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A couple of used items to share this week
Paid like a buck at a rummage sale. I love vintage linens but these were pretty subdued, so I was surprised at the value.
I don’t think Scentsy is really en vogue around here, but thanks to YouTube I’m familiar. Paid $10 at Indy Thrift Xmas boutique.
The real expert (or one of them) is Jason T. Smith. Here’s a link to his store – maybe he has a similar one listed or recently sold? http://stores.ebay.com/Tiki-Pug-Music
He knows exactly what mugs are worth on Ebay. If you find a rarer one, he has an open offer – send him a photo and he’ll evaluate or even offer to buy it. He also has a Facebook group you can join and they encourage asking questions.Maybe those of us with a big backlog should have some sort of group challenge in 2017. “) Good luck with yours.
Total Items in Store: 344
Items Sold: 11
Cost of Items Sold: $23 (used) + $152 (new RA)
Total Sales: $368
Highest Price Sold: $122 (Anthropologie peacock toile euro shams)
Average Price Sold: $34
Returns & Int’l sales: 0
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $85 ($10 thrift + $75 RA)
Number of items listed this week: 10 (multiples)Happy “Green Monday” everyone – free shipping deals abound. Considering that it’s Christmastime and I sell some new items, just an ok week for me but I’m grateful. Sick this week, some personal stuff going on, and not a lot of listing going on unfortunately. A few older listings sold and I’m hoping the condition description was adequate for two buyers. :_ January sales were good for me last year, with people buying I suspect for themselves after Christmas.
In another topic post, I explained that I’m really feeling like I need to get my Ebay life in order next year. In a nutshell, I definitely overbought used items as a rookie and now I realize I only have so much time and storage and really want to sell quality items I’m personally excited about and/or have worked well for me. I love selling on Ebay, and I feel really confident about being efficient now. I want to keep learning to identify artists and marks in my areas of interest. It’s mostly time management I need to work on.
Quick shout out to Sheldon. After watching your packing videos, I bought a couple of supplies that have helped lower my frustration when I’m rushing in the morning – like the one handed tape dispenser. I have these dull handheld guns that are driving me nuts. If anyone can recommend a sharper gun, please do. I’ve also asked for that knife for Christmas.
So, I’ve been thinking about this and my own equation – limited time and storage, big backlog, loving the hunt as a treat and continuing to learn what has value.
I don’t have a firm time deadline or simply follow the ribbon. I do hesitate to pull items that I’ve actually managed to work on since there are many more that I haven’t listed. I think the ribbon is helpful only that it suggests which items are not getting views and/or not selling in the recent past, perhaps a good indication of the likelihood it will sell in the next year or two. Then, I consider if I’m personally excited about the item, it’s potential selling price, and the storage requirements. (I keep my inventory out of our living space – in the garage and guest room closet, which are (oops!) bursting.) I also consider my strong suspicion that Ebay increasingly rewards activity, and while the item might eventually sell, it’s so very easy to find others that will sell faster and better around here (in the garage and in town).
My hunch is that cleaning up my old listings in the new year, culling the very lowest view cheap items, and listing higher end and faster selling items will better my Ebay treatment generally speaking. I’ve experienced that Ebay likes a successful ending to an auction, so sometimes I do a .99 cent auction on an item before I give up on it.
So, these are my thoughts looking toward next year. I have a lot of catching up to do and there may need to be a yard sale in my future after I’m done with physical therapy! I’m keeping an eye on Etsy too and what sellers say they get more money for or can sell faster on that platform. I hope the customer base continues to grow as I attempt to get my Ebay inventory in order.
I think this goes way beyond the scope of this topic. 🙂 I do like to see what others’ have trouble moving so I started this topic. People rarely make videos about that, or comment on things that are not as popular as they used to be.
Thanks Linda. Buyer paid shipping. I never do free shipping. Since I’ve added FedEx Smartpost things like this are selling better. I’m way off on the Coast, so shipping cost is an issue.
A timely tip from one of my facebook groups:
“I found these two best friends, Kathleen and Eric, recently on their iTunes podcast Thriftycast. They are collectors not sellers, but their calm and often amusing discussions about the things they love and buy, and also love but leave on the thrift store shelves, is often just what I need after a hectic day. Hope others will show them some love~”
https://www.facebook.com/Thriftycast-103901257732/?fref=tsI haven’t shared any sales in a while, so I thought I would chime in.
I’m on the lookout for craft kit tree skirts. I’ve heard some sell for $75-100. This one wasn’t that fancy, but sold quickly. (Paid $4 at regional chain thrift)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bucilla-Christmas-Nativity-Tree-Skirt-Jeweled-Tree-Skirt-Embroidery-Kit-3576-/332036840370?rd=1I’m reporting this sale because I love that it’s an old listing, it went from a dirty thrift store (for a buck) to a hipster art project center in NYC and bought my lunch. She had me take it out of the frame. My husband was shaking his head.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1970s-OLIVER-OWL-Completed-Sunset-Needlepoint-Art-Retro-Woodland-/231963442817?rd=1I reported last month that I flipped a Turkey from this Eddie Walker. I’m almost done selling a collection of Santas. Paid $2 for this one at a local thrift.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Midwest-of-Cannon-Falls-Eddie-Walker-Figurine-Large-Santa-Snowman-Top-Hat-10-/232150836791?rd=1I don’t normally show my new items, but I love this sale because I reached an audience the retailer would not, and so I doubled the price I just paid. Went to a buyer with just the right name: dachshundloversomething. There’s a lid to every pot.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Anthropologie-Serving-Platter-Dog-a-Day-Dachshund-Wiener-Dog-Great-Gift-/332058017206?rd=1I have a weird schedule and more time for audio. This is my favorite podcast by far. I also listen to Ted Talks when I am driving or walking the dog with closer to full attention. When I’m just half listening – like when I’m photographing or listing – I sometimes listen to YouTube Jason T. Smith’s Thrifty Business and Selling Past Your Expiration Date because I don’t really need to look at the screen. He has ties to Ebay so he does cover Ebay developments quickly and I like Tiki. If I can glance over, I also watch/listen to ThePaperCastle on YouTube. She shows marks and discusses a lot of East Coast brands but has a storyteller style describing strange yard sale encounters. Personally, I find them pretty hard to listen to due to the lack of content and rambling, but I have tried Golden Finger Picker and Pinching Pesos’ Reseller Stew in a pinch. Terminal 99 has interesting items and I need to look. His voice makes me sleepy.
I like mid-century tiki as well but haven’t really let myself shop for it on Ebay. It’s funny how few tiki items I find out in the wild. So far just cheap common mugs and lots and lots of monkeypod. I’ve found a couple of koa items though, a $50 Shag print, and some Siestaware walnut wrapped glasses. Have you checked out Tiki Magazine Paul? It’s fun.
Total Items in Store: 331
Items Sold: 12
Cost of Items Sold: $28 (used) + $81 (new RA)
Total Sales: $374
Highest Price Sold: $100 (Anthropologie Seahorse knobs – summer clearance $42)
Average Price Sold: $31
Returns & Int’l Sales: 1 possible return for accidental double purchase coming.
Number of items listed this week: +/- 15Sales picked up for me this week. Most of the sales were very recently listed new RA items. During the last few months I’ve formulated a totally unsubstantiated theory that Ebay has placed more emphasis on freshness in the recent past. Sorry, no evidence. I also have some old listings that don’t have Fed Ex Smart post, and a couple with over 20 watchers and thousands of views. I plan to rework those after Christmas. Hoping to get some more Christmas items up this week. I’ve been a lot more casual with my photos and I’m cringing a bit, but I just need to get more quantity going with the time I have.
I’ve written before about the mood being in-Christmas like around here since the election, but the weather has finally cooled and we’re decorating. I think things are still a bit serious in tone generally, but I’m looking forward to the holiday and seeing family and turning off the tv – especially the news. Uncharacteristically, I have done very little gift shopping. Have a great week!
That is an interesting article TFS. I’m famous! 🙂 I actually dropped the price shortly after listing even though I’m content to even just take them to my husband’s hospital to donate or give one to my daughter. I probably will release them a comfortable few days away from the priority mail deadline – maybe mid-December. I’ll let you know what happens later.
Hi – sorry that wasn’t clear. I didn’t mean penalized in a negative feedback way. I meant the listing display might say it would arrive after Christmas even if I have an option that would get it there before Christmas, costing me a sale. So I just looked and Ebay actually gives a big range on both mobile and desktop:
“Estimated between Thu. Dec. 1 and Fri. Dec. 9”
On the desktop front page only they also see this right below:
“Use Expedited Shipping to get it by Dec. 3” Â
help icon for Estimated delivery date – opens a layerSo, not sure what buyers will make of the range. Some might not click around and just say, “well the outer end is too late”. Anyway, I’m not selling enough to lose much sleep over it. 🙂
Total Items in Store: 363
Items Sold: 8
Cost of Items Sold: $88 (new RA) + $9 (thifted)
Total Sales: $283
Highest Price Sold: 2 @ $56 – New Athropologie Cow Butter Dish (purchased for $22 earlier this month)
Average Price Sold: $35
Returns & Int’l Sales: 0
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: +/-$150 (RA + Indy Thrift Xmas Boutique)
Number of items listed this week: +/- 20It was basically dead for the week until yesterday. I ran a sale, a couple of collectables auctions, and also tried a $10 off $75 promotion (which no one has taken advantage of yet including the guy who bought the two identical butter dishes in separate purchases. Huh?) I bought some tried and true RA items during a retail sale but this year I’m not experimenting with Christmas merchandise based on my own cautious outlook. TV says it is a good retail season especially online, but I’m not sure I’m buying into it and my customers are probably generally more Indy-minded.
Very quick note on the politics. Believe it or not, I actually enjoyed reading the posts while cringing a bit when J&R took some heat. I find the national perspective very interesting. It’s good to look outside your own bubble. This is a great Ted Talk about how we all need to do that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_Az5nZBBM I hope you don’t mind my sharing something non-reseller related.
I made a forum post about having two Hatchimals up for sale. Yesterday I got a middle finger bid of $1. 🙂 I’ve never sold anything like this, but it’s certainly interesting. Mine are up high with best offer right now. I’m going to dump them at whatever they are going for about a week before Christmas. Most of the offers have been for around the original price – not sure why people are bothering. I hope to benefit charity through the Ebay program and also pay for a couple of Christmas gifts.
Have a great week.
