How to Sell Sinclair Computers


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Until a few years ago, car boot sales were a fairly reliable way of buying and selling vintage electronics. Not any more, though - people have discovered the benefits of selling directly to collectors, and the biggest collectors' marketplace by far is the eBay online auction website. For details of how to register as an eBay seller, see the official eBay Seller's Guide.

Tips and advice

  • Make it clear what you are selling. Is the item in good condition? Is it boxed or not? The resale value of an item will vary significantly depending on its condition and packaging. A mint condition Sinclair product in its original box will fetch considerably more than a worn unpackaged item.
     
  • Choose the correct category in which to sell the item. You have more chance of selling your item if you list it in the correct category in the first place. For Sinclair computers, this would be [category].
     
  • Use the right terminology. Because so many auctions are ongoing at any one time, most users rely on the eBay search engine to find a specific item. This means that using the right keywords in the headline of your auction is crucial - don't bury them in the body text, as the basic search option only searches the headlines. Always use the official name of the item, as given on the packaging or case, and be as specific as possible. For instance, if you are selling a Sinclair Spectrum 48K, use "Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48K" as your headline rather than, say, "Vintage 1980s home computer".
     
  • Provide a photograph. You can greatly increase your chance of selling an item (and boosting the sale price) by providing an image to illustrate it. People prefer to see what they are buying, and this has a big influence on their buying behaviour.
     
  • Don't overprice your item. It can often be hard to work out how much your item is worth, particularly in the case of rare items. Check the Price Monitor page to see approximate average sale values of items on eBay. Please note that just because something is rare, it isn't necessarily worth a lot of money!


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© Chris Owen 1994-2003