In hindsight, it was foolish to volunteer to sell a bunch of a friend’s stuff on eBay. I only say that because it’s harder than it sounds, it’s not as profitable as you might think, and it’s, frankly, a pain in the ass.
Some of the items I tried to sell were QVC Christmas figurines. Pretty, but not all that expensive. One listing included a pretty nice nativity with about sixteen pieces. When it didn’t even have any views last fall, I deeply discounted the asking price.
In November, I got some interest. One potential buyer wanted to buy several items together to save on shipping costs. No problem. We worked it out, I gave her a good deal, I boxed it all up and sent it out.
A month later, I got a message. “Oh, one of the shepherds had a broken head that had been glued back. Disappointed.” News to me. Everything was in the original form-fit styrofoam packaging. Was it that big of a deal?
I offered to send her other items that would match the set. I just wanted to clear my shelves. Plus, my wife had said, “If it doesn’t sell, it’s going to the thrift store.”
She didn’t want that. She wanted some kind of refund. One of sixteen pieces was damaged. You only paid about $25. What do you want? I offered her some other pieces I was trying to get rid of. Nope. She wanted cash. “How about $5?” Deal.
So, she got a sixteen piece nativity. She got it for $20. A repaired piece? I’ll bet almost everyone has a piece of their nativity that has been glued back together. And I’ll bet you put it out every year and don’t even think about it.
The good news: I’ve got almost everything I tried to sell off my shelf. Some I sold. Some I donated. Some I threw away. All that stuff found a home somewhere.
All we wanted to do was sell a piece of used exercise equipment, a spin bike. We had gotten good use out of it, but it was still in good shape. It was too big and heavy to ship, so we would decided to sell it locally. It would be a great bargain for someone.
As soon as we put it out on social media, the creepers came out. First, someone wanted to know if we would accept payment via Venmo. Absolutely not. That request reeks of scam. Cash only, at a safe site like the sheriff’s department. No, you can’t come to our house. Our no to Vemno was met with, “How about Cashapp?”
Forget it. We’ll just keep it. After a few weeks, we decided to try eBay and specify local pick up only. A third party would give the transaction a layer of security, right?
A guy from Kentucky inquires, “Can you ship it to me?” So, what part of “local pickup only” did you not understand? The thing weighs over a hundred pounds. We just didn’t want to mess with a shipping company. Forget it.
A guy from North Carolina makes a lowball offer and says, “We’ll be in town on this date to pick it up.” We counter and he comes up a little bit, but not enough to make us comfortable. The he explains that he and his wife aren’t that well and are working around various doctor’s appointments. He doesn’t sound like someone who would be doing much spin biking. Forget this. Our last message to him was, “We’ve taken it off the market.”
I’ve had decent success selling stuff on eBay. But all my sales were books and toys I could easily ship once the money was in my bank account. But the ordeal of an in-person transaction was too much for us.
I picked up my phone, it came to life and greeted me with an eBay notification, “Your item has sold. Ship now.”
So I sold a book for a couple of bucks. No big deal, right? Who knew something so simple could produce such a dopamine rush?
It’s addictive. What else can I sell? We don’t have to throw stuff out to “minimalize” our home. We’ll just sell everything! Books, shoes, clothing, kitchen utensils, knick-knacks, jewelry, picture frames. It’s like having a garage sale that goes on for months rather than just a Saturday morning.
I’m not making a whole lot of money. A couple of bucks here and there. But I love packing up an item, labeling it and dropping it off at the post office or shipping store. I’ve started collecting boxes, padded envelopes, bubble wrap, and packing tape. I’m ready.
Most days, nothing happens. Sometimes nothing happens for a month or two. Just when I think, “Well, I guess that’s not going to sell,” a buyer pops up. I don’t know that person. I don’t know why they’re buying my merchandise. Who cares? A complete stranger triggers that rush that makes me look and think, “What else can I sell?” On trash collection day I see items on the curb and think, “I wonder what that would sell for?”
It’s easy to find out. I can “shop” for just about anything on eBay and find it for sale. We had an antique wooden butter churn that too up too much space amongst out farmhouse decor. I knew nothing about it. I searched eBay and found a dozen just like it for sale. I priced mine a few bucks cheaper and sold it in a week. I’ve sold a yucky looking five gallon lard can (another antique), a gently-used instant-read thermometer I didn’t need anymore, collections of toys the grandkids weren’t interested in anymore, costume jewelry, and cheaply made clothing not worth returning to somewhere in China.
I’m not the only one who’s into selling. There’s a special bin at the post office for pre-labeled boxes and it’s usually filled to the brim. Many of the items are in eBay envelopes and boxes.
I’ve bought a few things, too. Again, there’s that rush when you get a thirty-dollar book for a buck plus shipping. Or when you win an auction and get those once-worn hundred dollar shoes for $19.
It’s like a game with over a hundred million players. Whether buying or selling, I feel like I’m winning!
On my recent trip to Israel, I encountered two very different styles of selling. One bugged the heck out of me. The other got me to purchase something.
After one full day of touring near the Sea of Galilee, our group was dropped off at a diamond store just down the hill from our hotel. We were assured that this was the best place to go if we wanted to purchase jewelry since Israel is one of the world’s leading exporters of diamonds. One of the store managers gave us a quick quick presentation on diamonds on the lower level. He then took us upstairs to the showroom.
A very kind gentleman with a clipboard immediately became my wife’s shadow as soon as we walked into the showroom. There were at least a dozen more like him, all of whom attached themselves to other members of our group. My wife simply wanted to look at what they had to offer and see what kinds of settings they had. Our friend followed us from display to display, from one side of the room to the other, just waiting for a nanosecond pause that might reveal interest in an item. It wasn’t five minutes before she said, “How do we get out of here?”
Later in the week we went to Bethlehem. Upon entering the city, we had an excellent falafel lunch, and then went to the olive wood store next door. We were told that this was the best place to get anything olive wood. It was genuine, handcrafted right there, and was far better than anything we’d see in the markets, which probably came from China.
After a little talk about the different products there, the same person who had waited on us in the restaurant gifted me an olive wood covered bible. Then we were free to look around. The selection was amazing, as were the prices. Once again, we attracted a number of folks who pressed hard for a sale. Each time we paused to look at something, someone was right there to make sure we got something off the shelf. They upped the ante by offering me the special pastoral 25% discount. Time was of the essence, too. When another tour group came in, we were herded towards the door. We bought some Christmas ornaments for the grandkids and headed for the bus.
I wasn’t surprised by those two experiences. I’ve been there, done that before. It’s just annoying. It makes us want to get out as soon as possible.
We had a totally different experience in the markets, though. Strolling through the Arab market in old city Jerusalem, we came across a different kind of store, one that sold antiquities. This store had everything from coins to oil lamps to pottery and other items found at archeological digs. The owner of this store was still opening up his store as he welcomed us. As my wife looked at some of the coins from the time of Jesus, I asked him how long he had worked in this store. “I am fourth generation,” he proudly explained, “And my son works here, too.” When his son walked in a few minutes later, we got to meet him.
He asked where we were from and when he learned we weren’t far from St. Augustine, told us his brother owned a pizza restaurant there. (I found the place on TripAdvisor, but we haven’t been there yet.) My wife had a few questions about some of the coins, and he pulled out a reference book that explained when each was used and where. He never asked us once to buy anything, but had a story about each item that caught our eye.
My wife not only purchased a coin mounted in a pendant, but also bought another as a gift for her mom. Our friends came in and bought something, too. We stayed in his little shop for about an hour altogether.
Later, as we walked by the many, many booths of Menahen Yehuda market, we paused at one booth with an amazing display of spices and dried fruit mixes. The smells coming out of that booth were amazing. When we pointed and asked, “What’s this?” he explained what the dried fruit mixture was, explained how it could be used to make tea or added to wine or eaten as is, and then gave us a generous taste. He did this over and over, working through the sweet and then the savory side of the booth. He told us how long each could be stored. He explained how he would wrap it up to take home. I bought four different kinds of dried fruit mixes, about two pounds in all.
I asked him if he was the person who’s name was over the booth, and he told us that he was almost family, but not quite! I then asked where to find the best coffee and baklava in the market, since there were so many stores. He thought for a moment, then pointed out where we needed to stop next.
Where we stopped next was a little coffee shop. Basket after basket of coffee was on display, and the young man working explained where each came from and which blends were his favorites. He gave us a little sample. You don’t have to work very hard to sell me coffee. I picked out the coffee labeled “Tanzania” and he told me they roasted that one right there. He scooped up some beans, ground them and brewed a nice long espresso for me. Delicious.
Not many steps from there was an impressive display of baklava. No one else was at the shop when we arrived, so the owner explained each variety. and which ones he liked best. He let us try one, too. Delicious! Could we take some home? Absolutely, he said. He handed us a box to fill up, then he wrapped it securely to pack in our luggage.
I’m fascinated between these very different experiences. I couldn’t wait to get out of the first two stores. But I could have hung around all day at the last three places. I’ve read a lot recently about how to promote your business or sell your product by telling your story. I got to see that method in the markets of Jerusalem from some vendors who did it extremely well!
Waite for it... 