Gauging the mindset of buyers?

[TheRhino]

Hey all.
I'm rolling around in my head the idea of selling a good sized portion of my Space marine collection. Basically, it'd be all my bikes. It's all painted to a "damned good tabletop" standard, and includes 27 bikes of various loadouts, and five magnetized attack bikes, all with Battlefoam trays. it lands somewhere in the 1275 point arena. It's not a standalone army in anything but the small end of games. The trouble I'm having is deciding how to properly go about selling such a thing. I've bought, sold, and traded tons of stuff in the past, but never anything I've painted and played with.

I don't know where to begin in pricing such a thing. Almost every model in the army is assembled with plastic glue, and double sealed in Dullcote. It's not really something you'd be able to strip and salvage for parts or repaint. They're going to be Ultramarines forever, most likely. There's not a single decal in the entire army. All freehand shoulder pads. Of course, the force also represents several years' worth of progress on my part as a painter. The first model in the force matches the last, but not to the exact level of quality or technique. A lot of the models are also salvage jobs. Stuff I'd stripped and repainted 1000 times better than it was before it hit the Simple Green. While every model ended up looking great, there are minor model blemishes here and thee, like some pitted exhaust pipes, broken antennae, or little bits removed from the back end of bolter housings (those little L-shaped parts on the back).

I don't know how to factor all of that into an asking price. I know what I'd LIKE to get, but not what would be a reasonable asking price. How would you use the above notes to arrive at a price?

[luxion]

Remember that your models have sentimental value to you, but are completely foreign to the buyer. You'll want pics to back your claims of "damned good tabletop" and your initial asking price. So list a price that you feel comfortable with. Collectors and those seeking a "damned good painted army" will inquire. Those looking for "cheap models" will pass over your offer, or they may inquire.

In my opinion, unless you're a big name talent, there's only two kinds of painting grades that I look for: tabletop and competition quality. Your "damned good" might prevent me from wanting to strip the model down, but at the same time, I also have to buy into your paint scheme. Broken stuff also confirms that models are more "tabletop" versus "competition/collector" quality.

Anyways, list a price that you're comfortable with, and if it doesn't fetch any bites, try other resources or lower your price after some period of time.

[TheRhino]

Remember that your models have sentimental value to you, but are completely foreign to the buyer. You'll want pics to back your claims of "damned good tabletop" and your initial asking price. So list a price that you feel comfortable with. Collectors and those seeking a "damned good painted army" will inquire. Those looking for "cheap models" will pass over your offer, or they may inquire.

In my opinion, unless you're a big name talent, there's only two kinds of painting grades that I look for: tabletop and competition quality. Your "damned good" might prevent me from wanting to strip the model down, but at the same time, I also have to buy into your paint scheme. Broken stuff also confirms that models are more "tabletop" versus "competition/collector" quality.

Anyways, list a price that you're comfortable with, and if it doesn't fetch any bites, try other resources or lower your price after some period of time.

Thanks for the ideas. Pictures are definitely mandatory for this. I think I'll likely do a pic for each member of the HQ element (Captain and Command Squad members), a massed pic of the bolter guys (with some callouts of blemish examples like pitted exhausts and bolter pieces), and group shots of the special weapons and attack bikes.

[MagickalMemories]

List your stuff PRECISELY, and include CLEAR, detailed images of every model you're selling. As someone who is in the market for painted models on occasion, I can tell you that few things are more annoying than asking for clear pictures, and getting blurry crap.

As has been said, as well, remove all emotion from your listing. Most of the time, your models will be worth retail at best.

Eric

[TheRhino]

List your stuff PRECISELY, and include CLEAR, detailed images of every model you're selling. As someone who is in the market for painted models on occasion, I can tell you that few things are more annoying than asking for clear pictures, and getting blurry crap.

As has been said, as well, remove all emotion from your listing. Most of the time, your models will be worth retail at best.

Eric

Thanks, MM.
I'm still waffling on whether to sell it or not, based on the fact that it only adds up to about 1275 points or so. That's a tad too low for a self-contained army, so the buyer would be stuck trying to replicate my paint work just to hit the 1500 mark.
Once I manage to find the time to take all of the required pictures, I might try it anyways.

[optimusprime14]

SM Bikes are usually in higher demand then most of the other models in the SM range, however I agree with everyone above that you can maybe expect retail at best.

When buying models, I value painted models around 50% of retail. This is because I expect that I will either have to strip them, touch up their paint, or preform some sort of work on them to have them become the army I want. I may be in the minoroty of this.

Since you have mentioned that it is a smaller force, then the painting may work against you as anyone wish to expand on this will either have to try to copy exactly what you have done, or modify what you have done to fit their army.

Sentimental value is worth $0 to me as a buyer, all I want are the physical goods, not your stories and memories that go along with them.

Easy way to value your army is try to find similar things that are for sale and go from there.

[pretre]

For painted minis, I generally go for 50% retail. Your paint job (Unless exceptional and a common army scheme) is really a detractor. Bikes, as said previously, are in demand though... You might be able to get 60% retail.

[3eland]

For painted minis, I generally go for 50% retail. Your paint job (Unless exceptional and a common army scheme) is really a detractor. Bikes, as said previously, are in demand though... You might be able to get 60% retail.

This is true, I don't know how many times I have cleared away from a potential trade because they wanted 80% retail for their "pro" paint job... which in MY personal opinion was going to be stripped away and redone because it was no where near what I thought looked good/up to my painting level, let alone "pro". Like previously said, unless it's an exceptional paint job or good enough with a basic "normal" colour scheme like ultramarines in their blue, the trader/buyer will most likely be redoing the paint job and so you shouldn't expect someone to pay more for the paint.

But then again, it is YOUR army and YOUR trade thread so you can ask for ANYTHING (minus the banned trade goods as per the rules )

[pretre]

For painted minis, I generally go for 50% retail. Your paint job (Unless exceptional and a common army scheme) is really a detractor. Bikes, as said previously, are in demand though... You might be able to get 60% retail.

This is true, I don't know how many times I have cleared away from a potential trade because they wanted 80% retail for their "pro" paint job... which in MY personal opinion was going to be stripped away and redone because it was no where near what I thought looked good/up to my painting level, let alone "pro". Like previously said, unless it's an exceptional paint job or good enough with a basic "normal" colour scheme like ultramarines in their blue, the trader/buyer will most likely be redoing the paint job and so you shouldn't expect someone to pay more for the paint.

But then again, it is YOUR army and YOUR trade thread so you can ask for ANYTHING (minus the banned trade goods as per the rules )

Just ran across one today looking for full retail, no pics.

yeah, ask anything, just don't be surprised when people counter-offer or don't respond. Which reminds me, I need to reduce prices on some stuff.

[TheRhino]

I get the "I won't pay for paint, as I'm repurposing the models anyways" thing. I have that mindset when buying stuff myself. That's ultimately what turned me off of the idea of selling the force at the size it currently sits. 1275 is pretty useless, as folks just don't play games at less than 1500 in my experience, so owning the bikes would actually cost the buyer MORE money in trying to hit that desired points plateau.

However, if I was a buyer looking to start up immediately with a complete army, I'd pay retail so long as the army fit the parameters I was after. In that situation, paying retail saves me time and money.

There's definitely no "emotional attachment" being factored in to pricing on my part. "Damned good tabletop" is simply an approximate descriptor, and one I feel is accurate. It's not Golden Daemon work, but also not Army Painter Dip work that folks like to pass off as "pro painted." I mentioned the years I've spent painting it purely to describe the fact that the models all have a slowly improving level of paint applied to them, which was a detractor in my mind, not a positive .

[3eland]

I get the "I won't pay for paint, as I'm repurposing the models anyways" thing. I have that mindset when buying stuff myself. That's ultimately what turned me off of the idea of selling the force at the size it currently sits. 1275 is pretty useless, as folks just don't play games at less than 1500 in my experience, so owning the bikes would actually cost the buyer MORE money in trying to hit that desired points plateau.

<SNIP>

I have had many games at 1000-1250, sometimes when I get together with my dice rolling buddies we want to do small "skrimish-like" games. Also, since the whole 1275 is painted in one unison colour (I think?), it could always be an attachment! Who says ultramarines HAVE to go to war by themselves? They could have hired (insert army theme name here).

Good luck on your decision though!

[TheRhino]

I get the "I won't pay for paint, as I'm repurposing the models anyways" thing. I have that mindset when buying stuff myself. That's ultimately what turned me off of the idea of selling the force at the size it currently sits. 1275 is pretty useless, as folks just don't play games at less than 1500 in my experience, so owning the bikes would actually cost the buyer MORE money in trying to hit that desired points plateau.

<SNIP>

I have had many games at 1000-1250, sometimes when I get together with my dice rolling buddies we want to do small "skrimish-like" games. Also, since the whole 1275 is painted in one unison colour (I think?), it could always be an attachment! Who says ultramarines HAVE to go to war by themselves? They could have hired (insert army theme name here).

Good luck on your decision though!

You know, that's a good point. I've never used the Allies system myself, but that doesn't mean someone else wouldn't.

[Brian Khazad]

I'll offer one more suggestion for you..... Perhaps look at the possibility of trading for another few bikes and a leader on a bike in order to get the point value to 1500 pts, and paint them up to match the rest of the bikes. You might have to sink a bit of money into that in the beginning, but if it raises the sell value of the army from 50 or 60% to even 80 or 90% of it's retail value, then you'll definitely make up all of the money you spent acquiring the extra units and painting them to match.

IE: If the retail value of what you've got is $500 as is, you MIGHT be able to sell it for $275. If you spend an extra $100 to get the rest of the bikes to get it to 1500 points, paint them and turn around and sell them at 100%, you'll be able to get $600 out of it - you'll not only get back the $100 that you spent on the new bikes, you could get up to an additional $225 out of it since it would be a self-contained force. Seems like that might be worth it to me.

[TheRhino]

I'll offer one more suggestion for you..... Perhaps look at the possibility of trading for another few bikes and a leader on a bike in order to get the point value to 1500 pts, and paint them up to match the rest of the bikes. You might have to sink a bit of money into that in the beginning, but if it raises the sell value of the army from 50 or 60% to even 80 or 90% of it's retail value, then you'll definitely make up all of the money you spent acquiring the extra units and painting them to match.

IE: If the retail value of what you've got is $500 as is, you MIGHT be able to sell it for $275. If you spend an extra $100 to get the rest of the bikes to get it to 1500 points, paint them and turn around and sell them at 100%, you'll be able to get $600 out of it - you'll not only get back the $100 that you spent on the new bikes, you could get up to an additional $225 out of it since it would be a self-contained force. Seems like that might be worth it to me.

That's also a good idea. My current Captain is built to 5th Edition specs: relic blade. Anyone who doesn't run Khan in 6th will want a Chapter Master/Captain on a bike armed with a powerfist instead.