A Tool for Finding Estate Sales

There's always a lot of interest on eBay, Etsy, and other sites for vintage items. Sometimes you can stumble upon this sort of stuff in thrift stores, but a lot of the best items are at estate sales. If you're series about going to sales, you're going to want to stay on top of the best sales in your area--and then go out with a list of sales to visit. Here's a website that's designed specifically to help you find estate sales: http://www.estatesale.company.

I really like the idea of a site that focuses specifically on estate sales because they really are a different type of sale, and to find them on more generalized sites like craigslist, you've got to scroll through a lot of listings. The site has a featured sale page, which contains sales from established estate sale companies known to the admin of the website.

The other cool thing about this site is that it has other content as well, such as the Collectors Corner page which offers tips on finding and identifying valuable items. Recent posts in the Collectors Corner include advice on collecting antique maps and suggestions for identifying genuine Roseville pottery.

I have to admit that I've been slow about visiting estate sales lately, and this site is inspiring me to get back to it. In addition to vintage and collectible items, you really can find anything and everything at an estate sale. I found a Dole pineapple recipe card once for under a dollar that ended up selling for $15, so you just never know!

My Fashion HQ: A New Auction Site

There are a lot of websites out there besides eBay which use the auction format for buying and selling items. I recently learned about a group of sites known as the Treasure Auctions Network. The sites were started by two established gemstone experts who took their business online several years ago. Over the years, they have expanded into different specialty sites, mostly focusing on gems and collectibles but now branching out into new areas, too.

As an example of this branching out, the newest of the sites in this network is My Fashion HQ. This site features a variety of subcategories of items, including accessories, handbags, scarves, and watches. The front page of the site showcases "last chance ending soon" items; when I clicked over to the site, there was a pair of opal earrings available for a bid of $2. I think there are some good deals to be had on this site as a buyer, and I think that over time, more and more buyers will want to sell here.

The Treasure Auctions Network has a system for approving verified sellers. It can take months before a seller is approved even as an interim seller, and the network's owners promise a safe and trustworthy online shopping experience because of their verified seller approval process.

I'm intrigued by the idea of specialty auction sites both as a buyer and a seller. You get a more focused shopping experience. Sometimes when I shop, I want a little of everything, but more often than not, I'm looking for something very specific. Sites like My Fashion HQ are a nice way to get more specific as a buyer--and as a seller, it's another opportunity to work on specializing in a particular niche.

The Funky Chair: An Example of Finding Your Niche

When you read about how to find success with selling online, one of the common tips is to find your niche. And I have talked with sellers who have built up their businesses on the basis of having a unique product that they know and love and want to share with buyers. I just found a great example in a story called The Funky Chair.

The site was started by Elena Travis. After working in the furniture and design business for five years, she decided to branch out into furniture imports, and she focuses her efforts on selling chairs online to customers in the UK. Her site has a particular specialization in bar stools.

It's a great example of narrowing down a niche. Furniture > chairs > bar stools. I love it. And hey, bar stools aren't just for bars (though a lot of people do set up bars in their homes or on their patios). They are great for kitchens, dining rooms, and more. They can also work well in professional settings, from restaurants to offices. Honestly I never knew there was such a variety in bar stools out there until I browsed Elena's site. Lots of colors, lots of designs--from futuristic styles to retro mid-century modern, you can find most anything.

Elena works to find fashionable chairs made from quality materials. Check out her site for a great example of successful e-commerce at work!

Sell What You Have

I used to just clean out my closet and donate stuff to a charity and/or a thrift shop. Now, unless something is really worn out or I'm pretty sure it won't sell, I go ahead and photograph it to list on eBay.

As an example, I had this t-shirt for years because I liked the design a lot, but it was always a bit too long for me, so I only ever wore it a couple times. Finally, I went ahead and sold it for $11.50. Not a huge amount of money, but I don't sneer at $10 here and there! And honestly, I make my way on eBay with a series of small sales; it's rare that I have one item that is a big earner for me.

When I read advice to new eBay sellers, one of the most common pieces of advice I see is to start out by selling some stuff you have around at home and no longer need/want. I think it's great advice. You have nothing to lose as long as you make sure that your starting price/shipping price covers what it will cost you to mail the item.

A lot of people seem to shy away from selling clothing, but I think as long as you have clear photos and detailed descriptions and measurements in your listings, clothing can be a good thing to start out with selling. If your kids are outgrowing their clothes, what about selling some children's clothing? Kids' clothes can sell well, especially in lots as a lot of buyers want to stock up on a particular size. Toys are another good seller.

If you have DVD sets, they can sell well, too; people love to buy full seasons of their favorite TV shows. Household items can also do well: I know that Suzanne has sold a number of picture frames, and I have sold a number of small display easels. There are people who collect Corelle dishes and all sorts of things that you might never think twice about giving away. You just never know.

Ideas On Choosing What To Buy

Recently I scanned the Internet for ideas about what are the most profitable items to purchase and resell. Most of what I learned were concepts and not actual items. My co-writer Mandy has mentioned some specific ideas about t-shirts in her last couple of blogs. This one is about concepts, with one specific. My understanding is if you come across anything that is older Starbucks, buy it. It should make a profit for you.

Back to concepts, the first idea I learned is that it can be profitable to buy items that are no longer produced. As I was thinking of things I could buy that are no longer produced I came up with the idea to buy many old style light bulbs. They will soon no longer be made anywhere in the U.S. They fit some people's lights and lamps better than the new ones, and even though the cost more you can just throw them out. There is no need to recycle as you must do with the new ones. Light bulbs break easy. Fragile is a great collection factor because that means the number of items that exist get lower practically every week. Finally they are light weight to send in the mail. Weight is a factor in buying any item you want to sell on eBay.

The second thing I learned is to research your new ideas. It turned out that my idea to buy up some of the last of the regular light bulbs was not original. Since the transition has been going on, hundreds of thousands of people have stocked up on them. This means that they will not be rare for many years. And there is no predicting if they will be a sought out item. So I decided against buying them. My next idea did not need to be researched but thought through throughly.

Thinking through your idea is important as well, the third thing I learned. When I heard stamps were going up from $.47 to $.50 I thought about investing in the Forever Stamps. Since there are 20 stamps in a pack that would mean that I would be making $.60 off a pack put probably could charge a little more and make a $1. In order to make enough money to make it worth the time I would need to buy at least 25 books of stamps and sell them all. They are very light weight also and could be mailed in a small envelope. I was thinking this was becoming a good idea. Then I thought of the future of stamps and remembered something else I had learned. Knowing the demand for an item is a huge part of the buying.

The demand for stamps is quickly dying out. I talked to a 22 year old who used a stamp maybe twice in her life. As technology grows stamps will keep growing less necessary. It might be difficult for me to sell even one full book of stamps today. I decided not to take the risk on something that might only earn $25.

Finally I decided to just keep up on reading the posts and blogs and learning about selling on eBay. Personally I find if you look at many you will find at least one article in each that help you out a bit. So, I am going to stick with items I know to be rare or that I see are selling. I shall be looking for vintage coffee cups and ViewMaster Reels at garage sales for now.

Go Beyond Your Personal Taste

Much of my thrifting and online selling is centered around stuff I like. It's easier to have an interest in searching through racks and shelves of things I enjoy, and I don't even mind getting organized around storing things when it's stuff I get a kick out of looking at, like unique books and clever t-shirts. A lot of times I just buy stuff that I like and have a feeling that other people will like.

But of course you have to learn to expand your scope a bit as a seller. I mean, I'm no arbiter of taste, right? People like all sorts of stuff that I wouldn't necessarily want to buy. It's always a bit of a pleasure for me when I buy something a bit outside of my personal tastes which ends up selling right away--then I tell myself, hey, my instincts are pretty good about what sells!

I listed this Ronald Reagan tee this past Saturday, and it sold on Sunday. I knew when I saw it at Goodwill that just because I might not wear a Reagan tee doesn't mean that someone else wouldn't love it!

I guess you could say the Gipper won one for me.