A Comprehensive Site For Boyds Bearstones®

Reference/Value Guide & Secondary Market Resource

********************************************
Current Buying Status
We ARE NOT currently purchasing any stones.
**If we are currently buying please scroll to
the bottom of this page to study our requirements for purchase.

********************************************

One of the most common Emails we receive is the one concerning
collectors wanting to sell their collection or just a few extras.
There are usually two or three parts to this questioning Email:
(1) Do you buy Bearstones® (other resins) from individuals?
(2) How do I go about selling on your site?
(3) How do I go about selling these stones?

You may have been directed to this page because you wrote to us
asking one or more of the above questions. We know that you are
serious about selling and we would like to assist you.
Therefore, we are going to answer all three questions for you!

(1). Do you buy Bearstones (other resins) from individuals?

The answer is yes. From time to time we do buy from individuals.
Please check below for our current buying status.
Bookmark this page to refer to our current status.

Current Buying Status
We ARE NOT currently purchasing any stones.
**If we are currently buying please scroll to
the bottom of this page to study our requirements for purchase.

---

(2). How do I go about selling on your site?

We are not a broker of collectibles. The inventory that you see
listed on the site is our own. We purchase and then resell these
Boyds items. This is how we support the site.

When we get the stones in, we examine them carefully, clean them,
check for proper peripherals, record the data for each and set a
price on them for the site. In this way we can live up to our
Guarantee. (Check the sidebar for a link to our Guarantee).
We cannot broker Boyds items and give substance to our Guarantee!

To sell at The Bear Collector.com we have provided Free Classifieds.
The are twenty some categories. You may post and delete your ads
automatically by following the instructions in this area. Here is
a link to the Free Classifieds.

---

(3). How do I go about selling these stones?

To accomplish this task you must expect to spend some time and effort
preparing to sell. You will have to inspect, evaluate, clean, record
and price all of your stones for sale. You will have to be
brutally honest in your evaluations and pricing. Anything less
and you will only be another ad among thousands. However,
by following these guidelines you will be able to sell
anywhere with pride!

**Begin by making a complete inventory list all the stones you
wish to sell. This listing should include: Style #, Name of
Stone and the Edition of the Stone. Be sure to leave a couple
of spaces between each listed stone.

Below the main title of the stone, enter the following:
+Correct Box - Yes or No. (Here check to see if the box matches
the style number and name of stone).
+Packing Original - Yes or No.
+Card or Certificate Present - Yes or No. Note whether you
believe it to be the original card for this stone.
You will also want to make notes on the condition of the box,
packing and card--rips, tears, etc. that are more than minor.
+List the price you paid for the stone.

**The next step is to clean the stones. This is necessary in order
to properly evaluate the condition of the stone. You must also
make note if the stone has been displayed in an environment where
there was smoking. The stone will absorb some of this. This is
something the buyer will want to know. Generally if it was in an
enclosed cabinet the smoke will be negligible.

To understand how to clean your stones, here is link to a general
information area called "BearCare."

**The next step is the evaluation of the stones. You must be totally honest.
One bad stone sold without the proper information and you will no
longer be able to sell. The word gets out very fast, especially
on auction sites. Some sites will ban you for this kind of
activity if they know of it.

Evaluate your stone for defects, such as Chips, nicks, abrasions
and broken or repaired parts must be noted. For any defect make
note of it with your listed stone on the inventory. Major defects
are major problems but you must be honest and state this when you
make your ads. Expect to this type for about 70% less than the
listed value guide value. For minor abrasions and nicks you may
advertise as good condition, but not mint condition. These type
of defects range from 10% to 30% deduction. Chips, if noticable,
should also be noted in the ad, but you can describe and assess
how the stone displays. A price of about 50% of the listed value
guide value is about right. Remember, mint condition is for a
perfect to very near perfect stone.

**The next step is setting a price on the stone. Pricing is based
on the cumulative deduction for defects and missing or less than
acceptable peripherals. We have given you relative pricing for
defects above. To this you must add deduction for peripherals.
For example, if you do not have the box it is about 50% from values
listed in the value guide. If you have a mint stone and no box
the pricing is 50%. If you have a minor abrasion on a stone with
no box then the deduction is 10% + 50% or 60% of the listed value
in a value guide. Other deductions include no card (30%), not
original packing (30%) and less than mint box (20%).

If your deductions are placing a price below what you paid for the
resin then you may want to consider it garage sale material.

**The next step is to find where one can sell the stones.
You will need an extra pad to write on for this one. The are all
sorts of innovative ways to sell your resins. Here are some of
these ideas: (1) Garage Sales, (2) Flea Markets, (3) Hard Copy
Newsletters, (4) Mall Exhibitions (if you own quite a few) and, of
course, (5) The Internet.

By far the best place to sell resins is on the internet. This takes
a little time and patience to research and set up. Here are some
of the ways to sell on the internet:
Your own Website - There are still a number of places that host
free websites. Try a search for "website, free". This should
render a good selection. To get your site noticed you must get
the word out. Join Webrings, Ranking Sites and go to search
engines to enter your site in the queue. Consider nominal costing
ads on popular Boyds sites. You may want to join a banner exchange.

Free and/or Paid Classified Ads - There are a number of Boyds® related
sites that offer free classifieds. Check for these sites by getting
onto Webrings, Ranking Sites and search engines. Be careful if you
are considering paying for an ad placement. Check the traffic
and proper categories before laying your money down.

Online Auctions - There are some that are free and many that cost
for listing your resins. Ebay is the most popular and the most
costly. Try a search for "auctions." There should be quite a list!
Carefully check for proper categories because some auctions are not
frequented by Boyds enthusiasts.

As you seek these various places to sell your stones be sure to
write down the possible places. Once you have finished your search
go back to your list and visit each of the possible places. Double
check for appropriateness. Create a work pad for each of these
sites you wish to use. If you place an ad write it down. Put down
the date and which ad you placed. Any responses should also be
noted under the ad. Soon you will find where the best places are
to place your ads, auctions, etc.

**The final step is to write your ad. The very least are the bare
essentials of what you are selling--Name, Style #, Edition and
condition of the stone and peripherals. Many times this plus the
price is adequate. For auctions you must be more inventive. Add
that it is from a smoke free environment or displayed only in a
cabinet, etc. Don't try to con the buyer. Collectors know their
stuff. A con job just drives them away.

Honesty and fair pricing for the condition of the stone and its
peripherals is the hallmark of good selling.

---

If you have your own website we may be able to assist you in
getting potential buyers to your site. Currently we have banner
ads for $5 a month. We offer sidebar advertising at very reasonable rates.

---

**OUR REQUIREMENTS FOR PURCHASES**

Before you even contact us regarding the purchase of your stones
you must have completed the entirety of all facets noted in
question (3). above.

We purchase only mint stones with mint peripherals.

We purchase only Bearstones® with the proper peripherals. We will
ask specific questions to determine the correctness of the
peripherals.

We reserve the right to return any stone and expect that you would
pay for the return shipping. If you have done your job evaluating
your stones properly this should not be a problem.

We never purchase above 40% of the listed value in value guides.
You must remember that we have to add shipping, overhead, etc. to
the price of the stones we purchase.

Many times we will only purchase one or two stones and wait until
they arrive for evaluation before further purchases from individuals.
We do this because everyone has their own idea of mint. We are
very, very particular.

---

Need To Ask A Question?
Email us:
thebearcollector@thebearcollector.com

---

| Bearstone® Basics | Ref./Value Guide |
| Free Classified Ads | Retailer Listings |
| Free Drawings | Bear Collectors Newsletter |
| Members Page | Webrings | Site Links |
| Site Index | The Collector's Handbook |
| Home Page |

Need to ask a question?
Email us:
thebearcollector.com@thebearcollector.com