I can't believe that I haven't written anything since the middle of August but I have been so incredibly busy!
I started the eBay store and tried it for 2 months and decided I wasn't making enough money from it to justify the time I put in. If I added it up I think I probably made about 50 cents an hour. So exactly 2 months later I closed it.
I had this bright idea to open up an online bookstore through the eBay Store. I bought out a yard sale that had approximately 5,000 books and for 3 weeks I did nothing but research, type, list, wrap, and pack.
The only problem with opening a eBay Book Store is I didn't do enough research on my competition. The competition for a used bookstore is fierce on eBay. There are several book peddlers, and many books are going for next to nothing. If you want to compete you have to sell your books for next to nothing. By the time I figured this out I was exhausted from all the work I had been doing.
I sorted all the books by categories, I had books in my garage (still do), I had books in my kitchen, in my dinning room, in my living room, in my family room, in my office, in the spare bedroom and in our utility trailer. They were sitting in piles on the pool table and around the inside perimeter of the basement.
I researched each book because one of the books I sold was a 1st edition Ray Bradbury book, it sold for $214 so I felt I had to check out each book before I decided what to do with it. After researching each book, I took boxes to my flea market booths, I gave some to a local thrift store, I packed them in lots and sold them on eBay. I've gotten rid of most of them, I probably have about 300 left and hopefully next week will have a new home for them as well.
I did make some money but I sure earned it with my time. I will continue to sell on eBay through the regular auctions but the eBay store is gone! I'm already starting something new, well, a couple of new flea market booths. One is in a brand new flea market and the other is in a well established flea market. I have been yard sailing, and attending more auctions lately to get enough inventory to spread between all the booths. I have to overstock to get through the winter months as the yard sale season is about over.
I've been seriously considering buying another building and opening another flea market / antique store. I sold a very successful business because I was so burnt out on it but I can't seem to get it out of my system! I think everybody that buys and sells knows what I'm talking about.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Beer Collectibles
People collect everything, it just amazes me! A few weeks ago I went to an auction that had a lot of beer collectibles and I was really surprised about the stuff people were bidding on.Old used assorted beer cans were selling by the flat. Beer posters and sales advertising seemed to be very popular. Books on how to brew, beer tappers, large glass bottles (like the old sparklets water bottles) and even old beer bottles. The uncommon brands seem to sell better than the commonly known brands.
Keg taps and beer tap handles were another hot item. There were assorted brands and while many were made of wood there were also some plastic and ceramic handles. They sold them individually for a while then they started boxing them up and selling them as lots. Most of the lots brought over a hundred dollars each. I didn't know enough about them to know if they would sell on eBay so I didn't buy any.
When I got home I looked up these old beer taps and like most items on eBay this particular market is saturated with them. I really don't think I've could have made any money on them so I'm glad I didn't jump in there and start bidding.
There does seem to be a market for these collectibles, at least there were a lot of men bidding on these. If I ever come across them again I might buy a few to put in my lockbox at the Flea Market. You never know when that right person might be looking for a high priced beer handle.
Check out my eBay Store at: http://www.stores/ebay.com/madison-place-fleamarket
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
My eBay Store - Madison Place Flea Market
The on-going saga of my eBay Store hasn't gotten much better. This is day eleven and I'm not impressed by the quantity of items sold out of the store. It is very dissapointing!
In just this short time that I've had the eBay store open I've already learned that the dollar items I thought I could unload aren't selling any better than they did in my flea market booth. AS a matter of fact they are not worth the time and effort to list them. Once they run their 30 days I'll take the $1 items off and bundle them up. For example, the books I can sell by the box so I'll try to sell them by the box load. I'll just donate the rest of it to a local thrift store and list better quality items. I'm not sure if that will help the situation but I'm gonna try.
Check out Madison Place Flea Market at http://www.stores.ebay.com/madison-place-fleamarket
In just this short time that I've had the eBay store open I've already learned that the dollar items I thought I could unload aren't selling any better than they did in my flea market booth. AS a matter of fact they are not worth the time and effort to list them. Once they run their 30 days I'll take the $1 items off and bundle them up. For example, the books I can sell by the box so I'll try to sell them by the box load. I'll just donate the rest of it to a local thrift store and list better quality items. I'm not sure if that will help the situation but I'm gonna try.
Check out Madison Place Flea Market at http://www.stores.ebay.com/madison-place-fleamarket
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Bargains Galore on 64
Well we just got back from out trip to Arkansas. Bargains Galore on 64 is a 200 mile yard sale and I think we did it credit we drove at least 150 miles.
I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. We use to be able to pick up some real bargains to resell but I think they have caught on to that fact and decided to make the money themselves. Some of the items, at least 75% were marked so high unless you were a collector you couldn't afford to buy them to resell. We did find a few good buys like a box full of vintage knives for $5.
A collection of Precious moments for $25.
These Candlewick Goblets were a steal at $10 for all of them.
I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. We use to be able to pick up some real bargains to resell but I think they have caught on to that fact and decided to make the money themselves. Some of the items, at least 75% were marked so high unless you were a collector you couldn't afford to buy them to resell. We did find a few good buys like a box full of vintage knives for $5.
A collection of Precious moments for $25.
These Candlewick Goblets were a steal at $10 for all of them.
We got a Corona Neon Sign for $10
Take a look at the table full of vases, I didn't buy any, they were beautiful but at $15 each I couldn't afford to buy them to resell.
There was also nice antique furniture along the way, but we left that there as well, it was just to high to resell. This dresser was $300, it needed repairs so it really wasn't worth the price.
This lovely antique couch was beautiful but at $1500 there was no room for much profit in my neck of the woods.
We did buy a bunch of stuff for my Flea Market Booth and for eBay but just nothing major, it is mostly usable stuff. A new First Alert 2ND Story Ladder - brand new for $5, I'll put it in my booth because eBay is saturated with them. I got a bunch of Play Station games and again eBay is saturated with them so they will go in my booth as well. I got some small end tables, some patio furniture, a bunch of knick knacks, some Corelle dishes, some pool floaties, a couple of lamps, just a bunch of this and that. I also got some motocross accessories - helmet, boots, gloves, chest protector, etc which I will put on eBay. Check it out at http://www.stores.ebay.com/madison-place-fleamarket
We did have a nice weekend, Arkansas is a beautiful state and we enjoyed each little town along the way. We stayed at a motel in Alma, AR, we had ribs at Famous Dave's in Fayetteville which were delicious! We had great Mexican Food in Fort Smith and the best part is we got away for the weekend.
Business wise I'll probably only make as much as we spent so not likely any profit but that's the way it goes sometimes. We had fun doing what I like doing - yard sailing, so that's worth the trip in itself!
We did have a nice weekend, Arkansas is a beautiful state and we enjoyed each little town along the way. We stayed at a motel in Alma, AR, we had ribs at Famous Dave's in Fayetteville which were delicious! We had great Mexican Food in Fort Smith and the best part is we got away for the weekend.
Business wise I'll probably only make as much as we spent so not likely any profit but that's the way it goes sometimes. We had fun doing what I like doing - yard sailing, so that's worth the trip in itself!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
My eBay Store - Madison Place Flea Market
This is the 6th day I've had my eBay store open. Today I sold 3 items from the store and 3 items (out of 7) from the online auctions I had running. I definately need to put items with more value in the store as I only made $4 which brings me up to $14 in 6 days out of the eBay Store Sales. I won't be getting rich any time soon I'm thinking.
I've added more inventory tonight so check it out.
http://www.stores.ebay.com/madison-place-fleamarket
I'm going to Arkansas for the weekend, Bargains Galore on 64 started today, I hope they save me some - bargains that is. Bargains Galore on 64 is a couple hundred miles of yard sales, unfortunatly, I have to work tomorrow so I won't get there until the last day of the sales. It's about a 3 hour drive but we thought we'd go find what we can and have some fun along the way. We are planning on leaving tomorrow night and getting a motel room so Saturday morning we can get an early start.
I'll try to get a bunch of pictures, I always find weird and unusual items but also many beautiful things as well.
Wish me luck! I'm outta here!
I've added more inventory tonight so check it out.
http://www.stores.ebay.com/madison-place-fleamarket
I'm going to Arkansas for the weekend, Bargains Galore on 64 started today, I hope they save me some - bargains that is. Bargains Galore on 64 is a couple hundred miles of yard sales, unfortunatly, I have to work tomorrow so I won't get there until the last day of the sales. It's about a 3 hour drive but we thought we'd go find what we can and have some fun along the way. We are planning on leaving tomorrow night and getting a motel room so Saturday morning we can get an early start.
I'll try to get a bunch of pictures, I always find weird and unusual items but also many beautiful things as well.
Wish me luck! I'm outta here!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
My Ebay Store - Madison Place Flea Market
Today is the 5th day my ebay store has been open and not one sale for the whole day. I have found that eBay store visiability is very low. The eBay store advertising though the eBay site is almost non-exsistent. A logo and perhaps, if you are lucky, your store items are listed after the auction style items, however, this is not always the case.
In order for any profit to be made sales have to be made. If nobody sees your store, sales will not be made. This is something I really wish eBay would work on, as it could be profitibale for everybody all the way around.
Advertising on your own through your own website or blog is about the only recourse we have to get the word out that we are e-store owners. I'm going to try various online bullentin boards as well, however, I feel that option would be more successful if I had one specific items or catagory in my store inventory instead of a hodge-podge selection.
I have regular eBay auctions ending tomorrow so I will have sales, I'll just have to wait and see what the store situation does. If anybody has any ideas or suggestions I've left a link to the store so you can check it out, don't heisitate to email me!
In order for any profit to be made sales have to be made. If nobody sees your store, sales will not be made. This is something I really wish eBay would work on, as it could be profitibale for everybody all the way around.
Advertising on your own through your own website or blog is about the only recourse we have to get the word out that we are e-store owners. I'm going to try various online bullentin boards as well, however, I feel that option would be more successful if I had one specific items or catagory in my store inventory instead of a hodge-podge selection.
I have regular eBay auctions ending tomorrow so I will have sales, I'll just have to wait and see what the store situation does. If anybody has any ideas or suggestions I've left a link to the store so you can check it out, don't heisitate to email me!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
My eBay Store - Madison Place Flea Market
This past weekend I decided to open an eBay Store. I have lots of books, inexpensive items and old inventory that has alternated between being in a flea market booth and being housed inside a cardboard box so I decided to put that type of stuff in my eBay store.
I use to own a flea market called Madison Place Flea Market and Antiques and have been selling on eBay since 1999 under the name madisonplace. I think I'll just stick with that name for my eBay store, it seems a lot eaiser than trying to change every thing. I sold the building about 5 years ago and the new owners put in a pawn shop and named it something totally different so I guess it's kosher to keep the old name.
I took the cheapest eBay store option which is $15.95 a month plus 3 cents per listing. You get 5 pages of items which amounts to 125 items. If a item sells I have to pay an additional 12% of the selling price. The store is very easy to set up, for dummies like me you just have to pick the quick set up and pick your colors then start listing.
I'm not sure I'm going to like this store inventory option. Unlike the eBay auctions where people bid or not, with the inventory option everything you list has a buy it now price. Your inventory stays in the store for 30 days unless it sells. If a item doesn't sell you have the option to pay 3 cents per listing for every thirty days that you keep an item listed. Of course you also have to pay the $15.95 monthly store fee every month.
It seems like I've spent hours at the computer (maybe 12 all together). I guess I really had thoughts of my email being filled with sales. So far I've only sold a few books and made about $10, of course it's only been 4 days.
My goal is to try this for 2 months and then decide if the store is profitable enough to keep open. During this first four days I really have my doubts but I'm trying to stay positive. One thing I already learned is I will have to list more expensive inventory in the store as the $1 and $2 items take to much time to list and not enough profit. I'll be working on that in the next few weeks.
If you have a minute check out my eBay store and tell me what you think, any advice or information from you fellow eBayers would be appreciated.
Check out my eBay Store: http://www.stores.ebay.com/Madison-Place-Flea-Market
I use to own a flea market called Madison Place Flea Market and Antiques and have been selling on eBay since 1999 under the name madisonplace. I think I'll just stick with that name for my eBay store, it seems a lot eaiser than trying to change every thing. I sold the building about 5 years ago and the new owners put in a pawn shop and named it something totally different so I guess it's kosher to keep the old name.
I took the cheapest eBay store option which is $15.95 a month plus 3 cents per listing. You get 5 pages of items which amounts to 125 items. If a item sells I have to pay an additional 12% of the selling price. The store is very easy to set up, for dummies like me you just have to pick the quick set up and pick your colors then start listing.
I'm not sure I'm going to like this store inventory option. Unlike the eBay auctions where people bid or not, with the inventory option everything you list has a buy it now price. Your inventory stays in the store for 30 days unless it sells. If a item doesn't sell you have the option to pay 3 cents per listing for every thirty days that you keep an item listed. Of course you also have to pay the $15.95 monthly store fee every month.
It seems like I've spent hours at the computer (maybe 12 all together). I guess I really had thoughts of my email being filled with sales. So far I've only sold a few books and made about $10, of course it's only been 4 days.
My goal is to try this for 2 months and then decide if the store is profitable enough to keep open. During this first four days I really have my doubts but I'm trying to stay positive. One thing I already learned is I will have to list more expensive inventory in the store as the $1 and $2 items take to much time to list and not enough profit. I'll be working on that in the next few weeks.
If you have a minute check out my eBay store and tell me what you think, any advice or information from you fellow eBayers would be appreciated.
Check out my eBay Store: http://www.stores.ebay.com/Madison-Place-Flea-Market
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)