It's November 2023 - How are your sales doing? Holiday sales are only going to go up- are you ready?

[rosachs]

Traffic should be picking up as buyers start paying more attention to that "days until Christmas" countdown.  How are your sales doing?  What are you doing different this year from other years?  What are you doing the same?

-Bob.

[rosachs]

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@toomuchstuffagain35 wrote:

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@bryo_3145 wrote:

Can't wait for Black Friday so I can fight the crowd and stand in line at 6 a.m. just for a pair of socks. 

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Does anyone actually DO that anymore?

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Last year, we had family members shopping online while the dinner was cooking!  And nobody was going to even get close to the "Black Friday Madness" -- just a quiet day at home trying to figure out how to pay for all the stuff ordered online the day before!  🙂

-Bob.

[rosachs]

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@toomuchstuffagain35 wrote:

What's going on in Memphis with facebook?

I sell on ebay for a reason, I don't want to deal with the face to face meetups that never show etc etc.

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I'm not sure if it's the area in general or just me, but I'm tired of the barrage of "Is this still available?" during the first 3 minutes after I post something.  And if you do take the time to answer, you hear nothing back.

I also can't quick finger out the market -- I've got a 27" i7/16G/256Gb SSD boot & 1TB HDD for data iMac that I can't seem to -give away-!  The memory, processor, and SSD/HDD setup are all Apple Store only upgrades, and not cheap at that.  And the system is QUICK!  Best video & sound I've experienced in a long time.  If I could run SixBit on iOS, I'd keep it for myself and consider it money very well spent (it was part of a larger IT bulk purchase that really taxed the available space in my Expedition!).  So I took several decent pictures, documented the configuration, checked out online pricing for similar age/config systems, and set a really decent asking price - pickup only at my work, where the security cameras keep everyone honest.  Mostly.

This last time I posted it, I had an 'available' inquiry Before The Next Page Loaded!

And I'm not even going to get into the number of reports of people robbed or carjacked due to a drop-off or porch pickup arrangement.

When the boss re-arranges the store (Q1 2024), I'm going to see if we can create a small computer/electronics space, and then make arrangements to sell my stuff there as well for a 'space rental fee' of a set percentage of sale amount.

-Bob.

[rosachs]

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@ckimodog wrote:

@rosachs 

1 sale...2 weeks ago.  🐈

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One of my accounts went a full month with no sales.  I'm beginning to think that those 250 truly free listings I get each month are somehow tagged and so get significantly lower Search placement.

-Bob.

[chapeau-noir]

I filled up the back of my station wagon with stuff I had cleared out of my store and took it all to the Value Village on senior day (30% off).  Helped the staffer haul all the boxes into the rolling carts, then went inside to see what they had.

An entire large store yielded five mediocre items. 😓

At least all of the stuff I donated was GOOD stuff - I don't carry anything else in my stores, but if I need to cut to the chase with this stuff, I have other things to do and if I haven't boosted these items in two years, it goes.  The online selling space is just getting too crowded, even spread out on three sites as I am.

My goal is on my next birthday to have almost all of my possessions, save for books, sports equipment and a very small inventory GONE. I say books, but we have two libraries (yes, rooms full of books) - OTOH, I work as a researcher when I'm not flogging stuff on the intertubes, so I do need those, but have managed to clear out a large box so far. The DH has one of the entire libraries with just my old paper and a few books on one shelf - I should be able to move them into my library now.

Goals.

[bluebirds-2013]

Impulsive buyers? really what do you think on 415 views 30 watchers and not one bid? some of the views are from people coming back after the auction was finished.

[gloryglorygifts]

When I was younger, I LOVED Christmas Eve shopping. That was my favorite time to shop with everyone hustling and bustling and the stores hot as heck and the excitement crackling in the air. I haven't stepped foot into a store on the eve in decades. If it isn't on line, I don't need it. LOL

[b86fiero]

Me too!  Loved the thrill and excitement when I was a young mom with a mile long list of family and friends to purchase gifts for.

Fighting the crowds on Christmas Eve is for younger and more agile folks than me now.  Too many rude and aggressive people out there.

Just yesterday I was hobbling through a grocery store with a back injury when a female looked to be in her late 20's ran her shopping cart right into me. it really hurt. No apology. She huffed and gave me a dirty look for being in the same aisle she wanted to barrel down. I was standing next to a shelf trying to reach a jar of mayo.

Then at the check out I had another aggressive female who was doggone bent on piling her stuff within a millimeter of my fruit. I had placed the order bar separator longwise at the end of my order trying to keep a foot of space between us. She picked it up and put it widthwise right next to my fruit.  I have to say,  this old lady had enough of rudeness for the day so I picked up the bar and slammed in back down exactly as I had originally placed it. Then I stood next to it and fake coughed a couple of times so she'd stay away from me. The check out clerk smiled at me and the young man who bagged my order smiled and quietly said good for you and wished me a happy holiday season as I left.  (I hate when people pile their stuff on top of mine. I have ended up with items I didn't want in my bags before). 

[b86fiero]

Remember when people were happy and cheerful and friendly and respectful during holiday season?

[lawnmowerpartsstore2]

Welcome to the New World 😞

[gloryglorygifts]

Ugh... well good for you! My son was telling someone a few weeks ago about me. He said you gotta watch out for her. That sweet, kind lady isn't what you think she is. LOL.  Both of those women would have gotten push back from me now. I guess all those years of Christmas Eve shopping have prepared me for people like that.  Fake cough.... I LOVE that. 😀

Happy holidays to you! May it be merry and bright!

[rosachs]

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@bluebirds-2013 wrote:

Impulsive buyers? really what do you think on 415 views 30 watchers and not one bid? some of the views are from people coming back after the auction was finished.

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I try not to, but sometimes I'll just Watch so I can see how well something I'm thinking of selling actually does.  I won't buy the inventory until I can confirm sellability, but putting things on my Watch list helps me keep track.

And a lot of the listings I open and review... are not for things I'm looking to buy... I'm looking for pricing data and what details & pictures are being used.  I can't tell you how many listings I've opened to be overwhelmed by eBay placed ads and Similar Too, Also Listed By, and other eBay-generated chaff.  Then by the time I move to something else, I've gotten a markdown Offer!  If you're going to post automatic markdowns for everyone who opens the listing, why not just make that the regular price and maybe attract actual interested buyers?  One offer I got was for 25% off!!  No wonder their listing was amongst the highest priced ones I'd seen, and the lowest on the Search results as well.

-Bob.

[rosachs]

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@b86fiero wrote:

I have to say,  this old lady had enough of rudeness for the day so I picked up the bar and slammed in back down exactly as I had originally placed it. Then I stood next to it and fake coughed a couple of times so she'd stay away from me. The check out clerk smiled at me and the young man who bagged my order smiled and quietly said good for you and wished me a happy holiday season as I left.  (I hate when people pile their stuff on top of mine. I have ended up with items I didn't want in my bags before). 

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Excellent -- I'll have to remember that!  And since all the walking thru the store generally works up a sweat (when you're overweight, a lot of things become sweaty things)... so a sweaty face and a few coughs should keep everyone well back!  🙂

I've never had someone else's stuff end up on my tab, but I have gotten home to find out I have bags that have things I would never buy.  Someone either before or behind wasn't paying attention.  Mostly I send that stuff to the local food bank - if my wife and I aren't going to eat it, maybe someone else will.

-Bob.

[rosachs]

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@gloryglorygifts wrote:

Ugh... well good for you! My son was telling someone a few weeks ago about me. He said you gotta watch out for her. That sweet, kind lady isn't what you think she is. LOL.  Both of those women would have gotten push back from me now. I guess all those years of Christmas Eve shopping have prepared me for people like that.  Fake cough.... I LOVE that. 😀

Happy holidays to you! May it be merry and bright!

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Age doth have it's privileges!  Besides discounts at Denny's and free coffee (which I don't drink), that is.

My poor wife is being overrun with 20-somethings, fresh out of college, who think they know everything worth knowing.  It's funny, sometimes.  She's had more than one manager apologize for an employee's behavior or comments... and since my sweet wife has an amazing high 'correct answer' score, most of the folks learn quickly to listen, take notes, and be happy she's still coming in every day!  🙂

-Bob.

[toomuchstuffagain35]

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@b86fiero wrote:

Remember when people were happy and cheerful and friendly and respectful during holiday season?

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How long ago was that?

[gloryglorygifts]

Well they might be book smart but life smart is a totally different animal. I'm glad that she is taking it in stride and teaching them. Someday, hopefully, they will get it..