Hello, new here and some questions

S

Strong-Dog

Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Messages
435
Hello!
I'm new on here, and have a couple of questions. First off, I've read many of the guidelines, but still want to ask some members. I'm interested in selling on here, no question about it. I feel like it would be more economical for me to sell on here and not have to pay a 10% eBay fee. Don't get me wrong, I'm very interested in being an active part of the community as well, but I also want to sell knives. So my questions are, firstly, how long should I post and make threads before I am a respected enough member to sell things. I know as soon as I purchase a Gold membership I can technically sell knives, but thats not what I mean. Secondly, for anyone who has sold one here regularly, how do the PayPal fees compare to the fees from selling on eBay? Thanks! (sorry if there was a better place to post this, from my understanding I should not have posted this in the Exchange so I figured here was good)
 
Welcome to BF. To answer your questions:
1. I'm not sure there is a set amount of time you should wait before posting knives for sale. Everyone on here sold a knife for the 1st time. Just communicate well and be honest & upfront. you'll do well.
2. PayPal fees= 2.9% + .30 cents
 
mrynecy said:
Welcome to BF. To answer your questions:
1. I'm not sure there is a set amount of time you should wait before posting knives for sale. Everyone on here sold a knife for the 1st time. Just communicate well and be honest & upfront. you'll do well.
2. PayPal fees= 2.9% + .30 cents
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
You build a good reputation by what you do not what you say.
Start small and develop/build that reputation.
 
50k posts minimum.:D I already gave you my thoughts on the other forum so my only advice here is learn the forum for a little it. Contribute to threads if you can. Start off little at a time then sell away.

Also I would check out the sellers with high positive feedback and observe how they do things.
 
Gettng the proper membership level for selling now wouldn't hurt your reputation. :thumbup:
 
You will have to earn the trust of the folks here...as all of us have who have been here a while.
I don't care how often you post. I do care about the quality and closeup pics and description of your sale items. This allows me to make a well-informed choice to buy or not buy.
I sell and buy via PayPal 99% of the time, always PP (goods and services) plus 3.5% for fees. Many folks find it easier and more logical to factor the PP fees(~3.5%) and USPS shipping($5.80) into their sale price. It is rare that a seller will ask you to pay shipping...it is so much easier to add that into his original sale price.
Feedback is so terribly important. It IS your reputation here, to a large extent.
When first selling, with zero or low feedback (less than about 10 positive at 100%?), do expect that (in a trade), the other party may ask you to ship first, so that he is able to visually ascertain that your knife is as good as advertised. If he is satisfied, then he will ship his to you.
Also, I generally offer 2-day (no cut) inspection of any knife that I sell, with full refund of buyer's purchase price. If he is NOT satisfied (for any reason) with the knife I sell, he can send it back to me, and I will refund his full purchase price. Remember that if the other party is NOT happy, it will be reflected in the feedback which he leaves for you on the forum. The trust that you build is based, largely, on that feedback.
Shipping is always via USPS Priority small flat rate box, which is $5.80 at your P.O. and is a great way to send knives. That manner of shipping always preserves the integrity of the knife box inside. Nobody wants a crushed knife-box. A crushed box will also make that knife harder to sell in the future.
If you do NOT offer "full disclosure" of a crushed box, mars, scuffs on the scales, scratches on the blade, a sticky lock, lock-rock, blade-wiggle, then the buyer may reasonably want his money back...to reverse the sale. Do it. ALWAYS give FULL disclosure of any imperfections in the knife. Take closeup pics of both sides of the blade, and the scales, the lockup and blade centering when closed...and point out any "problem" in the knife... Don't say it is ANIB or NIB if it is not!
I have never lost a knife via USPS Priority flat rate boxes..in over 150 sales/purchases. Use suitable insurance to ship any knife which has a value in excess of about $200. The P.O. gives you $100 insurance automatically. Remember that it is the buyer's responsibility to send you the money quickly via PP (usually PP), or he will sell the knife to the next potential buyer. Also, it is YOUR responsibility to DELIVER the knife, and quickly, as he is anxious to receive his "new" bargain. IF it is lost in the mail (rare), you must refund his full purchase price. Hence, use insurance for an expensive knife.
Good luck.
I will not say that this will be profitable in a monetary fashion, but you will gain new friends, useful knowledge, and have fun in your new hobby. I suspect that I lose about 15% in every buy/sell agreement, and have had to sell many personal items from other past hobbies in order to "keep up" with the credit-card bills. But it is fun, and fun is seldom cheaply attained.

Sonnydaze
 
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Define sell knives, if you mean a few knives here or there a gold membership will be fine, if your planning on having an ongoing sale read the guidelines in the exchange, you might need a dealer membership instead.

Somewhere here is a thread called you may be a dealer if...

IIRC there may even be a sticky in the exchange forum already if not someone will post the link, I'd look but I'm already late for physical therapy.

Welcome and good luck.
 
Good post Sunny! Also a good way to get your feedback and rep up is trade a few knives first. Maybe buy a few. If all goes well then you should get your few positive feedback to start off with. Also if you want your knives to sell price accordingly.
 
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