She Thrifts

Thrift. Flip. Repeat.

Questions! Questions!

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Sorry it’s been so long since the last post.  Summertime = crazy busy with my boys.  We’ve had VBS, sports camp, four weeks of swimming lessons, soccer, countless park dates and play dates, visits with the grandparents, and we also made our annual trek to the Drive In earlier this week.  Lotsa fun.  I’ve also been investing a lot of time in eBay in a part-challenge-part-experiment that will last all of August.  I’ll share more at the end of the month when I’m done.

In the meantime – here are a few questions that have been bouncing around in my head the last few weeks!

Question #1:  Does anyone have some fairly lightweight boxes that they use that are similar to Priority Mail boxes like this?

priority mail box

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to ship something, grabbed an Amazon-like box and weighed the item and the weight was somewhere around a pound.  So I grab a Priority Mail box instead (might as well use the free box!) and I weigh the package and it’s right around 13 oz.  Those darned 3 oz can make a big difference!  I hate having to pay Priority Mail prices for something I could technically ship via First Class if only I had the right, lightweight box.

Question #2:  For those of you who use mannequins, can I pretty please have your recommendations for the best kind(s) to purchase?

I’ve been doing this eBay thing for several years now and I still haven’t bought a mannequin!  I’ve found a good, weekly source for clothing purchases, so I’ve been listing more and more of them.  It’s past time for me to make the switch to a mannequin.  (*Most* of  the clothing that I am selling is still women’s.)

Question #3:  Who is this guy? 

130_6044

Anybody recognize him?  I can’t figure out if he is a character (and thus possibly worth listing) or a nameless generic plush (in which case I will probably sell him at our yard sale).

It’s been years since I have had  a yard sale, and I had sworn off ever having one again, but my cul-de-sac is having one all on the same day, so I figured why not.  I was worried at first about not having enough stuff to make it worth it.  Ha.  Now I’m worried about not having enough table space.  Hopefully we make a few $$, and even more, hopefully we get RID of a bunch of stuff!

Many thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give to the questions above.  Hope summer is treating you all well!

Do you sell ski gear?

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Ski gear (especially clothing) has become one of my favorite things to sell.  Although it is definitely seasonal (and with spring break upon us, that season is wrapping up around here), I am happy to buy it at yard sales all summer long.  I will only buy ski clothing if it is in excellent condition.  A lot of times I pick up items that may have only been worn once, if at all.  I specifically double check the ankles for any wear, and the reinforced knees (sometimes the material starts to come apart).  If I see any obvious damage I put it back.  I also have really good luck picking up ski clothing at thrift stores.  If it’s a great brand or NWT I may pick it up right away.  Otherwise I am usually content to leave it on the rack until it is the half-off color.  More often than not it is still there.  Fairly inexpensive, easy to list, easy to store, easy to ship.  Bingo!

Below you will find a few of my more recent ski sales.

I paid more than I usually would for these, but I was confident they would be a quick flip, and they were.  (Columbia is one of my favorite brands to resell.)

ski1Columbia Ski Bibs, Youth Size 7/8
Paid: $7.50 @ VV, Sold: $29.95 (3 days later)

I noticed these had a couple stains on them when I bought them, but I thought that if I washed them I would be able to get them out.  Turns out, I couldn’t.  So I disclosed the stains and sold them cheaper than I would have otherwise.  (I also found dirty socks balled up in the legs of these pants.  Yuccccck.)

ski2Roffe Women’s Ski Pants, Size Small
Paid: $2 @ VV, Sold: $19.95 (3 days later)

Cherokee isn’t my favorite brand to re-sell, but if the price is right I will still pick them up.

ski3Cherokee camo ski pants, Youth Size 4/5
Paid: $2 @ VV, Sold: $17.95 (2 months after listed)

ski4Arctic Quest pink camo ski bibs, Youth Size 6X
Paid: $6 @ consignment sale, Sold: $29.95 (2 months after listed)

columbia snowsuit
Columbia Women’s Snowsuit, Size 10/12
Paid: $7.50 @ VV, Sold: $59.95 (same month as listed)

Have you had any luck selling ski items or something similar?

Favorite Five Friday, February 13, 2015

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I skipped last week’s FFF because I didn’t feel like I had many sales worth mentioning (just a bunch of clothes, which are reliable sellers, but not what I find to be most fun).

Here are a few of my favorite sales from the last week:

These pants have been hanging around for months waiting to be listed.  They are NWT Old Navy.  My hesitation to list them was that they appear to have a maternity panel waist, but nowhere on the tags are they listed as maternity pants.  So, I finally listed them explaining just that, and whaddyaknow, they sold in five days.

Old Navy Linen Panel Waist Pants
Paid: $3? @ ys, Sold: $24.95 (in 5 days)


I will usually pick up sheet sets at yard sales (or 50% off day at consignment sales!) if they are new in the package and $5 or less.  While they aren’t always fast sellers, every set I’ve picked up has eventually sold for a decent profit.

Tommy Hilfiger Surf Board Sheet Set
Paid: $5? @ consignment sale, Best Offer Accepted: $35 (listed since May 2014)

I bought this at a rummage-type-sale just after Easter last year.  I had just sold some used Easter Thomas trains so I knew it would be a sure-seller . . . eventually.  Usually after 6 months or so I’ll add “Best Offer” to my listings, but in this case I didn’t because I was confident it would sell at full price before Easter rolled around again.

Thomas Easter Train Lot
Paid: $5 @ rummage sale, Sold: $39.95 (listed since April 2014)

I really like buying these Disney books, and I’ve sold several lots, but they are s-l-o-w to sell for a price that I’m happy with.   I only pick them up now if they’re still in like-new condition and only cost around a quarter.

24 Wonderful World of Disney Book Lot
Paid: ? @ various places, Sold: $44.95 (listed since Feb 2014)

I’ve also had three Bonanza sales recently (a lot for me within a week’s time).  The one below is my favorite, because it’s adorable.  I picked it up for $1.50 a year or two ago after Valentine’s Day, thinking I would give it to one of my boys the following year.  Then I came to my senses, and realized they already have way more stuffed animals than they know what do do with, and why should I add to that madness?

Valentine’s Day Dog Plush
Paid: $1.50 @ Walgreens, Sold: $19.30 (within a couple weeks of listing)
Happy Valentine’s Day!

October Goals —–> Aiming High! (+ September’s Sales)

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Well, I fell short of my listing goal in September.  So what does that mean for October?  Set an even bigger goal, of course!  I am not where I’d like to be sales-wise, but I have high hopes for the fourth quarter.  Of course, to sell things they need to be listed, and I have a lot of unlisted inventory languishing in my storage room.  So, I am setting a goal of 200 new listings for October.  I’ve never accomplished that many in one month before.  Maybe this time?


Halloween items are flying out the door, which I love.  It’s taken over the second spot in my store’s top performing categories (behind plush).  I had over 100 sales in September, and right around 20% were Halloween related, be it costumes, clothing, decor, etc.  Fun, fun, fun.  But, I am saving those for a different post.  Below you will find a handful of my other September sales, along with the varied times it took for each item to sell.

Vintage Memory Game – Complete
Paid: $0.99 @ Value Village, Sold: $24.95 (2 months later)
This is the second copy of this game I have sold.
Baby Einstein Book Lot
Paid: $2ish, Sold: $19.95 (3 days later)
NEW Winnie the Pooh Twin Flannel Sheet Set
Paid: $5 @ church rummage sale, Sold: $49.95 (4 months later)
Minnie Mouse Fanny Pack
Paid: $0.75 @ ys, Sold: $19.95 (1 month later)
mini-Caboodle
Paid: $0.25 @ ys, Sold: $24.95 (1 month later)
Firetruck Sweater, Size 2T
Paid: $0.50ish @ ys, Sold: $24.95 (6 months later)
Duck Metal Watering Can
Paid: $3.50ish on clearance last summer, BO Accepted: $38.55 (1 year later)

So, obviously not everything was a quick flip.  But I still think *almost* everything will sell eventually!

BOLO: Organic Jeans

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Paid: $1 @ ys; Sold: $49.95 (next day)

Am I the only one who didn’t know there was such a thing as organic jeans?  I was going through a stack of pants at a yard sale a couple weeks ago and this tag caught my eye:

 

To be honest, I don’t really understand what it means.  Organic Air Wash?  Size 30?  But I figured they were worth more than the $1 they were asking, so I picked them up.  When I was getting ready to list them I couldn’t find any like them listed anywhere.  So, I wrote exactly what the tag said, included measurements, and picked a price out of thin air.  Some organic jeans sell for a lot more (COMPLETEDS HERE).  Should I have listed mine for more?  Probably.  But turning $1 into $50 in one day?  I’m happy.

Awful April

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Uggghh.  I try not to complain *too much*, but geez, April was awful.  My worst sales month since January 2013.  I had about 2/3 of the sales that I had last month.  I know eBay can be a bit of a mystery at times, but my listings are at an all-time high, and I listed pretty consistently all month long.  I have a bit of everything in my store, at a range of prices.  Why the crummy sales?  Okay, okay, pity party is over.

It was rainy here last weekend so I didn’t get in any yard saling in, and the weekend before I went to four sales.  All four had a plethora of clothing for 25-50 cents, so I picked up quite a bit, and I’ve been listing it for two weeks now.  I’ve liked branching out into selling clothes, they sell pretty consistently, easy to store, ship, etc, but they really are a grind to list.  Not much fun at all.  Thankfully, a few have sold pretty quickly.

Nike Women’s Athletic Pants
Paid: $0.25 @ ys, Sold: $17.95 (1 day later)
Lynyrd Skynyrd Women’s Shirt
Paid: $0.25, Sold: $19.95 (5 days later)
Columbia Men’s Convertible Pants/Shorts
Paid: $2 @ rummage sale, Sold: $24.95 (7 days later)
Silver Walkstar FitFlops, Size 6
Paid: $2.80 @ VV, Sold: $39.95 + shipping to Canada (4 days later)

I bought another pair of FitFlops at VV at the same time I bought the above pair, got them home, and realized even though they appear identical, they are actually two different sizes.  Darn it.  I’ve heard of people listing shoes as replacements or for amputees, so I went ahead and did that.  No bites yet, though.

And a couple kid-related quick flips:

 

BABW Aladdin Lamp
Paid: $2.10 for bag of accessories @ VV, Sold (just lamp): $9.95 (2 days later)
5 I Spy Hardcover Books
Paid: $1.25 total at rummage sale, Sold: $19.95 (3 days later)

I fell 22 listings short of my listing goal for April.  I really thought I was going to make it, and then last weekend I came down with a miserable although short-lived flu bug.  And then my youngest got it.  Sometimes life just happens, huh?  I am going to shoot for 150 new listings again in May.




In a couple weeks the consignment sale I like best that I usually participate in is happening.  I still haven’t registered.  I keep waffling on whether or not to consign.  It’s kind of a time suck without a big payoff.

And, confession time, although I did quite a bit of Amazon related reading, I didn’t send anything in to FBA.  Fail.  There’s always this month though, right?

Anybody recognize these clothing logos?

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Help!  I honestly don’t know if these logos should even be recognizable.  I’m pretty clueless when it comes to any kind of brand names.  Clothes aren’t really my “thing”, but I learn a little more each time I list something new.  I picked up a couple really nice looking shirts this last weekend for 50 cents each.  They both have logos I have been unable to decipher.  

This has a symbol above and says “FASHION WEAR” below.

A hanger with Giammy (??) printed inside?


I’ve done some Googling and searching on eBay and can’t find anything on either of these.  No idea if they are brand names, no-name brands, or possibly purchased abroad?  If either look familiar to you, please share!