Scavenger Life

We had a very busy weekend at our cafe and are just coming up for air. Celebrating two years in business, our cafe was completely mobbed this holiday weekend (which is a good thing). From 8am to 3pm each day, we were just making coffee and food without stopping. Our staff was great, it was exhausting, and also gratifying. Running a business where you meet your customer is so very different than running an eBay business.

As far as eBay goes, sales have been steady for us. Packing has been annoying (which is also a good thing).

Check out our coffee! ► broadporch.coffee
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Our Store Week May 21-27, 2023

Total Items in Store: 9429
Items Sold: 33
Gross Sales: $1,438.18 (including eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Net Sales: $1,127.87 (minus eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Cost of Items Sold: $150
Cost of helpers: $80
Highest Price Sold: $270 (vintage mirror
Average Price Sold: $43.57
Returns: 2
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $0
Number of items listed this week: 40
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(Your numbers can be found here: https://www.ebay.com/sh/performance/sales)

When we first sold on eBay, it was all clothes all the time. When we purchased our home, we renovated an old garage into a 500 square foot climate controlled clothing storage. It felt BIG compared to what we were used to. We built these rolling clothing hangers that also stored shoes. We were psyched. No more digging into piles or fooling with bins.

Over the years as reselling has become popular, clothing became a grind because it’s the gateway drug for anyone new to the scene. We still have a lot of clothes for sale and still scavenge them when we can get high quality for cheap, but our focus is on all the weird stuff we now love to find and sell. Possibility for better profits.

We’re now in the process of taking over half of that 500 square feet room to turn into a huge laundry room for our rental business. We’re currently washing all the towels and linens of three houses (each with three bedrooms) sometimes several times a week. Currently we do it all in our tiny 50 square foot utility room. It’s laundry madness. So we’re going to build a personal laundromat.

We put all our clothes on sale and some sold this week. We may do some culling soon. Evolution.

Check out our coffee! ► broadporch.coffee
Join the conversation in the forum>>HERE

Our Store Week May 14-20, 2023

Total Items in Store: 9396
Items Sold: 38
Gross Sales: $1,547.74 (including eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Net Sales: $1,223.49 (minus eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Cost of Items Sold: $143
Cost of helpers: $80
Highest Price Sold: $125 (vintage cast iron pot)
Average Price Sold: $32.19
Returns: 1
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $50
Number of items listed this week: 0
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(Your numbers can be found here: https://www.ebay.com/sh/performance/sales)

We list stuff. It often sits for months or even years. But it all eventually sells. If we list enough, things sell every day. And if we can get inventory cheap enough, we’ll always make money.

Check out our coffee! ► broadporch.coffee
Join the conversation in the forum>> HERE

Our Store Week May 7-13, 2023

Total Items in Store: 9423
Items Sold: 18
Gross Sales: $1,175.30 (including eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Net Sales: $916.81 (minus eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Cost of Items Sold: $166
Cost of helpers: $80
Highest Price Sold: $110 (vintage movie poster)
Average Price Sold: $50.93
Returns: 0
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $50
Number of items listed this week: 30
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(Your numbers can be found here: https://www.ebay.com/sh/performance/sales)

Sold the fewest items during a week in a long time. BUT the items we did sell were for over $50 so our average profit was about the same as most weeks. You just never know.

We’ve been doing a lot of scavenging lately which has been nice. Trying to find places that are overlooked and items that other scavengers don’t want. We like cheap!

We are full steam ahead at our coffee shops and roastery. Please consider ordering some coffee. Our two roaster employees, Izzy and Shane, are ready to roast!

Check out our coffee! ► broadporch.coffee
Join the conversation in the forum>> HERE

Our Store Week April 30 – May 6, 2023

Total Items in Store: 9385
Items Sold: 9
Gross Sales: $954.30 (including eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Net Sales: $752.79 (minus eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Cost of Items Sold: $96
Cost of helpers: $40
Highest Price Sold: $200 (vintage lamp)
Average Price Sold: $83.64
Returns: 0
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $40
Number of items listed this week: 40
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(Your numbers can be found here: https://www.ebay.com/sh/performance/sales)

From the comments over the past month, it sounds like everyone is busy with their lives outside of eBay. Good! If you’ve built up a nice inventory online, things will sell while you live your life. (You still have to ship!)

We’re super excited about things going on this year. Lots of work to do. One little thing at a time.

Check out our coffee! ► broadporch.coffee
Join the conversation in the forum>> HERE

Our Store Week April 23-29, 2023

Total Items in Store: 9337
Items Sold: 21
Gross Sales: $1,010.71 (including eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Net Sales: $807.83 (minus eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Cost of Items Sold: $55
Cost of helpers: $40
Highest Price Sold: $150 (vintage curtain tie backs)
Average Price Sold: $38.46
Returns: 0
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $0
Number of items listed this week: 10
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(Your numbers can be found here: https://www.ebay.com/sh/performance/sales)

Good week of sales and we did nothing different. The power of zen selling?

I (Jay) went to a flea market for the first time since the pandemic. It was awesome. I love flea markets and talking to people and seeing everything they bring. There’s the antique guy who has ridiculous prices on everything and uses his table to just show off his collections, rarely selling. The lady who always brings piles of nothing but kids clothes. The tool guy. The hunting, knife, bullet guy. The lady who sells plant starters she’s grown herself. The lady who sells discounted soaps she’s bought with coupons. And my favorite, the junk guy who spreads out all his jumbled knick knacks over several tables for you to sort through (everything under $5).

As much as we depend on eBay for steady sales and profits, I love that there’s still a community who love cash and in-person sales.

I spoke to several sellers who complained that it’s been harder for them to find stuff to sell. Likely because more auctions are going online. I’m more and more confident though that the deluge of abundance/waste will find its way to the market for cheap one way or the other. As a scavenger, it’s just about finding where that stream is.

Ryanne competed in a national competition for coffee tasting. This skill is needed for being a great roaster. She made it to the quarter-finals against some of the best in the country. Next year!

Check out our coffee! ► broadporch.coffee
Join the conversation in the forum>> HERE

Our Store Week April 16-22, 2023

Total Items in Store: 9337
Items Sold: 21
Gross Sales: $1,345.86 (including eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Net Sales: $1,066.84 (minus eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Cost of Items Sold: $70
Cost of helpers: $40
Highest Price Sold: $150 (vintage curtain tie backs)
Average Price Sold: $50.80
Returns: 0
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $0
Number of items listed this week: 20
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(Your numbers can be found here: https://www.ebay.com/sh/performance/sales)

As we all discussed last week, it feels like a weird slooooooow period is upon us. Our week was certainly quiet. A handful of sales, few offers or messages. Our gut is that we’re starting a recession that hasn’t been officially announced. Or everyone is just worried and pulling back spending (is this the same thing?)

Anyway, we’re still finding new stuff to sell, putting it in the pipeline, and know it’ll all eventually sell. Hope you guys are doing well!

Check out our coffee! ► broadporch.coffee
Join the conversation in the forum>> HERE

Our Store Week April 9-15, 2023

Total Items in Store: 9337
Items Sold: 15
Gross Sales: $804.52 (including eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Net Sales: $642.53 (minus eBay fees, shipping, and taxes)
Cost of Items Sold: $55
Cost of helpers: $80
Highest Price Sold: $80 (vintage lamp)
Average Price Sold: $42.83
Returns: 1
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $0
Number of items listed this week: 20
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(Your numbers can be found here: https://www.ebay.com/sh/performance/sales)