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THE INTERNET AND ONLINE AUCTIONS   The Internet and Online Auctions have caused massive changes in how we purchase Redline Hot Wheels. This revolution has brought about a huge increase in Redline prices and a whole new generation of collectors that have a very different perception of collecting than those not brought up collecting online. When any collectible Redline is available at your fingertips, it tends to make collectors less patient and more anxious to buy that car RIGHT NOW. Add to that the effects of competing with someone for a particular car (as in online auctions) and you have a whole new breed of collector that is more aggressive, less patient and less focused or thoughtful about which direction their collection is going in. The other, more damaging effect of online auctions is the false perceptions of value that are brought about because the auction environment often leads to artificially high prices. In plain English, if two crazy people want a car so bad that they`re willing to pay outrageous money to get it, then that establishes an outrageous price for that car. I`ve seen common cars sell for outrageous prices simply because the seller had the right combination of photo, description and most important, bidders to increase the "value!"  Now, having said that, there are ways to win at the Internet and Online Auctions. In this chapter we will cover both!     THE INTERNET   If you`re looking for Redlines, there is no shortage of Hot Wheels websites that will have some mention of these most-collectible of Hot Wheels. On my website: Redlines Online  www.RedlinesOnline.com  I have a message board where collectors can post their want lists, items for sale or trade, etc. These are a great resource for meeting other collectors and finding what you`re looking for! I`ve personally bought some great cars off of my own website`s "Buy, Sell, Trade" page!  As you surf the Web, be sure to read the classifieds and message boards for cars you`re looking for. Place your own ads, where appropriate, for cars you`re looking for and surf these sites often. One day I noticed a posting on a Hot Wheels website that said the person wanted to sell several Hot Wheels in their original packages. I  E-mailed the person, and in her response, she told me that they were sold. (I was a few days too late……)  In her correspondence with me, I figured out that she could have done better - but I was just a few days too late! Had I been a little more methodical (and had I had more time to surf) I could have bought the blisterpacks and she would have gotten a better price for her cars! Another way to surf the Net and find strictly Hot Wheels sites is to go on the Hot Wheels Webring. This is a ring of strictly Hot Wheels sites (available on the front page of my site) that will allow you to surf over 300 Hot Wheels sites! Not all of them have Redlines, but many do. In the rare times that I can actually surf the Net recreationally, I really enjoy going through these sites and seeing each person`s personal expression of what Hot Wheels Collecting means to them.   ONLINE AUCTIONS   In the introduction to this chapter, I made the point that Online Auctions are responsible for the explosion of Redline prices in the last few years. So how can you still get good deals in Auctions?  It starts by changing your thinking. 90% of bidders are thinking as buyers. You need to think as a trader would. What this means is that you need to take a few chances. In the following real-life examples, we`ll discuss various ways to do better at Auctions.     1)  Unknowledgeable sellers     The most common mistake you can benefit from is the seller`s poor description of a great item. This means you have to be knowledgeable about Redlines and "read between the lines" of the seller`s description. Here are some examples of actual purchases I`ve made.   I purchased a Creamy Pink Ford J-Car (near-mint) for around $40.00 because the seller described it as "Maroon" and I instantly guessed they meant Creamy Pink. When I saw the photo, it was unmistakable! The fact that this auction closed on a weekday around 10:00 a.m. was another tremendous help. I happened to be off that day and was at the computer, ready to rumble! Needless to say, I picked up a $150.00 car for my personal collection for less than 1/3rd of it`s value! I recently bought a Lime-Gold Mustang in c-9+ condition online for only $63.00!  I was told by a more seasoned collector that it`s worth $350 to $400! (It was described as "Antifreeze") Here`s another example: I recently was high bidder on a Salmon Pink Mighty Maverick for around $55.00. This car was described (in the title) as "Mighty Maverick - Orange?." Upon reading the description; the seller said he thought it was Orange and his wife thought it was Pink, I realized they were talking about a tougher-to-find shade called Salmon Pink! I won that one at about 1/3rd the value!   How about the "Purple" Silhouette that was actually Magenta? I picked it up for around $18.00. Not bad for a $50.00 car!   One car I didn`t win (but wish I had) was a super-clean Rose Barracuda that was very close to mint. It went for a bargain price because the seller listed it as Red!   The scenarios we`ve discussed here had to do with a seller`s lack of knowledge about Spectraflame colors. But there are other ways to win at auctions.   I once bought four Blue Spoilers (three King Kudas and a Heavy Chevy) for $120.00.  I turned around and re-sold them on the same Auction site for a total of around $220.00. (Who`s going to buy three of the same car?)   I purchased a Flying Circus Track Set (almost complete) online for a little over $200.00. (The seller had found it in a barn!!!) I contacted a local collector that is a "Sky Show Connoisseur" and we did some trading. I then bid on two important pieces to the set and was able to create a complete track set with a Sky Show Truck. (Through various deals) I ended up netting about $800 in trade and cash out of that one! (Money I used to buy another collection!)   Sometimes I`ll buy an item online that a friend is looking for and use it to trade for something I want. If you get a good enough deal, that can help!   2)  Search Different Categories   You can look for Redline-related items in other categories: Collectibles, Matchbox, Johnny Lightning, Posters, Lunch Boxes etc..  Sometimes you`ll find a vintage Hot Wheels item and it may lead you to….. Redlines!  I recently acquired an original 1970-issue Hot Wheels Watch. It was listed under collectible watches and I got it for only $53.00. I`ve seen this same watch sell for over $125 all the time. (Had it been in the Hot Wheels category, it probably would have!) 3)  E-mail Techniques   I`ve had friends that have e-mailed the seller after a large collection didn`t meet reserve and bought individual cars (or the whole collection) at a good price.   By building a good reputation on the Online Auction site - with feedback points - I`ve been e-mailed on numerous occasions for advice from non-collectors. Sometimes this gives me an opportunity to buy a collection before it hits the auction.   4)  Buy At Odd Hours   I`ve won some cool cars online by buying at odd hours! (I happen to have a schedule that allows this.)  If you`re bidding on an item that closes at 7:30 a.m., there`s a good chance that you won`t have much competition! Since many savvy bidders wait 'til the last minute to bid, you might be the only one bidding at the end. I won the Flying Circus Track Set this way, it closed on a Tuesday morning around 10:00 a.m.. I was the only bidder at the end and I won it. If you bid at odd hours, you limit the competition and therefore you`ll probably get a lower price on the car! What are some good hours? How about late at night (after midnight) or super early in the morning on a weekday?  You can monitor auctions by when they are scheduled to end and take the extra effort to bid at just the right time. When you bid on these auctions, you`re usually bidding on a non-collector`s auction which means you have to be careful about their ability to describe the car accurately. You are taking an additional risk, but might get a great additional reward!   Holiday Weekends   In placing my own auctions online, I learned something the hard way. I placed several Redlines up, only to realize that they were going to close on a holiday weekend. This resulted in disappointing (lower) auction prices for most of my Redlines. Many people were away from home and couldn`t bid. You can use this mistake to your benefit. Be aware of any holiday weekends coming up and be at the keyboard, ready to bid!  When a bunch of people are out at the River, Mountains, Lake or Beach, you can be having indoor fun: buying Redlines! We`ve covered some ways to win at Online Auctions, next we`ll look at business cards.
There's the FREE EXCERPT from the book, "Treasure Hunting Collectible Redlines"! This is only a small fraction of the tips and techniques you'll find. In fact, the chapter on Advertising is worth the cost of the book many times over! Click 'Back" to place an order!