Confessions of an eBay Momma

Fun Fact Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:28:00 +0000

eBay Facts At-A-Glance

As at April 2007

Sometimes people will email me saying that eBay is flooded with too many items or too many sellers. I have to say - more and more people are starting to sell on eBay. BUT there are SO many more buyers that is really doesn't matter! If you have a hard to find item like the ones I talk about on this blog, then you won't have all that much competition!

eBay Global Sales

• eBay users worldwide trade more than US$1,820 worth of goods on the site every second.

• At any given time, there are approximately 104 million listings worldwide.

• Approximately 6.5 million listings are added per day.

• There are 233 million registered eBay members worldwide

• 82.9 million people were active users on eBay marketplaces in Q1 2007.

• Whilst eBay may be better known for its auction format, fixed price merchandise accounted for over 1/3 of total sales on eBay (more than 39%) in Q1 2007.

Want to make an extra grand
or two this holiday season?

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Depot Line Toonerville Trolley Christmas Ornament

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 23:46:00 +0000

Seeing that Christmas is getting closer and closer by the day (only 35 days left!) - I am going to continue to focus on those items that are holiday themed!

If you haven't heard about the Toonerville Trolley Christmas Ornaments, you are going to be shocked! While these are pretty rare, I have seen one in person and if you are lucky enough to find one at a thrift store or garage sale, it will be a nice addition to your holiday cash!

First a little background on Toonerville (thanks Wiki!):

Toonerville Folks (sometimes known as Toonerville Trolley) was a popular newspaper cartoon feature by Fontaine Fox, syndicated from 1908 to 1955.

The single-panel gag cartoon was a daily look at Toonerville, situated in what are now called the suburbs. Central to the strip was the rickety little trolley called the "Toonerville Trolley that met all the trains," driven in a frenzy by the grizzly old Skipper to meet each commuter train as it arrived in town. A few of the many richly-formed characters included The Terrible-Tempered Mr. Bang, The Powerful Katrinka, Little Woo-Woo Wortle, Aunt Eppie Hogg and Mickey McGuire, the town bully.

Here's a picture of an ornament - it recently sold for $650 on eBay:

These are from the 1920's which makes them so rare.

Want to make an extra grand or two this holiday season?

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John Deere Christmas Ornaments

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 21:59:00 +0000

John Deere may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to Christmas Ornaments...but there are some very serious collectors out there!!!

The collection started in 1996 and the ones from 1998 till now are bringing maybe $20-$60...the first 2 (1996 & 1997) will bring in the MOST!

1997 has been selling consistently between $175-$350.

1996 is by far the most sought after, since it is the first in the series! It recently sold for $1000 and $1300!

Prices will continue to rise the closer we get to Christmas! These are worth keeping your eye out for!

Want to make an extra grand
or two this holiday season?

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eBay Fun Fact Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 20:38:00 +0000

Here is a fun fact about eBay!

One of the larger items sold was a World War II submarine, sold by a small town in New England that decided it did not need the historical relic anymore.

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Selling Toys on eBay this Holiday Season?

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 22:34:00 +0000

Don’t Make This Mistake When Listing Toys on eBay This Christmas!

Since you know what the hot sellers are long before they sell out – thanks to the Holiday Toy Guide – you sometimes get a chance to grab quite a few of the same hot item at once. (This did happen last year for me personally when I managed to scrounge up over 60 of a certain "Littlest Pet Shop" toy that made me over $1200 in 2 weeks!) One of the biggest mistakes you could make is to list all 60 of them at once! Let’s look at an example.

If you scored on a bunch of a particular hot item, after you jump up and down in the toy aisle, gather yourself and rush home to get your money factory started! You don’t want to list them all at the same time. You will spread your bidders out between your listings and your ending price won’t be as high. Less availability means higher profits. Instead, list them one at a time, and re-list as soon as an auction closes (I mean within seconds!!!). It is great to have the next one start immediately after the one that ended, because that buyer that "lost" will see the other items available from you - and see his prize toy right then! I love getting my hands on several identical items. Since I only have to take the picture once and create the listing once, it saves me lots of time when I can hit that “re-list” button. That of course means that I can go out there and shop some more.

***If you know me and have read this blog before, you know that I give out TONS of information on this blog for FREE every day! There are a few (and when I say a few I mean maybe like THREE) things I have actually paid for in my eBay career and been blown away with! I mean things that I have MADE money with. I'm NOT meaning I made my money back from buying this, I mean I have made profits worth writing about....THOUSANDS last Christmas season alone. The Holiday Toy Guide is one of them!

Even if you just want a little taste you can sign up for FREE (scroll down to enter your email address towards the bottom) to see what it is all about! Find out what the hot sellers are while there are still quite a few of them on the shelves (this month!!!) with the Holiday Toy Guide.

Get your head start NOW…November is the perfect time!!!! 80% of Christmas shoppers start between November 1st and Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving!).

One happy buyer:

Jenni,

I purchased your summer package about a month ago and went to work. I travel around my local area here in Louisiana to swap meets, antique shops, the Wal-Mart clearance isle etc looking for deals. Since getting your information, I've made about $500 from what you've taught me - $250 on the Disney Cars alone. It's good stuff. As inexpensive as your service is, I recommend you to anyone without hesitation.

Thanks,

John Clark

Here is the AMAZING guarantee she offers!!!

30 day 100% Money Back Guarantee - Although I can make no income claims, I guarantee that the value is/or exceeds the price of the product. If after visiting the Gold membership site, if you don't **immediately recognize the potential of this information** then I will personally give you a full refund.

Don't be left out in the cold this Christmas! Make your Christmas spending money NOW and save yourself the stress and worry later! The Holiday Toy Guide CAN make this Christmas the best one yet!

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Turkey stuff will bring you big BUCKS!

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 20:39:00 +0000

With turkey day right around the corner - you might want to be looking for some turkey inspired items.

My favorite on my list is this set of dishes. They are porcelain and feature a turkey on each one at a different angle.

This set sold for $1950!

It is a flow blue Labelle set.

Apparently they are extremely collectible!

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Stock up on Halloween Costumes

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 20:08:00 +0000

Now is the week to scoop up some Halloween costumes for super cheap! It will be common to find costumes for as little as $5 or even less! Stores want that Halloween stuff out of there so they can make room for Thanksgiving and Christmas items!

Check your local stores like Wal-Mart, KMart, Big Lots, Target, CVS, Walgreens etc.

Most of these stores will drastically reduce the costumes up to 90% off till they are all gone! Choose classic characters that will not go out of style like: Witch, Dracula, Sponge Bob, Spiderman, Princesses. Make sure you check that all the pieces of the costume are there. These have been on the shelves for weeks, and probably have been pulled on, tried on or whatever.

Now you have 2 options - you can sell them as "dress up" or pretend clothes around Christmas time, or you can store them and sell them next Halloween.

I have always held on to mine until the following year. You will have a great Halloween selection that you can start selling beginning October 08.

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Sell Vintage Pyrex on eBay

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:56:00 +0000

Back in the early 1900's, Corning Glass Works was working on a request from the railroads to produce lantern glass that would not break when the hot glass was struck by rain or snow. Ordinary glassware easily chipped, cracked and broke. The solution was PYREX. Pyrex glass was different. This bake ware was not only sturdy, it was nearly unbreakable, eliminating the hassle and cost of replacement. Fast forward to today and it is estimated that nearly 75 percent of all U.S. households own PYREX products.

Well, that percentage is GREAT news for us eBay sellers. You see vintage Pyrex has a spot on the seller's market. Here are some of my favorites...

Here is a set of 4 pink glass mixing bowls. They sold for $86.

Next is a set of 4 bowls that have a unique polka dot design, each bowl a different color. This design was typically from the 70's. They sold for $102.

Finally here is a very unique item a PYREX VACUUM BELL JAR with Top Knob - this is vintage and brought the seller $149.

The moral of the story is - don't over look that box of dishes/glassware when you are at a garage sale. The likeliness is you can pick up Pyrex bowls for a few dollars and make yourself a nice profit on eBay.

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Need self employment insurance?

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:15:00 +0000

Thanks to the wonderful world of online buying, lots of people sell on eBay full time. It supplies them with many luxuries - the freedom of working from home, setting their own hours and the income is virtually unlimited. These are the things that draws so many people into the selling side of eBay. According to Meg Whitman's keynote (she’s the CEO of eBay), at the eBay Developer Conference: 1.3M people make their living selling full-time on eBay.

That number is amazing! Normally something that any person with a full time job will want to have is affordable health insurance. Most employers offer this to their full time employee's and not to be out done, eBay has recognized the need and now offers health insurance to it's Powersellers. While some people have chosen the coverage eBay offers, it is a small percentage, simply because the plan isn't all that great.

If you are looking for an insurance policy and you are a 'self employed' eBay seller - you will obviously want the best insurance quote available. Do your research and see what is out there. Don't think that just because you are self employed, quality health insurance is too expensive. Even if you currently have health insurance, it doesn't hurt to get a quote - you may find you can get cheaper premium that what you currently have.

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Sell Royal Copenhagen for big bucks!

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:02:00 +0000

Here's something that I have found countless times at my local thrift store. Honestly, I believe that people got this kind of thing as a wedding gift 20-30 years ago and they just never used it. Then they simply donated it with their other useless dishes to the Salvation Army!

Here is a little background from the official Royal Copenhagen site:
Royal Copenhagen was founded in 1775, and its products have been made ever since with deep respect for tradition and high standards of craftsmanship. Today, Royal Copenhagen is a world-famous brand known for its exclusive, high quality porcelain products and immaculate design and craftsmanship.

Here is a small (6 inches) tureen that sold for over $700!

Here are a set of 2 Royal Copenhagen Flora Danica Plates...they sold for $1200.

This special Christmas plate from 1951 (see the date at the bottom) recently brought in $345.

When it comes to this kind of item, the importance lies in the authentication of the piece. There is no better place to get official Royal Copenhagen markings than this site HERE. There are pictures and dates of the markings to help you date your items.

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eBay Fun Fact Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:39:00 +0000

Each Friday I will feature a fun fact about eBay. Hope you enjoy!

The town of Bridgeville, California was sold for $1,777,877. However the winning bidder backed out of the deal and Bruce Krall subsequently purchased it for $700,000. It was placed for sale on eBay once again on April 4, 2006, with a starting price of $1,750,000.

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Free Holiday Shipping

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 21:21:00 +0000

Almost eight in ten retailers will offer some form of free shipping this holiday season. So finds a survey by Shopzilla and Shop.org, the online division at the National Retail Federation. Executive director Scott Silverman tells John Wordock retailers realize they need free shipping this year to entice consumers; consumers who are thinking about spending less during the holidays. You can listen to the radio version HERE.

Here's the article seen of InformationWeek -

The majority of retailers plans to offer free shipping deals to online holiday shoppers this year, a recognition that the expensive promotion is the most effective in luring customers, an annual study released Wednesday showed.

The most popular shipping promotion will be free shipping with conditions, which means customers must purchase a certain number of items or spend a minimum dollar amount to get the offer, BizRate Research found. Fully 78.6% of the retailers surveyed planned to offer free shipping with conditions.

Not surprisingly, almost two-thirds of the 2,695 online shoppers surveyed by BizRate said free shipping without conditions is the promotion they would most like to see this holiday season; 41.4 % of retailers plan to offer such promotions.

Despite the expense of free shipping, retailers feel compelled to offer the incentive to potential buyers. "Free shipping offers drive online sales more than any other promotion, which is why they remain popular with retailers," Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org, said in a statement.

BizRate Research, owned by retail site Shopzilla, conducted the study for Shop.org, a retail trade site owned by the National Retail Federation. Shopzilla is owned by the media company E.W. Scripps.

Retailers also plan to use a variety of other marketing techniques to lure online holiday shoppers. Nearly two-thirds of retailers will offer online-only sales, up from 59% two years ago. More than a third will tout early shopper discounts and more than half will offer refer-a-friend promotions, BizRate found.

While promotions are important, online shoppers rated providing good value for the money as the most important factor in choosing a retail site, the survey found. Other important factors included clear product descriptions, a merchant's reputation, and guaranteed on-time delivery.

Despite the softness in the U.S. economy, more than half of retailers expected online revenue this holiday season to grow by more than 30% over last year, and more than 75% were optimistic about the season. The consumer survey backed up that positive attitude, as more than a third of the respondents planned to do more holiday shopping online than a year ago. Consumers, however, expected their overall shopping budget to be about the same as last year.

Convenience and the ability to compare prices remained among the top reasons for shopping online, the consumer survey found. With online holiday shopping growing, retailers planned to integrate their stores and Web sites more than ever this year to increase sales company-wide. More than 80% of retailers with stores would offer in-store ads for their Web sites and e-mail registration. In addition, many retailers would make it possible for store staff to place online orders for customers, and for customers to use in-store Web kiosks.

So - for all of us eBay sellers, I am not sure what this means, I guess we'll see at the holiday gets closer!

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Vintage Clothing from World Wars

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:17:00 +0000

Although I did an extensive post about selling vintage clothing for big bucks, I wanted to specifically talk about old World War clothing items.

Here is a genuine CBI Leather A-2 Jacket complete with all original WWII vintage leather insignia right down to the name tag.
The zipper no longer works and there is a good bit of wear to the leather.

This jacket sold for over $2000!!

Here is a rare item that will bring in HUGE amounts if you can guarantee it's originality.

WWII Para Helmut with original Para liner stamped INLAND 18.

This one sold for $2950.

Here is a very unique WWII jacket "Piece Makers". It features a "sexy" lady on the bullseye!

It sold for $1700.

If you have grandparents, great grandparents or even your own parents that MAY have these treasures tucked away in the attic, you may be lucky enough for them to part with them. A great place to look for these old items are garage sales (YES, people will think this kind of stuff is junk and slap a $5 sticker on it).

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Vintage Marx Toys

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 04:42:00 +0000

Vintage Marx toys are ones that are on the tip top of my list when I am searching for vintage toys. While it is rare to find them in perfect condition, I have found quite a few.

Here is a short bio courtesy of the Marx Toy Museum:

Louis Marx has a history nearly as colorful as his toys. Described by many as an experienced businessman with the mind of child; Louis Marx’s ability to see into the minds of children around the world guided his toy creations and advertising efforts.

Louis Marx founded his toy company in 1919. During the height of the Great Depression in the 1930’s, when most people saw only financial despair, Marx saw opportunity. Marx opened factories in Erie and Girard, PA, along with their largest facility in Glen Dale, West Virginia. During the 1950’s, Louis Marx & Co. became the “largest toy manufacturer in the world,” with over one-third of all toys in the U.S. being Marx toys. Described as “The Toy King,” Marx appeared on the cover of the 1955 Time Magazine.

In 1972, at the age of 76, Louis Marx sold his toy company. Despite best efforts, no one had the gifted touch of Louis Marx and the company suffered a decline until the end. While Louis Marx and his company are now a part of history, his toys & the joy they bring children, young & old, live on…

Let's look at some that sold recently:

Here is a "Flints

tones Hunting Party" game.

It sold for $550

Here is a Coca Cola truck that sold for over $600!

Our friend Popeye in the Plane made $450.
If you are SERIOUS about selling vintage toys, I highly recommend you get some books for reference. When it comes to vintage toys there are so many different markings and identifying features, it's impossible to memorize them all. Keep the books in your car while you are out shopping, so you can reference them before you buy!

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Sell Those Hard To Find Toys for Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:34:00 +0000

If you are a long time reader - I am sure you know I will tell it like it is! I will not attempt to steer you in the wrong direction when it comes to eBay. I am giving you FREE information that has been proven (by ME personally) to help you make money!

Now with that out of the way - there are only a few things I have paid for and been 100% completely satisfied with when it comes to eBay....

First is my HCTS membership - I still (after 2 years) visit this site all the time! I love the honesty of the members there! I blogged about it originally in 2006 - HERE is the post.

Second is my Toy Guide - that has helped me earn THOUSANDS (this is NOT an over estimate) in the weeks leading up to Christmas! I can not wait to start socking up for THIS year!

Here is a small article for those of you who know what toys to look for already, but are in the searching phase of your quest!

9 Tips For Finding Those Hard To Find Toys

Just because you may not see a toy on the shelf in a store, doesn’t mean it is out of stock. Use these nine tips to find even the toys that are the most difficult to get your hands on.

1. Communicate with your local stores to learn stocking patterns

2. Talk with store stockers just to learn how they run their store

3. Store employees are more likely to talk with collectors than dealers - I don’t recommend lying… but, I would be careful of the wording. They will figure out that you are a dealer/reseller when you visit buying the same things over and over.

4. Talk with customer service folks - Don’t assume all employees have the same level of information. Sometimes they have information the stockers don’t have. Where a stocker may not know when they are getting a shipment of a specific toy, the customer service folks may be able to tell you.

5. Avoid the big stores - check out drug stores, grocery stores - even smaller online toy stores.

6. Visit grocery stores/drug stores in less affluent areas.

7. Visit Out of the way cities.

8. Look behind other toys on the shelves.

9. Look under shelves in hidden storage areas - and places employees would hide toys.

The 2007 Holiday Toy Selling Guide provides you with a shopping list of toys - many of these toys are going to get harder and harder to find as we get closer to the holiday season.

It is a toy shopping list delivered right to your inbox every week!

Be sure to use these tips to find these great selling toys.

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Free Newsletter for Sellers

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 05:40:00 +0000

Subscribe to the Oldest & Largest FREE Newsletter for Professional eBay Sellers

Up to the Minute Auction News - including new eBay features and trend-spotting
Winning Tips and Success Strategies for improving your EBay Auctions
Valuable evaluations of software, services and other resources to enhance your business
Wholesale Sources for new and exciting products!

Just look at some of the articles in our recent issue:

New eBay Tips every month. Four ways to grow your eBay Business – October 2007
Learn how to buy wholesale like the pros do: Important Wholesale Sourcing FAQs - September 2007
Niche markets are a wonderful way to increase your eBay profits. We focus on different niche markets several times a year. Selling Vintage Topographical Postcards - September 2007
We help you understand new eBay policies and features. eBay Flag Words That Will Get Your Auctions Cancelled - October 2007

Take a look for yourself to see just how useful our newsletter can be: Current Month or Archives

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Adult Footed PJ's

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:20:00 +0000

I never knew these even existed! They are the adult version of a toddler's footed, fleece pajamas.

This particular brand is pretty plain, but there are some out there that even offer the "butt flap" on the back (!!!???)

I had to really do a double take when I saw this...and I had to think, why in the heck would anyone want this?

Well, you know you can think of it a few ways....

1 - People really just want to be warm at night..
2 - There are those out there with some type of "I'm a baby" fetish...
3 - Maybe people want these for Halloween costumes???

Regardless, people are buying these things! I am sure this is something you will want to put on your list for your next Goodwill or garage sale hunt!

The seller got right under $100 for this second hand one!

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Goofy Yard Christmas Decoration

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 03:33:00 +0000

Who would have thought this guy would bring in over $240!!!! He is 37" tall, second hand, lights up and even had some paint chipping off!!!!

I could see him at a garage sale with all those tangled Christmas lights!!!!

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Old Dolls - Big Bucks???

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 18:00:00 +0000

Dolls found at garage sales might be gold ... or not! In the never-ending quest for items to sell on Ebay you are often going to come across dolls. If you are not a doll collector, this could cause you to stand and scratch your head and wonder “should I or shouldn’t I?” My purpose of this review is to just give basic information that might help you make a decision. I’m not going into manufacturer’s names at all, just materials used to help you determine era and whether you should buy or not. Never spend more than you can afford to lose.

The main materials that you are going to find dolls made of are:
Antique China (shiny, glazed porcelain).
Antique Bisque (dull, matte finish porcelain).
Composition (pressed sawdust with painted surface),
Hard plastic (doesn’t bend when squeezed).
Rigid Vinyl (thick, feels warmish to the touch)
Vinyl (softer, more realistic feeling)
Stuffed vinyl (usually only jointed at neck) often in fancy gowns.

Magic Skin (often found tearing at neck and turning black with age/handling).
Cloth

China head dolls are glazed porcelain and most often white in color with black or blonde hair. The good ones have a fine red line detailing above their painted eyes and little red dots in the corner of the eyes and nostrils. Most of the value is in the head and the body can be replaced by a buyer if it's not good. Keep it with the doll. It’s part of her provenance (history). Sell it with the doll. Some pretty disreputable bodies are worth money. I recommend that a non-doll collector NOT wash old doll clothing. Note: Antique china head dolls did not craze, if found with fine cracking/crazing they are made of ceramic and probably are a reproduction from as long ago as the 1930’s.

Antique Bisque head dolls have a soft unglazed pink coloring to more closely resemble skin tones. They came with a wood ball jointed composition body or a kid leather pin jointed body. Most have eyes that sleep when laid down. It wouldn’t be unusual to find one, loosely strung, in a box with the top of her head off and her eyes rolled back! If the price is right, that’s still a good deal. The top of the head was left open in manufacture to allow access to insert sleep eyes. It was later covered with a wig. She’s loose because her elastic stringing needs replaced which most doll collectors know how to do or know someone who does. Don’t worry about broken fingers on an antique doll body, those can be repaired. Broken eyes can be glued back together in many cases. Many prefer old repaired eyes to new replaced ones. Do look over a head real good, looking for cracks so fine that they look like hair = hairline cracks. Those do matter to the value! Don’t attempt to comb out an old doll wig. If it’s in the original set that can change the value too.

Contemporary Collector Dolls: If you find a bisque doll with painted or stationary eyes; her original box; a COA (certificate of authenticity) and a nice white cloth body and her original clothing with miles of ruffles and lace………she’d probably more likely be called a modern decorator item. Sure, some have the COA and it might even say limited production. However, the “limit” was just to the extent of the number they could sell. Anyone who wanted one could buy them from HSN and QVC and they are ALL mint! Unless you want it for yourself, your child or are getting it super cheap, I also pass those up too as doll values are fueled by supply and demand.

Composition dolls from the 1920-1950’s are often found with surface crazing. The makeup of composition is primarily sawdust and glue with a painted surface. Fluctuations between summer/hot and winter/cold in attics and basements caused the base materials to expand and contract but the painted surface didn’t have that ability so, instead, it cracked. Fine crazing is acceptable by most collectors, however, peeling open cracks demand professional restoration, which can be costly. Let the buyer do any clean up. They have their own methods they prefer.

Magic Skin was made for a period between composition dolls and hard plastic. It was thought it would more closely resemble real skin. It is very soft and pliable with not much detailing showing in fingers or toes. Time has not served Magic Skin well. The majority of such dolls are found with beautiful hard plastic heads with a body that has started to rot away and turn brown or even black from contact with our skin oils. There is really no good way that has been found to save these bodies. Such dolls then become donor dolls for their wigs or original clothing and/or shoes.

Hard plastic dolls followed in the 1950’s – 1960. They had glued on wigs. One thing you HAVE to do with a hard plastic doll is to SMELL it! Yep, I put it right up to my nose and give it a good strong sniff right at the neck. Unfortunately, when those early manufacturers of hard plastic dolls were stirring up their mix some weren’t thinking about collectors 50 years later and often used inferior products to cut corners at times. Some of those are breaking down now and smell just like Baby Puke! The doll is only good for parts: wig, clothing, shoes. This stench, of which I warn you, is different from the slightly musty smell of old elastic that can be replaced. Mention any odors in your ad.

Vinyl dolls from the 1960’s have a strong following as the baby boomers have establish their careers and are trying to buy back their dolls. They most often are the rigid, sturdy vinyl and have rooted hair. Pull back the hair to make sure that all the holes have hair in them. That affects price. Has the hair been cut? Are all the eyelashes there? That affects value too as does ink.

Stuffed Vinyl: There were MANY of high-heeled stuffed vinyl lady dolls made in the late 1940’s into 1950’s. They are still often found in their original boxes complete with long wedding gown or formal. These were sold in grocery stores and through catalogs. They were large and unwieldy and often saved for “good” just to be looked at on Sunday. Value is driven by supply and demand. Don’t be fooled by their size and completeness. There are lots of these still around, mint in box.

ID marks: The manufacturers most often marked their company name on the back of the neck or between the shoulderblades. If Made in China shows anywhere……….leave it! It’s most likely too new to make you rich either!

Reproductions. Lots of people started doing antique bisque doll reproductions in the 1970’s and it continued to be a popular craft form for the next 20 years. Look for an ethical reproductionist’s to have inscribed their name, initials, and/or date by scratching it into the bisque on the back of the neck. This is usually marked close to the antique bisque mark from the original mold from which it was copied.

Barbie with JAPAN anywhere on body….buy, especially if it's cheap. Just look for that JAPAN mark. Those old valuable Barbie dolls marked JAPAN had straight arms, (some had eyelashes) later dolls all had easily recognizable bent arms. Old Barbie outfits had a cloth tag that was embroidered instead of stamped. Don’t wash those clothes. That could be a costly mistake for you. Even if they’ve been plucked bald and the toes are chewed…if it says JAPAN on it somewhere…somebody wants at least part of it!Buy it cheap.

Cloth: The most common cloth doll that you might find is a Raggedy Ann/Andy. Look for the mfgr name of Volland on the tag. That will be a good find for you!

Shipping: This is also a good place to state that if you do sell an antique bisque doll with sleep eyes, if she has her original human hair or mohair wig still glued in place, you’ll need to gently lift the edge of the wig and using a cotton ball soaked in vinegar water (squeeze out excess) to dissolve the glue, you’ll need to gently pry off the wig so you can stuff some toilet paper or tissue paper down inside the head for shipment so the action of the sleep eyes doesn’t cause the eyes to come loose from the inside of the head during shipment and break and there goes your profit! Leave the wig loose. Do not pack with newspaper next to the doll. The ink will transfer onto the doll or clothing. Put protective layer of white tissue paper in place first. Double box. Do not put bubble wrap directly on the composition as it might stick in hot weather or cause dampness to be trapped in cold weather. Ship compo (and wax) dolls the first of the week in the heat of the summer.

If you need help identifying a doll you’ve found, all are welcome to post on the Dolls Chat board or the Dolls Discussion Board before you list.

Thanks to goodfynder!

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FREE listing October 2nd-7th

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 17:42:00 +0000

If you are one of the few out there who has not tried your hand at making a little cash on ebay - your time is NOW!!!!

Get started today and get your first 3 listings absolutely FREE! SO maybe you already have an eBay account? Guess what - a second account can be started just as easily! AND you'll get the free listings!

Here are the details from eBay:

New eBay sellers who create up to three Auction-style or Fixed Price listings will not be charged insertion and Gallery upgrade fees for those listings. In order to qualify for the special offer, the eBay id must not have sold on eBay before, and must list their first three items during the promotional period (October 2-7, 2007).

Click here and sign up today for more great savings!
--->>>>> www.ebay.com

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Storage for all those finds!

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:41:00 +0000

When you are starting out your eBay business, you may find that fantastic deal on a product you know for a fact will sell well. Some sellers will jump on the opportunity, failing to think about the reality of their purchase... storing it until you ship to the customer.

If you have already made this mistake, you're probably sounds that renting a storage unit isn't the most cost effective way of making a profit on eBay. Not to say that some sellers don't do this, but particularly when you're starting out, you just might not have the overhead to pay storage fees on top of paying for the product itself before you actually sent it to the high bidder.

If you plan on purchasing wholesale or in bulk, make sure you have the room to store again. Do you have an unused bedroom that can be converted into an eBay seller's room? Do you have a basement you can stash your products in? Or can you store items in your garage while you or your partner parks on the street? Or worst-case scenario, do you have the money to pay for storage outside of your house or place of business.

If you plan on renting storage space to keep product inventory to sell, it is a good idea to research and find out exactly how much a storage unit will cost and how much it will hold. Rates can fluctuate greatly depending on where you live at the size of storage room you want. Then you'll know what storage overhead price you will need to work into the wholesale price, so you can include that when determining your approximate profit when you resell it on eBay. You may discover that there isn't much profit left after you pay the extra added expenses.

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Can they make selling any easier???

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 19:02:00 +0000

Well, apparently they can!

Here is a message from Mike:

Hi everyone...I'm Mike Maffeo with our Seller Experience team, and I'm here to add some detail to Jim Ambach's recent announcement about an easier listing process for new sellers.

Our current version of the Sell Your Item form is great for experienced sellers. However, it can be a little complicated for our newer sellers who aren't as familiar with all the options and choices available � and sometimes even experienced sellers just need the basics. To help these sellers out, my team has been working on a simplified listing process that will be available in the next couple of days.

When a seller starts at the Sell hub, they'll soon have a choice of whether to go through this simplified listing process, which consists mainly of our most popular listing options, or the current flow that we recommend for more experienced sellers. Those choosing the simplified, "list with popular options" flow will see:

A shortened, colorful listing flow with only the most common listing options available. This will dramatically cut down on the number of choices a seller has to make to get their item listed.
Several of the fields pre-filled, but editable. For example, all listings will have a pre-filled $0.99 starting price, although the seller can of course change that if they wish.

Rollout Plans
We're going to roll out this simplified process over the next few weeks so we can carefully monitor for unexpected issues. Roughly half of our sellers will be able to access the new flow in the next week or so. Assuming everything goes smoothly, the other half will be able to do so as well in the following few weeks.

You can also learn more about this simplified flow by checking out my video on the Chatter blog.

Happy Selling!

Sincerely,

Mike Maffeo
Seller Experience

Great news for you out there who are hesitant to give eBay a try!

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Hot Toys will be Even Hotter this Holiday Season

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:19:00 +0000

West Chester, PA — September 11, 2007 — Parents have been waiting in line for the "must-have" gifts for years (remember Cabbage Patch Dolls?), but this year consumers should expect even more out-of-stock toys, frazzled parents and disappointed children than ever. Although customers are likely to blame the store for being out of a hot toy, the reality is the supplier is the one who is out.

Jane Hoffer, president and CEO of Prescient Applied Intelligence Inc., a supplier of advanced commerce and supply chain solutions, gives some insight into why certain toys will be flying off the shelves faster this year: "Because of the recent recalls on toys and scrutiny of imported toy products, concerned parents who want to stay away from toys with paint and magnets will be looking more toward stuffed toys and dolls, ever-popular electronics and board games."

Toy sales have been on the rise, creating a greater demand for toys in general. According to the Toy Industry Association, the toy industry as a whole showed an increase in sales for the first time in years, bringing in $22.3 billion in sales last year, a 0.3 percent increase from 2005.

Out of Stocks = Out of Presents

Once a toy becomes out of stock, stores usually will not receive a new shipment before the holiday season is over. The lead times needed make it almost impossible. "Without visibility into consumer demand, suppliers won't be able to forecast properly for the holiday season. That means there won't be enough products on the shelves," Hoffer said.

That usually means no matter how many sales associates with whom you beg and plead, if the store is out of that must-have toy, you're out of luck. By the time the reorder is processed and fulfilled, Santa's sleigh will probably be back in the garage for another year.

Take a look at the rush for T.M.X. Elmo in 2006. The lack of Elmos on the shelves created a buying frenzy among shoppers trying to acquire this sought-after toy. Some of those lucky enough to snag one took advantage of the vacuum by selling the stuffed toy on eBay for more than three times the retail price. Those not willing (or able) to pay the high prices were left with disappointed children when they saw no Elmo under the tree.

Consumers may wonder what can be done to prevent stores from running out of key products during the holiday gift rush. While it may already be too late for the 2007 season, Hoffer suggests that both suppliers and retailers should prepare for the future and take a closer look at consumer demand, which can be exacerbated by unexpected events like recalls.

"Really, it comes down to being a demand-driven enterprise. Retailers need to work with their suppliers to provide an accurate view of consumer demand so that suppliers have the data necessary to have enough of the right toys to stores in time for the holiday season," Hoffer said.

Accurately forecasting consumer demand is difficult enough for existing toys, let alone brand new ones. But there is software available that provides visibility into historical product movement and category trends so toy manufacturers can use that insight to better plan for the amount of products that need to be manufactured and shipped to stores.

An analysis tool is also helpful for the introduction of new toy products by comparing historical movement of similar products to forecast the demand for a new product. Going back to T.M.X. Elmo, using an analysis tool, Mattel could have used the demand data from the wildly popular Tickle Me Elmo to predict sales and create orders for the new T.M.X. Elmo toy.

Still, it may not have been enough. Once a toy becomes "hot," it can break through even the strongest demand planning applications and be out of stock. "Sometimes being out of stock is what makes a toy hot in the first place," adds Hoffer.

2007's Hottest Toys

As for the toys expected to create shopping headaches, Hoffer predicts youth electronics to rule this holiday season: "Toy manufacturers are giving everything a high-tech twist this year. Familiar favorites will have new, interactive features, and plug-and-play technology will prove to be big in 2007's hot games. Also, expect anything robotic to fly out the door, especially following the huge popularity of the Transformers film this summer."

Some of the biggest toys for this holiday season are expected to be Webkinz, stuffed toys that come with a code for kids to log on to a Web site and play with their pet in an interactive world; Pleo, a baby dinosaur robot similar to a Furby; Transformers Optimus Prime Voice Changer Helmet, which makes kids' voices sound like a robot; PlajaPets, stuffed animals with interchangeable heads and tails; Smart Cycle, a plug-and-play interactive learning toy for tots; Chat Diva Barbie, which talks into a cell phone; Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix video games and toys; T.M.X. Ernie and Cookie Monster dolls; and anything and everything from the Disney hits High School Musical, Cheetah Girls and Hannah Montana.

Hoffer should know. Besides being president and CEO of a supply chain company, she is a mother of three young children.

Thanks for the heads up! www.sdcexec.com

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Samples

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 03:59:00 +0000

Samples are something that if you sell them as a "lot" will bring tons of money your way! You may have samples around your home you can gather up and sell.

This lot of Mary K Samples sold for over $330!

Next time you are offered samples, accept them and hang on to them, you never know when you'll have enough to make some serious cash!

Halloween Costumes Bring in Big Bucks

noreply@blogger.com (Super MOM) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 21:59:00 +0000

Now is the time, this is the week!

Well, this week and maybe the next couple will do well also!

Selling Halloween costumes on eBay is a no-brainer! People in remote areas may not have access to local costume shops and turn to eBay to find that one perfect costume for their little one!

Here are the top sellers recently:

Anything by Tom Arma will sell well.

The following have recently sold for $100 and up!

You just never know if you spot these at your next yard sale!

Now think about this - there are 3X and up size people that need costumes, many which will need to be handmade...like this one...

That sold for right under $100...

And this one that also sold for $100.

You see it is extremely hard to locate plus size costumes above a 2-3X, so if you find you - grab it!