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Saturday, October 2, 2010

Not Everyday Can Be Filled With Chickens

Unfortunately, not every day can be this great.
Reef wakes up and looks out the front door.
Yes, it's great because its overcast, something that rarely happens in the sunshine state of Arizona, but more importantly, they're 
are chickens running around in our front yard.
And it is like the coolest thing ever.
Reef can hardly believe his luck.
Either can the cat, as he lazily watches Reef chase the chickens across the yard.
This goes on for most the morning, chasing chickens and calling after the cat to come with him.
I follow closely with Eden in my arms.  My morning routine is not complete without running around in my $1.00 Fresh Produce dress (I don't sell  all those Fresh Produce dresses I find). 
 Finally, I do what any good mom would do.  I walk the chickens back to my neighbors farm, watch them hop into the pen and bribe Reef with an otter pop to get him back into the house.
Sometimes this is how shopping trash feels.
I want something great, out of the ordinary, like how a two-year old wants chickens running around nilly-dilly in his front yard.
I want to find something spectacular at the thrift store,
How cool that my $1.00 purchase made $17.38 on EBay.
But that's not really how most of my business is done. 
It can't all be 170% increase of my investment. 
Most of my business is done little by little.  
It's consistent; like sunny Arizona days, like empty front yards, like lazy cats.
I sell a lot of Gap Tan Khakis.
I pick them up for $1.00 and they sell for $6.99, over and over again.
It's great to know I can sale a ton of Ann Taylor Black Pants and make maybe $5.00 to $6.00 off each pair, but it's not as exciting as say
My $4.99 investment turned into $22.50.
Now that get's my blood pumping.
Kelly and I have had this conversation before.  We talk on the phone.
"So, what'd you find out there today," I ask, my mouth salivating.
And she goes off about some Armani Black Dress she paid $1.00 for.
Never once does she mention the Liz Claiborne Shirt 
or the Venezia Jeans.
These are average sales; great we can count on them, but rarely do they do anything exciting,
like running chickens.
Or like this Jessica McClintock Size 4 Little Black Sparkle Dress.
I didn't see this one coming, but formal dresses can be like that; adding an element of the unknown to this crazy game of selling trash.  It sold for $16.47.
And then it happens.  My millionth pair of Gap jeans and I think I'll make my usual $6.00 profit, but they go off the charts.
I don't know why but these Women's Gap Size 12 Long Button Fly Boot Cut Jeans sell for $18.50.
Just when I thought I had EBay figured out.
I guess that' why I love it.  I never know what I'm going to get. 

6 comments:

  1. Hey, just to make you feel a little better about your Ebay selling skilz and little worse about your math skilz, you didn't make a 170% increase on the Chicco outfit, you made 1700% increase!!! Woo hoo! Awesome!

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  2. I'm glad your having such luck! Your blog inspires me. I recently took the plunge on ebay. Haven't had much luck but your blog keeps me inspired that it will get bettter

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  3. I also sell, (and buy ) on e-bay. I have been having a lot of non-payers lately though!!

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  4. I'm beginning to understand what you mean when you say about most of the business being slow and steady and then Boom! There's an item that just takes off. Funny, huh?

    Had to laugh at the chickens in your back yard. We've never had that happen, although we do have stray cats, dogs, the odd possum and sometimes even a fox.

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  5. I tried to send an email to ask a few ? but it came back. How do you fit the Men's sweaters into the flat rate envelope? I am a newbie at selling and having a hard time figuring out the shipping charges. Can you help me? Thx. dutchjhy3@hotmail.com

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