“Hi, I have noticed that you have several pieces of the golden melody available. I am wondering if this was a set that has been separated? I am looking for 8 knives, 8 teaspoons, 8 dinner forks, 8 salad forks, 8 soup spoons, at least 1 cold meat fork, 1 pierced tablespoon and 1 solid serving spoon but not the butter knife or sugar spoon.

I am only interested in pieces that are in very, very good condition and not missing any of the electroplate finish. I would like to assemble the set from what you are offering but the numbers are odd and even giving me either too much or two little of the desired pieces. Would you be willing to assemble what I have requested with a possible price? I see that you have best offer available so this made me wonder if this could be a possibility? I am trying to double my set that was purchased for me years ago and on a whim decided to try tonight after many unsuccessful attempts in the past. I am very interested. Thank you for your time.”

“Hi Lynn, I really would like to purchase the flatware from you not because it is valuable but because the set that I have is one of the last things that my dad purchased for me not too long before he passed away. It came from a store called Service Merchandise. I have only used it a total of 3 or 4 times all of these years and was hoping to find another set without my boys knowing so that I could divide the set between the two and they would think that the entire set was purchased by their grandfather for me. I found the sugar spoon and butter knife at an antique store about 10 years ago but no other pieces.

I was beginning to think that I would not ever find another piece. You seem like a nice individual who would possibly consider my request, after all, you did consider my request for the combined pieces. I would like to offer you $440 for everything. It would be paid through paypal so you would not have to wait for your money. Please say yes. Thank you so much for your time and responding to me so quickly. God bless. –xxxxx”

Let’s celebrate this exciting time with great learning tools for all of us and the positive changes that eBay is making. eBay is once again focusing on the small business owners like us who sell Unique One of a Kind Items. So let’s celebrate OUR Learning and how lucky we are to be Entrepreneurs with our Back to School Sale!

It’s time to commit to making positive changes going into the most profitable 4th quarter. I can’t wait to see how all our hard work will pay off! I believe 2015 can be one of our BEST years ever.

Last year my 4th quarter accounted for 28.7% of my years sales. I plan to make it at least 30% of this years total gross sales! Are you in? Say YES!

If you are committed to making 2015 your best year ever then don’t miss out on our back to school coupon sale on these important resources…

Take 25% off everything on our website (except for I sell products, live events and Queen’s Court memberships.) This a SERIOUS sale. If you are a Queen’s Court member don’t forget to stack your 15% discount.

Be sure to enter our 25% off coupon code: SCHOOL2015

Check out all of our products here: http://bit.ly/qofafs

We have included links to some of our more recent and most helpful products, most importantly, the seven videos in our teaching series. They are helping many of you to grow your business. That makes me super happy.

Here is a list of the downloadable videos so far. Remember, each of these is a key step in learning how you can use “Assembly Line Listing” to ramp up your eBay sales for 2015.

• • Shipping is as Easy as ABC
  • What 2 Look 4
  • Research Round-Up
  • Write-Up Rodeo
  • Shooting Gallery
  • ALL or Nothing
  • Summer Safari
  • Take Back Your Independence

Be sure to enter our 25% off coupon code: SCHOOL2015

Don’t forget all of our ebooks, like:

• • Dinnerware success
  • Flatware success

Be sure to enter our 25% off coupon code: SCHOOL2015

• • eBay Store eBook
  • eBay Best Offer eBook

And two of our most recent AWESOME teleseminars:

• • Dinnerware to Dollars
  • Cash from Cutlery

OK, there are so many more great products and if you can’t find what you are looking for, please email me at Lynn@thequeenofauctions.com so I can point you in the right direction!

Happy eBaying! Remember, this 25% off coupon sale will end at midnight on Thursday, September 3rd, 2015.

P.S. Queen’s Court members, don’t forget to stack your discounts.

P.P.S. Even one thing that you learn can more than pay for your purchase. Be sure to enter our 25% off coupon code: SCHOOL2015

P.P.P.S. Our Back to School Sale will be ending on Thursday, September 3rd. Place your order today to lock in your savings. Don’t forget!

P.P.P.P.S. Remember, Time is Money. Learn how to do more in less time with The Queen of Auctions!

“OK, Lynn, Getting started on eBay Hmmm Let’s see the first day I was on eBay I purchased a 1998 Mercedes Benz 500 SL Nice convertible!! What was I thinking sending money ahead of seeing it? Made transportation arrangements and the rest is history.

We actually started selling some of my husband’s old gold clubs that we had hanging around and we were pretty successful so then we purchased some golf merchandise from a golf store that was closing its door. We did an inventory at the store, looked up some prices – golf clubs, shoes, accessories – Spent $4000 on the lot and ended up selling everything with a profit of $12,000. That worked pretty well.

Here I am with my husband dancing.

By that time, we had enough experience to list much faster and work through some mistakes. I then saw on eBay the Trading Assistant Program (which no longer exists) but I was only 1 of 2 in our area that was selling on eBay. So I picked up some people to do consignment selling for them.

I was also going to garage sales and we also had some store outlets nearby. I would go to the back of the stores where the sale merchandise was and pick up a few things – always making sure I could return them. Then several of the people in the community where I live learned about my eBay business because they would see the packages out by my mailbox ready for pick up.

Everybody wanted to know what was I doing!!! So the word spread. I now have 45 people that I do consignment selling for, plus my own things that I find at garage sales. I have sold cars, boats, toilet paper rolls and everything in between. What a variety!!!! Never a dull moment here.

My husband does the packing and shipping which helps tremendously. I have recently hired a gal, in her 20’s, who is interested in internet sales, join my team. She now has her feet wet with over 100 listings.- which she did in a week. She has been listing record albums up to this point, but she is going to help me with listing some clothing next week. She will be dressing and undressing manikins and taking measurements, while I list. Currently, I have 4000+ listings getting ready for the 4th quarter.

Scores – talking about record albums This one was sitting in my attic.

Click here to see this auction.

Not bad for starting the listing at $30.

Another score.

Click here to see this auction.

I purchased these make up bags and make up from a gal at a garage sale. I have been back to her 4 times now and I don’t think she has anything left. I purchased this bag for $5.

Current listing that is one of my consignment items

Diana, just from reading your story….I think it is safe to say we ALL LOVE YOU!

And I hope you don’t mind that I share your P.S. This next part is back to Diana Speaking .

OK, It’s about time for another score….Seriously! This time the score is from my mom, Mor Mor, as she is affectionately known. My mom is going to join me and Mo in San Jose for eBay’s 20th Anniversary Celebration about a week from today. Yay! I am so happy Mor Mor is going to be there and my dad is flying into Palm Springs to take care of Indy while we are out of town. Mom and Dad you ROCK! And for once, my dad gets his own bedroom for his visit. ONE good thing about Houston being gone is that his room is now THE GUEST ROOM . One bad thing…Indy and I have to clean it!

Since we are on the subject of my parents….My mom has been rocking the dinnerware category lately. She usually calls me to ask if she should buy certain patterns and since she is my Mom, I am always available for her. This Spode purchase was a no brainer though. However, I did encourage her to raise the prices and boy was she glad she did!

These plates sold for almost $400. Check them out. Go MOR MOR!

Click here to see this auction.

I must share some precious eBay buyer experiences with you before I end this ezine. YES I AM AN EBAY BUYER AS WELL AS A SELLER . We shopped for most of Houston’s room décor on eBay. He wanted a duvet cover that was a very soft brown like the one he has at home. I found a pottery barn Chenille Twin XL duvet on eBay NIP (new in package) and made an offer.

Here is the duvet cover.

Click here to see this auction.

Check out this email from the sellers…..

WOW! That warmed my heart and the beautiful thing is that Houston is taking both that duvet cover and another one that we bought on eBay to college! Gotta love the eBay community .

So here is a photo of Houston’s dorm room (Sorry Steve & Brenda but he decorated the first wave of his dorm room with the OTHER duvet cover…yours will be next ). Don’t forget… that it is the Pepperdine WAVES….that is their mascot.

OK, I must add here, that although Goose is at college, he is still such a kid. He has a teddy bear needlepoint throw pillow in front and a Mickey Mouse plush stuffed animal, over to the left hand side, that my grandmother brought back from Tokyo Disneyland and gave to him when he was about two. I love this photo of his dorm room bed set up for so many reasons…..including the yellow pillow sham in the back.

Once Houston decided on the dual duvet scheme (plush brown and Hawaiian) we found the Hawaiian postcard duvet and then I was on the lookout for shams. Found this listing for yellow shams.

Click here to see this auction.

I emailed the seller and asked if they would sell one of the shams or consider a best offer. I NEVER buy anything on eBay without at least asking if they will consider a best offer. Just a heads up for you BUYERS who buy without at least submitting a BO.

Here was their response….

Wow! I was ready to cry AGAIN. Been crying a LOT lately. I asked her if there was a book or video I could send her in trade for the shams and we MADE an eBAY Deal.

If you don’t have my Let’s make an eBay Deal video check it out here.

So, during this hectic last month, my really, really, really, awesome friends, the Wallace family were in town. I HAD to make time to see Kimberly and her husband Mike and their daughter Ari. My dad absolutely LOVES Mike Wallace because they all used to live in Bellingham (that is where I met Kimberly) and anytime he needed an able bodied young man to go crabbing with him, Mike was a willing volunteer. I must thank Mike, in writing, for helping to keep my 80 year old father SAFE! The Wallaces now live in Huntington Beach and I get to see them quite often.

Here are the four of us in my office.

While Kimberly and her family were visiting she told me that I must start an Instagram account. OK, really? I never post on Facebook, twitter or any social media. Although, I did post on the day I took Houston to school and Jason (Thrifting with the Boys) wrote and said this “You are posting on FB. I almost fainted. Wish him luck from me”. Then later he posted “Are the locust coming?” in reference to the end of the World. So cracked me up! Love you Jason and Staci!

So, while Indy and I were waiting for the President of Pepperdine’s (our new friend AKB) welcome speech, Indy opened an account for me and posted some photos on Instagram. It is actually kind of fun and I am enjoying it. Not as difficult as Facebook and not as fleeting as Snapchat. Here is a link to start following me https://instagram.com/lynndralle

Oh my gosh, before I forget, I must share a recent score of some dinnerware I bought for $150 while thrifting with Mo. It was an entire HUGE set of Mikasa Santa Fe and here is the photo in the thrift store.

And here is one of the listings from that set. I should make at least 10x on my initial investment of $150. YAY!

Click here to see this auction.

I just realized that I haven’t told you much about the three days I spent at Pepperdine for Houston’s orientation. Well, the first day was AWESOME…move in and lunch with the President.

Then Indy and I attended the President’s speech that evening where he likened the incoming freshman’s time at Pepperdine to a song by OneRepublic. “I Lived”. Here is a link to the video for that song. It was really interesting for Indy and me because the President had told us a little bit about his speech during our lunch. And the entire time AKB was speaking Indy and I kept hand bumping because we felt like we had some “insider” information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k009TIxQc8

After the President’s speech Indiana and I had to leave as the Freshman had another event. Indy had to run and find Houston to say her final goodbye. She ran to give him a hug and we left. She started hysterically crying in the car. I didn’t blame her at all. Thank goodness she was the one crying out loud and not me. I ended up taking her to a 7-11 and buying her $27 worth of ice cream and snacks for the both of us to get us through that first night.

The next morning I had to drive Indy back home so she wouldn’t miss any more school. Luckily, she had a friend meet her halfway so the trip that morning only took me about 4 ½ hours. I was exhausted when I arrived back at Pepperdine but was able to sit in on a few informational sessions and meet Houston’s seminar leader, Lorie. Lorie Goodman is awesome and Houston is so blessed to be attending this amazing institution. That night Houston and I had a great dinner together with some other students and their parents. Here is a photo.

The next & final day was very busy. The parents (me included) did a prayer walk all over the campus to bless it for our kids, then we had a great barbeque on the lawn above the Pacific Ocean. Houston and I had a lot of fun and when I met up with him he had a new group of friends with him. I took as many photos as I could because I think a lot of these kids will become his best friends in the years to come.

Here he is with the kids he met walking down the hill to the barbecue. I only remember the name of the girl next to him because she was from Anacortes, Washington and she was darling! Her name was Jenna. Sorry for not remembering the rest of the kids names.

After the lawn barbecue, it was time to head into the gym for the ending ceremony. They passed out stationery for each parent, family member and student to write a letter to their child or their parent/family member. We were supposed to tell them what we hoped and wished that they had accomplished in the next 8 weeks and put their name and address on the front and seal them. At the end of the ceremony we were told to drop them in bins and they would be sent in exactly 8 weeks. That task, right there, made me start crying.

The campus chaplain spoke and then they had some parents come to the front to also speak. They recounted reading letters that their son had written at the beginning of 6th grade and at the beginning of 9th grade where he stated that it was his dream to attend Pepperdine. Then the chaplain asked the mom where her heart was at this moment, and she said “it is sitting in the stands with my son”.

Guess who was sitting next to that boy? ME. I was crying silent tears at this point…maybe not so silent but that poor kid…he was really crying. I watched Houston reach over and pat him on the knee and say “God is with you”. MORE TEARS.

Seriously, I don’t think any of this was an accident. I know, in my heart and soul, now more than ever, that Houston was meant to be there, at Pepperdine. Then the Chaplains asked all the incoming students to stand in the middle of the gym and they were surrounded by faculty and current students while we all prayed over them. Then the kids prayed over the parents. It was beyond surreal and very special. Here is a photo and I have circled Houston in his orange baseball hat looking back at me.

After that, Houston walked me out, gave me a hug and I was on another 4 ½ hour road trip back to Palm Desert. In those 3 days I spent 14 hours driving and at least another 14 hours crying. He started class on Monday, August 31st and I still haven’t spoken to him by phone. I guess it is time for him to fly. GO GOOSE!

Thank you all for going on this journey with me for these past 12 years or so since I started writing this ezine. I feel like you have all watched he and Indy grow up and you can feel my pain and my joy. SO THANK YOU for being here with me!

TIME TO GET BACK OUR HAPPY, so let’s end this ezine with a score! $50 for a USED neck pillow! Sweet!