Tips For Listing and Selling Sports Memorabilia

By John Buonaguidi & George Keniston

Choosing a category : Always put yourself in the buyer’s position when listing an item for sale. Try and think about what heading you would think is most appropriate if you were looking for that particular item for sale. If you have some doubt about what heading/category is best, ask a friend what they think is most appropriate. You can also do a search on items that are similar to yours, and see where other people have been listing the items. As you list more and more items, it will get easier.

Titling your listing : Be as specific as you can. For example, suppose your title is "1992 World Cup England v. Pakistan" This gives a potential buyer a good idea of what you have for sale. Again, the rule is to keep it simple but informative. TIP – It is usually a good idea to picture your items. Pictures sell items! The vast majority of buyers want to see what they are bidding on. They can see condition, colours, size, and so on. Scanners are moderately priced and are well worth the investment.

Composing your listing : Be as detailed as you can about what you are selling, especially with regard to condition, colours, and so on. BE CANDID! It is only fair that you be extremely truthful when you are listing an item. Additionally, be objective with your word descriptions. If there is a tear in an item, for example, tell about it and give its size. Buyers deserve as much information as they can get; after all they’re spending their hard-earned money.

Completing your listing : You can set the length of the auction (3, 5, 7 days), the minimum opening bid amount, and the reserve price (the minimum you would be willing to sell your item for). It's best to be realistic in setting the reserve price so you don't discourage bidders, but be sure to set it at an amount you are comfortable with and really willing to sell your item for.

Follow-up : It is important to check for emails from potential bidders. Answer their questions promptly and completely. This will generate more bids. Also keep in mind that you will be rated on your performance (through eBay’s Feedback system), and once you get 10 positive ratings, you will begin to build a stronger trust among eBay users. Conversely, you can get negative ratings for poor performance. So do a good job! If you are honest and reliable you will build a faithful following of strong bidders.

Completing the transaction: eBay will notify the seller and high bidder at the conclusion of the auction. When your auction has ended, notify winners promptly with all the details they need to remit payment. You may also want to look at feedback the buyer has received. The comments can influence how you handle the transaction. When payments arrive, package items well (especially breakables) and send them promptly. "Thank you" notes or letters are a great rapport builder. Be sure to insure valuable items (always tell buyers beforehand if insurance and/or other charges will be incurred by them).

To ensure the buyer is satisfied, it is helpful to be honest and detailed in your auction description. If the buyer was prompt and courteous, give positive feedback so that other users will know this person is a good buyer to work with!

Terms for Listing or Buying

A.L. - American League. One of the two leagues in American baseball.

ASA - A company based in Florida that grades cards under a rating system.

Ashes cricket - test series played between Australia and England

BBC - British Broadcasting Association

Bowman - Chicago-based card company that became defunct in 1955.

Calcutta Cup - Rugby Union competition

COA - Certificate of authenticity.

Exhibit cards - Black and white and sepia cards issued in vending machines from the 1920s through 1960s that are post-card size on cardboard stock.

FA - (English) Football Association

FIFA - Federation Internationale de Football Association

Fleer - Philadelphia-based gum company which still issues cards today.

"Gamer" - Alludes to a game-worn or game-used piece of equipment.

Golden Boot - Awarded to leading goalscorer in football World cup

Goudey - Prominent gum company and card issuer of 1930s.

Gum Cards - Refers to cards issued with gum in wax packs.

HOF - Hall of Famer. Used when denoting a special player.

LFC - Liverpool Football Club

LOA - Letter of Authenticity (used for autograph guarantees).

Mint - Just like new. Denotes condition of card or memorabilia.

MUFC - Manchester United Fooball Club

Premiership - The top league in English football

N.L. - National League. One of the two leagues in American baseball.

PSA - A company in Southern California that grades cards under a rating system (1 is lowest and 10 is highest).

"S.I." - Sports Illustrated magazine.

The "All Backs" - nickname for New Zealand rugby team

The "Five Nations" - Rugby tournament involving England, France, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

The "Hammers" West Ham United Football club

The "Magpies" - nickname for Newcastle United Football club

The "Springbok" - nickname for South African rugby team

The "Spurs" - Tottenham Hotspur Football club

Tobacco Cards - Cards that were issued with tobacco. Mainly pre-1920 cards but also made in the 1950s.

Topps - Prominent gum company of the 1950s. The company still issues cards today.

UEFA Union des Associations Européennes de Football

Umpire - referee in cricket

Windies - West Indies cricket team

Wisden's Almanac - cricket rule and record book

The preceding material was written by John Buonaguidi and George Keniston. These are the opinions of the author, not the opinions of eBay, and therefore eBay does not validate the accuracy of or endorse these opinions.