Can you please give me advice for this auction?

[mugsisme]

I am NOT spamming the board. I bought a ring and waaaay over paid for it. I paid $360 plus tax. I thought it was a lot heavier than it was. I had originally figured that I could get scrap value if I can't sell it. Well, I can't. The jeweler told me that it is gorgeous and I should get $750 for it. I've tried $999.99 or BO. No go. Barely anyone looked at it. I lowered it to $850. I lowered it to $799. I dropped it to $599 this weekend, and still ... barely anyone looks at it. I know anything over $400 will give me my money back. My pictures stink. It is sooo hard to photograph this ring. Actually, all the pictures I take are awful, which is nuts cuz I am using my DSLR and bouncing my flash and blah blah blah. Please, tell me what you think I can do to at least get people to look at it.

14k Yellow Gold Green Bi Color Tourmaline Square Ring Estate Modern Design | eBay

Thanks in advance.

Leah
ps-- I raised the shipping. Originally I had it at $10. It's going to cost me a lot more to mail this due to the insurance and I don't want to eat any profits between ebay fees, pay pal fees, and shipping.

 

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[jerseyben]

This seems unnecessary: "The ring is not being sold as scrap, rather as a work of wearable art." The pics are good. I would sell this with Free Shipping or a standard $3.50 or so. When I see someone charging $20 for shipping, that is a major turn-off. Add "585" to the listing title and change "modern" to "modernist". Add "VTG" to the title just because.

The ring is very nice and a high end piece of jewelry. That being said, your price is too high. I would list it as a BIN $550 and hope for the best.

 

[Iron Patch]

Can you insure a gold ring?

And if you are at all serious about doing a sale out outside of the US, the global shipping program is pretty much going to kill that idea.

 

[Silver Searcher]

I think the only mistake you have made, is buying a ring that is as ugly as sin.

SS

 

[mugsisme]

I do ship globally through the program. I really don't understand 100% how it works. When i shipped to Canada, it didn't automatically do it.

It is going to cost me $40 to ship it via fed-ex insured all the way to CA. I'll make those changes. If it doesn't sell this week, I am going to lower the price. Gold is going up, so that should work in my favor.

I made some of the changes ... question ... how does the buyer know how much shipping is through the global program? do they figure it out?

SS-- I need to start only buying things that I really like, in case they don't sell and I am stuck with it. I thought the stupid ring weighed 18 grams. I was way off. Lesson learned. I keep a scale in my car. At least I don't make the same mistakes twice. Usually.

 

[Joe777Cool]

It's not the auction, it's not the listing, it's not your photographs.....the ring is hideous. Take it back to the jeweler who "loved it" and offer it to him for $500.

 

[dumpsterdiver]

I don't think you have an ugly ring. You really just have a ring that is not to a lot of peoples' taste. I think you probably lowered it too fast. You are really just waiting for the right person to click on it. Some of my highest dollar items were not really for the masses. You are waiting for an eclectic person with a lot of money. It could take awhile. But I think some better photographs might help. Some people can take photographs that look way better than the actual item.

 

[Butter Hat]

I am NOT spamming the board. I bought a ring and waaaay over paid for it. I paid $360 plus tax. I thought it was a lot heavier than it was. I had originally figured that I could get scrap value if I can't sell it. Well, I can't. The jeweler told me that it is gorgeous and I should get $750 for it. I've tried $999.99 or BO. No go. Barely anyone looked at it. I lowered it to $850. I lowered it to $799. I dropped it to $599 this weekend, and still ... barely anyone looks at it. I know anything over $400 will give me my money back. My pictures stink. It is sooo hard to photograph this ring. Actually, all the pictures I take are awful, which is nuts cuz I am using my DSLR and bouncing my flash and blah blah blah. Please, tell me what you think I can do to at least get people to look at it.

14k Yellow Gold Green Bi Color Tourmaline Square Ring Estate Modern Design | eBay

Thanks in advance.

Leah
ps-- I raised the shipping. Originally I had it at $10. It's going to cost me a lot more to mail this due to the insurance and I don't want to eat any profits between ebay fees, pay pal fees, and shipping.

Not ugly. It looks Art Deco to me. I don't know if that's a selling point.

 

[diggummup]

Personally, I like the ring. I wouldn't have paid what you did for it ($200 maybe tops), but it's a nice ring. I think you should list it at the bare minimum you can just to be able to recoup the money invested in it. Also, incorporate the shipping and sig. con. into the price so you can list it as free shipping. I overpaid on a piece one time and eventually had to eat $100 after a year or so. Sometimes you have to chalk it up to a lesson learned.

 

[jerseyben]

Personally, I like the ring. I wouldn't have paid what you did for it ($200 maybe tops), but it's a nice ring. I think you should list it at the bare minimum you can just to be able to recoup the money invested in it. Also, incorporate the shipping and sig. con. into the price so you can list it as free shipping. I overpaid on a piece one time and eventually had to eat $100 after a year or so. Sometimes you have to chalk it up to a lesson learned.

I tried to explain this in my first post. There is nothing more "un-professional" than charging a high price for an item AND charging a high shipping price.

It should be free or $3 max.

 

[diggummup]

I tried to explain this in my first post. There is nothing more "un-professional" than charging a high price for an item AND charging a high shipping price.

It should be free or $3 max.

Yeah, I meant to mention that as your suggestion but I got tied up on the phone with the post office and forgot before I submitted my response. And as IP previously mentioned, jewelry is not insurable via USPS.

 

[Iron Patch]

I do ship globally through the program. I really don't understand 100% how it works. When i shipped to Canada, it didn't automatically do it.

It is going to cost me $40 to ship it via fed-ex insured all the way to CA. I'll make those changes. If it doesn't sell this week, I am going to lower the price. Gold is going up, so that should work in my favor.

I made some of the changes ... question ... how does the buyer know how much shipping is through the global program? do they figure it out?

SS-- I need to start only buying things that I really like, in case they don't sell and I am stuck with it. I thought the stupid ring weighed 18 grams. I was way off. Lesson learned. I keep a scale in my car. At least I don't make the same mistakes twice. Usually.

To Canada. Regardless of whether you think it's right or wrong I can tell you many jewelry sellers value their items MUCH lower when sending out of the country to try and protect their self from theft. And of course the buyers don't mind because they pay far less in fees. They are definitely taking a chance though, because if the buyer gets contacted you know they are not going to lie.... but with that said you can send a small item with tracking as a registered letter... and just mail it. That's what I would do.

PS: I have read stories of jewelry being covered but there wouldn't be any guarantees. It's actually makes for some tough decisions as a seller.

 

[desertmoons]

Your listing makes it sounds like you are unsure on a few things.

Consider if 14 k gold should not be first words in title. Maybe gold tourmaline modernist 14K ring. I think you are wasting your rather important first 3 key words.

So it is stamped 14k? I have a Zales gold ring stamped 14k right here on my desk and it is fake. I had a Taxco silver bangle stamped .925 and it is fake.
Stamps mean little. Say it IS 14k...if you have tested it.

"I had my jeweler look at it"...again it gives me a sense of unease...not confidence. The jeweler looked at it again (for the stones).

honestly, you know what you have or you do not. The way you speak of the jeweler indicates to me as a buyer, you did not get a professional appraisal and you are giving a sense that "that is what the jeweler said but i do not really know for sure...."

For this kind of cost...I need something more concrete and confidence inspiring to spend my money.

Identifying the artist could make a world of difference. You can post over at ebay boards for help with that.

Finally. where is the size? You could replace the over used ESTATE in the title with the ring size so people can see it right up front,. 8.5 ....what is the 585 by the way? There is no further mention of 585 in your listing.

Your verbiage may appeal to a certain segment of buyer, but may be turning other ones off.
finally, do not panic. It will sell eventually

 

[mugsisme]

Good advice! I let the listing end. I am thinking of saving it for October/November when people are more likely to make high end purchases.
I was debating about splurging for an appraisal on the ring. I was thinking that if I had one it would help the listing.
Ebay once told me to put very little information in the listing, to protect myself from being told that the item doesn't match the description.
Thanks for taking the time to look and to offer help!

 

[mugsisme]

I've changed the wording, and set it to go on Sunday night. I am going to go to the boards to see if anyone knows the hallmark.
This is what I have. (Based on the comments, I have two possible titles.) I am trying it higher again. I put it at $799 with free Fed-Ex shipping. How do I handle international? Isn't there issues with the cost of shipping? I am using the global program.

title:
signed14K Yellow GOLD watermelon TOURMALINE square Ring sz 8.5 MODERNIST 2tcw
or
signed14K Yellow GOLD watermelon TOURMALINE square Ring 8.5 MODERNIST abstract

wording:
ESTATE CUSTOM MADE ARTIST SIGNED 14K YELLOW GOLD TOURMALINE RING

Up for auction is a ring that is just unbelievable! It is so unique, truly a one of a kind find. The pictures truly do not do this ring justice. It is really more than a ring ... it is truly a work of art!

This incredible ring is clearly stamped (and tested) 14K. There are two tourmaline stones in it. The first is a green one which is of excellent quality. The second is a bi-color clear/pink. This stone is of good quality, but it does have an occlusion in it. (You can see it in the last picture.) The green one has a pyramid shape on the bottom vs the flat cut of the clear/pink one. They both measure approximately 7 mm long about 5mm wide. Each stone is approximately 1 carat, making the total weight approximately 2 carats. The stones have a rectangular step cut to them.

The ring weighs 8.6 DWT / 13.3 grams.

The ring is about 10mm wide, and it is a size 8.5 (see picture).

This ring is signed with the artist's signature.

I tried to take pictures in many different angles. It is in excellent pre-owned condition. There are no visible scratches, dents, or dings on this beautiful ring. It does show some light normal wear.