Weekly Update 6/27/15

I had steady but low $ sales this week. That is okay at least there were sales. This phone was my best sale.

 

Bakelite Monophone 40 - WW2 Era Shipboard Phone

Sold for a best offer of $130

 

I'd had this phone listed for a year at $300 best offer. I finally accepted $130 as I thought it was fair and I needed the money. I had another very similar phone - and I accidently sent the buyer that phone! Oops. Long story short we spoke on the phone (an eBay first for me), he ended up buying the other one too, and I shipped the correct phone too. So now he has both the phones and I have $160.

These were both found in the trash by a roommate of my husband's over ten years ago.

 

Island Teak Carving

Sold for best offer of $80

 

I've had this listed since the fall for $200. I obviously priced it too high because I was getting tons of views and watchers and nothing - I accepted this offer again, because things have been slow and I thought it was fair. I paid $10 at family thrift.

 

These two sales made up the majority of my income this week. The rest were items like this:

 

Sleeveless Hawaiian shirt sold for $9.99

paid $.80

 

In non-eBay news, yesterday we were swimming at the bay and then a man came and was crabbing from shore with raw chicken legs about 20 feet from us. (This is a extremely rude and dangerous to do on a beach where others are swimming). He'd been setting his traps for literally one minute and we called the kids out of the water sensing the danger that raw meat can cause. The man who was waist deep got out of the water and told us "Shark, there's a shark." At the exact moment the kids got out, we saw a fin and movement only a few feet off the shore, then the animal surfaced coming almost the whole way out of the water. It was a huge Manta Ray. It was about 4-5 feet and had the distinctive celphalic horns. It was really incredible, although we packed up and left because it left us all a little shaken. It very easily could have been a shark! Rays don't eat fish or chicken, so it was probably a coincidence that it was there one minute after the traps were set. (Unless a predator chased it who was frenzied from the chicken?)

 

Here is an incredible video of rays LEAPING in Mexico.

 

How was your week? Let me know in the comments.

 

 

Defect Rate Humor

I can see the humor in this..

But next month I better get TRS back!

Ramblings & FREE Audiobooks

Clever Ad for a Virginia Beach yard sale,

found on Craigslist and brought to my

attention by reader and commenter extraordinaire Ree Cee

 

I rarely stop at yard sales anymore. Not enough bang for the buck - and while I know I am missing out on some items, there is an endless amount of stuff in the waste stream.  I'd much rather go somewhere like a thrift store, estate sale, church sale, or flea market where I can source a bunch at once.

 

I know most of us like to keep our ears busy while we clean, photograph and list. I recently found Loyal Books a free public domain of 7,000+ classic books on audio! I'm excited about finding this website, and hope that you can pass some hours listening to it too.

I added a new page to the top of the blog, Listen While You List - a compilation of some podcasts and radio shows that I listen to regularly. A new find is What I Wore When - a Glamour Magazine podcast, these are short but interesting interviews with public figures reminiscing about what they were wearing when...

I've had all kinds of time to find these new podcasts because eBay has been  S-L-O-W - I've been listing like crazy, and am up to 826 listings. Of the 50+ items I've listed this week, 40 of it was winter clothes, so those items are not selling (yet). I've been to the GWO frequently lately and I am finding LOTS of winter clothes as those are not selling at the Goodwill right now. I'm hoping that starting in Sept all these corduroys and leather jackets will fly out of my store. Maybe in the winter I'll find lots of summer clothes? I'm not a huge clothes seller - but I love classic GAP Sweaters, vintage jackets, and quality jeans.

Lamb's wool/Alpaca blend GAP Sweater

Paid $1 at the GWO

I've been so hungry for sales that I created a few sales this week that were big %s off. I even put all the items in my store that had 5+ watchers on sale for 30% - so far two of those items have sold.

I don't have any interesting sales to report. How are things going for you this week?

Mid-June Update

I did not post a weekly update earlier this week because I didn't have anything exciting to report. I listed like crazy, and my store had at the highest 780 items and is now down a few. 1000 is within an easy distance and my goal is to reach that number by the end of the month. These are some sales over the past 10 days or so.

 

Vintage JCPenny Helicopter Toddler Sweater

I got this sweater for $3 at Family Thrift

Sold for $24.99 to someone in Brooklyn who I imagine is very hip.

 

This silver plate set of serving utensils sold for best offer of $54

I paid $8 at Family Thrift - They have been listed for about a year

 

This vintage Naval Academy sweatshirt sold for $30 dollars

I got it at the GWO, so I probably paid $1.50

 

I got this switch plate at the GWO,

so I probably paid $1, as it's fairly heavy

Sold for $18

 

I love to listen to different podcasts while I work, and have been listening to Straight Talk with Ross regularly for a few months. (Contains explicit content).  It is hosted by Ross Mathews - "Ross the Intern" from Leno, also from E!s red carpet, and Chelsea Lately. So if you're looking for something new check it out:

 

If you're politically minded this episode with guest Meghan McCain might be a good place to start - or if you're a recovering N*SYNC fan you might like this (my personal favorite episode so far) with Lance Bass.

 

Sales have been "normal" lately, although I did had one no-sale day this week.

How is eBay life treating you? Have you found any new podcasts lately?

 

 

Weekly Update & AVEDA

Let me get a quick BOLO out of the way! AVEDA. I love AVEDA - a salon school, salon franchise and environmentally friendly product line. Check out these sold listings (highest price first). When I'm really feeling like pampering myself I will buy the Stress Fix bath salts by AVEDA, and check eBay for an auction every once in awhile for a good deal - but they have a huge range of products and you never know if you might find some at an estate sale or thrift store!

 

Everything went very well with my second eye surgery. I'm still limited in lifting heavy items and doing "inversions" but all in all things are back to normal - but better because I CAN SEE! I have the best vision I've ever had. It's like going from regular TV to High Def. Before my vision was 20/70 WITH glasses because of the cataracts, now it's about 20/25 without glasses. Amazing.

 

Photo Credit - This is a very good example of my before and after.

 

In eBay news:

I had some very cool feedback on this small watercolor which sold the other week:

 

 

 

How cool is that? I love stories like this. Especially because I love genealogy.
I paid $5? and sold for $30

 

Here's another fun feedback I awhile ago:

The buyer sent me several offers on this bag,

which I'd purchased at the GWO for $3 - we finally agreed on $40

 

Now for some sales - the following three sales from the past week were all "free money":

 

Flight Suit 100% Aramid (fire resistant material)

I followed signs to a yard sale a few weeks ago, I didn't buy anything at the sale but their neighbors were throwing this (and many other things) out.

Sold for $25ish

These were some old spice jars of mine.

 I didn't even clean them just made it clear they still contained some spice.

Sold for $9

Vera Bradley bag

Again, found in a box that was waiting for trash pick up

Sold for $20

 

What cool stories have you heard from buyers as to why they purchased your item?

Have you sold any "trash" lately?

Weekly Update 5/25/15

The holiday weekend proved to be just a "regular" weekend on eBay. I had about $160 in sales on Fri/Sat/Sun. I ship next business day, and rarely ship on Saturdays. eBay's business days do not include Saturday. When people see the expected delivery date next day shipping assumes a Friday purchase will ship Monday - with the long weekend that extends til Tuesday. I've never had a complaint about any items that were purchased on the Friday of a long weekend and shipped Tuesday. What about you? What do you do? 

 

I'm happy with that $160, but would always be happier with more. Here are some of those sales:

 

Vintage 1970/80's Oscar De La Renta suit vest sold for $26

Purchased at the GWO, so I paid less than a dollar by weight.

 

I found this card in the pocket of the vest

Idaho Supreme Court 1981/2

What path did this vest make from Idaho

 to Hampton Roads VA and then to the Goodwill Outlet?

 

Entire 3pc Oscar De La Renta men's suits are selling on eBay for $30-$50 so I have to assume it was the vintage which helped the price on my vest. De La Renta is famous for his women's dresses which sell for hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars. He famously designed Almal Alamuddin's (now Clooney) wedding gown. He died last October. If you need some listing listening here is a short interview with Amal Clooney's mom, Baria Alamuddin from the BBC after his death.

 

Another Life Is Good retired pattern hat

Sold for $35ish on sale. Paid $5ish.

 

Found these two Converse for Target shirts in the trash

Sold on sale for $13

Free Money

 

Got a bunch of remotes at the GWO awhile back.

Probably paid $.10 each by weight

This one sold for $9

 

Lot of 9 pcs of Oneida "Impulse" pattern

sold for a best offer of $25

 

I'm getting my second eye surgery on Wednesday so I will probably not be posting again til next week. I'm dying for a Goodwill Outlet run, but don't know if I'll be able to fit one it. Let me know how your sales and thrifting has been.

 

 

 



Locally Sold

Recently I've fallen into a buying rut -  and only picking up what I know. Sometimes I'll browse eBay for some fresh ideas. On a recent Scavenger Life interview with long time eBay seller Amazing*Taste, she mentions searching the sold listings in her area to see what other sellers are finding. What a good idea! I've researched other flatware sellers in my area, but never thought to see what others are specializing in that I am looking over.

 

The following listings were all SOLD within 10 miles of Virginia Beach in the past 90 days.

 

I wouldn't know these if I saw them, but good on this seller for recognizing a good thing!

$400 dollars for Barbie shoes.

How many lures have I looked over at estate sales?

Thousands. It is the beach after all.

Happing Shining eBay Seller

I remember playing on one of these at my friends house in 1st grade.

I think this is a catalogue of fishing gear. Who'd of thought?

Such a nice fabric find.

 

Follow me on Instagram @beach_thrifter

where I've been saving old recipes before they hit the recycling,

and will be posting some unique finds that do not come home with me.

 

Vision & Weekly Update

It's been an off week for me. Last Wednesday I had cataract surgery on my left eye. They were congenital cataracts that were finally becoming a problem. Everything went well, now it's super annoying having totally lopsided vision. I can't wait til the next eye is done (next week).



I am really motivated to list now though because the surgery meant a pretty hefty bill. There really was no alternative though (well, going blind) . So my goal is to pay off the surgery as quickly as possible using eBay profit.

I went to the most insane Estate Sale I've ever been too last weekend. The lady who's home it was had recently passed away. She lived in a 3,500 sq ft house by herself, and it was packed to the brim with home shopping network goods. The woman who ran the sale said the woman was a "wealthy and compulsive shopper."

I bought two of these Joan Rivers fill in hair powders for $2 each.

One sold in couple days for $25

I sold some Joan rivers nail polish awhile ago, so I look out for this Home Shopping brand now.

 

I also bought this TOVA Beverly Hills fragrance for $6

a little pricey but I had sold one quickly awhile back, so I risked it.

(This is a QVC brand)

Sold for $29.99

 

So you can see I'm branching out my health and beauty category.

Other sellers talk about how well fragrance sells. I'm particularly sensitive to smells and so have avoided it until recently. But I've bought three fragrances and sold all three so I will continue to pick them up now if they're not overwhelmingly stinky.

 

This set of 4 bamboo chargers which you may remember I found in the trash sold for $26

 

How has your week been?

 

 

 

What the Fork? + Garbage Haul

I had steady but low dollar sales this past week. A few highlights are:

 

This cast iron elephant door stop.

Paid $5 at an estate sale, sold for a best offer of $35

And this NASA hat sold for a profit of about $18

 

As I mentioned last week, I've been more and more interested in finding trash to sell

 

Today I got a Coleman cooler for my family to use

 

While cleaning it with the hose and some dish soap I spotted something shiny in the crack between the sidewalk and the house.

The top of a fork!

Why do we keep finding these?



 

I found two garbage bags full of old Marine, and Navy uniforms at a trash pile I drove by this morning. Some are going to the thrift store and some I will sell. None of it belonged in the trash.

From last week's garbage haul this vintage Woolrich zip up lightweight jacket sold for $24.99.

I'm feeling like maybe I should have asked more, but I did find it in the trash.

 

Just today I sold the Cranky Ice Cream Maker (again) for a best offer of $35. It was low, but I took it because it's annoying me to look at. Plus it's already packed (ha, ha). Don't worry there shouldn't be a return because this was the new description:

 

-Listed for Parts or Repair-

 

Vintage Rustic Primitive Decor White Mountain Freezer Ice Cream Maker Hand Crank
6qt
This hand cranked ice cream maker would make a beautiful decor piece in your Rustic/Primitive/Country style kitchen. There is rust and aging throughout - it is a decorative piece not for actual use (could possibly be repaired) missing some parts - comes as pictured

 

What are your thoughts? How was your week?

 

 

Boxes Are Fun

Turns out it's not just kids who like to play with the boxes their toys come in. I get enjoyment out of an eBay item fitting perfectly into a shipping box!

 

Below is the 9.25 x 6.25 x 2" box. It fits perfectly inside of the PFR if you need a little extra support for a small heavy item.

Like a glove.

A corner of my shipping area, which I've shown before.

I keep some smaller boxes open so I can easily see if an item will fit in them.

If only my inventory was this organized.

(Notice I've not included pictures of the shelves with inventory, haha!)

Tissue paper and poly-mailers, perfect for soft items.

I also use poly-mailers for odd shaped items. I will wrap them in bubble wrap and cardboard and put it in a poly-mailer.

Boxes that my landlord brings me, or I pull the out of the recycling dumpster behind the office.

I reuse boxes all the time. I usually just tape over the old tape and have never had a complaint. People would be real jerks if they complained about you recycling.

Packed air - this whole box was free from the dumpster

 

Two of my favorite free USPS boxes.

Regional Flat Rate A, and the 7" cube box

The regional rate boxes really confused me at first. I was making it more confusing than it actually is. eBay makes it easy when you go to print the label you just click the right box and save $. It's that simple - and the box is such a perfect size.

The 7" cube is the perfect size for shipping mugs. I've perfected my mug packing method (not pictured;) and it includes the 7" cube.

What's your best packing tip or trick?