Manion’s Launches “List it Yourself”

Collectors worldwide now have an option other than eBay to buy and sell items in a new online auction. Manion's List it Yourself auction service is a brand new vehicle creating commerce in the collecting community. It combines the peer-to-peer effectiveness of eBay, with the collectible exclusiveness offered by Manion's, in a clean, easy to operate online auction. The fee structure is similar to eBay for sellers, with the winning bidder paying the seller directly and Manion's accepting no buying fee whatsoever.

Manion's traditional consignment auction operates through collecting commission from both the buyer and seller. With this service, Manion's photographs, describes, warehouses, and ships each item. This service remains very popular with consignors who simply want to ship their items and have Manion's do all the work.

With the advent of eBay, many sellers have become comfortable in listing and shipping the items themselves. However, in addition to the restrictions eBay places on selling certain historical items, many eBay sellers are uncomfortable with the increasing fees the online auction charges for items sold in a higher dollar range.

The seller benefits from much cheaper fees than eBay--no matter how much the seller is asking, the basic insertion fee will never rise above two dollars, and Manion's final value fee will never be more than 3%. "I'm very pleased with Manion's new List it Yourself auction," said John Karickhoff, one of the first Manion's List it Yourself auction sellers. "My sale went off without a hitch, and listing the system seems to be much more efficient than eBay."

In addition to providing sellers with lower listing fees than eBay, Manion's List it Yourself auction provides sellers with discounted listing options. Members can select one of three packages to receive a listing fee discount. "eBay never gives their sellers a break," said Manion's owner Jody Tucker. "We want to reward sellers with the ability to save money by doing business with us."

LISTING GERMAN ITEMS? NO PROBLEM!

Reflecting Manion's Freedom in Collecting Commitment, the List it Yourself auction does not exclude German WWII collectibles. In allowing these items, Manion's realizes some may be considered sensitive. Manion's does not support the political ideology they once represented, but feels they should be available for historical and archival purposes.

Manion's Auction has been focused on brokering the sale of militaria since 1970, and while many of the List it Yourself auction items are currently military related, the current categories will be expanded as needed to encompass a wide range of collectibles. "We are drawing the line at collectibles, however," said Tucker. "We will not allow consumer goods to be listed. We want this to be exclusive to pre-qualified sellers and serious buyers only."

The new auction is in its infancy, having launched January 1, 2007. However, in that short amount of time, the new service has gained nearly 200 users, and has over 1,500 items listed with the numbers growing every day. While quantity of items listed is important, the quality is paramount.

In an effort to protect buyers, Manion's will approve all sellers, unlike eBay, and they must indicate the authenticity of the item in their listing. Member feedback is also integrated in the process, but negative comments are expected to be minimal.

Manion's International Auction House continues to be a leader in the collectible and militaria market. Jody Tucker acquired the company in 2005 and is maintaining Manion's tradition while initiating innovation. "It's a different world today than it was when Ron Manion began the auction 30 some years ago," said Tucker. "Today we're working towards taking the company into the future. We're changing policies, cutting overhead, and introducing new ideas to allow the company to remain competitive in the modern collecting climate."

Interested parties are encouraged to visit the Manion's Web site www.Manions.com and click the "List it Yourself Auctions" for a close-up look.