topic Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item? in Selling

Can there be too much information when selling an item?

kitschkoven — Sat, 09 Feb 2019 06:20:48 GMT

I'm selling a bunch of slide projector carousels. I've mentioned that some of the boxes they're in have some mildew on the box.

I haven't sold any yet (nothing unusual!) but wondering if mentioning this could be a hindrance.

I'm a big believer in describing my items as honestly as possible so there are no problems down the track. But I also don't want to scare people into thinking that if they use these their slides will develop mould. The carousels all contained slides when I bought them, and all the slides are in very good condition. The slides are 50 years old. (I'm not selling the slides yet)

Or am I overthinking.

I just want the damn things out of my house, that's all.

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

imastawka — Sat, 09 Feb 2019 06:48:42 GMT

Google can be your friend to get rid of the mildew and/or musty smell.

Worth a try IMO

Dampen a soft cloth with hydrogen peroxide or denatured alcohol and carefully treat

Musty odor still lingers after mold and mildew removal:

If your book is mold and mildew free but still has a smell to it, you can sprinkle baking soda in a sealed container or bag and place the book inside for a couple of hours. The baking soda is quite effective at absorbing the scent. Activated charcoal can be substituted in this step. Again, repeat as necessary.

https://www.biblio.com/book-collecting/care-preservation/prevent-remove-mold-mildew/

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

kitschkoven — Sat, 09 Feb 2019 06:52:13 GMT

Good tip, thank you 🙂

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

justkidzbiz — Sat, 09 Feb 2019 10:58:26 GMT

It's always best to include any faults, flaws, blemishes or damage of any kind. If you don't you'll likely end up with buyer's opening disputes for not as described, having tompay return postage as well as refunding the original purchase price and postage.

if people really want the time they will purchase it even with the mildew mentioned. Safer to to include the info than not.

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

kitschkoven — Sat, 09 Feb 2019 19:20:01 GMT

Thank you.

I don't have the time or money to be dishonest 🙂

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

chameleon54 — Sat, 09 Feb 2019 22:48:04 GMT

Is it possible to say something like ..... Boxes show the effects of slight dampness ( see photos ) carousels are not affected in any way. While there is usually a buyer for everything, slide equipment is fairly easy to find and very few people still use them, so they are going to be very slow sellers. An op shop may be the answer if you just want them gone.

Some of the other old film stuff such as 8 mm. film items and reel to reel audio tapes still have a collector / enthusiest market, and quality old cameras are very collectable.

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

springyzone — Sat, 09 Feb 2019 23:22:18 GMT

I'd try a quick clean up first as stawka suggested but if you haven't time or energy for that, most definitely mention the mould or effects of damp.

As chameleon said, make the distinction quite clear-boxes have some mould, carousels though are in very good condition, no mould.

You ask if there can be too much info in ads. Sometimes there can if the ad goes on & on but usually I find that relates to some sellers who have about 101 different instructions about buying & posting etc, not about describing the item as such.

As a buyer, hate to say this but mould is a biggie. That's one I would not leave out if I were a seller. Not on any account.

It won't stop a buyer, as long as they know it is the box only and as long as they know what to expect.

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

kitschkoven — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 08:40:39 GMT

Thank you Chameleon. The old cameras that you mentioned - are we talking ones that use 120 film? I found a really cute Kodak Instamatic that I tossed back because of the obsolete film issue.

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

kitschkoven — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 08:48:32 GMT

Thank you Springyzone. I definitely wouldn't like to receive a package with mould on it without being warned about it first. Good point.

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

chameleon54 — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 09:35:33 GMT

@kitschkoven wrote:
Thank you Chameleon. The old cameras that you mentioned - are we talking ones that use 120 film? I found a really cute Kodak Instamatic that I tossed back because of the obsolete film issue.

Best to take a look at sold listings to get a better idea. Click on advanced next to the search button at top of page, type in " vintage camera " scroll down half way to " sold listings " click on this to view all recent sold items.

It all depends on the brand & type. Even some of the not so old instant print, polariods bring suprising money with several recent sales in the hundreds of dollars.

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

chameleon54 — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 09:45:30 GMT

Just on the old camera thing, I had my sons girlfriend around home today. Apparently the 35 mm. film thing is all the rage with teenagers at the moment. She spent around an hour poking through some of the trunks in the shed, picking out old 35 mm. cameras I had stashed away to use again. She found a nice old Kodak instamatic still in its box with a couple of old rolls of film and those square flashes. ( remember them ) She was delighted with her find and went down to Woolies to buy some film. Apparently Woolies even still process the film..............Everything old is new again.

Some of the stuff she grabbed

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

chameleon54 — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 09:50:48 GMT

HANG ON .... THAT WASNT PART OF THE DEAL !!!!

You never know what you will find in the old trunks 🙂

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

kitschkoven — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 10:41:11 GMT

Noice!

I do use 35mm film on occasion. Recently Paxton's lost the film I was getting processed... it contained pix of my kids... *big thumbs down*. Will never go there again. Yeah I sold a Polaroid (standard sized film) camera last year for $75, I had it lying around for 25 years collecting dust. It seems to be the items I've been hesitating selling (because I think no-one will want it) that do okay.

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

chameleon54 — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 13:35:06 GMT

@kitschkoven wrote:
Noice!

I do use 35mm film on occasion. Recently Paxton's lost the film I was getting processed... it contained pix of my kids... *big thumbs down*. Will never go there again. Yeah I sold a Polaroid (standard sized film) camera last year for $75, I had it lying around for 25 years collecting dust. It seems to be the items I've been hesitating selling (because I think no-one will want it) that do okay.

It seems to be the case quite often. I purchased a few rare magazines from one of the local charity shops last week. A few have already sold for $20 each so I went back to see if they had any more. They said they just picked a few straight ones out of a big box full and threw the rest in the dumpster...........

Worse still was an old country garage I used to visit from time to time. I knew they had a large shed out the back, full of rare parts and manuals for vintage John Deere and Chamberlain tractors. ( also known as rocking horse P00 ) I had been allowed to have a look on a few times and tried to buy the collection on several occasions ( offering quite a few thousand dollars in cash ) but the owners wouldnt sell. I called in one day to see if they had changed their mind. The garage had changed hands and the new owners simply sold the shed full of rare parts for scrap.....insert crying emoji here

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

kitschkoven — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 19:00:01 GMT

Damn!!!

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

redders_60 — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 04:10:05 GMT

Yesterday I went with some boxes of rare mags to donate to a local Vinnies store. The door greeter woman asked me why I was donating junk? I had to set her straight or even as one elderly woman to another I might have slapped her! (No help getting the boxes from the car seems to be the way Vinnies works these days?!) - There used to be elderly gents on the door @ the Sth Morang Vic shop where I donated the items.

They were 1970's MAD magazines & books; Enid Gilchrist 1950's pattern books. Older 1930's knitting patterns & 1960's Women's Weekly & such.

Unsold stock that I needed to clear. Overseas rellies coming & I need the guest room back! Now each MAD mag that was listed on the Oz site sold for @ least $5.00 - but I couldn't spare the time to bulk up all & find a buyer here!

For the OP - I over describe - Which is why I didn't take the time to list the vintage mags. When I did on the other site I mentioned any faults & the fact that there may be a musty smell. As mentioned there are items that can be used to remove mould - Texta marks - etc - I use Eucalyptus oil. Gently applied it removes scuff marks, mould, & makes book covers shiny again.. It's all about prep for sale & I believe in more information in these days of "INAD" disputes. JMHO!

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

kitschkoven — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 07:15:56 GMT

I like when elderly people run op shops, they tend to price things cheaply 😉 Good from a purchaser's point of view anyway. MAD Magazines rule... they must be 'mad'.

Thanks for eucalyptus oil tip. It really is a case of weighing up whether making things INAD-proof is worth it.

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

purplemon18 — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 11:12:07 GMT

If the condition of the boxes is poor, perhaps you should sell them without the box?

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

chameleon54 — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 11:25:15 GMT

@redders_60 wrote:
Yesterday I went with some boxes of rare mags to donate to a local Vinnies store. The door greeter woman asked me why I was donating junk? I had to set her straight or even as one elderly woman to another I might have slapped her! (No help getting the boxes from the car seems to be the way Vinnies works these days?!) - There used to be elderly gents on the door @ the Sth Morang Vic shop where I donated the items.

They were 1970's MAD magazines & books; Enid Gilchrist 1950's pattern books. Older 1930's knitting patterns & 1960's Women's Weekly & such.

Unsold stock that I needed to clear. Overseas rellies coming & I need the guest room back! Now each MAD mag that was listed on the Oz site sold for @ least $5.00 - but I couldn't spare the time to bulk up all & find a buyer here!

For the OP - I over describe - Which is why I didn't take the time to list the vintage mags. When I did on the other site I mentioned any faults & the fact that there may be a musty smell. As mentioned there are items that can be used to remove mould - Texta marks - etc - I use Eucalyptus oil. Gently applied it removes scuff marks, mould, & makes book covers shiny again.. It's all about prep for sale & I believe in more information in these days of "INAD" disputes. JMHO!

A lot of old magazines are overlooked as total junk, but are worth selling on ebay. One title that often just gets tossed in house clean ups is the TV weeks from the 1970,s & 80,s. I dont know why ( reading about Ernie Sigley or Paul Hogan doesnt get my juices flowing ) but these can regularly sell for $30 - $40 each, depending on who is on the cover. And if it happens to be ABBA on the cover you can double those numbers.

OK I get the ABBA Bit............I remember as a teenage lad those girls where total babes.........

Nothing like a bit of blue sparkly spandex and knee high white boots to get a young lads blood flowing........

That reminds me, better buy the missus some blue sparkly spandex for Valentines day...............

Re: Can there be too much information when selling an item?

lyndal1838 — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 12:05:54 GMT

@purplemon18 wrote:
If the condition of the boxes is poor, perhaps you should sell them without the box?

That would be a very bad idea....it would probably drop the prices of the carousels by 50% or more.

Slides need to be protected and the original boxes are the best way to do that.