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Hey everyone.
I’m Tim and I’m from Northeast Wisconsin. My journey started a month ago. See, it was about the time where in years past I got a second, seasonal part-time job and I was staring at that help wanted sign for the local call center that I worked for in years past and I just said ‘I don’t want to do this anymore’.
I did do part time picking a few years ago with a friend at rummage sales but that was only for one summer and I talked to another friend who had done ebay part time as well and so we took about 100 bucks each and set out on this road.
I’m scared, that’s a fair answer but I wrote up some smallish goals, some large goals and figured that as long as you understand mistakes can happen and that everyone buys a dud once in a while then I’ll be okay. Still, it’s a shaky first few steps in the last few months.
I hear these numbers that people put out there and they seem like a mountain. Sure, I can tell myself that you don’t climb the thing in one leap but it’s easy to say and hard to actualize.
Anyway, having read the rest of the introductions, you’ve asked about people’s plan and process. Well we’ve split duties a bit. We both like shopping and I like researching while my partner does pictures (they have a photography business). So that leaves listing and shipping which we’re tackling together. We’ve done thrift stores, the hallowed blue bins though we found that some thrift stores that are not as commercial are just as good as they’re less crowded. We’ve done a little rummage sales but we’ve steered clear of estate sales and auctions, we just don’t have the capital right now. Not sure what you can garner from that given our newbie status but there it is.
We really don’t have specialties. We really don’t know how to find the 1 dollar items to turn into 30 dollar items but we are getting better at finding the 1 dollar item that can net us 10-15 which I know seems like a no-no from listening to podcasts and reading elsewhere. That said, our collective knowledge base is growing some, I know more about the value of snowmobile helmets than most people would need to know that don’t own one 🙂
Anyway, wrapping up we just sold our first item, and we’re 1 for 10 this week. My first goal was to get five items sold so that’s the one we’re working towards right now. Any help or comments would be appreciated! Thank you for reading this far.
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Hey! I grew up in northeastern wisconsin. I’ve never been to the bins by you, I’m assuming you go to the ones in appleton? How are they? I travel by that way a lot and probably will stop in there some time.
I like thrifting up north when I go visiting up there. There is a great thrift store in Wausaukee if you ever travel that way. It’s two buildings don’t miss the second if you go. It’s not obvious that it is part of the store. I also really like the St Vincent in Sheboygan.
Good luck on your new journey.
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GW bins are ok, depending on what you’re looking for. There’s a bunch of people that seem clued into the vintage toys but we could pick good shirts/shoes all day.
St Vincent’s opened up something similar, selection is less but it’s pbp and it’s sorted out. Less people, I was the only one there for about a half hour and it’s sort of out of the way.
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Welcome Tim. Sounds like you guys have a plan that you’re putting into action. If you just put in the hours into your eBay business that you wold into a seasonal job, I don;t see why you won’t make at least the same amount.
Auctions and estate sales are fun and can lead to some good deals. Remember that it’s always free to attend and do research.
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Hi Tim. I am from Milwaukee and I went to “the bins” for the first time in Appleton the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I only bought 8 pounds of all clothes. I haven’t listed them yet (I am waiting for a sunny day in order to list so I have proper light to take photos). It wasn’t as busy as I thought it would be, but it was probably because of thanksgiving. It is so funny to have to wait until the employees say, “Start shopping” before you can dive in. You can kinda tell if the bin is going to have hard goods or clothes in them and everyone positions themselves in front of the kind of bin they are interested in.
Where in Northeast Wisconsin are you? There are some online auctions that I watch and bid on, but pick up is usually around the Portage area. Maybe some of us Wisconsin Trash Elves can have a field trip to “the bins” some day!
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We live in the Oshkosh area so a trip to Appleton isn’t a major drive. I’m glad your experience seemed like a good one. We spent all weekend this week listing the stuff we had accumulated and we’re only about 2/3rds of the way through that. Want to finish that up before going to hard into acquisition mode as we need some sales revenue to do so.
But yeah, I’d be down for meeting other people for a Goodwill run if you don’t mind a newbie 🙂
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Congrats on becoming a scavenger! I wouldn’t worry too much right now about sales price being only $10-15. I remember my first sales just over a year ago, and I was so excited to sell something for over $10! I’m still selling some $10 things, but my average sale price is much higher, and I recently sold a $200 item. Just keep at it, and your ability to pick out higher value items will gradually improve. As J&R say, just keep listing 🙂
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Welcome! I’m with Jay and will say give auctions and estate sales a chance since you don’t have to bid on or buy anything you don’t want! I am in central Pennsylvania and auctions are my primary sourcing location. I find a lot of items for a dollar or two at the auctions and sometimes even get a box of stuff for that much. Don’t forget to look around your house for things you don’t need/want anymore. That was one way I increased my capital without spending cash at first.
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Did try my first estate sale this weekend, but it ended up being a bust. The one item I was really looking forward to was gone (I got there the hour after it opened, so I get it). Most of the prices were too high to make money for the items that I sort of knew, but not all sales are the same so I haven’t written it off. Just need to try and understand which types will be a better use of time.
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I got to go to my first estate sale this past weekend as well. The first one was well picked over, but I did hit the closets and find some hats and shoes. The second one proved more lucrative with a ton of stuff left on day two. I am happy I grabbed some stuff that day because my plans to return on the last day were thwarted by snow and a 3.5 hr drive. Keep at it! I’m sure you will start to find the ones that are the most lucrative!
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Nancy, I have been to the WE store in Wausaukee numerous times. We lived in the Pembine area for about 21 years. Now we live in the U.P. of Michigan and so we are getting acquainted with the thrift stores and garage sales in the Marquette area, as well as summer and fall auctions.
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I finally got to the bins at the Goodwill Outlet in Appleton. Not a lot of stuff I was interested in. I want to stay away from hard goods for the time being because I am headed to Arizona for January, February and March and I am taking what inventory I can which will mainly be clothes and light items such as fabric. I bought 8 pounds of stuff and sold one item almost immediately (a Green Bay Packer huddler/Snuggie) for 24.99 plus shipping, so that more than paid for my 2 hour trip there. I will definitely go again when I get back and I will also check out the bins in Arizona when I get there. I am glad I went.
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