The Work At Home Mommy

My Cashmere Sweater flip

2010-12-21T18:47:00.000-08:00

Here is a listing that I used Gixen.com
auction sniper on a couple weeks ago:

I just recieved this item in the mail yesterday
and promtly took a pic and listed it as a Buy It Now.
Here is my listing:

The original listing had several things wrong with it that caused the bidding to not go very high.

1. Very short title (no brand name, no size, no color). Probably the worst title I have seen.
2. Misspelled the word "sweater"
3. Very little info in the description. The description basically read "Forte cashmere sweater size large in good condition.

I created a more detailed description and title, better photo, with a Buy It Now of $44.99 last night. This morning it was sold. I was really surprised that it sold so quickly. I stated kicking myself that I should have set the Buy It Now higher... oh well, don't be greedy!
So after fees and such I made about $30 for probably 10 minutes of work.
That is what a better title, description and photo can do for a listing. Make sure you spell words correctly!

Vintage Rock Concert Tee's

2010-10-05T21:51:00.000-07:00

I have had good success recently with another item that I got from Deddie Ybarra's blog. Vintage concert t-shirts. I purchased 5 from a yard sale this summer for $1 each. One sold for $36, one for $22 and the other three sold for $9.99. These shirts even had holes and discoloration (one even had paint spots) which I clearly stated in the description and they still went for a decent profit. Keep an eye out for these at yard sales and thrift stores, even if they are not in great condition.
Check out this screen shot for one of the listings:

MORE Great Finds!

2010-04-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

Boy am I having a good weekend so far! Garage sale season is officially in full swing here. I love it! Here is what I found today, between garage sales and thrift stores:

I can't believe it! A new bottle of Nivea Silky Shimmer Lotion!
And it's the rarer med-dark shade. Sweet. AND for only .25!
These are discontinued and have sold recently
for $35.99 A BOTTLE. WOW.

A pair of foo dogs. They are funny little Chinese figurines or statues that look like a cross between a dog, a lion and a dragon. This pair is tiny, only 2" tall. I got the pair for .50 cents. The last time I sold a pair of these the bidding ended at $20.00 for the pair (which I had also paid .50 for).

I also got a bunch of mens Polo by Ralph Lauren polo's and some other clothes for .50 - $1 each.

I got a Diaper Gene for free! I sold one a while ago on eBay for $12.

A pair of Dansko clogs for $5.

Check out my list of things to look for at thrift stores and yard sales!

My Thift Store Finds Today!

2010-04-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

YAY! I had a great thrift store day today! I had 40 minutes between dropping my husband off at a massage appointment and taking my son to physical therapy. And there so happens to be one of my thrift stores just down the street. Perfect! Here is what I got:

2 pairs of Chico's Travelers slinky pants, size 3 - $2.50 each
2 pairs of mens Polo Ralph Lauren pants - .99 each
1 pair of mens Chaps Ralph Lauren pants - .99
1 pair of womens Lauren Ralph Lauren pants - $2.50

I came home and got them right up on eBay. I'm excited. I love finding Chico's Travelers pants! And Ralph Lauren anything always sells well too.

I love selling mens clothing... not only is there not as much competition at the thrift stores (I think most women who shop for relisting on eBay mostly stay in the womens section) so it's not as crowded and there are more things left for you to find but then when I sit down to list the item it is just SO much easier and faster.
I generally don't measure mens clothing so that cuts down on the time it takes to list an item.
With womens clothing on the other hand, it is a good idea to have ALL the measurements in the listing (bust, length, sleeve length for tops and waist, inseam, hips, rise for pants or jeans).

Check out my list of things to watch for at thrift stores and yard sales!

Selling Tip #1

2010-04-15T19:39:00.000-07:00

Selling Tip #1:

Sell what you know.
When I first started selling on eBay, I thought that antiques and stuff like that was the way to go, and I know that some of that stuff it worth a bunch, the problem was... I knew nothing about what was worth what. I couldn't (and still can't, except for a few items like Wee Forest Folk Mice) look at a shelf or table of figurines, dishes and what-not and pick out the ones that are worth selling on eBay. So I bought stuff and lost money on things that never sold. Either they weren't worth any thing or maybe I just didn't know what I was doing... the brand and the right keywords and stuff. Either way, I did horribly.
Then I got into women's and men's clothing and learned what brands sell well and that's when I started making decent money.
So, if you have knowledge in a certain category, you probably would do well selling that.

Womens Plus Size Quacker Factory Sweater

2010-02-28T19:21:00.000-08:00

Here's an item I just sold today - a Womens Plus Size 2X Quacker Factory Sweater.
I purchased this sweater last Saturday from my local Salvation Army for .25 and it ended for almost $20.00!!!
I have to thank Debbie Ybarra for this one (check out her blog!!).
If it wasn't for her list of what to sell page, I never would have picked up this sweater, I would have passed it right by, not even giving it a second thought. When I saw it thought to myself "Quacker Factory. That sounds really familiar."
I pulled out my handy "List" that I always keep in my purse and sure enough Quacker Factory Plus size sweaters was on that list. Boy am I glad I keep that list with me.

Check out my list of things to watch for at thrift stores and yard sales!

Vintage Panties

2010-02-25T14:33:00.000-08:00

This is a weird one. I have been having amazing sucess with... womens vintage panties! The two brands I have been selling are:
Olga
Maidenform
I recently bought 3 pairs from a thrift store for .50 a peice.
One pair sold for 9.99. The second $15.50 and the third $20.00. I can't believe it! And these are USED.
About a month or so ago I sold 4 pairs of Maidenform panties that did pretty well (2 went for $9.99, one for $13.49 and the other for $20.39).
These can be found at thrift stores and yeard sales for probably not much than .50 or so. WOW!

Protect Yourself While Selling on eBay

2010-02-19T22:37:00.000-08:00

Some tips to protect yourself from buyers who try to scam you, or just plain lost packages.

International Shipping:
ALWAYS ship International packaged by PRIORITY Mail, NOT First Class or even Flat Rate envelope... ONLY regular Priority Mail is insured. Insurance is very important so that if the buyer claims that the item was lost or damaged, they can be refunded by the post office, not you!

Place a peice of packaging tape over the buyers address. This way, if the package gets a little rain on it and the ink smears, the "ship to" address will still be legible and the package will not get lost when you are ebay selling.

Keep good records for your ebay business when selling on ebay.
Keep ALL your recipets and/or proof of shipment in a file and keep it in a safe place. Get a file box if you do not already have one.

Bonanzle

2010-02-08T22:14:00.001-08:00

The other day a friend told me about a new auction site that they had heard about called Bonanzle.com. So I checked it out. I am hooked. Bonanzle is actually not an auction site. They do not offer auction format, just fixed price with 'best offer'.
Although I prefer auction format on eBay, fixed price can work... you just set the price at what you think the item is worth and then people can give you offers (kind of a reverse auction).
I have found several areas where Bonanzle is much better than eBay. Infact, with more sellers getting scammed by buyers and getting fed up with eBay and their "buyer protection", I think that eBay is going to have some serious compition if Bonanzle gets more popular.
Ways that Bonanzle is better to sell on than eBay:
1. The single best thing about Bonanzle is that they charge NO upfront listing fees. NONE. It is FREE to list! No risk! No losing money on an item that does not sell!! YAY!
2. The final value fees are much lower.
3. They give you 4 free photos instead of just one.
4. Longer titles. Bonanzle gives you 60 spaces for your title.

So, I am trying out Bonanzle, but not leaving eBay... just yet. Go check out my 'booth' and items for sale.

eHow.com

2010-02-08T22:14:00.000-08:00

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Things to watch for at thrift stores or yard sales

2010-02-03T21:21:00.000-08:00

Some clothing brands to watch for that sell well on eBay.

Mens:

Camel hair sweaters/sportcoats
Masters golf shirts
Tommy Bahama silk camp shirts
Scotty Cameron Polo Shirts
Jeff Rose Golf Shirts
Masters Golf Polo Shirts
Men's Façonnable Shirts
Bobby Jones Golf Shirts
Burma Bibas Shirts
Ralph Lauren
Vitaliano Pancaldi Silk Ties

Womens:

Chico's Travelers (their "slinky" fabric items)
Eileen Fisher
Abercrombie & Fitch
Anthropologie
Athleta workout wear
NYDJ Not Your Daughter's Jeans (the bigger the better)
Ralph Lauren
Maternity clothing in Plus sizes (usually any brand)
Lilly Pulitzer
Lululemon workout wear
Chico's SOMA - lingerie, sleepwear, athletic wear and swimsuits
Coach
Dale of Norway
Decorated Christmas sweaters
Tennis Apparel
Travelsmith Apparel
Under Armour
J Crew Apparel - Michelle Obama Style
Jamie Sadock Apparel
The Quacker Factory Sweaters (esp. plus sizes)
Olga & Maidenform Vintage Panties

Womens Accessories:
Chicos belts

Shoes:
Dr. Marten shoes (men, woman AND child sizes!)
Dansko clogs (these are worn by nurses and doctors in the medical profession).
Sigerson Morrison Shoes (women)
Born mary jane shoes (womens)
Birkenstock sandals (mens and womens)
Brighton sandles (womens)
Nike Shox (mens, womens and kids)
Z-coil shoes (mens and womens)
Gore Tex Ecco (mens)
Cole Haan loafers (mens)

Other stuff that sells well on eBay:

Electronics:
Vintage Calculators
Bose Radio
Vintage Rotary Phones
Vintage Typewriters

Houseware:

Wee Forest Folk Mice
Tupperware Acrylic Drinking Glasses
Childbirth (Labor & Delivery) CD Set
Fire King Jadeite
Food Saver Canister Set
Griswold Cast Iron Skillets
Pizza Hut Mugs
Richard Caruso Molecular Steam Hair Rollers
Blue Remington Hot Rollers
Snoopy Fire King Mugs
Starbucks Bearista Bears
Trader Vic's Mugs
Vintage Character Sheets
Vintage Electric Hot Rollers
Vintage character cake pans (i.e Snoopy/Star Wars)
Vintage Pyrex (especially green or pink) Amish
Roseville pottery

Stuffed animals:

Chrisha Playful Plush
1972 Kenner Blythe dolls
Playskool Jammie Pies dolls
Carter's Just One Year Plush Bunny (white with brown ears)
Baby Loveys (Carter's or Amy Coe blankies, etc)
Corduroy Bear stuffed animal

Toys:
Vintage Barbie shoes (marked Japan)
Stretch Armstrong "Dolls"
Legos (by sets or by the pound!)
Air Jordans (any size)
Thomas the Train sets
Vintage Fisher Price Little People
Star Wars vintage toys
Yankee Candles (esp. discontinued scents)
Vintage 70's electronic games
Little Tikes toys (big and small!)
Aurora Plush by Sharon Lea Larson
Bumbo baby seat
Tiger-made Disney Kid Clips player
Little Tikes Ride On Toys - Ollie, Dino

Books:
Christian Mother Goose Book
Jellybeans for Breakfast book
Richard Scarry Vintage Books
Weight Watchers Slow Good Cook Book

I will be adding more so check back!

My thrift store finds today

2010-02-02T23:08:00.000-08:00

So I wanted to share my thrift store finds for today.
Mens Faconnable Polo Shirt: .99
Mens Polo by Ralph Lauren polo: .99
Mens American Eagle Polo: .99

Mens Faconnable SPORT Polo Shirt: .99
I found these on the .99 cent sale rack at a thrift store that I stopped at quickly after son's doctor appointment.. and SCORED!

OK, so for the best part...
As soon as I got home, I took pics of all 4 and got on eBay and started listing them. I listed the black Faconnable polo first and by the time I was done listing the 4th shirt the first one already had a bid!! Woohoo!!

I will be starting a list of hot items to watch for when you are at thrift stores or yard sales. Stay tuned!

First Post

2010-01-31T17:40:00.001-08:00

Well, I decided to do it. I started a blog.

I am a work at home mom (WAHM) to a wonderful 2 year old little boy. I love it. I have not worked a day outside the home (well, unless you condsider thrift stores "out of the home"! haha) since 2 weeks befor he was born and am loving it. I have been selling on eBay since then and am discovering additional ways to make money online, from home (with the little guy asleep on my lap, ofcourse!). I will be writing about making money on eBay and other ways of making money, sharing tips and ideas.