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@clubesquire wrote:

I guess we're lucky in a way. This is not our living, like so many others. It's sort of the culmination of a life long hobby, but serious one, for the boys. But, with thousands of pipes to move on I often wonder if there's enough time, the way things are here at times.

 

Surprisingly another platform was doing well for us, but it's quietened right off too. Can't be coincidence.

 

it is pleasing though, to see others doing well and beating eBay at some of the ridiculous policy they've introduced since we were last here. It's not easy and successful sellers deserve every piece of kudos that's out there.

 

plodding along!

 

Melina.

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I will start by saying that I know nothing about pipes, but I do know a bit about collecting.

If you have thousands of pipes then I would assume that some would be at the lower end of the condition scale.

Over the years I have seen a way that some sellers offload lower quality items they have collected.  What they do is put together “starter sets” for people who are just starting off on their collecting journey.  What they do is list a number of items of lesser quality in one listing so that a member can kick-start their collection at an affordable price.  I have seen this with coins, banknotes, stamps, and other items (including cameras).

Those who are just starting out on their collecting journey are not interested in collecting the highest priced items from the very start.  They will revel in the odd high quality purchase at a good price, but for the main they are just interested in building their collection and possibly buying “space fillers” regardless of the quality.  For example, I guess from an earlier post of yours, that Dunhill is a brand of pipe.  Someone starting out may just want a Dunhill pipe without paying too much.  This is where you might help them by making a lesser quality Dunhill pipe available as part of a bulk purchase of 5 different brands of pipe.

Collectors tend to be a funny breed.  They tend to treasure their first purchases and have a fondness for them and can tell you everything about that item.  I know that I still have the first K1000 camera I was able to buy, it cost me $92.50 and has a stock number crudely engraved on the back.  It was used in a CSIRO lab for photographing specimens.  If I was to put all my K1000 cameras out in a line I would be able to pick out my first one from all the others in a heartbeat, even without being able to see the backs of the cameras.  It is far from perfect, but I use it as my everyday camera . . . . . the one I turn to when I want to shot a roll of film, the one I turn to when I just want to sit and pretend I am shooting film by firing the shutter and winding-on.  It’s the one I took to Broken Hill to shoot the sunset over the Mundi Mundi plains. It’s my baby!

I would imagine that pipe collectors might just think along the same lines i.e. sometimes they just want to sit and hold a pipe for the joy that holding brings them, and it doesn’t have to be the best pipe, it may even have some cracks.

Just a thought, seeing as you have thousands of pipes to move.