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Am trying to cut back and list my “death piles”, but…
Women’s Coach leather belt, $1. One each of SAS and Merrell women’s leather sandals, $5 each. Vintage 90’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles baseball hat (bright green with pizza logo on the front), $1. Combined, about $90-$120 in sales. $12 invested. Not bad.
The reason thrifts are now pricing certain items out of sight is because of re-sellers. Re-sellers set the high prices by cleaning things up and properly marketing them on ebay, craigs, and Amazon. Thrifts see those sales, then begin putting similar items behind the counter or in the glass cases.
Without the resellers, thrifts would:
1. Send even more unsold stuff to the dumpsters.
2. Have to drastically drop their outrageous prices on certain items.
The loss of business if re-sellers were kept away would result in massive lay offs and huge profit losses to the big thrifts. Re-sellers routinely spend $100 or more at a single thrift-the “needy” certainly don’t.Only a re-seller would pay $50-$100 for a vintage Sony Amp from the 70’s, as an example.
I buy a lot of kids athletic shoes. I have had cashiers ask why. “I have a large family and am the designated buyer”, I tell them. Both of which are true.
Hey guys, just thought I would pass along a cautionary tale for newbies.
This morning, I was listing used women’s leather winter gloves. While running solds, I found a pair that had sold in the last week on auction. They sold for only $2.24, with two bids. Pretty sad.
But it gets worse, much worse.
The seller offered free shipping…..USPS Priority Mail! Most of us know that the cheapest Priority Mail is going to cost $5.50 to $6.00.
And even worse….the seller had to pay sales fees on the shipping charge!
The math looks something like this: fees on a sale price of $2.24 plus $5.50 shipping, should be around $1.50. $1.50 added to $5.50 shipping is $7, minus receipts of $2.24 is a MINUS $4.76!
I call this the one-two sucker punch of ebay. List low (in this case most likely $1.99 and offer free shipping. (I LOVE ebay, but promoting this strategy to newbies drives me nuts!). The seller would have been better off donating the gloves to a thrift store.
I pulled up the full listing and found: seller had a 50 feedback score (so fairly new). Only one photo, and it was slightly blurred. The condition was “good”, but no explanation of what good is (any wear on leather? Stretching? Stains?). Additionally, you should be able to ship nearly any womens leather gloves USPS First Class mail.
I feel really sorry for the seller-What a tough lesson to learn.
Pretty sure the dark brown is walnut. The lighter may be maple, possibly oak, but maple is easier to work with.
Those boards were a rite of passage for those of us taking wood shop class in the 1960’s-70’s. Maple and walnut were our two favorite woods to work with. Ah, the memories of my teacher with only 3 fingers on his right hand….
Week of Oct. 16-22th, 2017
Total Items in Store: 493
Items Sold: 21
Cost of Items Sold: $69
Total Sales: $555*
Highest Price Sold: $60
Average Price Sold: $26.43*
Returns: 1
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $17
Number of items listed this week: 18
*does not include shipping charges (paid by buyer)thanks for the info about the train case. I have seen a couple, but never pulled the trigger.
You are dead on about the M65 army field coats. Even if dirty, torn or whatever, they bring a good price ($30+). Some hipsters prefer the distressed look.
Thanks for the article, Christine.
One thing we can all do to help ebay is to do more of our own shopping on ebay. Personally, I would rather buy ANYWHERE but Amazon, as I consider them the enemy.We measure the waist on jeans by measuring across at the waistband, then doubling for the correct measurement, in this case, 46 inches, (23×2) and we put the 46 in the listing. We also detail how the waist is measured.
Yesterday, we received a message asking if the correct measurement wasn’t 92 in. (46×2). I answered to be polite, but assume they were joking.
I am patient with the first question or two. At that point, I begin to wonder, and worry that they are forcing the sale because they really like the item and WANT it to fit. A lot of it depends on how badly I want that item out of inventory. I am quick to pull the block trigger when their question begins with “I weigh 125lbs, am 5’2. Will this fit me?”
80% of my blocks are on people low balling. I usually counter once, then block if they continue to counter. I have had to ask a couple of buyers to stop emailing (begging) me or be reported. Stalking….
My seller radar goes off when someone like this contacts me. This has “return-unhappy buyer” written all over it. I agree with Ryanne. Block him. Then drop your price to what you would accept from him on a low offer. Find a better buyer.
Is she still within the 30 day return policy?
What if you told her to return it, along with a copy of the receipt. Do not promise anything, just say return it.
Once you have the coat, and the receipt, you can choose how to handle this. I mean, if there REALLY was a spot you missed, you would want to return her purchase plus shipping both ways, right?
Asking for the receipt is just ammunition for your case. If you need it, if you suspect fraud, you can use it in your “altered” defense. Remember, you did not promise anything.
My guess is that it will not be returned, because there is no receipt. Just a shakedown.
Start a journal and blast stupid buyers there.
Most stupid buyers will just laugh at any response you send. These price researchers have never run a business and have no idea what they are talking about. Besides, they are already smarter than you, right?
Responding is just a waste of your limited, precious emotional energy. They will get the point when you reject their offer. Rejecting and blocking is the the correct response. Well done.Hi guys.
Week of Oct. 9-15th, 2017
Total Items in Store: 495
Items Sold: 23
Cost of Items Sold: $71
Total Sales: $552*
Highest Price Sold: $45
Average Price Sold: $24.00*
Returns: 0
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $4.50
Number of items listed this week: 21
*does not include shipping charges (paid by buyer)Sold a nice pair of Nike running shoes for the $45 sale. Have cut back on sourcing until I get through some of the winter clothing I have been hoarding all summer. My other job, real estate sales, was busy this week so I spent little time listing.
