How to Sell Basketball Cards Online: Best Strategies for Successful Trading
Selling cards online can be a scary proposition for many buyers, the fear of getting ripped off is real, and it’s something that you must work through if you plan on selling cards outside of a trusted secondary market, however, once you get over that hump and realize that it’s better to be safe than sorry, things get easier and with that in mind, we’re going to walk you through the ins and outs of selling Basketball Cards online so you can start making money without feeling afraid or nervous.
What You’ll Need to Sell Basketball Cards Online
- Your inventory- while selling cards online is identical for all varieties, card quality will make or break your business, if you have high-end cards and autographs, you'll be OK whereas middle school cards will be difficult to sell.
- A digital camera or scanner- even if you have the best cards in the world, they won’t be worth anything without a photo or scan to accompany them.
- A PayPal account - you’ll need this so you can accept payments and ship your cards. You can get a free account if you’re selling small amounts.
- A reliable Internet connection - while selling cards online doesn’t require a lot of bandwidth, it’s nice to have a solid connection so your photos don’t get fuzzy or your cards don’t get blurry.
- Shipping supplies - cardboard and bubble wrap will get used up as you sell cards, so you’ll need some supplies to keep your shipping costs as low as possible.
- A place to store your cards- you'll need a location to store your cards unless you have a huge area.
Know the Basics of Card Trading
Before you start selling cards online, it’s important to understand the basics of card trading, any seasoned card trader will tell you that knowing the ins and outs of card trading will increase your chances of success significantly.
- Card grading is only an estimate. You cannot accurately grade a card without a scan or in-person inspection; you can only rate scans online, the seller may have falsified the cards, or the card may be in worse condition than the scan suggests.
- What you see is what you get. Card trading's cardinal rule, you must deliver on a card trading commitment and if you ditch the card or send a fake, you'll get unfavorable vibes.
- Buyer and seller responsibility. If you swap a card with a stranger, presume they didn't glance at it first, you can't examine the cards' authenticity and condition and the trader is responsible.
- Card authenticity. Cards are a very delicate item because so many con artists exist who would do anything to cheat you; yet, there are also a lot of honest individuals in the world.
Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate
When selling cards online, you may discover that you can only make a particular amount for each card, this is typical, and you can bargain for a lower price to acquire what you won’t- don't be scared to request more than you anticipated, buyers may be as concerned as you are since the internet is a scary place, you can demonstrate that you are not scared to walk away from a transaction by acting as though you are ready to leave the table and then walking away and you should also leave the table if you believe the buyer is acting oddly.