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Thanks Jay. Right back at you.
While definitely a major setback, I think progress will continue to happen. It may be dark times for a while, but people are already starting to organize. The work has already begun. I truly feel that these are the death throes of a dinosaur, the last gasps of an insular way of life that can’t survive, and knows it. Time will tell.
I’m just as sick of talking politics as everyone else, but it is important to discuss because it can and will have a direct effect on our businesses. My concerns about the new administration go way beyond economics, to be sure. But I think a civil conversation about the possible impact to our lifestyle, and our resulting thoughts and plans, is worth the discomfort.
*Paul*
RR Store Week Nov 13-19, 2016
Total Items in Store: 1036
Items Sold: 9
Cost of Items Sold: $12.99
Total Sales: $209.93
Highest Price Sold: $60 (vintage wool blanket)
Average Price Sold: $23.33
Returns: 1
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $0
Number of items listed this week: 19 new, 154 Sell SimilarMy initial feelings of shock and panic have now given way to fear and worry. Fear for my safety and the safety of other people of color, and worry about the future of the economy and our scavenger way of life.
With all the hate and vitriol being spewed, I sometimes feel like I have a target painted on my back, but then I think about the wonderful, inclusive community I live in and my shoulders relax a little. As a Latino, I’m very lucky to live in California. But I’m still a bit spooked walking down my own street.
On the 9th, I decided that the only thing I truly have control over in this situation is taking care of my loved ones and running my business. All I can do is more of the same: source, list, and promptly ship. Build up that nest egg. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. I hate to sound so negative; I’m usually such a positive person.
*Paul*
RR Store Week Nov 6-12 2016
* Total Items in Store: 1030
* Items Sold: 16
* Cost of Items Sold: $37.78
* Total Sales: $451.32
* Highest Price Sold: $105.45 (2 70s California Vanity License Plates “EZ GOES”)
* Average Price Sold: $28.21
* Returns: 0
* Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $16
* Number of items listed this week: 23I’ll be blunt: I suck at personal finances. Outside of a Humanities class during my junior year in high school, no one really talked to me at length about money. When I got my first job, I went right out and bought a Casio keyboard with my first paycheck (still have it). I earned it, I spent it. Since then, I’ve never had a job that paid me enough to have anything left over after paying bills to save. Investing seemed a million miles away. But ever since I started selling on eBay, the idea of having leftover money after the bills are paid is slowly becoming a reality. I have a long term goal that I’m working towards: starting another business. My plan was to save my eBay pennies until I’m ready to get started. But now I want to save for that business and start investing in index funds. Complete financial independence isn’t my long term goal at this point, but if I can save enough to start my next business, I’ll be pretty close.
Now, back to listing. The election threw off my groove last week, so I have a lot of work ahead of me.
*Paul*
RR Store Week Oct 30-Nov 5, 2016
Total Items in Store: 1034
Items Sold: 13
Cost of Items Sold: $27.95
Total Sales: $523.88
Highest Price Sold: $159.99 (Garbage Pail Kids complete series 1)
Average Price Sold: $40.30
Returns: 0
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: 0
Number of items listed this week: 50OK, now that’s more like it. I put in a solid week of listing, and the sales started coming back. Not where I need to be just yet, but I will be. I’m shooting for listing at least 60 items this coming week, but, as J&R mentioned in the podcast, clothing is a grind, and that’s mostly what I have in my death piles.
My personal safety net is starting to dry up in the wake of moving. Lots of small expenses add up quickly, and looking at my bank balance has really lit a fire under my butt to list list list. It’s scary sometimes, but I just look around at all the unlisted inventory and remind myself that the solution to many of my financial woes is all around me. #alwaysbelisting
*Paul*
Thanks Jay. I’m sure it will. I’ve been having fun poking around the different threads. And thanks to you and Ryanne for setting this up for this community. I just know it’s going to be an even more amazing resource than the blog was. Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!
*Paul*
RR Store Week Oct 23-29, 2016
Total Items in Store: 998
Items Sold: 8
Cost of Items Sold: $4.25
Total Sales: $114.94
Highest Price Sold: $29.99 (WWII Navy Dance Program)
Average Price Sold: $14.36
Returns: 1
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $0
Number of items listed this week: 23 new/96 Sell SimilarHappy Halloween everyone! It’s my favorite day of the year!
Feel so good to get back to regular listing. Once I got caught up on all my stale old listings, I started cracking into the piles of stuff I brought over from the old house. I listed some records, and two of them sold in less than an hour. Weird, as there are multiple copies for sale, some much cheaper than mine. Woke up yesterday to another record sale, plus a cool shirt.
My one return last week wasn’t even a true return. For the first time ever, I couldn’t find an item that sold. It was a pair of postcards from The Beverly Hillbillies, sold for $28.99. They weren’t with the rest of the postcards, so I tore up my entire office looking for them to no avail. I messaged the guy with my apologies, then gave him a full refund. He was super cool about it; I told him that if I find them, I’ll sell them to him at a significant discount.
I’m digging the new look and the forum! The new avatars will take some getting used to, but that’s no bid deal. Already seeing some familiar faces!
*Paul*
