Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I would add “Tapestry Needlepoint” to the listing. It’s in the style of medieval tapestries. I have a similar size one up for sale too and the stitches are large. I think it was stitched with wool thread.
Look at this on eBay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/142328360670
TALL Vintage Art Deco Floral Lady Pink Yarn Embroidered Tapestry Needlepoint
Sold items: 28 items for $1074.45
COGS: $199.20
Highest: Gucci men’s loafers for $290 (paid $50 at estate sale)
Lowest: Ann Taylor tank for $7
Listed this week: 117
New inventory cost: $728Good money this week even without the Gucci loafers for $290 and four bottles Chanel perfume at $60 each. I bought a Gucci briefcase and several Gucci Accenti perfumes + less premium purses at estate sale for $553, and then a whole bunch of premium Ethan Allen linens + pillows for $175. Trying the experiment of paying more to make more. But Gucci loafers are not just laying around everywhere! My average price for sales was $35 range. All my premium perfumes from the bulk purchase are sold now, so I have about 30 remaining priced at $19 – $50.
I also got a storage unit this week and started my inventory control system. With 560 items in my store, I started losing control two weeks ago and now I feel good about what’s in my home and in the storage unit.
Brian Treasures, they are mismatched. Sometimes I have a pair, but I just lot it in with the rest.
Week July 9-15, 2017
Total Items in Store: 455 (lowcountryfashionfinds)
Items Sold: 17 (3 Facebook)
Cost of Items Sold: $81.75
Total Sales: $628.98
Highest Price Sold: $89.00 (lot of 13 brass candlesticks)
Average Price Sold: $31.44
Returns: 1
Money Spent on New Inventory This Week: $0
Number of items listed this week: 4 (lots of slides, of which I have hundreds)For the candlesticks, I pick up brass ones, no matter their condition at rummage sales or yard sales. I basically get them for free as people are happy to see them go and just lot them in with other stuff. Once I get 10 or more, I do a lot for sale. I used the terms “wedding or set décor” in the title.
The slides are overwhelming but interesting. I have 800+ from the 1970s of one couple’s trips which I bought at an estate sale for $40. I decided to break them up into locations and years. “Key West, 1972 and 1974”, or “Jamaica 1972”. They went to Spain for two full months in 1974 which I am hoping to have up soon. I hope they start selling so it’s worth the work. It is interesting though to see the pictures. Very voyeuristic, like an estate sale.
I continue to sell perfume every week from a lot of 103 I acquired in mid-June for $980.00. So far I have sold 65 bottles for $2,715.55 on ebay and FB. I have 38 remaining. Not exciting stuff, but so far that perfume paid for Disney tickets + food and lodging ($1200), a 4th of July trip to a wedding in Fort Lauderdale ($320) and piano repair/tuning ($300). Now I am saving funds for taxes + boat repairs/upgrades. Also, as of July 18, 2017, I am now sub-one year to retirement on July 18, 2018 from my DoD job. Trying to hold on for one more year amidst the bureaucracy.
Retro Treasures: Ha! No thanks. You’re right in that a blog may be too much work for me. My husband is very social, but I am not. It would be his blog. I like ebay because I don’t have to deal with customers face to face, unlike my current day job. Ugh.
Re catamaran: it’s a Wharram which are usually self built, and it has wood hulls. I love them because you can pull up in two feet of water. It’s got a cRacked center beam which I have to repair to sail from Guatemala to SC. But I would rather spend the money repairing and outfitting the boat in the way I want. I will need an ebay room! Will probably start a renovation blog on it in a few months. It’s the 42 foot Wharram Pahi “Captain Cook” model. Maybe I’ll even do Airbnb for adventurers. Regardless, it is essentially a tiny house on the water. And it’ll be paid for in cash. I will do a sailing scavenging tour in the eastern US and Caribbean!
Store:lowcountryfashionfinds
Items in ebay store: 457
Ebay sales: $585.20
COGs ebay: $53.25
Average ebay sale: $24.38
Facebook sales: $130
COGs FB: $80
Highest ebay sale: $71 perfume
Best sale/ratio: on Friday bought vintage American Optical aviator sunglasses for 50 cents at thrift store and sold for $50. Also bought more glasses for 50 cents each of Kate Spade, Chanel, and RayBan, which hopefully sell just as fast.
Inventory purchased:$40Biggest purchase this week: maybe $20K; may buy a 42 foot catamaran sailboat currently in Guatemala. It’s a Wharram wooden boat, which are really cool Polynesian style boats. Step 1 to living on a boat in 2 years. Paying cash and hoping to negotiate down $5K on inspection. Normally they sell for $80K or higher, but as a thrifty person, I had alerts out on sites and had a shipbuilder keeping his ear to the ground for us. He called on July 4, and we sent $2K via PayPal on the same day to hold it until inspection in Aug. Very excited! We could sail it across oceans.
Beverly – I saw that ebay forum posting on shipping fragrances too. But I went and asked my postmaster on how to ship it. She stated as long as I am shipping individual bottles of 3.2 oz or less (like the airlines require), that I am OK to use Priority Mail (air-mail). I do have to mark “perfume 3.2 oz liquid oz” on the outside of the box. I like the 7 x 7 x 6 size boxes, so I am using Priority Mail!
http://stores.ebay.com/lowcountryfashionfinds
You can see my sold and current perfume listings to view the range I bought; I am offering free shipping on some of them.
Regarding the perfume haul:
1. I have sold out of the “high end” Chanel and “low end” Versace. Now I have 58 bottles of middle road “Prada” and “Gucci” to sell from $29 to $79. I expect to definitely make another $2000. I will be setting aside about 5 bottles for our YMCA silent auction fundraiser.
2. Facebook: it was the constant messages and meeting up that sucked time Up. My husband and toddler were gone this week for work and grandma time, so I was a single person who could meet in evenings and at lunch, but it was a lot of work. Also, I must have had 20 people engage me in conversation and barter, but only four closed the deal. Those four bought 28 bottles between them, but it was a lot of work and I can’t do it with family back in the house now. And I had one real creep basically yelling at me for cheap prices. The fact they can see my Facebook profile or such just made me decide to delete it. I live in a small town and I didn’t want the drama!
3. I normally sell long tail vintage items and collectibles from estate sales, so this perfume was a new thing for me. I would do it again – there is a fall church fundraiser so we will see if they have any more. I’ve learned a lot from research of perfumes and now know to grab it when I see it for the right price. Though I did have a bit of a heart attack when I went to the ATM three times to get the money!
Total Facebook Marketplace sales: $760 for 28 items
Total items on eBay: 448
Total ebay items sold: 40
Total ebay sales: $1284
Total of ebay + FB sales: $2044
Cost of items sold on eBay + FB: $478I went big at a church sale which started at 10 am on Jun 15, Thursday; I took vacation time to attend it from work! I bought 103 bottles of cologne and perfume testers, unused, for $930. A department store had donated Chanel, Gucci, Versace, Prada, and Armani fragrances. The church was selling them for $10 each and then cut me a deal for 10 free. I listed them on eBay and FB on Jun 19. I sold 28 bottles locally on FB this past week for and 17 on eBay. I’ve already made back my money on the perfume purchase and still have 58 bottles left. FB was exhausting though so I deleted that post and am now selling the rest on eBay. I was glad I went big! I thought the church ladies would be upset with me but they were awesome and brought out more boxes for me to go through. Highest selling was Chanel Coco Noir for $92 and lowest is Versace Eros at $21.50.
Thanks! I don’t have a loupe, but I just ordered one off ebay! May go see a local art gallery too that is pretty friendly here in town.
Flavio, I’m proud of you. Keep up with the saving and being frugal. I retire at age 42 next July 2018 and will not have to ever hold a “normal” job again. I am a female attorney, active duty; however, I will not practice law again. I hope to supplement my retirement by earning $40K from scavenging, and travel to “nice” places (not deserts) and wake up at my own pace (not 0500). Ryanne and Jay, you are very inspiring and have validated my future plans. Our “low-cost” lifestyle plan is to move onto a sailboat within 2 years and have an on-land office for my husband’s independent business and ebay storage.
Flavio, I also give out ethics advice to military members who have secondary employment while active duty, so if you want my email to ensure you have no conflicts of interest per the DoD Regulations, or hear stories to avoid…you are welcome to contact me. Maybe we can share emails via Jay. Take care.
