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Thanks so much for you input – I’m just beginning to look at some of the recommended sources you gave and I can tell it is not going to be an easy search.
Thanks Antique Frog – I had the same thought that it could be a chatelaine and the stones could be a semi-precious stone (like garnet) but could also be red glass. It isn’t too heavy and it dosen’t have a silver mark so I doubt it is sterling (maybe silverplate). How much do you think it should be listed for??
Thank you Antique Frog. I will research Georg Roth as a possible maker. I really don’t know what the piece is – jewelry (it has a pin on the back) or something worn with a purpose (it has what looks like a watch winder hanging on one side.) It also has a metal loop at the top that would allow it to be suspended from a ribbon or chain. Since I don’t know what it is (or was) I don’t have a clue as to how to describe it or to ascertain it’s value. Any thoughts?
I had a similar “accidental” free shipping happen on an item – I didn’t cancel the order and just paid for the shipping which was over $30.00 (for a very heavy weight, bulky 16 x 16 x 12 box). Learned my lesson to be sure to NEVER have free shipping clicked for anything.
Another thing happened about a month ago that was a screw up on my part. I was using the send offers on several items – I didn’t pay close attention and mis-typed my offer – what should have been $32.00 was entered as $2.00. The item was immediately (within 5 minutes) purchased at the $2.00 price. Since it was my mis-typing error I just accepted that I goofed and let the item go for the $2.00 – suppose I could have cancelled but didn’t. Fortunately, the buyer did pay the shipping so I was only out the cost of the item!
Lesson learned – always double check on what has been clicked on the listing page and alway double check the amount entered when an offer is sent!
Eliza*Bee
Less than a month ago I had a package that seemed to get lost after being shipped from my location (using USPS First Class Mail). The buyer had contacted me asking “where is my package”?? I attempted to reassure him that it would get to him eventually but he didn’t want to wait and so was given a full refund. He also received a request from me that if and when the package arrived that he “refuse delivery” of the item and it would be returned to me at no cost to him. He said “sure thing”, “will do”. He was refunded. After another 5 days the USPS tracking showed that the package had been delivered….and I never heard another word from the buyer and of course, never got the item back!! So, the buyer got his money back as well as the item! Guess who the loser was……fortunately, I was only out $18.00 and the lost opportunity to resell the item.
Today, I got another query from a different buyer asking where his item was – it was shipped USPS Priority Mail on Dec. 4, 2020 (going to Utah from California) and while it is has only been 5 days the buyer was miffed because it hadn’t arrived. I wrote to him explaining that the USPS has been having some problems lately with delays in deliveries and I asked him to be patient and to give it another 5-7 days. I’m not sure what I’ll do if his package is not delivered after another week….this item’s cost/value was over $100.00. I don’t want the same thing to happen with this purchase that happened with the previous one mentioned. (Refund money then buyer eventually gets the item and feels no need to return the item to the seller). Sometimes selling on eBay is so very frustrating…if it’s not the USPS messing up on timely deliveries then it’s the impatient, demanding buyers who want their item NOW.
Thanks for letting me vent my frustrations.
Just ordered a copy of your book and I’m looking forward to reading it (while enjoying a cup of L & J’s coffee). Thanks for letting us know it became available on ebay. We need to support each other in all our endeavors.
Eliza*Bee
Thanks for the advice. I think I will stick to more traditional methods of sourcing (estate sales, garage sales, thrift store and charity sales). I agree with you….it seems like a lot more work unless you have the time and expertise to ferret out the “sleepers” to be found on eBay auctions.
Hi Temudgin and thanks for your welcoming response. I was referring to buying items found on ebay that are for being sold using the auction format rather than BIN items. Do most ebay seller’s just randomly for items being sold in the auction format? Is there a technique people use to find the items being sold with the auction format that have low bids and then just wait till the auction is almost over to make a final bid that is a good, low bid but could still be the winner of the auction? Do people confine themselves to only certain categories where they have some knowledge or do they just randomly roam ebay looking for items that seem to be a good buy because the seller starts the auction with a low initial offer and has few bids? There are so many categories on ebay – I just don’t where to begin and I’ve never figured out how to find items that are for sale by auction where the price is low enough that it could be purchased and then re-sold at a profit. Thanks for your help.
Hi everyone,
I’m a long-time listener to The Scavenger Life podcasts and have been a seller on eBay for about 2 1/2 years. I have never introduced myself to the forum (I have written a few responses to other seller’s postings in the past month) but never really introduced myself. I’m a part-time seller on eBay and am a retired nurse practitioner (practiced in central California for 36 yrs). My eBay store is a little one (only about 300 items) but provides a great deal of personal satisfaction while fueling my interest in “old stuff”. I’ve always preferred vintage items over new and I find ” the hunt” to uncover interesting, quirky, or refined vintage items a great source of pleasure. When I started selling on eBay I began by selling pieces of my own vintage stuff I had accumulated over the years. Creating new inventory involves still selling my own things and also picking up treasures at local estate sales, garage sales and a few thrift stores. With the outbreak of Covid 19 and bad air from all the California forest fires sourcing has been difficult – however, it seems to be “easing up” and the weather is now very pleasant so there are still lots of estate and garage sales going on. Haven’t had much luck finding good stuff at reasonable prices at in-person auctions (there are just not that many in my area of California). I have never sourced by buying at ebay auctions (I’m not sure how to go about that- could someone explain how/where they manage to find ebay auctions of things at low prices that they can then purchase and resell??)
I tend to have an eclectic mish-mash of items in my store. I have learned that I REALLY don’t like selling clothing – too much prep-work and too much of a risk (and hassle) of buyer returns for what I consider to be to little profit. The part of ebay selling I love is the research and learning about specifics on new, unfamiliar items I find.
For 2 years I was co-owner of a brick & mortar antique store in our town. This was a while ago – 1988-89. While things are constantly changing I did manage to learn what little I know about good versus mediocre antiques, used, and vintage porcelain and furniture from personal research and being mentored by my older and wiser shop partner. When he retired and moved away I just didn’t have the ability or time to run the store by myself (I was still working as an NP in a full-time medical group). I still have huge gaps in my ebay knowledge and in other areas (for example, good electronics and MCM items). I have learned so much from listening to R & J’s weekly podcasts, watching Steve’s “what sold” video’s and reading the forum posts. Words can’t adequately express my thanks to everyone who continue to selflessly contribute their knowledge, insight and humor on this forum!
I don’t make a lot of money but (more importantly) I’m having a good time being an ebay seller. I’ve tried to get my family (son & husband) to get involved with me but they just don’t have the interest in scavenging, cleaning, photographing, listing, etc. required. So for now I’ll remain a small time solo seller.
I’ve learned that ebay makes changes (“updates”) – some I think are improvements, others are more of the “what are they thinking???” type of updates. I’ve been in managed payments for several months and I haven’t had any major problems. Just wish it was easier to get someone “real” to talk to at ebay when I need assistance.
Sorry for the length of this missive. I just wanted to let everyone know that, for me, this forum is like a welcoming clubhouse whose members are like-minded, independent people doing and sharing what they love and I’m proud to be a member!!
Eliza*Bee
I hope you blocked this buyer and also reported him to ebay for the obvious scam he tried to perpetrate on you! I’m furious with the ebay system that allows this kind of thing and that you had to return any money at all to this “scuzzy” buyer.
I’m new to writing into the forum – I listen to the podcast regularly (love it) and have even started buying Broad Porch Coffee (love it, too). But wanted to add my 2 cents about a recent problem I had with the shipping page defaulting to a more expensive method of shipping.
Today I experienced my first shipping label “glitch” with a shipping label on a low cost item I sold. The item sold was a small bowl and weighed less than 1 pound and was in a 6 x 6 x 4 box. Based on it’s weight and box size I set it up in my listing to be shipped first class.
The buyer information sheet showed buyer was charged and paid for the first class rate of $5.75. I proceeded (as I always do) to go to the shipping label page but made the mistake of not checking what was selected/checked (by ebay, not me) and clicked “print label” and after the fact found that ebay had “upgraded” my label to Priority Mail. My shipping cost (even with the ebay label discount) was over $8.00. The result is that I paid MORE to ship than what I sold the item for! Well, I’ve learned my lesson – always check the shipping label page for the correct shipping method I have selected before pressing the “print label” button!!
I’ve learned my lesson (fortunately, it wasn’t too expensive a lesson). I hope that ebay gets the “glitch” in their shipping label system fixed soon….(I won’t hold my breath). Until then, I’ll just be more vigilant before reflexively pushing the print label button!
Thanks for all the good advice and updates – it was reassuring to read on the forum that other sellers have also had problems with the shipping label issue
Eliza Bee
