• Cash In on Collectibles

• Find Out What's Hot in Collectibles

• Get Top Dollar for Your Collectibles

• Ship Your Collectibles

• Build Your Reputation

Cash In on Collectibles

Cash In on Collectibles

Many collectors use eBay not only as a place to find new Collectibles, but as a way to fund their growing collections. Whether you are saving up for that must-have addition or looking to add to your new collection, selling on eBay is the perfect way to earn extra money. Swap out your unused pieces—that Disney snowglobe in the back of your display case or your Superman comics stored in the attic—and buy yourself a new treasure.

What's It Worth?

Already have an item in mind? Visit Collectibles Seller Central to find out the average selling price on eBay. You can also search completed listings to see how others are selling similar items.

Find Out What's Hot in Collectibles

Find Out What's Hot in Collectibles

Millions of people come to eBay in search of Collectibles—everything from Christmas collector plates to superhero figurines. The following provides just a small sampling of the myriad of Collectibles that you could sell on eBay. To get a real-time view of what’s in demand, what buyers are searching for, and what items are selling the most, visit Collectibles Seller Central.

• Decorative Collectibles: There is an endless array of decorative collectibles that can be sold on eBay. This category can include—but certainly is not limited to— collector plates, ornaments, figurines, woven baskets, music boxes, trinket boxes, and miniature houses, villages, and lighthouses.

• Christmas Collectibles: Christmas collectibles come in all shapes, sizes, styles, brands—and can all be sold on eBay. Dig through your storage closet or garage for unused Christmas ornaments, collectible snow-covered villages, Bing & Grondahl Christmas plates, nativity scenes, Santa, reindeer, angel and snowman figurines.

• Seasonal & Holiday Collectibles: Christmas isn’t the only holiday that is popular on eBay. Buyers love finding collectibles from Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Valentine's Day, Independence Day, or even St. Patrick's Day. Ring in the New Year by selling New Year's collectibles, kick off spring cleaning by selling St. Patrick's Day collectibles, celebrate Easter by selling Easter baskets, ornamental Easter eggs, plush Easter bunnies, plush chicks, and plush lambs, or earn a little cash for the upcoming holidays by selling Thanksgiving collectibles.

• Comics: From the early days of newspaper comic strips, crime stories, and tales of suspense, to the reign of superheroes and horror stories, comic books have both chronicled and become part of pop culture history in the United States. On eBay, collectors are in search of comic books from all series and eras—both as individual books or collections. Popular eras include the Platinum Age of Comics (1897-1937), the Golden Age of Comics (1938-55), the Silver Age of Comics (1956-69), the Bronze Age of Comics (1970-79), and the Modern Age of Comics (1980-Now).

• Disneyana: Popular Disneyana items include apparel, accessories, figurines, houseware, pins, plush toys, animation art, snowglobes, theme park souvenirs, and watches. Buyers are looking for both vintage Disney items dating from before 1968 and contemporary Disney items dating from 1968 to present day.

• Promo Glasses: Modern and retro promo glasses feature colorful advertising, sports figures, and characters from cartoons, movies, TV shows, comic strips, and comic books. See what you can sell around the house—from  Pepsi promo glasses, Welch's jelly glasses, and Derby glasses to Disney glasses, Warner Bros. glasses, and Star Wars glasses.

• Militaria: Medals, helmets, and even parachutes from centuries of conflict create powerful reminders of sacrifices made by generations of men and women in uniform. Collectors of all militaria—from Civil War enthusiasts and WWII buffs to historians of the cavalry and WWI and veterans of the armed forces—are searching for battlefield memorabilia on eBay.

• Other collectibles: All sorts of collectors come to eBay looking for the perfect item to add to their collections. A few more popular items include advertisements, clocks, magazines, keychains, and lunch boxes.

Get Top Dollar for Your Collectibles

Get Top Dollar for Your Collectibles

Once you know what you’re going to sell, it’s time to think about how to attract Collectibles buyers. Here are the top tips from eBay’s most successful sellers.

Help Buyers Find Your Items with Keywords

Keywords are a great way to attract buyers to your listing, especially when used correctly in your Listing Title. Listing titles are used by eBay’s search engine to pull up listings during a search. Use your 55 characters wisely, and try to anticipate what buyers will be searching for. Find out what is being searched right now with our list of Top Collectible Searches. Be sure to include common search terms like “Disney” and “Avon,” when appropriate. State important characteristics of your item—what it is, brand, production era, collection it belongs to, important specifications such as color or material, and condition. Of course, you should only include keywords that are relevant to the item you are selling. You can also search current and completed eBay listings to see what other sellers include in their titles.

In your Listing Description, make sure to include both basic information and details about your item. A good description is concise, well organized, and easy to read. Create bold section headlines, bulleted lists, and be sure to restate the information featured in your title plus more details such as dimensions and weight, repairs or restoration, estimated value, and any other interesting features. You can also insert photos or links to videos that highlight the unique attributes of your item. Think about your listing from the buyer's perspective. The more information you provide, the more likely the buyer will be to place a bid on your item.

Here are some abbreviations commonly used by other sellers to describe the rarity of their Collectibles. Make sure you only use a term when you are sure it applies to your item.

• Limited Edition (LE): A collectible may be limited by a specific, announced number (such as 5,000 or 10,000) or by time period. Limited edition collectibles typically show two sets of numbers, usually on the back or base of the item. The higher number indicates the total number produced while the lower number indicates which one you have. Limited editions often come with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).

• Firing limit: Companies such as Avon, Bing & Grondahl, Bradford Exchange, Danbury Mint, Hamilton Collection, Franklin Mint, Knowles, and Royal Copenhagen can choose to set a firing limit, meaning that they only make a collector plate during a specified number of firing days. A series of collector plates with a lower firing limit typically has fewer plates produced, which often makes a plate more desirable to collectors.

• Annual edition: Annual edition collectibles are produced for one year.

• Open edition: Open edition collectibles are not limited and could still be in production.

• Artist proof (AP): Artist proof collectibles are set aside for the artist.

Other common abbreviations used in the Collectibles category include:

• Mint in box ( MIB): A collectible that is mint in box has been previously opened, but has no damages or repairs and will be sold with its original box.

• New in box (NIB): A collectible that is new in box has never been removed from its original packaging.

• Certificate of Authenticity (COA): If your item was produced in limited quantity, it may have been sold with a Certificate of Authenticity stating important information such as artist, production number, production limit, and date. Some COAs can be granted by third-party graders and authenticators.

• No longer available (NLA): A collectible that is no longer available is no longer being produced by manufacturers.

Do Your Research

If you don’t know much about your Collectible, a little research can help you understand what you are selling which can lead to a higher return. Examine your Collectibles for any signatures, markings, dates, titles, or brands. Try to learn about the collection that your pieces belongs to—size of the collection, production era, production company, and rarity. All of these details will give you a better estimate of your item’s value, and educating your buyers can increase the attraction of your item.

When selling a rare  Collectible that is potentially worth a lot, it may be worthwhile to get your item appraised and authenticated. Authenticating your Collectibles not only provides you with a good estimate on expected sale price, but it also builds buyer confidence. Third-party graders and authenticators are qualified, experienced professionals who pledge to provide unbiased opinions.

Note: Opinions expressed by evaluators are theirs alone. eBay does not examine items listed on its site and does not have the expertise to evaluate items. eBay cannot guarantee the findings of any evaluator — authentication and grading are difficult, often subjective matters where experts themselves occasionally disagree. Each of the companies listed on the Opinions, Authentication, and Grading page that provides authentication and/or grading services is an independent company, and eBay is not responsible in any way for any action, inaction, opinion or service in connection with these companies. You should review the credentials of each company and use your own judgment before using any company's services.

Showcase Your Collectibles with Great Photos

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words! Photos are the closest you can get to putting your Collectibles in the hands of potential buyers. Here are some tips on how to best represent your item:

• Choose the Right Background: Use a contrasting, solid backdrop. By placing your Collectible on a solid black or white backdrop, you draw a buyer’s immediate attention onto the item. This is easily achieved by hanging a bed sheet or placing poster board behind the item. Use a plain, colored fabric backdrop to make your item stand out. Most importantly, avoid background clutter that can distract buyers or confuse them regarding what you are selling.

• Cover All Angles: Take pictures from multiple angles and distances, zooming in on important details. Make sure highlight any signatures, dates, and details. Zoom in to show textures and colors. If you are selling more than one item in your listing, take pictures of the set as a whole and of individual pieces. Always include photographs of any flaws—it gives the buyer a clearer idea of what they are bidding on and builds buyer trust.

• Use Proper Lighting: Natural light tends to give the best representation of your item, however direct sunlight can have the nasty effect of shadows. Find an area that receives indirect sunlight. Try taking your item outside on a sunny day and photograph it in a shady area. If you can't seem to find an area like this, or would prefer to use indoor lighting, try surrounding your item with desk, overhead, or floor lamps. Above all, avoid using your camera's flash which causes distortion and shadows.

• Always Add Gallery: Including a gallery photo with your listing is extremely important for success. You can attract attention to your item with a photo next to your listings in search results. In addition, when a buyer uses “Gallery View” to look at search results, your listing will be shown. Your gallery picture should be a very clear, uncluttered view of your item. Since it is the only photo visible on search pages, make sure it provides a good representation of your item.

Maximize Profits with Low Priced, No Reserve Auctions

Auctions are a great way to create excitement around Collectibles, which in turn develops into a bidding frenzy among buyers—which could result in a higher selling price for you. The keys to a successful auction are to get your first bid and encourage bidders to continue bidding.

• Low Starting Price: Getting that first bid is critical, as other buyers are generally more likely to jump in if they see there are already bids on an item. To do this, many sellers prefer to set an opening bid below what the item is actually worth. Try beginning with a low starting price—such as 99 cents—to jumpstart bidding activity.

• No Reserve: Be careful when setting a reserve price. Buyers will often lose interest in an item if they place a bid and find it doesn't meet the reserve. Because they do not know the reserve price, they may assume the seller is simply asking too much for the item. To prevent this from happening, try listing your item with "No Reserve." Items sold with "No Reserve" typically attract more buyer interest, as buyers know that they will actually win the item if they are the high bidder.

• Accept PayPal: Buyers want to know that they are protected when making a purchase on eBay. By accepting PayPal payments, you can build buyer confidence and protect yourself. PayPal instantly transfers payments to a bank account of your choice and notifies you when a payment has been received. Best of all, PayPal offers free online tools to make managing your payments easier. You can even purchase shipping labels and track your shipments.

Ship Your Collectibles

Ship Your Collectibles

Specifying reasonable shipping and handling costs in your listing is essential for smart selling—and it improves your search ranking when buyers sort by total cost. Never leave a buyer wondering how much shipping will cost.

Calculate Shipping Costs

Often times, shipping costs will vary by distance. To make sure your shipping charges reflect this, incorporate a shipping calculator into your listing. With the shipping calculator, eBay can automatically calculate the shipping cost for your buyers based on the size and weight of your item and the buyer’s location. You can also program the calculator to add in the cost of packaging materials and your handling fee.

Select a Service Option

To protect both you and your buyer against loss or damage during shipping, consider purchasing shipping insurance for your package—especially for higher priced items. Shipping insurance is available through most postal carriers, and can be purchased while you pay for postage. You can factor in the cost of shipping insurance into your shipping cost—but make sure you state in your description that you are doing so. Buyers want to know that they are paying extra for shipping for a good reason. Shipping insurance generally covers both lost and damaged items.

If you are selling larger items such as furniture and display cases, freight shipping might be the easiest and cheapest way to get your item to your buyer. Freight shipping is usually reserved for items over 150 pounds, and is available in the United States and Canada. Find out more at the Freight Resource Center.

Package Your Collectibles Securely

After your item sells, you are ready to ship it off to its new home. Make sure you package your item safely and securely. Use bubble wrap, foam, or other packaging materials to make sure your item is not damaged during its move. If you take an item apart to ship it, include a list of pieces and instructions on how to put it back together. Here are a few steps to think about:

• Wrap It: Individually wrap items and provide lots of cushioning (bubble wrap, peanuts, foam, corrugated dividers, or crumpled paper). Be careful if you choose to reuse newspaper—the ink can rub off and damage your items. If you use foam peanuts, be aware that they may shift in transit, so overfill your box. Remove any glass and package it separately wrapped in glass-skin or plastic to avoid scratches. If any pieces could be damaged by water, make sure you wrap them with a layer of sealed plastic. Place any flat prints, magazines, or photographs that cannot be bent in between two large pieces of cardboard and tape tightly. Protect edges of frames by cutting foam or cardboard to fit. Remember, wrap and pack firmly—you don’t want to hear any rattling!

• Box It: If the item is on the smaller side, you can order free USPS Priority Mail boxes right on eBay—the United States Postal Service will even deliver them right to your door for free! For larger items, use a corrugated box with rigid sides, intact flaps, and plenty of room for cushioning on all sides. Don't exceed the maximum gross weight of the box (usually printed on bottom flap).

• Seal It: Use strong tape designed for shipping, rather than masking tape, cellophane tape, string or paper over-wrap. Once you’ve sealed up your package, you can pay for shipping and print shipping labels right from your PayPal account. You can even request a pickup from USPS or UPS, saving you a trip to the Post Office or UPS location.

Build Your Reputation

Build Your Reputation

Communication is the key to a successful transaction. Make sure you’re available before, during, and after the sale. Answer any questions about your item promptly. Include a thank you note in your package—it’s a great way to surprise and delight your buyer and encourage them to leave you positive feedback.

Always Leave Feedback

Feedback is extremely important for all eBay users. Consistent positive feedback lets buyers know that you manage transactions well and that you care about your reputation. One way to ensure good feedback is to communicate well, represent your item truthfully in your listing, and be polite. Also remember your buyer’s feedback score is as important to them as yours is to you—so be courteous, thoughtful, and truthful when leaving feedback.

Express Yourself

Be more than just a username to your buyers. Introduce yourself through your About Me page and MyWorld. Add pictures, keep track of your favorite buyers, and tell the community about your interests and collections. Show your expertise by writing Reviews & Guides. Connect with other Collectibles traders on the Collectibles Discussion Board. Remember, be yourself—and have fun!

Sell for a Cause

Support your favorite cause and enhance buyer trust and loyalty at the same time. eBay Giving Workslistings tend to sell at higher final prices, because buyers are more willing to purchase, and often pay more for, items that benefit a nonprofit. Get more exposure and receive a receipt for your tax-deductible donations!