Full Time eBay Sellers & How Hurricane Irma Struck Us Long Before Landfall

Hi there fellow internet re-seller folk. I am sure even though I am not the best at keeping up with my blog here (ironic when you think about the NEVER SHUT UP part) anyways.... most all that know anything about us know that we are down here in the "Sunshine State" and sunshine, well yeah that was far from the problem recently. I will try to sum this up, even though also those that know me know I am still practicing how to say things quick & to the point (maybe someday... promise... I am working on it... really, I think?).

So summer was coming to an end and we were seeing a big jump in the activity in our eBay store. Not just people browsing and moving along... we were starting to get a decent amount of sales again. I even actually managed to blog about the horrible summer slump being over and it was time to really put all our efforts into 4th quarter (yeah I know I should have been working on that all summer but my brain just doesn't let me work that way). The weekend leading into Labor day was going good and then BAM!! It came on television with a News report that the Hurricane out there "Irma" wasn't shooting north like it was supposed to and was most likely going to hit Florida. I wasn't expecting what came next.......

Apparently weather events have a huge impact on an eBay store and to my surprise when the news reports that a natural disaster is going to most likely happen somewhere in the state you are in it is like your online store instantaneously contracted some horrible disease and buying from you would be the biggest mistake a buyer could make. Okay I know, I know you think I am being dramatic and I can be at times but this was SERIOUS the kind of serious where you are depending on a paycheck and your bosses close up shop and run away to another country leaving you standing staring at a closed sign desperately trying to figure out "HOW? WHY?" & More importantly "NOW WHAT?" I even thought at first okay.... it is a fluke just a total coincidence but NOPE.

In short yep our store went to total ghost town with virtual tumbleweeds rolling on by right up until the storm cleared. Oh boy, did it hurt, oh boy, it still hurts. Nothing like getting to a point where you are just starting to recover from the last time mother nature (and a bad roof) took literally everything from you only to realize all of a sudden.... not only is she aiming at you before you have even finished drying yourself out, but the damage she is bringing is already starting a week before she even actually shows up on your doorstep. Additionally the pre-hurricane financial damage to a re-seller is not the kind of damage that can be easily seen so unlike if a tree is sitting on your car in your front yard.... people probably will not even be aware of what you are going through.

THE MORAL OF THIS RANT IS..... Drum Roll please!!!  Plan... and Plan some more. I know it is not always easy to plan ahead these days when most of us our living week to week. Trust me, I really truly know and feel your pain. This storm though has shown me, no she more like slapped me in the face with the reality that there has to be a back up plan of some sort for income when your main source just comes to a complete stop while the bill companies are sitting there with their hands out going "Hey we are still here and we still need that money you don't have". This has me thinking more and more about not having all eggs in one virtual basket.

 I used to think my local sales could hold us over but as hurricane Irma showed us when it comes to re-selling, just having one online venue & local sales is not enough. Why? Because when mother nature throws you a curve ball (or a drunken hurricane that cannot make up her mind between east west and when to go north) those local sales go POOF also, while everyone scampers to try to save their belongings and/or run for their lives they are not worried about buying those shelves or baby clothes any longer off your facebook/craigslist ad so I am going to be spending some time working on additional streams of income during this 4th quarter and hopefully that hurricane out there right now decides that Florida has had enough for September, at the very least.

AS ALWAYS.... Sorry if I run on and on... and on and...well on some more....  I am not big on editing so you kind of get what I am thinking just right out of the old noodle. Never did care much for scratch copies or outlines even in school. I hope that everyone (the couple of you that read my ramblings) are able to get something from them that helps you and hopefully they are not horribly boring to read (or loaded with typos)......

LOVE & PEACE & MANY BLESSINGS TO YA' ALL!
and planning on keeping up with my blogging more often.... yeah yeah I know... I am going to try PROMISE!

OH, Oh can't forget this SHOUT OUT.... TO EBAY.....  SUPER IMPORTANT!!!! A HUGE HUGE GIGANTIC THANK YOU! (and hopefully I will get to to a devoted blog post about it later tonight) but THANK YOU TO EBAY! For Offering relief to those of us impacted by Hurricane Irma & Harvey. I know ourselves personally were not expecting it but we will NEVER FORGET that eBay regardless of what some say REALLY DOES CARE ABOUT THEIR SELLERS! --- THANK YOU FROM --- ThenAndAgainTreasures eBay Store AKA The Sager Family!

Slow Summer Sales Slump Behind Us

It is that time of year again.... School is starting back up, soon to be some peaceful silence in our home for 6 or so hours each weekday but more importantly as a re-seller we are coming out of that dreaded SLOW SUMMER SALES SLUMP! Anyone who is in retail knows all about the summer blues.... the time when we do anything just to try to make a couple nickles.... and mostly find ourselves prepping for when the day comes that the customers return from the beaches, parks,vacations etc. and start SPENDING in our stores again.

A couple weeks back we all of a sudden had a day where our phone kept going crazy with CHA-CHING sound. Everywhere we went we sounded like a cash register, sometimes awkward when sourcing and trying to stay under the radar ha ha. We didn't care though, of course we were just thrilled to hear the sound over and over instead of a couple here and there through the week. However we thought it could just be all the promoted listings we had been doing and sales. So we did not get too excited just yet. The following weekend was okay, nothing to do cartwheels over but at least it was steady. Following that we had one pretty slow day and since it has been steady for us with a few spikes here and there. So I feel confident now announcing BYE BYE SUMMER SLUMP & BRING ON THE 4th QUARTER!

In reality there is still all of August to prepare for the "true" 4th quarter sales. I know personally we are working hard trying to continue to keep our store growing each day. We are really looking forward to this year as in years past every time that wonderful last quarter of the year came around we were never prepared. As a matter of fact it always fell during some catastrophe or hurdle making it very hard for us to really give it our all. NOT THIS YEAR! This year we are going full speed ahead. I will admit that catastrophe keeps trying to strike us down but I say bring it on... there is no way we are going to stop our effort to make this the BEST 4th QUARTER EVER FOR US! Our goal is for this to be the BIG "turn it up" moment for our business that has been growing more than ever in this last year. Yes we are super excited and ready to work our butts off!

I would LOVE TO HEAR FROM OTHER SELLERS so please LEAVE A COMMENT! SHARE -

1. HOW WAS YOUR SUMMER?

2. DID YOU USE SUMMER TO PREPARE FOR 4th QUARTER?

3. DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE SUMMER SALES SLUMP IS OVER

4. ARE YOU READY FOR 4TH QUARTER?

Well I better get to eating my lunch real quick because I have a bunch of packages that wont pack & ship themselves. I hope everyone else is seeing the Summer Slump in their rear-view too!

Soon To Come From Never Give Up Or Shut Up

Hi there ya all.... Quick Blog Update Here......

As many know my blogging over the years has been very limited. As much as I love doing it with our eBay store and other ventures it makes it difficult to find the time to write... In addition to this fact there is also something I have been wanting to switch up for a long time as well. I want to make multiple blogs each one more dedicated to one subject matter.

There will always be my "Never Give Up Or Shut Up" No Frills Blog, but most likely I will keep this one dedicated to our journey in reselling from now on and how to make your own money without making a boss more money! No get rich quick scams EVER! We are down to earth REAL, people... a family just like many of you that are trying to survive in a painful economy. Our goal is going to be to show the Good, The Bad, The Ugly... from items to keep an eye out for, to sharing our big wins/flips, to talking about staying motivated and so on.

So keep an eye out as we will share our other blogs here probably as links on the home page. We will also more actively post on this main blog as well as the others. Don't forget too we still have our Deals blog (yes it is a ghost town right now) BUT that is going to change too. I will try to get at LEAST 1 great deal a day shared on it starting by this weekend at latest. Then the first additional blog that will be added is one near and dear to me and it will be strictly a motivational/spiritual one.

Thank you for stopping in, we hope you decide to keep coming back AND that you enjoy the changes soon to come!

Sincerely,
Kim Sager & Family
ThenAndAgainTreasures eBay Store

Kids Eat FREE Healthy Food All Summer Long Find Location Near You

Every parent knows how quickly that grocery bill can multiply when school lets out for the summer and it can really put a dent in your budget when your trying to ensure your children continue to eat healthy meals without breaking the bank. During the school year many parents have the assistance of free or reduced breakfast & lunch at school, but then summer comes and the worry of how to make the food money stretch sets in. Do not fear, Help is near, and it includes 2 words we all love HEALTHY & FREE.....

You may or may not have heard of the summer food program for kids. Maybe you have heard of it but thought it was for only those that are homeless or extremely low income. Maybe you thought it was a hoax going around FaceBook, Twitter and other social media outlets, it is not. I have personally confirmed the information is 100% true. Please if you find yourself struggling to ensure your kids are not just eating cereal for lunch don't be shy or embarrassed. Times are hard and making sure your child eats a good meal is nothing to be ashamed of. 

There are many locations so even if you do not have transportation, in many cases there will be at least one possibly more within walking distance of your home. The best part is there is no long application process, no making a dozen phone calls to find out where to go, you don't even have to make a single call at all..... Just TEXT to find a location & hours near you...... and you can be bringing your kids for their HEALTHY & FREE Breakfast and/or Lunch TODAY!

Now, unfortunately they are not in everywhere so there is a possibility that they are not in your town. Don't fret though as there are no restrictions stopping you from bringing your children to the nearest location to you. If you do not have a vehicle try teaming up with another parent who does so you can go together. Also look into assistance places in your area that offer monthly discounted or free bus passes. It is very likely you can find a location close to or right on a bus route. 

Hours seem to vary depending on location, but all tend to be approximately around 8am to 9:30 am for Breakfast and Lunches approximately between 11:00am - 1:30 pm. So double check the times at the ones in your area to be sure of exact time. Also I noticed that some locations do lunch only while others do both lunch & breakfast. 

Look No Further TEXT the word "Food" to 877-877 (or "comida" for Spanish) to find FREE SUMMER MEALS in YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD - System was developed by: No Kid Hungry with the USDA. 

Time to WAKE UP No More Oversleeping or Always Being LATE

I have a friend that has inspired me to get back to blogging in the oddest way. My friend always finds herself in the morning rushing & racing due to waking up late. I have told her countless times she needs an alarm clock and each time she says she usually sets the alarm on her cell phone but when it goes off one of the main reasons it doesn't work for her is she shuts it off and falls back asleep, or the other times it fails to even work at all. The obvious answer to this one is simply - ALARM GOES OFF, GET UP! However everyone has different issues, reasons or plain old excuses as to what keeps them from waking up on time in the morning. This morning my friend woke up late again, and I have not written a blog post in a while so here we are...... TIME TO WAKE UP!

1. The obvious set an alarm. Not a low sounding, barely can hear it when your awake alarm. Get an obnoxious blaring most annoying alarm you can find.... better yet get TWO different horrible sounding, people down the street can hear the bells alarms. In my opinion I say stay away from the cell phone alarms. Also use actual alarm clocks that have battery back ups or older style wind ups with the big bells. Things happen such as power surges or your cell phone battery dies, or an automatic update, or some glitch next thing you know the cell phone alarm fails you. 

2. Make sure your alarms are set. I know... again you are thinking this is so obvious. It is also one of the main reasons people with problems waking up, do not wake up to their alarms. They simply forgot to set them before going to bed. This is an easy fix and very important step. Don't wait until you are tired, and have a hundred things on your mind to try to remember setting your alarms. Your alarms should be set for the following morning right after they have woken you up current day and you shut them off. Right then is the best time to set for next morning. It is then done, ready to go and you don't have to worry about forgetting at bed time. Also if you are using an older wind up type this is the time to make sure its all wound up! 

3. Break the SNOOZE TRAP! We probably ALL have been guilty of falling into the "Snooze Trap" at some point in our lives. This is a fatal way to set up a routine of being late/oversleeping. Snooze seems to be such a great little function, and some people are capable of using it correctly hitting it once then actually getting up at the next alarm blaring sound BUT unfortunately MOST people can actually develop a routine of hitting snooze to point where our brains literally become used to hearing the sound of alarm and instead of that alarm sound waking us up eventually we will wind up sleeping right through it just as if it were a lullaby! DON'T HIT SNOOZE.... Cover that button up OR skip to Idea #4 for best results

4. Make Yourself Stretch Or Actually Move to make that annoying sound stop! This is by far in my opinion the MOST IMPORTANT step in getting yourself up on time & avoiding constantly being late. In addition to setting multiple alarms (not multiples on 1 alarm clock - get 2 different alarm clocks) do not put them in the same place & never should be within arms reach of where you slumber. The first should be close enough that you will still hear it (really hear it) so make sure it is far enough away that you will REALLY have to stretch those arms. Then this is where the second alarm comes in handy to actually GET YOU MOVING! The second alarm should be just as loud if not louder and be far enough away that you must get out of bed and take a couple steps to shut it down.... 

Now that you are OUT OF BED the battle is over. DO NOT lay back down for ANY reason. Luckily as long as you eat healthy & get a good nights rest even if you did lay back down it wouldn't be as easy to just drift right back off into dreamland. Even still it is best at this point to get going into your morning routine. 

Unfortunately over the years extra features on alarms have made it easier and easier to stretch out our waking up process by allowing you to hit snooze again & again or on cell phones allowing us to set multiple alarms minutes apart convincing us it is okay to just sleep 5 minutes more, 10 minutes more etc. then the next thing you know you now sleep right through all of your alarms because you have trained yourself to do so. 

To some this all seems obvious, or you may think "my alarm goes off and I get up"..... It is not the case for many though.Okay, I admit it.... Yes it was my friends experiences that made me want to write this up real quick, but it was also because I myself am recovering from THE SNOOZE TRAP!!!

60 Empowering Quotes to Help You Get Things Done

60 Empowering Quotes to Help You Get Things Done  

I just had to share this with my readers as I found it to be one of the BEST lists I have ever read online. Enjoy, I hope you find them useful & be sure to share with your friends, family and just anyone..... I know I am printing out some copies to put up around my house......



Also SORRY BEEN MIA. I will be back writing soon. Never seems to be time between family time & my eBay store working time, and hauling/metal scrapping. Barely time to sleep no less writing. I will try harder though PROMISE....



Thanks for taking time to read.



Kim Sager & Famiy

ThenAndAgainTreasures on eBay

eBay Feedback Can Be Fun Fancy or Funny Buyers & Sellers

Every once in a while I will get a feedback from one of my customers or a seller that REALLY stands out. Personally I have leaned toward the more conservative side when leaving feedback on eBay, until today! I have always mixed it up and never left the exact same feedback for every person, every single time. I also try to take advantage of all or most of the space provided. I also do leave special feedback for those eBay users that were just... extra special, but still stay "conservative" even then. I was thinking today though.... why can't it always be fun, friendly, pretty, or the kind of feedback that is sure to make someone smile? 

Here is a simple list I have compiled that has some of my favorite pages/sites for my readers to get their creative juices flowing or simply copy/paste (I will keep adding more so check back). All credit goes to the creators of these great guides/sites/blogs/generators etc.

1. 101 Fun And Fancy eBay Feedback Designs (On eBay)
2. How To Leave a Funny Feedback (On eBay - not funny but another nice list)
3. Ebays Most Funniest,Creative & Wackiest, Feedbacks (On eBay & a Fave of Mine)
4. Fun Feedback - Cut And Paste!   (On eBay Nice collection)
   
5. Positive Feedback Samples To Leave Buyers & Sellers (On eBay)
6. Ebay Feedback Generator (Feedback generator site - Simple to use)
7. Feeling Lazy Feedback Generators (Another Generator site - Simple to use)
8. DO YOU HAVE A LIST or Feedback Site? -  Send to us, if we add credit will go to you!
9. coming soon
10. coming soon

Don't forget if you want quick access to this list any time or just to check for updates be sure to  bookmark my blog so you can pull it up whenever you need some help with leaving the PERFECT feedback.   

Fun Just Stands Out & Makes People Smile
So Be Brave, Have Fun, Be Noticed!

Another thing to remember about feedback in my opinion is it can be another chance to be sure to make a person REMEMBER YOU. Then again when others look at the feedback it makes them want to check out "who left that silly feedback" too, and you just never know that curiosity could lead to said person then seeing something in your eBay store that they just cannot live without. It's the little things... that make the biggest impact sometimes in multiple ways...

 

Brought to you by
Kim Sager Then And Again Treasures Store on eBay
Find Me Online Everywhere on my About.Me Site 

Free Easy To Use Fee & Profit Calculator For Ebay & PayPal 2014

I love using the best offer option on my listings and I do get a lot of offers from buyers. My first problem I run into when deciding whether to accept their offer is "What will my profit be". I had searched online for a calculator to help me figure out quickly on the spot how much I was going to profit or lose when I received an offer but hadn't been able to find one I really liked.
Every calculator I found was either completely outdated, overly complicated or did not take all factors into consideration. For example many were missing the - what your actual shipping cost oop was. Then all of them were missing "my cost for product" which is a very important factor.

Then today EUREKA! Jackpot, we have a winner! Simple, fast, up to date (2014) and it took each factor I needed it to into consideration. Not only did it show me what each fee would be & broke it down in very easy to read way it also told me right there in black & white what my profit would be so I didn't even have to do any math at all.  Drum Roll Please..........................

Ebay/PayPal 2014 Fee & Profit Calculator

Simple 2 Page Website - One Page is For Ebay Sellers and all fees including PayPal applicable for eBay selling. The second page is just for PayPal, so for instance if you sell say on FaceBook or a personal site and take PayPal there is a very simple calculator for you as well that simply covers PayPal Fees. 

This is by far the most simple calculator I have found and not one of these outdated ones from 2013 or before. Simple site with calculator for eBay sellers to enter all of your information then have it calculate all the fees for you and show you what they will be & also what your PROFIT will be taking all things into consideration.... Including your purchase price for your item & your actual shipping cost.Of course this makes deciding whether to accept offers easy & fast, but it also helps all around with daily listing or when planning a sale. It is just a great tool to have a little shortcut to on any device you work eBay from.  

There are some ads on the page which is understandable I feel. The creator made a very simple way for eBay sellers to quickly figure out the math without all the frills.... so of course it is to be expected that they get something in return for offering a great FREE tool for us to use. Which is why I understand a few ads on the site and I do really appreciate that they don't have all kinds of flashy ads all over that are going to lock up my computer.

The site even has instructions (right underneath the calculator). They really aren't needed but I think it was nice that they put them there just in case. It makes it so even a complete novice could use with no problem at all. 

Double Check Your Fees & Profit Here

Hope somebody out there finds this helpful. If you wind up using it be sure to comment and let me know. I Love hearing from y'all. I also wanted to say THANK YOU I really do appreciate the messages on social media & follows, likes, etc. I have been getting. So feel free to connecting with me on Twitter,FaceBook,Pinterest etc. and as always all my info is here My About.Me WebPage.



Brought to you by
Kim Sager  Then And Again Treasures Store on eBay

Ya Know I Love Sparklies & Found Beautiful Jewelery Seller On Etsy

Hey there ya all... as anyone who knows me whether from one of the many social sites I am on or you know me in real life you know I am very fond of pretty things... more affectionately called "my favorite sparklies" because this is a term my baby girls know what I mean.

I am also a fan of things that are in my opinion different. I have gotten into the whole social media thing much more lately and today while networking aka browsing around in a group I am pretty new to I came across some really neat items, from some really great sellers. I wish I had time to share them all but for now I feel I just HAVE to share this one sellers shop that their items really popped out to me. So much so I shared them on everything I could think of and now blogging about FireWireWorks on Etsy too. 

If you love beautiful quality pieces that I promise will be sure to catch attention, then this shop is for YOU! The name of their shop itself just demands attention (and let me add it is deserved attention). 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/firewireworks   (Etsy Store)

https://www.facebook.com/firewire.works  (FaceBook)


Currently they have a coupon code too if you enter coupon code Fireworks25 you get $25 off any item $90+  Valid Until July 6th 2014 (This is really one of those Don't Wait & Miss It Kind Of Deals).

Here is one of my personal favorites. One of the ones I have added to my own personal "Hubby Hints Gift List" which is a little way I have to share with him the shops & items I love online so he knows for Birthdays, Holidays, and just whenever he feels like showing me how wonderful a wife I am.... 

                   
This item above can be found in their shop right now.
It is FAR from cheaply made, as I am sure you can tell by looking at it. The craftsmanship is exceptional & materials used include: Labradorite, Sea Sediment Jasper, Amethyst 925 & 14k YGF - this is NOT your Walmart junk by far and that is just one of the reasons their items caught my attention. 

While visiting their shop DO NOT MISS THEIR RINGS - they are not only beautiful but some of them, at least to me have a "feeling" when looking at them. Like the one I am going to share here. This ring just makes me feel wild,a bit mysterious and a spark of that evil side peering through.... fantasy also comes to mind as well. Now whether they were going for this look I do not know, but with any art many times it is what the customer/viewer sees/feels that really is what even the artist is going for... and in sales it is important that your items actually spark an emotion or a feeling in the customer and this seller/artist has that part nailed!





Okay, I am going to let you visit https://www.etsy.com/shop/FireWireWorks and decide for yourself. I however would NOT be sharing this here if I did not believe that it was 100% worth sharing. Those who know me from my blog, or anywhere on line or in offline life know I am always so busy I barely get time to blog anymore SO you know for me with this shop.... it was love at first sight. 

FireWireWorks & their Etsy shop lit a spark so to speak and got me started finally writing about shops I adore. SO THANK YOU.... and yep I have you on that special Hubby Hint Shopping List if mine, so hoping to be wearing one of your pieces in as near of future as possible...


This post brought to you by yours truly, Kim Sager
Owner of ThenAndAgainTreasures Store on eBay, Mom & Loving Wife along with being a Super Multitasking Woman
See More on my About.Me Website Page

Update On Our Home Made AC Cooling Unit

Okay in defense of the people on YouTube who actually put more than 5 minutes effort into their homemade systems..... I do see where it CAN work. Did it work out for us???? This will be shortest blog post ever.... it was an EPIC FAIL as my oldest son would say.....

I will add photos tomorrow of our nightmare version - aka Frankenstein - homemade AC cooling unit.... And hints on the "what not to do" when making one. 

Also I will be blogging about a very neat little unit purchased at Walmart that you get a log of cooling bang for your buck!  Yes end result was my dad killed the AC unit we cleaned out and wound up one sweating hot day and a trip to Walmart when Dad finally admitted the other unit got broken during cleaning... well his exact words "I didn't break it but it will take a few MONTHS to dry". The little unit we got though really kicks butt....

So stay tuned for July 3rd's (tomorrow) AC topic posts. 

Just didn't want ya all thinking I forgot about you... 

Brought to you by:
Kim Sager, Wife, Mom, Autistic Awareness Supporter + Multi-Tasking Super Woman
About Me Website
Then And Again Treasures & More eBay Store

DIY Projects Homemade AC Units Easy Instructions + DIY Unit For Your Car

DIY Projects - Homemade AC units aka cooling systems to help beat the heat without paying an arm & a leg in electric. These are a couple of our favorites, we are trying a simple one today. Soon we want to try the vehicle one as well.Scroll down to view the different VIDEO instructions for 3 different units you can build yourself, including the one for your vehicle. 

With the growing electric bills now during the summer months and then our AC window unit in living room deciding it would barely work anymore we remembered something we had seen on the news not long ago about making a homemade AC unit with a 5 gallon bucket, a small fan, Styrofoam to line the inside and couple other small things. They had tested it on the news to see if it really worked and to our disbelief it really did.

Recent issues with our own AC unit led to more searches of how others have made DIY cooling units for their home. These can be real money savers too. At this point all I can say is we are going to try a very simple one today. I will take some photos and do a follow up of how well ours worked out for us.

For now I am going to share with you a couple of our personal favorites. They can be made for anywhere from $8.00 to approximately $30.00 (depending on materials you may already have). Then the BONUS - the DIY homemade Air conditioner for your VEHICLE!

Two of My Favorites of Homemade Cooling aka AC Units With Instructions

The first one here is along the lines of what we are doing. My hubby cut the holes on the side of the cooler front and is using PVC pipe going straight out the side/front, instead of dryer vent things on top (I am wondering if the metal would actually make a difference in cooling now though). This one is Simple and can be done in less than 20 minutes for approx $8.00, assuming you have the fan already or can pick one up at yard sale for a buck or two.The man who made the first video here goes by the name Household Hacker and has a vast amount of useful tips and how to videos.





This Next one here is honestly so far I think my favorite yet. He states less than 30 minutes to make and seems like even if you have never built anything before you could reasonably accomplish this in 30 minutes. I really like the idea of the air tight cooler and think it would make a noticeable difference. The man who made the video below also runs this unit with SOLAR POWER not only that but makes the ice with a solar power freezer he constructed himself too (see his other videos). I will be learning some more from his channel I am sure. 





Then next we have The BONUS as promised DIY Unit For Your Vehicle
Theory is pretty much the same as the others..... Only this homemade AC is for you to use if you cannot afford to fix that expensive repair to your cars AC right now but gotta beat that heat. Down here in Florida trust me you will try ANYTHING to cool down your car/truck during summer months if you are lacking AC. We carry a small cooler with wet rags and bags of ice in it and bottles of water, the bottles of water stay cold to fill our little misting fans to at least combat the heat a little bit. Now I am looking forward to trying what this woman has done here below.... as soon as I figure out how to fit IT and my family in the truck at the same time ha ha ha... (side note: she like the two others above looks to have a lot of other interesting videos as well on YouTube). 




                                                
Please drop off a comment let me know what you think or if you try any of these how it worked for you. Also we wanted to say THANK YOU for our readers taking the time to share our posts on FaceBook, Twitter, etc. We have noticed and really do appreciate it!

Have A Wonderful & Hopefully COOL Day
Kim Sager - Then And Again Treasures Store on eBay
Find Me Everywhere Online Here: http://about.me/KimSager

Doggy Style, Oh How We Adorn You

Doggy Style, Oh How We Adorn Our Furbabies

People and their pets are like parents and their children. Some parents go all out on a daily basis with the latest styles, the bows, the headbands, the lace & trim and their little ones are totally comfortable... others like myself reserve the extras pretty much for special occasions not by choice just some little ones simply refuse to keep those "extras" on no matter how much you fight for the cute pigtails, braids, frilly socks, bracelets ... you get the picture.

Style for dogs used to be more a thing for the rich & famous but now you see pooches sporting jackets, bathing suits, bows, and even dyed hair & painted nails everywhere. No longer is it only for pups from the wealthy side of the tracks. Any doggy anywhere no matter if it was a hard knocks life or born with a silver bone can be Doggy Stylish.

Keep in mind when dressing your doggy diva though that just like my 2 year old daughter, your furbaby just might want to go natural and no matter how you fight to keep those pretty bows in the fact is mamma..... your just going to have to give in, instead of spending wasted time fighting for the frills, give in and let your pooch go natural and spend the extra time cuddling or playing instead.

BUT.... for those that have the Dog destined for the cover of Puppy Style Monthly. The options out there are endless. Every type of bow and article of clothing imaginable. From every day wear to formal to costumes galore. There are even hair dyes, nail polish, shoes, and doggy jewelery, no not just the plain collars with a little deco like Grandpa or Grandma doggy sported years past. Actual clip on sparklies for their ears, bracelets for their paws, instead of a "collar" a beautiful diamond  necklace or depending on your income - rhinestones work just as well too....

So first start small figure out what kind of furbaby you have... is he/she ready to walk the runway or if you pull out the frillies are they more likely to RUN AWAY! Once you know for sure if your baby is all about the Doggy Style then get ready to have some fun because the options are endless these days.......

*Tip: Just like with children if you start young your dog is more likely to be comfortable with the extras. It is hard to go from nothing to all out once a dog is grown, just like it is hard to convince your 2 year old daughter to leave the hair band in when for the first 2 years of life her head was free from anything but her hair growing in.....

Kim Sager - Then And Again Treasures eBay Store Owner
YES! We do have a little pet corner in our store where we carry a few little fashions, and sometimes polish & hair dye for doggies too! Click Here For Just For The Dogs in Our eBay Store

 

What Goes Around Comes Around in Social Media Networking

What Goes Around Comes Around In Social Networking

What goes around comes around... it is true. For those that do any kind of social networking or groups where you tweet each others items, or pin them, share them, like them, etc. You know what I mean. The more actively you do your part in the group = the more it stands out and people see that and return the favor. This isn't about the groups though, and yes it is a bit on the long side so skim, or sit back when you have time. I hope you are able to walk away feeling like it was worth reading what's on my mind today!

You DO NOT have to be in a special group for the "what goes around comes around" theory to work. It works just in general and I have seen it in action. When I comment on a blog post usually the person who runs that blog makes their way back to mine taking the time to let me know of something that they especially liked. If I shared their blog post I will mention it in my comment, letting them know that I found it to be so helpful or such a good read that I took the time to share it on my twitter or facebook with my followers. I always let them know specific things that I enjoyed about their post. Make you comment meaningful not just a fly by "I liked your post".  I have seen when I have taken the time to let the blogger know what I liked and that I shared it they tend to return the favor. In doing this don't be a phony, be honest.... being REAL will get the best results. 

Are you on Twitter? I know a hard one to keep up with tweeting, re-tweeting and trying not to spam the heck out of your followers. Trying to keep some kind of balance between - helpful topics, funny topics, friendly things, and sharing your business or items, and re-tweeting your twitter friends items & posts as well. Depending on your followers and if you are on lists etc. your goal & your return could be different. Many eBay sellers follow other sellers and have lists that they re-tweet others items and really if you think about it the main reason behind it all boils down to traffic. The increased traffic to your item or store does help with placement in search results. 

Are you on Facebook? Do you belong to groups there? There are groups that are solely for the purpse of sharing your items, there are groups where that is considered spam, groups that the whole purpose is to exchange sharing of items groups that are focused around using other social sites and the exchange on those sites of tweets for tweets, pins for pins, likes for likes etc. It is really hard to keep up with them all. I highly suggest if your going to give those a try talk to other people you know and find out which ones they belong to and which ones they found had the best results. Then start small or you will get overwhelmed quickly. 

Now what if you just do not have the time to do these specialized groups. Instead you are in a handful of helpful groups that the users sell on sites like eBay, Amazon, Etsy, etc. just like you but sharing your items in those type groups is SPAM. There are other ways using the "what goes around comes around" theory to apply these very same practices in these groups as well.... when done in a REAL and truthful way it can be a very successful way to use social media to get your store or items shared by others. Just like commenting on a blog, but instead you visit "Bobs" eBay store because you saw his link in a post he was asking about help with pricing of an item he is listing. 

You visit "Bobs" store and you see he has some really cool T-shirts, honestly you like them and you think to yourself "wow I have friends on facebook that would love these". The next thing you do at this point is "SHARE" or create a post on your FaceBook wall letting your friends know that you came across a seller on eBay that has awesome T-shirts and even better has great prices and 100% positive feedback rating (if the info is true).... You can at this point simply copy and paste the URL to "Bobs" store into your post OR you can do something even better to help your friends get right to those awesome T-shirts (and increasing the odds Bob will get a sale or 2 from this post) while your in Bobs store do a search (in his store not all of ebay) for the word T-shirts OR if he has a T-shirt category already set up just click on that.... now that you are where the shirts are NOW copy THAT url and paste it into your post on FaceBook next all you have to do is POST, of course leave the little "Preview" FaceBook gives of Bob's link you just added, it will have a photo and normally you can scroll and pick from a few photos - pick one that really stands out THEN post.  Now you have helped Bob out & helped your friends find some great shirts........ How does this help you your asking now right???

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND..... Of course you only did this because you did honestly love Bob's T-shirts and you honestly thought your friends would too BUT there is a part 2 when it comes to social media networking, the part of how something furthers you as well. In this scenario AFTER you have shared Bob's shirts you would send him a message either on eBay or FaceBook saying something to the effect of:

" Hi Bob, I am in (name of group) with you, and saw your post about (whatever it was he had asked). Sorry I couldn't help with (whatever the question was) but I just wanted to let you know you have some really great shirts & I know my friends would love them. I went ahead and shared a link to your store on my FaceBook. Hope they find some they just gotta have!  - Have a great day.... - Sincerely, (your name + store name)"  - I would sign Kim Sager from ThenAndAgainTreasures on eBay. OR just your name... because you should already have links to your store everywhere you can on FaceBook or whatever site (as this can apply to many places not just FaceBook).

To sum it up - What Goes Around Comes Around In Social Media Networking as in life

1. On pinterest - when you PIN someones item they SEE that you did, when you follow their board they SEE that you did. People tend to follow back or pin items from those who take the time to Pin or Follow them. 

2. eBay Collections - You add someones item to one of your collections... drop them a message, let them know how much you loved their widget and how it was a perfect fit for you "yadda yadda" collection. Invite them to check out the collection.
3. You see a seller who specializes in a certain type of item, they have great feedback & great prices.... oh they offer free or affordable/combined shipping too.... and you happen to be a blogger, as a blogger content/blog posts help YOU and if you happen to write a nice blog post about a certain shop you have either dealt with personally or just happen to know a lot about.... then you let that seller know how wonderful you think THEY ARE and that their store inspired your latest blog entry which can be found here "link them right to the blog post about them" . The Kharma & what goes around comes around in something like this doesn't even need explaining. 

4. YouTube - Do you have a channel? Do you make videos or are you planning to and cannot think of anything to video about? How about a video blog and your videos can talk about your store, a certain item, OTHER sellers stores, great experience you had shopping at "Betty Sue's Feather Emporium" on ebay, and well you see what I am getting at. (this is also another way of earning some extra income - think getting paid for ADS, whole different topic). 

5. Twitter - when you re-tweet others tweets they SEE it and likely will return the favor when they see you tweet something (same for hitting that star/favorite button). When you FOLLOW someone they are likely to follow you back, and when someone FOLLOWS you return the favor and follow them back as well. Same for tweeting... if you see someone re-tweeting your posts be sure to do the right thing and do the same for them. 

There are more examples, more sites, but I am sure at this point you get the idea.... you do not have to belong to a special group you can just be NICE and help a fellow seller out and in doing this just like in life.... WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.... Maybe not every person you give a virtual "shout out" to will return the favor BUT the majority will. Just remember HONESTY is key! Don't run around just doing it solely for what YOU get out of it. If you don't like something don't say you do just because you want them to say or do the same for you. Be REAL.... I promise you if you are honest & real in what you do the return will be there. 

I know you are thinking.... my goodness Kim, when do I have the time to do all of this? You don't have the time to do ALL of it. Or if you do I need to know your secret because I personally barely have time to think these days.... don't obsess over it, just do it in between other things. It is more like a handshake, or stopping to compliment someone as you would in every day life. 

Don't make a job out of it, don't set out hours of time to dedicate to it (that is what the groups dedicated to it are for). This is something that you do nice for others that are JUST LIKE YOU and in return you feel good helping another online small business person, and then there is the WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND and that helps your business. Word of mouth is, was, and will always be the BEST form of advertisement & traffic is always good when it comes to your placement in search engines. 

I am no  expert. I am just like you. I share what I do and what works or doesn't work for me or I personally have seen work or not work for others. I didn't take a class, I do not have a degree. These are my opinions, my advice... take it for what it is and do what you will with it, but I can PROMISE you this... being nice never hurts!

Kim Sager,  Then And Again Treasures Store On eBay
Find me on Twitter, FaceBook, Pinterest, eBay etc. Just see My About Me Site By Clicking Here
Don't forget to leave a COMMENT I love hearing from YOU!

CLEAN UP TIME New Port Richey City Residents - Saturday 6/21/2014 DROP Off Your JUNK

Hey Neighbors aka New Port Richey City residents. You might not be aware of this or you might have forgotten when the CITY CLEAN UP DAY was scheduled for, well the time is NOW!  Time to bring all of your junk to one of the 2 convenient drop off locations on SATURDAY 6/21/2014 between the hours of 8am to 5pm. So if your yard has been collecting junk by the masses or you have old furniture that needs to go - NOW is the time to go drop it off at one of the two locations and the best part, it is COMPLETELY FREE. This is for NPR City Residents only. You must live within city limits to take advantage of this FREE Clean Up day. Details below.... 

There are two locations you can choose from that will have dumpsters available on Saturday the 21st of June. Depending on what you need to drop off you may want to go to a specific one. For instance they are doing Paper Shredding at the River Road location only, and there is a limit on the paper shredding which will be 4 boxes per household. You might be asking yourself "what size boxes?" that I could not tell you. I am assuming an average size large box. I don't think they will be too picky as long as people do not get carried away. 

Also at the River Road location they will be taking televisions, computer monitors, and computer towers as well. With these items however they are asking that they be NON-Damaged, however non-working is fine. Basically they cannot take televisions or computer monitors that have been torn apart for environmental reasons is the short version. Now I did ask a city employee if it was okay to bring TV parts like the plastic backs or cases (not the tubes) and I was told those kinds of pieces should be fine to put right into the dumpsters. 

• Side note to my local readers - as many of you know we pick up metal and appliances FREE all year long, and if you have computer towers or any computer parts & pieces please let us know and we will pick them up locally or you can bring them to us.We personally DO NOT take televisions or monitors as they cost money to dispose of properly. If you have metal/appliances/computer parts or towers, drop a comment below or email me. Also can find other contact info for us on http://about.me/KimSager

I was able to find a main list of items you will be able to drop off at both locations.I found this list on the New Port Richey City website:

• Glass
• Carpet
• Metals
• Wood (8' or less)
• House Furniture
• Lawn Furniture
• Drywall
• Mattress
• Box Spring
• Fence
• Plywood
• TVs ( River Road Location Only)
• Computer Monitors/Towers (River Road Location Only)

The above list is what the New Port Richey City website has for "Materials Allowed".

Dumpsters will be at the locations below for city residents to begin dropping items off at 8am Saturday June 21st 2014 and will stay open until 5pm. 

• Francis Park - Located off Louisiana (just a little west of Gulf Middle School on Louisiana on the opposite side of road).  
• 6131 South River Road (Where River Road Church Property was) - This is the location for Paper Shredding & TVs/Monitors/Towers.

If you have JUNK that cannot go out with your everyday trash or maybe just too much junk to get rid of all at once on a normal trash night, which typically with most companies a 6 can limit, STOP what your doing and load up that truck, or your friends truck and head to one of the sites where the City Of New Port Richey has rented Dumpsters for us to be able to CLEAN UP!

Thumbs Down Bonne Bell Thumbs Up Sally Hansen - Read for Specific Products

It was on sale and as many of you know I just cannot resist a bargain. Well this time around I can see why it was discounted. I didn't even think they made lipsticks anymore that have that waxy sticky feeling and odd taste & smell that reminded me of my Grandmas lipstick when I was young. The one I tried was the Smooth Shades Smooth Vanilla 1.5g size from Bonne Bell. It actually says on the bottom sticker "Flavored Lipstick" well if they were shooting for Vanilla flavor they were FAR FAR off.

Not only was I not impressed with this lipstick, literally the only positive things I can find to say about it are that I did like the size. I really like the "skinny" lipsticks that are pretty much 1/2 the size it seems around then your normal lipsticks. That is just a personal preference for me I guess possibly because my lips are on the small side making the smaller sticks easier to apply. The only other positive thing I can say is the color is pretty but really with it being so sticky & waxy feeling it doesn't matter how nice the color/shade is if it is totally uncomfortable to wear.

I did find a way to make it so it was not a total waste. I had recently tried another "sale" item from Sally Hansen. It is Natural Beauty Moisture Plump Lip Balm in the color Perfect Peach 1035-30. If I first apply the Bonne Bell then apply the Perfect Peach from Sally Hansen as a layer on top of the Sticky icky Bonne Bell lipstick then I can wear it. Obviously not my favorite BUT I hate wasting even sale items I purchase so I found a way to make it work. 

Also the Sally Hansen one mentioned is GREAT by itself as well. Also another small/skinny stick for easy application for smaller lips/mouths. And a very natural color nothing that is over powering. Pretty, simple shade that also makes your smaller size lips appear larger and feels nice when applied, creamy smooth, not sticky & waxy like the Bonne Bell. Also the Sally Hansen doesn't have a weird taste/flavor to it that reminds of Grandmas old lipstick.

I am in my late 30's and anyone my age I am sure remembers the smell and feel of their Grandmothers lipstick, and even though we love those memories of Grandma..... I am sure others like myself don't want to "feel" like we are wearing her lipstick and have that taste of it all through the day ICK!

So My opinion

THUMBS DOWN - Bonne Bell Smooth Shades Flavored Lipstick Smooth Vanilla
THUMBS UP - Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired By CARMINDY Moisture Plump Lip Balm

eBay QUICK TIP: Keyword Vintage Wont Fit in Title? Here's What To Do

I learned something neat today that maybe others know but I am sure there are many out there like me that have NO idea about this quick little tip. One thing 99.9% of eBay sellers do know is how important keywords are in our listing titles. There are actually other important things about our listing titles that not everyone knows that I have learned along the way such as the order of words in title should go in the order of how important they are to the search. I will go over that all in another post though. Right now it is time to share a neat little QUICK TIP that I just discovered today. 

Have you ever seen how some sellers use the initials VTG to stand for the word Vintage? Have you ever wondered how many people, as buyers would actually search for the initials VTG when looking for a vintage item? The thought had crossed my mind and I always thought odds were from a customers point of view that VTG probably was not a big keyword search term. I have used the initials when I simply could not fit the word "Vintage" in at all but I never until today realized I can ALWAYS use VTG in place of Vintage in my titles where it applies and save valuable keyword space EVERY TIME.... and here is the neat part..... When you search for "Vintage" or "VTG" the same listings will appear no matter which term was used. Below here is an example of a search that I found to make it simple so only one listing comes up, but as you will see it does NOT have the actual WORD VINTAGE in title, instead it has "VTG"  (This example is in CLOSED/SOLD listings so you will have to be signed into eBay to search). 

Search eBay for Keywords "Vintage Old Dead Pawn lot Hand Stamped Tooled" 

Or simply go to this link as I have done the search for you: KEYWORD Search for Above Vintage Item in sold Ebay Listings Click Here  
As you can see it pulls up one item and nowhere in the title does it have the word Vintage, instead it has the shortened eBay lingo that a lot of sellers use "VTG" saving valuable keyword space for other searchable words in the title BUT still being able to show up when a user searches for "Vintage". 

This now has me wondering if there are other abbreviations for different words that work the same way that we can save space but still use certain keywords we would like to but shorten them to what us usually abbreviations only known by sellers.

SO in short what I have learned: From now on I can freely use the keyword "VTG" instead of "Vintage" and I will show up when someone searches for a Vintage item.

Like I said when I started writing this, maybe there are a lot of people out there that were already aware of this little tidbit of info BUT I am sure there are PLENTY of others like me that had no idea. With keywords being so important to our listings any time we can free up more of that space OR times we have a little extra space but not enough on a vintage item where otherwise the word would have been left out now we know for sure it is worth putting the VTG in there. 

And that is my quick tip, but as all my readers know........... I can't say anything or write anything brief ha ha ha...

LOVE Sahmomgroup's Work & Only $5 - Custom Headers,Banners, Logos & Articles etc.

Do you ever find that you want a new header for your eBay store or a new logo? Maybe you have a FaceBook group and you want a nice looking banner/header for the groups page? Maybe you want a complete store layout with listing/auction templates and all?  If you know how to do these things, that is great... many like myself might be able to figure it out but it would be time consuming and time is money as we all know. Those that know how to do it might also want to outsource jobs like these to free up that precious time for the same reasoning... Especially online sellers. If you are able to outsource things like this it frees up time for you to be able to get more listings up, get those packages out, edit & run those sales, etc. 

Biggest problems with outsourcing things like this is 1. COST - nobody wants to spend a ton of money just to save some time, even if time = money. If it is not cost effective then you really are not helping your goal overall and 2. Who do you go to? You want someone who will work with you, does nice work, friendly, and of course someone who is going to get the job done in a timely manner. 

I am writing this to share with my readers a women on a website where you can purchase gigs like this for ONLY FIVE DOLLARS. Yep, now that IS a DEAL for sure. Most sellers on the site do have extras you can add on for more money but there are MANY MANY gigs for 5.00. Personally I can share with you a wonderful seller there who offers outstanding service, goes above and beyond, extremely friendly, her work is very nicely done, and she does get her orders done in a timely fashion.  http://www.fiverr.com/sahmomgroup 

This Stay At Home Mom of 5 offers an assortment of gigs on the fiverr.com website. I have personally used her for eBay & for my eBay Motivation Station FaceBook group. I have been thrilled with the work she has done for me. I lack imagination when it comes to these things so with what little info I have been able to offer to her she has turned my thoughts (which I assure you this was not an easy task but she did not complain) into beautiful work. Just take a look at the Motivation Stations Header at the top of the group page... I adore it, and have gotten many compliments on it. https://www.facebook.com/groups/eBayMotivationStation/ It is eye catching, gets the point across in a very cute way, and still simple at the same time. Most importantly it was done exactly as ordered, and even better than expected. 

Sahmomgroup actually came highly recommended to me by another eBay user and I was very happy that I listened and gave her a try. I will continue to order from her again and again. Also she is good about if she has a gig she offers that is close to something you need done but not exactly, just drop her a message and let her know what it is you are needing. She will let you know which gig to order closest to your needs then go from there. 

Here are gigs she offers for $5.00 (each gig also has add on options too)

• Custom Design eBay Auction Template
• Unique Custom eBay Store Header & Logo
• Custom Made Banner Or Header For Anything
• Write & Post An Article On Her Blog
• Write a Premium SEO Article with Video & Post on her blog
• Send You An Ebook Of REAL Work At Home Jobs

So don't put it off. 5 bucks is less than what is spent on a trip to McDonalds or insert another fast food place. This is her main page on fiverr.com http://www.fiverr.com/sahmomgroup
I just know you will be as happy of a customer as I am. You don't have to take my word for it either, just check out her feedback as well.  Note: She is FAMILY FRIENDLY and only does FAMILY type work. No Adult sites or anything illegal. THANK YOU.

I will share other gigs & sellers on fiverr.com as I find interesting things, or can personally suggest a user after I use them for a gig. If you have someone over there that you were very happy with I would love to hear from you. Please drop me a comment. 

It is Time For Me To Get Back To Blogging

Hello everyone and first thing I must say is I MISS BLOGGING. Every day just about it seems there is something that comes up that I absolutely would love to write about, but with the chaos that I call every day life I never seem to get around to writing anymore. I have decided though that it is time for me to insert something that I enjoy and that is a ME type hobby into my life. What I enjoy, besides the obvious - MY FAMILY, Especially every minute, every second spent with my children............the other thing I love to do is share my thoughts, about EVERYTHING to ANYONE willing to listen (or in this case read). So it is April of 2014 and Easter Weekend is here.... Odd time to jump back into my blog, but I figure if I keep saying "tomorrow" then that "tomorrow" will never actually come. 

As everyone who does read my blog, or has read it in the past knows.... I write about EVERYTHING. I write to share experiences, I write to try to help others learn from mistakes I have made or things I have learned along the way - things on eBay selling, on Amazon selling, on yard sale hunting, on having yard sales, ideas for crafts & fun things to do with our kiddos, parenting funny stories - goals - accomplishments etc., I will be sharing more about life with my darling special little angels whom are on the spectrum.... Autism is a part of our daily lives and a part of so many families lives nowadays. I know it helps me to read about others experiences so I am going to share ours too....  you just never know what you will find to read with me, but I promise it will be down to earth, honest, and whenever possible try to help others in some way or at least give them the chance to laugh with me, or know they are not alone when frustrated.

Recently we are happy to share that we have kicked it up a lot with our Autism Awareness donations and are doing most of our eBay listings with a minimum of 1.00 each item sold or 10% whichever is greater to AUTISM SPEAKS. This is in addition to what we donate each month from the combined sales online & metal recycling. We are not able to donate 100% , this is because the donations depend on how well we do each month. As many know we sell online ad do metal recycling/scrapping so we can have schedules that are flexible to do the best by our children we possibly can.... BUT we also want to help other families like ours at the same time. We are very happy that we are able to combine our income that allows us to be with our children, and get them the things they need, and never miss a doctor appt or therapy, etc. AND also be able to donate to a cause that is severely lacking in donations but the numbers of those affected by Autism are constantly growing at an unbelievable rate. So we do what we can. 

Every time you shop with Then And Again Treasures on eBay your purchase helps go toward the total we are able to donate each month. Also you will see in many listings that an individual items sale has 10% or minimum of 1.00 go directly to Autism Speaks (or some to other Autism Awareness orgs.) through eBay Giving Works. This is in addition to our other donations done from our total we bring in each month then donate what we are able to Autism Speaks. 
Currently we have two auctions running for Autism Speaks - and in our store a mix of items and adding it to other items daily. A link to our store can also be found on the Autism Speaks website along with other eBay sellers doing what they can as well. 
 http://stores.ebay.com/Then-And-Again-Treasures

Speaking of which we will be at Raymond James this month in the Autism Awareness walk. I am trying to get sponsors in order to raise 150.00 AT LEAST... so far this has not gone as well as I had hoped. Either way I will be there to show my support, and continue my support in other ways as mentioned above. 
If interested - this is our personal page through Autism Speaks to see where we are at in reaching our goal (or be the FIRST to Donate and get your name on the HONOR ROLL) 

http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/tampa/thesagerfamily

Looking forward to sharing a lot more on my blog here - NEVER GIVE UP OR SHUT UP! And trust me.... its a VERY true statement from our family.................. 

Thank you for taking the time to read, to follow, and hope that you share with your friends & family things that you believe will interest them as well. Hey don't forget I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YA'ALL so when you get a second LEAVE A COMMENT, here or on any of the blog posts. I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Your opinions, your experiences.... Very much so would love to hear from each and every one of you. 


HAVE A WONDERFUL & SAFE HOLIDAY WEEKEND! 

EBAY & SALES How Do Buyers Know It's On Sale? Only When They View Item!

It just came to my attention that on eBay when people search or browse if you happen to have an item on sale they are NOT seeing the sale price on the list they are viewing. Customers have to actually click into your item then they will see the sale price inside your listing. This piece of information was a bit disheartening as far as my big plan for running sales from now until Christmas goes. I must say though no sooner did I learn of this then I also learned hours later that eBay had been alerted to the talk in FaceBook groups of this concern and were basically putting thought into making it better. Good to know eBay is listening and also taking sellers concerns seriously. 

So now today I was supposed to be working on my own Friday challenge on a FaceBook group that I recently started "Let's Get eBay Motivated" (a motivational group for sellers to help each other, well keep motivated).... I have only managed 7 new listings today because much of the day was spent brainstorming ideas and doing a little research on new ways that I am not currently using to help get the word out that we are running this big holiday sales. I already use FaceBook, Twitter, and I really just haven't delved too much into the Pinterest thing, it just doesn't seem to be my thing. I did manage to come up with a couple of ideas. One is just mostly putting an old idea into action finally and the other is a play on an old idea I used to do years ago, but a bit of a spin on it. 

The first thing that came to mind was utilizing YouTube finally. I have used it a couple of times to show that battery operated toys were working properly and what they did. I have also used it to make a couple little videos about scrapping/recycling metal for cash (something else we do), and of course I dipped into recording and uploading thrift & yard sale hauls. I am planning now however to make some videos to help promote the news of our holiday sales & the big savings to be found. I am still playing with ideas though as I know it can't just be "Come see our sale" nobody wants to watch that. Have to either come up with something silly or informative to draw people in THEN let them know about our eBay store & big sales..... 

Then the other thought I actually did start putting into action tonight. Totally up in the air how it will go, but I don't stand to lose too much if it is a complete flop. Penny Auctions WITH Free Shipping too! I know its a little risky. I did it with small inexpensive items that are very lightweight with First Class USPS shipping. I put 4 of these up tonight so far and am going to add 2 more before I head to bed tonight, or tomorrow morning at the latest. In the title I put briefly what the item is but also used a lot of that normally precious keyword space in title to mention the holiday sales and the words KICK OFF letting buyers know these penny listings are to kick off holiday savings in our eBay store. Inside the listings I also added info about the sales as well and a link to our store so they can click through easily and see what the discounts are, on what items, and how deep those discounts are..... We shall see how this goes. I have high hopes that it will at least not be a total waste of time & money though. 

These are the listings I put up already:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toy-Frogs-PENNY-1-Cent-KICK-OFF-Our-Huge-Holiday-SALE-Store-FREE-SHIPPING-/261337080338?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cd8e76212

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-PINK-Girls-STAR-WANDS-Party-One-Cent-PENNY-Holiday-HUGE-SALE-FREE-SHIPPING-/261337114406?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cd8e7e726


 http://www.ebay.com/itm/PALM-TREE-Ice-Cube-Tray-PENNY-1-Cent-KICK-OFF-Holiday-HUGE-SALE-FREE-SHIPPING-/261337100780?pt=Bar_Tools_Accessories&hash=item3cd8e7b1ec


  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pink-Purple-SNOOPY-Duo-Lip-Gloss-1-Cent-PENNY-Holiday-HUGE-SALE-FREE-SHIPPING-/251386259140?pt=US_Makeup_Lips&hash=item3a87c9e6c4

I am going to add two more tomorrow for a lipstick and a body glitter roll on key chain. The main goal of these is to attract buyers into our listings so they then click on our store link to view & see about the sales going on at the time. Fingers crossed.... Looking forward to eBay adjusting how the sales currently work though so that our customers actually will see the sale price reflected on the list that comes up when they browse or search on the site. 

Any thoughts, ideas, questions, etc. Please leave a comment. I love hearing from everyone! 
Now I am heading back on over to eBay to do a little more work before heading to bed and calling it a wrap for the night...... Nice to be back to blogging :)  

UPDATE as of 12/9/2013  Since writing this I have noticed many times now where the correct price when on sale is showing up when searching eBay for an item. I am not 100% sure if this is permanently corrected on all listings/sales or if it is something eBay is playing around with the idea of implementing and it is not showing on all yet. I am going to look into it further and will update accordingly. I am happy to be able to post this update however that at least it is looking like now when we run a sale the buyers when browsing eBay will see the ACTUAL SALES price without having to actually click on the item before the price showing up. If this continues this way I will be very thankful. 

People say that eBay does not listen to it's sellers but I beg to differ. I know that certain eBay employees actually frequent eBay groups on FaceBook and do read what we are saying and do actually try to work in the ideas that they are able to and that make sense to help eBay grow. Also when eBay sends the surveys, don't ignore them. Tell them your ideas, let them know how you feel. What is on your mind could very well be on hundreds of others and if thousands of members are saying the same thing eBay will notice and try to accommodate when feasible. You might just be one person, but together when speaking up our voices our very loud!!! 

One other thing since writing this. I have been making use of Pinterest a bit more in the last couple of weeks. I am not 100% sure of how much of a difference it will make in the long run, but I have seen some short term results. Nothing concrete however when I pin things it is bringing in traffic and I do know for sure a couple of buyers had found me because of coming across my pins/boards and they followed the item over to eBay. So I will continue to utilize them as part of my social media marketing. 

Update What That Router Wound Up Selling for In Our eBay Store

I know, I know it has been forever and a whole lot of days since my last blog post. I have been super busy and completely dropped the ball on the blog. That will change now however. I will be back and hopefully I can manage to keep everything going without going nutty.... ha ha ha... 

So the last blog entry was about one of our hauls mainly for our eBay store. At the time I had mentioned that I picked up a Cisco Wireless router for a buck at one of the sales and what it should sell for according to researching closed items on eBay.... 

It sat in our store for a little bit, and had been put on sale a couple of times with no bites. Then in September I had it listed for 79.95 + shipping. It sold with Best offer for $60.00 + $8.55 shipping to a buyer in Canada. They received it, left feedback and were happy with their purchase. 

At the time I had it listed, before then, and since then the very same routers have been listed by other sellers and many have sold for only 19.99 some even lower. So what made mine sell for so much. Opinions vary but I would wager to bet it had something to do with the many photos I posted of the item, the white background in photos instead of a floor or a busy background, not only a positive feedback history but the types of feedbacks customers have left, the detailed yet not overly done description, no fancy html inside the listing so easily viewed on all devices, good keywords in title and so on. 

Find SOLD listing here :  Cisco Valet M10 Wireless N Internet Router HotSpot With Easy Setup Key wifi

This is one of the reasons why I LOVE BEING AN EBAY SELLER!!!! However the #1 reason I love selling on eBay is it allows me to be a work at home mom! 

Keep an eye on our blog here again as I am back and hopefully you will find something that interests you in my rantings & writings and truly I hope something that helps you along your way!