Hi!
I hope your holiday sales are as great as ours have been! Even with the move, we have been selling like crazy and we have even been able to find MOST of the stuff!
- Lynn Recommends: 12 Days of Christmas Sale
- Lynn Recommends: Lisa Suttora Teleseminar Sourcing, Deals and More
- Special Announcement: Lynn on Location (LOL) in Las Vegas
- Feature Article: Sourcing High-End Items: Pros and Cons
This ezine is published every two weeks.
December 9, 2010 Volume VI, Issue 22
I have been staring at my computer screen for some time trying to figure out what to write about this week. The past 30 days (since my last ezine) have been a whirlwind and I don’t even know WHERE to begin. The move to the new HQ (Headquarters) was quite the ordeal. Two very special people also passed away in that time period and to be honest I am wiped out and very sad.
I will dig deep and find some inspiration to write today. The move to headquarters is going to eventually be a very positive step in the right direction. But four weeks of moving, sorting, unpacking, putting up shelves, and getting organized along with grieving for two very special people has taken its toll. But you know me, I always try and find the positive side of everything and have tried to smile through this exhausting and sad time.
Here is a photo we took on Thanksgiving.
It does feel like I have my house back and the kids are thrilled with all the extra space. It has become easier to separate work from home, however, I do find myself driving over to HQ quite a bit. I will eventually settle into a routine and get it all figured out.
We can’t believe how many things I have that are NOT listed yet. I have about 13,000 items on eBay now (even though it says 5,000 or so as many are multiples) and what we all realized was that I actually have at least double or triple that number that is NOT listed.
Here is a photo of some of what is NOT listed.
And this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Lisa Suttora and I talked about these thousands of items during our wonderful Sourcing, Deals, and More teleseminar last week. This awesome call is the Queen’s Court gift for November. If you are not a Queen’s Court member you can purchase it here for immediate download at the low introductory price. You can read more about this great call in the “Lynn Recommends” section.
The footage for my reality show Trash to Cash is in the can. We have ten hours to turn into a 30-minute pilot. Crazy things we have been filming have been selling for A LOT of money. Seems like things are just flying off of our shelves. Auctions seem to have really picked up.
That is one of the bright positives in the past month, eBay sales are definitely improving. My November sales were up 4.1% over last year and that is GREAT considering we were moving during this and I didn’t get as much listed!
Here are a few things that sold for quite a bit recently.
Check out this beautiful hand-painted pitcher.
This hand-painted pitcher was one of the antiques I bought with some very expensive high-end antiques recently. I spent $2,000 a few Saturdays ago. This inspired me to write this week’s ezine article about sourcing higher-end items. Don’t miss it!
Check out this piece of Midwinter from
the last Live Boot Camp. Wow!
One of our Queen’s Court members (Charmaine) had an amazing score this week and she was kind enough to share it with all of us. Congrats! Check it out! She only paid 50 Cents for it! Lucky Girl!
Wow!
LOL (Lynn on Location) will be happening in Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday, March 12th and 13th 2011 at the Paris Hotel. We are so excited for this live event!!! The doors are open and seats are for sale. Please read the special announcement section to learn more or click here.
Speaking of LOL, we have fantastic news! Lisa Suttora (eCommerce and trend expert) will be joining us as a featured speaker. I am sooooo excited. Lisa is awesome and joins a great group of speakers already in place!
AND we are having a coupon sale that will last for the next 12 days (of Christmas.) Don’t miss out on stocking up on staples, like I Sell sheets, or grabbing some of those teleseminars you may have missed. See the Lynn Recommends section to learn more.
Happy eBaying,
Lynn Dralle, ‘The Queen of Auctions,’
Creator of the best-selling eBay Boot Camp in a Box.
The 12 Days of Christmas Sale!
Order now and take 30% off almost
everything on the website store.
(The new Lisa Suttora Teleseminar and live events not included.)
Use coupon code HOLIDAYS10 at checkout
If you are a Queen’s Court member, this coupon can be combined with your additional 15% discount.
Boot Camp in a Box 2010 is also included in this sale. Click here to learn more.
Please check out the website for all sorts of great items! It is time to stock up and be prepared for 2011. Start the new year off with a bang! We’ve made it easy to find our latest products on one page on our website. Visit that page here.
We’ve recently updated our eBay Training Value Packages. Visit the page on our website here. These already great values become almost unbelievable when you add your coupon code HOLIDAYS10 for an additional 30% off.
P.S. Online sales this holiday season are predicted to be up 15% over last year. Now is the time to ramp up your business for these upcoming profitable months.
P.P.S. Remember, I am an eBay Certified Provider. eBay has put its stamp of approval on me and my products. You can’t get a better testimonial than that!!!!
P.P.P.S. As a business expense, your purchase should be tax-deductible. As the year comes to a close, it is time to get those last-minute tax deductions. (As always, check with your accountant.)
How to sell Designer Clothes, Shoes, Handbags and Bras
with Clothing Experts Mel & Steve Woods
Mel and Steve Woods are amazing at selling clothing on eBay. They buy directly from Macy’s and other high-end department stores. They know the ins and outs and tricks and tips to get the best deals. They double up on coupons and practically buy for free!
Here are Steve and Mel at a cookout in Maryland. He is Melanie’s “bra man” and often lets her hang them from his arm while shopping in the store. What a great guy!
Mel and Steve are awesome. Mo joined us for the call. The call is fun, informative, and it will help you make money on eBay.
Instant download Volume I, $29.95
Order here.
Instant download Volume II, $29.95
Order here.
How to Sell Costume Jewelry on eBay
with Jewelry Expert Kathy Flood
Kathy is the jewelry columnist for the Antique Trader and the author of several best-selling books on jewelry for Warman’s. She is incredible and we are so fortunate to have her share her expertise with us on this great call.
Photo of Kathy Flood taken by Suzy Gorman 2010.
Instant download, $29.95
Order here.
How to Sell Books on eBay, Amazon and
through the Art of Books
with Book Expert Sheila Anderson-Mochrie
Sheila Anderson-Mochrie knows how to make money selling books online. In these two teleseminars, Sheila shares her experience and knowledge so you too can learn the insider secrets to selling books on Amazon and eBay.
Here is an email I received after the first teleseminar:
Hi Lynn,
This was my very first call I was ever on of yours. Oh my goodness…I have 7 pages of notes and can not believe how much I have learned in 90 minutes. Thanks for such a fantastic book teleseminar!! You rock!Sue George
Instant download Volume I, $29.95
Order here.
Instant download Volume II, $29.95
Order here.
Instant download Volumes I & II, buy both, and save, $44.95
Order here.
Plush Teleseminars with Plush Expert Debbie Ybarra
How to sell Plush (stuffed animals) for Profit
Debbie knows her plush. These teleseminars will help you to add this profitable and fun segment to your eBay sales.
Instant download Volume I, $19.95
Order here.
Instant download Volume II, $19.95
Order here.
Dinnerware Success 3 Volume eBook
by Lynn Dralle, The Queen of Auctions
Join the crowd of people who have discovered that selling dinnerware on eBay is a great profit center for their business. Lynn’s Dinnerware Success eBook will show you how you can add this profitable category to your eBay sales. This is an eBook available for instant download. Get started today!
Lynn shares her decades of knowledge buying and selling dinnerware in this comprehensive guide that will open your eyes to this category of merchandise that can be found just about anywhere.
Instant pdf download Volumes I, II & III, $149.00
Order here.
Now that you’ve sold it, how are you going to ship it? Lynn’s Shipping eReport with online video supplements will show you how to pack to meet UPS’ stringent demands and avoid costly breakage.
Instant pdf download, $24.95
Order here.
Buy both the Dinnerware eBook and Shipping eReport together and save. Instant download, $159.95
Order here.
Brass Tacks Research Guide to Garage Sale Finds
Lynn’s Brass Tacks Research Guide is a downloadable PDF and the online video showing her Garage Sale finds for a weekend, what she decides to research, and how she researched her finds in just a matter of minutes.
How much research will I do for this table full of garage sale finds?
This video and the accompanying 30 pages of text are invaluable tools to teach you how to not waste time. eBay sellers that get caught up in the minutia will never be able to make a full-time living selling on eBay. Lynn shows you how to make quick decisions in this “Brass Tacks Research Guide.”
Instant pdf download with online video supplement, $24.95
Order here.
We’ve also updated our eBay Training Value Packages. Visit the page on our website here. These already great values become almost unbelievable when you add your coupon code 2ndChance for an additional 25% off.
Don’t put this off. The HOLIDAYS10 coupon sale ends at midnight on Tuesday, 12/21/10.
Happy eBaying!
Lynn
I recommend this great teleseminar
with online sourcing expert Lisa Suttora
I can’t say enough great things about Lisa Suttora and how she ALWAYS inspires me. Don’t miss purchasing our Downloadable Teleseminar from November 30, 2010, before the price goes up. Click here to order now.
Use this 80-minute teleseminar to get you motivated and inspired to finish STRONG during those last crazy days before the end of the year.
During the teleseminar, I had a revelation as Lisa and I were discussing her first eBay business. By moving eBay out of my home and into commercial space it has almost become a business that runs itself. Not literally, of course, but it seems to stand on its own as an entity.
It is also becoming a business that I could someday sell as a profitable, ongoing income-producing, turnkey business. Something to definitely think about. I could always start up another eBay business in a different city someday 
.
Check out this nice email we got from Victoria in Bakersfield during the call.
Subject line: You Ladies Rock
Lynn, please tell Lisa I’m listening to the call and her ideas are awesome!
I’ll definitely go to Chicago the week before LOL, Chicago is one of my favorite cities, I even have a limo driver there, woohoo! If either of you can join me, I’ll take you to all my favorite spots for dinner, drinks, and live blues.
Also, for Lisa … I’ve already started sourcing and selling bamboo, and am currently trying to sort through some Chinese vendors … you guys have me extra jazzed for the rest of today!
Many, many thanks to both of you!
Victoria in Bakersfied User id Auction Girl Vintage
If you are a Queen’s Court member the call is your gift for November and if not, you can purchase it here before it goes up to the full price.
LOL, WOW!
LOL — Lynn on Location…Laugh out Loud and Learn with Lynn & her associates at our first ever LOL event. I want to point out that this will be different than a Live Boot Camp where each student gets hand-holding and actual work done. Rather this is an event to network, brainstorm, and learn from the speakers and the attendees.
This very special 2-day event will be held in Las Vegas on March 12th and 13th, 2011 (Saturday and Sunday) at the fantastique Paris Hotel in the Champagne Ballroom! We have negotiated super room rates with Paris for those attending the event. (Many of you have been asking what those rates are…Friday night $119.00, Saturday night $129.00, and Sunday night $89.00.)
It will be two jam-packed days of teaching, networking, and just plain having eBay fun. I have already gotten confirmation from four very special guest speakers. Lisa Suttora, sourcing expert, Mel & Steve Woods, clothing expert, and Diva Dawn, organizational expert, will be joining us.
Many of the usual suspects will be joining me. Carmen, Jason, Mo, Deborah, my brother Lee, Houston, Indy, and my mom hope to join us.
We can’t wait to see you all in Vegas!
To learn more, click here.
To purchase your seat at our low introductory offer click here. The price will be going up again soon and will keep rising until it reaches its full published price sometime before LOL.
(Sorry, no Queen’s Court discount or other coupons can be applied to Live Events.)
To learn more, click here.
To sign up now, before the price rises, click here.
‘Sourcing Higher End Antiques…Pros and Cons’‘
by Lynn Dralle, The Queen of Auctions
As you all know, I am trying to grow my eBay business to huge numbers! Always shoot for the top! There was a quote in my inbox this morning from Herstorynetwork.com I have no idea how I got on this inspirational mailing list but I love seeing these strong quotes from women (sorry guys ) every morning.
Today’s quote was from my friend Peggy McColl that I found to be interesting for two reasons. The first being that I have known Peggy for a long time and consider her a friend (her cell phone number is on my cell phone) and the next being that she is famous! Pretty cool and congrats to Peggy!
Here is that quote and the accompanying text from Mary Long.
Even though you may not know how to achieve a lofty goal, set it anyway. You will be surprised at how inspired you’ll be and you’ll likely take action you wouldn’t normally have taken.
-Peggy McCollIt’s time to say yes to your dream. Take one tiny step. Make the call. Begin the research. Whatever simple step you can take, do it. ‘Dreams come true’ are for you also. The entire universe is conspiring with you…
Sign up for Herstorynetwork.com here.
Following that lead and taking steps, I know that if I want to take my eBay business to the 1 million dollars annual mark, I am going to have to do several things. I am going to have to triple my auction listings, triple my average sales price, and triple my eBay store listings. Sounds easy enough 3-3-3.
I am working on and devising plans and procedures to accomplish this.
One of my strategies has been to source higher-end antiques.
I have met a very neat antique dealer who wants to dispose of A LOT of merchandise. I have visited him three times and have spent $4800 with him so far. Now, keep in mind that there are pros and cons to this.
Let’s take a look at those.
Pros: In an economy where the dollar may lose its value, investing in desirable more UNIQUE antiques & collectibles can be a way to safeguard against this. Look at the rising price of gold and sterling. Why not look for sterling silver flatware sets? I think this would be a great hedge type of investment.
Cons: However, as in any investment, it is a challenge to pick the right stock, the right upper-end antique, and the right commodity with which to invest your money.
Here is one of those more expensive items that I purchased recently that may have been a mistake.
See the listing here.
When I saw this set I was overwhelmed and awestruck with the beauty and amazing history of this piece. It was a Wedding Tankard from the late 1800s. However, there may be no demand for antique wedding tankards and matching tumblers.
Pros: Upper-end items will help to increase my average sales price on eBay. As you all know, it is almost as easy to buy, photograph, list, sell and ship a $9.99 item as it is to do the same for a $499 item.
Cons: The margins on more expensive items will typically be less than on those $9.99 items. When you can make 10 to 20 times your investment on a $9.99 item (you have only paid 50 cents to $1.00–pretty easy to do), it can be trickier to make significant margins on higher-end items. I look at the higher-end items like this. I try and make 3-5 times my investment.
Here is an item that I sold recently from those higher-end items. I figure I paid about $25.00 for this item. It didn’t sell at auction for $79.99 (about 3 times, right?) and I put it in my store for higher and it sold quite quickly. Maybe I didn’t price it high enough?
See this listing here.
Don’t you hate second-guessing yourself? Try to never do that and be happy with the money coming in and know that if it didn’t sell at auction for a lower bid, you priced it perfectly to sell at that moment from your eBay store. Pat yourself on the back!
Pros: Upper-end items can give a big boost to both your total eBay sales numbers and cash flow when they finally sell.
Cons: Higher ticket items can take longer to sell and your cash can be tied up for too long.
I know that this next example is not an antique, but it may be considered a collectible. Remember last summer when I bought all those Harley Davidson items for about $700 (if memory serves me correctly )
Some sold immediately (I think I started every auction at $99) and those that didn’t sell I moved into my eBay store at higher prices. This one finally sold after about five months (not bad by the way) for the best offer.
I got a great price for it!
See this listing here.
I hope this article helps you to see that if you have a little bit of discretionary money to invest, the upper-end market tends to remain pretty strong in all economies and these items can help you grow your business.
You don’t have to just focus on $9.99 items, and I think it is nice to have a good product mix.
Reach for the stars. If you don’t, you will be setting your sights too low. Good luck to you this holiday season. eBay rocks!
Happy eBaying!
Lynn
Visit my eBay Store.
Visit my eBay auctions.
For more great eBay tips and stories, visit my website at:
http://www.thequeenofauctions.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEBSITE? Yes, you may – just as long as you include all links as they are and append this complete blurb with it: The Queen of Auctions and eBay Power Seller, Lynn Dralle, publishes ‘eBay Tips & Tricks’ a weekly ezine with 10,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump-start your eBay business, make more money and have more time, get your FRE E tips now at www.thequeenofauctions.com
eBay PowerSeller and third-generation antique dealer, Lynn Dralle, is the creator of Boot Camp in a Box, the home-study course where you can learn to implement the Dralle Method to maximize your eBay profits.
If you liked today’s issue, you’ll love this step-by-step course that is guaranteed to be the most complete and enjoyable guide to selling on eBay that MAKES YOU MONEY.
Read all about it here.
The Queen of Auctions also offers articles, teleseminars, how-to books, tracking guides, DVDs, eBay Boot Camp training, and other resources to help entrepreneurs make their eBay business a six-figure sales machine.
The Queen of Auctions/All Aboard Inc.
PO Box 14103
Palm Desert, CA 92255
760-345-9355
Lynn@TheQueenofAuctions.com
Happy eBaying!!
Lynn
Lynn is an experienced eBay Power Seller, author, and teacher. If you want to know the eBay tips, tricks, and tools that Lynn uses for buying and selling at an online auction click here.