March Report

 

My March Board! Yikes! What a mess. If I remember correctly, I was going to give up sourcing for Lent. Because I love Sourcing. But, what was the point? I would have been harming my business and that is not a sacrifice I think God would want. I blew off Lent, but will think hard about making a sacrifice in the near future not so much to honor Lent, but to honor the Creator and all the good things he has bestowed on me.

Okay, so I spent a whooping  871$

I netted 1012$ from Ebay

I netted   554$ from Merc

I netted   0       from Face book Market place.

Total      1566 total

Source   871$

Net Net    695$

I sold 66 Items

I had 11 returns

net     55 items @ average profit of 28.47$

Damn those returns. That was a fiasco. She ordered all these items from me in the middle of the night and then messaged me and complained that the shipping was SO high on so many items. She actually purchased 13 items (oh no!! Unlucky 13!) So I cancelled every jewelry item (10 total) and then bundled them together and told her I would pay shipping and lowered the bundle by 50 bucks. What was I thinking? I was so thrilled to have such a big order. The amount was 200$ The other three items I just sent regular and let her pay. Then she wanted a Barbie ornament. Once again, thrilled by the size of this order (mind you, not my biggest money order, but the total item count to one person) I told her I would gift the Barbie Ornament.

Once she received the jewelry she began to complain. Three of the items were missing jewels -  well duh, that is how it was listed, as a lot of broken fantastic jewelry to be repurposed or repaired. Then she said one of the rhinestone sets included a replacement rhinestone and was sloppily installed. ??? So she wanted a 40$ refund. Then she decided she wanted to return it all. That she was a reseller and that she was excited about the Weiss that was included but was missing a leg. Once again, part of the repurpose set. I concluded she must have been drinking that night and ordered all this stuff while high. Buyers remorse.

What could I do? I accepted the return and will re-list everything. That lowered my net net buy approximately 165. 

Another return on an Ebay order of the Harrods cream and sugar. My bad on that one. The sugar jar had a tea pot lid. Now I know! I'll relist that one too and perhaps look for a replacement lid. 

I failed to include the COG on the 555$ I am in the dark actually about that. Some of the items were good profit, but I can't get a true handle on it.

That should be my focus going forward. Pay attention when listing, the COG. I really need a better spread sheet other than just my notebook, which by the way, I have misplaced!

Things Just Ain't What They Use To Be! Is Anything?

 Day at the Bins

Day before yesterday I was out running errands with the LO and on the agenda was a trip to the bins to pick up plastic hangers. Unfortunately, there were very few to be found. But, since I was there, we did about an hour and 1/2 of digging.

Now, three years ago when the Outlet opened it was a bone fide treasure hunt. The bins were full of items from the stores that did not sell and a plethora of other stuff that was just there. One time the contents of an entire Second Hand/Thrift shop.

There is a long list of the extradentary things I was able to dig out of the piles of junk. Brand new Barbie dolls attached to the board (box lost), Van's, an Audubon 1930ish print,  a Gucci scarf (kept it!!), jewelry, MA Hadley pottery, Libbey glasses, Leather purses, 501 Levi's....well, you get the picture.

It's different now, as is well documented. They now have the group of workers in the back go through the treasure and pull anything of obvious value. They pull anything of suspected value. It's sad. The bins have quite a bit of garbage in them and it is recommended to wear gloves to sort.

I don't go much anymore. I prefer the Second Chance Outlet across the River. (69 cents a pound on the hard goods). The Bins on this side have crept up from 1.29$ a pound to 1.59$ a pound. I scrounged out 23 pounds. I paid an additional 6 bucks than I would have last year. YIKES. With profit margins so slim, it makes a difference.

But I love it.

What I found. Right off the bat I located a jacket with exquisite Harley-Davidson patches on the back. What was it doing still in the bin? The zipper did not work. Rats! What do they do with the items that do not sell? I actually don't know. Dispose of it in the dump? Ship it to China (at least they use to do that). So I though about two seconds once I realized the patches were glued on the back of the jacket, off they came. I now have three H-D patches to sell.

I found a CPK preemie in excellent condition. The cloth body immaculate! The little head needs some cleaning, but for 1.59/pound? She's mine.

I found a 3 by 4 wool entrance carpet that I badly needed.

Shower liner (unopened), sponge back scrubber (unopened). Approximately 8 Happy Birthday bags unused. Several bouquets of plastic flowers (needed badly for presentation at yard sale). LO found two sweat shirts and a very nice pair of sweat pants. Several Plush's    for the yard sale. A lot of  plastic dinosaurs for grab bags at Yard Sale. 

So the 31$ I paid (got 5 bucks off for my birthday) will be covered by the Harley Patches.

Oh yeah, I found the most amazing HUGE blood red leather (fake...who cares) BIG BUDDAH purse. The bins can still deliver if you are patient and are smarter than the other pickers.

Welcome to the Profit Zone!

 This is the deal. I am using my Samsung Phone as a computer and a camera and I am doing 100% of listing via the phone. So I have very little on the computer unless I send an email and then save the pictures to my files. I am not tech savvy. I struggle. A lot.

February was fairly good. I have been consistently listing and it is paying off. I have dipped below 5 grand for 90 days sales. I am not selling as many high $ items. I hope to change that soon. I am a student of a particular seller on Ebay. She sells consistently high dollar china/porcelain. Antiques and highly sought after collectible glass ware. Like Nippon, ZR&C, RS Prussia etc. So I am scouring the auctions close to me to pick this stuff up. It's highly competitive and a gamble. I try to buy low and sell higher and at least make my money back!!!!!! I allow my emotions to run wild at times such as the Lady Heads I purchased last week. I went for the lower end ones, the ones not so many people bidding on. I still dropped 203 bucks and as of today (only a week later) have just sold one for 29$. ill make approximately 25$ the lot consisted of 5 heads and a Goebel set of very rare (because there are none on the Internet for sale) set of Blue birds. I paid high up for the Birds (35) and high up for the Teenage lady head (45). I have them prices at 95 & 129 respectively. See? Bought for too much! The last 4 will be my profit. So, the 25 is profit. 

I am bidding on a whole lot of Barbie dolls!! I love Barbies.

I am suppose to be abstaining from Sourcing for Lent. I am cutting way back! But, this is my business and not some pleasure. I am working on my death pile. 

Sold this little cutie. I got her at my favorite In Person Auction House. There is this lady who always comes to bid on dolls. There were a lot of Madame Alexanders and Effabees (spelling?). She was picking them up for 5 bucks! It seemed wrong, so I began to bid against her and really helped the house out. I should have gotten a commission. At the very end she did not bid up to 50 like normal and I got stuck with a box of dolls for 45$. Yet, there were some exquisite ones in there. This is Pumkin. She sold and the Glinda Good Fairy sold. I'm close to the profit zone.

This little booger is a 1957 Geo Z Lefton signed Purple Poodle with many many many little flowers attached all over her. I sold her once and my description did not suit the buyer. I did not disclose enough of the "damage" (she's 65 years ols!! She will have a bunch of boo-boos) so she sent her back. I resold her fairly quickly after explaining her age and all the little chips. She is gorgeous and I'm certain is just beautiful to someone who will love her and not look at all her blemishes.

This is my board of accountability. What I list each day, what I sell each day, and what I spend when sourcing. So I listed 118 and sold 49. So I sold a 42% ratio. (Spent way too much!!!)

I'll try to be better at psoting.

Got them Winter Blues Funk

 My life is so different than from a year ago. It is completely different from 2 years ago and it will never be the same again. The usual stuff of aging. My left hand thumb is almost useless! Maybe from too many nights of sleeplessness listing on Ebay and Merc and cross posting to FaceBk. Don't know, maybe arthritis or carpel tunnel. Just hurts like hell and I am going thru a bottle of Tylenol knock off a week (exaggerating, but fairly close to the truth). Not to mention my tooth! I am going to have to schedule an appointment with a dentist any day now. And this is rather funny. When I was working and had dental insurance, I was a dedicated every 6 months in the chair. What a difference Insurance makes. And last, but not the real real last, is that I am the caregiver for my husband who has rapidly advancing dementia. That is a total life changer. I cannot leave him alone any longer, Not even for 30 minutes. That's the way it is. My daughter is semi living with us. That is a blessing. She has been gone for a week now, popping in and out, spending a lot of time with her boyfriend (Valentine's day, animal problems ((don't ask!)).

But I muddle on and am dedicated to listing at least 5 items a day, and tweaking Ebay and relisting on  Merc. Sales have been good. Better than I anticipated. I am restraining myself from buying and sourcing. I did drop 174$ for a lot of Glamour Heads and a Marilyn Wall Mask (the bomb). And I am bidding on quite a few things on two auction sites ending tonight. I put my max bids and God willing, will not hop on line and get emotional about Having to Have it. I won't make my money profit margins if I emotion bid.

So, because of the Death Pile Destruction motivation and the flurry of constant listing, I am selling selling selling. I'm not big league or anywhere near big time, but I am a whole lot better than some of the YouTubers I watch.

Sold in a couple of hours after tweaking the listing. Have had it for about six months. From My Fav Auction Place (verses Site). Live auctions so much more fun.

 This is an Auction House that I frequent a lot. I have purchased a lot of profitable items. But now it seems the cat is out of the bag and there is a lot of competition for the items. Boo hoo. I got this, along with 2 other stamp books, for 2$ (plus the premium of 10%, a whopping 20 cents) and sold it for 40$ Its a 1959 Stamp Book. I held on to it for about a month before listing it. It sold within a day.

Finally sold this pristine 1963 Ponytail Barbie case on FBMKT. Took an offer. maybe 25 bucks? Bought this at my Fav Auction House, at the Doll Auction this past summer. I have sold a lot of the items and I believe I am in the black. I over bid on the next to the last lot. It took a while to sell the 4 dolls, but the rest of the lots I have sold for a hefty profit. For example, I sold a Mint condition Barbie Lunch Box for 160$ In the black for sure.

From the on line auction that was a big Honey Hold House (lol) until lately when a mass migration to online auctions and an abundance of resellers have horned in on my turf. I purchased the set (what there was of it, Poppycock pattern) for 36$ plus their commission of 10%. Have numerous pieces to sell, this is the first. 

When I lost my most profitable Auction House when Sher burnt out I was directed to a web site where I could find "deals" like hers. Hence, I found this Auction House which I love! I have found many great things from them, and I have profited quite a lit. I wish I could buy low and make 100 times my investment. The saying is "you make your money when you buy". I bought 3 African Masks for 20 plus their 10% commission. Sold this one for 28$ Ebay is a difficult beast and you never know what you will make until they send your payout. On another note, I like picking up unusual things. The next one I sell, I will be in the black and the profit column!

Sold Fast. At My Fav Auction House I pick up these lots and you never know what you will get, I believe I left the auction spending close to 90$ and having a car load of stuff. These sold within days of listing. maybe a week. 

Definately into the profit with these decanters, We went to a rare outdoor auction at MFAH and I got this box of 6 Decanters for 20$ Plus their 10%. so about 3.75/ea. I listed this one about 2 weeks ago and it sold quickly. This is the second one I have sold, so in the BLACK Baby. Have 4 more to go. What am I waiting for? I have to make a blog posting don't it? And have a mountain of Death Pile waiting.

Another Emotional Purchase from the Auction House in S-Ville. I love Fenton and I love Fenton Fairy lamps. This one, a Mary Gregory, did not sell at the price I needed to make my 72$ back and a profit. I finally agreed on an offer. Just to get my money back. This Auction House has a 20% premium and that quickly adds up. I'm careful and learned my lesson with this Fairy Lamp. Buy low, buy cheap. If you can't, let it go. Easier said than done. Took a loss on this. 

I'm going to try and so better on posting my sales and my journey. I have these Plan my Day books that I used earlier in the journey - but like I began this post with the declaration that I am in a Funk. 

Accountability Again Breyer Style

I can not stop sourcing! Today I picked up 3 African Masks. I missed out on purchasing a lot of Painted Ponies and some other very interesting things. I am PISSED I missed out on that lot as I believe I could have made at least a 1000$ off of it. But, there will be other lots. I did go to MY FAVORITE AUCTION HOUSE on Tuesday and spent about 85$ on quite a few things. Nothing spectacular. I have only listed one little set of cups and saucers from the loot.

So these are the Breyer horses and Peter Stone horses I picked up this week end. I have not listed them all but what I have listed is below. I'm going to update these as I sell and add other horses.

Peter Stone horse called Matinee Idol 1999. Listed at 175$

Sold for 120$ 3/22

Sold 2nd one to same buyer for 100$

Unboxed 1981 Quarter Horse, Thank God it had a handwritten tag attached to the leg. 31$

A horse that was a Commemorative Edition.  .Durango 2000. 35$

1997 Classic Horse Grooming Kit Gift Set. 35$

Sold 3/22

List 5 Sell 2

The challenge to list at least 5 items a day is paying off. The holiday week of Christmas to New Year's I listed very little and the first week of January I only sold 3 items. The slowest week I've had in a long, long time. I consider 9 sold in a week very slow.

But now things have picked up with an intense surge of listings. I shoot for 5 a day and so far, all year (today is actually the 17th) I have kept up. And it is really paying off. Two sales in the middle of the night, one this morning.

3 yesterday, 1 Saturday and 2 on Friday. I'm focusing on my Death Pile, but also trying to list the items I am sourcing ASAP. This is working out pretty good, though I have several boxes of stuff from My Favorite Auction House from Tuesday that are languishing in the garage and will be absorbed into my Death Pile is I do not snap to.

3 the first week of January and 13 last week, and 6 so far this week and we're only 34 hours into it.

Death Pile Listing. A Beaded Medicine Bag. Very cool. Wear around your neck. I received this in a lot from MFAH. Have so many small purses to list and this is the 1st.

I think I bought this in the summer of 2020!! I had two of them one red, one blue. Each was only 6.99$ I sold the red one long time ago and resisted listing this one because it was covered with stickers. I finally got around to removing the gunky stuff and go it up for sale, A broken handle, but otherwise for 60 years old, this Ponytail Carrying Case is ready for a TV show or something similar. I have a MINT black one, but I think the more colorful ones sell better,

Time has a way of just being a blur. I got this from LL and it was from an Estate Sale in Audobon Park. It is a belytbuckle!! So unusual. Listed now. Looking for a Belt.

Got this in a lot of stuff. I hope someone will buy it. They are not that expensive, not that popular. I mean, do you know anyone who is a Falconer?

So cute even if the paint finish is spotty. That is the reason I did not list it earlier. From MFAH, Long ago I suppose. 

Listed the Frankoma and it sold in several days! Word. List the Frankoma.

With the addition of the new phone and the Light Box I have few photos on the computer. I'll be better about sending them over to email and then saving them!

New Year Set Goals

 I really lagged with the posts last month. A lot going on with an accelerated selling month, pulling back on the sourcing, dealing with the dementia, with my daughter moving into the house. Just a lot going on and distractions always knock me off course.

My goals for 2022 for the reselling business are as follows:

1) Net 30 grand. I believe I was close to 12 grand this year and I did not buckle down enough. My goals were haphazard and spotty. I went through a period where I set priorities daily and why I stopped, I don't know. It helped me focus and demanded that I remain accountable. It was good. No reason why I shouldn't start again!!

2) Since I want to net 30 grand, I have an average net profit of 20$ per sale and sell about 2/3 of what I post (for example I list 33 I sell 21).    So last night I did the math and I need to list 45 items to sell 30 @ 20 profit X 52 weeks will net 30 grand. Theoretically. 

3) Be much more judicious in my sourcing. For example, I went to an auction this Saturday. There were a lot of Barbie dolls that I was interested in. I should have researched them more closely because not many of them were worth much. Not worth (resale value) what they went for. For example, I bid and won 4 dolls for 130 + 10% fee and 6% tax = 151.58 /4 = 38 bucks each. One should resale for around 100$  Another, is worth maybe 75$. It's a Christmas Barbie set that is not all that common. I still overpaid! But I was aggravated. There was a "moron" from Indiana that continuously bid everything up. It was like it was her first auction and she was determined to outbid everyone.  It will take time to sell them and make my money back. Same thing with the Fenton. Each piece was bid on and then buyer's choice. It was mind boggling. I picked up a Fenton Fairy Lamp for 27.50 (moron was bidding me up) X 10% fee and then 6% sales tax = 32.06 32% sold it for 59$ (already!) (Yay) I made a little less than 20$. Spent 292$ When I left I had purchased a box of books for 55$ (once again the moron bid me up on them, no one bidding but me and her!! I hope I never see her again). I checked out, paid my bill but, when I got home I discovered they did not charge me for the books. I'm torn to let them know they made a mistake, then again, I hope they charged the Moron. They need a computer system. The little card system is prone to errors. Moral of the story, I bid too much I was emotional about it. 

4) Take advantage of Ebays promotions and tools. 

5) Purge

I have spent 90% of my budget!! Ha ha! I have my eyes on some Beryer Hourse and some Stone Horses. So we'll see.

And my favorite auction house is set for an auction on the 11th. And there is one on Sunday. Busy Busy.

What I sourced last week ...

Got this baby for 5$ I believe it may be alabaster. I was able to clean most of the brown off of the pourous material. I still have some work to do on it but I posted it anyway because LISTING is my new thing.

Won these for 20$ I love them. The only one with Flaws is the tiger, I believe he is covered with leather and the leather is a little rough at the end of his tale. There is a cheetah, a rhino, and a cute little thing I can't remember what it is called, but it is African. I have all of them listed, Rhino goes today, and have yet to sell one but I will. 5.83/ each.

Hall's Lifetime Toys Wood Doll House Furniture. I have separated the pieces to sell. I have a lot of interest, a lot of views. They will sell quickly, maybe,  maybe not.

20$ plus fees so about 7.78 per piece. 

This one chick in the nest lot I won. There are four more chicks I believe. I have most of them listed. 

Finally I want to concentrate on E Bay. Mercari is good, Facebook sucks, but Ebay is where it is at!