Selling recommendations?

We've been talking about maybe moving in another year or so- nothing definite, just feeling it out at this time. To do so though, we need to start going through things, deciding what we really want to keep and thinning them out.

My question is about the figures I haven't traded- they'll need to go. I was thinking of trying my luck with them on eBay. Do you think it would be better to sort them into lots by brand, or by species/ general classification? (i.e. wolves, felines, sea life) If by brand or where I may have a lot of a species, how big a lot is too big for you as a buyer? Thanks for your thoughts!

That is a tough one... my late night thoughts are:

Organizing by species/type or brand both have advantages as there are brand specific AND species specific collectors. I suppose it depends on what exactly you have. Might be best selling wise to place one or two higher tier items mixed with 10 or so lesser tiers as a ratio. For me, nothing is "too big" per say on ebay, what gets me to grab something is if the price is fair for the content (some sellers put the price low but shipping high, some people try to sell chinamals for high prices, etc.)[i.e. that sea lot I got a few weeks ago had some really great Bullylands in it which is why I got it, but the shipping from one state over was ridiculous and that is where they made their money on that sale. There were several doubles of things and some cheaper models but it was all worth it for me species and brand wise in the end]. If there are a few models I need in a lot with a bunch of "trash" items, I will still buy as long I don't go broke over it. But then again I have several nieces and nephews that are totally happy with the spares I can't offload so I don't have a problem from that perspective. Sorry to be so... noncommital but those are my two cents worth of late night ramblings.

For sure post your listings here as some people may give them a second look! And goodluck with house hunting, I hope you can find a splendid new abode for you all two- and four- legged friends!

Personally, I'm more concerned about avoiding getting models I don't want in a group, than how much a batch is going to cost. Like Saarlooswolfhound said, there's not really an upper limit on how big a batch is too big, or too expensive - if I want all the animals in it I'll happily add up in my head roughly how much I'd pay each, and if that's less than the current price, put in a bid or buy-it-now. I'm even fine with duplicates of the same model, cos I do plenty of repainting and am pleased to get spares to customise.

But I wouldn't buy if it was a mixed lot of different species all in together : I really only collect horses, so I wouldn't touch mixed lots, or any split simply into whether they're farm animals or wildlife.
I'd also be averse to lots containing anything really hideous or cheapo - animated movie character figures, the girly child's-toy horses with pastel colour manes and makeup on, or tacky plastic macdonalds/poundshop-looking horses, I wouldn't buy a lot with those in even if it contained a few sensible 'grown up' style models as well.
I'd mind less if it was a batch of similar-style models from different brands, like CollectA and Mojo horses, or Papo and Schleich donkeys, cos the chances are I'd like both, and if it was a group with one odd-one-out model from a brand I didn't generally want to buy, I'd just tolerate having the unintended extra if it was an ok mould, and if it was one I really didn't like, give it away with a 'free to a good home' label round it's neck on a sales table at a model horse show at some point in the future when they're running again.

So the listings I wouldn't even look at would be where someone's put a whole multi-brand batch together cos they roughly match in species/breed, or jumbled up lots of species, and there's loads I'm not remotely interested in acquiring with one or two models I'd have liked.
Even if they're so cheap that all the unwanted models are more or less 'free', I don't want that amount of stuff to store and eventually try to give away. I can't get a seller account on ebay cos I don't have ID, and can't use any of the phone-app selling sites cos I don't have a phone, so my only way to get rid of stuff would be hoping any of my friends want it (which is unlikely cos we all collect horses, like more or less the same brands, and avoid the same ones for the same reasons! ), or I could try selling here on the forum but I suspect I'd still end up stuck with a backlog of ones I was trying to shift, plus hour-long walks to the post office are annoying, so it's easier to just avoid buying mixed-brand lots.

So my idea would be splitting lots by animal type and maker, but species first and foremost, and brand slightly less important if they're similar. I know a lot of people are less fussy or have no issues selling on, and would happily buy mixed-brand bulk lots, so this is just one awkward collector's take on what makes a good lot and what doesn't

I think everyone else has given excellent advice!
Good luck with your move too, I hope it all goes well! I'll try and get our trade sorted as soon as possible!

Thanks for your thoughts, guys! It helps me figure out how to lump things.

I'll redo my trades list beforehand anyhow, try to take better photos and certainly show anything new there before it may go to eBay. Found a couple interesting things yesterday and today...

Bonnie, there's no hurry! I have your things set aside, and there's plenty of time, probably at least a year before things really start happening (if they even do).