Advice for selling rings on eBay!

[november90]

Really after some experience here because I've never really got into the eBay selling scene!

I want to sell my engagement and wedding ring. I've been to a number of jewellers who all recommended selling on eBay because they can't give a fair price due to only paying out the weight because of Covid effecting sales etc!
They're such beautiful rings. I have the receipts for Botha but not the original boxes 😳😬 Wedding righ original was £1555 and wedding band was bespokely made at £999.
So how do I go about this. Do I need to consider a special delivery option and how much does it cost? Or do people do collection for items? Am I unlikely to sell with not having the boxes? Also have no idea how to price them 🙈
I literally have no idea where to start! Any suggestions or advice would be so greatly appreciated!
Thank you :)

You will have to spend special delivery or you won’t be covered if it gets lost
www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/sending-valuables
Re pricing you would be best to search on eBay for items similar to yours & watch for a few weeks to see what they go for.
Eg 1ct diamond solitaire
Boxes don’t matter but do be prepared for the fact that jewellery goes for a lot less that you would expect.
Do include the size on the listing, I always look for my size rather than scrolling through hundreds of items.

Could you spend a few pounds on generic ring boxes as it may be worth it to get a better price?

I'm not sure you will get a better price on ebay. How much are you hoping to get? On ebay items typically sell for 20-30% of new value.

I’d sell at a local auction much safer and you won’t be messed about. Try your local auction house or Fellows are really nice (can recommend from experience), you can simply post the items in and they will pop them in their next up coming auction. You need to be realistic, you won’t get anywhere near what was paid.

Special next day delivery is only around a tenner insured up to £2000. Just check when you ask at the post office. A lot of jewellers use this reliable service.

I wouldn't sell them on ebay, you hear so much bad stuff about it now, I personally wouldn't take a chance any particular reason you are selling them? Could you have them melted down and made into something you would wear?

Don’t sell them on eBay. It’s not safe and there is a good chance the buyer will deny receiving it and ask for a refund - bitter experience.

You won’t get anywhere near the retail price but as pp have said you may be successful at an auction.

Watching with interest. I have an eternity ring to sell. It's just sitting in a drawer.

I wouldn't sell something like a ring on ebay. Too many untrustworthy folk. They could buy your ring and want to return it and send back a different ring. That is a known scam. Unfortunately second hand jewellery unless vintage of antique hasn't a great resale value. You could try a local auction.

Unless you need the money you could take them to a jewellery redesign place and have them made into something else.
Symbolically they meant something to you once you remade your life and this is for the new you.

I’d try an auction house. Have look on the internet, pick one that does online, phone and in person bidding. You will be able to look at past auction catalogues and see the sold prices

A friend sold her rings on EBay. The marriage didn't last long so they were still fashionable. They cost nearly £4000 and sold for less than £250. She was just glad to be shot of them.

Thanks for all the replies!
I had never really thought about auction, do you have to pay fees etc?
I just don't want them anymore, I had considered melting them down etc but tbh I'd rather just get rid and get myself something new when I have some spare money! I absolutely don't expect to get the rrp at all, I was thinking. Maybe £400 each!
I am so nervous about the eBay thing though as I don't have much experience with it 😬
I just don't want to have to pay much to sell them, for example getting valuations etc!

Yes you pay commission at an auction house but you oay fees on ebay too.
Definitely too many scammers about.
They can simply say it's fake and ebay will refund them.

I sold mine on eBay. I had the box and certificates for the engagement ring, it was a very good diamond so it got snapped up quickly and was actually bought by a jeweller.

My wedding ring was also diamonds but I didn't have the paperwork or anything, I bought a generic ring box to make it look a bit more appealing though and it sold within a couple of weeks.

You do have to pay fees with eBay though and depending on the value it can be quite a lot.

On the value point, my rings were 'worth' about three grand (well, that was their valuation although that's a bit of a pointless thing because it's only worth what people will buy it for) and I got about £1200 between them. I was happy with that and I hope someone else got to enjoy them.

Sorry there was no advice there!

Advice - price it fairly, you can see what similar items are selling for on eBay to get an idea. Do get a ring box, it's only a couple of quite but makes it look better. Get the rings professionally cleaned and polished before you list them, this cost me about £20 but it was probably worth it. Include any certificates and receipts that you have. Include lots of photos!

Thank you!
So with auction, do I have to choose somewhere local to me or is it a case of just sending the items to them and do you pay if no sale?
Sorry for all the questions and if it's obvious!

My sister sold her deceased DH stamp collection, she took them along to be valued. This was pre covid and she has to travel a hundred miles but as his collection made about 3k it was worth it. Enquire at a local auction house.

@november90 www.fellows.co.uk/valuations

I’d contact them with the info on your rings. Let them know you’ve posted and provide the tacking info.

If the items don’t sell you will still pay a small fee for cataloguing and photography for memory. But also if they don’t sell, they can simply list them in the next auction with an adjusted estimate or return them to you. You get paid via cheque, nice and easy.

I wouldn't use an auction house. Well, my local one charges 20% to the seller and 20% to the buyer. Fuck that

Bit if you do yluse one you can put a price on the rings that you wouldn't sell under a certain amount.
Although I think eBay does this too.

Thank you! I actually sent a message to firths earlier today but I wasn't sure if they would consider as I don't live in their area!
Sounds like there's risks whatever I do 😳😬

Really appreciate all the advice those, thank you everyone!

Fellows not firths sorry 🙈

@november90 I don’t live in their area but have happily sold with them. Very quick service and no issues for me.

To those bemoaning paying fees… All auction houses charge varying fees; they advertise your goods - provide access to a much larger market (and will take responsibility for the sale and assurance that the items are real), actual gem qualified cataloguers will list them and a fully trained photographer will shoot them. Nothing is free in life…

@LittleLottieChaos thank you for the info! Were you happy with the price?
I don't mind the fact I have to pay fees really, like you said I'm happy that they get sold safely and under the care of someone else really 🙈
My rings are absolutely beautiful and I did have a moment looking at the earlier, but I know there's no way I would ever wear them again or want to look back really. The money, big or small, could help me more In Some way then them sitting in a box for me to look at and feel sad! Another person can enjoy these beautiful rings and hopefully a happy marriage too!