Sum it Up Sunday 8/31/14

Things are picking up on eBay for me! I've had steady sales all week. Not huge money but enough to keep me motivated to keep on thrifting (listing is another issue).

I've changed my photos with a quick and simple fix I've added a touch of professionalism that wasn't there before.

'

Before

Hallmark Fifth Wheel Ornament sold for $12.99 while on vacation

After

Napcoware Spring Angels sold for $14.99 yesterday

Can you see the subtle difference? All I did was tape a beige piece of  paper behind my photo surface, which is an ironing board. I'm blessed with gorgeous natural light in that room. I think it makes a big difference. That being said the before I think is perfectly fine compared to many of the photos I see on eBay.

For example:

WHAT IS BEING SOLD HERE? (Scroll down)

Like I said sales really picked up this week, and I had a bunch of $20 sales:

I paid $2 at Habitat General Store

Free (gift that quickly got listed on eBay, sorry Grandma)

Free shipping, ended up making about $14 off these vintage magnets (remember these?)

Plus a few other $20 sales, which really add up!

I also sold this Snoopy spoon. I picked it up because I had done so well with Big Bird awhile back..

Not as valuable as the Sesame Street ones, 

but he sold for $9.99 which for a little spoon is big profit.

And ... They were Hot Wheels haha!

How was your week? Thank you for the comments this week! I truly felt welcomed back after being gone for almost two weeks. Thank you!

If You List It..

I'm struggling getting the motivation to list. Listing is my least favorite part of selling on eBay. I generally come back with a haul, start cleaning the items up, taking off price tags, photographing, and measuring. This is time consuming busy work, but I can listen to a podcast while I do it so it is not that bad.

But then it's time to list.. and often those photos just stay in folders on my computer haunting me. Sometimes, if I know an item is going to be really annoying to list (clothing without a size for reference) I'll sit on it for a long time. I also get easily distracted on the computer... (like right now maybe I could be listing instead of blogging?)

So, what is the kick in the butt I need to list?

I need to remember...

If I don't list it, I cannot make money on it!!! So... let's get to listing!

Fave Finds Friday

I thrifted this week for the first time since we got back from vacation. I was channeling Mid Mod Mom when I found these amazing little ceramics:

Jie Verk Stad Sweden design by Elsi Bourelius ceramic sisters

(already has a bid!)

 

Jie Gantofta Sweden design by Elsi Bourelius bud vase

See how she leans back? It is a very cool design.

 

I fell in love with this Jamaican folk art wooden carving of a kneeling guitar wielding Rastafarian. It is signed Donovan - I googled it and I think this is the artist

All three of these pieces are outside of my "normal" reselling categories. I generally steer clear of "dust collectors" - but I was in the dust collector section looking for some little garden decorations when I came across the above three. Now I'll check that section more frequently. 

What about you? Any cool new finds this week?

WTEW!?! and 10,000 *Update*

My blog is a few months old now, it it hit 10,000 views earlier this week! Thank you to those of you who read my blog. I hope that it is helpful and entertaining. Thank you for your comments, and for your views!

What the eBay?!? Wednesday

Did you know that Dollar Tree stores started right here in Norfolk, Virginia? Check out their history here. I'd love to hear how common Dollar Tree is where you live, but here in it's home state there is one on every block it seems. I'm aware of Dollar Tree brands and its always surprises me to see them listed on eBay. 

Dollar Tree does sell some surplus from closeouts, so every once in awhile you can find $8 sunscreen for a dollar, but much of what they sell is manufactured for them. If you see "Manufactured for Greenbrier International" it is made specifically for Dollar Tree. Dollar Tree is an "everything's $1" store. 

One of the most popular Dollar Tree brands I see on eBay is "Royal Norfolk" a housewares (plates, mugs, knives) brand.

Check out these SOLD listings for Royal Norfolk by Greenbrier International..

What do you think? Were these people ROYALLY ripped off? Or does demand set the price here? Have you knowingly sold Dollar Tree or Dollar Store brands and made a decent profit? I'd love to hear about it!

After I posted this morning I went thrifting and low and behold what did I find? Some lime green Royal Norfolk bowls for $1.98 each! 

Case

I had a case opened against me today as item not as described. Defect. It was a lot of butterfly clips that sold for $6, and one of them arrived broken. I'm pretty annoyed she didn't just message me first.. grrr. Luckily its only $6 and I'm going to refund her and forget it. I do send a printed note that says "if there is an issue please contact me using the "other" category." So I'm doubly annoyed. AND one of the tea cups I sold last week was broken on arrival. (I guess my packing skills were rusty this week) so I had to refund her too. Triple annoyed.

I finally got around to listing a few things since being back from vacation. I'm really excited to see what this coffee maker brings (I listed it on auction). A family friend gave it to me to sell because she was going to give it to Goodwill. She and her husband run a coffee shop and evidently Bodum is a high end coffee brand.

Bodum Vaccum Drip Coffee Maker

Complete Listings

I sold this condiment dispenser within three days of listing:

XL Hot Dog Condiment Dispenser

Paid $1 Sold $14.99 + Shipping

I cleaned out my eBay area and I took a trunk load to the thrift store today. Lots of stuff that was not worth listing that had come in lots, or from the Goodwill outlet and when I got it home it just wasn't worth listing. It feels REALLY good to have all that stuff gone. It was weighing me down and keeping me from listing the really good stuff, because I would look at the pile and get overwhelmed. Now I have about three small boxes of things to list. I'm going to focus on quality over quantity for now. 

Post Vacation Update

Hello! We're back from visiting family (and taking a break from being constantly connected). It was a wonderful feeling to not be connect to my phone constantly checking email, messages, and being continually distracted. I took some much needed time to relax, sit in nature, and read read read.

But this blog is about eBay, (not reading maybe another blog someday), and I did have a little action while I was on "vacation mode" - I had a total of 9 sales adding up to only about $100. I shipped them all out today, switched back my handling time and turned my vacation settings off.

While on vacation I only thrifted twice! The YMCA thrift store near my mom's house is an absolute wreck - I actually wrote the manager about it (have not heard back not surprising considering the state of the store). It really really bothered me, to the point that I couldn't even shop there.

Here are a few of my sales from the past ten days:

Clarks In Motion sold $20 + shipping 

Cups and Saucers Fire King Bonnie Blue

Sold $8.99 + shipping

Hot Wheels Storage Truck 

Sold $9.99 + shipping

I'm still unpacking and settling back in, when I feel like I'm not neglecting anything else I will get to listing the items I thrifted last week. Hopefully some nice sales will come in the meantime. School starts soon and we'll be back to a routine, and my goal is to work eBay into the routine with clear cut "work hours."

Now to catch up on lots of other blogs!

How to Bulk Edit Shipping Handling Time

I couldn't help it, I'm here. In the past day I've had four purchases. I've been sending the buyers messages reminding them the store is on vacation and their items will not ship until after the 20th. One wrote back and said he didn't see the notification. I remembered the Scavenger Life folks talked about this a month ago, and that I needed to go back on change my handling time.

I'd never bulk edited this and it took me a few minutes to figure out. So I'm breaking it down here for anyone else

Bulk Editing Handling Time

Go to your Active Listings under "My eBay"

Select all or under edit click "Edit all 000 items"

In your bulk editor...

Click on "Handling Time"

This will come up

Click on the relevant time frame.

Save and Save and it's that easy! 

So after today I really am going on vacation mode. I am not even going to send the reminder messages anymore, because between the banner on each item and the handling time I should be covered. 

So really this time, see you later!

WTE!?! Wednesday + Vacation Mode

This is a complete and sold listing:

 

 

As always I'm asking myself What the eBay?!?

 

My store is on vacation mode as of five minutes ago and the blog is going to as well..

see you after vacation!

CD Experiment

I noticed recently when I was trying to track down one of my favorite CD's from when I was a kid, that there are big bucks to be had reselling some older out of print CD's

 

This was the only one I found - there are anniversary and concert additions that go for cheap I will put this on my BOLO list for myself now because I'm not going to pay $42

I encourage you to look at the sold and complete listings highest price first for some different categories. I'm building up a list of what is selling and going to BOLO for all of them. CD's are super cheap now at yard sales and even paying a dollar or two at the thrift store isn't bad if you can get $15-100's in return.

The CD section is one that I NEVER go to at thrift store. Until today! I bought two CD's and have them both listed for $15. It's my small CD experiment. I'll keep you updated.

July Money

# of Sales
48

All the numbers below are rounded:

Amount I spent on the items sold
$135

Avg Cost of thrifted item
$3

Amount of Sales

$845 eBay
$124 Lot-e-Da
$19.50 Etsy

Avg Sale Price
$17.25

Highest sold item
Ambross Rostfrei Stainless Flatware $85

Lowest Sold Item
Sizzix Die Cut $2.99

Other this month:
Two mutual cancellations
GSP sales: 3
Shipping issue (broken items) refund $32
I can list 650 items now
TRS status earned!

Last month’s Goals:

Reevaluate Profit Margin:
Yes, this month I spent much less overall on new inventory, but still bought about the same. The Goodwill outlet has helped with this. I am also not really buying anything over $5.

Concentrate on listing items with a higher profit margin. Yes, but I’m finding these things are slower to move. But that is fine.

Decrease Avg Paid per item Price
No, I did not in fact it went up to $3. Some kids clothing that I sold in lots and counted as one item in the average, even though they may have 10-25 items probably account for that.

Get more comfortable with Go-Daddy Bookeeping.
Yes, I got more comfortable with the program, and find that now I can pay for things right out of my PayPal account comfortably, because I am not worried about how to figure it out for taxes anymore.
Goals for next month:
We’ll be out of town some this month and my shop will be going on vacation mode, so I’m not setting any selling goals.

It is a goal to thrift some things while on the trip though!

Thrift and fill 6 backpacks for a local school supply drive


and some humor from Buzzfeed...

19 Signs You're Addicted to Thrift Shopping
13 is totally me...