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Ooops, I showed Commander Wolffe twice, here is the Wolfpack Clone Trooper…Do you care?
: )
Hello all, I have not been a regular on the forums for months now. Like I had mentioned, we put our home up for sale, been very busy, and good news, it sold. God willing, we close on the 30th and everything looks as good as it could be. We will live apartment life for about a year and see what’s next. Also, my 401K has been cashed out without penalty (I’m close to 60 years old), and debt has been paid off.
Earnings on eBay/Etsy have been consistent with my normal. Here is a 5 month average report:
eBay weekly net about $300 with about 12 sold, with average sell price about $25
Etsy weekly net about $110 with about 5 sold, with average sell price about $22
These numbers are without shipping and without fees taken out. COGS average about 10% of selling prices. My eBay store currently has 748 listings, Etsy has 548.
So, what lured me out of hiding? Jay mentioned the free shoebox full of Lego score on this weeks podcast. When it comes to sorting and sifting obscure little toy parts and pieces, and making money off them, I cannot resist posting the occasional report.
Around mid July I scored what amounted to around 6 large bins of mostly Lego. There were also some Mega Bloks, Transformer, Technic (also Lego brand), and various other toys mixed in. I bargained down from $200 to $180, since the vendor was going to let me walk. Legos are expensive generally. I won’t go into the various sorting and sifting and all that, just know it was, and still is a project. And one has to be careful of clone Lego, I kid you not! Luckily the lot I found was all around the same date and seemed to belong to the same kid. I could have quick flipped for around $400 that day, or sold in large lots for around $1,000. I chose the slow and steady and have a love affair with Lego way.
So the numbers so far are $1,500 sold, another $1,200 (minimum) listed and should sell, and another $300 or so to list. So, $180 into $3,000 and I am a Lego professor now with still much, much to learn. I reserve the right to stop learning until I find more Legos.
Fun to mention are that just five minifigure lots, about one pound of Legos, paid for the whole shebang. Here are the highest selling of the minifigs:
Star Wars Commander Wolffe, $55, found complete and sitting in a partially built ship:
A lot of Star Wars minifigs, $45, found mostly complete:
A Marvel Hero Iron Patriot, $44, had to piece him together from all those Legos!
A Snake Tribe from the Ninjago line, $38, research paid off, many found complete
Star Wars Wolfpack Clone Trooper, $32, found him with Commander Wolfe:
There is quite a bit that goes into finding, identifying, and successfully selling a giant mixed lot of Legos. I enjoyed building the minifigs the most. The excitement in finding a tiny little hairpiece to complete a figure was embarrassing though! The worst part was opening up ‘advanced’ transformers and then trying to close them back up again while all the bells and whistles go off the entire time. And they shoot stuff.
Thanks again all, and Jay And Ryanne. I never miss a podcast, and I still lurk around now and then.
Tom
Same here, I posted a bit more above. I’m headed over to Hulu to see what Hank Hill is up to years ago, take it easy
Good Morning, I’ve been at it for about an hour now. Cannot access most of anything on eBay that matters by laptop and desktop PC. I can get announcement page, and some other pages that are not helpful for doing any work, nothing on announcement page concerning this. I use Chrome, could be the issue. This morning Microsoft forced an update of some kind, not sure if I’ll wait this out, try another browser, or whatever. Nice excuse to watch Netflix or Hulu.
eBay for Business seems to be closed today, first time I ever visit that place.
Tried phoning eBay direct with a number I have used pre COVID, new message now that just refers you to online help, which cannot be assessed, try hitting 0 for a rep and it hangs up immediately.
My Smart phone gets through to eBay however. However I list with phone and laptop. I may experiment with phone only listing until this clears up.
Hello all, chugging along at around 2%-5% better sales week to week than this time last year.
A WWII Supply SGT’s scrap/photo book finally sold for $231.50. I paid a lot for it at $100 but could not resist the possibility of finding a Holy Grail document or photo in it, not so, but a good book regardless. I enjoyed owning it for awhile and almost gifted it to my Father.
My wife and I have decided to move again forward with the selling of our home. Planning for anything right now is at the very least a good antidote to sitting around paralyzed with uncertainty. I like the taking action option better.04/19 – 04/25/20 (no cross listing is done between platforms)
eBay store: totommyto
Total store items: 787
Number of items sold: 8
Total eBay sales (not counting s/h): $397.50
Cost of items sold: $117 (Way more than my usual this week!)
Highest price sold: $231.50 WWII scrap/photo book, paid $100 knowing I could at least double that.
Average price sold: $50
Returns: 0
Money spent on new inventory: 0
Number of new items listed this week: 14
Sell through rate for the week: 1.0
Number International sales: 0Etsy store oldfleatoymarket
Total store items: 634
Number of items sold: 6
Total Etsy sales (not counting s/h): $119.50
Cost of items sold: $5
Highest price sold: $27.50 Shabby old lot of fishing net rope strands and an old buoy, paid $3.
Average price sold: $20
Returns: 0
Money spent on new inventory: 0
Number of new items listed this week: 9
Sell through rate for the week: 1.0
Number International sales: 0I’m hoping the Southern Split blows away the Starbucks French I am accustomed too brewing so I can say goodbye to Starbucks!
The interesting thing on Etsy is that I don’t do anything different than ebay. No baskets, bows, note cards, or frills when packing/shipping. Same photo quality and effort. Different listings formats yet basically going for the same buyer.
I am a bit selective on what I list on each platform although not much difference there. The only other conscious thing I do is refrain from using eBay packing supplies, or at least black out the logos. I get this gut feeling that some Etsy buyers hate eBay. I trust my gut enough.Hello all, I logged into Broad Porch Coffee Co, after a simple goggle search, easy ordered a ground bag of the ‘Southern Split’, which sounds like a fantastic dark roast, my preference. Paying with Paypal was also a plus.
Thank you, thank you for the Podcast! “Keep talking, Let them hear you talk!”04/05 – 04/11/20 (no cross listing is done between platforms)
eBay store: totommyto
Total store items: 780
Number of items sold: 11
Total eBay sales (not counting s/h): $416
Cost of items sold: $34
Highest price sold: $182.50 – lot of 7 vintage jet plane desk models, paid $20
Average price sold: $37.82
Returns: 0
Money spent on new inventory: 0
Number of new items listed this week: 11
Sell through rate for the week: 1.4
Number International sales: 0Etsy store oldfleatoymarket
Total store items: 624
Number of items sold: 5
Total Etsy sales (not counting s/h): $174.50
Cost of items sold: $11
Highest price sold: $65.50 – set of 7 vintage Shakespeare books, paid $5
Average price sold: $34.90
Returns: 0
Money spent on new inventory: 0
Number of new items listed this week: 12
Sell through rate for the week: 0.8
Number International sales: 0Hello all, forced back into the saddle due to current conditions, and I don’t mind the routines and being back here on the forum as a good habit.
I don’t mind sharing something I learned during 911 that always stuck with me, and I hope nobody minds me saying. In my capacity as a disaster chaplain (at that time), one of the FDNY men said to me, “keep smiling, let them see you smiling”. I remember a scene so horrific, so confusingly evil, I was too paralyzed to pray at times, let alone say the right things. Yet I was smiling without even realizing it. That simple action was affirmed in such a way by such a traumatized blank faced young man that I would never forget it. Never uttered it until now in this forum. Maybe helpful to someone.
03/29 – 04/04/20 (no cross listing is done between platforms)
eBay store: totommyto
Total store items: 783
Number of items sold: 17
Total eBay sales (not counting s/h): $379
Cost of items sold: $37
Highest price sold: $75 – 1957 small Outhouse Humor Calendar, paid $1
Average price sold: $22.30
Returns: 0
Money spent on new inventory: 0
Number of new items listed this week: 8
Sell through rate for the week: 2.2
Number International sales: 1Etsy store oldfleatoymarket
Total store items: 617
Number of items sold: 4
Total Etsy sales (not counting s/h): $86
Cost of items sold: $9
Highest price sold: $24.50 – Novelty vintage ‘Love’ dice, paid $1
Average price sold: $21.50
Returns: 0
Money spent on new inventory: 0
Number of new items listed this week: 4
Sell through rate for the week: 0.7
Number International sales: 0Simon Said
“Thanks for the podcast. It’s great to have a few normal routines like listening to the show.”For Sure!!
Thank you J&R!Hello all.
Checking in, or perhaps I’m actually back in the weekly saddle on the Podcast forum. I had announced going AWOL about a month ago as we were in the somewhat complicated process of selling our home. Well, the buyer backed out and understandably. My wife and I are actually glad for obvious reasons. We circled our wagons and we are thankful to stay in predictable and familiar surroundings, for now. My regular job continues, although it has changed. Early on with the outbreak, the job was stressful. Now my workplace is settling into a new normal.
On eBay, I have been accepting and sending lower offers than normal so my COGS profit is 7X, rather than my preferred 10X. Etsy just chugs along like normal trying to be relevant, and on occasion surprises with good sales. While organizing, cleaning, and prepping our home for the sale that didn’t happen, I have discovered some great items to sell. Many of these items were sourced, stored, and forgotten about long ago. Those shadow death piles.03/22 – 03/28/20 (no cross listing is done between platforms)
eBay store: totommyto
Total store items: 792
Number of items sold: 13
Total eBay sales (not counting s/h): $473
Cost of items sold: $68
Highest price sold: $96.50 – Steely Dan cassette set, paid $5
Average price sold: $36.40
Returns: 0
Money spent on new inventory: 0
Number of new items listed this week: 1
Sell through rate for the week: 1.7
Number International sales: 1Etsy store oldfleatoymarket
Total store items: 617
Number of items sold: 5
Total Etsy sales (not counting s/h): $101.50
Cost of items sold: $7
Highest price sold: $28 – McGill Coin Changer, paid $3
Average price sold: $20.30
Returns: 1 – $21 bible
Money spent on new inventory: 0
Number of new items listed this week: 1
Sell through rate for the week: 0.9
Number International sales: 0Hello all! Jay and Ryanne, thank you again for the show!
Late to post and life has been very busy with a lot of movement.
I was ‘just a body’ at the regular job Sunday night and was able to list 25 items while listening to your podcast X 2! Then you fine folks kept me company on the way home and then you kept repeating yourselves, but no worries.
So, life has been busy and I’ve been AWOL from the forum for a few weeks traveling, getting one kid off to Alaska with his wife for work, helping another kid in Ohio with wedding planning, and responding to surprise interest concerning the sale of my home, and all that entails. I decided to keep a handling time of 5 days on my eBay items for awhile.
Listing Sunday night and spending time right here right now feels like a big break.
I’ll check in when I can and hopefully share some solds at some point as well.02/23 – 02/29/20 (no cross listing is done between platforms)
eBay store: totommyto
Total store items: 803
Number of items sold: 16
Total eBay sales (not counting s/h): $516
Cost of items sold: $19.50
Highest price sold: $75 – an obscure 1/64 diecast mini car knock off of hot wheels, paid $1
Average price sold: $32.25
Returns: 0
Money spent on new inventory: 0
Number of new items listed this week: 0
Sell through rate for the week: 2.0
Number International sales: 1Etsy store oldfleatoymarket
Total store items: 634
Number of items sold: 2
Total Etsy sales (not counting s/h): $40
Cost of items sold: $2
Highest price sold: $21 – GMC tie pin
Average price sold: $20
Returns: 0
Money spent on new inventory: 0
Number of new items listed this week: 0
Sell through rate for the week: 0.3
Number International sales: 1Hello all! Jay and Ryanne, thank you for the fresh company this Monday morning on my way into the job.
Numbers lowest in around three months. It looks like I have to get to work!1/26 – 02/01/20 (no cross listing is done between platforms)
eBay store: totommyto
Total store items: 826
Number of items sold: 8
Total eBay sales (not counting s/h): $201.50
Cost of items sold: $18.50
Highest price sold: $50 – lot 7 vintage 8mm tape reels w/ mystery 60’s subject matter, paid $5.
Average price sold: $25.20
Returns: 0
Money spent on new inventory: $55
Number of new items listed this week: 3
Sell through rate for the week: 1.0
Number International sales: 1Etsy store oldfleatoymarket
Total store items: 624
Number of items sold: 6
Total Etsy sales (not counting s/h): $136
Cost of items sold: $11
Highest price sold: $28.50 lot of vintage plastic toy soldiers, paid $5
Average price sold: $22.70
Returns: 0
Money spent on new inventory: $29
Number of new items listed this week: 1
Sell through rate for the week: 1.0
Number International sales: 1
