Hi!
Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. It has been an unusual two weeks.
- Lynn Recommends Less than 20 Seats left for Live Boot Camp 2009!
- Special Announcement: Radio Interview with Griff on 11/11
- Feature Article: My Three Top Tips for Garage Saling
- The Queen’s Update: We want to hear your stories
This ezine is published once a week.
November 20, 2008 Volume IV, Issue 43
Dear eBayers,
We just returned from a weekend in Chino Hills for baseball. The boys played great on Saturday and won both games. However, the entire time, we were very worried about the families, their houses, and the flames that were shooting up behind the ballpark.
Here is a photo from that Saturday
The devastation to Southern California has been terrible. Needless to say, our tournament was canceled on Sunday and we were able to return home to Palm Desert safely. Not the same for the 100s of people who lost their homes. I have one 4 in 1 Boot Camp in a Box that I am putting up for sale starting at 99 cents with 100% of the final sale price going to Habitat for Humanity of Orange County to help those rebuild their lives. Thank you for checking it out here.
Don’t you hate it when something sells for a lot and then the person never pays for it? I know it doesn’t happen very often but it did happen to us several weeks ago. I had listed a neat Royal Copenhagen Fluted Full Lace Bowl and even though it was as is (broken along the top), it ended up selling for $27.79. The lady never paid and after sending an unpaid bidder warning and getting my listing fees refunded, I relisted it. Well, guess what? It sold for more and it ended up going to Los Angeles to be filmed for a new Alice in Wonderland movie. How cool is that?
Check out this soon-to-be famous bowl here.
On Griff’s radio show this past week I mentioned that the “bad economy” is really a bunch of talks and that there isn’t much merit to it. It is a vicious cycle when consumer confidence gets low and people stop spending money. However, on eBay, they are still spending and we are lucky to be able to keep our businesses going strong.
If you missed the Griff interview you can check it out in the Special Announcement section. Don’t miss reading this section because you won’t believe what those six Essex House pasta bowls sold for!
Click here to see the one that sold for the most–if you can’t wait to read that far.
One reason I am confident about it being a great holiday season is that in times like these, more people have garage sales than ever! I have found some amazing things out garage saling lately and one of them was a Sabino perfume bottle. Please read my feature article on my recent Garage Sale finds to learn how you can keep your eBay business prospering! This week’s feature article is called “My Three Top Tips for Garage Saling.”
It has been a tough week for my extended family. My Grandmother Cheryl Leaf’s brother George’s wife passed away very suddenly and I attended the funeral in Palos Verdes this week. Letha Sussex raised five wonderful children and she will be greatly missed.
In the Lynn Recommends section, I am announcing the dates for my only Live Boot Camp of 2009. Mark your calendars now. We are taking only 24 students next year and four of the seats are already sold. Also, watch your email inbox for the special invitations that are going out this week. If you didn’t get your special email invite last week, please let us know by clicking here.
As you know, I am working like crazy on my new book. Don’t forget about our contest to name this book. It will be The 4th 100 Best Things I have sold on eBay but we need a catchphrase like “Ka-Ching” or…….? Please submit your ideas. The first place will receive $100 in product and 2nd place $50. Email your ideas to Lynn@TheQueenofAuctions.com with the subject line ‘4th 100 Best.’ Good Luck!
It is funny, but last time, our 2nd place choice ended up being the title of the book. Here I am with Stephanie O’Leary at eBay Live in Boston who picked Ka-Ching. Thank you Stephanie!
Finally, we are continuing the section where you write in with your major scores! Please read The Queen’s Update section to learn more about submitting your stories.
Happy eBaying!
Lynn Dralle, ‘The Queen of Auctions,’ Creator of the best-selling eBay Boot Camp in a Box and Boot Camp in a Box Lite.
Many of you have called or emailed to find out when our ONLY Live Boot Camp of 2009 is going to be. We have confirmed our dates and it is going to be Friday, August 28th, Saturday, August 29th, and Sunday, August 30th at the world-famous La Quinta Resort! There are only 20 seats left!
By holding it the last weekend in August, we were able to negotiate super great room rates for all you future students and the resort will not be very crowded. We will also be able to get the meeting rooms that we want.
Here are my 2008 Graduates! Not everyone sent in a photo but for those who did it made it easier for Carmen, Jason, Lee, Mo, and I to get to know you all faster!
We are offering a special promotion for all those who sign up during November. You will have one night’s accommodations paid for during the weekend if you sign up before the end of the month. You can read more details here.
Don’t you want to see your photo on this board next year?
I want to see you in La Quinta. Please let us know if
you didn’t receive your special invitation. Contact us here.
If you missed the Griff and Lee Radio show on Tuesday, 11/11, You can access it here.
As usual, it was a fun and entertaining show. We talked about how crazy it was that my six Essex house bowls sold for $338.53 and that I had only paid 50 cents for each one! What bad economy?
Here is the bowl that sold for the most. It was the Eggplant variety.
Here is the bowl that sold for the least. It had Artichokes on it.
I am wondering if it sold for the least amount because I didn’t picture it standing up. I took one of the photos with the bowl flat on the table so that whomever was bidding could see how deep all six were. Interesting isn’t it that the one on the table sold for the least amount?
‘My Three Top Tips for Garage Saling‘
by Lynn Dralle, The Queen of Auctions
Indiana was a doll (as usual) this weekend and agreed to join me on our garage sale hunt. We only had two hours because we had to leave at 9:30 am for the Chino Hills tournament.
We started out at a garage sale that had been listed in the paper a week before but we couldn’t find it. It was the weekend that my mom, Mo, and I all went out hunting together and the newspaper said crossroads Portola and Frank Sinatra. Well, we drove all around that area and there was nothing. No streets, no houses, and worse yet no garage sales!
But on this weekend, the ad in the newspaper said crossroads Portola and Gerald Ford. There was plenty of streets, houses, and a garage sale there! Finally. At that first sale, they wanted $2 each for books. Way too high but as I was walking out I spotted a perfume bottle on a table that looked pretty. I couldn’t believe it when I turned it over and it had a Sabino France paper label! I quickly asked the lady how much? And she said, “How about $1?” O.K. $2 each for a book that is worth 50 cents and $1 for a perfume bottle that could be worth 100s!
Check out the bottle and what it sold for here.
When I was little my grandmother sold Sabino Art Glass directly from the company in her antique and gift store. She kept it all in the teeny cabinet. The teeny cabinet was named that because when we took it to antique shows for display we would put all the teeny tiny items in it. I remember how cool the Sabino art glass looked in that cabinet because it had clear glass shelves and a light at the top that would make the Sabino glass glow.
I now own the teeny cabinet and it is in the garage right next to where I get out of my car. I don’t know what I am going to do with it but I will figure it out someday. In the meantime, don’t forget my number one tip.
Tip #1: It is never too late
The garage sale where I found the Sabino Art Glass perfume had been going on for two weekends. Albeit, probably not many could find it the first weekend because the paper had the wrong address. But we showed up an hour after it started on the 2nd weekend and still, I found that Sabino piece. What was even more amazing is that in all my years of doing eBay, I have NEVER found a Sabino piece anywhere.
Tip #2: Get to know other Garage Salers
After the perfume score, Indy and I headed up to a community sale in a gated community. We were not finding much of anything when I ran into Coco. Coco is the nicest lady who lives out here now but is originally from Orange County. She specializes in sporting goods and does incredibly well on eBay.
By the way, Coco’s nephew plays baseball in the minors and she had bought him an autographed copy of David Eckstein’s “Have Heart” book. Just for fun, she had bought two copies and this is how nice Coco is–she sent that extra book to Houston. He has read it 4 or 5 times and it is his favorite book. Thank you Coco!
Check out this email I got from her recently:
Hi Lynn,
I got a real kick out of your “foot” auction. Definitely WEIRD, love that word! After 10 years on eBay I am still surprised on occasion by an item.
I thought you might enjoy this one. I did not even really buy these gloves, they came with some skis I bought and were in the bag. Had no idea they were there until I unpacked the bag.
Check out what they sold for here.
I hope to see you around town one of these days. Wishing you and your kids a great Thanksgiving.
Fondly,
Coco Palm Desert Auctions (Visit Coco’s auctions here.)
And wouldn’t you know it, we ran into Coco at that community sale. Luckily, we started talking about the sales that morning. Whenever I see any of my garage sale buddies, I always ask them if they have been to any good sales that morning. It is a really smart thing to do.
Coco said, “If you haven’t been up to the big Fire Station sale, don’t bother.” I went, “Yikes!!!” That is my favorite sale of the year and it was NOT in the online garage sales that weekend. It was only in the paper, and I don’t get the newspaper. I was so glad she mentioned it so off Indy and I ran to the Fire Station. By the way, I got that Baccarat Chandelier for $20 at a Fire Station sale several years ago. Check out story # 57 in Money Making Madness to see what it sold for.
Remember, make friends with other eBayers and garage salers. As my grandma always said, “It is not a competition as different dealers specialize in different items and not everyone can know everything.” And as you can see from my example here, some of them can become good friends.
Tip #3: Nobody Knows Everything
Well, I am getting ahead of myself. Before we left the community sale, Indy and I had to stop by just two or three more garage sales. At one garage sale the paperback books were all marked 25 cents each and in the pile was an Acura car manual–about 1000 pages. I said I would take this and the electrical manual that goes with it. And the lady changed her mind and wanted $5.00 for both of them. I said, “No that is too much”. She said, “OK, How about $1.25 for both?” Sold.
Here is that manual up for sale on eBay. I have been collecting books for Peter to sell on eBay since that is his area of expertise. Not mine. After he did some research, he realized that these manuals sell for about $100. But he also realized that with certain books, the demand can be limited, so it is best to start the more expensive books closer to the price you want to reach.
Click here to see the auction.
The important thing to take away from this tip is that not everyone does know everything–it just isn’t possible and even though many people had looked at those manuals, they were still there waiting at a bargain price.
Another book that Peter has up for sale is an amazing Marilyn Monroe Auction catalog purchased for just $5.00 and probably worth at least $100.
See Marilyn here.
Remember, there are many areas to specialize in and it pays to become knowledgeable in your area.
Talking about different areas of specialization, after running into Coco, I had sporting goods on the brain (her specialty), and wouldn’t you know it, I found a pair of Nike Hockey training skates. I paid $5.00 for them. Let’s see how they do. Because I know absolutely NOTHING about sporting goods except for just a little bit about bats, mitts, and cleats. I wonder why?
Here are the skates.
By the way, we didn’t find much at the Fire Station sale this year. Coco was right. But they remembered me from years gone by and wondered where I had been. The ladies were also nice enough to assure me that I didn’t miss much. I know they were trying to make me feel better. But I did buy several boxfuls and if anything does well, I will be sure to let you know.
Remember, it is never too late. Even at the very end of the
sale, you can often get things for free. Make friends with other
dealers–it makes the hunt on Saturday mornings even more fun
and finally, specialize in an area that you enjoy.
Happy eBaying!
Lynn
We are looking for your eBay success stories to share with our ezine readers and possibly make it into a book of our reader’s best eBay stories.
A big thanks to everyone who has already submitted a story! We are looking for more great stories of your eBay adventures. We know there are many great tales out there, so please submit your story along the lines of the stories from the 100 Best Books and a great side story with photos will help. If we use your story, you will receive a $35 merchandise credit on my website and you will have your story featured–along with your user ID–in my ezine! It may also eventually end up in a published book!
By the way, when I mention my ezine readers’ user IDs with links to their auctions–it actually helps their sales! Amazing how that works. Click here for the guidelines for submitting your stories.
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. Click here to learn more.
The Queen of Auctions/All Aboard Inc.
PO Box 14103
Palm Desert, CA 92255
760-340-6622
Lynn@TheQueenofAuctions.com
Happy eBaying!!
Lynn
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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.