Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I feel rather blessed to be able to source at the GW Bins. I pretty much exclusively source there, apart from some local non-chain thrift stores in my area. Between the prices and the littered broken trash on the shelves, it’s just not worth my time.
Thank you Mike!
This is great to know. I think even if it is something I will have to manually do to relist, it is way easier use Sixbit. Automation sounds great, but that headache does not make it sound worth it! Thank you for your help!
When I take photos, especially clothing, I’ve found the easiest thing to do is sort by type. (This is how I got out from under a death pile of clothing). Pants/skirts; blouses/tops; Dresses; Coats. I find it a lot easier to power through a set of like items than to split my focus. Sometimes a Dress takes up way more space than slacks, it saves me the trouble of readjusting my light set up for one item.
I’m also a person who seems to pop in and out of the forum. I listen every week to the podcast, but as much as I love having a community, I’m not sure I have that much to offer on a consistent basis. I am always learning from everyone here, even if you don’t see me! 🙂 Thank you!
I’ve restricted my sourcing to the Bins and small local thrift/estate sales purely because of these rising price issues. They forget who they are selling to and the audience they are serving. They can’t possibly educate every employee on how to identify value… They need to remember their model works best if they are moving as many items as possible, especially to increases traffic.
As a scavenger, I go where the optimal price/opportunity/time is for me. I don’t bother to keep going to stagnant thrift shops full of overpriced items. They have less space for new items. It is a waste of time to look at the same items. Their customers have no motivation to be brand “loyal”.
I’m not entirely sure they know who their customers are, which is concerning for nonprofits that promote “good will” and “Christian values”.
Thank you for your advice! I’m pretty motivated to live as debt free as possible. I have bread and butter items too.
You also just made me realize that I could take a part time position with the local Community Association. It’s a little freeing when I’m thinking of only paying my bills. While I’m not sure $15/hr exists in my area for part timers (as full timers barely get this), I think it will achieve the goal of contributing to my bills and being more engaged in my new community.
And I agree with you about the Instagram situation, I’m working on my Instagram. When I tried Poshmark, I realized any effort I was considering putting into it, would be better served on Instagram.
I’m continuing to work hard. I just underestimated how certain aspects of my life would blend and take priority when working from home. Including the work it took to be organized enough to work. I had to switch rooms to provide a better space for my business and keep it out of my personal space. Reorganization takes time and I was also undoing some bad beginner mistakes from when I was part time. (I.E. INVENTORY DATA!!!). I spent a good portion of the last few weeks going though old boxes and verifying).
I have ton’s more to do before actually looking for a part time situation. If, by the time I get everything new listed, I’m not not making enough to pay my bills, then I will. I’d prefer to be able to volunteer that time.
Well I have a few goals, Ideally I’d pay myself just enough to pay my living portion which is around $1000/month (rent, insurance, food, taxes). All other money would be used to Pay the the loan back, buy new inventory, and possibly look into new storage options. Currently I use my master-bedroom as my office/storage area (14’x11′).
I’m thinking 20K would be all I’d want to borrow, and I have not done too much research on rates, but I’m hoping for something under 10% (this is probably a pipe dream).
I’d pay back the loan using the profits from the sales, hopefully, over the next 1-2 years, with a higher payment than required.
Currently at 765, about to hit 800, Pushing to get to 1000 in the next few weeks. It’s taken me a bit to get really organized and now my system is set up for optimal listing.
Average Net profit is about $20-25 per Item, I’ve only sold 33 items in the last 31 days. (I am always looking for higher quality items, and many of my newer Items are much better quality than my older ones)
unfortunately, they tend to be more obscure clothing items. I love selling vintage dresses, but because they aren’t super popular brands, it seems take awhile for people to find them. Also, I only just started listing a lot in July, which seems to have been a really slow month in general. I have started to offer Free Shipping on anything under 1 lb. In addition, I give measurements for all clothing items.
Oh neat! Thank you for the information. I’ve done little research in glassware, but I seem to keep picking it up.
I’m struggling most with how to find enough keywords for the title. I think they are really cool, and I can visualize the buyer. These have no markings, Only an ascetic. I was hoping they might have had an iconic style name I was just ignorant to. That’s okay, I’ll just be generic.
Thank you!
I do feel like just dropping my ties, or finding a new use for them… I just feel like they need some kind of new life… I guess we could braid and knot them together for rope in the apocalypse.
Just in the interest of being a beginner… it seems like the best route to go is to set up a solid system for Accrual and not do cash? It seems like it will just be easier down the road even if your accountant does’t decide to use it in that way. I would hate to have to go back to previous years tax returns.
This is hypothetical. Your budget is $1000.00. What do you choose?
I’ve been living on outdated pc mash ups and laptops for the past 10 years. It’s been fine, when it dies, I just scramble together a new one. But I really hate the lack of stability and reliability that provides. Apple would provide an easy transfer to everything. If you remain brand loyal, all future computers would have access to the files through the cloud.
I know buying all new isn’t necessary. If I do go the pc route, I do want to be able to play nice games with my friends and have multiple screens. Regardless of this I’d want something that is going to last with my constant use and demand. At least, 75% of the time it will be used for business. Repair and upgrade costs every few years… and drive it into the ground, just like I do my car. By the end of it’s life, I’d expect it to look like something out of Firefly.
@Aperture
I will definitely do this, I have a bunch of vintage cards that need to change to this as well.I’ve been thinking about creating kits… Especially using stained damaged clothing (you know those favorite mistakes you don’t find until you get home) to create scrap kits. Do you make your craft kits or find them? Sewing patterns are nice idea too, are you picky with the ones you choose? What makes you pick one up if it isn’t free?
1999 Toyota Corolla named Calvin. He is approaching 200K miles, still works great! I’m hoping to get at least another 50K out of him.
Thank you all for your input!
To come back to Jay’s original question, How have I changed emotionally?
I’ve had even worse jobs than the one I am leaving. Between feeling the failure to be a successful employee and moving to a new place where I knew no one, I felt it was really important to me to stay in a position for an entire year. Emotionally I needed a job, the community, and interaction. I was really immature ( and might still be in some ways) due to a tumultuous upbringing. I’ve always struggled with human interactions and “what is appropriate”. Emotionally I needed to prove to myself that I could do it, and I did.
Now I have many friends, and I am excited to get more engaged with my local community.
Listing is pretty much the only thing I am allowing myself to do for the next three weeks. Once my death pile is done, then I will go out.
I’m thinking of how to restructure processing items. I plan to immediately/ASAP take photos vs sitting it in a pile and making it a to do list while I go get more.
Most of all, I want to thank Jay and Ryanne. Without you putting in the hard work to produce the podcast, I’m not sure where I would be. I seriously binge listened to every podcast you had done the month following my best friend’s death. I’m pretty sure there isn’t much else I remember from that time. Every week you rekindled the flame for my desire to turn my thrift hobby into a profession. This last Tuesday, I couldn’t take it anymore. After getting restless while listening to the podcast, I made my decision, wrote my resignation down and turned it into my manager. My partner was terrified but supportive! I think this is pretty much the happiest I’ve been in my life so far.
Thank you so much for what you do!
