Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Week 2
# listing sessions 4 yeah!
# items from piles 32
# Items listed 41
% from death piles: 79%. I listed all of this week’s thrift buys so did not add them to the piles.
New inventory purchases: $20 thrifted plus one online RA purchase $150. I did treat myself this week to a stop at my favorite thrift. Needed a treat by Saturday. Also didn’t do much RA after Christmas because the discounts were stingy, so picked up some multiples this week when they did additional mark downs.Two boxes of death up and down the stairs this week! Partly got done because my other job was spotty due the freeway closure. I will have less time this week.
Total Items In Store: 429
Items Sold: 5
Cost of Items Sold: $30 + $6 free shipping
Total Sales: $128
Highest Price Sold: $34 Dr. Seuss Hallmark Figurine; Cost $0, a gift received long ago)
Average Price Sold: $25
Returns: 1 $93 RA pajamas – Didn’t like
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: About $20 thrift stop + RA additional markdown sale $150
Number of Items listed this week: 41Well a weird week and not a good one at all for making money. We have the tragic nearby mudslide that is very disruptive to my day job plus Ebay was dreadfully slow. RA items are not moving at all compared to a great January last year. Not sure what is up with that. No politics but between absorbing the flood news, the national political news, and handling some kid arrangements I found myself very distracted and disturbed needing to absorb it all. On the bright side I did sit down to list 4 times this week and got through a couple of boxes of death piles. Just keep listing, just keep listing…
I met one picking friend who has an antique booth and likes harder and bigger Steve type items – instruments, midcentury furniture and audio. I keep telling him about SL. He knows two ladies who have booths at this place who they like ALL of the same stuff I do. They do thrifts but mainly estate sales, so they are my future nemesis. I have actually flipped a couple of items from their booths, but the prices are too steep generally. There is some guy who tries to get everyone to save the tiki stuff for him – grr. He must be quite successful because I never see any of it. One of the estate sale companies lets all of the dealers in the day before the public. š Still, I’ve been to other cities where it is way more competitive or the stuff is new made in China mainly, so I’m grateful. It’s expensive to live here and very gentrified so we have far more donors than pickers.
Most of the regulars here are a decade or two older than I am, so I stand out and get noticed even thought I’m very part time. One lady was whispering to her partner about me recently because she saw me turn up at another location and he was like – “don’t worry, there’s so much stuff”. Lately I’ve been seeing young people in their 20s together in packs working the clothing and sometimes fumbling around in hard goods. It’s pretty amusing sometimes to listen to the newest guy pickers evaluate the merch.
Wow some cool items in here this week and some in amazing condition for the age. TFS everyone.
Ida – that Pacific Northwest Art Print Pendleton blanket is on my unicorn list. I’ll never find one so should probably pay up or ask Santa next year. Awesome garage sale find!I’m not selling my new RA items this month like I did last year when I felt like people were shopping for themselves or with Christmas gift money. The most recently listed items are selling for me lately in my small store. Earlier this month it was items I marked down to move out.
I know a thing or two about piles. I’m eating all of my vegetables determined to list what I bought, even the cheap stuff. I suggest doing lots of like items and rotating. When you get really tired of testing, cleaning or listing one type of item, switch to the other. I physically move a box full and when I take it back down listed to store it, it makes me feel good. Good luck!
Sorry to hear about your doggie – that’s awful. Just take it day by day.
I can’t really prove anything, but being part-time I have hunches about things that might help exposure. Listing more regularly I think can only help. I can’t find the post quickly, but there was a discussion of this before in the forums. I posted this graph from Ebay of my sales. All of the peaks were listing days, except a couple of three day weekend holidays. This is a time period where I would go a week or two without listing. Almost always after I sit down and list a couple of sales come through. So, my goal is to have listing sessions more often this year even if I can only get a few items up and even though I’m really strongly wired to work in chucks of time.
Week #1 – Ok, not great for me but I’m feeling Ebay motivated.
2018 Death Pile Challenge:
Number of Items listed this week: 24 including some multiples
% from piles (includes a few older one off RA purchases that sat unlisted): 100%
Number of listing sessions: 2 – really want to get this # up. I need to get to listing more regularly.Other Ebay Tasks:
Organizing boxes, recycled materials and piles: half day; inventory of all new RA ltems, all new items listed or relisted this week if ended: 1.5 hours. Lower dollar Christmas items spun off on auction or deep discount, some ended. Valentines and St. Patrick’s Day items boxed for listing next along with wool items and ski clothes (not much of any of these types so wanting to list this week). I’m going with the one box at a time / bite of the elephant approach. Feels satisfying. Good luck this week!
The Christines agree. This is the first place my mind went. I think it’s probably harder when you know the person to recognize and have your mind go there.
Of course, all are welcome as far as I’m concerned. At first I really missed those quick stops at the thrifts, but the guilt and need for order has set in so the shopping urge is not as strong. When I do shop I’m far more likely to walk out without buying and I really try to think twice and only hit on items worth my time. I realize I just can’t process everything there that has value, so I’d like to stick to the stuff I personally think is really cool.
I found that I really like taking a box at a time up to my listing space and then when I bring it back down it feels really rewarding. I appreciate having piles because I can switch over to anther type of item for variety. Good luck to all!Steve I hope you are keeping warm. Thanks and happy new year!
My own personal 2017 Duds edition! I’m sure you scavengers are too savvy to pick these up so maybe this is just for my own benefit. Sold some of my markdowns last week.
Dud: most small stitchery kits, smaller than a piece of paper. Needlepoint Clock Kit Paid 1.99, sat at higher price for over a year. If anyone has had success with lotting up smalls, let me know.
Dud: RA lego sets. Paid more than I got back on this Target clearance item. Small LOTR Lego Kit I have dabbled shallowly and rather unsuccessfully in new larger lego RA (available discounted at Ross) and the margins are never good enough. Plus, the UPC is actually in the Ebay system, so Ebay is constantly beating you up to drop the price with free shipping.
Dud: Pimpernel vintage drink coaster sets. I find them often but can’t move them out very well. This one was brand new so sold for reduced price $15. I’ve got other used ones that have been sitting. Pimpernel
Mixed reviews: Hallmark Ornaments. Some go for over $100, some are virtually worthless. I had a cache that I listed in October. Most went around $15 and easy to pack, so all in all pretty good. I really need to look up the good ones. They cost $3 at the thrifts, so need to be cautious. This straggler got marked down Obama Harley Ornament
I’m sure I’ll have more duds to share as I work through my backlog in 2018.
Sorry I’m a day late. I was hoping to get in and consolidate my piles and boxes plus firm up a bit of organizing, but didn’t happen. I’ve saved last year’s pictures and annotated some of them Here and created a new board for 2018 Here. I definitely made progress last year, but there is lots left! I notice I love to pick up fabric items but have been avoiding listing them.
I’m not doing much scavenging or RA lately, but we should keep track of the % of death piles with our weekly numbers. Monday I got to list and I have everything new RA listed. I also did some mark downs on some listed Christmas and 15 month marked listings. A few things sold right after. I’ll probably start on a box of death next time I get the chance. I’m wary about setting specific listing goals but I’ll try to do listing sessions 2-3 times a week. That would probably be an improvement. If it goes well, I’d like to make that every other day listing at least a couple of items. It would be wise to schedule listings and launch them daily, but I feel compelled to launch them right away even though I know this. Good luck with this week! Gotta go to work.
