How Pop-Culture Collectibles Can Increase Your Online Auction Profits

How Pop Culture collectibles can increase your Online Auction profits

With the increasingly competitive environment for products to sell in the online auction arena, sellers are getting more creative as to the items they purchase for re-sale.

While some of the Dutch Auction items that are frequently sold on eBay will always maintain their commodity status and always sell well, Pop Culture collectibles will usually generate a higher profit-per-item simply because of a combination of two forces.

Scarcity and Desirability.

Pop Culture collectibles can run the gamut from a special early edition pair of Levis to a rare Coca Cola collectible.

However, when I discuss Pop Culture items in this article, I will limit the definition to only the types of collectibles that I've managed to have any experience with and that would be T.V., Movie and Toy collectibles.

Obviously, the category of Pop Culture collectibles is much bigger than this limited definition, but in the interests of keeping this a knowledgeable article, I will focus on the limited definition here.

One of my first experiences with Pop Culture collectibles was with a box of unused "The Fonz" posters that I found at an antiques swap meet a few years ago.

I came across this box at a seller's stand. It had one poster taped to the outside of the box and the price tag on the box said $5 each.

I asked the seller "How much are the posters?", not ever assuming that the price on the box was the current price.

The seller replied with "Three bucks each."

Being new to eBay and wanting to experiment, I counted the posters, which were still in shrink wrap material. There were 25 posters in the box. The box looked like it had been loaded and unloaded too many times, but the posters were in perfect condition.

So I asked the seller, "How much for the whole box?"

He asked, "How many are there?"

I told him, "25".

He said, "How about $40 for the box?"

I said, "O.K.", and handed him $40.

I posted an auction for one of the Fonz posters that week. It was a large photo of "The Fonz for Prez", sort of a campaign poster with Fonzie in his traditional Leather jacket, thumbs up and a "Sit on it" button on his jacket.

The auction was set to close on a Sunday, and when I checked it on Friday, it was up to $22 !

I was shocked and happy at the same time.

On Sunday, I took my family out to dinner and got home to see that the auction had closed at an astonishing $42.50 !

That experience was the one that cemented me in the area of Pop Culture collectibles!

I continued to sell the Fonz posters, one at a time (so as not to "flood the market") at prices from the $42.50 high to a low of $12.50.

My estimate for gross sales is somewhere around $450 for that box of posters.

This type of profit exists in the area of Pop Culture collectibles, but it does take some guts to seek out and "gamble" on these types of deals.

I had no idea what the posters were worth when I purchased them, but I had a good hunch, which proved to be correct.

Other Pop Culture deals I've made, most found at antique swap meets:

M.A.S.H. action figures - purchased a box of 28 of them for $50, sold them individually for between $9.00 and $15.50

Star Wars Figures - purchased a box of special limited edition figures for $120 at a regular swap meet, sold the box to a Star Wars dealer for $2,100.

Evel Knievel figure, mint in box, purchased for $10, sold for $115.

Alien 3 movie theater poster (massive, about 4' tall by 12' wide), found at a yard sale for $10, sold on eBay for $50.

Bionic Woman action figure, mint in box, purchased for $30, sold for $85.

In each of these cases, I had no idea what the value was, I just went with my gut. But the fact that they were Pop Culture collectibles made it much easier to take that chance and buy the items.

Another solution many sellers use is to have their spouse at home, ready at the computer to do price research on unknown items!

Armed with a cell phone and a significant other at home doing research, your results will be less of a risk and more fun, too!

About The Author

David Espino is the author of "Beyond eBay - How to build a Home Based Internet business and make more money, working from home"

To receive a FREE sample from this breakthrough book, click here: www.HomeBasedBusinessowner.com

Email: dave@HomeBasedBusinessowner.com

---

An Emerging Market in eBay Consignments: The eBay Trading Post (Part II In A Series)

In 2002, the eBay consignments business was born, referred to by eBay as the Trading Assistant Program.It's possible that eBay didn't foresee just how much they would... Read More

How To Write a Traffic Pulling eBay Auction Title

Selling an item on eBay should be simple but it is surprising how many people make some very silly mistakes.As a buyer this is fantastic, you can... Read More

Used Cars For Sale On EBay

There are thousands of used cars for sale on eBay every single day. In fact, eBay Motors is the most profitable sales division on eBay and naturally... Read More

How To Stop Ebay Buyers From Sniping Your Auction For Less Than Its True Value

There are many savvy eBay buyers who use automated bidding programs, which are referred to as sniping software. Sniping allows the eBay buyer to place an unseen... Read More

Hurricane Katrina Donations Could be Many Millions More - EBay Sellers Try in Vain to Help

Yesterday I saw a mention in someone's email ezine about a kind person who had an eBay auction with the proceeds going 100% to help victims of... Read More

Rent A Coder & Other Service Auctions

You may be in the market for a new website. Perhaps you may be looking for a new logo or a database constructed for yourself or a... Read More

Multiple Income Streams on eBay within 30 Minutes!

POWERSELL Status, the secrets revealed.If like thousands of people you have been using eBay and wondering how to gain a regular income, and work from home, this... Read More

To eBay or NOT to eBay

FACT: eBay's Gross Merchandise Sales (GMS) 2003 - GMS, the total value of items sold, was a record $24 billion, representing a 60% year-over-year increase from the... Read More

What To Do After Your eBay Auction Closes

So your auction closes. Now what?Hopefully you made a sale or several sales. Now the important work begins. Here are some tips on what to do after... Read More

The Number 1 Biggest Secret to Selling on Ebay

Ebay.com is a Tool. It is an awesome tool that can be used to make you tons of money in a short period of time without alot... Read More

How To Make Money Online : Sell On eBay

Selling on eBay can be very profitable, and is a great way to make some extra cash, or even turn it into a full-time business.If you're retired,... Read More

Is The eBay Fee Increase Actually Good For Business?

Fee Increase Leaves Some Sellers Angry, Others ThrilledMuch of my email from readers this month concerned the recent announcement from eBay that it will increase many seller... Read More

Authentic or Fake?

1. Admit It: Old business models are no longer working. The Internet is bringing us closer as geographical boundaries, language barriers and cultural differences melt right before... Read More

eBay Auction Bidding Strategies--Overcoming the most Frustrating Situation on eBay

The Problem...It's happened to the best of us.You've been watching the auction all week, and finally you're about to claim your prize--a rare bronze statue from the... Read More

EBay Feedback, 5 Key Things All EBayers Should Know

eBay's user feedback system is one of the site's most important components. Without the conscientious comments recorded by both buyers and sellers, there would be no way... Read More

The Secret To Real eBay Success

Q. I hear so much about people who started selling on eBay and eventually turned it into their full time business. Is it really possible to build... Read More

From Ebay Zero To Power-Selling Hero: What It Takes

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be "the best of the best"; to outcompete everyone who tries to do what you are doing--and to keep... Read More

Make Money on eBay the EASY way!

Probably just like you, I had an overwhelming desire to spend more time with my family and friends, doing the things that are important to me and... Read More

How to Locate Drop Shippers for Your Success

Like the human heart, drop shippers can keep the blood pumping in an internet business. Often, they can be the key to success for online retail businesses... Read More

Do You Pay Taxes On eBay Income?

Q: I read your last column about paying income tax on eBay sales if you are doing it as a business, but as someone who only sells... Read More

How I Was Nearly Conned On Ebay

I am not sure how many people have had bad experiences on Ebay, I hope not too many. I was having a great time on there until... Read More

eBay Gold

Internet auctions are relatively new having been around since the mid 1990's. There are several Internet auctions including Yahoo Auctions and UBid. But of course the undisputed... Read More

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words and Creates Auction Euphoria on eBay

Ever since I sold my first item on ebay I have been addicted to the site and I have steadily developed it as a supplementary source of... Read More

How to Sell Your Crafts on eBay

Artists, craftspeople and photographers are successfully selling their wares everyday on the online auction site, eBay. According to a recent analysis of eBay sales, a crafts-related item... Read More

Game Theory, Nobel Prize, & Auctions - Auction Primer Series ? Part 1

William Vickrey, highly regarded as the founder of auction theory, was an economics professor at Columbia University when he published two papers outlining his views on auctions:"Counterspeculation,... Read More

eBay is the Greatest Opportunity YOU Have to Create a Career Online

eBay's being spoken about everywhere these days. At work, school, down the pub... everyone's getting into eBay, looking for those bargains and trying to save themselves some... Read More