7 Smart Tips for Buying Cards on eBay!
If you love sports cards and you love keeping money in your pocket while buying said sports cards, then you'll want to follow these tips!
Each “Happy Hobby Sports Card Newsletter” pack has a handful of great sports card subjects, helping sports card collectors working with limited budgets – like me!
This Week’s Newsletter Highlights!
🏈⚾🏀7 SMART TIPS FOR BUYING CARDS ON eBAY!
🏈⚾🏀 SPORTS CARD TRIVIA!
🏈⚾🏀 IF PATRICK IMHOFF BECAME CEO OF FANATICS:
The links in this newsletter are affiliate links with eBay, which means we will make a commission on any purchases off those links. So, thank you! Also, all sports card images come courtesy of BuySportsCards.com. This is the PAID version of the “Happy Hobby Sports Cards” Newsletter, with the free version coming again next week.
🏈⚾🏀7 SMART TIPS FOR BUYING CARDS ON eBAY!
Remember what sports card collecting was like when you were a kid? Maybe before eBay? You’d have to buy packs at the drug store, or maybe you could get some singles from your local card shop with the creepy owner, whose wife was a little … weird. Then eBay came out and changed the sports card collecting world! I didn’t really jump on board with card-buying on eBay until about 15 years ago, but ever since then, I’ve learned (the hard way many times) what to do and what not to do when buying sports cards on eBay!
1. Figure Out What’s More Valuable: Your Time, Your Money or the Win?
Winning a card is fun! Winning a card at a good price is awesome – but difficult! If you want a card, decide what’s most important: just getting the card in your possession, getting it at the cheapest price possible in an auction, or beating out other people for the card?
If you just want the card, buy it with the “Buy It Now” option, and you’ll own it. That saves you time! Win!
If you want the card, but you want it at the cheapest price possible, then it stands to reason that most auctions will end with prices lower than all “Buy It Now” options. Buy your card through an auction, but here are the issues:
You’ll have to be present at the end, so you can bid at the very last second to beat out other bidders. If you can’t be at the end of the auction, you’ll have a tough time winning it at a good price.
You might not win the card. If there are many others, then it’s not that big of a deal, but if there aren’t any auctions currently for that card, or the other auctions don’t end for a few more days, then you’ll have to wait.
2. Find True Recent Comps at 130Point.com
On eBay, you can filter your search to see recent sales, but the website won’t show you the sold prices for “Best Offer” items. You’ll just see the asking price and that it sold. On 130Point.com, you can click on “Search eBay Sales,” and you’ll see all final sales prices, which will give you a better idea of a card’s current value.
3. Find Auctions Ending at Weird Times
Most auctions end on weekend nights, not all, but most. Many inexperienced sellers will start their listing when it’s convenient for them to do so, which could be in the morning, in the afternoon or whenever. The auction would then likely end several days later – but at that same weird time. Find auctions for the cards you want that end in the morning on the east coast, and you will likely have fewer competitors to bid against.
4. “Best Offer” Can Be Your Best Friend
If the card is a hot item, it’s unlikely someone would sell it for less than their asking price. But if you see that “Best Offer” option, send a competitive offer (within 15-20% of asking price), and send a message with the offer saying, “I just wanted you to know I’m ready to pay for this card immediately if I do win it! Thank you!” This helps the seller know you have money in hand, and no plans to undo the sale somehow.
If it’s a hot item, don’t bother with the Best Offer, just get it! It’s hot!
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