Wargamer: Selling up

[ochoin]

Enough is enough - time to "liquidate my wargame assets".

I've decided to free up space by doing something I've never done before- sell my painted figures.

Now before you start laughing at who'd want indifferently painted 1/72 & 20mm figures, Ebay has plenty of examples of worse figures than mine selling for higher prices than I'd expect. I don't want to make lots of money, just free up space.




I have a ridiculous number of armies/periods. More than I can use. So space is the sole motivator.
Do I need all those Napoleonic armies? Could I get rid of the Anglo-Dutch & Russian & just have French & Prussian?
How many Colonial periods do I need? Ditch either Sudan or Zulu in their entirety?
ECW – do I need Parliament as well as Royalist & Covenanters? My late WW2- get rid of either US or British to fight the dastardly Nazis. Bronze Age- keep Mycenaean & Hitttite & sell Egyptians? Ditch my beloved but constantly losing Celts? And perhaps the Punic Iberians as well? I don't really like the ACW & created 2 small armies as a nod to my friends. Both could go & I'd not miss them.

I’m still thinking & don’t want to get ahead of myself but disposing of some of these might allow for some naval gaming (I’m still attracted to Cruel Seas). Or build a Parthian or Sassanid army. Or a Russian SYW army if anyone ever releases figures in my preferred scale.

I'm just about to begun a 2 month holiday break so I have time. Nothing to lose but the boat anchor of too many figures.

donald

[Etranger]

But they're your babies! How can you be so cruel?

I'm not sure if you do Facebook, but this is a local (Oz) page where you might find some interest. https://www.facebook.com/groups/297367020387671

[Willz the Wargamer]

I reached the same road to Damascus moment about 8 years ago, I started by hiring 12 foot of table at wargame shows but now sell regularly on ebay.
Whilst selling at wargame shows was fun and a great day out, there was always the temptation to buy other wargame items. so as I got tired of early morning starts and moved to ebay, selling on ebay has some problems but they are all manageable.
1. Always post 2nd class signed for. (this way you have legal prof that the item was delivered).
2. Keep parcel weight to under 2 kilo's the price of postage currently to the UK is £4.20p tracked and signed for.
3. always pack your items very well, buy some sturdy cardboard boxes (on line) and bubble wrap (Wilkson for tape, brown paper, Sellotape, bubble wrap).
4. I do free postage for the UK. Just factor it in to the price of your items. If you charge for postage offer combined postage.
5. On ebay I use the weekly auction (using the "buy it now" costs an extra £0.50p an item to sell each item on top of selling fees). I get fortnightly deals from ebay reducing cost of selling. On average I pay ebay £1 an item I sell.
6. I always put my items up for sale at a starting price that I know what it is worth, I have never started at £0.99p.
7. I put a note at the bottom of my ebay sale informing buyers that I do not take offers on items, otherwise you will get time wasters offering you £10 for 50 excellently painted 20mm WW2 that you have put up for sale starting at £80.
8. do not enter into a slanging match with the Aholes who want to bad mouth you on ebay (they are rare).
9. I only sell to the UK now, used too sell worldwide but the cost of postage to USA has doubled and now import duties apply to Europe and USA. I was unable to find what this would cost the customer.
10. You know the worth of the unwanted but not unloved wargame item you are selling, some people will try and convince you it is worth a lot less.
11. Patience is the key when selling on ebay, it will surprise what items will sell for. One week nothing will sell then the next week 6 people will bid on an item that has not had any interest for a month.
12. Break you units down to manageable sizes (under 2 kilos is the key here).

If you want more information on selling on ebay PM and I will send you my phone number, I find it very cathartic to sell my wargame items and don't forget if you can always buy them back online at a later date or similar


Willz,

[Buff Redux]

Willz has given sound advice. I only sell occasionally but I never start at a price that would sadden me if it was all I got.

[valleyboy]

Nah Don't sell Donald, just build a mahoosive extension om the garage

[Essex Boy]

If you got rid of the car, you'd have a lot more space.

[ochoin]

Thanks, Will.

Oz differs from the UK, I think but you've given some good advice. I'll experiment with a few small lots & see how things go ( _ OZ only).

cheers donald

[ochoin]

If you got rid of the car, you'd have a lot more space.

My '86' is a joy. It stays!

donald

[Essex Boy]

Well, if you'd rather pump out noxious fumes............

[goat major]

In the end all threads come back to Peeler