So wow! August has snuck up upon us! Time to start working again.
Well I have already listed some great Wilton cake pans, and some Disney coffee mugs. Starting on the clothing today. All clothing is top designer brands but without all the driving and high cost.
Well I have shared with you on how to research items. Now I'm going to share at how to get said items.
If your not familiar with resale/thrift stores, they can be dirty and smelly! You will get use to the stink trust me. I'm lucky to have 7 big stores within a couple miles near me and about another half dozed in about a 30 minute or less drive from my house. Map out where all of them are. TIP: Wearing gloves and chewing a strong mint gum might help you get over the shock.
What to bring with you on your trip. A phone that is charged for researching. A small note pad and pen for notes. A small flash light. A loop(magnifying glass). Gloves if needed. I always take a bottle of water because my mouth gets dry from the dust. And most of all time, don't go there rushed because you don't want to make bad choises.
Your first time in one can be overwhelming so take a minute and check out everything. After finding a couple items that you think will be good, look them over for stains, holes, loose hems. Double check arm pits! After time you will be able to identify labels quickly and go through racks very fast. But in the beginning take your time. Have your iphone ready to look up items on eBay when needed(NOTE: some stores will not allow you to do this)
When you get home with items carefully remove tags. I use pliers to remove staples. Sticker tags peel off ok but can leave a sticky mess. Magic Erasers remove most markers. Then read the label for washing instructions. Wash and dry. Iron if needed.
That is all for eBay stuff today! Happy shopping.
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Full Bloom
Hello Folks! I know that it has been almost a month since I last posted. Summer is in full swing and I love being outside. For the past several weeks all I have done is soak up the sun, tending to the veggie gardens(check out all the pic's I took), read a couple of books and of course drank my fair share of ice tea.
I don't put e-Bay high on my to do list. Summer time is the slowest time of year for me on e-Bay, starting about mid June sales drop off through the summer and start to pick back up mid August. I still go treasure hunting during this time to get items. And of course working the social media and shipping out what ever does sell. Too many people are outside going camping, boating, and spending their time enjoy summer and I don't blame them. Summer is too short!!!
When I first started out on e-Bay in 1999 I sold mainly just cake pans and some vintage pottery. Today I have almost 800 listings, mostly clothing, and I still sell those cute cake pans(when I find them) and I always will.
I get asked all the time, What do you sell? Where do you get your items? How do you know if it's going to sell? ect... First thing first, I research!!! I spend hours weekly researching. Researching current listings, researching ended items and researching sold items. I compare the numbers.
So lets say that you want to sell sweaters. Do you want to sell mens or womens? We'll go with mens. So I type in mens sweaters in the search box and see how many are current listings, then click on "Completed Items" and see how many have ended, this will include sold and unsold, then click on "Sold", now compare the numbers. So 20,000 mens sweaters have completed but only 8,000 have sold(it's summer so not a lot people buying sweaters now) Next I look at what brands have SOLD. I then make a list of those sweaters that have sold. Do this on every category you want to sell in and do it often, trends and fads come and go so you must update your list.
TIP: Just because you see item "XX" sell for a high price, doesn't mean you will get that price!!! It just means that, that "one seller" got the right "one buyer" at the "right time".
Any fool can walk into a resale shop and buy items and list them. But only those smart people that took the time to do the research will buy the right items and be able to sell them with great profit.
TIP: Wash everything that you are going to sell. If item needs to be dry clean check with a couple cleaners in your area and see if anyone will give you a discount.
Garden Time!!! Look at what has Bloomed!!!! We have already had several dinners of the wax beans and I have been able to freeze several bags full. The sweet corn is about 8 foot tall and the last time I counted(yes, I did count the ears, lol) there was several dozens. The tomatoes are still green and getting rounder by the day. Pepper is flowered! Look at the great photo's.
That is all Folks!!! ibchilly
Wax Beans
8 pots of tomatoes
Yummy
Corn
Pepper.
I don't put e-Bay high on my to do list. Summer time is the slowest time of year for me on e-Bay, starting about mid June sales drop off through the summer and start to pick back up mid August. I still go treasure hunting during this time to get items. And of course working the social media and shipping out what ever does sell. Too many people are outside going camping, boating, and spending their time enjoy summer and I don't blame them. Summer is too short!!!
When I first started out on e-Bay in 1999 I sold mainly just cake pans and some vintage pottery. Today I have almost 800 listings, mostly clothing, and I still sell those cute cake pans(when I find them) and I always will.
I get asked all the time, What do you sell? Where do you get your items? How do you know if it's going to sell? ect... First thing first, I research!!! I spend hours weekly researching. Researching current listings, researching ended items and researching sold items. I compare the numbers.
So lets say that you want to sell sweaters. Do you want to sell mens or womens? We'll go with mens. So I type in mens sweaters in the search box and see how many are current listings, then click on "Completed Items" and see how many have ended, this will include sold and unsold, then click on "Sold", now compare the numbers. So 20,000 mens sweaters have completed but only 8,000 have sold(it's summer so not a lot people buying sweaters now) Next I look at what brands have SOLD. I then make a list of those sweaters that have sold. Do this on every category you want to sell in and do it often, trends and fads come and go so you must update your list.
TIP: Just because you see item "XX" sell for a high price, doesn't mean you will get that price!!! It just means that, that "one seller" got the right "one buyer" at the "right time".
Any fool can walk into a resale shop and buy items and list them. But only those smart people that took the time to do the research will buy the right items and be able to sell them with great profit.
TIP: Wash everything that you are going to sell. If item needs to be dry clean check with a couple cleaners in your area and see if anyone will give you a discount.
Garden Time!!! Look at what has Bloomed!!!! We have already had several dinners of the wax beans and I have been able to freeze several bags full. The sweet corn is about 8 foot tall and the last time I counted(yes, I did count the ears, lol) there was several dozens. The tomatoes are still green and getting rounder by the day. Pepper is flowered! Look at the great photo's.
That is all Folks!!! ibchilly
Wax Beans
8 pots of tomatoes
Yummy
Corn
Pepper. Thursday, June 25, 2015
Twisted Thursday
What a difference a week can make! I'm going to start with the gardens. I got the cages for the tomatoes, all twelve plants are flowering. I also put in place the trellis for the wax beans, I should have done them a little different but it is working out just fine. There is enough beans already for harvesting for tonight's dinner. We had some really bad storms roll through here and the high winds was almost ended all of my corn, but with some quick thinking and a spool of binder twine I was able to tie them up and all is well.
Well I'm still on my "hiatus" from thrifting. Taking time to redo the ibchilly Facebook group page. Added more descriptions and titles to the photos so my items can show up in searches. I found this new app that can take four of my pictures in a cute layout and then send them to Instagram and Twitter. Liking that!
Since sales are always at their lowest point for me from Memorial Day to Labor Day I have to really work hard at doing all social media stuff. Even though I have been buying and mostly selling on eBay for the past 16 years, this last two years I have really been pushing to make it a full time income. And in wanting a full time income I knew that the next step was reaching out with social media. Within the last two weeks Pinterest and Twitter have both grown another 200 followers each, Instagram jumped up to 88. And the Facebook "ibchilly" group added only one new person. Hence all the work I have done there.
So, as many of you have guessed, no big secret, I go resale hopping(yes hopping) and flip items on eBay for a profit. Or at least that's the goal. So from this day forward I'm going to share with all of you little tips to help you.
TIP: By no means is eBay a get rich road. Thank you for reading. Please post a "HI" to me! That is all, ibchilly
Well I'm still on my "hiatus" from thrifting. Taking time to redo the ibchilly Facebook group page. Added more descriptions and titles to the photos so my items can show up in searches. I found this new app that can take four of my pictures in a cute layout and then send them to Instagram and Twitter. Liking that!
Since sales are always at their lowest point for me from Memorial Day to Labor Day I have to really work hard at doing all social media stuff. Even though I have been buying and mostly selling on eBay for the past 16 years, this last two years I have really been pushing to make it a full time income. And in wanting a full time income I knew that the next step was reaching out with social media. Within the last two weeks Pinterest and Twitter have both grown another 200 followers each, Instagram jumped up to 88. And the Facebook "ibchilly" group added only one new person. Hence all the work I have done there.
So, as many of you have guessed, no big secret, I go resale hopping(yes hopping) and flip items on eBay for a profit. Or at least that's the goal. So from this day forward I'm going to share with all of you little tips to help you.
TIP: By no means is eBay a get rich road. Thank you for reading. Please post a "HI" to me! That is all, ibchilly
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Ice Tea and Sun!
It is so hard to stay focus on working when the weather is so nice. Not that I'm wishing for cold rainy days. But the sun keeps calling my name. So I have to answer it by going outside and basking in it.
Here is a peek at all the gardens. Can't believe that there are wax beans already!! The tomatoes are starting to flower. Going tonight to get cages for the tomatoes and trellis for the beans, should have done this sooner. I might have to learn how to can this year, but I won't. I will be sharing with the neighbors!
So now onto how I make other peoples day a little brighter. I claimed to be taking a hiatus from thrift shopping for the next couple of weeks to I can focus on other things, but I know I'm just fooling myself! I love the trill of finding great items. Going through racks after racks, from one store to the next. Looking like a crazy person. So guarantee there will be new listing going up on Monday.
See I spend my whole weekend shopping, like a crazy person. We, Husband and I, usually hit up 5 stores locally and if time and money allows there are about another dozen or so that we can do. After all the shopping is done, it is prep time. Taking tags off of items, Giving them another inspection, looking for damage. Then the washing/cleaning, quick iron if needed. Pictures. Researching and listing. After the listings are done all the social media works cites are updated. Finger cross that everything sells quickly. That is the cliff notes to ibchilly.
Well that is all there is for today.
Here is a peek at all the gardens. Can't believe that there are wax beans already!! The tomatoes are starting to flower. Going tonight to get cages for the tomatoes and trellis for the beans, should have done this sooner. I might have to learn how to can this year, but I won't. I will be sharing with the neighbors!
So now onto how I make other peoples day a little brighter. I claimed to be taking a hiatus from thrift shopping for the next couple of weeks to I can focus on other things, but I know I'm just fooling myself! I love the trill of finding great items. Going through racks after racks, from one store to the next. Looking like a crazy person. So guarantee there will be new listing going up on Monday.
See I spend my whole weekend shopping, like a crazy person. We, Husband and I, usually hit up 5 stores locally and if time and money allows there are about another dozen or so that we can do. After all the shopping is done, it is prep time. Taking tags off of items, Giving them another inspection, looking for damage. Then the washing/cleaning, quick iron if needed. Pictures. Researching and listing. After the listings are done all the social media works cites are updated. Finger cross that everything sells quickly. That is the cliff notes to ibchilly.
Well that is all there is for today.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Over The Moon
Well it's been awhile. But here we go. Just over two weeks ago the lady that worked for me doing all my social media, quit. Left me high and dry out of the blue. So after changing all my passwords I had to do a self taught crash course. The work that she did do was great and really helped me a lot. She will be missed.
Moving on! My gardens are doing great! Corn plants are several feet tall. Wax beans are starting to flower. And Tomatoes are filling out. I just love going outside everyday to water and pull weeds. My only wish is that I could have more room for more fresh yummy veggies.
Now on to work. In four months since being on Twitter it has grown up to 3.5k followers. Pinterest is up to 310 people. In the two months that I have been on Instagram, it has been the slowest in growth with a low count of 78 followers. I started a Facebook group last month called "ibchilly" so far has 88 people. All slowly growing.
All the social media groups have really help with my sales! I always want more! So please stop by http://stores.ebay.com/LemonCrave and buy! There are hundreds of items. My favorite items to find are Anthropologie, Chico's, CAbi and regulars like Ann Taylor Loft, Ralph Lauren and Quacker Factory. In the men's department Tommy Bahama, J. Crew and all thing Disney. If your into vintage items and love Hawaii, go see all the vintage Hawaii Postcards for the early 50's. I also have several dolls from the 70's.
If your not into vintage items that's okay. But you can't pass on cake. I have a lot of great Wilton cake pans and chocolate candy molds. Also Ralph Lauren tablecloths and napkins.
So if none of that is your cup of tea and your looking for that special steaming hot cup of coffee, Go check out all the cool mugs that would look great in your hand.
That is all folks. ibchilly
Wax beans!
Pepper!
Tomatoes!
Corn!
Kinetic Wind Mill!
Moving on! My gardens are doing great! Corn plants are several feet tall. Wax beans are starting to flower. And Tomatoes are filling out. I just love going outside everyday to water and pull weeds. My only wish is that I could have more room for more fresh yummy veggies.
Now on to work. In four months since being on Twitter it has grown up to 3.5k followers. Pinterest is up to 310 people. In the two months that I have been on Instagram, it has been the slowest in growth with a low count of 78 followers. I started a Facebook group last month called "ibchilly" so far has 88 people. All slowly growing.
All the social media groups have really help with my sales! I always want more! So please stop by http://stores.ebay.com/LemonCrave and buy! There are hundreds of items. My favorite items to find are Anthropologie, Chico's, CAbi and regulars like Ann Taylor Loft, Ralph Lauren and Quacker Factory. In the men's department Tommy Bahama, J. Crew and all thing Disney. If your into vintage items and love Hawaii, go see all the vintage Hawaii Postcards for the early 50's. I also have several dolls from the 70's.
If your not into vintage items that's okay. But you can't pass on cake. I have a lot of great Wilton cake pans and chocolate candy molds. Also Ralph Lauren tablecloths and napkins.
So if none of that is your cup of tea and your looking for that special steaming hot cup of coffee, Go check out all the cool mugs that would look great in your hand.
That is all folks. ibchilly
Wax beans! 
Pepper!
Tomatoes!
Corn!
Kinetic Wind Mill! Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Working Hard Wednesday
I have spent the best part of the last 24 hours Tweeting out about 700 eBay listings, Updating Instagram, adding pins to Pinterest and posting on Facebook.
Moving on to taking photos of a bunch of vintage mens Hawaiian shirts, Tommy Bahama shirts. And for the women, Anthropologie and Free People Skirts. Once the clothing is done I will dig through some of the totes to pull out some cool items.
So great to see all the people liking, retweeting, pinning all my great finds.
Go visit any one of my social media hot spots! And don't forget to stop by my store and check out all the new items added daily.
#ibchilly
@ibchilly
http://stores.ebay.com/LemonCrave
ibchilly
Moving on to taking photos of a bunch of vintage mens Hawaiian shirts, Tommy Bahama shirts. And for the women, Anthropologie and Free People Skirts. Once the clothing is done I will dig through some of the totes to pull out some cool items.
So great to see all the people liking, retweeting, pinning all my great finds.
Go visit any one of my social media hot spots! And don't forget to stop by my store and check out all the new items added daily.
#ibchilly
@ibchilly
http://stores.ebay.com/LemonCrave
ibchilly
Friday, May 22, 2015
Troublesome Thursday.
After doing all the photographing and researching today, I settled down to do the listings on eBay. There was 3 lots of craft books. Counted Cross Stitch, Quilting and Crochet books. The biggest lot was the counted cross stitching lot of 60. Well after listing each title and artist of all 60 books I got distracted and hit a wrong key and LOST all my work!!! I just wanted to cry! So needless to say after redoing that listing I was just burned out.
Guess what I will be doing all day tomorrow??? That's right, listing on eBay. I know that it will be another challenging day with a lot of researching for all the odd ball items I have right now. I just have to push through them and get back into my comfort zone of clothing.
My second pleasure in life is my garden, my sweet corn is almost a foot tall now. Can't wait to be eating fresh goodness this summer.
#ebay #ibchilly #Gardening #LemonCrave
♥ibchilly
Guess what I will be doing all day tomorrow??? That's right, listing on eBay. I know that it will be another challenging day with a lot of researching for all the odd ball items I have right now. I just have to push through them and get back into my comfort zone of clothing.
My second pleasure in life is my garden, my sweet corn is almost a foot tall now. Can't wait to be eating fresh goodness this summer.
#ebay #ibchilly #Gardening #LemonCrave
♥ibchilly
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