mispentyouth62 Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Hi, I have a collection of kit built (brass and white metal) steam engines, some in P4 and others finescale 00 guage which have been boxed for past twenty years and rarely get viewed. Many are highly detailed and with swiss coreless motors. If I wanted to sell them, does anyone have any recomemndations as to the best way of doing this so they go to appreciative homes and secondly, I get a decent price given that they were not cheap to buy and I don't want to give them away. Selling individually (I have twenty or more), or individually< which would be best? Any thoughts and receommendations would be much appreciated. Regards Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 You could always try selling them to "gostude" , a notorious trader on eBay. Apparently he pays top dollar for everything, whether it's rubbish or not. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Cram Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I fear you might not achieve what you regard as a decent price for the P4 stuff as it is a limited market and the cost of making a P4 model will be more than you can get depending on what the models are. Ebay may be your best bet as it has the biggest market. You can always put a reserve t stop it going too cheaply. You can always try the classified on here as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Fatadder Posted January 17, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 17, 2014 I'd suggest the classifieds on here, you would get a good price and know it's going to a good home Selling individually will get a higher price, though selling in bulk is quicker and less hassle. I'd expect on the p4 stuff you'd get significantly less from a dealer given the smaller market for resale. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc smith Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Maybe you could sell them in the classifieds here on rmweb?Most members will at least appreciate all the extra detailing you have included,and all the hard work that entailsAs for selling individually or collectivelyI'd say you'd be better selling individually, as potential purchasers would probably be looking at a multi-purchase discount?Advertising on here may in fact lead you to a buyer who wants several items anyway...Good luck with your salesMarcEDIT: I meant to add, you may get more from the P4 items on here tooMost dealers would probably give you a lower price, as they would see that as a more limited market.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeandnel Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Marc I would also suggest the RMweb classifieds as being your best method of getting the models to a good appreciative home Any chance of a list? Michael dJS Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Are you a S4/EMGS member? Could sell them through the bring and buy? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Photos - good photos are really important wherever you are selling along with complete descriptions. Especially if the locos are of professional build standard. eg. If you are using Portscape or other high quality motor then state this along with the make of wheels. Don't get all het up about where they go - price is far more important. If destination really is important then contact a "local" club. P4 really is a very small market (despite what some would wish) but a bring'n'buy at Scale4um will probably give you the best concentration of buyers and chance of a good price. Good luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 .... eg. If you are using Portescaps or other high quality motor then state this .... I think the OP's mention of "Swiss coreless motors" is unlikely to be anything other than escap RG4s, Faulhabers or Maxons. Those engines so fitted will command something, but mainly because the buyers are likely to want to strip out the motors in order to: a) flog on eBay; or b ) keep for themselves (I know of at least one trader - "collectortony" - who does this, then sells the remains of the model on eBay after stripping) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougN Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 If a S4 member you can put it on the s4 forum also. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 e bay with a reserve. If they dont sell for the reserve price that will indicate how much they are worth to other buyers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Hi, I have a collection of kit built (brass and white metal) steam engines, some in P4 and others finescale 00 guage which have been boxed for past twenty years and rarely get viewed. Many are highly detailed and with swiss coreless motors. If I wanted to sell them, does anyone have any recomemndations as to the best way of doing this so they go to appreciative homes and secondly, I get a decent price given that they were not cheap to buy and I don't want to give them away. Selling individually (I have twenty or more), or individually< which would be best? Any thoughts and receommendations would be much appreciated. Regards Rob Rob The first part of your question is the most difficult to answer, as selling to the most appreciative homes I guess will not arrive at either a decent or best price. To get the best price you need to sell each loco on its own and to the largest audience, the biggest place being Ebay. It is loathed by some but loved and regularly used by many members here. To achieve top price you have to put in a bit of effort in listing the item, the first listing may take some time to complete, but subsequent listings will be very easy, simply by using the selling similar button and just changing the photos and item description, The coreless motors normally put the locos into 3 figures as buyers happy to pay £80 + for the motors alone Golden rules Good clear photos of loco and chassis (especially the ones with coreless motors, You can add up to 12 photos for no extra cost Good clear description of item, including make, gauge, type of motor, etched chassis, compensated etc Listing in correct category. Finescale would be best Weekends are the best days to end a listing, Sunday evenings are my favourite Time of listing end is important, for me between 6 and 9pm Don't sell too many at once, don't flood the market and you have to pack and post them up. List for a minimum of 5 days plus, 7 being my preferred time span If you are a first time seller, look at a few listings of locos. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHITE-METAL-KIT-BUILT-BR-WAINWRIGHT-LOCO-31270-/380818058188?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item58aa866bcc This one is an example lots of bidders and rising price. Lots of photos, but add one of the chassis. How much more could be added to the price if details like kit manufacturer, type of chassis, motor and wheels etc Print off what you think is the best alter it to your own style and sell one of your cheaper locos. It is surprising how much you learn from your first few sales, so practice on the cheap ones. As I said the first listing will take you ages. Charge a reasonable rate for post and packing, keeping a but over the postage costs to pay for packing etc. To save time at the end pre-pack the item during the week. Take photos during the week to be used at the weekend Use Key words, P4, EM,OO or is it 00 etched chassis, Gibson wheels, RG4, DJH, LMS, etched brass, whitemetal, compensated etc . The words buyers are using to search for items, loco kit or kit built. Use colour in the description on different paragraphs. Decide on a minimum price and either start at that price or set a reserve, This all sounds a bit long winded as I said the first one takes the time and spread the listings over several weeks as you will be able to improve the listings as you go along. Selling can be quite fun as you see the bids come in, also addictive. It can be a nightmare if you try and sell too much in one go. Good luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Rob Here is another listing obtaining a good price, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peter-K-Brass-loco-kit-for-a-Kirtley-0-F-0-6-0-WT-Well-tank-/181297985437?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item2a3633b79d. I would say the photos could be better if items were removed from the pack, the description is brief but all the right details are covered. And looks like he has had a better return on buying the kit than keeping the £13.50 in the bank!! Different style and much quicker than the previous one but both are doing the job in letting buyers know what is for sale and the condition it is in. Edit As to selling to the most appreciative homes How do you know the person is the most appreciative person, unless they are a friend of a friend of a friend. A very noble gesture and perhaps one we all could look towards, in giving an item of value (or treasured) to someone who could not afford it but would value it, food for thought Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mispentyouth62 Posted January 18, 2014 Author Share Posted January 18, 2014 wow what a helpful forum! - thank you very much for everyone who has responded. I used to be a member of S4 twenty or more years ago when the locos were built and yes, most have RG4 motors or if not, gear boxes, compensation or axle springing and specialist wheels such as Gibson. I also have an unmade, boxed and as-new GWR 2-60 Mogul 5300 with 3500 gal tender from Malcolm Mitchell along with new RG4 and fittings. First job is to dig them out and get some quality photographs............ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 I would also start looking at Ebay posts if that is the way you wish to go. Again certainly fittings and motors are eagerly sought by modellers on Ebay, as its an easy way to buy on line. If you are new on Ebay I think there are limits initially on what or how much you can sell and or money is held for a few days for new sellers. This is to protect buyers and is a minor inconvenience to new members/sellers. Its a free listing weekend this weekend so a good time to sell and save a few pence on fees Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 I also have an unmade, boxed and as-new GWR 2-60 Mogul 5300 with 3500 gal tender from Malcolm Mitchell along with new RG4 and fittings. It is amazing what unbuilt/untouched kits sell for on ebay ... very often they go for as new prices despite being second-hand. There seem to be a lot of kit hoarders out there. One problem you may have with ebay if you are new to it. You will have a low feedback score (0 to start) and quite a few buyers are put off by this - many buyers are a bit suspicious on low feedback as they will be taking a gamble on honesty. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 It is amazing what unbuilt/untouched kits sell for on ebay ... very often they go for as new prices despite being second-hand. There seem to be a lot of kit hoarders out there. One problem you may have with ebay if you are new to it. You will have a low feedback score (0 to start) and quite a few buyers are put off by this - many buyers are a bit suspicious on low feedback as they will be taking a gamble on honesty. Kenton A very good point made. Even more reason to start with low value items or something in a packet not used, just to build up a bit of positive feedback, as well as learning the selling ropes. Here is a thread where sellers are just either don't know what they are selling, using poor photos/descriptions, bad spelling or listing in the wrong category http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/5758-good-buy-from-ebay/. Please don't end up on it as a seller Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 wow what a helpful forum! - thank you very much for everyone who has responded. I used to be a member of S4 twenty or more years ago when the locos were built and yes, most have RG4 motors or if not, gear boxes, compensation or axle springing and specialist wheels such as Gibson. I also have an unmade, boxed and as-new GWR 2-60 Mogul 5300 with 3500 gal tender from Malcolm Mitchell along with new RG4 and fittings. If you have any worries about what will happen to the (finished) models after they leave your hands, please bear in mind that they will invariably get stripped for the motors. I've sent you a PM. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 If you have any worries about what will happen to the (finished) models after they leave your hands, please bear in mind that they will invariably get stripped for the motors. I've sent you a PM. That is very sad if that happens, any suggestions in preventing it? I will now look at motor less well built locos in a different light In one way it might be worth re-motoring them and selling the motor separately. But I guess the cost and time taken to do that would nearly be the same as what you would get for the motor second-hand. Still if the price goes over £100 the likelihood is that it will stay complete, even more reason for going to town on the description. As I said earlier, maximising the value could effect the good home you would prefer Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 That is very sad if that happens, any suggestions in preventing it? ... You could try a legally-binding agreement, but how would you enforce it? I remember this happened to an owner of the sole-surviving right-hand-drive Hartge M635CSi who insisted that the buyer of his car sign an agreement to give him first refusal if it was ever put up for sale. The eventual buyer was - unknown to the seller - an Australian who quickly spirited the car out of the UK to Queensland, where the agreement is now unenforceable! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 RG4 motors typically go on ebay for £60-£100+ (some folk seem desperate) A well constructed and painted (not weathered heavily/badly) 4mm loco+tender will go for 2-3 times the kit+parts price unless you are unlucky, P4 "should" give a premium on that though you may be lucky. The key as with all auctions is the hope of more than one interested buyer who are prepared to fight over it. A high reserve can put some off bidding but it is the only way you are going to be certain it doesn't go for a song. Ebay has many sellers who simply buy low to resell not getting too hung up on how many time they have to re-list it before it goes at an elevated price. (I can think of three O gauge items that have been re-listed well over 20 times and still haven't sold as the start(reserve) price is too high. They just don't attract a single bidder even though they may well eventually get their asking price. So, time is another factor - how fast do you want to have them sold? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mispentyouth62 Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 Thanks guys - watch this space. It will take me a while to sort myself out and I'm pretty busy work-wise at the moment. I'm amazed that RG4 motors are so sort after? Can't you get them these days or have things not moved on? I know I've got many, some of them the slimline version for hidden fit within the frames/body. My finescale model railway days ended some years back when I moved house and started a family. All engines have been boxed since then and I'm unlikely to get back into modelling. The alternative option was and could be to put them into wall cabinets for viewing but something tells me I need to de-clutter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandwich station Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 You could always try selling them to "gostude" , a notorious trader on eBay. That name sounds familiar, pretty sure he was one of the first people I bought from on Ebay back in 2000. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Thanks guys - watch this space. It will take me a while to sort myself out and I'm pretty busy work-wise at the moment. I'm amazed that RG4 motors are so sort after? Can't you get them these days or have things not moved on? I know I've got many, some of them the slimline version for hidden fit within the frames/body. My finescale model railway days ended some years back when I moved house and started a family. All engines have been boxed since then and I'm unlikely to get back into modelling. The alternative option was and could be to put them into wall cabinets for viewing but something tells me I need to de-clutter. Oh dear, did you not get my message? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
webbcompound Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Contact Scalefour Society. Youy do not need to be a member to sell through the society. Auction houses, and Ebay take a percentage cut. By selling through the society you can guarantee that the people you advertise to are actually interested in the product (ie P4 models) PM me if you are unsure how to get in touch with Scalefour Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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