Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
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This is not the first time the subject has been discussed and still not the last. It usually ends up as the seller's loss if no one wants to weed through disorganization or poor listings (blurry images, etc).
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"At least try to keep series together, there was a nature series split over at least 4 pages."
Was the sell price for all the stamps of the series the same? You cannot keep a series of ever increasing catalog values on the same page.
That said, when I was putting books together each page was always arranged in chronological order - not that difficult.
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I agree with what Webpaper (Carol) said. If you have a set of stamps and the first 4 are low value they would appear on an earlier page of the book and then if the next one is slightly higher that would appear a few pages beyond and if the last stamp in the set is the highest value that could be on the last page. However, if the issue is that the first 4 stamps that are all of the same value/cost - are spread across different pages - then that I agree is not a good organized book. I try to set up the book in a fairly good year order within the price point. Sometimes there could be an odd stamp that gets out of order but I would say I am about 90% accurate. When it comes to stamps that are greater than 25 cents cost - I do provide the Scott #. With the higher catalog values I may only have a handful of stamps and it covers a large year span - but the catalog # is a guide at that point. I was thinking of putting a comment in the description field pointing the buyer to the page that contains the next stamp in a set series - so they can go right to that page and grab it. Obviously when setting up the book I know where the rest of a set is. I wonder if something like that would help the buyers ? Steve
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I think organizing a book in some semblance of order is a minimum courtesy to your fellow members. Some books are just a dump of stamps in haphazard order, with repetition scattered over the pages, and not a minimum of effort put in organization. Quite frankly they are "disgraceful" (my opinion), and I avoid them and once I know who issues them I avoid the sellers for all subsequent books.
That is all you can do, other than ask for some for some imposed discipline, which few people want. The only vague rule we have is
""Please do NOT compile books with unrelated material, "floor sweepings", and do NOT combine unrelated countries or topics, etc.." "
rrr...
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I see the logic in splitting a series up because of price, I still prefer them to be together but that's just my opinion. But if you have multiple copies of a certain stamp, why split them up throughout the book? I have come close to buying the same stamp twice because of that but maybe that's the intention. To me the best book is done by date, but I realize now that that makes pricing difficult. So how about this, organize by price and then more or less by date within that? I think at least one of the above posts agrees with that. But don't go nuts if the average price is only a few cents, even then a little organization is good. Have a great Christmas everyone!!
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I agree with Ralph that neatly compiled approval books is a courtesy extended to potential buyers. Sloppily compiled books, and books full of damaged junk, to me says words about the seller, like the seller doesn't care about dumping trash on collectors, and often at full prices.
Still, to each their own. Choose who you want to deal with.
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"Still, to each their own. Choose who you want to deal with."
The crux of the matter!
To those that have never produced an Approval Book try the following.
Note the time.
Find a country that you have 150 stamps of.
Pick out 100.
Put them in catalogue order.
Decide what price you are going to charge.
Put them on a numbered stock sheet or hinge them on a Stamporama Approval sheet in order.
Page number them.
Scan all the sheets.
Crop them to fit into the stamporama system.
Now take a note of the time.
Work out how many minutes it has taken you.
That's how long it takes.
I have not said catalogue number them or cat value them. (Scott only prices sets in some era's)
I have not said pick an easy country to date them. (Some countries are more difficult to date).
Let say you price all the stamps at 10 cents. Lets say you sell 65% of them. Total income $6.50.
I have not commentated on the time taken to collate the 65 stamps sold to say 4 buyers, preparing and sending the invoices, adding the stamps to existing invoices,
waiting for payment and notification from paypal (Paypal charges), the cost of stationary like envelopes, stiffeners, going to the post office, coming back from the post office (in the snow, rain, heat etc)
Are you all crying into your handkerchiefs yet?
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And Ian, you do an amazing job - your books are a joy to go through. I have bought, and will continue to buy, from you. Very few people do the job as well as you do, there is never damaged material and your books are very easy to follow! Merry Christmas to you and your family and may you have many, many more to come!!!
Addition: Most of the hassle comes after the sale, when I sold on E-Bay I hated the packing and shipping. We sold a lot of china and glass ware so double boxing with bubble wrap and Styrofoam peanuts was a necessity. I figure each cup and saucer sold took at least two hours before going to the post office. You pretty well had to go every day since people wanted the item ASAP even though they paid a minimal price for it. I never want to sell on line again!!! You sellers, as far as I am concerned, are saints! But we still like to bitch and complain!
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Well described Ian. I don't think we do it for the money, for most of us, but for the love of the hobby and for sharing the stamps we have with other with the same passion.
Approvals was designed for club members to sell their duplicates and help fill the many empty spots collectors may have, mostly lower valued stamps.
I have always had a lot of respect for those who sell here as dealers, for the puny income it may generate! It is a hell of a lot of work!
rrr...
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Harvey:- Thank you for those few kind words and may I reciprocate the Christmas Wishes to you and your family.
rrraphy:- you said (for the love of the hobby and for sharing the stamps we have with others with the same passion.)
I am fortunate enough to be able to attend many auctions and buy mixed boxes of stamps. Some items I keep for myself and others end up being listed here. Having worked in Northern Alberta and some of the remote parts of Scotland, I know how difficult it can be to accquire items one collects and it is one of the joys to be able to distribute such items through stamporama to a wonderful bunch of collectors.
One day I may be able to fill the gas tank of the Ferrari.
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Ian I think I spotted it on my last trip.
rrr...
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rrraphy:- Thanks for the giggle. A nice way to start the morning.
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08:07:10pm
I know I am going to get blasted for this since I have been before. But, what the heck! I check the new books when ever I go on the computer, usually a couple times a day. I got really excited this evening, the older I get the less it takes. There were two books there from a country I collect with lots of pages. I figure I'll find something for sure and am prepared for at least an hour's fun looking through the books. Then I open the book, no order whatsoever. I don't expect numbers, that's too much work for a few cents, but some kind of order is good! At least try to keep series together, there was a nature series split over at least 4 pages. Early stamps from the 1800's on the same pages with stamps that are at least 100 years newer. It was such a zoo that I basically said the heck with it. When you have a country with thousands of stamps and you're only missing the odd one there is no way to deal with that kind of book. Please try for a little bit of organization old to new so we can start at the front of our album and work through by date - PLEASE! The comments will start now about how it doesn't pay to organize a book, but from what I can tell books with no organization whatsoever take a long time to sell. Anyway, everyone please have a good and safe Christmas! Don't get too mad at my post!
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re: organizing books
This is not the first time the subject has been discussed and still not the last. It usually ends up as the seller's loss if no one wants to weed through disorganization or poor listings (blurry images, etc).
Login to Like
this post
re: organizing books
"At least try to keep series together, there was a nature series split over at least 4 pages."
Was the sell price for all the stamps of the series the same? You cannot keep a series of ever increasing catalog values on the same page.
That said, when I was putting books together each page was always arranged in chronological order - not that difficult.
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: organizing books
I agree with what Webpaper (Carol) said. If you have a set of stamps and the first 4 are low value they would appear on an earlier page of the book and then if the next one is slightly higher that would appear a few pages beyond and if the last stamp in the set is the highest value that could be on the last page. However, if the issue is that the first 4 stamps that are all of the same value/cost - are spread across different pages - then that I agree is not a good organized book. I try to set up the book in a fairly good year order within the price point. Sometimes there could be an odd stamp that gets out of order but I would say I am about 90% accurate. When it comes to stamps that are greater than 25 cents cost - I do provide the Scott #. With the higher catalog values I may only have a handful of stamps and it covers a large year span - but the catalog # is a guide at that point. I was thinking of putting a comment in the description field pointing the buyer to the page that contains the next stamp in a set series - so they can go right to that page and grab it. Obviously when setting up the book I know where the rest of a set is. I wonder if something like that would help the buyers ? Steve
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
19 Dec 2019
11:03:33am
re: organizing books
I think organizing a book in some semblance of order is a minimum courtesy to your fellow members. Some books are just a dump of stamps in haphazard order, with repetition scattered over the pages, and not a minimum of effort put in organization. Quite frankly they are "disgraceful" (my opinion), and I avoid them and once I know who issues them I avoid the sellers for all subsequent books.
That is all you can do, other than ask for some for some imposed discipline, which few people want. The only vague rule we have is
""Please do NOT compile books with unrelated material, "floor sweepings", and do NOT combine unrelated countries or topics, etc.." "
rrr...
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12:57:20pm
re: organizing books
I see the logic in splitting a series up because of price, I still prefer them to be together but that's just my opinion. But if you have multiple copies of a certain stamp, why split them up throughout the book? I have come close to buying the same stamp twice because of that but maybe that's the intention. To me the best book is done by date, but I realize now that that makes pricing difficult. So how about this, organize by price and then more or less by date within that? I think at least one of the above posts agrees with that. But don't go nuts if the average price is only a few cents, even then a little organization is good. Have a great Christmas everyone!!
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this post
re: organizing books
I agree with Ralph that neatly compiled approval books is a courtesy extended to potential buyers. Sloppily compiled books, and books full of damaged junk, to me says words about the seller, like the seller doesn't care about dumping trash on collectors, and often at full prices.
Still, to each their own. Choose who you want to deal with.
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this post
Auctions - Approvals
re: organizing books
"Still, to each their own. Choose who you want to deal with."
The crux of the matter!
To those that have never produced an Approval Book try the following.
Note the time.
Find a country that you have 150 stamps of.
Pick out 100.
Put them in catalogue order.
Decide what price you are going to charge.
Put them on a numbered stock sheet or hinge them on a Stamporama Approval sheet in order.
Page number them.
Scan all the sheets.
Crop them to fit into the stamporama system.
Now take a note of the time.
Work out how many minutes it has taken you.
That's how long it takes.
I have not said catalogue number them or cat value them. (Scott only prices sets in some era's)
I have not said pick an easy country to date them. (Some countries are more difficult to date).
Let say you price all the stamps at 10 cents. Lets say you sell 65% of them. Total income $6.50.
I have not commentated on the time taken to collate the 65 stamps sold to say 4 buyers, preparing and sending the invoices, adding the stamps to existing invoices,
waiting for payment and notification from paypal (Paypal charges), the cost of stationary like envelopes, stiffeners, going to the post office, coming back from the post office (in the snow, rain, heat etc)
Are you all crying into your handkerchiefs yet?
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12:46:12pm
re: organizing books
And Ian, you do an amazing job - your books are a joy to go through. I have bought, and will continue to buy, from you. Very few people do the job as well as you do, there is never damaged material and your books are very easy to follow! Merry Christmas to you and your family and may you have many, many more to come!!!
Addition: Most of the hassle comes after the sale, when I sold on E-Bay I hated the packing and shipping. We sold a lot of china and glass ware so double boxing with bubble wrap and Styrofoam peanuts was a necessity. I figure each cup and saucer sold took at least two hours before going to the post office. You pretty well had to go every day since people wanted the item ASAP even though they paid a minimal price for it. I never want to sell on line again!!! You sellers, as far as I am concerned, are saints! But we still like to bitch and complain!
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
20 Dec 2019
02:12:18pm
re: organizing books
Well described Ian. I don't think we do it for the money, for most of us, but for the love of the hobby and for sharing the stamps we have with other with the same passion.
Approvals was designed for club members to sell their duplicates and help fill the many empty spots collectors may have, mostly lower valued stamps.
I have always had a lot of respect for those who sell here as dealers, for the puny income it may generate! It is a hell of a lot of work!
rrr...
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Auctions - Approvals
re: organizing books
Harvey:- Thank you for those few kind words and may I reciprocate the Christmas Wishes to you and your family.
rrraphy:- you said (for the love of the hobby and for sharing the stamps we have with others with the same passion.)
I am fortunate enough to be able to attend many auctions and buy mixed boxes of stamps. Some items I keep for myself and others end up being listed here. Having worked in Northern Alberta and some of the remote parts of Scotland, I know how difficult it can be to accquire items one collects and it is one of the joys to be able to distribute such items through stamporama to a wonderful bunch of collectors.
One day I may be able to fill the gas tank of the Ferrari.
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Retired Ap. Book Mod, Pres Golden Gate Stamp Club, Hi Tech Consultant
20 Dec 2019
10:46:21pm
re: organizing books
Ian I think I spotted it on my last trip.
rrr...
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