your thoughts, please, on lots v. individual items?

[grasswire]

I have a hard time deciding whether to sell things in lots or to list items individually.

Current example: I have about 50 French newsprint fashion publications from the 1880s. Many of them have a full-size dress pattern folded inside -- intricate beyond belief!

I can't decide whether to list them on eBay as a lot, or individually.

Do you puzzle over this? What has been your experience?

[Vinca]

1. Sometimes I accumulate large piles of ephemera and sell

that as a lot . . . mainly because, individually, they have little value. If I had them, I might try one of the old patterns by itself and see what happens. I'd try $9.99 with no reserve. While I haven't sold any patterns for a long time, I remember browsing them once and noting that some sell for a decent amount of money.

[InvisibleTouch]

2. For some items, lots will sell better...

...and with a lot less hassle for you. You only have to list and pack and mail once. It's great for stuff that doesn't sell all that well individually - common books, for example, which can be grouped by category (romance, sci-fi, fitness, etc.), recent comic books, common action figures, old matchbox cars, secondhand baby clothes, antique photos, and so forth.

And of course if you have a complete run of something (comics, trading cards, paperback series), you will almost surely get more for it as a lot, because of the appeal to buyers of getting a complete set in one fell swoop.