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."]

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

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"

Yard Salers Newsletter for Sept. 2010: Amazon's FBA, Little Mouse Leads to Big Profit and More

Issue 69: Yard Salers: Sept. 2010: Amazon's FBA, Little Mouse Leads to Big Profit and More

Subscribe at: www.yardsalers.net 

Please forward to a friend!

Hello, all!

Thanks to all of you with your patience in waiting for this issue. I've heard personally from several of you asking about me and my mom (who has advanced Parkinson's and dementia), and I really appreciate it. My mom is hanging in there, and though much of her memory is gone, she still has moments of lucidity. The other day we were looking at one of her teenage scrapbooks and I was reading the captions out loud...she pointed to a man in a photo and said "he was our driver in Greece." (Mom was a foreign service "brat"). Amazing which details the mind retains.

Moving a Life

We've also had to deal as a family with a lifetime accumulation of stuff that's 3000 miles away, in California. After years of going to estate sales, and some clearout sales, I used to marvel at the stuff that some people left behind in houses. Now I see, sometimes it just isn't physically possible to be there to do the job yourself, or to move all the stuff you'd like, even if you move some of it. And sometimes there are other extenuating circumstances, such as if the house was shared by other people.

So for months now I've been coordinating moving items out of her home in California, consigning what can be sold, and moving the rest.

And with my Mom living here, I've had less free time than ever. But along with taking in many family scrapbooks, books and other heirlooms, I've just had to free up other space in the house and the bookshelves.

Among other things, that prompted me to use Amazon.com's "Fulfillment by Amazon," or FBA, program, to get some of my own book inventory out of the house. The nice thing is, books fulfilled by amazon tend to sell faster than merchant-fulfilled ones, and when something sells, I don't have to deal with it.

I must say, it's a nice feeling to be on vacation, as I was in August, to see that I've sold a book, and that someone else is taking care of the packing and shipping.

More about that later in the feature article in this issue.

We also have plenty of great flips.

Moving Yard Salers Newsletter Mailing List off Topica - Please Follow Us!

In other news, as rates for Topica go up, I am considering moving this newsletter to another email newsletter program -- most likely aweber. To that end, if you get a request to re-subscribe to the new mail server, I hope you will take a moment to do so, so we don't lose you as a subscriber.

It's not likely I will make the transition right away..more likely it will be a move that will take place over two or more upcoming issues, so you should get reminders from me to move to the new mailing list. And of course the newsletter will still be posted to the web site. But one of the things I am hoping as a result is it will make it easier for me to put out more issues which need less maintenance and can be cranked out more quickly.

The Latest on Yard Salers Message Boards

Another company that is charging more (or in their case, starting to charge after being free), is the message board site Ning. Although I really liked Ning's tools, I am now focusing our messaging on the Yard Salers Facebook group.

So if you were on Yard Salers Ning, stop by the Facebook group and introduce yourself. I'd like to get everyone's stories on the "This Week's Finds" topic, which you can find on the main Yard Salers facebook group site at Yard Salers Facebook Group.

Faithful reader and friend Susan has posted some of her great discoveries. Check out her eBay profile at http://myworld.ebay.com/susanc7818.

UPDATE on Ning since I first started this issue: I have until Monday to decide whether to buy a plan. Since I'd need to accommodate 2000+ members who are already there, I'd have to buy a plan for @ $50/month. I may try this option to keep the forum there alive if I can sell ads on it. Will definitely keep you all posted. If you've used the Yard Salers Ning forum and want to see it keep going (or not), please email me and let me know!

After those housekeeping notes, I just have a couple of questions for you before we get to the meat of the issue.

- Have you changed your online selling srategies or sites where you sell from in the wake of the recession and eBay's changes? If so, would love to hear about them. Email me at [email protected].

- What topic would you like to see me cover for a future eBay-related ebook? A specific price guide? Packing guide? Specific types of collectibles? Etc.

Thanks for reading!

Now let's get to it.

****** 
Follow me on Twitter:
juliawww on Twitter
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Now there's a new resource from eBay expert Lynn Dralle, who specializes in this area. I've read the first few chapters of her new ebook: "Dinnerware Success" -- and was amazed by the amount of information and detail in this work.

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What Sells on eBay for What: Half Price for Subscribers -- is Out! Click here.
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Articles in this Issue:
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1) Amazon's FBA: Let Them Ship for You
2) Flips Contest
3) Reader Mail: Imogene Shares Her Amazon FBA Success Stories

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Big Bucks Flips 2.0: The half price version of Big Bucks Flips for Yard Salers subscribers is here: Click here to order.
Yard Salers' Readers best flips, and accompanying tips and rules of thumb, all in one convenient package. Plus, now you can make money reselling the book! To find out how to resell it for 50% of each sale, go here. 

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1) Amazon's FBA: Let them Ship for You
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I recently had to cry "uncle" on many of the beloved old yearbooks I have sold regularly on eBay for the past several years. While they didn't sell frequently, they did sell eventually, in general, and they usually gave people some very happy memories I enjoyed hearing about.

There was the 80something lady who was a sponsor of a fraternity at Virginia Tech, meaning she had a large photo and dedication on a page, whose daughter bought it for her upcoming birthday. It really put a smile on her face.

There was the guy who was thinking about his beauty queen former girlfriend at a DC college. I still get notes of gratitude from him, and he even sent me a couple free samples of the product he sells.

And many other stories. But lately the yearbooks were just not moving, and they started taking over too much space in the house. (OK, so my son wanted his bookshelves back. As if!) ;)

This is one thing that got me moving some stuff off eBay and onto amazon's Fulfillment by Amazon, aka FBA, program.

What are the advantages of FBA?

- Your stuff (not just books, but CDs, DVD's, games, etc.) sells more quickly. 
- You get the stuff out of your house 
- You don't have to pack and ship individual items when they sell. Amazon ships them for you, and you get a nice little email telling you that you just made some money.
- You can have the funds deposited directly into your bank account.
- You can sell stuff while you're on vacation; you don't have to pause your inventory. 

While you are not packing and shipping each individual item, you do need to pack many books, etc. in bulk in one box and affix little labels to each. But the FBA web site guides you through the process and it's quite easy,

You can set up multiple boxes/shipments at one time and only ship them when they're ready to roll. Amazon has partnered with UPS to offer deeply discounted shipping rates for your boxes of stuff. I have simply been using media mail for the most part, though. (Any of you who use FBA and UPS, I would love to hear about your experiences, especially whether they come to your door to pick up a single box or not).

Because you are sending books to amazon, you can sell more items than you have been able to fit in your house (unless you have a huge place, like Harry Rinker, and live in an old schoolhouse).

Amazon does charge a storage fee, however. So I am going to have to keep an eye on my stuff and see how it does. They charge: for January through September - $.45/cubic foot per month; October through December- $.60/cubic foot per month.

But they do keep you informed of what's selling well. I recently got an email from someone at amazon telling sellers what was selling really well and they needed more of. It included:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia 
The Great Gatsby 
The Help 
The Secret 
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time 
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't 
The Girl Who Played with Fire (Vintage) 
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition 
Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4) 
Night (Oprah's Book Club) 
The Glass Castle: A Memoir 
Biology with Mastering Biology (8th Edition) 
The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, No. 3) 
Water for Elephants: A Novel 
The Kite Runner 
The Art of Racing in the Rain: A Novel 
Sookie Stackhouse 8-copy Boxed Set (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood) 
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest 
Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life 

Well, you get the idea. The spreadsheet goes on and on. Many of those books don't sell for big bucks, but if you find a lot of them in pristine condition, it adds up. And the textbooks (they must be recent) and reference books can be golden.

So consider giving FBA a shot. I'd love to hear your experiences if you do.

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2) Flips Contest: A Money Mouse, Perfume Bottle, Bathing Suit, and More 
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The Mouse that Roared

Dear Julia,

This is the story of a little mouse. This little mouse was sitting on a table at a yard sale with all kinds of nick knacks!

When I pulled up to the yard sale, I start looking immediately to see what direction I am going in when I get out of my truck. This particular table drew me, as I was walking towards it -- I saw the most amazing little mouse.

I walked straight to him and picked him up without even looking around me. I placed him in my pocket, because I had not looked around yet. I ended up buying over $100.00 in items - Toy Story Dolls in original boxes, etc.

Anyway, I am very, very honest and as he was adding up my total, I said "Oh, I have this little mouse." The man said oh I'll throw that in, I said no, let me pay for it. He said "Is .50 okay?" I said no problem.

To shorten this story of the little mouse, I bought him home and washed him, holding my breath while I did it, hoping that there wasn't any damage.

Whew - No Damage. Because I knew what I had, I listed him in what was my store for $450.00. I knew it was one of those items that I needed just the right buyer for. I did not mind waiting. I was offered $375.00 and the "Little Mouse" went to England. Where he is living happily ever after.

PS. This manufacturer is rare to find here, this mouse is retired - the current mouse that they have is $1,200.00.

 

[ Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg Retired Mouse RARE 
Sale price: $375.00 ] 

Carolyn

~~~ 

Hey there Miss Carolyn!

Whew! Oh my goodness..what an exquisite little mouse! And I am also amazed because I had not heard of Nymphenburg before..it sounds a lot like Meissen porcelain, after I noodled around and looked at their web site.

According to wikipedia: "the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory (in German: Porzellanmanufaktur Nymphenburg), manufacturer of Nymphenburg porcelain, is situated in the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, capital of Bavaria, and since the mid-eighteenth century has been manufacturing porcelain of high artistic value."

After looking at more completed items listings for Nymphenburg, it reinforced my thought that the company produces items similar to Meissen: finely sculpted figurines and other china such as vases and dinnerware.

Readers: How can you tell if something is Nymphenburg while you are out and about? Turn it over and look for the mark (or even on the bottom side as in the case of Carolyn's mouse): the mark over the years has various combinations of a crown and a shield. Check this web page to see different iterations of it: http://www.antique-china-porcelain-collectibles.com/nymphenburg-marks-china-porcelain-markings.htm

Back to Carolyn. That one is definitely in the running for the next contest! You are doing super well..I think I'm going to troll your store to get some ideas!

I may put that entry in my bidbits blog too, if u don't mind. :)

Thanks again for reading, and entering the contests!

Julia

~~~

Rare Perfume Bottle

Hi Julia, 
Have I got a flip for you! Read on...

I went to a small country auction house with my dad and my uncle one evening. There were not many items up for auction and I wasn't very hopeful. I did see a box lid with a few small trinkets inside and it had a perfume bottle that looked old. I bought the box lid for $2.00.

After I got home and looked it up, I kept finding the perfume company listed as desirable but could find the actual bottle anywhere. I started it at $9.99. It jumped to $49.00 the first night. I received a few emails from perfume bottle collectors telling me it was rare and to not accept any offers from buyers. It was selling for about $2,000 and jumped up another $600.00 the last 6 seconds! Very exciting to watch!

End price: $2,651.99

 

Amy 
http://stores.ebay.com/Collectibilities 
My Ebay Store: Collectibilities 

~~~

David Cassidy and Bobby Vinton Move Magazines

We heard from our beloved Audrey, in Lake Havasu, home of the London Bridge (really!). This time she comes at us with one that really took me back.

Do you remember David Cassisy, Bobby Vinton, and Bobby Sherman? Or any combination thereof? I used to be both a David Cassidy and a Bobby Sherman fan. (It helped that I went by "Julie" back then and Bobby Sherman's big song was "Julie, Julie, Julie Do You Love Me?").

She also shares with us a selling strategy you probably haven't thought of.

~~~

Hi Julia,

Forgot to tell you something that has been working for me. Don't know why, but it's happening to often to just be a coincidence.

I have been revising about 10 my eBay store auctions a day (catching mistakes, adding things that didn't get added when they were listed, etc, etc).

And more than once or twice, a few days after revising the item, it sells, and quite often at the full price. I've also been adjusting my selling prices upwards - not a lot, just $.50 cents or so - and they have been selling at the new prices.

It must have something to do with the way eBay is now showing ALL items listed, not just auctions, but sure don't know what that has to do with it. I've also speculated that maybe the computer thinks it's a NEW auction and gives it a better placement. But anyway, it seems to work! So you might want to tell your readers to try revising their auctions a little and see what happens.

Gotta tell you! A friend and I went garage saling a few weeks ago and I think I'm going to have great luck with what I found. We were at one that a lady and her son were running, and while we were looking at things (priced too high, mostly), the son speaks up and says we're having a $5.00 box sale. Everything you can put in a box for $5.00.

Well guess what! I put four teen magazines from the 70's with David Cassidy on the cover in the box, and they just sold for almost $20.00. They were just the first things I listed.

 

Also in the box went a Barbie as Marilyn Monroe doll with CofA, two pyrex casserole dishes (vintage), several shot glasses, a tequila flask with shot glasses from Mexico (these are unique with little Mexican guys on them), three pewter Avon boys, a small pewter angel sitting on a red heart, a ceramic Oreo cookie glass, etc. Have been a little slow taking pictures and getting these listed, but I'm already ahead of the game! Love these kind of bargains!

Today I picked up a full box of military service oriented mugs for $5.00, will either sell these on eBay or give them to the local American Legion for a fundraiser. But along with the mugs I got 2 unusual books. 3 new CD's and an Australian hat, that looks almost new. Can't wait to see what I get for these!

I do have to go now and get some of these things listed, they'll never sell in my garage!

Keep those newsletters coming.

Havamom
Audrey

~~~

Curb Alert Leads to Serious Walking Around Money 

Here's a flip story for you. My neighbors across the street moved out several months ago and recently I noticed that there was a "for rent" sign in the yard and a bunch stuff piled on the curb for garbage pickup. Apparently the landlord had decided to clean out what they had left behind.

I decided to take a good look at what was there so I could post a "curb alert" on the local Freecycle group that I moderate and try to keep this stuff out of the landfill.

As I was going through the boxes of dishes and clothes I found these 3 wooden figurines marked "ANRI." I'd never heard of that brand before but I decided to take them home and look them up on eBay to see if they'd be worth listing.

Well, long story short, I made over $100 on items that I found in the garbage! Not a huge flip like most of the stories I read in your newsletter, but you can't beat the price I paid!

 

ANRI Sarah Kay figure YULETIDE CHEER girl #173/4000 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380224714140 Sold for $52 [shown in pic, above]

ANRI Romantic Notions Sarah Kay 1986 club figure http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380224714099 Sold for $43.50

ANRI miniature figure boy watermelon dog MINI Sarah Kay http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380224714062 Sold for $8.03

Sally

~~~

Bathing Suit for a Buck 

The aforementioned Susan, who writes a very inspiring fitness blog at www.susansjourneytokeepfit.blogspot.com, shares two of her recent scores with us. (The first one she sent me back when it was still the thick of summer so you may want to save those bathing suits for next May. Weight Watchers booklets, of course, you can sell year-round!).

Hi Julia,

This just sold yesterday. I bought it at my new favorite thrift store for $1.00 and sold it for $15.00 -- how cool is that? It's the time of year again where summer items are really in demand and this just caught my eye being so bold and all. Swim suits should be new though who wants to buy a used one yuck...

My dishes didn't sell at auction so I have re-listed them as a bin along with my Starbucks cup so we will see. I hope you and your family are well your still in my prayers daily and I am here for you and you can check out my blog to see my latest antics. www.susansjourneytokeepfit.blogspot.com.

I am back to my "ebaying" working on it most days for 4 hours never let anyone tell you its not a job.. LOL.

Take care,
Susan

~~

She wrote me again later and added this other flip:

Hi Julia,

This flip didn't make a fortune but it was a good score non the less. I was at my favorite church thrift shop looking at the books feeling discouraged when I saw this bubble wrap mailer on top of the books so I looked inside and immediately I felt excited:) There were 9 or 10 Weight Watchers Momentum 2009 booklets, calculator, and a dining out guide. I paid a dollar for the stuff it recently sold at auction for 15.51. The eBay Item number: 220605552412 for you to check it out if you like. This was very cool -- not a lot of work for 15.51 thought I would pass it on. If you need a pic. just ask.

Thanks, Susan

~~~

Flips Contest Winners! OK everyone, it's time to pick the winners and almost-winners!

All the flips were great, but we're gonna have to give the main prize to Amy for her $2600 perfume bottle! But everyone wins..Carolyn, Audrey, Susan, and Sally get a free ebook of their choice OR if they already have all my ebooks (lol) they can request an eBay collectible or eBay-related paperback from my collection. (My eBay Live stash is dwindling but I still have some trinkets).

I'm also expending that offer to Imogene (see all her great amazon tips in the Reader Mail section) because she's been so generous with sharing her experiences.

Amy, please email me your physical mailing address to [email protected] when you get a chance.

Everyone, please email me which ebook you'd like or what else is on your "eBay trinket" wish list.

Next month's prizes are going to include discounts on some great new services and free new products, so send those flips in!

Just email your story of something you recently sold for a nice profit to [email protected].

**************************************
What Sells on eBay for What
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And, you can get it for half price as a Yard Salers subscriber.

Click here
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*********************
What's the PERFECT eBay product? Learn How To Make Money with information products on ebay. 
*********************

Julia Recommends: EasyAuctionsTracker
I tried the EasyAuctionsTracker accounting spreadsheet for eBay and loved it. It is an eBay seller's accounting dream! With a few clicks you can be looking at all your eBay sales data, costs and even keep track of your commissions. EasyAuctionsTracker uses an eBay token and imports all of your eBay transaction information into an Excel spreadsheet. 
www.EasyAuctionsTracker.com. 
********************* 
Reader Mail 
********************* 

Imogene is a reader in Maryland who I got to chatting with in email. We discussed our experiences with FBA, area thrift stores, and other choice topics. I thought you all would like reading about how she's been successful with FBA:

Imogene's Experience with FBA

Hi Julia,

I went to a great estate sale last Sunday and they had over 2000 CDs, CD collections, DVDs and DVD collections. It was the best sale. I think I stayed there 4-5 hours. I bought probably 200 CDs, DVDs, and books.

A lot of them have already sold and I still have more CDs to list. The lady also had a lot of Salvatore Feragamo shoes. Only the really worn ones were left when I finally made it upstairs.

I usually go to the sale on the last day when everything is 50% off. There was such nice stuff there I wish I had gone on Sat too. It seems people cleaned out the food pantry. One lady left with a box of Progresso soups which had not expired ($0.50 a can) I did get an unopened box of brown rice.

In your last email you asked about the thrift stores I go to. I basically go to 4 thrift stores, and 2 of them regularly. I use to go several times a week but because of the amount of stuff I have I only go once a week. I try to only buy Amazon stuff because I have too much stuff to list on eBay and you know it is so easy to list on Amazon.

I used to go to the Library sales for books, I would go to Woodbridge, Fairfax, Alexandria, (not sure if I told you I lived in VA for over 25 years) but not anymore because the sales are too busy for me. Everyone and their mother is there trying to scan books.

I really mean that because one of the last ones I went to there was this mother and son team, they had already worked as volunteers the night before. People are running around at those sales like crazy. When I first started selling those sales were great. I still go to a church book sale in Crofton MD once a year but even that sale is crazy now.

I think I told you I love FBA. I just sent 4 boxes last week (177 items). It does take a lot of work to complete a box, for instance I worked on a box all day yesterday and the items are labeled and in two boxes.

Your stuff sells quicker with FBA, you probably already know that. I try not to send heavy items. I did the very first time I tried FBA last year, but I had no idea what I was doing. I sent the boxes USPS. There is probably a way so it does not take me so long to ship a box. Yesterday I labeled 90 items, and most of them were CDs but I had to lay them out and then find the correct label.

Take care, TTYL

Jean

P.S. Here is an example sale from the estate DVDs that I purchase, I think I paid $2 or $4 for this one.

Product charges 
Titus - Season 3 
Qty: 1 $57.90 

Amazon fees
Commission: $-8.69
FBA per unit fulfillment fee: $-1.00
FBA weight based fee: $-0.07
Shipping chargeback: $-2.98
Variable closing fee: $-0.80
Other
Shipping: $2.98
Transaction Total $47.34

Imogene

~~~~~

That's it for this month, all! See you next time!

Do you like this newsletter? Please forward it (in its entirety) to a friend! Just go to http://www.yardsalers.net and see the "Subscribe" box on top.

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For more writing and photos throughout the month, check out Julia's bidbits blog at http://www.bidbits.net 

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At $29.97, I think it's a good value. And you also get:

- "25 Things eBay Sellers Must Know about Selling on Amazon" and 
- SPECIAL BONUS - "How to Scout for Top Sellers with Your Cell Phone."

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The eBay Seller's Guide to Finding Profitable Hidden Bargains at Garage Sales
Find out here. 
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*******************

Questions about My eBooks Ordering

You can certainly purchase from me directly, as can anyone. Most of my ebooks are now available via the website's bookstore at www.yardsalers.net/bookstore. Any others you have questions about, all you have to do is email me and let me know which ebook(s) you want, if you are a subscriber and thus eligible for the discount, and then PayPal me to my PayPal id at [email protected]. I'll be tweaking and updating the ebooks page on my web site soon.

----------------------------------------------- 

Do you have a Flip of the Week? I'd love to hear about it! Email me at [email protected] and let me know. 
----------------------------------------------- 
Nonfiction Books that Sell for $50 - $250 on eBay:
 
or
Buy Now
*********************

 

I am always open to reader articles, so if you want to write about something relating to yard sale-ing and eBaying, just flag me down! I will of course give you credit, using your eBay ID, web site, or any other contact info.

------------------------------------

eBooks by Julia L. Wilkinson:
[All my ebooks are offered at 1/2 price from their regular prices to the subscribers of this newsletter. If interested in any of them, please email me at [email protected].]

- How to Spot Fakes: email me! 
*********************

Blogs, Blogs, and More Blogs
Check out My amazon.com Author Blog

Those of you who just can't get enough of my writing (are there any of you?) will be happy to know I now have a new blog on amazon.com. Amazon.com has created an "author blog" tool for authors to...well, blog. You'll see it if you bring up either of my books on the amazon site, but for good measure, it's at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593270550. (Scroll down to "amazonConnect").

My TypePad Blog, "Bidbits"

You can also check out my typepad blog, "bidbits": bidbits

********************************

Do you have your copy of Julia's book, eBay Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks?

It's available on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. If you do want to order the book, I'd appreciate if you'd support Yard Salers and eBayers by using my affiliate link below.

ebay top 100

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Publisher, Julia Wilkinson, author of the award-winning "eBay Price Guide." and "What Sells on eBay for What"

No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Yard Salers makes diligent efforts to obtain accurate and timely information. However, Yard Salers disclaims any liability to any party for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in Yard Salers, whether or not such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause.

 

End  

 

Does Revising Your eBay Auctions Help Sales?

Can revising your eBay auctions help your sales? I have one Yard Salers newsletter reader who thinks it does. I'll let her tell it:

"Hi Julia,
 
"Forgot to tell you something that has been working for me.  Don't know why, but it's happening to often to just be a coincidence.  
 
"I have been revising about 10 my eBay store auctions a day (catching mistakes, adding things that didn't get added when they were listed, etc, etc).  And more than once or twice, a few days after revising the item, it sells, and quite often at the full price.  I've also been adjusting my selling prices upwards - not a lot, just $.50 cents or so - and they have been selling at the new prices.  It must have something to do with the way eBay is now showing ALL items listed, not just auctions, but sure don't know what that has to do with it.  I've also speculated that maybe the computer thinks it's a NEW auction and gives it a better placement.  But anyway, it seems to work!  So you might want to tell your readers to try revising their auctions a little and see what happens."

So there you have it! As it happens, I am revisiting many of my eBay auctions anyway - in some cases to relist them or change the prices, and in others to take the listing down anyway and move the item to amazon.com. (In the latter case, it is mainly true for my slow-moving collectible books such as old yearbooks, which I think no longer make sense to let sit on eBay and rack up fees.

    [  Left: an example of the kind of specialized book, a prep school yearbook, I am looking to shift off eBay onto amazon. ]
 

I still have other types of listings which I think are best suited to eBay, such as my jewelry and handcrafted bracelets. But I am taking a hard look at what I sell where and what does best in which online venue.

Give it a try or leave a comment here if you have feedback.

 

Get New Stuff for Free & Cull the Old with Swap Sites

Looking for a way to get new (or new to you) stuff for free while getting rid of your unwanted stuff? Try a swap site or a swap group.

These sites are growing in popularity, as evidenced by the recent cover story in USA Today. 

Here's a rundown of some major swap sites:

ClothingSwap.com

SwapMamas.com

ThredUp.com

BarterQuest.com

PaperBackSwap.com

DigNSwap.com

ReFashioner.com

SwapTreasures.com

RehashClothes.com

You can also find a local, in-person clothing swap via MeetUp.com. That's how I found the clothing swap group I joined.

I've been to one meetup so far, and in one fell swoop I not only got rid of my black leather "Jim Morrison" pants that just weren't "me" (never worn), and various tops and sweaters, but I also snagged a new-with-tags red suede Coldwater Creek jacket, leather boots, a Ralph Lauren velour sweatshirt, and jeans.

I'll be trying out some of these swap web sites and posting the results, so watch this space for reviews.

Meantime, try some trading up yourself!

There's Still Lots of Money to Be Made at Book Sales

Is there still much money to be made from book sales, buying inventory there and reselling the books on sites like amazon.com and eBay?

Nathan Holmquist thinks so. Here's a pic of his last haul, with a listing value of $433 on amazon:

Nathan's new blog, http://www.booktothefuture.com/ (cute name, huh?), details his finds and crunches the numbers as to how the FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) program works well for him. This is where you ship books to amazon at deeply discounted rates, and they pack and ship the books for you. Many books listed as fba listings on amazon do better because buyers tend to prefer them.

Nathan has a whole ebook on how to get started and make money selling on amazon's fba program, which you can buy via my affiliate link at:

Selling on Amazon's FBA Program

Happy selling!