Best time of year to list home goods?

[tarotfindsandmore]

As the end of Q4 is just a few weeks away, I'm looking ahead to the coming year.  I'm not a quick flip seller.  I prefer to hold some of my inventory until the time is right.  For collectibles, toys, and tarot, this usually means hanging onto things until they've sold out and become harder to find but I'm not entirely sure when it's best to list things outside of these categories.  I also know that many folks subscribe to the buy it/flip it approach regardless of what the items are.  That's not really my speed.  I'd prefer to optimize sales (and income) by timing things a bit so please disregard this post if you're a fast flipper.

My question is (as indicated in the subject line) what time of year do most you feel is best for new in package/box/with tags home goods?  I have quite a nice selection of items from Pottery Barn, West Elm, and Anthropologie items that I've been sitting on as I try to move holiday and cool weather items.  I'm not sure when to start listing them. January during white sales? February when things slow down? Spring when folks start their spring cleaning and home upgrades?

I know there are marketing charts that break things down according to what sells when but I haven't seen one in a bit so, if any of you know where to find one, please feel free to share it.

[stainlessenginecovers]

For ebay- the more you list, the more you sell.

This site, in fact- every site- is SO OVER SATURATED with just about everything under the sun, that all you can do.....and should do is

List

List

List

You NEVER know when someone wants a 'large flowerpot' or a 'toy train'. There is no REAL 'time' for any of these things. 

[tobaccocardyahoo]

There are some items from Pottery Barn and Anthropologie which are in high demand and move year round, especially interesting discontinued items.

One of my daughter is constantly spotting some of these in her local thrifts and listing on Ebay with excellent results.

Waiting for white sales is choosing to compete with B&M retailers when their prices are lower. Not clear that the number of white sale time shoppers will be enough to overpower the large number of products with lower prices.

[tarotfindsandmore]

I do list daily but, again, timing is an element that I consider.  For example, I'm not going to start a BIN for a woolen beanie in June.  Obviously, I won't take an item down once it's "off season" but I have found that there is a bit more movement when I do take timing into consideration.  Nothing I sell is "necessary" so I try to list items from my inventory on a sort of schedule that will maximize visibility.  

[dhbookds · Accepted solution]

I've always found that Jan-May are the best time for sales "home items"......linen/pottery/glass/decor......my "theory" is that Jan finds people with Xmas $$ to spend and they have begun thinking about sprucing up the house for spring.......  

I go with the thought of listing when you've got it, though........enough "outliers" to make that profitable.  Biggest money the better half made this year was for a Halloween piece two wks after Halloween. 

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

You might try looking at Product Research in Seller Hub. Here's a graph for "Pottery Barn Quilt" sales for the past year:

You can play around with this stuff and see if it is helpful. My own view is it can be helpful, but always put the info in context based on your own knowledge and your business model.

[luckythewinner]

I know there are marketing charts that break things down according to what sells when

You appear to be a fixed price seller.

The best time to sell a fixed price item is when a willing buyer is searching. 

I'm baffled why you want to try to guess when a willing buyer will be searching, instead of just making sure your item is available all the time.

[inhawaii]

January 1st to December 31st would give your best chances of selling it.

[tarotfindsandmore]

Maybe I should clarify a bit.  I have a fairly large (for me) inventory. I like to list anywhere from 3 to 12 new items a day. This allows me to do as an earlier poster mentioned and "list, list, list" year round.  I don't have the energy to dump hundreds of items on the site all at once, nor do I want to.  So, this particular category is one that I don't sell a lot in and I'm looking for more information of the sort that my-cottage-books-and-antiques and dhbooks have offered up. 

I do appreciate the replies and opinions.  I also think I'm following a slightly different business model than the fast flippers employ however.  My personal goal is a regular flow of sales, a few a day, rather than big peaks and valleys.  So far, this year, my sales have been quite consistent from month to month, but what sells in a given month varies quite a bit.  I'm just trying to figure out the best way to incorporate this category so I can continue in this fashion.

[inhawaii]

---

@tarotfindsandmore wrote:

My personal goal is a regular flow of sales, a few a day, rather than big peaks and valleys. 

---

Been selling here for over 20 years.

No matter what you do, you will never have a "regular flow" of sales.

There will always be peaks and valleys.

[luckythewinner]

---

@tarotfindsandmore wrote:

Maybe I should clarify a bit.  I have a fairly large (for me) inventory. I like to list anywhere from 3 to 12 new items a day. This allows me to do as an earlier poster mentioned and "list, list, list" year round.  I don't have the energy to dump hundreds of items on the site all at once, nor do I want to. 

---

Your account shows a history of roughly 1600 listings (602 active and 973 sold). If you can list 8-10 a day for the next year, you'll have tripled that number.

My answer is still basically the same - list them as soon as possible and leave them up there. Your own instincts and experience will guide you about what to list and when.  

[yuzuha]

---

@tarotfindsandmore wrote:

I do appreciate the replies and opinions.  I also think I'm following a slightly different business model than the fast flippers employ however.  My personal goal is a regular flow of sales, a few a day, rather than big peaks and valleys.  So far, this year, my sales have been quite consistent from month to month, but what sells in a given month varies quite a bit.  I'm just trying to figure out the best way to incorporate this category so I can continue in this fashion.

---

The only way to have a somewhat regular flow of sales is to also have a constant flow of new inventory that you're listing on a regular basis. Otherwise, what will happen is that your good stuff will sell and then you'll be left with the duds that people don't want.

As other people have already said, you never know when a buyer for a particular item is going to come along. If it's not listed, it can't sell, so there's really no point in just sitting on inventory and waiting for the "right time" to list it, because by doing so you might wind up missing the buyer who would have purchased it had it just been listed.

[stainlessenginecovers]

---

@tarotfindsandmore wrote:

I do list daily but, again, timing is an element that I consider.  For example, I'm not going to start a BIN for a woolen beanie in June.   

---

@tarotfindsandmore Why? It's 58 degrees in Huntington Beach CA on June 12th at 4 in the morning when a roofer has to get in his truck to drive to Valencia. 

It's Winter in Australia in June, July so if you are listing with EIS (no reason NOT to) then...

This is just a silly losing concept. 

List

List 

List 

Everything

Everyday

365 a year

[tarotfindsandmore]

I hear ya.  I'll definitely give your approach some consideration.  Thank you. 🙂