Evaluating your product

Valuing an antique or any other good often takes research and patience, and you still might not be able to count on selling an item for the determined value. As uncertain as valuing antiques may be, appraisers do value them every day of the week largely by looking at comparable values.

Items value can increase with a high price tag. Jump on a “hot” trend whenever possible. Good profits come when you catch a trend just when it is beginning.
There are many books and magazines to determine true value.
There are several reference options online as well like:-.
www.antique-antiques.com/evaluating-old-toys.shtml
http://antiquescentre.com/
http://www.collectingchannel.com/
http://www.toyfan.com/
http://www.worldcollectorsnet.com/cmart/

E-Bay itself provides a page for tips on evaluating antiques:-
http://pages.ebay.com/buy/guides/antiques-selling-guide/

Visiting online auctions to look up past results or logging on to a large online antique mall and searching the inventory for comparison pricing are two more convenient ways of assessing approximate value. You’ll want to keep in mind that online pricing can vary widely from dealer to dealer, and the price they’re asking for a piece might not equal the negotiated value when it eventually sells. And sometimes, especially with online auction results, prices reflect values far less than what dealers tend to ask in brick and mortar shops and at antiques shows. All these should act as a reference for your auction business, but the only thing that matters is what your buyers will pay for your merchandise.

However, if anyone who has ever auctioned antiques on eBay might have found, moving big-ticket items is rarely as easy or as profitable as it seems. Similarly, selling antiques through a dealer or an auction house, while perhaps more reliable, can get pricey when you factor in commissions, fees, and shipping. Buying can be expensive, too.

If your item is not bringing in the bids you expected, don't panic. Since many bidders wait until the last minute to bid (sniping) the price on a desirable item can double or even triple during the last few seconds of an auction. If a potential buyer makes you an offer via e-mail to end the auction early and sell the item to them outright, that's not a good idea either. It's not only against eBay's rules to skirt around paying ending item fees, you could be cheating yourself out of a high ending price by selling to someone making a lowball offer.

Shipping and handling charges can really increase up the cost you pass along to bidders. Consider charging only what it costs you to mail the item, and build in the cost of packaging and labor into your starting price instead. Bidders want to know how much they're going to have to pay to get their buys home before they bid. Some people will avoid auctions that don't explicitly state shipping charges up front.
If you specialize in certain items you can set up an email list to keep in touch with past bidders. Ask them before placing them on the list so your email won't be considered spam. Once you've compiled lists of people interested in your specialties, you can keep in touch with them weekly, bi-weekly or monthly to let them know when you've listed items they might be interested in viewing.

It’s also wise to keep in mind that common items sold in online auctions often bring lower values, sometimes even lower than wholesale, when compared to what you could ask for the same piece as an antique mall or show dealer. To get the most for an antique or collectible, selling directly to the secondary market consumer in an offline venue is usually the most lucrative method. There are exceptions, however. If you’re hawking a rare item or hot commodity, online sales can reach more buyers and usually bring in a higher price.

Remember that researching the best way to sell your items will be one last step in determining their ultimate value.