Entries from November 2007 ↓
November 21st, 2007 — Niche, eBay News and Talk
After teaching [tag]eBay[/tag] classes for the past five years, I figure I should be practicing what I preach when it comes to finding things to sell on eBay. Last Saturday I went out to one [tag]garage sale[/tag] not too far from my house. I arrived at 8 AM. As I scanned the tables I gathered a few items I thought would do well on eBay. I forked over my $7.50 and hurried home to check out my new treasures on [tag]Terapeak[/tag]. I was quite happy with what I found. I'm going to write about most of the stuff in the next day or two, but I thought I'd share this one auction with you to show what can happen if you educate yourself a bit in a few areas of eBay.
I saw this book poking up from a box with an orange sticker on it. It is by a very famous [tag]fashion[/tag] editor named [tag]Diana Vreeland[/tag]. Evidently she pretty much invented the idea we have today of a "fashion editor." (Think "The Devil Wears Prada") This lady was pretty fascinating, she was friends with all the [tag]New York society[/tag] types from the 1930's till her death in 1989. People like [tag]Jackie Onasis[/tag], [tag]Andy Warhol[/tag], and oh so many others. The book has tons of photos, and her commentary on all of them. But that really isn't my point here...
I hadn't heard of Diana Vreeland...
The price was typical yard sale level and I stacked it up with my other things. I didn't know who Diana Vreeland was, or what the title "[tag]ALLURE[/tag]" related to, but I didn't have to. How did I decide to buy it? Here are the things that crossed my mind, while I pushed other books aside:
- it is a big [tag]book[/tag], dealing with a popular subject, in great condition
- it's from 1980, and a [tag]first edition[/tag]
- it's fashion-related, so its content is dated - likely [tag]out of print[/tag]
- the book has its original dust cover
- the cover under the dust jacket is extremely nice, sharp corners and no marks inside or out
When I got home, I looked it up on Amazon.com, Abebooks.com, and eBay using Terapeak to check the history over the past 90 days. I was pleasantly surprised. A couple of copies had sold on eBay for $100-$123. Nice! On Abebooks, sellers listed it for an average of about $130-$175 in this condition. On Amazon.com they are listed for $150. I figure eBay is the best place to judge the actual market, so I hope it runs over $100 on [tag]Cyber Monday[/tag].
Oh and how much did I pay for it? I'll let you know after the sale next Monday. You will be inspired I'm sure.
UPDATE: Ok, I paid a dollar for this book. It pays to keep your eyes open, and arrive early to the garage sales...
Popularity: 9% [?]
November 19th, 2007 — eBay News and Talk
[tag]Thanksgiving [/tag]is upon us again. That means this Friday is [tag]Black Friday[/tag] for brick and mortar retailers. Legend has it that Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year in the United States. According to Snopes.com, this is not exactly true. While Black Friday as big, it's not the biggest. Looking back at the years 1993 through 2006, the last week before December 25 has been the largest shopping day in dollars each year. More specifically, the last three days before Christmas have been the biggest shopping day of the year. Online retailers have coined the term "Cyber Monday" to describe the day following the big Thanksgiving weekend. On this day, they say shoppers who couldn't find what they want over the weekend, go online to find items.
Whether [tag]Cyber Monday[/tag] is all they say it is or not, there is no doubt that this time of year is a big selling opportunity on eBay. Are you ready for this important time of year? What are some of the things you can do to make sure your sales take advantage of the additional shopping going on right under your nose?
Obviously in order to sell things on eBay, you have to have things to sell. Shoppers are looking for interesting gifts for their loved ones and friends. They like to find unique items that maybe can't be found in any Target or Wal-Mart. For these types of items you might try looking at home. I've been going through closets and boxes at home lately, and I found all kinds of unique items that may sell very well on [tag]eBay[/tag]. These are things that I intended to sell a few years ago and never got around to it. So to find unique items to sell look in your closet.
Cyber Monday
Monday, November 26, 2007, is this year's Cyber Monday. If you're a seller on eBay, you can list some items today as a seven-day auction or on Wednesday as a five day auction and still take advantage of Cyber Monday. But what if you're not quite ready?
In the weeks ahead
As I mentioned many people have things in their closet they could sell on eBay right now. Another source of merchandise to sell at this time of year may be your local retailer. Independent stores and shops are still trying to get rid of summer inventory. Could you take some of those items off their hands? Or could you sell some of these items for your local retailer for a percentage of the sale price? I remember doing and eBay trade show for some hardware dealers up in Wisconsin a few years ago. These independent store owners had summertime stock that they had to run through a liquidation service in order to make room for winter inventory. They told us, "We would love it if someone would come in and help us sell this inventory. We only make pennies on the dollar with liquidators, and we be happy to share that with a local eBay seller." This could be another great area for you to jumpstart your sales at this time of year.
Although it's a bit late in the year, you may want to look into a company such as Worldwide Brands. As a member, you'll have access to vendors in nearly every different category of merchandise you can imagine. If you work fast, you can still take advantage of this season's selling boom. You'll have access to manufacturers, and drop shippers. In case you're not familiar with worldwide Brands, the company was developed on the idea that it's difficult for small sellers to contact manufacturers and real wholesalers to source products to sell on eBay. [tag]Worldwide Brands[/tag] reached out to these various companies and asked them if they'd be willing to do business with small home businesses which includes most eBay sellers. [tag]Manufacturers [/tag]and [tag]distributors [/tag]who agreed to this can be found in Worldwide Brands extensive directory. As a seller, you can look up contact information which will let you directly contact distributors and manufacturers and request permission to sell their products. But what about drop shipping?
In my opinion at this time of year drop shipping becomes a precarious situation. Due to the high demand put on manufacturers. At this time of year stock levels can be extremely volatile. This can leave a seller in a situation with orders, but no product to fill them. What can be done in these cases? Where practical a seller may want to purchase an item or two in order to fill emergency orders. I don't think too many people though will have a plasma TV sitting in the garage just in case someone runs out of stock.
Another consideration with drop shippers at this time of year is the time it takes for items to be delivered with the extra burden the holidays put on shipping services such as the [tag]US Postal Service[/tag] and [tag]UPS[/tag]. If you're using a [tag]drop shipper[/tag], make sure to allow enough time for the order to go through the drop shipper's order process. While you can find drop shippers in Worldwide Brands directory, for new sellers this could be a little bit intimidating. For newer sellers I recommend [tag]Doba[/tag]. While it may be a little more difficult to squeeze a profit out of the deal, the user interface and stock levels are much easier for new sellers. They also have an extensive education library to help new sellers sell on eBay, as well as their web stores.
Both companies are run by honest people. In either case, it takes hard work on the part of a seller to make a profit. It takes creative thinking to differentiate yourself from the millions of other sellers on eBay. Using a mixture of the ideas have listed above, you should be able to create a unique product line that will keep your customers happy all year long. [tags]ecommerce,online sales,product sourcing[/tags]
Popularity: 8% [?]
November 13th, 2007 — Niche
My son came bouncing into the room about a year ago going on and on about the [tag]megalodon[/tag] and how big they are and that they were two or three times the size of the great white shark and now that's his favorite and ....well, you get the point. He was pretty worked up. He wanted me to look it up on the "innernet" - so I did. I found out these creatures were pretty amazing, and me being me - I looked it up on [tag]eBay[/tag] too. I was surprised at what I found. There is a very robust market for their teeth.
Carcharocles megalodon was by far the largest predator to have ever lived. Imagine a [tag]prehistoric[/tag], gigantic [tag]shark[/tag] - that's pretty much what it was. Although experts haven't reached an agreement on the size of these things, estimates run in the range of 55-65 feet long. A full grown man could stand up in its jaws, but he probably wouldn't want linger. 
So why don't we see any Megalodon skeletons? Because sharks don't have skeletons made of bone like we do. That's why pretty much all we have to go on is the teeth. But the teeth give us a clue to the size of this massive beast. Fossilized teeth from this shark have been found up to 7 1/4” in slant height and weighing more than a pound. By comparison, the largest Great White teeth weigh only a couple of ounces, and max out at about 3 1/2". The best examples are rimmed with razor sharp serrations. Much more of this information can be found at MegalodonTeeth.com. Steve has one of the best megalodon sites with tons of information, in fact much of the research I did for this post is from his site, and I sincerely appreciate him letting me tap into his knowledge base. Take a look at what he has for sale on his site. It's amazing stuff.
One of the top sellers of these teeth is Garry Dye of MegalodonSharkTeeth.com. His site has some amazing info on how and where they're found, among other things. Garry allowed me to use these images from a couple of his eBay auctions. From my research he has some of the most consistently amazing specimens on eBay.
Nowadays, fossil hunters highly prize the megalodon teeth. The smaller teeth (3 1/2” - 4 1/2”) are not all that uncommon, it's the larger teeth (5” and over) that are really sought after. Besides the fact that they're rare, finding them with their original luster, un-chipped (even the megalodon iteself chipped a tooth once in a while), and large makes them worth hundreds of dollars each.
The color also matters. They come in blue, white, orange, gray, and many other colors and this adds to their scarcity among the real collectors and dealers. The color is determined by the type of sediment the tooth was in while it fossilized. Over millions of years, the teeth absorbed minerals from the material surrounding it, and took on the sediment's color.
Megalodon teeth come in different shapes and colors. The color of a tooth is determined solely by the color of the sediment in which it was buried while fossilizing. The tooth absorbs minerals from the surrounding sediment, and, consequently, becomes the same general color as the sediment.
Many of the teeth are found off the southeastern U.S. Getting them from the ocean depths may be tough for many. But if one was to ever find one of these teeth at a sale it would certainly be worth picking it up and listing it. Using eBay, or sites like MegalodonSharkTeeth.com to educate yourself is a great idea not only for these teeth but other fossils that are sold on eBay. There is a category for Rocks and [tag]Fossils[/tag] where you can find lots of ideas, but the Megalodon rules over all the others - just like old times.
[tags]niche,selling[/tags]
Popularity: 11% [?]
November 12th, 2007 — eBay Classes
I will be teaching the [tag]eBay Class[/tag] - Beyond the Basics, Techniques for the Serious Seller in Paso Robles this Saturday, December 1st at 9AM. The [tag]class [/tag]will be held at the Senior Center at 270 Scott St., [tag]Paso Robles[/tag].
This class is for those eBay sellers who'd like to see some significant results from their eBay sales. In this class you'll learn:
- Start a business on eBay
- Increase Sales with Proven Marketing Techniques
- Find New Sources of Merchandise
- Open an eBay Store
- Use Listing Tools to Improve Productivity
- Track Your Sales with Reports and Research
You may pre-register by calling (805) 237-3988, Monday through Friday between 9 AM and 5:30 PM, or you can visit the city's website here.
If you have questions about the class, please feel free to leave a question below in the comment box.
Popularity: 9% [?]
November 10th, 2007 — eBay News and Talk
[tag]Norman Mailer[/tag] died today at the age of 84. He was such a colorful personality that I'd never really do him justice trying to eulogize him here. I do have what I think is a funny story about Mr. Mailer and how I got invited into his [tag]Brooklyn[/tag] apartment.
Brooklyn - 1983
I lived in Brooklyn, New York from 1983 through 1986. It just so happened that several old [tag]celebrities[/tag] did too. Among them, [tag]writer[/tag] Norman Mailer. I met him several times. I would occasionally run into him on the street and say "hello Mr. Mailer" and he was always very pleasant as we passed. For some dumb reason, I decided to ring his doorbell one night (although for the life of me I cannot remember why, although it's entirely possible that I'd had a couple of beers). I can tell you I was not drunk or even tipsy.
[tag]Brooklyn Heights[/tag] is made up of great brownstone walkups from the 1830s - 1860s. They're about three stories tall. Mr. Mailer's apartment was on the third floor.
I buzzed the intercom, and a garbled voice came back, I just said "I'd like to see Mr. Mailer" and I was buzzed in. At the top of the first landing I met this very nice black lady who took my coat and directed me upstairs. I thought "wow, that is really nice" and walked up. At the door to the apartment upstairs I knocked and a beautiful woman in formal evening attire let me in. She had a cocktail in her hand and asked what I wanted - that was the first indication that there may be some misunderstanding. I saw him in the background walk past a doorway, and he was certainly not expecting me, nor did he even know I was there. He was just out of the shower it appeared. Oh man.
I quickly glanced around the room. Outside to the west was Manhattan just after sundown, a spectacular sight. Just in front of me were a couple more people with cocktails - looking at me like I was the Son of Sam or something. Well, after all I wasn't dressed properly for the party.
The lady who'd let me into the apartment turned out to be his wife, [tag]Norris Church[/tag] - a striking lady. She very nicely told me "you'll have to come back another time, we're getting ready for a party." That was a pretty embarrassing moment for me. After the warm welcome, with the lady taking my coat and all, I was ready for a martini. Evidently the intercom was garbled on the inside speaker too, and who'd think of some dumb kid just walking in on party night?
Of course I left, passing arriving guests on my way down the stairs, collecting my coat and my self-respect. But as I left, and to this day, I grin at the thought that I'm probably the only person I know of who's been to Norman Mailer's apartment. If you have any experiences with Norman Mailer, please leave a comment. Thanks!
Oh, and anyone looking for a Norman Mailer / [tag]eBay[/tag] angle:
Popularity: 8% [?]
November 7th, 2007 — Presidential Race
...and [tag]Ron Paul[/tag] is still winning.
The amount of Ron Paul items sold on [tag]eBay[/tag] over the past month beat every other candidate for [tag]U.S. President[/tag], including [tag]Hillary Clinton[/tag]. I have been tracking items on eBay related to the presidential candidates for several months. It is amazing that dark horse [tag]candidate [/tag]Senator Ron Paul continues to outshine a former first lady, the popular and well-known former mayor of New York, and other better-known senators -on eBay.
Who are these people?
You may have heard that Ron Paul had a record [tag]fund raising[/tag] day last Monday. He raised nearly $4 million, and some feel he may raise up to $12 million by the end of the year. His supporters are not slowing down. These are the same tenacious people who sell items on eBay to support their man. Notice the difference in the metrics between Hillary and Ron Paul in the chart:
- Number of listings - Hillary has over twice as many listings mentioning her than Ron Paul
- Average Price - Ron Paul items are selling for 40% less than the former first lady
- Sell-through Rate - Ron Paul has an amazing 69% sell-through rate (this is good for any eBay category)
- Total Sales - Even though he has less items, and the average sale price is less, Ron Paul still comes out ahead because of the high sell-through rate
The difference is in the items themselves. The Hillary items that sell are mostly memorabilia. Old items will autographs, etc. Ron Paul items are campaign supplies. Bumper stickers, car-top signs, buttons, pens, you name it.
I hope the Ron Paul supporters on eBay get invited to the inaugural ball.
Oh by the way, the [tag]Hillary Nutcracker[/tag] continues to sell at a higher rate than everyone but Ron Paul - it even sells better than the Hillary stuff.[tags][/tags]
Popularity: 5% [?]
November 7th, 2007 — eBay Classes
I will be teaching the Basics of Selling on [tag]eBay [/tag]in Paso Robles this Saturday, November 10th at 9AM. The [tag]class [/tag]will be held at the Senior Center at 270 Scott St., [tag]Paso Robles[/tag].
This class is perfect for people who've only bought things on eBay and would like to begin selling. Or maybe you'd like to [tag]make some extra money[/tag] before the [tag]holidays [/tag]by [tag]selling [/tag]a few things from around the house. We'll cover all the steps to create your eBay listings, and I'll share a few extra insider tips with you to give you an edge over the competition. I look forward to seeing you there!
You may pre-register by calling (805) 237-3988, Monday through Friday between 9 AM and 5:30 PM, or you can visit the city's website here.
Popularity: 5% [?]
November 6th, 2007 — Niche
Today I'm starting a new category called [tag]Niche Selling Ideas[/tag]. There are still some little-known areas on eBay where hungry entrepreneurs and observant thrift store & garage sale shoppers can make a killing.
Ok, so what is catalin?
[tag]Catalin[/tag] was used extensively in the 1920's through the early 1940's. Around the time of World War II it was not uncommon at all to find [tag]jewelry[/tag] and other household items made with the swirly plastic. During the war however, materials were funneled to the war effort and Catalin production dropped dramatically in favor of cheaper (less impressive) plastic. Catalin never really made a comeback. It has had an extremely good sell-through rate on eBay for a long time. If you find a piece, it will likely sell - sometimes for surprisingly high prices.
Is this [tag]radio[/tag] really made of Catalin?
Be careful before buying an item that claims to be catalin. Many sellers sincerely believe they have a rare catalin radio. They may list their item on [tag]eBay[/tag] with a question mark because they're not sure. You can usually spot genuine catalin because you'll see many bids on the item. It's still a good idea to train yourself to identify the real McCoy.
Catalin and [tag]Marblette[/tag] are trade-names for slight variations on the original [tag]Bakelite[/tag] chemical formula. During manufacturing, Catalin started out as a clear resin. Then dyes were added to give it various colors. Even with these colors added, light will still pass through Catalin. Use a pretty good light and see if it passes through. If it does, you are certainly on the right track. Light will pass thru Catalin. Even Black Catalin will offer a little translucence. It may appear a little green. Another test used by some is a heat test. Plaskon, Bakelite, Beetle, and Catalin won't melt. Although they may produce an odor when heated, but the smell test alone, and the heat test in general are not conclusive tests for Catalin.
Although some Catalin radios and other items may have been made very thick they may also be thin. Catalin is a poured or cast [tag]plastic[/tag] which allows it to be made thick but in the case of Emerson Patriot radios of the early 40's Monsanto Plastic was the supplier of these Catalin cases and they have walls that are a little thinner than those made by Catalin Corp.
Catalin may be found with dramatic swirling, but also in solid colors. It's really important to know how to identify it, since it's often very valuable. eBay is a great place to study these items.
An important fact regarding many Catalin items is the level of discoloration that takes place. As Catalin ages, and is exposed to the environment and light it will change color, often darkening.
Produced in dozens of colors--solid and marbled--many have changed over time:
- white turned to cream corn
- turquoise turned to green
- pink turned to orange
- violet turned to brown
- blue turned to green
Professionals exist who can remove the discoloration, but many just like to enjoy them as they are.
Generally Catalin can be found in a wide variety of colors and color combinations. Although radios bring the highest prices on eBay, there are lots of other items you can find. You can find catalin items at [tag]garage sales[/tag], [tag]thrift stores[/tag], and especially at good [tag]estate sales[/tag] at very reasonable prices since many people don't know what they have. An eBayer's dream come true.
Take a look below at some of the items available on eBay right now...
Popularity: 8% [?]
November 5th, 2007 — Worth, eBay Classes
I just received an email that made me feel like a proud papa. After attending both my eBay Basics and Advanced classes, a married couple have just seen their first batch of eBay listings close with sweet success. I suggested they start small and work their way up, and that is what they did. Neither of us had any idea how quickly things would go up though.
Applying what they learned
I suggested they start somewhat small, price their items low to encourage bidding, use sharp photographs and concise descriptions. I also suggest honest shipping prices and a good return policy. They did all those things, and had great success. They are not the only ones. Others have sold hundreds in their first month, just selling things from around the house. eBay classes work. This couple spent a little on fees for the classes at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California and they've become profitable already. Keep an eye on this seller, they have lots more where these items came from! Congratulations davisvintage!
Popularity: 12% [?]
November 5th, 2007 — eBay News and Talk
[tag]Conde Nast[/tag] has announced that December 2007 will be the last issue of [tag]House & Garden[/tag] [tag]magazine[/tag]. The magazine's publisher has left Conde Nast and they have decided that this is the end for the magazine as well as the website houseandgarden.com.
[tag]eBay[/tag] Sellers and Buyers
There are still [tag]subscriptions[/tag] for sale for House & Garden on eBay. I would suggest passing on them since they obviously will not be fulfilled. I'm sure once the news filters down to the sellers they'll remove the listings, but for now - steer clear. Since House & Garden began in 1906 there are lots of great vintage issues on eBay, and one [tag]collectible[/tag] issue coming up. The last one. Sellers should grab a few copies and stick them away somewhere, they'll likely be worth more than face value sometime in the future. The Magazine [tag]Back Issues[/tag] category is a busy one and a great place to find cool, inexpensive art for your home.
Here is a link to the news announcement on www.chron.com.
Popularity: 5% [?]
November 4th, 2007 — Selling on eBay
[tag]eBay[/tag] [tag]Customer Service[/tag] vs. Your Customer Service - a thought...
There are far more [tag]complaints [/tag]than compliments for eBay Customer Service. People are upset that they don't have a [tag]phone number[/tag], address, support person, etc. and they talk about it - a lot. Especially the phone number part.
As an eBay seller and [tag]small business[/tag] owner, do you provide the level of customer service that you expect from eBay? or any company for that matter? Do you offer your phone number to all of your customers so they may reach you when they have a problem? Have you installed the Skype buttons in your listings to give your customers or potential customers unfettered access to you when they have a question?
Customer service actually begins during the listing creation. Anticipating questions and providing clear information is a way of actually getting a customer. A solid return policy is another element of customer service. If a problem arises from one of your transactions, do you make customers jump through hoops to get it resolved? You should have a very clear [tag]Return Policy[/tag] on each one of your listings. If your policy is that you won't take returns, then that is your Return Policy. Letting buyers know up front will at least minimize problems. A sample return policy might be:
I will accept returns for any reason for seven days after delivery. Refund will include the full purchase price and original shipping cost and will be given upon return of the item. Buyer is responsible for return shipping. Thanks for your business!
That is pretty fair. If the buyer knows that policy up front, they feel like they've been treated fairly if anything goes wrong. Notice there is no harsh language or implied threats of negative feedback. There is also no paranoid details indicating the seller is deathly afraid of losing a nickel if the transaction goes south.
Seven Tips to make your customer service shine:
- Offer a way for the customer to contact you, besides email. [tag]Skype [/tag]is a great way to do this.
- Communicate with a friendly, professional tone. No snide, accusatory, or sarcastic remarks.
- Offer a fair, solid Return Policy. Think it through, keep it professional
- Respond promptly to questions or concerns.
- Offer tracking information to your customers. Put their minds at ease.
- Be proactive in communication. Let customers know of delays, or problems before they have to ask.
- Put yourself in the customer's shoes. With lots of talk about scams and rip-offs - people get a bit jumpy if communication is lacking.
What do you expect? Usually it's the small considerations that make the biggest impact. Do those small things, and keep buyers coming back for more.
Do you have any customer service tips or nightmares? Please leave your comments below.
[tag]eBay's Phone Number[/tag]
For those needing it, you may reach eBay by phone at: 1-800-eBay-com (or 1-800-322-9266)
Email eBay Customer Support here.
Popularity: 4% [?]
November 1st, 2007 — eBay Classes
I'll be teaching an [tag]eBay class[/tag] here in my hometown of [tag]Atascadero[/tag], California beginning Monday, November 5th. This is the Basics of Selling class which is great for those who have yet to sign up for [tag]eBay[/tag]. It's also helpful for those who've only purchased items and would like to begin selling. This time of year is especially hot on eBay and if you'd like to take advantage of it now is the time to learn. It's not uncommon for students to make their tuition fee back within their first few sales. Some make lots more! One lady I taught in San Luis Obispo sold over $1000 on eBay in her first month - and that was just stuff from around her house.
If you’ve never sold on eBay and would like to get started, you’ll learn all the basics at this class. It’s a little over 4 hours of instruction and during the class you’ll learn how to:
- Open a Seller Account
- Research Tips and Create Listings
- Improve Your Listings with Better Descriptions and Photography
- Pricing Strategies
- Open and Use a PayPal account
- Monitor Your Listings
- Complete Transactions and Ship Your Items
If you have a basic knowledge of eBay selling and you’d like to use eBay for additional income as a business -or- you have an existing [tag]business [/tag]and would like to develop an additional sales channel online, I’d recommend the Beyond the Basics class.
Class details & Registration
The class will be in two parts (Monday, Nov. 5 & Monday, Nov. 12) and each session begins at 6:30PM and lasts till about 8:30. It will be held at the Atascadero Lake Pavillion located near the Atascadero Lake Park. The fee is $72 dollars. You may register through the city at (805) 461-5000 or through their website at www.atascadero.org. Walk-ins are okay, I'll have forms available for you to sign up and pay at the class. Hope to see you there!
Popularity: 5% [?]
