eBay

keziak · ‎03-17-2020

My current problem is not sales but the collapse of my sources of inventory (books) as I put in another of my posts. I am trying to think out of the box and try new things, but I have no idea of the impact of the virus on people's inclination to meet face to face.

I called the local thrift store to ask if their book donations are up and was told no. It's not a great source of inventory, the prices are mostly too high. I've done a lot with remainders over the years but the last two times the books were worn or even damaged and when I complained was told they could not help it if the books showed handling even though on SOME listings they put "shopworn". So I'm not giving them business now either.

I guess I could do more with yard sales in a few months but who knows if people will hold any? Library and church sales are cancelled now, maybe by Summer it will be better?

lacemaker3 · ‎03-17-2020

@keziak, my local library has closed all it's branches, they sent an email out on Sunday. They are asking people to hold off on donations, and all due dates have been extended. They are asking people NOT to return borrowed books to the library, until the emergency has lifted.

Most people will just delay their normal activities, they'll hold onto the books, and donate them later, after this is over.

People are not supposed to be going out and speeding up the spread of the virus. The whole point of this emergency is to slow the spread down, so that the peak doesn't overload our healthcare system.

Things will get back to normal eventually. Things have been closed for the next few weeks. They might be extended a bit, probably some areas more than others. But they will return to normal, and people will go back to their routines.

I think that you should just go with the flow. Stay home. Find something else to do. Don't go out trying to find other sources during an emergency. The sources you have been using will be back in business soon enough. Wait until then.

If you're lucky, your area may not be so hard-hit that they have to declare a state of emergency and require everyone to stay inside. It will be a lot easier for everyone to deal with, if people just cooperate and they don't have to enforce things.

mcdougle4248 · ‎03-17-2020

@keziak

You may want to search Facebook for local Buy & Sell groups and join the groups to see if anyone is selling their books.

pburn · ‎03-17-2020

Oh, good gawd. I sincerely wish I could ship you all the thousands of books cluttering up my house (and I exaggerate only slightly for comic effect). It would be doing us both a huge favor.

coffeebean832 · ‎03-17-2020

Look for large book lots listed here on eBay until your regular sources resume business?

keziak · ‎03-17-2020

@coffeebean832 wrote:
Look for large book lots listed here on eBay until your regular sources resume business?

that's a good idea! I hadn't thought of that, thanks.

onlinecentral · ‎03-17-2020

You say, "I am trying to think out of the box and try new things..."
Here is a business plan.
Buy it on eBay and then resell it on eBay.
Focus on one brand.
Lightweight, small items with a low postage cost to the eventual buyer.
If a seller has a box of 50 assorted items, they need to post 44 listings since few are duplicates.
They don't want to do the labor and will sell the whole lot for cheap.
Bid or use buy-it-now to get items at $0.33 cents per package.
Look at newly listed items each day for lots.
Hoard inventory to gradually build a virtual aisle of a store.
Sort these into like items by part number.
Snap one fairly good photograph per item.
Type all of the text from the retail package into your description.
No store terms and conditions nonsense to distract the buyer.
You can reuse the library of photos and descriptions you create as you get future inventory.
The upside is each listing and photo has an average of $350.00 dollars of inventory and 50 units.
Each package averages 1.4 units or so.
There are almost no disputes about condition since the items are usually factory sealed.
Customers are okay with sealed shelf worn packages.
Packages that are taped or stapled shut still sell, but slower.
You can eliminate some costs from the business model of garage/estate sales.
Goods Acquisition Cost is your purchasing expenses of time and gasoline.
Listing cost is doing photography, creating descriptions and price research for each and every One-Off item.
Emotional cost is the swing and a miss purchasing stories.
They outnumber the extra fortunate find stories to tell.

gwens*4saleitems* · ‎03-17-2020

I just wanted to say, "I love your text, you made it very easy to read. Thank you."

mr_lincoln · ‎03-17-2020

@keziak You actually bring up and excellent point and that's access to inventory ... while I never use thrift stores I do use local auction houses ... I went to Monday preview for ta regular Tuesday auction and just happened to over hear the owner talking on the phone, I could tell he was irritated, he basically told whoever he was talking to that his business WAS essential, people make a living here ... this was before I new of the pending shutdowns ...

That evening I checked their web site and they basically said they were holding the auction and if anyone felt sick to stay home ... there were some things I wanted to bid on but decided not to go.

Craig's list or Facebook Marketplace or Offer up might be sources for local inventory too ... but I suspect the next few weeks will be tough and rather competitive trying to obtain items to sell ...

Regards,
Mr. Lincoln - Community Mentor

keziak · ‎03-17-2020

I checked in with myself today "wassup?" and decided that I currently have a strong impulse to problem-solve in the face of so much that is beyond my control. Doing something, trying new ideas, better than stewing about all my inventory sources going "poof". It could be worse, one source may start having some books again pretty soon and my job will be to try very hard to find ways to market them effectively (ie lots), another may open up again in 2 weeks (otherwise their store will go into the toilet). I have stockpiles of books and materials at home to take me weeks. Then, there is always inventory work which usually kicks out books on the shelves that aren't listed and could be listed fresh.

I spent a lot of time today making calls, sending emails, and generally thinking about other sources of inventory. Starting tonight it's back to old-fashioned listing of what I currently have.

keziak · ‎03-17-2020

That is one well thought-out post. Did you just come up with all that or do you use that method yourself?

I spent some time today looking at book lots on ebay but didn't find any that had potential for resale.

fern*wood · ‎03-17-2020

I have been sort of surprised by your posts lamenting dried up sources, since I thought I remembered you posting previously about the large amount of books you needed to list and sell. Maybe your anxiousness about wanting to source additional books is more out of habit than actual need.

earlyant-77 · ‎03-17-2020

@mr_lincoln wrote:
@keziak You actually bring up and excellent point and that's access to inventory ... while I never use thrift stores I do use local auction houses ... I went to Monday preview for ta regular Tuesday auction and just happened to over hear the owner talking on the phone, I could tell he was irritated, he basically told whoever he was talking to that his business WAS essential, people make a living here ... this was before I new of the pending shutdowns ...
That evening I checked their web site and they basically said they were holding the auction and if anyone felt sick to stay home ... there were some things I wanted to bid on but decided not to go.
Craig's list or Facebook Marketplace or Offer up might be sources for local inventory too ... but I suspect the next few weeks will be tough and rather competitive trying to obtain items to sell ...

@mr_lincoln

Why don't you just leave bids? If I see something I want on auctionzip, I call them up and leave bids. There are only a couple I won't do that with, since they like to start off at your left bid(one of these I can get around by calling the clerk instead of the auctioneer). Then when I'm around that area, I go in and pay for them and pick them up. I do that every week - especially with the one right down the road from me on Friday nights if I'm still working or just don't want to go.

Everyone knows me, and I have permanent numbers at all of the auction houses.

wastingtime101 · ‎03-17-2020

@onlinecentral wrote:
Type all of the text from the retail package into your description.

Be careful about this one. If you type the text verbatim you can get yourself a VeRO violation - ask me how I know.

Moral of the story: use info from the package but put it in your own words.

GLORIOUS!

keziak · ‎03-17-2020

@fern*wood wrote:
I have been sort of surprised by your posts lamenting dried up sources, since I thought I remembered you posting previously about the large amount of books you needed to list and sell. Maybe your anxiousness about wanting to source additional books is more out of habit than actual need.

Yes, I waste a lot of bandwidth worrying about running out! Also there are top tier stuff and all the rest which is copious but less likely to sell, or sell well, yet still (sort of) worth the work of storing and listing. At my commission I shovel lots of books and media all the time so anything less feels like crisis time.