E-Bay buyer question for new to the hobby.

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

As many of you folks know I am selling on E-Bay in conjunction with my LHS K-10 Model Trains. Got to help keep the doors open of one of the best hobby shops around.

This question is more for the newer people to model Rail Roading. Would you rather buy a Ready To Run, built Kit or a new kit rolling stock?

Reason I ask is I have been listing a new few Athearn Blue Box rolling stock and not getting much action. Might well be the prices point and still trying to find a point where we make a profit and not @#%* the buyer. Yet I have seen built Athearn rolling stock go for more than the new in box. I am not talking about weathered custom jobs or even well listed. Most are listed as “I don’t know about model trains and sold as is” kind of listings.

I am thinking about building some adding Kadee couplers, adding weight, light weathering and tuning the bolsters so they are more free wheeling. But would that mean anything to the new person?

My self, I would rather buy a kit like most of you. But I enjoy building them and adding the weathering.

Input please.

Cuda Ken

2

being age old in the hobby it doesnt matter, if I find a model I want, a kit is fine, a newcomer might not have the skills yet and buy RTR. But the price point should be the encouraging spot to get buyers buy kits, and get their hands wet, since this hobby is a hands on deal. Part of the fun is building something yourself and the accomplishment of doing so. A great layout doesnt build itself.

3

I too sell on ebay and the problem with rail cars and other cheep locos is it’s not worth for the buyer, because at the end it adds up to more with shipping than what you would pay at a store. I try to stick with higher priced and hard to find items, or train sets from Atlas or Athearn I would avoid Bachmann and other crap.

4

Well, you got one bid at $15 so you’re doing fine for a post built. $9.00 shipping seems high. Bman EZ mates are not what I would expect on a quality freight car.