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Hello everyone,
I have not posted here for a long time due to busy schedule but read as much as possible. I was intrigued by this week discussion regarding what happens with the items that do not get shipped oversees by GSP and because I live in Petersburg, KY, about 15 mins away from Erlanger, I decided to go and check. I found the warehouse, it is very small for the size of all other warehouses that show up here every month. When I walked in, I talked to one employee and a supervisor and they were both very confused when I told them I wanted to buy back the items they do not ship. The employee told me they destroy them, the supervisor told me they use a third party company and he did not know what happens after that with the items. But he referred me to a bigger boss I can talk to on Monday when he is in.
There is no store or outlet where the items are displayed. I just wanted to save you the trip this way because you will be disappointed. But if you guys want to come here anyway, I would love to meet.
Week August 6 – 12, 2017
Total Items in Store: 1100
Items Sold: 15
Cost of Items Sold: $ 24
Total Sales: $ 228.4
Highest Price Sold: $ 79.99 (home school curriculum)
Average Price Sold: $ 15.22
International Sales: 0 (GSP 0)
Returns: 0
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $ 20
Money spent on photographer: $100
Number of items listed this week: 25Low sales for the number of items in the store keep me awake at night. I began questioning myself if it is worth my time and effort any more to keep going with Ebay. I have to admit I have listed very little the last few weeks due to travel and generally extremely busy summer. We still have another big trip coming up in September so I will push till then.
I witnessed the Solar eclipse in 1999 in Europe when I was still back home. Luckily, I was on vacation at the Black Sea in a hotel right on the beach and I just had to walk out of my room to watch it. It was impressive for the time it was going on but generally people were not obsessed and after it was done, everyone moved on with their day. I have to admit when I became totally dark, I got goosebumps on my neck. I think it is worth seeing at least once when you have a chance.
Week June 18 – 24, 2017
Total Items in Store: 1055
Items Sold: 12
Cost of Items Sold: $ 13.33
Total Sales: $ 204.65
Highest Price Sold: $ 60 (designer sneakers)
Average Price Sold: $ 17.04
International Sales: 0 (GSP 0)
Returns: 1 (started)
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $ 40
Money spent on photographer: $0
Number of items listed this week: 52Kind of slow for the number of items I have. But I have many postcards and slides and I am still working on the deadpile with low priced items. I take any offer just to get things out.
I have listed and sold some slides over the last 2 months, I still have more to go but I had a guy from Germany who bought 27 military slides from me. We chatted a little and he mentioned he had a military website for a hobby and he buys slides because he does not need to pay copyright for the pictures.
I have a photographer who helps me and he photographed the slides. The way he did them was clipping the mount of the slide with a clothes clipper (like the ones I use to air dry the clothes on the rack) and sticking the other end of clipper in a play-dough so the slide is positioned and his hands are free. He used his lights for a background light but you can place the slide by the window and just use the natural light. Then you can get as close shot you want to.
I am also curious about how to remove negative feedback on Amazon. I have an account for years just to sell my college textbooks when I was done with them and had a few positive feedback. Recently a lady did not like a kitchen oven thermometer she bought (FBA sent) and she left a negative. In the comment she left she stated the thermometer is as broken as her oven which I understand her oven might be broken too. I tried to remove the feedback 3 times and nothing. I even requested for the thermometer to be returned to me and I tested it at home. I heated my oven to 400F and placed it there and then took pictures. They still did not remove it.
Please, excuse my ignorance. I am originally not from the USA and my immediate US relatives have never been to the military so I just do not know. But my question is if the military helps the personnel with taking care of the housing, food and clothing, why do these guys and gals struggle financially?
Week June 4 – 10, 2017
Total Items in Store: 969
Items Sold: 12
Cost of Items Sold: $ 17
Total Sales: $ 191.39
Highest Price Sold: $ 64.99 (set of breast forms)
Average Price Sold: $ 15.94
International Sales: 0 (GSP 0)
Returns: 2 (1 did not fit, 1 broken lamp)
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $ 20
Money spent on photographer: $120
Number of items listed this week: 35I had a beautiful banker lamp that I sold last week. I bubble wrapped it, I put styrofoam on every side and filled all gaps with tissue so it does not shift and a ‘fragile’ sticker on the top. It still broke. It was insured so hopefully I will get my money back.
What made me scratch my head was the buyer’s reaction. She sent pictures so I saw the lamp was broken, I immediately refunded her. But then she began implying the repair would cost more that the refund and she is still not happy. On top of that the refund was delayed because she originally had paid with a credit card and I began receiving demanding and threatening emails. So I stopped the communication.
Sometimes I wonder what some buyers’ expectations are. Do they think they can receive more than they have given if they threaten? I feel many sellers dread the negative feedback so they are willing to do anything to avoid it.
Here is a topic for Ryanne and Jay – is the customer always right?
Week May 28 – June 3, 2017
Total Items in Store: 937
Items Sold: 18
Cost of Items Sold: $ 36.33
Total Sales: $ 355.62
Highest Price Sold: $ 84 (set of 27 slides)
Average Price Sold: $ 19.75
International Sales: 3 (GSP 3, 2 to Germany)
Returns: 0
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $ 40
Number of items listed this week: 55
Last year on the same day I came across 2 guys who sold me boxes of diapositive slides. Collections from the 50s of fire trucks, military equipment, house fires, ships, German places, Native American art and African art. I paid $36 for all of them and I just got around to list the slides. I list the more interesting individually and the more casual ones as lots. So far I have made more than $200 and I still have more to list. A bunch of them got shipped to Germany, of course.I want to chime in with a local pick up question too. I put something on and it sold. But the next day it was on the waiting shipping line and when I called Ebay, they said if I do not ship it, I will get a ding for late shipment. How do you go around this?
I ended up canceling my transaction because the buyer did not read it was a local pick-up.
Yes, this does sound like someone who wants to keep the item and get her money back. But I have noticed lately if the buyer leaves a negative comment like: ‘terrible product’, ‘it broke’ or whatever, Ebay will not remove it. They state this is the buyer’s opinion and they have the right to express it.
Week May 21-27, 2017
Total Items in Store: 920
Items Sold: 12 (waiting payment on 1)
Cost of Items Sold: $ 26.75
Total Sales: $ 152.14
Highest Price Sold: $ 38.85 (set of 3 slides)
Average Price Sold: $ 12.67
International Sales: 0 (GSP 0)
Returns: 0
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $ 48
Number of items listed this week: 54I am glad I can post my numbers again. I am working my way through the dead pile so I have many low dollar items sales. I also put a bunch of old inventory on auction as I want it gone.
Last month I began waking up at 4:30 am and work till 8-8:30 am when my little girl wakes up. It is amazing how motivated I am to get up so early every morning knowing I work for myself. My previous job started at 6 am so I woke up at 4:30 am but it was so hard then.
