AuctionBytes-Update Number 41 - July 1, 2001 - ISSN 1528-6703

AuctionBytes-Update is a free newsletter for online auction buyers and sellers. Read reviews of online-auction products and services, tips on being more efficient, and information about antiques and collectibles. AuctionBytes-Update is published by email twice a month. (Print it out for easier reading.)

***************************************
IN THIS ISSUE:
1) From the Editor
2) Charge It! A Review of Online Payment Services
3) Mining Inventory
4) This & That
5) How To Make Money Selling Books Online Part II
6) COLLECTOR'S CORNER: Hot Wheels
7) Auction Tools From AuctionHelper.com
8) Newsflash
***************************************

1) FROM THE EDITOR

It's been a busy two weeks for us. My sister Siobhan and her three children, Kate, Maggie and Jake, visited us from Omaha, Nebraska! Maggie the Auction Hound (whom we did NOT name after my niece) loved her cousins and auntie. We wished they could have stayed longer.

My sister Ellen was able to visit for two days as well, and we all saw the American Folk exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. There were beautiful quilts, dolls, decoys and more. One of my favorite pieces was the carousel animal carved into the shape of a greyhound. It had been painted many times over the years and it took museum conservators a year to get it painstakingly restored to its original colors!

Part Two of Craig Stark's popular series on How to Make Money Selling Books Online is included in this issue - it has excellent tips that can be applied to any area of online-selling. Izzy Goodman rates the popular online payment services, Edith Reynolds reviews ways to mine inventory to sell at online auction, and Mike Marino describes AuctionHelper's new seller tool.

Don't forget to use the Yellow Pages directory on the Web site. You can tell others what you think of products and services for collectors and auction users by using the built-in Ratings and Review feature.

Thanks for reading!

Ina Steiner, Editor
email: ina@auctionbytes.com

=======================================
Navigate the auction channel with ChannelFusion Pro! Our tools will guide you though the turbulent seas of the auction management process. Customize and manage your auctions in less time. Storefronts, ad templates and e-mail communications can be customized to make posting many items quick and easy. Register today for unlimited access to all ChannelFusion Pro has to offer. Get an Annual Subscription for just $150 with promotion #ABYTES150A.

http://auctions.goto.com/AM/default.asp
================================Advertisement=======

***************************************
***************************************
2) Charge It! A Review of Online Payment Services
by Yisroel Goodman

In the 2+ years I have been auctioning on the Net, I have not had a single charge back, restricted account or any similar problem with any payment service. So it is tempting to say, "Why not just use the free ones?"

The reason to choose a payment service based on service and security and not cost is because the one time you may have a problem, it might cost you more than you saved in all your previous transactions. But the good news is that the best services are not necessarily those with the highest cost.

Most online payment services charge the seller, and most fees are based on the purchase price of the item being sold. Credit card companies allow a purchaser to "charge back" an item if they are dissatisfied for a valid reason. Some of the online payment services that use credit cards also allow charge backs, giving a degree of protection to buyers.

Here's a look at some of the more popular online payment services used by auction buyers and sellers. See individual Web sites for details.

Citibank's C2it <http://www.c2it.com >
FEES: Fees charged to buyer. 1% fee, $.50 minimum. First month free. $10 bonus when first payment is made. See Web site for spending limits and international fees. (Click on Fees and Limits at bottom of screen)
PAYMENT: seller withdraws funds to credit card (even non-citibank card) or bank account. $3 fee for check request.
SECURITY: Sellers will not be charged if buyer uses an unauthorized credit card. While charge back procedures are determined by the credit card used, sellers will be protected against charge backs as long as there is no indication of seller fraud. Buyers paying by credit card can attempt charge backs if they feel defrauded. The outcome will be determined by the credit card used. My feeling is that buyers and sellers will be protected if they use common sense in making and accepting payments.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Email and toll free number with fast response.
NOTE: When you open your account, you are given several check off boxes if you do not want your information shared and if you do not want to receive offers. Despite the fact that the text suggests you must send C2it a letter, I have confirmed that all you have to do is check off the boxes. C2it does not work with Webtv.

Western Union's Moneyzap <http://www.moneyzap.com>
FEES: paid by seller. ACH/Checking - 1.75% of $ amount sent + $.35 (minimum fee $.50, maximum fee $3). MoneyZap funds - 1.75% of $ amount sent + $.35 (minimum fee $.50, maximum fee $3). Credit/Debit Card - 2.8% of $ amount sent + $.35 (minimum fee $.50, no maximum fee).
PAYMENT: seller withdraws to bank account
SECURITY: Western Union contacts every payer when the first payment is made. They claim that they have never processed a fraudulent payment. Though they will investigate issues of fraud and charge backs, sellers are responsible for any charge backs made against them. When using a credit card, buyer has charge back rights.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Email and toll free number with fast response.
NOTE: For U.S. residents only

Achex <http://www.achex.com>
FEES: free unless seller opens a business account with Achex. This service requires sellers to "apply" before giving information about merchant accounts, so auction sellers may not qualify as merchants.
PAYMENT: money is electronically transferred from buyer's bank account to seller's bank account.
SECURITY: Because this works bank account to bank account, there can be no charge backs. However, banking laws do permit a buyer to stop a payment by filing an affidavit of fraud. There is a limited amount of time during which the buyer can do this, and it is a crime to file this falsely. So while buyers do have recourse in the event of actual fraud, sellers will be protected against false claims.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Fast response to emails. Toll free number. For U.S. residents with U.S. checking accounts only.

BidPay < http://www.bidpay.com> (Not to be confused with BidBay)
FEES: Fees charged to buyer. $5 fee for up to $100. For purchases over $100, there is a fee of $5 plus 2.25% of the purchase price. There is a $500 maximum purchase price.
PAYMENT: seller receives a money order in the mail.
SECURITY: Buyers are on their own, and this is not an escrow service. Once seller has received money order, the transaction can not be reversed.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: In recent months there have been several posts on AW about mistakes made at Bidpay with no response to calls and emails. I cannot verify the veracity of those postings.
NOTE: This service is restricted to auction transactions. See site for geographic restrictions.

Payingfast <http://www.payingfast.com>
FEES: Fees charged to buyer: $4.49 for up to $100 plus an additional 1.5% of purchase price for transactions over $100. See Web site for details and maximum purchase amounts.
PAYMENT: seller receives a money order in the mail.
SECURITY: Once seller has received money order, the transaction may not be reversed.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Toll free number and email.
NOTE: Payingfast is a small, privately owned company. It is offering a $2 bonus to sellers who recommend the service. See Web site for geographic restrictions.

PayPal <http://www.paypal.com>
FEES: Personal accounts are free and are limited to receiving $100 in credit card payments per month. Business accounts are charged 2.2% + .30 for credit card transactions, paid by seller. NEW FEES: PayPal will introduce two pricing tiers for Premier and Business accounts effective July 14, 2001. The Standard Rate for receiving payments will be 2.9% + 30¢. It will offer a Merchant Rate of 2.2% + 30¢ to members who have received an average of over $1,000 per month and who have been with PayPal for at least three months.
PAYMENT: withdrawal to bank account. Fees charged if check requested.
SECURITY: Paypal tried an ambitious "protection plan" devised to protect both buyers and sellers, but I find it unsatisfactory.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: I've heard bad things about PayPal's customer service, and the Better Business Bureau reported having received many complaints about PayPal's customer service as well.
NOTE: PayPal offers a $5 sign up bonus to new members and a $5 referral fee (with restrictions).

eBay/Well Fargo Billpoint <http://www.billpoint.com>
FEES: Fees paid by seller. There are two kinds of accounts: merchant account and seller account. A merchant account pays 35 cents for transactions of $15 or less, and 35 cents plus 1.75% for transactions over $15 (if credit card used). Check the Web site for details as fee structure is complex. Here's the Seller Fee Structure: <http://pages.ebay.com/help/sellerguide/bp-fees.html>
PAYMENT: withdrawal to bank account.
SECURITY: In recent months I have heard of several (unverified) reports of buyers using unauthorized credit cards. For buyers using credit cards, Billpoint is safe because charge backs are allowed.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: Email or contact form on the site. In my opinion, they are not as responsive as the other services.

Yahoo Paydirect < http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/paydirect>
FEES: free (Web site says " Fees may be introduced in the future.")
PAYMENT: withdrawal to bank account
SECURITY: Once payment has been sent, Yahoo cannot step in to resolve disputes. The Web site says that chargebacks are not allowed, even if buyers use credit cards to fund their accounts: "Please also note that transactions used to fund your PayDirect account are separate from any payment transactions made via PayDirect. You may not dispute or charge back a transaction used to fund your PayDirect account on the basis of any dispute with a recipient,... This is true even if you used your credit card to fund your account." I believe they are wrong, and that no merchants can prevent chargebacks when a credit card is used.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: I find Yahoo Paydirect's customer service extremely unsatisfactory and have heard many complaints as well. Automatically-generated email replies often don't match the subject.

A Note about Chargebacks
No merchant can prevent chargebacks when a buyer uses a credit card. While PayPal may restrict a buyer's account if the buyer makes a chargeback without first contacting PayPal, according to several posts on AuctionWatch, OTWA and eBay forums, Paydirect and Billpoint allow the same buyer to make multiple chargebacks with no penalty and with all costs going to the sellers. Sellers should use caution when using services that allow buyers to pay with credit cards and should keep this in mind when comparing services.

Always use caution when selecting which online payment service to use (and accept), and do your own research! Things change quickly on the Web.

-->>>GO TO http://www.auctionbytes.com/paymentratings/paymentratings.html for "Goodman's Guide to Online Payment Services"
---
Yisroel (Izzy) Goodman owns Complete Computer Services Inc. and sells electronics online. He publishes reports about online payment services on his Web site < http://www.ygoodman.com>. His informed opinions are based on his own experience and from reading about others' experiences with payment services as well as discussions with users, representatives of the services and experts in the field. (Note: He is not affiliated in any way, directly or indirectly, with any payment service.)

***************************************
***************************************
3) Mining Inventory
by Edith Reynolds

You made some money on eBay, got the taste of being your own boss, worked in your underwear. But now that the closets and attic are cleaned out, reality hits...in order to continue making money, you have to hunt up new things to sell. That's sometimes not as easy as you think.

One of the most lucrative options for digging up treasures is still the tag sales/garage sales/rummage sales/white elephant sales route. Whatever you call them, these days a more appropriate designation is "slim pickings" since more people each year have discovered the Internet. Great buys that used to be had for a dollar are now culled by knowledgeable sellers. More often than not, it's the real junk they're trying to sell. Your only hope is to trip across a home that doesn't possess a computer. Buck up, with stamina and diligence the good sales are still out there, but if you're anything like me and like to sleep late, this is not an easy road to travel.

In the case of the tag sale, it's true about that early bird catching the worm but that adage can be amended to "the early bird annoys the worm" since sometimes the term "early" extends into the day before as anyone who's had a tag sale can tell you. Once that free listing hits the papers, the die hard bargain hunters start prowling. Within hours of the paper hitting the streets, buyers start knocking on doors asking to help you go through things to "save you the trouble of having to drag them outside." You'll hear all sorts of excuses why they can't possibly show up the next day and mostly the truth is that they'll be at other tag sales where the seller wasn't so amenable to their help.

If you like to travel, you can always take excursions to the local and not so local shops looking for "mistakes" on items the proprietor under-priced. If you have a resale number, you may be eligible for a trade discount, making your find all the more appetizing. But the Internet hasn't only increased the number of people looking for things to sell, it's made it easier for shop owners to research their wares. Again, the computer-less shop is your best friend.

Nobody said inventory hunting was easy. My personal favorite is auctions, especially the small ones in country settings where you have the chance of seeing fresh stock right out of a house. These do still exist, and bargains may be found if not too many savvy buyers show up. Beware, they're addictive and the flurry of bidding can get you into trouble. Trying to fit that lot of 10 chamber pots or the $75 Oriental rug into a small car can bring on headaches of their own.

If all else fails and you find you haven't the time to visit shops or tag sales, try an ad in the local newspaper. You never know who'll call and what they'll have. Housecalls are still the best bet when searching for unusual items in good condition. Why not set up an offshoot business if you have teenagers too young to work in regular jobs? They can clean out cellars and split the profits from what you sell on eBay.

There are successful antique dealers who drive the streets of their city on trash day, looking for...yes, inventory. Just this week my mother-in-law watched one man snatch a perfectly good mirror from her neighbor's curbside. When asked why he would do this himself, the man replied that the mirror will bring him $25 on the Internet. Not a bad profit for a free stop on his way home.

The diminishing avenues for finding good merchandise makes partnerships with established businesses more attractive to those who prefer regular hours. But it's important to make sure that the partner you choose provides an equal amount of work or goods to make the enterprise fruitful and less frustrating. You can choose a variety of ways to cooperate: one provides the goods, the other the work, both of you contribute goods and time. Success is in the details. Who pays for the costs? Who pays the taxes? Will the partnership be for a fixed amount of a percentage of the profits? Are you the only partner? Does the partner have a good and honorable reputation? In order to avoid conflicts, work out the process beforehand, making sure your agreement is clear and in writing.

No matter how you decide to proceed, you have to be ready for any opportunity. Keep boxes and bags in the trunk of your car. You never know when you'll be driving along and find a garage sale full of just the thing you like to sell. Keep a reference book handy as well to help you make up your mind on those iffy items. Even casual visits to relatives can result in a "find" if you tell people what you're doing. And that's another thing...talk about what you want. Even if the items are not immediately available, people will "keep you in mind" if someone else mentions having to clean out a house or garage.

Finding inventory may not be easy, but it's possible. It all depends on what you sell. If you decide you want to sell new items, get yourself a distributor and go to town. If you make things yourself, spend a part of the year preparing, the other part selling.

Whatever you choose, you'll have to budget your time to include this. After all, if you don't, your enterprise will be short lived. And it's a good bet the next job won't let you show up in your pajamas.
---
Edith Reynolds is a former newspaper and magazine writer. She and her husband Dan own an antiquarian bookstore, The John Bale Book Company, in Waterbury, CT. For the past nine years, they have specialized in early Americana and rare bindings. They are members of the ABAA - Antiquarian Booksellers of America Association, ILAB - International League of Antiquarian Booksellers, IOBA - International Online Booksellers Association, and OAUA - Online Auction Users Association. Edith manages online sales. In addition to their bookstore, they sell on eBay and at book fairs. Visit Edith's Web sites, <http://www.taxter.com>, <http://www.usiana.com>, <http://www.johnbalebooks.com> and <http://www.sellusyourbooks.com>. eBay IDs: TAXTER, TAXTER2, TAXTER3, USIANA, BALEBOOKS.

***************************************
***************************************
4) THIS & THAT

U.S. Postage Fees Increase Today!
Don't forget when quoting shipping charges that the USPS is instituting a rate hike effective today, July 1, 2001. While initially it doesn't seem like a large increase, some rates for packages over 15 lbs have increased over $3! David has updated the USPS/UPS comparison chart to reflect the new rates. (There are definitely some price savings by using UPS shipping.)
http://www.auctionbytes.com/Yellow_Pages/postratesnew/postratesne w.html

******
PayPal Rumors Swirl Again
PayPal may be considering a partnership with Citigroup, according to a report from ePayNews.com. "If this is true, PayPal would win on two fronts, by overcoming its biggest rival, Citigroup's c2it P2P service, and by synergizing its sophisticated back-end processing systems with Citigroup's global customer base."
<http://www.epaynews.com/links/topstories.html>

******
"Strong Numbers" Price Guide
Strong Numbers Guides & Tools provides fair market values for the most popular products based on actual transactions from online auctions and prices from online retailers. Strong Numbers sorts the raw data into specific related categories based on how consumers actually search for products. Strong Numbers culls the pricing information from 250 auction sites and 2000 retailers.
http://www.strongnumbers.com/bluebook/index.shtml

******
"Just Glass" Opens StoreFronts
Auction site Just Glass has launched online dealer shops. The Just Glass Express Storefront software will enable dealers to create a custom Web site within the Just Glass dealer mall.

Reyne Haines and Rosemary Trietsch, co-owners of Just Glass, have been working to create the most complete glass information portal on the Web. "Our aim has always been to create a site that provides for all aspects of glass collecting. Although JG began as an auction site, it has grown to include a monthly magazine, research library, comprehensive reproduction section, dealer shops and a bookstore, all in addition to our auction and Classified listings."

The Just Glass 'Express Storefront' software allows users to design their own shop. There are several different home page templates and color/backgrounds to choose from so that individuals can create a shop that suits their style and needs. Just Glass Express Storefronts offer 3 cost effective dealer shop options: Business - $25 per month, E-Commerce - $45 per month, and Enterprise - $70 per month.

All three options include picture hosting for each item, an on-site search engine and order form and credit card capabilities. Dealers can keep a record of all orders, send items to auction and manage their inventory from one page. The software also provides the exact number of hits the site has received for any given period of time - including a detailed breakdown by day and time  - and a list of the Top 10 items viewed so dealers can see what inventory attracts the most attention.  
< http://www.justglassmall.com>

******
Carnaby Launches Marketing Campaign
Carnaby.com launched a marketing campaign to drive membership growth and to promote its online auction site. The "Cash Cow Sweepstakes" marketing promotion offers Carnaby members the opportunity to earn points and "Carnaby Dollars" every time they browse, list or bid on items throughout the site. The points earned are converted into sweepstakes entries giving them the chance of winning great prizes, while the Carnaby Dollars can be used as discounts at participating merchants.

Carnaby is an online auction and fixed price marketplace offering members features such as a Live Auction Ticker, Chat Boards, Bulk Loader, a unique Patent-Pending Want Ad Center, and a complete B2B Marketplace designed specially to provide small and large companies a quick and easy way to sell or liquidate their excess inventory.
<http://www.carnaby.com>

******
Andale Makes A Splash with Auction Tools
Andale got quite a bit of attention last week when it announced its new "Commerce Management Service" -- an integrated suite of sales automation products for merchants selling across multiple online markets, including Internet auction sites, branded storefronts, Web sites and via direct email.

Andale CEO Munjal Shah and Mary Camarata, Director of Corporate Communications, spoke to AuctionBytes last week about their new line of "Quick Packs," three new packages designed to meet the needs of different sellers (see June 25th's Newsflash for details). I was struck by their no-nonsense approach. When I asked Mary if she actually used online auctions (because she sounded like she truly understood them), Munjal said everyone at Andale is required to use online auction sites weekly!

What do you think? Have you used Andale's services? If you want to share your opinion, leave a review of Andale in the AuctionBytes Yellow Pages. This URL will take you right to Andale's listing (the URL is long -- you may have to cut and paste it since word-wrap will probably force it onto two lines).
< http://www.auctionbytes.com/bin/bizdirectory/biz-dir-search.pl?quer y=966204848>

***************************************
***************************************
5) How To Make Money Selling Books Online Part II
by Craig Stark

[INTRODUCTION: This is the second in a series of articles on selling books online profitably. Future topics include locating saleable books; and pricing and presenting them for auction or resale. The author is an online bookseller who makes over $1,000 a week selling books exclusively on eBay. The first article may be found at < http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/39/39.html#books>. ]

After instinct, knowledge is your second best tool for identifying a saleable book. In time, as you gain experience, knowledge will surpass instinct, but to get to this point, there's work to be done-in other words, research. The best place to do research is in the same place you'll be selling your books. For our purposes, this is eBay.

There are many methods for accomplishing deliberate, useful research, but one of the best I've found is to keep a notebook. I use one that's lined, divided into five sections, and small enough to carry on book buying trips (7" x 9 1/2"). I use the first section for miscellaneous notes, the second for HOT TITLES, the third for HOT AUTHORS, the fourth for HOT TOPICS, and the fifth for HOT VENDORS. (More about these topics later.)

Once you have something to record your research in, it's time to get down to business. Go to the eBay home page, click search at the top of the page, then select 'Books' in the 'Search In Categories' box. Next type any single common letter in the 'Search Title' box (I use the R/S/T/L/N/E group of letters commonly used on Wheel Of Fortune) and $40 and $200 in the 'Price Range' boxes. Click search. When the page of current auctions comes up, click 'Completed Auctions.' Typically the first of 50 pages will now appear, enough for about an hour's worth of research.

Obviously you can't write down every last book that sells in this range, but you can dramatically reduce the time you spend here by applying one rule: only write down the titles that you might have passed over had you seen them on the shelf at a bookstore, thrift shop, estate sale, etc. Example: I'm certain not many of us would pass over an early edition of Jack Kerouac's ON THE ROAD-so there's no point writing that down--but what about Colin MacInnes' ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS? It was written during the same time period and explores similar themes-and most importantly, it routinely sells for $50 to $100. I recently found one with a dust jacket in a thrift store for $.50. Also, use your instinct. If you see an obscure 19th century title on dentistry, don't write it down simply because you have no knowledge of the book. Your instincts would have told you to grab that one off the shelf in spite of your ignorance.

As your list of titles grow, you may begin to notice patterns. Authors or topics may begin to reappear on your list. Once they do, it's a good idea to search them on eBay to verify marketability. If things check out, add them to your respective lists. By the way, Edward Gorey (the cartoonist) is an example of a hot author. Wild Turkey hunting is an example of a hot topic. A few hours a week doing this kind of research, and you'll be surprised at how quickly your lists will grow and very pleasantly surprised at how valuable they'll be when you're on book buying trips.

The final section in my notebook is reserved for hot vendors. In the course of your research, it's almost always productive to spend a few minutes looking at the closed auctions of sellers who seem to sell books in the price range you're aspiring to sell in. A great deal can be learned here, not only in researching what will sell, but also in learning about presentation and listing strategies. If you find a vendor who seems to be making money hand over fist, write the member ID down in your notebook. You've just made a new friend.

Once you're armed to the teeth with instinct and knowledge, there's no stopping you, provided you know where to find books. More about this next time in Part III: Locating Saleable Books.

---
Craig Stark is a full-time online bookseller, working at home, and currently making in excess of $1,000 weekly selling exclusively on eBay. He lists anything that will realize a worthwhile profit, including both rare, antique titles, signed first editions, and 20th century books that for whatever reason command a strong price. In late June he will launch a Web site at <http://www.braintreebooks.com > and offer a large selection of hard-to-find, quality books. He will begin listing some of his auctions using the ID braintreebooks. Email Craig at braintreebooks@yahoo.com .

=======================================
CRATERS & FREIGHTERS HELPS YOU SELL THOSE LARGE AUCTION ITEMS
Experienced online auction sellers will tell you that the BIG PROFIT is in the BIG ITEMS. They know the solution that makes it simple......CRATERS & FREIGHTERS. With locations all over the country, we're your one-stop source for all your shipping needs. Anything. Going Anywhere. Anytime. We offer expert crating, packaging, pick-up, delivery, and provide full-insurance coverage.
Get a free eQuote today at http://www.cratersandfreighters.com/cgi-bin/gocf.cgi?ref=4MGSJ
or call toll free: 800-736-3335
================================Advertisement=======

***************************************
***************************************

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>AUCTION FORECAST:

David's auction forecast calls for a mixed day for Sunday, July 1, 2001:
5-day auction: Fair
7-day auction: Good
10-day auction: Bad

Click here for an extended auction forecast:
<http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/calendar/calendar.ht ml >
Bookmark it!
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@
Recommend AuctionBytes-Update to a friend! Forward this complete issue to
them, or go to
http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/Recommend/recomm end.html
and fill out the short form. A sample issue will automatically be sent to
your friend with a note from us (and you can add a note too).
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@

***************************************
***************************************
6) COLLECTOR'S CORNER: Vintage Hot Wheels - Hotter Than Ever
by David Espino

Mattel's Hot Wheels toy cars burst on the scene in 1968 as a California Hot Rod answer to the staid and utilitarian Matchbox cars. These fanciful replicas of '60s Muscle Cars were an instant hit and featured "chrome" mag wheels, independent suspension, brilliant "Spectraflame" paint jobs and realistic body and chassis detailing. What more could a young hot-rodder want?

Aided by extensive television advertising, which set some trends of its own, and those familiar Orange Track sets, millions of these little toy cars were sold in subsequent years.

The earliest Hot Wheels cars are now 33 years old and have become the premier die-cast collectible, achieving incredible prices on eBay and other venues for mint and rare pieces. (A recent private purchase of a Pink "Rear-Loader" Beach Bomb was estimated at $70,000.)

Although not all Hot Wheels cars are valuable, the average sales price for 1968 - 1973 issued cars is between $40 and $100. Rarer cars often trade for between $150 and $500, and some of the rarest pieces sell for up to $22,000.

Because they are toys, many yard sale sellers pay little attention to them. This often results in very low prices for nice items that will bring good prices at online auctions. How do you know if your Hot Wheels yard-sale-find has any value? Here are some things to look for.

Condition - As in any collectible, condition is crucial to what type of price you can expect to achieve. Collectors are concerned with paint chipping and scratches, wear on the wheel chrome, wear or scratching on the windshield or other plastic parts, toning - a darkening of the metal underneath the transparent paint. It is critical that you take the time to describe each car carefully, to avoid returns.

"Redline" wheels - Redlines are what collectors call these early Hot Wheels, because of the Red "stripe" or circle around the wheel's sidewall, much like whitewalls. This was a popular trend in the '60s and indicate that it could be an early car from the '60s and '70s. However, Mattel re-issued some early Hot Wheels under the "Vintage" series and the "25th Anniversary" series in 1994. These re-issues carried redline wheels, but the Redlines is much more subdued and is actually printed on the wheels as opposed to the originals, which were hot-stamped onto the wheel.

Copyright date - This is found on the chassis, or the bottom of the car, and collectors are looking for dates between 1967 and 1977. However, the date on the base of the car is only the copyright date, and not the date the car was issued. So you might have a car that was sold last year, bearing a 1975 date, because that was the year that casting was first issued. It's still a 2001 model, though and will only fetch 2001 prices (not enough to sell at auction).

Look for the shiny metallic "Spectraflame" paint - Good examples of Spectraflame paint (and Redline Hot Wheels) are found at <http://www.redlinesonline.com/Spectraflame_colors.html>.

Spectraflame paint is actually a transparent paint that was used in Hot Rods in the '60s. On Hot Wheels cars, the body of the cars would be zinc plated to achieve a bright polish, almost like chrome. The paint would be applied and the cars shine beautifully, even today, because you can actually see the brightly polished metal through the clear paint.

Original Redline Hot Wheels also included a revolutionary "torsion-bar suspension" that allowed the car to absorb shock and actually makes the car "bounce" a little bit, when it lands on four wheels. This was designed into the cars to allow them to do the many stunts made possible by the various track sets available at the time.

Values vary based on condition, color (some cars were rarely made in certain colors), rarity and desirability. The best way to find out if you have the real deal? Consult a price guide, available on Amazon or at your local mega-bookstore. I recommend the Tomart's price guide, it is the standard. Use the price guides as guides only. They are not the definitive source of information on a particular car, in fact, many of the guides are outdated and erroneous straight from the printer!

Be sure you are pricing your cars correctly. Nothing irks an experienced collector more than a seller who prices their loose car based on the MINT IN PACKAGE price instead of the Mint Loose price. Most price guides list a Mint Loose price on the left column and a Mint In Package price on the right column. Accessories and even some track sets sell for good prices, also, but the market for these is more limited.

One last tip: Shell Gas Stations did a huge promotion in the early '70s. They gave away a packaged Hot Wheels car with each fill-up. If you know anyone who owned or ran a Shell Gasoline Station in the '70s, ask them if they have any Old Hot Wheels cars. A lot of the Mint In Package cars that are available today have come from Shell Gas Station finds.

Good luck in your hunt for Hot Wheels treasure!

David Espino, author of "Treasure Hunting Collectible Redlines" and "Beyond eBay," can be reached at <http://www.HomeBasedBusinessowner.com>.

=======================================
FREE NEWSLETTER FOR EBAY SELLERS

The Auction Seller's News is a monthly E-zine
for professional eBay sellers. Each issue contains
power selling tips, new techniques, new wholesale
sources for eBay sellers and links to free auction
seller's resources. FREE. Subscribe at:
http://www.auction-sellers-resource.com.

================================Advertisement=======

***************************************
***************************************
7) AuctionLynxx From AuctionHelper.com
By Mike Marino

AuctionLynxx is a new tool from AuctionHelper.com that aims to increase page views and bids of any seller's listings.

AuctionLynxx provides a method of better displaying an individual seller's current auctions that greatly surpasses the 'view my other auctions' link provided by eEay. AuctionLynxx allows the seller to create auction 'categories' and displays all listings that seller has for that category using links in a dynamically generated display.

Let's say a bidder is looking for trading cards for a specific player. Rather than click on the 'other auctions' link eBay provides and hunt through potentially pages of listings, AuctionLynxx allows the bidder to go directly to all listings that the seller has for that player. This makes for more efficient searching and quicker navigation, and benefits the seller by keeping the bidder viewing his or her own auction listings.

So how does this work? AuctionLynxx stores the listing description on its own server for immediate retrieval when a seller's listings need to be generated and displayed. Since the links are displayed in what is called a Java Applet, they will not appear on a 'Search Title and Description' search, avoiding the potential for keyword spamming in violation of eBay rules. Using a Java Applet also allows viewing by over 99% of users, versus around 65% for inline frames.

How effective is AuctionLynxx? Brandon Marz, Vice President of Business Development with AuctionHelper.com, claims their beta tests show a 30% click-through rate using AuctionLynxx, versus less than 1% using the 'view my other auctions' link. In my own listings for sports memorabilia, I have manually added links to my other auctions. As a result, I do receive a greater number of hits and multiple bids from users when the ability exists to jump to some of my other auctions without relying on eBay links to see them. 

According to Jerry Lynch, the company founder and CTO, AuctionLynxx has been extensively tested with all versions of browsers. The product may be available to AuctionHelper.com members as early as July 4th. The fee to use AuctionHelper is 1.5% of your Gross Merchandise Sales, with a minimum fee of 15 cents and a maximum fee of 70 cents per transaction.

AuctionHelper only receives payment if your item sells. There is a minimum fee of $10 per month for sellers. There is no charge to list items, re-list items, store items in inventory or store your images on the site. The company offers a free 30-day trial, and more information is available at <http://www.auctionhelper.com/ahfees.html>.
---
Mike Marino can be contacted at orioles35@aol.com. He is registered at eBay under the same name, where he specializes in sports memorabilia, namely baseball and football trading cards.

***************************************
***************************************
8) Newsflash Highlights
See Web Site for Full Details and Continuous Coverage
Go to <http://www.auctionbytes.com > and click on Newsflash.

June 29, 2001
Record Amounts Spent at Online Auctions in May
PayPal Catches eBay Bug
eBay to Lawmakers: No to Anti-Fraud Legislation, Yes to Anti-Harvesting Legislation

June 28, 2001
Today Is Free Listing Day on eBay
EBay Stops Yates Auction
Snipe Software Site Seeks Beta Testers
Baseball Stadium Stamps Available Today
OAUA Newsletter Available
 
June 27, 2001
Auction Sites Asked to Provide Data to Congress
eBay Implements Changes to Feedback
eBay Introduces eBay Stores Directory

June 26, 2001
Half.com Raises Shipping Charges
Bidville Releases Auction Statistics
ePier Improves Its Image Hosting Service

June 25, 2001
Andale Announces "Quick Packs"
Bidville Bulk Loader Available
eBay Makes Changes to "Recommendations Email" Policy
eBay Low-Life - Too Bad to Be True?!
eBay vs. Amazon
 
June 22, 2001
Antiques Roadshow Unhappy With Sale of Tickets on eBay
Stamps.com Doubles Fees
eBay Users Turn to 1960s-Style Protest
AuctionWorks Makes Improvements to Auction Management Tool
New Auction Sites

June 21, 2001
PayPal Makes Members' Activity Levels Public
B2B Not to Be?
eBay University: Nuts & Bolts
 
June 20, 2001
EBay Updates Policies
Timeblaster Releases Search Software for Searching eBay
HammerTap Releases New Bidder Blocking Software

June 19, 2001
PayPal Introduces the Paypal Credit Card
eBay Announces Changes to Its Feedback Policy
eBay Stands Behind Its "Recommendations Email" Policy
eBay Stores Officially Open for Business

June 18, 2001
Users Protest eBay's Removal of "Jacket Auction" - eBay Seller Speaks Out

BE SURE AND VISIT OUR WEB SITE FOR COMPLETE DAILY AUCTION NEWS!
The "Newsflash" column brings you DAILY online auction news. Go to
< http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/newsflash/newsflas h.html> for the latest online auction news and announcements.

AND NOW YOU CAN SIGN UP TO RECEIVE NEWSFLASH VIA EMAIL!
Send a blank email to: auctionflash-subscribe@topica.com 

***************************************
***************************************
AUCTIONBYTES.COM SPONSORS

Craters & Freighters
http://www.cratersandfreighters.com/cgi-bin/gocf.cgi?ref=4MGSJ

BidBay.com
http://www2.bidbay.com/registration/index.cfm?reg=985479528

Zoovy.com
http://www.zoovy.com/track.cgi?P=auctionbyt

Channel Fusion
http://auctions.goto.com/AM/Default.asp?gnjse=2

Vision-0ne
http://www.123wholesaleresources.com

****************************************************** ************************
Please use the AuctionBytes Yellow Pages when you are shopping for supplies and
services for online auctions and collectibles!
< http://www.online-auction-directory.com>
****************************************************** ************************

AuctionBytes-Update ISSN 1528-6703
AUCTIONBYTES.COM CONTACT INFORMATION
Editorial: ina@auctionbytes.com
Advertising: advert@auctionbytes.com or 508-655-5697
Letters, Comments, Suggestions: feedback@auctionbytes.com
Want to Write for AuctionBytes-Update? Go to http://www.auctionbytes.com and click on "write for us" to view author guidelines. If you are interested, send email to ina@auctionbytes.com.

Ina Steiner, Editor, Publisher and Co-founder: ina@auctionbytes.com
David Steiner, Webmaster, Technical Editor, President and Co-founder:
dsteiner@auctionbytes.com
Michele Alice, Contributing Editor
AuctionBytes.com
c/o Steiner Associates
PO Box 668
Natick, MA 01760
508-655-5697
-----------------
Thank you for subscribing to AuctionBytes-Update. AuctionBytes-Update email newsletter may be freely distributed in its entirety, so please pass it on. (Individual sections MAY NOT be copied and/or distributed without written permission of the publisher.)

The Fine Print:
No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Steiner Associates makes diligent efforts to obtain accurate and timely information. However, Steiner Associates disclaims any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in AuctionBytes-Update, whether or not such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause. Scratch scratch.