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Executive orders do not respect barriers between intelligent people and dummies.
Get read to throw “OK Boomer” at me but a lot of intelligent people went along with the [Nuremburg Laws](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg_Laws).
I know this is not the same. But we do have a charismatic leader with irrational following who is poised to “rescue” America from economic ruin. It should not be lost that this “leader” is largely responsible (for a number of reasons) for causing the crisis he is poised to “rescue” us from.
And us resellers are considered part of the “enemy” underground economy by big business.
Son of a WWII combat veteran, I have done a good bit of self-study (along with some college) attempting to grasp just what happened to allow the atrocities of that time of madness to occur. And I don’t like at all what I’m seeing in the news today.
My apologies for trying to turn this post into a political soapbox (and I am). I will now self-close my posting to this thread. I’ve said about all I have to say. I’m only dwelling on this because I believe the followers of Scavengerlife are a special group and hope any info I may have provided might lead to us all coming out of this right side up regardless of whether we are able to go back to things as they were or take advantage of emerging opportunities.
I’m afraid people, seeing all the stuff accumulating in back of some thrift stores, will get the (contagious) idea that if the professional resellers aren’t willing to touch the stuff, they shouldn’t either. Puzzles (unless they are new/sealed) are not likely to attract any buyers since puzzle pieces are obviously heavily handled. And people will wonder if the puzzles were last worked by a coronavirus on their hospital bed.
I’m afraid people are being swept up in the hysteria of rushing unnecessary items straight into their trash can just to eliminate things they have to worry might be contaminated. It’s all irrational but that’s the problem. It’s like their house is on fire ant they’ve just grabbing as much as they can and dragging it out of the path of the fire. They accept the loss as unavoidable.
In 1918, there was a lot not known (nor believed to be known) about disease spread. The belief was common that diseases were God’s wrath for humans’ sin. Now we have science being bent to suit special interests’ agendas. And there are still a few of the “God’s wrath” believers around as well.
I know this outbreak will pass as all have. Humans have adapted to worse. What I am talking about is that the media and leadership are imprinting upon the populace exaggerated concepts about the lingering threat posed by the present outbreak. And many of our under-educated, over propagandized (by media) people are being indelibly affected to the extent that they will NEVER EVER shake hands or want to have anything (including potential reseller inventory) pass through their hands that has passed through anyone else’s hands (like that doesn’t mean *anything*) again – forever.
People went back to the malls after the Twin Towers attack because Dubya literally told them to.
Americans are continuing to become more divided, not united. Even the Democratic party is divided over Bernie vs. Biden. Trump will probably win because the Berners will refuse to vote for Biden.
Trumpf’s medical guy says to never shake hands again.. He didn’t say for now. He said NEVER. That’s the mindset being pushed. Not “go shopping”.
The difference now is that the present administration has taken unprecedented steps at extending executive powers and the media is sensationalizing everything to boost their ratings. The media and government worked to stop the doldrums following the Twin Towers attack. Those same powers are now working to extend the hysteria and irrational policies.
I base my skepticism on the level of irrationality I’m seeing in the population regarding this outbreak. It’s being presented in media as if we are under invasion from alien (like extraterrestrial ‘alien’) forces never before encountered by Earth’s humanity. If this media controlled hysteria weren’t true I might agree with you.
People are hoarding guns and ammo to protect their hoard of toilet paper from neighbors. WalMart has to station a couple of pallets of TP at the point inventory enters from the dock where it’s surrounded on 3 sides so an attendant can defend it from the first hoarder to show up sticking a hand truck under the pallet and wheeling it all out the door. Jesus, people used to use the pages of last year’s Sears Robuck catalog. People in Europe and Japan think toilet paper is barbaric. They wash after pooping.
I see people wearing surgeons’ masks while bicycling, jogging, driving in their own car. All of a sudden people fear touching anything. Like there are those coronaviri just floating around everywhere in endless variety all seeking a human host to put on a ventilator.
I really think the American psyche is scarred for all time.
I’ve gotten my best pickins in the upper-middle class garage sales – especially the “community” garage sales organized by a property owner’s association or real estate office that sold the houses in a new tract. These organizing bodies are likely to not want to put their stamp of approval on a community (as in “community spread”) garage sale for a long time – if ever. And since more and more of these communities are gated, even individual households may not be able to hold a yard sale when they want to.
Add to this that the households in the upper-middle class areas usually have children, and that is another factor for a household to take into consideration when contemplating opening the garage/yard to complete strangers.
Those wishing to donate goods will probably stop dropping off where the stuff is obviously not being maken good use of. That opens the opportunity for others to provide an alternative rout of colletion. Craigslist or ads on local access TV?
I’d like to know how those donation boxes are regulated. I’m guessing you just file to form a non-profit organization and ‘say’ you’ll donate 15% of the proceeds of reselling the items donated to some charity and you can just plop one down in any parking lot you can get permission from the owner to do so. Sounds like great work if you can get it.
It’s hard to say how thrift stores will fare. They may get a lot of stuff people used to set out at yard sales. Then again, if they’re kept closed too long, they may sell off to a larger store. Goodwill stores are primarily just donation locations these days. Anything sellable for over $20 goes online, not the sales floor.
If testing, selective (and in some cases enforced) quarantining and tracking of contacts, were enacted on a nationally coordinated basis, we could start reopening in a week. But none of that is being done. It’s almost as though there is an intentional effort to drive the US economy into a depression as well as prolong the eventual conclusion of the pandemic.
When I see the empty streets and boarded up businesses and imagine all the kids home-bound, education on hold, I see America traumatized to the point that from home sales are something Americans aren’t going to even consider for a while after the “all clear” is sounded. In the interim I’m afraid the consignment businesses, export businesses are going to seize the opportunity to set up ways to grab up used goods that might have otherwise made their way to yard sales and estate sales.
As I’ve seen in other states, businesses will rent a vacant store in a shopping center and put a sign out proclaiming “estate sale”. I don’t know where they get their inventory. Maybe they watch the death notices in the newspapers. Or maybe they advertised to buy whole estates. But one thing’s for sure. They’ll skim the cream since all I see at these places is what you see these days at Goodwill.
The week would be a lot better if we weren’t all being treated like a herd of stupid livestock, herded into stocks and bathed in some antiseptic after being jabbed with a foot long hyperdermic full of every kind of anti-biotic on earth. Oh, wait, that would be better than washing hands all day long and closing down all the businesses.
I sell on ebay and Amazon. Ebay sales have remained pretty static. But I’m getting a healthy uptick in Amazon sales. Of course right now Amazon is not accepting FBA incoming shipments and concentrating on materials to aid the crisis. But last I heard, they will begin accepting FBA in about a week. Of course the situation is fluid so who knows.
Anything you have that would help protect medical professionals is a guaranteed sale withing an hour of listing if the price is anywhere near reasonable.
The opinions on the macro-prognosis are all over the place. I found the youtube link Jay and Ryanne spoke of (Dr. Campbell coronavirus update) very informative. Fills in lots of the voids in most sources that just say stay home and always be washing your hands. It could be over a year. In that time, some may need to bring in resellables. If precautions are taken, it’s not much more dangerous than giving a carload of elementary kids a ride to school. Follow guidelines. If not wearing gloves (and even if you are), don’t touch anything you don’t have to. Open doors with your sleeved elbow or carry a paper towel to grasp a doorknob. If you can’t buy a mask, wrap a bandanna around your mouth and nose. You could turn this into a fashion statement. Bag used items into a new trash bag before loading them into your trunk or vehicle. Keep them there at least a week as experts say the amount of virus decreases (half life) over time. Dr. Campbell covers this in meticulous detail. After venturing into questionable territory, strip off all clothing and seal into a trash bag (not laundry hamper) until you have time to do a load. Shower off thoroughly. Antibacterial soap is said to offer no advantage over non antibacterial – because COVID is caused by a virus unaffected by antibacterials. I use Kirk’s Unscented castile soap. Pretty much available only online. Also a good shampoo. And of course, practice social distancing. If someone looks like they’re about to sneeze or are coughing, get out of the room if you can. Cover your mouth with whatever’s available (sleeve, collar – whatever). Don’t worry about offending anybody. If they aren’t aware of the danger they might pose, maybe your reaction will awaken them to it. Sometimes “political correctness” is incorrect.
Oh, and don’t forget to decontaminate your shoes – especially the soles. Medical personnel serving at the ebola outbreak in Africa a few years back had a shallow pan of bleach they would have everyone step in before entering or leaving the medical treatment facilities.
Walk that line along with others and I think you’ll be OK.
Yes. I bought them before the “crisis” broke on the news. I knew they were worth more than the buck I paid for them and thought I might have a use in some crisis or future crisis (yes I guess I am a little bit of a prepper). When I heard they were in short supply I decided to hang on to them until I hear of a specific pressing need and then personally hand them over to someone I know needs them for the good of all – especially professionals. I didn’t want to just drop them off at the first medical facility I drive by that might be one of the few that are already overstocked. I have resisted listing them as they’d likely be snapped up by some super-prepper who will add them to their already unrealistically overstocked stockpile of apocalypse preps.
Many stores see their clearance/discount merchandise as “chum”. Chum is bait thrown onto water to attract more fish. When the schools of fish arrive, attracted by the free lunch, then the bait with the hooks hits the water. If a pack of fish show up that are resistant to the hook, they are not welcome buyers.
