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Nice video! I was encouraged by the footage showing your shop and overflow – because this is my constant plight! Since retiring I have not ramped up my listing frequency which has come as a huge surprise to me. I thought I would really hunker down and be on the fast track to my eBay millions. LOL. Turns out I don’t like working at it that hard. Also turns out that the level I do work at it pays the bills and that’s good enough for me! But my overflow situation reached critical mass when I had to take on ANOTHER 10X15 storage unit to the tune of $159 a month. I am now close to $400 a month in storage costs and this bugs the hell out of me. So I decided to stop sourcing until I cleared the new 10X15 unit. This has proved harder that I thought. I lasted approx 6 weeks, then dipped my toe back in (via an estate sale) and of course that was the end of my “sobriety”. The first thing I sourced and listed sold in less than 5 mins (a Phil-Mar ceramic gazelle planter) which absolutely fueled the beast. So best of luck with the 1 month suspension of shopping privileges – I hope you are made of stronger stuff than me! I wonder if there’s a 12-step program for folks like us? Scavengers Anonymous! Love the videos, as always.
Caren – eBay store: thespeckledgoatllcMe too! The life raft has to come first and I have to be ok with that. When there aren’t a a bunch of ca-chings I get anxious and paralyzed. Then I go down research rabbit holes and justify it in my mind – “I don’t want to make this into a sweat shop”. But honestly, I think I need to treat it like a sweat shop for a while. At least until I have 1000 listings. When I re-listen to the Podcast, it sounds like J & R really pounded out the listings in the beginning (’08).
Anyway, I had a decent week. And I’m grateful for that. I want to “ramp up” but I also have to realize that is going to feel like HARD WORK.
Ebay store numbers for week of 3/23/19 to 3/30/19
Total Items in Store: 523
Items Sold: 9
Gross Sales: $544
Cost of Items Sold: $79.50
Highest Price Sold: $150 (Waterman Fountain Pen)
Average Price Sold: $60
Returns: 0
Number of items listed this week: 20.Still shy of my goal of 3 a day. Head down tomorrow for sure.
So it turns out that having all the time in the world to “ramp up” the eBay business doesn’t mean squat if you have no self discipline or consistency. Fell short of my listing goal of 50 listings in a week by 80%. I could list all the reasons why but it really doesn’t matter.
So new goal: 3 a day. Lame, I know, but I have to be honest with myself. If I can’t even do that then I need to donate my 30 x 10 storage unit full and begin intensive counseling/therapy.Here’s a fun article about drunken online shopping:
https://apple.news/AH-kcmGiGS5ydWKe0OpciQg
“After drinking either beer, wine, or liquor, clothing is the most alluring (and popular) purchase.“
Thanks Mike! I glued it back on with craft glue (it’s all I had) and that seemed to do the trick. I listed it and within 24 hours it was sold. I know I said high end, but that’s a relative term right? (Anything over $100 is high end to me.) I’m sure in your world, pretty small potatoes!
Mike: I’ve got a question about a Murano piece. While I was handling it (photographing) the red & gold foil sticker fell off. Can I glue it back on? Is this kosher with a high end art glass piece? And if so – what kind of glue would you use? Elmers? Thanks!
@Retro – This. Nice description of the ambivalence of “my job is not quite annoying enough to quit”. I felt more than a little guilty about being dissatisfied with what was arguably a great job. What finally tipped the scales for me was the dread I was beginning to feel every time I had an upcoming shift. That said, I’m 63 and if I don’t live my best life now, when? So I pulled the trigger.
I’m a month in and am loving it, but I find that there is a downside – the dread of going in to work has been replaced with worry about making sales. Not “keep you up at night worry” but on an ongoing low level anxiety. So there’s that.@Geoff – I like the way you do your numbers because you can see your “net profit” number. I think I’m going to copy your format going forward.
For now though – this is what I have:Week of 02/25-03/04
Total Items in Store: 506
Items Sold: 12
Gross Sales (not including shipping): Ebay: $419.48 Bonanza: 59.38
Cost of Items Sold: $87
Highest Price Sold: $85 (Ariat boots)
Average Price Sold: $39.90
Returns: 0
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $70
Number of items listed this week: 28Not awesome. Still allocating too much time sourcing. Going to cut back on that this coming week and spend that time getting my number of items listed up to 50. Goals. I haz em.
I love it when “mistakes” sell. Even if you break even. It’s feels like redemption.
The summer/winter contrast in your last video was fantastic! Soul soothing for sure! We had another snowfall here in Kansas City last night and we are all so winter WEARY. The video was a hopeful reminder that spring is coming! I’m sure all you folks in the north are even more eager. Stay warm and safe.
@newvintageny – holy crap that’s a great looking graph!
