You have that perfect model in mind that you just have to add to your collection, but it has been discontinued to several years and all your local model stockists are long of out stock. Where can you go that has the good possibility of stocking it? The Internet.
The Internet is a great place to find the model you want. It connects collectors together and allows you to buy, sell and trade your models. It is very easy to do once your know how. In this little guide we’ll help show you how.
Online Auctions:This is the first place we recommend you try. Online Auctions may not be for everyone but they nearly always have that model you are looking for. The largest auction site with model horse categories is eBay.
The Breyer Category can be found under: Collectables: Animals: Horse: Breyer. All items listing in this category are normally from US based sellers and so shipping costs will be cheaper.
eBay Tips:
** If you are looking for a specific Breyer Model is best to search through eBay’s search engine. (to do this access and use the search box which is located on the top right hand side of the page) This search will return all items that match your search criteria.
** If you are searching for a mould, also trying searching the item by using different search criteria like mould names, numbers, colours.
For Example: If you were searching for “Paint Mare” also trying searching using: Lady Phase (mould name), #771 (item number) and Paint (colour).
** When searching you can either choose to search the US only or globally. If you are looking for a rare model then is best to extend the search globally as you may get more results. This can be done by ticking the “Items Worldwide” box under the search box.
*Q: How can I bid on eBay?
A: It is easy to become a member of eBay. Simply follow the instructions on the website. It takes about 5 minutes to register an account and once that is done you are ready to go.
Be sure before placing a bid that the seller has overall positive feedback. Also, ask questions about the item before bidding if you are unsure. With many of the auctions, you may have to wait a week to see if you have placed a winning bid. Be sure to follow the instructions once you have won the auction so you can get your model quickly and be rewarded with positive feedback.
Being late with payments can result in negative feedback and many sellers may not allow you to bid in the future. Only bid if you are serious and can pay following the sellers instructions.
ModelXChange: (http://wwww.modelxchange.net)
An Auction Site specialising in Model Horses. There are categories for all kinds of models and tack. It runs in the same way as eBay and is an easy to navigate site. If you cannot find it on eBay this a good place to try as it is slightly more specialised.
Other Options:
Other places to try if you have no luck on the auction sites (or do not wish to use the sites) are through email lists or Facebook groups. Users within the group post their models for sale.