Highlights Over the Last 3 Weeks

Things have been really slow around here, but I have occasionally gotten some exciting sales.

I have had this horse for as long as I can remember. Easily 2 years. I was sick and tired of looking at it and was getting ready to sell it on my local Facebook group for a few bucks, just to be rid of it, when it sold on eBay for my full asking price.

• Acquired On: summer 2010 maybe? (from my sister-in-law)
• Listed On: this has been listed over and over and over
• Sold On: 6/18/12
• Paid: 50 cents
• Sold For: $25.00 + shipping

I just bought this a few weeks ago. It was just a basic white button down blouse, women's size 2X. I didn't expect it to sell so quickly, but I was thrilled that it did.

• Acquired On: 6/8/12 (local Goodwill)
• Listed On: 6/15/12
• Sold On: 6/18/12
• Paid: $1.99
• Sold For: $29.99 + shipping

I got this on Facebook. We tried to play it once or twice. It's harder than it looks!! Another quick flip.

• Acquired On: 5/13/12 (Facebook)
• Listed On: 5/24/12
• Sold On: 6/15/12
• Paid: $1.00
• Sold For: $29.99 + shipping

I've found 3 pairs of Danskos in the last month. All 3 pairs sold quickly, in a matter of just 2 or 3 weeks. I LOVE selling Danskos!

• Acquired On: 6/1/12 (yard sale)
• Listed On: 6/7/12
• Sold On: 6/21/12
• Paid: $5.00
• Sold For: $35.00 + shipping

Dansko #2. Someone messaged me and asked if I would accept a $49.99 offer on them. I told her yes, so then she sent me an offer for $49. I know it's petty, but I was annoyed that she dared to offer me less than what she had originally offered. I almost countered for the $49.99, just on principle, but I thought better of it. :)

• Acquired On: 5/25/12 (local Goodwill)
• Listed On: 5/30/12
• Sold On: 6/12/12
• Paid: $2.99
• Sold For: $49.00 + shipping

We got rid of our cable years ago and switched to antenna. We had only antenna tv for around 8 years. We recently switched back to cable. I don't remember why. I think it had something to do with our area going to digital cable and ours was analog and couldn't pick up any signals or something like that. But anyway, I listed the antenna rotor that goes on the roof and turns the antenna, the control box that we use inside to turn the rotor, and all the cable and wire that we used for it. I expected it to sit for awhile, but it sold very quickly.

• Acquired On: ? (personal possession)
• Listed On: 6/12/12
• Sold On: 6/21/12
• Paid: ??
• Sold For: $50.00 + shipping

This was a very fast sale! I've only ever found one other rotary wall phone before, and it was very overpriced for a thrift store, so I passed on it. This one was only $3.99, so I scooped it up. I researched the brand name and phone company, and came up with nothing. I aimed high when I listed it, figuring I might eventually drop the price, but it sold within a matter of days. Maybe I underpriced it, but I am very happy with the return on my investment, so I'm not going to dwell on how much I could have gotten for it.

• Acquired On: 6/8/12
• Listed On: 6/14/12
• Sold On: 6/17/12
• Paid: $3.99
• Sold For: $50.00 + priority international shipping to Canada (another $35!)

Dansko #3. I paid more for these than I usually do for shoes, but I am always willing to pay more for Danskos. My daughter, my mom, and I all went to Baltimore recently to see Apassionata (I highly recommend it, by the way!). We spent the night in Baltimore, and then decided to go thrifting on Saturday. I did a search for Goodwill on my GPS. It found one within just a couple miles, so we headed out for it. We got there (right in downtown Baltimore, which was very stressful because I am NOT a good city driver), pumped the parking meter full of quarters, and headed to the door. As soon as we reached the door, I realized it was a corporate office. Haha! Oops. We did eventually find a Goodwill Superstore (which I was not at all impressed with), where I found these boots.

• Acquired On: 6/9/12 (Baltimore Goodwill Superstore)
• Listed On: 6/15/12
• Sold On: 6/16/12
• Paid: $8.00
• Sold For: $50.00 + shipping

I bought 3 huge Little People sets from my Facebook group awhile ago for $30. I have this farm, the zoo, and a schoolyard/playground. I priced them all very high with best offer. One morning, someone made me offers on all 3 sets:  $12, $10, and $8. I usually let lowball offers roll right off my back, but that one made me mad. I have all 3 sets listed for a total of $180, and someone dared to offer me a total of $30?? I know buyers think it's always worth a shot, and that the worst we can do is say no. But seriously? That was just downright ignorant. So obviously I declined all 3. She raised her $12 offer to $15. I countered with $60 and never heard back. Thank goodness. A couple days later, I sold the farm set for my full asking price, which was significantly higher than I actually expected to sell it for!

• Acquired On: 5/6/12 (Facebook group)
• Listed On: 5/14/12
• Sold On: 6/17/12
• Paid: $10 ($30 for 3 sets)
• Sold For: $69.99 + shipping

It was huge. I had to use an enormous box and cut it down to fit. It took me 30-45 minutes to get this thing packaged. I had just finished taping layer upon layer upon layer all around it. I was literally huffing and puffing from it. I tipped the box over to bring it out to my computer and print a shipping label, and the darned thing started moo-ing and wouldn't stop! So I had to undo all of the packaging so I could tape the barn door shut (the moo trigger). Ugh. But hey - for $70, I can live with it ;-)

I bought this NWT dress quite awhile ago, and wished fervently that it would have been my size. It is so hard to photograph black clothing. This dress has some gorgeous details. It also had a very high retail price, so I priced it just under the retail price with Best Offer. I had never gotten any offers or questions, and I don't think it even had any watchers. Imagine my surprise when I got a perfectly acceptable offer out of the blue!

• Acquired On: 2/3/12 (local Goodwill)
• Listed On: 2/14/12
• Sold On: 6/14/12
• Paid: $4.99
• Sold For: $70.00 + shipping

These were the highlights and are NOT an accurate picture of my sales this month. Mostly I've been selling small items, around $10 each. But even those add up. How has your June been? Are you down in the dumps with the rest of us? Or are you lucky enough to still be chugging along?

Just That Kind Of Summer

I have come to the conclusion that it's just going to be a slow sales season on eBay. That was hard for me to come to terms with, but I would rather realize/admit that than frustrate myself by being disappointed in my sales day after day after day. Instead, I am trying to view this slow season as a little bit of a break from the hustle and bustle that my eBay business has been over the last several months. I will use this time to focus on sourcing inventory, listing as much as possible, and organizing my store. I have gotten back into ending about-to-renew listings and relisting them using Sell Similar. That seems to breathe new life into old inventory.

Also, I have my building coming in the next couple weeks. All the moving that that will require will take TONS of time! We still need to prep the site where it's going to go (needs to be leveled and have gravel put down). We need to run electricity to it and install an air conditioner. Then of course comes the big move. I have a LOT of stuff to move! I am keeping an eye out for storage racks. I have a few but I'll need more. A slower selling season is nice for that, because I will have plenty of time to get it set up just the way I want before the Christmas selling season kicks in.

Once I've moved my stuff into my building, then comes the crazy interior work. I'll be redecorating the former eBay room (paint, baseboard trim, who knows what else) and moving my oldest daughter in there. Once she's out of the room she currently shares with her little sister, I'll redo THAT room and move the 5 year old girl and 3 1/2 year old boy into it. Once the boy is out of the room HE shares with his older brother, I'll redo THAT room for the 9 year old boy. I'm hoping we can get all of that done this summer, before school starts back up again.

So you see, sometimes it's helpful to have a slow sales period. At least that's what I am telling myself so that I don't sulk. :)

Revitalized!

Yay! I am encouraged! I had a really great sales weekend. After a really long slump with an occasional one-day slight bump in sales, I had a rocking weekend. I sold 13 items yesterday alone! Fingers crossed that it continues for at least a few days. I've got a storage building to buy in less than 2 weeks, and my checking account has NOT been going in the right direction the last week or so.

This was given to me by a friend, and it sold fairly quickly. I priced it somewhere toward the higher end of the currently listed ones, so I expected it to take awhile. I am currently running an almost storewide 25% off sale to boost my sales, so that's probably why mine sold before some of the others did. $10.49.

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These Ann Taylor capris were given to me also. They're a size 0, which, you know, ALMOST fit me. <end sarcasm>   They sold last night, and when I was getting ready to ship them, I realized that I had "NWT" in the title, even though they aren't. The item specifics and the body of the listing both say that they are pre-owned, but I sent a message to my buyer anyway, just to make sure she still wants them. I haven't heard back yet. $11.24.

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I've mentioned the big huge yard sale I went to last fall. I'm already looking forward to going to it again, but not until half-price weekend. I've also made a mental note of what I bought last year that STILL hasn't sold. Izod tops that list. It's strange, because Izod is a great brand name - well-known, high-priced. And yet, the vast majority of my Izod stuff just sits. And sits. And sits. So I'll pass on it next time. These finally sold for $11.25. Totally worth the 8-month wait, since I paid $4.50 for them. Lesson learned.

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I probably could have held out for more on this, but since my sales have been so pathetic lately, I was taking almost any offer that came to my email this week. This is a Tour de France cycling jersey, size 2X. It sold on sale this week for $23.99 plus shipping.

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I could have gotten a LOT more for this. I had it priced at $59.99 or best offer. It was 25% off this week, and I accepted an offer for $25 plus shipping. It's in perfect condition and had several watchers, but again ... dry spell. I only paid $3-something for it, so I'm happy enough with it.

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This was one of the Miche shells from the lot I bought last week that I was worried I paid too much for. Quick recap on that one:  I paid $45 for the bag with 2 sets of handles, a purse organizer, and 2 shells. I listed them last Tuesday night. I sold the organizer Wednesday morning, the purse Thursday morning, and this shell last night. I'm up to $75 on that investment, and I still have one of the shells left. I have it priced for $29.99, so once it sells, I'll have more than doubled my money on that. Not bad for a lot I was afraid I paid too much for :)

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I've had these Levi's since February. They're 30x30 skinny jeans, so I knew they would take just the right buyer. I paid $2.99 for them and sold them last night for $37.49 plus shipping.

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So all in all, a GREAT weekend! Here's hoping for an awesome week for everyone!

I'm Still Alive!

Oh, my friends, how I've neglected you! I am deep in the throes of my worst ever eBay week! I don't know what's going on, but it's got me really frustrated. It's been discouraging enough to keep me from listing, blogging, visiting the boards. I've focused my attention elsewhere while I pout.

I know I've mentioned my local Facebook group on here before. Well, let me tell you ... that one was NOTHING. My sister introduced me to a different one, and my life has been forever altered. I am so addicted. It's awfully embarrassing. But I've gotten some GREAT stuff on there - both to keep and to resell. I've also had some really nice sales too. My first sale on there was last Saturday. In my first 8 days selling on the group, I've sold exactly $200 on there!  So pooh on you, eBay.

I truly have had no sales worth mentioning. My sales have literally dropped to a third of what they have been all year. And most of what I have been selling is just Meltonian shoe creams. That hardly makes for an interesting blog post.

I just got an email while I was writing this post that there is another free auctions for store owners promotion starting tomorrow for a full week. Tina was helping me brainstorm this week to see if we could figure out why our sales were so slow. She suggested that maybe eBay is flooded from the free listing promotion they had a week or so ago. I think that's a very valid suggestion. So I'm annoyed to see that they're doing it again tomorrow.

Grr.

I'm sorry I don't have anything interesting or positive to talk about. :(

Hopefully I'll have some fun sales this week....