AuctionBytes-Update Number 59 - December 16, 2001 - ISSN 1528-6703
Please recommend this newsletter: <http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/Recommend/recommend.ht ml
>
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1) How to Buy Books in Used-Bookstores and Resell them for Profit
2) Credit Cards and Common Sense, Part 2
3) This & That
4) Collector's Corner
5) Letter to the Editor
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FROM THE EDITOR
===============
AuctionBytes will have a slightly different look in the New Year. We have invested in content-management
software to better organize and present articles on our Web site. It's amazing, but we have published well over 1,000 articles and news stories dealing with the online auction industry since 1999. Looking
back through the archives, it's interesting to see how the landscape has changed over those 2+ years.
With the new system, our stories will be highly searchable and nicely formatted. We'll also have
a "related stories" feature that will allow you to see all of the stories related to your search term. David and I have been busy transferring over two years of content into the new system (making David very
cranky), but we're almost done, and hope to present it in early January.
We'll also be going back to a twice-monthly format and will be offering some great new features for our users.
I've
gotten user feedback about affiliate and referral programs and I'm beginning to compile information - if you have any experience, email me or post a note in the forums at <
http://www.auctionbytes.com/forum/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=141&foru m=3&4>
Speaking of the forums, there are some
terrific discussions going on. Don't forget to poke your head in and have a look around. The book forum is great, and there's a new discussion - "What is your best find?" - in the online auction
forum, at
<
http://www.auctionbytes.com/forum/phpBB/viewforum.php?forum=3&246>
I'm delighted to announce that we'll have some new
advertisers in the New Year including ePier and TIMEblaster.
Thanks to everyone who advertised with us in 2001 and will be continuing in 2002. Special thanks to Craters and Freighters, a long-term
sponsor of AuctionBytes offering packaging, pickup and delivery of large and awkward items <
http://www.cratersandfreighters.com>. Thanks to the generosity of our advertisers, we are able to publish AuctionBytes for FREE. You
can always find a full list of current sponsors at the end of every issue.
Happy Holidays! We'll see you next week,
Ina Steiner, Editor
Email: ina@auctionbytes.com
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==========================
1) How to Buy Books in Used-Bookstores and Resell them for Profit
Part II
==========================
by Craig Stark
In Part I of this article, I cited two advantages eBay booksellers have over dealers who market books in alternative venues. The first of
these was that the potential customer base is huge, many many times over what a brick-and-mortar can attract. The second is that you have the opportunity to include multiple pictures in your auction
listings. Because of these factors, there are nearly always a certain percentage of books in a used bookstore that are priced very reasonably but can potentially sell for much higher prices on eBay.
When I look for inventory in bookstores, it helps me to keep four S's in mind at all times: scarce, specific, strange, and scenic--and sometimes a fifth I call "slender." Sometimes it's enough for a book to
be scarce or specific or strange or scenic (i.e., illustrated) alone, but if you find several or even all four in a book at once, you almost certainly have a winner. For the purposes of illustration, I'll
use a booklet I purchased in a bookstore recently for several dollars titled, THIS IS YOUR ILLINI UNION (See Figure 1 <http://www.auctionbytes.com/images/12901figure1.jpg>).
ONE: SCARCE
Look for
scarce books (as distinguished from rare books, which are not only in short supply but command considerable interest from collectorsand are usually priced accordingly). Scarce books are often priced
reasonably because the subject matter is likely to be obscure and not likely to interest the typical buyer who walks through the door.
Obviously, it isn't always possible to know if a book is scarce
or not, but you can use your instincts to spot the likely candidates. In the case of the book cited above, an informational booklet about the Illini Union, it's clear almost at first glance that the book is
likely to be scarce. (The Illini Union is a sort of campus Mecca at the University of Illinois with a hotel, several restaurants, a bowling alley, banquet and meeting rooms, a bookstore, study areas, and art
gallery and so on.)
It was published in 1948 by the Publicity Committee of the Illini Union and was distributed free of charge at several locations inside the Union. Because the audience was limited
to a fairly select group of students, they undoubtedly printed just a few hundred or a thousand copies at best. Secondly, the booklet is 53 years old. How likely is it that somebody would have kept something
of this nature for over half a century? Finally, the publisher is not a national house another clue that the number printed might have been low. Another likely tip-off that something is scarce: a binding
with an amateurish or plain-vanilla appearance.
Once you make your purchase, you can check for comparable items online. If you come up empty-handed here, it's a very good sign you have something
worth listing. One final note: keep in mind that there are numerous exceptions that defy any detective work you might accomplish in a bookstore examination.
TWO: SPECIFIC
It's difficult to imagine
how my example booklet could be more specific. It's limited in scope to the history and description of a single building. Other examples of specific topics are:
- histories of towns (especially those
with small populations), churches, businesses, fraternities & sororities, military companies, etc.;
- school yearbooks (college yearbooks seem to do best here, generally the older the better, and the
size of the college doesn't necessarily affect the price much);
- songbooks;
- vintage catalogs of all kinds;
- monographs on obscure or obsolete arts and/or crafts.
Keep a list. You'll be
amazed at how long and how useful it becomes in a short period of time.
THREE: STRANGE
My example isn't strange, or quirky, but many books that are can be eminently auctionable. Look for books on
topics you wouldn't think anyone would bother to write about, either because of the obscurity of the subject or its obvious lack of appeal. Example: several months ago I sold a book on the history of garbage
dumps in Illinois for a handsome profit. Believe it or not, there are those who collect such things.
FOUR: SCENIC
Attaching pictures to your auctions is one of the most potentially evocative things
you can do. Few things elicit an immediate emotional response like a photograph, and emotional responses translate almost directly into money in your pocket. In the case of the Illini Union booklet, there
are 28 photographs and numerous period pen-and-ink illustrations in a span of only 40 pages, many of which are pictures of room interiors in the building and recognizable faces of students. (See Figures 2
and 3 <http://www.auctionbytes.com/images/12901figure2.jpg> and <
http://www.auctionbytes.com/images/12901figure3.jpg>.) The alumnus who studied for exams in these rooms and knew any of the students
pictured might well pay $25 or even $40 to rekindle the feeling of his college days.
FIVE: SLENDER
This factor isn't as reliable as the other four, but I mention it here because many scarce books
focus on a limited topic and thus are frequently short as wellin other words, slender. For this reason alone, don't overlook booklets in a used bookstore, even the ones that are only a few pages long. No
matter what they are, they're rarely priced high, and the payoff can be considerable. I recently sold an IBM songbook for $50 I paid next to nothing for. It was small enough to fit in my wallet.
In
Part III of this article, I'll explore why the factors I've discussed here have such a telling effect on your bottom line and, in turn, offer some guidelines on using them to full advantage in your
presentations.
---
Craig Stark is a full-time online bookseller working at home, and currently makes in excess of $1,000 weekly selling exclusively on eBay. He lists anything that will realize a
worthwhile profit, including both antiquarian and contemporary titles. In several months he will launch a Web site at <http://www.braintreebooks.com> and offer a large selection of hard-to-find, quality
books. At that time he will begin listing some of his auctions using the ID braintreebooks. Email Craig at braintreebooks@yahoo.com. Craig also hosts the Book Forum on the AuctionBytes Website. If you have
questions or comments about selling books online, go to <
http://www.auctionbytes.com/forum/phpBB/index.php>.
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SEASONS GREETINGS!
On behalf of all of us at Craters & Freighters,
We wish you a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year.
Thank you so much for your continued support.
Best Wishes For Peace On Earth,
Your Packaging & Shipping Experts,
CRATERS & FREIGHTERS - Call 1-800-736-3335
http://www.cratersandfreighters.com/cgi-bin/gocf.cgi?ref=4MGSJ
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2) Credit Cards and Common Sense, Part 2
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by Yisroel Goodman
In a previous issue, I wrote about some of the risks in using credit cards to make purchases online, particularly the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft. The risk is small,
particularly if you exercise some caution in how you use your credit card. Here's more on how to use common sense when using credit cards.
Decide if the order is really worth using a credit card. One
of the main reasons people use a credit card is to protect themselves against possible fraud. But the consequences of a seller misusing your credit card may cost you more than the item. There was a seller on
eBay who used buyers' credit card numbers to open accounts with payment services and then ordered merchandise from other sites. There have even been phony Web sites and payment services set up entirely for
the purpose of harvesting credit card information.
It's bad enough that your information can be easily stolen. Don't compound the problem by giving it away. If you don't trust the seller for the cost
of the item, don't trust him with your credit card.
When dealing with a reputable seller, the first point of risk is in transmitting your credit card information. Never email your entire credit card
information. For transactions in which a secure site is not available, I recommend that the customer send two emails to two different IDs, each one containing half the information and half the credit card
number. Dealing with a seller who accepts credit cards and does not have a secure page may be asking for trouble.
Never leave your information on an answering machine. Not every employee in every
business is authorized to accept this information.
Some people have been led to believe that if the site is "secure," it is safe to enter their CC info. A secure sight means that there is
encryption between you and the site, so that an eavesdropping hacker can't grab the CC info as you enter it. It does NOT mean that a hacker can't break into the site and steal the information after it has
been recorded. In fact, this is the preferred method of hackers.
If you want the convenience of a credit card deal without worrying that some scammer will get your information, use a payment service.
Despite the customer service problems reported with some payment services, I have not yet heard any reliable report of PayPal, Billpoint, Yahoo PayDirect or C2it being hacked, nor do I suspect that any of
these services will place unauthorized charges on your card. It is far safer and more convenient to give your information to these services once than to give it to every seller from whom you make a purchase.
Since C2it is backed by Citibank, it remains my first choice for security.
I have had customers say, "I'm not going to some Web site and giving them my info. I'm going to find a vendor where I
can just phone in and give them my info directly." What do you think happens then? That vendor then types your info into their PC and transmits it to his card processor, often via an insecure
transmission. That information now sits both at the processor and on the PC in the store, accessible by any of the minimum wage employees who work there.
One company was so lax in their security that
they actually emailed customers with order confirmations that included the CC info. The emails also included links right to an insecure page on the site where this info was posted for anyone to see. By
changing the order number in the link, the customer was then able to view other people's orders, along with their CC info. And when some shocked customers called the companies to complain, their complaints
were ignored, and this information remained on the sites until the stories hit the newspapers.
So before you give out your CC information to a site you don't know, remember that the best way to
protect your CC information is not to give it out. If you do give it out, make sure it is to a site that you know. If you use a payment service, you don't have to worry about hackers breaking into a
retailer's PC and stealing your information, because it is not stored on a PC. The service handles paying the vendor without sending them your CC information.
If anyone has additional security tips,
you are welcome to contact me via email or post to my AuctionBytes forum at <http://www.auctionbytes.com/forum/phpBB/viewforum.php?forum=7&4>
---
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.) Izzy also moderates the AuctionBytes "Online Auction Services" forum <http://www.auctionbytes.com/forum/phpBB/viewforum.php?forum=7&99
>a nd writes frequently for AuctionBytes about his assessment of online payment services.
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3) THIS & THAT
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Gifts for Collectors
Barbara Crews, About.com's guide to collectibles, has put together some gift-giving ideas
for the collector in your life. From QuakeHold to subscriptions, she covers the necessities.
<http://collectibles.about.com/library/weekly/aatpfleamarket.htm>
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BargainAndHaggle.com Ranks High in Holiday Traffic Gains
Jupiter Media Metrix ranked BargainAndHaggle.com as one of the top sites in holiday traffic gains.
BargainAndHaggle.com was listed third
among the top gainers for the week of December 9, ranked just below popular and well-advertised sites Drugstore.com and OfficeDepot.com, and ranked above Oldnavy.com and Hallmark.com. The rankings showed a
121% gain for BargainAndHaggle.com for the week ending December 9 compared to the previous week - an average of 115,000 daily unique visitors.
BargainAndHaggle.com has more than a half-million
registered users and says it expects to be profitable in the third quarter of 2002. BargainAndHaggle.com's patent-pending process allows buyers and sellers to negotiate one-to-one for everything from toys
and games to consumer electronics, collectibles and sports memorabilia.
<
http://www.bargainandhaggle.com>
<http://www.jmm.com/xp/jmm/press/2001/pr_121301.xml>
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Paper Doll News Newsletter
Paper Doll News is a newsletter for paper doll collectors that has been in publication since 1982! This quarterly costs $12/year - request more information from Emma Terry, Box
807, Vivian LA 71082. Be sure and include a SASE (Self-addressed stamped envelope)!
-----
A faithful reader wrote me and said she included the following in her email signature:
I get the edge with AuctionBytes! Do you? Try out their free
newsletter:
http://www.auctionbytes.com
Thank you, Nikki!!
*****
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4) Collector's Corner
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Linen - A Perfect Way to Decorate Your Holiday Table
by Beth Kagel
Halloween and Thanksgiving celebrations are far behind us, and
Christmas and New Year's celebrations are nipping at our heels. With all the celebrations in the winter, I started to think about table settings. We have so many options on how to decorate our tables. From
the simplest of settings to a very elaborate affair, we can use linens to dress up our tables.
HISTORY OF LINEN
Linen is one of the oldest fabrics known to mankind. Linen was the material used to
encase the mummies before they were buried in Egypt. Linen is described in the Bible, and was worn by ancient Greeks and Romans.
Flax fibers are used to make linen. Flax plants are harvested in the
summer, then their stalks are bundled, dried, then combed out and the seeds are removed. Next comes the retting process. During the retting process, the stalks are wetted and kept hydrated for several weeks.
When the stalks break down during this time, the usable fibers are then culled. The last step is a machine used to refine the removal of the leftover woody pieces from the retting process.
The refined
flax fibers are combed out and are used to produce "line" and "tow". "Line" fibers are used to make linen tablecloths, napkins, placemats, and clothing. "Tow" fibers
are used to make linen towels. Table linen is sold in white and its natural cream color.
PATTERNS & WEAVES
Linen that is fashioned into tablecloths has a damask weave. Most people refer to
linen tablecloths as damask prints but that is a misleading way to describe a linen tablecloth. This type of weaving was perfected in Damascus and became the way to describe this weaving style, and wool.
Damask is a type of weaving that can be applied to linen as well as silk, cotton. A pattern is formed by the weaving of the fibers and gives the fabric a three-dimensional look on a two dimensional
surface. The damask pattern is woven into the frontside of the fabric and has a shiny lustrous finish. The backside of the damask cloth looks dull and two-dimensional.
Damask weaves come in two
weights, a single damask weave and a double damask weave. A double damask weave tablecloth is going to have a higher value because of the work involved making this quality design. However the damask weave
isn't the only factor that determines the value of a linen tablecloth. Patterns in a linen damask tablecloth are just as important when looking to buy or value a linen tablecloth. A simple rule of thumb is,
the more complicated the pattern, the more valuable the tablecloth is.
What kinds of patterns are associated with linen tablecloths? The most basic pattern is the satin band or a double satin band.
This is an elegant wide band that acts as an accent and frames the edges of the piece.
More complex damask weaves for table linens include Chrysanthemums, Colmcille and Shamrocks. The Chrysanthemum
design communicates a sense of regal elegance. It certainly is not a design for someone that is looking for something that is a muted statement. The same could be said about the Colmcille design, which has
the flavor of a Regency style or a Rococo flourish. The Shamrock design is no wallflower either. Think sophisticated and fun when you think of a Shamrock damask tablecloth.
SHOPPING FOR LINEN
Countries that are renown for their spectacular linen creations are Ireland, France, and Belgium. They have perfected the craft of weaving linen into the most sophisticated tableware, home accessories and
bedding.
Thanks to the World Wide Web, anyone can have the pleasure of going to two of the finest Irish Linen shops with the click of a mouse. Fergusons Irish Linen <http://www.fergusonsirishlinen.com
>, established in 1854, has an excellent Web site where you can shop for fine linen online, take a tour of their factory and learn more about linen.
The Ulster Linen Co. Inc. of New York <
http://www.pagelinx.com/ulsterlinen/index.htm>, established in 1851, also has a wonderful Web site. There you can find a fabulous collection of vintage style handkerchiefs, tea cozies, dish towels, tea
towels and other household linens. Unfortunately, individual buyers can not purchase their linens on the site. However, if you see something you like on the site, you can email them to receive a list of
vendors that sell their linens.
COLLECTING LINEN
The overall condition of the item, the complexity of the design, and the item's age determine the value of Irish Linen tablecloths. Condition is key
here. Not only do you want to look for stain-free tablecloths, but you also want to find ones that have the foil seal from the manufacturer on the linen itself. Original boxes are as important here as they
are with any antique or collectible.
The more ornately designed tablecloth tends to come from the later period and often is a substantial-sized cloth. This is because the Victorians loved to entertain
and did so on a grand scale. Think big generous portions when you are trying to determine date and value on your next venture to your favorite antique haunt.
My most recent scan of TIAS.com and eBay
in search of Antique Irish linen was quite fruitful. TIAS.com had more selection and better quality and quantity of Irish table linen. I found an amazing and grand Victorian Irish Linen set for $675, and a
basic satin banded tablecloth for $75.
My search on eBay was a little less expensive, but the quality and variety of tablecloth choices were not as good as on TIAS.com. Prices on eBay ranged from
$400 for a large and lovely tablecloth to $50 for the "less is more" variety.
TAKING CARE OF LINEN
Linen care is something that scares most people off from owning one of these beauties,
but it really shouldn't. Stain removal on a linen tablecloth isn't as frightening as one might imagine. Here are some tips from the master hostess herself, Martha Stewart on how to clean and care for linen:
"Ideally, if you can get to a spill as soon as it happens, soak it with ice-cold water. In many cases, however, wine is spilled during a meal, and you don't want to further embarrass your guest
by whisking the cloth away to the laundry room. In this situation, your best bet is to quickly slide a small towel beneath the spill, dab the spot with a cold, wet cloth, and then sprinkle table salt over
the stain. Rub it in a bit with your fingers, then cover the spot with another napkin and go on with your meal."
Martha also suggests that you avoid using colored candles, because the drippings
of hot, colored wax can leave indelible stains. (You should never remove wax from linens until the wax is completely hardened.) For complete advice from Martha on cleaning linen, visit <
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml;jsessionid=Y20B5W2CEHRTTWC KUUWSJ0WYJKSS2JO0?type=content&id=tvs2479&prevLink=true>.
So, take out the fine linen from the closet, and usher in your best holiday memories this year.
---
Beth Kagel is an avid collector of antiques. Her business is dedicated to selling high
quality antiques for others on the Internet. Her company takes all the worry and frustration out of online auctions. For more information regarding her services, please contact her at bkagel@earthlink.net.
Beth also hosts the Vintage Camera section of the AuctionBytes Discussion Forums, so feel free to ask her any questions at <
http://www.auctionbytes.com/forum/phpBB/viewforum.php?forum=11&7>.
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==========================
5) Letter to the Editor
==========================
Dear Ina,
First, thanks for the always-interesting newsletter. I'm not a sophisticated or high-volume buyer--I'm mostly into antique
automobilia (have collected cloisonne radiator emblems for more than 50 years, and have several hundred), but I enjoy learning what's new in the auction/antiques market. I found Yisroel Goodman's piece on
methods of payment very interesting.
In my purchases on ebay, I pay by personal check, sending along a printout of my current ebay buyer feedback pages so sellers know I am a prompt and reliable
buyer. I always tell them that if they feel more comfortable holding shipment till the check clears, that's fine. I rarely ever have a seller hold shipment.
-S.R.
Hi S.R.,
Sending along your feedback to sellers is a great idea. Excellent tip!
Thanks,
Ina
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AuctionBytes-Update ISSN 1528-6703
Ina Steiner, Editor, Publisher, Founder: ina@auctionbytes.com
David Steiner, President, Founder: dsteiner@auctionbytes.com
Michele Alice, Contributing Editor
AuctionBytes.com
c/o Steiner Associates
PO Box 668
Natick, MA 01760
508-655-5697
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