The pandemic has upended everything. Not only are series books selling briskly (my sales since March 13 have been four times higher than my all-time highest sales for a comparable time period), but people are listing extremely scarce books online, often dumped into bulk lots. I have never seen so many excellent bulk lots as I have seen in recent months. This is amazing.
The bulk lots being listed may have to do with the age of the people who collected them and a decision to downsize. However, most of the bulk lots do not look to be from collections. When dust jackets have not been placed in mylar covers, it indicates that the books are not from a collection. Most collectors protect their books. These books have been released into the wild from somewhere.
I know of five distinct copies of Vicki Barr #15 The Mystery of Flight 908 with dust jacket that have sold (not just listed, but actually sold) on eBay in the last 90 days. Two listings were individual listings, and three other books showed up in bulk listings. Flight 908 is the hardest to find Vicki Barr book, so it's unprecedented to see five copies with dust jacket sell in such a short period of time.
I have also noticed multiple copies of other very scarce books. Four copies of Connie Blair #12 Ruby Queens with dust jacket have sold in the last 90 days, two individually and two in bulk lots. Three Rick Brant Deadly Dutchman books have sold individually and four more have sold in bulk lots. One Biff Brewster Caribbean Pearls has sold individually with two more copies in bulk lots. All three books had dust jackets. Four Ken Holt Sultan's Scimitar books have sold individually plus two more of them in bulk lots. All of this in just 90 days on eBay.
I have also acquired multiple duplicates of some very scarce books in recent months, more so than I have ever done in such a short period of time. The pandemic surely has something to do with this. However, I have a theory about when books get released into the wild, and it has to do with when the family home is sold. The books often don't leave the parents' home when the young person becomes an adult. It might be that the books from the 1960s are getting released from family homes at this time via estate sales.
In addition to whatever is causing many bulk lots to be listed on eBay, more series book collectors than usual are downsizing. Even I'm doing this, which is a big reason why my own sales have been so brisk. I decided to downsize because this pandemic has changed me significantly. My habits have shifted, and so have my priorities. When school was closed for five months last year, I had time to reflect. I had a lot of time. I realized that some of my collections are packed away where I cannot enjoy them. I must reduce my books so that I can get other stuff out of drawers and cabinets. I want that for myself.
continues to unfold.
5 comments:
Very interesting. I am upgrading some of my books and also looking for dust jackets. I'll keep checking ebay.
I picked up a PERFECT Caribbean Pearls on Abe and one the Rick Brant Deadly Dutchman along with a Sultan's Scimitar. I really think it's everything you mentioned in your article. Covid making everyone reevaluate their collections but I think the most important aspect is the age of collectors. I am 48 but I tend to collect series books from 50's and 60's. Folks that collect these are getting old and starting to sell their collections. Just recently a fairly mint first edition set of Chip Hilton's went for 3-400 on eBay---unheard of 5 years ago. Love your blog. It has taught me a lot! Travis
How do you feel about the way Ebay is making you get paid by adding your bank account number? They apparently are now not letting you have your payment sent to paypal if you sell something.
I was forced away from PayPal last summer, I believe in July. eBay has been gradually opting sellers into the managed payments. No, I don't like it. I preferred that the money be sent to PayPal.
I just think it was more secure when we got paid through PayPal. I also think that Ebay is charging higher seller fees now with their new fee structure. They now add up to more than Ebay and Paypal fees used to be combined! Glad to know I am not the only one unhappy with these changes that were forced on us. I just got an email that said you had to switch to this new managed payment system by May 28th or you could no longer sell on Ebay.
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