Buying tips, selling guides, and stories from the marketplace.
New to timed auctions? The single most misunderstood feature is proxy bidding — and it is also the most powerful tool a buyer has. Instead of sitting at your screen tapping in bids, you tell the system the most you are willing to pay, and it bids on your behalf, one increment at a time, […]
Buyers cannot hold your item in their hands — your photos have to do the holding for them. After analysing thousands of successful listings, the pattern is unmistakable: listings with clear, honest, well-lit photos attract more watchers, more bids, and higher final prices. The quick wins Shoot in soft, indirect daylight — next to a […]
The overwhelming majority of sellers are honest — but every collector should know how to protect themselves. Whether you are bidding on trading cards, watches, designer goods or memorabilia, the same handful of checks will keep you out of trouble. Before you bid Study the photos. Genuine listings show serial numbers, hallmarks, stitching, and engravings […]
You won the auction, the buyer paid — now the item has to survive the journey. Damaged-in-transit is the most avoidable dispute there is, and avoiding it costs about ten minutes and a few dollars of materials. The double-box method Professionals ship ceramics, glass, cameras and electronics the same way: wrap the item in bubble […]
Some of the best items on this marketplace never came from a shop — they came from a box in the attic, a drawer at a grandparent’s house, or a garage that finally got cleared out. Here is what to look for before anything goes to the charity shop. Categories that surprise people Old electronics. […]
The reserve price is the most debated setting in every seller’s toolkit. Used well, it protects you from selling below your floor. Used badly, it scares away the bidders who would have carried your auction past it. Here is how to think about it. What a reserve actually does A reserve is a hidden minimum. […]
Every auction has two phases: the long, quiet middle — and the final minutes, where a large share of all bids arrive. Understanding the endgame makes you calmer and more effective on both sides of the gavel. Why everyone waits Bidders hold back to avoid pushing the price up early, and to keep their interest […]