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Selling Questions

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northstar3184:
Hey Folks:

This is my first time on the arena in a long time and I'm debating selling off a large portion of my collection. However, I've never sold anything online before and never sent packages before. Are there any good how to guides for selling ponies (how to wrap them, package them, estimate shipping costs, etc...)?

At this point I'm only considering this route, and just wanna get a feel for what I'm in for. If I do sell online, I'm thinking the arena would be best, as I want to avoid fees, etc... and would love my collection to go to fellow collectors.

My ponies are G1 and G3.

Pumpkin_Tart:
Hi!
I sell on eBay and on the arena. If you do decide to sell G-3’s, I would defiantly be interested!
Shipping tips..
Don’t package ponies with newspaper touching them! ( I learned this the hard way) pack them with bubble wrap and then you can prevent damage by putting balls of newspaper 🗞
If you feel up to international shipping, I would defiantly ship with a box to survive the mail 📦
If you get paid through PayPal , it is really easy to print labels  and calculate costs before paying for shipping ( also if you do have an eBay account, in the listing tool there is a calculate shipping section which I normally use)
You can also buy postage at your local post office but that is a little more expensive than PayPal rates. If you do this, I would always send the tracking # to the buyer
Before you sell....
Communication is key, I send pictures through attachments on email and ten send them to the buyer. White backgrounds are always helpful...

I completely get your nervousness about selling online as I had it when I first started, but it isn’t that hard once you start! Hope this helps! 😁

Taffeta:
One good tip from years of international selling is that it helps to have a postal scale that you can weigh packages on before posting. If you aren't taking them to the PO, then it helps a lot with getting an accurate calculation, and it also makes it less likely you'll charge too much or too little on the postage.

If you're doing international shipping - and that is up to you, though it's really not that hard - fill the custom form out honestly - don't price it up and don't price it down. Also if someone bought from you, it's not a gift. Some buyers ask sellers to falsify this information and they shouldn't - it's not nice paying fees but it's not the seller's responsibility to deal with them if they happen. Also use tracking. I would use tracking anyway. Selling here is less of a risk than ebay this way, but it also prevents someone easily claiming the item didn't arrive if you have proof that it did.

Lots of photos and prepare to answer questions depending on each potential buyer's preference or pet bugbear regarding flaws. Pictures and descriptions are best, but if you can only do one, detailed pictures are probably better.

banditpony:
A scale is good for ANY type of shipping, not just international. You can always take in your box and ask if you need to. Don't guess. I got my scale used for $2 at a thrift store. Always round up to the nearest oz.

Prices jump at these weights for international:
Under 8 oz
9oz - 2lb
2lb 1oz +

Price jumps for first class domestic kind of jump between oz. I don't know off the top of my head.
0-13oz can be considered for first class
13oz+ is parcel post / priority

Parcel post sometimes can be cheaper then priority.. but only at heavier weights. So priority is your best bet for things higher then 1lb.

14-15 oz using eBay can be first class... I THINK.

If you are shipping 2-3+ lbs, consider a med flat rate box. You can order these for free on the USPS webpage.

General packing info:

Most non fragile ponies can be shipped in a bubble mailer. If you are selling a ton of ponies, invest in a lot of bubble mailers on eBay. You can get them as low as 10 cents compared to a dollar at the store.

You can separate non fragile ponies with white tissue paper (or white paper towel) to prevent rubbing.

Save all boxes that come to you in the mail. Ask friends, families, and stores for their used boxes. Boxes can cost $3+ at the store. Better to reuse them when you can.

If you are shipping a mib/mip item in a box... Do NOT lay it flat on any side of the cardboard. Mummy-fy that puppy in bubble wrap. If the box gets dented, so does your item.

If you are shipping something fragile, pack it well with bubble wrap and shake the box when you are done. There should be no movement inside.

Remember your box is going through a bunch of rough automated conveyor belts.. a heavier box can fall on yours.. people can/will throw your box. Etc.

Small corrections to pumpkin_tarts advice:
Don't use the eBay if you aren't shipping on eBay. They give discounts. Use the USPS webpage for accurate pricing : https://postcalc.usps.com

You can buy postage through USPS or PayPal if sent money online. Both are the same price. In person is a little bit more sometimes. This is shown to you on the USPS webpage.

Taffeta:
I meant the scale for all postage too. I thought that was clear but maybe not...

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