So I see these types of listings on eBay a fair amount: Transformers Lot | eBay

Basically, someone posts with the pictures (often really crappy quality camera) showing a big old pile of stuff. No effort to separate the items.

Do you think the posters do this because:

1) They're too lazy/don't care enough to separate things out a bit when taking the pictures, even if it ultimately hurts their price? Alternatively, they're such a high volume seller that they think the time spent won't be recouped in a higher sale price?

2) Done intentionally to try and create an air of mystery and draw in bargain hunters who are hoping to snag something that no one else recognizes?

I realize that transformers (and other toys) are often posted on eBay by people who don't have knowledge of the toys. That's fine. But it doesn't make sense to not take a bit of effort to lay things out nice and neat. Maybe dust things off. It seems common sense that you try to present your product in the best light, to attract buyers.

So, what do you guys think is the reason that some sellers seem to take so little care in listing their products?

 

I can imagine a parent doing that. Kids can sometimes have too many toys and they could just be trying to clear up space. So they take a quick pic of the bin and paste it on ebay hoping to sell it quickly.

 

Oh God. Couldn't they at least turn the photo the right way?

 

I could also see a vengeful ex-girlfriend doing this to quickly get rid of a box of her ex-boyfriend's stuff.

EDIT: or ALL of the toys are broken. The listing does say that it's good mostly for parts.

 

I suspect that you're right for at least some of the sellers who do this. It just seems like a bad idea.

I'm a parent of small kids. It takes like 1 minute to lay out a bin of toys. If they're selling it on eBay (rather than donating or throwing away), one would think that making some money is important to them. I just think it makes little sense to not spend a minute or two laying them out neatly in hopes of getting a few more bucks off of the sale.

 

I've done it before for other toys I sell. It hides the broken toys and looks like a better "deal" than basically saying "here's a big ole pile of nothing". They never really sell for much, it's mostly just to get the junk out of one's house. Hell, i usually start junk lots at 99 cents and am happy if they sell for even that much.

 

most likely lazy parents clearing some space, check the other craps they bought. or a vindictive parent intentionally trying to sell the kid's toys cheap as a punishiment.

 

So that raises my main question on this issue. Given a specific lot of low value/broken toys do you think you would get more money:

1) big pile (perhaps stragically created to have the best on top) to cover the flaws

2) sorted out neatly, flaws and all.

Setting the "effort" of sorting aside, do you think intentionally having the pile can bring in more than laying everything out there in the light of day?

Personally, I'm a skeptical buyer. If I can't tell what's in there, I assume the worse (e.g., that every damn figure must be broken and worthless). If it were sorted out, there's at least a chance that I'll spot some part I need in there. Yeah, it won't turn that $.99 sale into $100, but it might bring it up to $5, which ain't bad for a minute of sorting.

 

Lol, this person looks like they just want to get rid of it, regardless.

 

Good question. I've actually failed to sell a lot that was neatly laid out, for 99 cents, yet I managed to sell it for $3 for when i threw it in a pile. All the same toys, 2 different strategies, one sold and one didn't. It actually helped to "hide" things and just let people take the risk, versus telling them what they were getting.

Is it completely honest? No! Do I feel like a bit of a dick for it? Of Course! But i'd rather be able to get this stuff out of my house, even at no profit (between fees and gas, I made maybe 20 cents), than be stuck with it sitting in boxes.

I know, I know, why not donate the toys?! Because there's no goodwills anywhere near here and i'm not giving broken/junk toys to toys for tots.

 

why not just trash it if it cost $3?

 

Sorry, my wording may have been confusing, the toys were no longer at any cost to me. I'd gotten them all in larger lots, which i'd already made my money back on (and then some) and these were just the junk extra i was getting rid of. Making any amount of money on them was at no loss to me.

 

It's an interesting commentary on human nature: we all enjoy (to varying degrees) the excitement of gambling. In some ways, the buyer of a mysterious pile is gambling on some treasure being at the bottom. Moreover, they're basically gambling that the seller didn't recognize that value and that they're getting a "steal".

 

I saw a previous lot this user was selling. It had a few G2s (Including Jazz and Optimus) and a whole mess of these Knockoff Red Constructicons I'm beginning to see more and more of.

 

And sometimes the sellers just dump all the stuff in a box, no bubble wrap or whatever.

 

Sometimes sellers Jumble Gundams and Power Rangers in their lots and Ignorantly Blanket-categorize them as "Transformers"
Power Rangers get a pass on this Pet Peeve because they often transform. Gundams have never, will never be Transforming toys.

One that never ceases to Piss me off are the morons that list one figure as a "Lot"
a "Lot" refers to a group of items. One figure is not a "Lot". One figure is one figure.

Another ebay convention that grinds my gears is people Ignorantly throwing around "G1" or "1980's" as Catchwords. Its annoying and you don't deserve my money or anyone else's for that matter if you are listing three Armada figures as "1908's Transformers Lot" masterpiece Optimus Prime may be based on his G1 appearance, but he isn't a Generation 1 Transformer toy.

 

I suspect that this kind of behavior has less to do with ignorance than intentionally trying to hit popularly searched words. "Lot", "G1", etc. are going to pull hits in eBay searches.

 

Honesty is good policy as customisers are often looking for specific parts and someone might buy the whole lot just to get something they need like that one missing basebot ramp or something like that.

I buy stuff like this quite a lot and you'd be surprised haw handy it is to have a spare pile of junk - like if I buy a toy with some screw missing or when I needed to replace Beast wars Grimlock's shoulder hexes with ones from Dinobot as they suffered from gold plastic syndrome and snapped in half the 2nd time I transformed him. junk Dinobot later I have a fully working Grimlock that can actually be transformed.

I also got a G1 Wreck Gar gun in a lot like that which I'm pleased to say fit perfectly in Classics Wreck Gar's fist.

And it's really fun when you are able to complete a figure using parts from several or repair one you bought that was faulty - It took me 3 junk Beast Wars Spitters to make one good one for example.

I dream one day I'll find those darn Six Shot guns I need.

It's OK to call any Freightliner "G1 Optimus Prime" in my view be it a THS O2 or a Masterpiece - just as it's Ok to Call G1 Convoy Optimus Prime - I mean what else do you call Choro Q Convoy - I'd proably be quite understanding if someone said they had a G1 Optimus Prime Penny Racer.

I'd not like to see that as the only description but I would be completely understanding if it was in the Description. It might be pushing a bit though to call Big Convoy G1 Optimus Prime Elephant - which I have to say I have seen.

Speaking of e-bay pet peeves though I hate it when people put "Optimus, Megatron Bumblebee" as a description when they are selling something like Spinister.

And people who put no description at all really bug me. just a photo and a title.
But the ones I really hate are the ones who say whe combine shipping and when you inquire you find out this means a 5% discount on each additional item leading to something like a 40-60% (or much worse) overcharge on the true shipping cost.

 

I just avoid buying POL junkers all together, no matter the condition of the toys!  

 

Gosh yes - I had that happen to me with a Black Animated Rodimus the original toy is secured in the box with twist ties this person sent me one rattling about in the box loose allowing the bow to get bent and the toy to get quite scuffed up - was a bit of bubble wrap really not obvious -

If you send something and it rattles - you are doing something wrong.

Oh and you could ask them to e-mail you a couple of extra pictures of the stuff spread out on a bed sheet. all they can do is say no.

Oh and I'm sure there's many Radicons that would buy your parts - I for example am always interested in Energon stars and any 5mm or clip weapons etc.. as it suits me to have lots of guns as it's something I like to have as part of my play pattern.