bidbits

Amazon's New FBA Revenue Calculator - Does It Make Sense to Have Amazon Fulfill It?

Are you wondering if it makes economic sense to fulfill that item yourself, or to send it in to amazon and have them pack and ship it to your customer? 

Now amazon has a new calculator tool that can help you make that decision. Here's part of an email I received about it:

"Check out the cost benefits of using Fulfillment by Amazon.

In October we launched the FBA Revenue Calculator to give you better insight into what it costs for you to use FBA on a per item level. With this tool you can do a side-by-side comparison of fulfilling orders yourself and fulfilling with Amazon:

• Calculate FBA costs using real listings on Amazon.com
• Compare your fulfillment costs side-by-side with FBA
• Estimate profitability at different sales levels

Try the FBA Revenue Calculator."

Here's what it looks like. I tried it with a book I plan to sell, "The Girl Who Played with Fire" by Stieg Larsson (incidentally, all his books are selling very well from amazon now, used ones included):

In it, I put in a sample price of $6.25 for the paperback. With amazon fulfillment, you net $3.04, and with selling it yourself in this scenario, you make $3.96.  This is because of amazon's .50 pack fee, .40 for weight handling, and .02 for 30 days of storage.

Those fees aren't bad, and if you send in a lot of items to FBA, they will most likely sell a lot more quickly than your own listings, because they will appear on top of all the listings, and also buyers tend to trust them more. So you may make more money overall, even with the FBA fees.

So you have to weigh the worth of that over the small extra cost. (With a heavier book, this is going to cost more). I send amazon a mix of some of my bulky, more expensive books that I don't have space for, and hot items like video games I want to sell quickly and I know the FBA tag will help.

I'll have a better handle on how the numbers crunch out as more time goes by. As for now, I'm happy with my fba listings.

Evergreen Books that Sell Well on Amazon or eBay

Since I've been selling items on eBay and amazon, I've learned to spot a few things that jump out at me as no-brainers. In the book world, one area in which I focus, one of these is the bright red Betty Crocker cookbook known as the "red pie" cookbook. (I will write more about others in future blog posts).

It regularly sells for healthy amounts. Here's a snapshot of a few of the ones that recently sold on eBay:

 

As you can see, these sold for $50 and one for $66. And there was one that sold for more than that, not shown.

On amazon, there are 11 copies starting at (yes, that's *starting at*) $32.95 and going all the way up to $125.

But the nice thing about this book is it's not hard to find...you can see it often pop up at estate sales. yard sales, even thrift stores. It will be in varying conditions, but even the ones in just OK conditions sell pretty well.

(Why is it called "red pie"? Not because of an actual "red pie" food on the cover, tho there is a slice of pie on there; it's because the whole circle graphic on the cover is divided into pieces like a pie). Its actual name is simply the "Betty Crocker Cookbook," and in later years the cover got a redesign, but this red pie version is a favorite.

Why does it sell so well? It's one of those perennial favorites...a lot of people learned to cook with it, and now they are buying it for nostalgia or because they lost their copy, or to replace a worn-out one.

For more info on books that sell well and for what, get my ebook, "Over 500 Books that Sell for $50-$5000 on eBay" at http://www.yardsalers.net/500Books.asp.

How to Get the Top Out-of-Stock Products List from Amazon.com

A reader asked me how to get the out-of-stock products list for amazon sellers -- i.e. the list of items people currently want on the site but that are not currently available. These are products amazon would naturally like sellers to list asap.

This one is easy -- they simply email it to you as a seller. I have two seller accounts and I receive this list regularly. As far as I know, all sellers, whether they have a pro merchant account or regular account, get the list, but if I find out otherwise, I will post here. (Please see my previous post, which has this information).

I also regularly post these lists (or sometimes excerpts of these lists) here on my blog.

Top Movies People Want But Can't Have

What are the movies on dvd people are chomping at the bit to own but that they can't because they are out of stock on amazon.com?

Amazon sends us these nice little updates, and as sellers it behooves us to pay attention to keep our eyes out for these hard-to-find items.

I did a little digging to see what these were and why they are so highly coveted.

(OK, admittedly some of the films are a little racy, but there you have it).

Here's a list of the top 50 with some of my commentary in brackets:

Song of the South

[This is an old Disney movie ("Well Mr. Bluebird's on my shoulder"), now looks pretty politically incorrect, hence hard to find].

Transformers [Blu-ray]

[sci-fi movie w/ Shia LaBeouf]

Are You Afraid of the Dark? - The Complete Firs...

From a reader review: "Arguably the best of Nick At Night. This series was written extremely well, and it shows in the longevity, sheer success and growing interest people have in the sets....
In fact, AYAOTD is so good, one could call it a golden stepchild of shows like Twilight Zone..."] 

David Garrett: Live In Berlin

[ I had never heard of this guy, but apparently the rest of the world is crazy about him. From a reader review: "In the US, we are latecomers to his talent. You can surf the net and read the news from across the world and David Garrett makes headlines. I don't know that anyone else could have me put on the "Summer" (Vivaldi) track and turn the volume way up. Just about everyone has heard "Dueling Banjos" (the Deliverance soundtrack), but they have never heard it like this..."]

In Europe and Asia, this guy fills stadiums because his sound is powerful, beautiful, and enchanting."

GOOD EATS 12-Pack Alton Brown DVD's Food Networ...

ALTON BROWN GOOD EATS 18 DVD SET 54 EPISODES!!!

[Food Network star Alton Brown; "

It's cooking meets chemistry meets science class meets recess. Mix in his quirky personality and random jabs at pop culture and you have great TV. Or as Alton says 'Good Eats!"]

Hey Arnold! Season 3 (6 Disc Set)

[Nickelodeon toon from the 90s. Per one reviewer, "Here's the 3rd Season we've been waiting for. It seems this third volume is being released after four and five because it contains near twice as many episodes as seasons four and five."]

Blackzillian Booties

[Um...this is kinda what you'd expect it to be.]

Ladies and Gentlemen... the Rolling Stones

THIS AIN'T GLEE XXX (Bluray DVD)

3 IDIOTS DVD [2 DISC SET] BOOK and STICKER

[From what I can deduce this is an Indian comedy spoofing the Indian education system...looks like it would be funny if I could understand it].

Live From Amsterdam [Blu-ray]

NOVA: Secret of the Wild Child

["This is perhaps one of the most important stories in the field of Child Development. Not only does it illustrate a story of unimaginable child abuse and provide unparalleled insight into the effects of social isoloation on the psychological and mental development of humans, but it also reveals the darker side of science -- a part so driven by notoriety and money that it ends up abusing Genie over and over. "]

The Expert Guide to Oral Sex, Part 1: Cunnilingus

Are You Afraid of The Dark? seasons 1/2/3/4/5/6...

2 Million Minutes: A Documentary Calculating th...

["Two Million Minutes - an intriguing look at how the three superpowers of the 21st Century - China, India and the United States - are preparing their students for the future."]

Walt Disney Collectible Classics Box Set - 10 W...

The Wizard of Oz [Import] [All-region]

Superbook Volume #1

[Animated episodes explain Bible stories to children, e.g. "My Brother's Keeper - Chris, Joy and Gizmo meet Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve. The travelers witness a jealous Cain who kills Abel, and then gets punished."]

Are You Afraid of The Dark? - (Box Set) The Com...

Ginger Snaps - The Trilogy (special Collector's...

[Twilight-esque saga: "...A hunger that began on the frontier in the 19th century, where Ginger and Brigitte Fitzgerald search for sanctuary from the shocking evil at the gate and experience the first bite."]

Restorative Yoga

As Is Magazine Presents: The BMF

[Story of a "Black Mafia"]

Twilight's Last Gleaming

VIPER GTS (DVD MOVIE)

Walt Disney Classic Cartoon Favorites Gift Set:...

Rachel and the Stranger

[A vintage movie based on "antiquated mores": "In the olden days, there were white slaves as well as black. Rachel And The Stranger may be the only movie to explore that topic, though lightly...William Holden (Bridge on the River Kwai) is a widower trying to raise his young son...at a cabin in the wilderness. On the advice of the parson in a nearby town, he marrys a bond slave played by Loretta Young (The Bishop's Wife), buying her out of servitude."]

The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin: Come Dream With...

This Ain't Dancing with the Stars XXX (Bluray) DVD

Young and Dangerous the Complete DVD Movie Box Set

My First Porn 1 - Digital Playground

This Ain't Star Trek XXX [Blu-ray]

Unico: Unico in the Island of Magic

CHALENE JOHNSON'S DVD WORKOUT: TURBO JAM CARDIO...

Unico: The Fantastic Adventures of Unico

PoleCats I: Beginning Pole Dancing

CLINTON ANDERSON- Downunder Horsemanship- Gaini...

The Crash Pad

Cuba: An African Odyssey

Shriek Show Presents: Psycho Killers Triple Fea...

Miyazaki 13 Pack (Castle in the Sky/Kiki's Deli...

Miyazaki 6 Pack (Castle in the Sky/Kiki's Deliv...

Are You Afraid of The Dark? Season 5

Inuyasha TV Series Collection (1-167 + Movies)

Naruto Movie 5 Shippuden : Bonds

ICE PALACE

James - Getting Away with It... Live

 [Another one I hadn't heard of. This is an English band called "too damn good for the average, American record-buyer" by one amazon reviewer. "Musically and lyrically, they are, without a doubt, one of the finest bands of the 90's (though they emerged in the 80's, they really hit their stride in the early 90's)."

"This concert, in their hometown of Manchester, was taped on the last night of their final tour with lead-singer, Tim Booth. What you will see here is a tremendously talented group of musicians performing highlights from an extremely impressive catalog of songs."]

Internet Selling King Has Marked Down His List-Building Class

Looking to build your mailing list? Who isn't in this Internet-crazed, web-site rife time we live in?

One of the most successful, and also I must say decent and honest business people on the web (I know him personally) has just marked down his list building course to $50 from $150. 

Click Here! to get the course.

You can get it by clicking my affiliate link above, which Jim has offered for a limited time. In it, Jim explains how he's gone from 0 email list followers to over 100,000. I plan to get it and use it myself.

Much success to you!   

 Pic: Jim and I at an eBay Live convention.

Hot-Selling Toys on eBay and How You Can Cash in on Them

Wouldn't it be nice to *make* a bunch of money this year on toys, instead of spending it? (OK so we probably all are going to spend on our kids, nieces, nephews etc..but what if while you were out shopping you could pick up the right things to flip on eBay, amazon and other sites? Toy selling expert Jenni Hunt has been producing an excellent series of reports every year about doing just that. She really does her research and analyzes all the top toys every year, where to source them, and exactly how to list them.

Click Here for More Info!

I highly recommend her reportsand her annual toy guide. As she says, you can't afford *not* to sell toys this year!

Of Flowbees, $2600 Perfume Bottles, and Other Great Things to Sell on eBay: A Collectibles Blog

One of my Yard Salers newsletter readers, Amy, has a great new blog where she posts about cool under-the-radar things to sell on eBay: http://stores.ebay.com/Collectibilities. Among the things she mentions are Flowbees (funky old haircutting devices), American Girl dolls, and vintage perfume bottles.

Her eBay Store is called Collectibilities.

Amy was also the winner of one of my "Flips" contests, where her vintage perfume bottle, picked up for $2, went for a whopping $2651 on eBay!

 

You can read more about that and other flips from the contest here:

http://www.yardsalers.net/backissues/issue1-69sept9-10.asp 

Or buy the compendium of flips at:

http://bigbucksflips.com/

Alcoholic and AA Books Can Reap Big Bucks

If you're selling books on amazon.com and eBay, keep your eye out for those AA and other books geared toward alcoholics and families of alcoholics.

I recently listed an Al-Anon book (for families of alcoholics) and it sold on amazon the next day:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Paths-Recovery-Al-Anons-Traditions-Concepts/dp/0910034311/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1286838006&sr=8-3

Of course, the best known alcoholic-related book is the AA "big book," the AA Bible. A first edition recently sold on eBay for $255, but more recent editions sell for decent money too.

Here's a second edition that sold for $38.85. 

 

You can find this book everywhere: thrift stores, yard sales, charity shops, estate sales. 

It's little wonder these books sell so well when alcoholism touches so many of our lives. I would bet everyone in the US knows at least one person in their extended family who is an alcoholic.

So keep your eye out for these books wherever you go. They're usually an easy turnaround.

--

Interested in other books that sell for big bucks? Download my ebook, Over 500 Books that Sell for $50-$5000 on eBay: http://www.yardsalers.net/500Books.asp

New Prize Announced for Next Yard Salers Flips Contest: Starting an iPhone Application Business For Dummies

New Prize Announced for Next Yard Salers Flips Contest: Starting an iPhone Application Business For Dummies:

Enter the next Yard Salers Flips Contest and you could win a free copy of this book by my friend Joel Elad, and co-authors Aaron Nicholson and Damien Stolarz.

To enter the contest, simply email me at [email protected] the story of something you "flipped" on eBay, amazon, or another site -- meaning you bought it at a low price and sold it at a considerably higher price.

Stamps.com Shipping Integration for Amazon Sellers Saves Time and Hassle

I've been using the new shipping integration in amazon.com's seller interface, and loving it.

You can just click "buy postage" directly from your order view page, and it lets you print out the postage from the next page, automatically marks the item shipped, and even sends an email to your buyer.

I got an email from amazon that shared other sellers' reaction to this new feature:

 

"Sellers have been raving about the convenience, plus you’ll also receive discounts on USPS Delivery Confirmation and Express Mail.

Using this new service, you can purchase USPS postage directly through your Manage Orders page. To start the process of buying postage for an order, click the Buy Postage button under an order's Product Details section. For more information, please access your seller account and view our Help pages.

One advantage of the Marketplace Shipping Service is that sellers can purchase USPS Delivery Confirmation for First Class and Media Mail for $0.19 per package, and receive free Delivery Confirmation for Priority Mail.

 

 

Seller feedback on the new Marketplace Shipping Service:

 "Woohoo!"

“I actually saw the button for the first time last night and felt like throwing a party. At Christmas time we actually have to close our products on Amazon because the processing time it takes to cut and paste all the info for shipping takes too long (we also have a website). We were so excited to see that Amazon has implemented this service. This is going to be a HUGE asset to us and just the perfect feature to add. We will now be investing more time and products for the Amazon system now that orders can be processed that much faster. GREAT JOB AMAZON!!!!”

"Before I had to print out labels for my return, to the addressee, and then go to USPS.com to figure out postage cost for MEDIA.  I could not print out a label or postage there so I had to do my own and use stamps.  Now, all in ONE SHOT!  I LOVE IT!"

Best Regards,

Amazon Services"