Brimfield Week/ Ebay Lull

In spite of everybody elses reports that ebay/etsy/other online sites are tanking, I keep on chugging along. This past month and a half were the best sales I've had in quite awhile. I really don't think it's due to my Top-Rated status either.

I changed my horses in midstream and started focusing on dolls and signed costume jewelry which have a terrific sell-through rate. I also pick up clocks/parts as well when I can because those sell too...like crazy.

I figure I will take all my vintage clothes, shoes and hats and bring them to the fleamarket when all the Brimfield BS is over with. The Brimfield fleamarket has far-reaching consequences for other fleamarkets all over Mass when it is on. People blow all their money there and are tapped out and are even bigger cheapskates than usual the following couple of weeks. The week or two before is gold, because Brimfield dealers scour other fleamarkets to beef up their booths, last year I made a killing the week before Brimfield with wrought iron garden plant stands I bought for $2 a piece at auction, I sold them for $10 and $20 each and I am sure the guys that bought them marked them up to $50+, but that was not my concern, my concern was getting rid of my stuff, lol.

I am sick of my vintage clothes, they take up way too much real-estate and sell very slowly, even though they are cool and come in handy for my daughter's drama productions. I've already made profit on all of them so any more that I make is gravy and I feel like I'll do better hanging them on racks at the fleamarket and letting people examine them in person and maybe try them on so there will no complaints or returns.

Cold Clocked

Last week Charley saw an auction about an hour away featuring a motherlode of clock parts. We've been to this auction house before and there's a guy there who always bids the clocks up to the limit of little-no profitability. Since this was an earlier auction (3 PM on a Wednesday) we took the chance on the hopes that asshole wouldn't show up, but this time was no different.

I know his user id on ebay, and for the prices he's getting on these clocks, there's no excuse for him bidding that high other than the right to be the biggest asshole in the room at any given point. He finally "let" me have 2 wall clocks after a bloodbath. Luckily, the $15 lot of dolls I won minutes before will pay for themselves and the overpayment on the clocks. Ugh. I should make my money back, but not before I have to drop another $30 or so in repair parts. Never again.

Krazy Kat Lady

I am through...through with this nutcase bidder!

Hello,
I am interested in this pretty doll. I have two questions... First, in the close up picture there is a spot under her mouth, just above her chin, and what looks like two "bubbles" or something just to the side of one eye. In the other picture I don't see these things. Maybe it was just dust or specks of something? Can you please check and let me know, or add another close up picture? Also, shipping is listing as $27 by First Class International Mail. I am in Toronto, Canada and shipping by this method is usually about $18. Can you please check again the cost for Canada? Thanks so much for your time,

My reply:

 No spots on her mouth and I will have to check and get back to you on shipping, I went with 2-3 pounds on the calculator and it's probably using the higher weight. You would get the corrected shipping cost on the invoice.

Her next fuckin' question:

 Hi,
Thanks for getting back to me. Did you see any tiny marks just to the left of her left eye? You can see them in the close up photo, but I don't know if they are actually on the doll. They actually look like tiny defects in the plastic, but it could just be the photo. If you can send another close up to me that would be really appreciated.
Thanks so much,

I am starting to get irritated with these nitpicky questions but I answer:

 The macro on this camera is such that when you use the magnifying glass feature, it looks like something is there, but there's nothing. It was probably dust or lint. This is one of the best condition of these I've ever had in my possession.

Next question: 

 Hi,
Thanks for getting back to me. Did you see any tiny marks just to the left of her left eye? You can see them in the close up photo, but I don't know if they are actually on the doll. They actually look like tiny defects in the plastic, but it could just be the photo. If you can send another close up to me that would be really appreciated.
Thanks so much,

Okay am REALLY REALLY sick of the ongoing interrogation. Did I not just say there was nothing there?
I send her a goddamned close-up so close that if the doll had boogers you'd see them, and then answer:

 Shipping to Canada is $15. I am going to edit the description to reflect it.

This was a day or so ago. Today, I found my 7 year old cat dead in the driveway. I am in a foul ass mood and am also dealing with a "I bid on this by mistake" asshole who keeps messaging me. Since I have $300 worth of merchandise in the mail currently, when I get a message, I shit myself. I am also beside myself about my cat. I log in to check my auctions and see "Messages (1)" (God damn it, what NOW?) It's the fuckin' Canadian asshole again.

Question:

Hi, 

Thank you for adjusting the postage.  May I ask a question about her hair?  In the picture it looks like the hair has come out of her ponytail at the front/top of her head? Can you please have a look for me?  Is her hair okay? Thanks again,

That's it. I have HAD ENOUGH with the questions. If you're finding this much shit wrong with it by simply looking at the pictures and also dictating to me what my shipping cost should be (hey, if I was using the GSP you'd be paying $38+ bitch!) then I cannot imagine how big of a pain-in-the-ass you'll be after you buy the fuckin' thing.

Fuck you and the cabbage patch you sprung from. I am done, done! answering your nitpicky stupid questions. I put her on my blocked bidder list.

I answer her final fuckin' hair question and she replies with this (my blood is boiling, isn't ebay supposed to stop people from asking you questions when you've blocked them??):

Hi, 

I just can’t make out why in the picture, her hair (right side in the picture, left side on the actual doll) just behind her white bow, looks like that way. I am very interested in this doll but can’t figure out what’s going on with that part of her hair.  Do you see any issues with it at all?  

"Free" Shipping

Now I know shipping isn't free. I am one of those sellers that packs everything in brand new shit (except boxes, those I get recycled). Packing peanuts are around $10 a bag, bubble wrap is $17 for 150 feet. Tape is $1.50 because I get it at Job Lot, (110 yards for $1.39). I refuse to pay over $1.00 for less than 100 yards of tape. I loved the good ol' days when Dollar Tree carried 100 yard rolls but now they're 45...to hell with that.

But so many sellers are raping and pillaging with their shipping charges that I wonder how they even make it past Cassini so I can find them. But then, I almost never go with "Best Match" I do "ending soonest" and "newly listed"

I've got this gorgeous sounding clock with a Westminster chime that I am about to restore. It's got no dial so the face looks awful. I paid $6 and in mint condition the thing is worth about $50, so I am not looking to spend much on it.

This person in Oklahoma has the part I need. Their price is slightly steep ($22) but I could get past that if the shipping were more reasonable ($10.50).

If it was my own part I'd $18.99 (at most) + $6.50 it. No clock dial is ever worth more than $20 unless it's rare or french. Even from OK the shipping should not exceed $9.88. I'd charge $6.50 to meet them halfway. It's less of a shock to the system. I still threw it on my watch list in the hopes that he'll go down in price since I figure nobody is going to want to pay $33 for a clock dial. I can get away with that. If it was even $5 less I'd buy it immediately.

Sandbagged

Hello, i received the bag yesterday not sure i want to keep it because it says leather on your ad but only the fringes are.. :-(

Ah, yes. Picky assholes that refuse to read a tag still exist. I refunded this one to shut her up because my negative left by the guy in Turkey is about to drop off and I don't want her ruining it. I am sure she will anyway with a low DSR, not realizing that she's fucking up my rating. She has only 31 feedback.

I put in the description what the tag said...that the outside was leather. It was a bronze patent leather with brown leather fringe. I am assuming that she's assuming that the bronzed part is not leather, but it is. Since it was less than $15, I ate it. I am pissed a little, but I dealt with it. A preemptive strike, if you will.

I told her not to send it back, reason being that she'd probably wind up paying like $7 to send it back which I will also wind up eating...I'd prefer not to get the purse back since I listed it twice at $15 and that seems to be all it's worth.

But of course she wants to send it back. So now I will be out $22 instead of $15...gah. Even if I relist it and sell it for $15 again I will still be out the $7 plus the fees for the 1st transaction since cancelling is now a defect. So I will make a paltry $8, probably nothing after I pay for the "free" shipping. 

Update:
She sent me a message today saying she wanted to keep the purse after all and re-paid the money. I shit you not. I take back what I said. Sometimes you expect the worst and you get an okay transaction out of it.

Steamrolled

I jump through all these ebay hoops, Free shipping, 1 day handling, kiss buyer ass, Pack shit using brand new boxes and expensive packing material (bubble wrap $17 a roll, packing peanuts $10 a bag, large boxes $2.50 each, rolls and rolls of tape at $1.50 each, bubble envelopes $5.00 a package of 10 for the small ones), describe everything down to the most minute flaw, take crystal clear photos. Refund without question.

I get up, sometimes work at an auction house all day (unloading trailers, moving and unpacking boxes, cleaning things, organizing things) go home and pack shit for ebay, send it, list more shit, next day the same thing. Fridays it's snack bar from 4-9, sometimes 10. The auction is going on while I am in the snack bar so I have to watch it and bid while I also wait on people.

I sell and sell and sell and work and work and work and somebody, somewhere always seems to have it in for me and they always want my fuckin' house! It's an 80 year old 945 square foot dump with a leaky roof! Leave it alone!!!

Sears sued me in 2011 and put a lien on the house. The town wanted back RE taxes, also in 2011 or they'd take the house (of course) - I made a stealth ebay account and sold my diamond ring to pay them off because at the time I was limited to 13 items or $150, whichever came first on the main account. The town just last week hit me again with a $422 RE tax bill...pay it by June 18 or else we take your house... now the fuckin' trustee starts in on me...$685 or this Chapter 13 goes south.

Meanwhile, I work my ass off for basically nothing and field stupid messages like the one I got this morning about a $12 purse:

Hi...I won this purse earlier and have tried 3 times now to pay...once on my cell and twice online directly...and it says your Paypal is not accepting payment. What's happening? I bought this so I could get it and take it on our vacation at the end of next week. According to your post, it would arrive in time with the shipping you listed...hence why I bought the purse. So, how am I suppossed to pay if your Paypal isn't accepting payment for some reason?? Please respond as soon as possble so we can resolve this and you can get it in the mail and to me in time for my vacation. If you cannot get this to 'work', then please cancel the transaction and let me know so I can find another bag somewhere else. THANKS!

Last night, in their infinite wisdom, Paypal decided to suddenly (in the middle of 4 transactions) put a restriction on my account and not allow me to accept any more payments or access ones already made. This message goaded me to just use the EIN I applied for last month. I hadn't used it for fear that Poopal would trace the number back to my real name, but was forced to do it by Miss Impatient Vacationer.

WHY would you buy a purse online a week before you're supposed to go on vacation to take on your vacation? There's nowhere near you to buy one today? Oh wait...not a $35 one that you got for $12 with free shipping...free shipping that just wound up costing me more because I panicked and spent $2.35 extra for the priority shipping so that she'd get it before her goddamned vacay and shut her mouth about it. fhsdkljrperlsfsdkl!

Reseller's Repeat Cycle

Being a reseller is a constant game of digging yourself out of a hole. Last week I cleared a nice $300+ profit from ebay/Etsy.

I paid my water bill ($133), I paid my cable bill ($100) and then I paid Geico ($46), I also bought some necessary car parts for my stupid junky car that I smashed up last week. I then took $240 more and bought more inventory. I used leftover bank account cash and my auction house paycheck.

In the hole again.

I have a little over $100 in sales, things for sale with many watchers, and 4 things still enroute from last week. I should be getting paid a little over $100 from my auction house odd jobs. I will then pay my trustee ($450 because I fell behind and am making up with an extra $150 a month) and be starting from scratch again...sigh.

I wish I could sell enough to just get ahead and not just treading water all the time.

Another Crackpot

This exchange is over a stupid, lame, $14.99 QVC pin that doesn't even have a bid on it!

This person decided to get her panties in a twist over the signature on back of the thing. Apparently she is the costume jewelry police.

Dear ______,

if not signed, it is NOT Nolan Miller.
misleading information

I reply with: "It is signed"

 Dear______,

is it signed "Nolan Miller"? like all his jewelry items ? I doubt that.

I reply:  It was bought from QVC a few years back, it is signed NM on back, which is indeed one of his signatures. If you doubt the authenticity, you have the right not to bid. I provided a picture and whatever information is needed to make a judgement.

 Oh okay Grand Poobah of cheap-ass QVC jewelry, sorry I stepped on your fuckin' toadstool by taking a clear picture and showing the NM signature on back too, which, by the way, is one that he used. 

I immediately blocked the bitch and reported her for harassment for the snarky reply. Had it been worded like "I don't think this is Nolan Miller, because________" instead of acting like she was the damned authority on it might have garnered a more "polite" response from me.