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EBay - for us or not for us?

In the last week, I have bought an Oriental Rug, a DVD and a Carbide Forstner Bit on EBay - pretty cool way to shop!

I took about an hour and scrolled through the listings for "turning" under crafts and was thoroughly dismayed. It seems that the turning section is only for pen blanks, small chunks of exotics and the occaisional turned item.

I took another hour and went through the listings for "sculpture and carvings" - saw some wooden art pieces, but did not take note of anything turned except for a cracked and repaired Ray Key bowl that was listed for $49. (I am sure Ray Key would not like to see that) How sad!

Then I thumbed through the listings for "pottery and glass" and saw many many (less than spectacular) thrown and blown objects that were commanding some prety good prices with bid counts up to 20 bid at the $200 - $500 range. There were over 300,000 pieces listed in this category! The cool thing is that people were actually bidding on these items! Wow!

I know that none of you want to buy the work of other turners, that is not my reason for posting this message. I certainly do not want to buy other turners work, I have enough of my own! However, I know that there is a market for the stuff we make - there has to be - there are galleries that are devoted to wood, museums that have collections and plenty of Interrior Designers out there who seek unique pieces for their client installations.

Is a market on EBay calling out that there is an opportunity for wood art or am I experiencing wishful thinking?! What has the general experience of the group been with respect to EBay?

Ray Sandusky Brentwood, TN

Reply to
Ray Sandusky
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Ray, I've sold two pieces on eBay in the past three years, so I don't bother to list them. Why? Nobody bids on them. I also try to sell on my web site, but again, not much in the way of watchers. Heck very few pieces seemed to sell on Woodcraftauction.com. I guess that's why it isn't accepting auctions any more.

Why? hmmmm, I think that most of the general public doesn't know much about it, and that it can be considered ART. But I also don't think that the Internet is really the place to sell/buy most turned items. But then I'm not sure why pottery sells. One of the first thing I do when I see a piece on display is to pick it up and feel the finish, grain, weight, etc. Then I turn it over and look at the bottom - for the signature, kind of wood, (and yes to see how well the piece was finished.) The Internet doesn't give me that opportunity - there is very tactile feedback on eBay.

The two pieces I have sold (a Paduk bowl, and a spalted maple bowl) both went to the same buyer. He said he was collecting Paduk, and then later he saw the spaled Maple and recognized my name. It's nice to have a repeat buyer. This buyer had worked in a gallery in the past and had met David Ellsworth and Ray Key - and appreciated turned wood, an educated public is what creates buyers.

When demonstrating at local shows I try to engage those that look curious and explain how we create pieces of art, and functional items from 'old trees' and that this isn't simple woodworking like knocking together a birdhouse from lumber scraps.

mike OhMyWoodness.com

Reply to
Mike

This guy sells his on ebay.

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Wil

Reply to
Wil

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Notice though, these are not up for auction. They are part of his E-bay store front.

Reply to
rjuggler

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He also has a nice selection of lower-priced articles up for sale, some of which are under auction.

Bill

Reply to
Anonymous

So does another guy. DO a seller search for "davidwalshbowlturner".

He's been selling exclusivily on eBay for awile now. Personally, I've sold many bowls on eBay over a period of two years. I only gave it up recently because I went back to "work".

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Reply to
Peter Teubel

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