the benefit of the doubt in any dispute. The seller gets the shaft.
Fair enough, certainly.
Do keep in mind though, that not everyone's out to pinch every penny. There are over 150 million buyers on eBay, most of whom routinely pay to have their hearts desire shipped to them.
Or they use the myriad of shipping coupons/promos eBay offers on a regular basis.
Done correctly, it would could cost him nothing to find out just how much people are willing to pay IF he takes advantage of one of the trial offers.
That's why he shouldn't dismiss the idea outright, IMO.
Not if his goal is to make money.
