- One word has forever changed the way Hot Wheels are
collected. eBay. Just the mention of the word can start an interesting or
heated conversation among diecast collectors.
eBay was started in 1995 as an online market place for the sale of merchandise
and services. The idea was to connect people not to sell items to them. eBay
was set up to bring together buyers and sellers. The sellers would list their
items and the buyers would bid on these items, much like an auction. eBay
makes their income on the listing fees and charges a percentage of the final
selling price.
Before eBay, collectors would shop at garage sales, diecast shops, collectible
shows, and flea markets. The final price would be negotiated between the
parties involved and you could inspect and hold the item before making the
sale or trade. The selection could be limited depending on different factors
as the local population, number of collectors and people offering items for
sale. Your only gauge on the value would be what it was worth to you or how
much it was listed for in the different price guides available at the time.
Now enter eBay. No more running around looking for items or ordering from an
out of state shop. You can instantly search for the item you’re looking for,
do a search on the average selling price, check out the seller’s reputation,
pay with a credit card, and usually choose from multiple items. You can also
browse the site looking for the latest offerings before they are sold in your
area. Sometimes you can pick up a nice item for a decent price. At other times
you can get caught up in a bidding war, especially on items that aren’t
offered for sale on a daily basis.
One of the downsides to eBay is that you can’t hold the item and look it over
carefully. Most auction pictures are poor at best and sellers have become
quite liberal when it comes to terms such as Mint or Excellent condition. You
also have to factor in shipping cost which could range from $3.50 to $10.00
depending on the seller.
Another downside is that more and more people are noticing what the ‘latest
and greatest’ items are selling for online. They have learned that you can buy
something cheap and resell it on eBay for an immediate and tidy profit.
Will eBay replace the traditional diecast shop or dealer? Not likely.
Collectors still enjoy shopping and feeling the items in their hand and also
look forward to making that special deal or trade that only can be made in
person.
- --ROBinator
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