The Telephone Table - Part III

My telephone bench is in another stage of her facelift.  I purchased some spackle, filled in all the upholstery holes and here she is all sanded down, ready to paint.  

I purchased antique white paint along with some dark wood stain.  I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.  

I’m sure you’ve picked up on my symbolism of this project; how both a telephone table and I have been pulled apart and rubbed to the core and unsure where we will stand when it’s all over.

That’s how it felt when eBay shut down my store.

Over 6 years on eBay and I can honestly say eBay felt like part of my family.  Occasionally a bit overbearing, most often something to brag about, an overachiever that put the rest to shame, eBay exceeded all my expectations.  I loved every minute, learning, sharing and posting on eBay rarely felt like work.

So six months ago when my power seller status was removed, I tried to figure out what happened. 

I had over 5,000 positive feedbacks and 3 negative feedbacks, so I was certain it didn’t have anything to do with that.

I read through an email eBay had sent, stating I had received 4 below average ratings on a new star ranking system they’d put into effect.

The start ranking system, called the detailed seller rating, divides up into the following categories:

• Item as described
• Communication
• Shipping Time
• Shipping and handling time

Each of these categories is ranked with 5 stars; 5 being the best and 1 being the worst.

I was selling over 500 items a month and still thought positive/negative feedback was the final word on customer satisfaction.  I took great pictures, described the material and condition, if an item was lined, had pockets, elastic waistlines, etc. and measurements in each listing and shipped in a timely manner.  I didn’t respond to specific emails from potential bidders, asking if I would measure the opening of the bottom hem of a pair of jeans or find the item number on the tag inside a dress.  My business was built on quantity.  

In addition, I started getting emails from customers asking about shipping/tracking information.  At the time, I was still taking my packages to the post office and printing the shipping labels off the automated machine.  It seemed overwhelming to print the shipping labels at home.  I didn’t understand the new technology, weighing everything, etc. and felt it was easier to print labels at the post office.

If I did receive an email from a customer about shipping/tracking, I would email the customer back, saying their item had been mailed and they should receive it any day.

What started was a waterfall of unhappy customers.  People didn’t want to wait a few days for a package they couldn’t track. In addition, customers started complaining that they weren’t getting their item and without tracking information, my only option was to refund their money.

So, with the encouragement of Kelly, I started printing my labels at home.  It was so much easier then I realized.  By doing this, the customer automatically received an email with tracking information saying the package was on its way and when it would arrive.

I didn’t think much of the loss of my power seller status until I received an email stating I was on probation and until I improved my star rankings, I could only sell 100 items a month.  Still uncertain what it all meant, I called into eBay customer service.  I was told by a supervisor to better communicate with my customers, to email each one of them after they purchased an item from me, to thank them for their patronage and to let them know I wanted them to be 100% satisfied with their purchase.  I was told to improve my customer service.

“Is there a way I can reach all my customers through a mass email.  Does eBay provide that?” I asked.

“No,” she said.  “You’ll have to email each individually.”

I was surprised to think that was the answer to me getting off probation, but it was worth a shot.

Only problem was, the next week my store was shut down.

My store had over 160 items listed and from one day to the next, it was all gone.

Even with over 30 items with bids.

GONE!

I couldn’t believe it.  I was never told my store would be shut down.

Problem was, I had received one too many below average start rankings.

So I called eBay again, certain they’d understand my dilemma.

I sold used clothes.  I did my best to describe each item, to ship in a timely manner and to leave positive feedback to my customers.

If a customer was unsatisfied (which was about once every 3 or 4 months), I would refund their money, including shipping.  It was how I'd worked eBay for over 6 years.

I only had 3 negative feedback, so who/how/what possibly could be leaving such poor star ratings?  Why did the stars take the place of what had worked so well for so long?

I did a little research and found my answers too late.  

If you sell on eBay, join me this week as I tell the story of how I lost my eBay store.  I’ll give you the truth about what happened and share with you my ideas so this will never happen to you.

But please, don’t feel sad for me.  Not only do I have the counselor by my side, but working on a vintage telephone table has been great therapy.

Bench Redo

I recently picked up this bench for just $5 at a yard saleI know, it's pretty 1980's with the orangy oak and the blue fabric. They even used blue tape to repair a hole in the upholstery...
But with a little paint and some fabric I picked up at another yard sale (and the help of my favorite upholstery guy) here's my new bench...
I love the curved legs now that they're black
I'm not sure where this one will go (I'm sure it will stay right where it is until after the wedding) but I really love the way it turned out. Let me know what you think and don't forget to check back Wednesday for the BIG challenge update! Love, Kelly.

The Telephone Table - Part II

I stand outside and pick at the upholstery staples holding the warn-out fabric in place on my telephone table. 

It almost puts me in a trance, tugging the pliers and pulling out 40-year old staples.  

Whoever put this thing together was thorough!  

It’s harder then I thought it would be.  

My fingers are sore and I think I’ve done something to my elbow.  Never before has my elbow felt like its on fire.  This cannot be good.

I didn’t expect to work on this today, but my kids play in the backyard and my hands are free.

I’ve had an interesting week, a challenging week with gapping pot holes in this road I call my life journey.  I’ve emotionally stumbled a few times, falling into the confusion of other people’s choices.  I’ve tried to make sense out of something that’s not right, something that isn’t fair, but I know life isn’t fair. 

We can’t control what people choose to do, I know this isn’t a news flash or anything, but it’s hard when you’re the one learning this lesson.  It hurts when someone you love chooses the wrong path.  This struggle has made me evaluate every angle of what I believe and what I’m willing to do to protect my family.

Simple things; beautiful experiences jump out at me and provide angles of comfort:

• like my baby saying her first word. “Hi,” she says over and over again, little princess socialite greeting everyone and everything she sees.
• like eating the best watermelon I ever tasted.
• like going on an evening bike ride with my kids and feeling just a wisp of cool air.
• like watching the counselor plant summer flowers in the front yard and feeling so much love for him I  cry.

These are the things that clear my mind and bring me back to a place where I see beauty and know love.

I’m reading The Book Thief and can some up my feelings by a scene I read.

 

When life isn’t fair to Hans Hubermann, he says to his daughter Liesel,

“I am stupid and kind.  Which makes me the biggest idiot in the world.”

Yeah, that’s how I feel right now.

Open-hearted, trusting, willing to share; most of the time these character traits of mine serve me well, but when someone takes advantage of them I’m reminded we don’t live in a perfect world.   

Maybe you think I’m being too hard on myself, maybe you think I should stop pulling millions of staples out of an old piece of wood, but I’m learning I do have control over how I react to difficult experiences life throws my way. I can still choose to see all the beauty around me, because it’s everywhere.

I do have control over my relationship with God.  I turn to Him, lean on Him, know Him and it’s been so overwhelming I can honestly say I’m glad to have walked this path.  I know He’s there for me, I know He hears my prayers.

Do you see all these holes some obsessive/compulsive and extremely talented upholstery guy drilled out?  

I need to pick up some spackle and fill them all on.  I can’t wait to sand it all out, and then I think I drown this thing a lovely white, with a little dark stain.  She’s sure to be gorgeous. 

On an entirely different note, I got kicked off eBay.   


Linking up to:

The BIG Challenge Week 4

Week 4 of the BIG challenge to earn $5,000 for my daughters wedding. Only 2 weeks to go! Let's take a look at my top sellers on ebay this week...

Women's Spanx Size M Gray Cotton Compression Undershirt sold for $10.00

A fellow My Dear Trash reader won this Signature London Style Size 14 Brown & White Dress for $10.01.

Women's Tocca Size 2 Soft Green Floral Silk Dress sold for $10.50

Women's Eileen Fisher Size S Tan Linen Crop Pants sold for $10.99

Women's Bebe Size 0 White Eyelet Shorts sold for $12.50
Women's Jams World Size M Patch Work Dress sold for $13.99Women's NWT Ann Taylor Loft Size 6P Julie Crop Pants sold for $14.50

My top seller this week was a women's Chico's Design Size 2 (L) Linen Outfit- It sold for $14.99. Here's my totals for the week...

Ebay Sales: 591.82

Costs: 11.00 (clothes), 70.13(ebay fees), 33.74(paypal fees)

This Weeks Profit: 476.95

Total Profit: 3408.08

I've got just $1600 to go! I'm hoping this is the week I'll make my goal. I have my last estate sale before the wedding and I'm bringing lots of furniture of my own to sell. If you'd like to get a peek at the sale you can see pictures here. Wish me luck. Love, Kelly.

My Telephone Table - Part I

I appreciate when an experience leads me to a place of beauty.  Hard work is like that.  Hard work is a journey that if walked with care, beauty is discovered every step of the way. 

I found something that’s going to require a bit of hard work.

And I hope I can make it beautiful.

Meet my antique telephone table.

I found it thrifting in downtown Phoenix, you know the scary part of the city with industrial graveyards and dirt lots, but I braved it anyway.    

It sat in my garage for several months. 

I thought about finally taking it to QcumberZ, but this last week, I turned into a crazy painting fool.

I want to paint every piece of furniture in my house. 

I finished my vintage buffet.  

Turquoise blue, I love you.

And stain finish, you’re my best friend.

Chandler and I also worked on this vintage beauty.

Didn’t she turn out nice?

So, now I’m looking everywhere on my premises for things to paint.

End tables, dressers, headboards, telephone tables.  I have no problem acquiring this stuff, but I haven’t had the guts to actually paint it.  I cop out and re-sale it every time, but not anymore.

This weekend, I was at ACE hardware three different times looking for all sorts of different paint colors for more projects then I care to mention. 

Back to the telephone table.

I knew I’d have to take off the upholstery.

It has a moldy smell all its own.

Plus, it’s stained and ripping.

Now, I don’t consider myself a perfectionist, but I want to get this right.

I start with taking the top off.

And to get it right, I have to take out all these furniture tacks.

Payson comes in, strong and dedicated.

 but his skill is no contest when he’s brothers  run past him and jump in the pool.  

I’m back to pulling out these horrible staples on my own, I’m talking 5 to 6 staples per furniture tack.  

Really, whose idea was it to be so thorough with the staple gun?  

Did he think an elephant would consistently be pulling at these furniture tacks?  

Did he think he would need to use the top of this telephone table as a shield in military combat?

Or was he just an amazing craftsman with superb skill?

 Either way, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed when my dad comes over.

I offer him dinner, some Parmesan chicken I'm cooking up, when he asks what I’m working on.

“I’m just pulling at out these furniture tacks,” I say as he walks closer, more interested then I expected.

“Do you have a small screwdriver?” he asks.

“I think so,” and I pull one out of my very limited tool box.

He starts to jab at the staples and they slide out with more ease then the pliers I'd been working with.

For a few minutes, we work side by side, until I’m called on by one of my kids in the pool for a towel.  Next, I’m taking dinner out of the oven, making up a bottle for the baby princess and I realize my dad’s still working on the telephone table.

I pull a chair up and feed the baby while my dad continues tugging away.

We visit; him sharing how things are going at work and before I know it, where talking about things of depth; like the last few weeks he had with his dad before he passed away and how he had re-tacked some patio carpet out on my Grandpa’s kitchen balcony. 

How he picked raspberries from my grandpa's garden and helped him eat breakfast when he couldn’t do it on his own anymore.

How they’d sit and watch Lawrence Welk, enjoying each other’s company, just like him and I were doing now.

A tough project with equally hard work brought me time with my dad.

I still have to put her all back together, sand her down and paint. 

Maybe my dad will come over again.  I'd like that.

50's Rockin' Reception Invitations

My latest project: 457 handmade invitations for my daughters reception!Here they are all ready to send out! What's inside? Take a look...
A record! We were able accumulate just the number of 45 records we needed from garage sales over the past few months. We made a custom CD/DVD label that fit right over the original. Here's side one:
To announce that dinner will be served we added, "Diner will be open" Here's side two:
This is the more formal side, but we did say "Kevin and Kelly Biggs are all shook up to announce the marriage of their daughter... These were fun to make and fairly inexpensive- The real cost is in the postage. They charge $1.08 with no special handling or $1.71 and they won't run them through the machine- I've paid the surcharge in the past, but have discovered they still run them through the machine- so I opted for the $1.08 postage. We were able to hand deliver a little over 100 invites, so that saved some too. I budgeted $800 for invitations and we came in at $703.00. That includes ink ($64.00), CD/DVD labels,($103.00) records ($36.00), envelopes ($108.00), address labels ($17) and postage ($375.00) . We caught a break when we found a box of 300 CD/DVD labels at a garage sale for $3.00 (normally $50 a box) and were able to order the other labels off of ebay for only $24 per box. So far we're under budget- but we still have food, sets, lighting and more that can really add up. I'll keep you posted as we create our own version of a Rockin' 50's Reception! Love, Kelly.

Be Empowered

Last week, I committed to finish editing the last 60 pages of my 326 page Young Adult manuscript Colors of the Sea by Earth Day.

I was willing to make sacrifices.  When we ran out of milk, I knew my kids would have to make sacrifices too (we have plenty of soy milk in the pantry).  I did not sweep the kitchen floor when it was covered with spilled jelly beans, nope; I made the sacrifice to ignore that little episode.  Reef watched a bit more Baby Einstein then I’m comfortable with, but still I pressed on.  Mayer couldn’t find any clean jeans for school Friday morning, but it’s not the worst thing to wear the same pair from the day before.  I did make smoothies for the kids when they got home from school, but not before I bribed them to help out with anything that popped up for the next few hours.

I’m happy to say I finished at 6:00pm on Earth Day.  I emailed the manuscript over to Staples.  The counselor and I had a date night starting with a run to the copy store, always romantic, then off the post office where I mailed the manuscript to a dear friend and author who’s been patiently waiting for me to send her my revisions. 

I felt so empowered, like I could do anything.

Before midnight, I emailed my query (I’ve written about 37 of those) to an agent I meet at the Society for Childrens Writers and Illustrators conference here in Scottsdale last fall. 

Wow!  I felt like a million bucks, but then reality set in. My house, my laundry pile, my children begging to do something fun with dear old mom.

So on Saturday afternoon, we set off to Changing Hands and Bookmans.  Not only did I want to donate books for the My Dear Trash Earth Day Book Drive, but I wanted to pick up two $25.00 gift cards I’m giving away on April 30, 2011.  To qualify, become a follower (on facebook too) and leave a comment.

While at the bookstores, I was able to trade in some of my old books for something new.  Both Changing Hands and Bookmans purchase your gently-used books.  I was happy to use my trade as store credit and let the boys pick out some books they liked.  Payson found the entire series of Captain Underpants.

Chandler was excited to find Small Steps, from Louis Sachar author of Holes.

Baby princess found a new friend and a puppy.

I was thrilled to see my editor, Brandi Stewart, the children’s book buyer at Changing Hands.  Brandi helped me through a brutal edit of Colors of the Sea last year.  She’s the best.

After dinner at Chipotle, I took the boys and princess to see my sweet friend Ashley complete her final recital for her music graduate degree at ASU.  Here she is, in her backyard garden, singing the last song of the evening with her husband.  He's her prince charming and their love is something special.

Music in the garden was glorious and the food was just as sweet.

You can read Ashlee's blog by clicking here.  It's worth taking a look at.

She's promised to post the song she sang with her prince.  

I felt so empowered with the whole evening and finishing my manuscript; I decided to take on another task I’ve been putting off.

To re-do my gorgeous $15.00 buffet dresser I found at the high school rummage sale this spring.

I've been wanting to paint this beauty a vintage turquoise blue.

I sanded her up with a professional sander I found a few weeks ago at a garage sale.

I’m half-way there.  

I had no idea painting something ugly into something beautiful would make me feel so strong.  I see the world a whole new way.  I can do anything I want.  I'm going to be doing this more often.  I will not be intimidated by 1970's wood buffet dressers, not today NOT EVER.  I will no longer put off huge projects because I don't feel good enough.   And again, I feel so empowered.
Linking up to:

The Big Challenge Week 3!

It's Week 3 of the big challenge to earn $5,000 in 6 weeks to pay for my daughter's wedding! If you missed week 1 & 2 you can start here. I set an ambitious goal to earn $2,000 just this week. I knew I had an estate sale and I've been listing like crazy on ebay- So.... let's see how I did. Here are this weeks top ebay sellers... Women's Fresh Produce Size XL/XXL Pink Floral Top sold for $19.38

These Women's Royal Robbins Size 12 Teal Nylon Skirt & Shorts were an unfamiliar brand to me, but felt like great quality. I was happy to see they do well on ebay when they sold for $20.50

I love Anthropologie! This Women's Anthropologie Odille Size 0 Floral Silk Dress sold for $20.50

Women's Alyn Paige Size 3/4 Brown Cotton Dress Sold for $20.50

Wrap dresses are a consistent seller- no matter what the brand. This Women's Lane Bryant Size 14/16 Black Wrap Dress sold for $24.00

Women's Ann Taylor Loft Size 8 Pink Linen Dress sold for $26.51

Another unfamiliar brand I pulled from my summer pile: Women's Speed Control Size XL Graphic Floral Dress. It was my top seller of the week at $31.00. In addition to selling on ebay I also held an estate sale for a client. I advertise, organize, stage and price all of the items to prepare for the sale. During the actual sale I usually have Mr. Right and a family member or friend or two on hand to help wrap, load, restage etc. I charge the client 30% for these services. This weekends sale was very successful. I was able to sell everything in the house and go over, what I quoted the client on potential sales. I also sold my first car! I wasn't able to take a 30% commission on the car as my client clearly stated what she needed to profit. My client also allowed me to bring in some of my pieces to sell. It always helps when you have a variety of items to offer: Antiques, modern, etc. Here's how my week added up!

Estate Sale Commission: $800 plus $300 for the car

Estate Sale Personal Sales and Delivery Fees: $400

Ebay Sales: 899.01

Costs: 81.00(clothes), 101.82(ebay fees), 61.95(paypal fees) 49.95 (advertising)

This Weeks Profit: 2104.31

Total Profit: 2931.13

I'm right on track to meet my goal of $5,000 in 6 weeks. I've got one more estate sale coming up next weekend and I'm keeping my space at Qcumberz well stocked. I took things a little easier this week and only listed 31 new items on ebay, however, the wedding invitations are done and will be mailed today!!!! 457 handmade invites! I will share those with you on Friday. Keep us posted on your BIG challenge, we love to hear from you. Love, Kelly.