So, you know the vintage lighter you want to purchase, how do you know you’re getting a fair price?
Functional or Collectible?
One important variable to consider before buying vintage lighters on EBay is your purpose for the lighter. Are you planning to use it or are you simply adding another lighter to your collection to admire?
I’ll use myself as an example. The most important aspect of collecting and repairing lighters for me is that they succeed at making fire. I don’t really care about collectability. I care a ton about quality. I care most of all that it lights when I need it to. If it won’t make fire then it is just a curio and I don’t really have a lot of space in my life for things of that sort.
I do however, own a lighter or two from time to time that I clearly recognize as having value beyond its ability to make fire. I don’t usually own those for very long because there are plenty of folks out there willing to pay for those “collectible” lighters.
How my EBay prices are set.
I work on lighters because I enjoy it. It really is that simple. I have come up with a system for pricing the lighters I sell on EBay that takes much of the stress out of the process for me and that simplifies things considerably.
With my focus on lighters that are in good working order, I don’t list any lighter that I myself would not be willing to pay at least $15 for. Most auctions start at $14.99 and run for 5 days. If it sells great! If it does not sell then I’ll relist it as a Fixed Price item. I may adjust the price as I relist the lighter depending on how long I expect to inventory it, inherent value other than function or perhaps simply fondness for the lighter or the value of the work that I know went into getting a particular lighter working.
What is important to you?
When considering a fair market value for the vintage lighter you intend to purchase, what aspect of
owning an old lighter means the most to you? Does it need to work or is it just a curiosity piece? Perhaps you are looking for a more socially responsible option than all the plastic products littering department and convenience store shelves.
It is worth considering that a consumer can purchase a vintage lighter for $15 and a can of fuel for another few dollars and be set with fire for the foreseeable future. Yes it will require a modicum of labor on our part to refill the refillable lighter but we will save all those trips to the store just to pick up a disposable lighter. I’ll get off my soapbox now but the possible benefits definitely merit consideration.
Whatever the reason for you being in the market for a vintage lighter, there are plenty of options available when you decide to make your purchase. There could even be multiple merchants specializing in exactly what you are looking for! This is another way that EBay can benefit anyone looking to purchase or sell vintage lighters. I can think of at least 3 EBay sellers who I followed in the last week because I know that they deal in the kind of lighters that I’m looking to buy.
Fakes, Rippos, Copies, Crap!
I have seen incidents where a customer is taken advantage of and sold an item by a seller who was inviting trouble by the way they listed an item. I would steer as far away from that kind of seller as I could. If a listing says Zippo in the title but then in the description the seller expresses doubt about its authenticity, ignore it. Other tips:
- I would never purchase a vintage Zippo lighter if the listing does not have at least 1 quality photo of the bottom of the lighter.
- For any vintage lighter I would expect a listing to have photos showing every side of the lighter, most lighters have six sides.
- I wouldn’t purchase from anyone who doesn’t accept returns. I think you will find that generally when a seller is willing to accept returns, they are selling quality items. In other words, buyers don’t return their items because they are satisfied with their purchase.
- Ask questions. Nothing frustrates a seller more than a bidder claiming ignorance on the
Park Ad Lighter condition of an item when the description was crystal clear. Read all descriptions before buying and ask for clarification through the Ask Seller feature of you need it.
- If a seller entertains offers for a Fixed Price item, don’t hesitate to make an offer(assuming you’ve done your due diligence.) Just be respectful and don’t take it personal if they decline or counter your offer. Check a seller’s other items for sale, if they offer free or combined shipping you might be able to purchase multiple items and leverage their shipping policy to your advantage.
A Vast Market Of Opportunities
I have at least one eye on EBay most of the time. So, if you get there and are unsure how to navigate or bid or anything else just shoot me a message and I’ll do everything I can to help.
I’ve barely scratched the surface on EBay and hope to write more about it soon. For now, if you’d like to know more, follow EBay seller ID: dependableflame.
Please, subscribe to the DependableFlame YouTube channel.
I’d love to read any comments, so feel free to leave them. My goal for this site is to come into contact with and help like-minded consumers and fellow humans who have discovered some of the same hurdles that I myself have encountered. If I’m writing about a subject on this site it is because some time not too long ago I was trying to do something that didn’t seem like it should be as difficult as it was. And if it doesn’t have to be that difficult, why would we make it be?
Joseph
So, I love lighters as well. I go for more of what it can do than the value. Although I have had some lighters that I could have sold for some good money. I have a question. How much does a really good vintage lighter usually cost. I know the prices range but what is a good price for a really good one?
I actually had a nice vintage lighter. It was apparently owned by Jimmy Hendrix. Not sure how true that was but it was a great lighter.
I understand your sentiment KD, I too am more of a user than a collector as I use practically all of the lighters in my collection and am not all that keen on setting an immaculate lighter on a shelf which will never get used.
Prices range from about $10-$20 for a basic Japanese made flip-top lighter with no advertising embellishments all the way up into the thousands of dollars for some old Zippos, Ronsons, Dunhill and other high-end or luxury type lighter brands. I have written this article to help folks better determine the value of any lighter.
Thank you for stopping by and I hope that you will continue to frequent the site!
Great article! Thanks for this valuable information. I can actually use it to make sure I am not getting ripped off when I buy my next vintage lighter. Luckily, I have a pretty good eye for when I am getting ripped off and you definitely should be careful when buying anything collectible like this. I completely agree with charging more when you have had to put more time into the lighter to get it in working order. With some of the really collectible ones, you should get your money’s worth! I will use this advice when figuring out prices for my own shop as well. Thanks again!
Thank you Ashley, I really appreciate all of your insight in regards to the pricing of vintage lighters that I sell. I am never worried about getting my money’s worth back out of them because for one thing I am extremely disciplined about what I buy and especially what I pay for them. I also have the philosophy that a particular lighter can set in my Ebay Store for yrs and it doesn’t bother me at all! All it takes is that one buyer to browse along and see a lighter that appeals to them!
I love these old lighters the have a lot more charm and character There is so many different aspects you can collect them for. But had never thought of how to come to a price for them. wouldn’t the age of a peace come a lot into play a lot more with value especially with collectors and a like .
Hey Jason, thank you for stopping by and asking your questions! I hope you found this article interesting and helpful.
Age does play a factor into how much I am asking for any particular lighter but not as much as you might think. The reason for that is all the lighters I sell are vintage and therefore older than anything at least twenty yrs or so. So, the age factor for my purposes of selling is pretty much figured in at the foundation of my consideration of the value of the item. But yes, age does play an important role in discerning the value of any vintage item.
I absolutely love anything vintage!
As for myself, I would probably purchase a vintage lighter for a collectable or show piece as I don’t really use a lighter unless I am lighting a candle or firing up the grill, in which case I use a long lighter.
It was very interesting reading how you price your vintage lighters and it’s good to know that you don’t overprice your lighters just to make a buck, you actually care about your customers and the lighters you sell!
Hey Lisa, thank you for the insights.
Of course, I am looking to make money on every lighter that I sell and I doubt if I’ve ever sold a lighter that I didn’t make a considerable profit off of. Still, any seller has to be reasonable with the price the he asks when it comes to vintage items of all sorts. That’s one reason that it is very important to me that every lighter I sell is in working condition because the function must be figured into the price being asked.
They are not just purchasing a collector’s item but I working, functional piece of history!