posted on January 5, 2001 09:07:21 AM new
Sometimes you get items that just won't sell. It can cost too much to relist and relist, waiting for the right buyer to come along. What do you do with them? Donate to charity? Give away? Sell to a thrift store? I know a lot of people used to list at Yahoo because it was free, but now that that's changing, it doesn't make sense to use that strategy.
So can you help me out here? Is there an avenue that you use that helps you recover some funds?
posted on January 5, 2001 09:09:45 AM new
I start saving them into separate piles, by size. When I get enough of one size, I sell it as a lot (usually 20+ items at a time). I also usually feature this lot and I've always done pretty well. (Category feature for $19.95). Just make sure you box up the lots and list the weights of the boxes in the auction and your zip code so your customers know how much shipping will be.
I've had several clothing items that just don't sell separately - even after listing them over and over. But when I've listed them in lots I've had those lots go over $200 before.
[ edited by ExecutiveGirl on Jan 5, 2001 09:28 AM ]
posted on January 5, 2001 09:14:37 AM new
Donate to charity, unless I have a friend or relative who would LOVE the item.
Other times, if it's a particularly nice item that just isn't selling for whatever reason, I hold on to it, then when I get a great bidder who buys something in a similar style and the same size, I throw it in as a freebie!
Example; I have an online acquaintance from a parenting list who is also a repeat customer, she always buys my "tight, short, black, lacy" stuff. Cocktail dresses and clubwear. So when I had a Betsey Johnson original (vintage) black velvet minidress not sell recently after TWO listing periods (still haven't figured THAT one out, cuz it was cheap and very sexy and classic, and if it had been MY size it would have been something *I* would have bid on!?), and it was in her size, I threw it in as a bonus when she bought a different dress from me. She was thrilled and I solved the problem of what to do with it.
Otherwise I give it to an appropriate charity (the Children's shelter, the women's shelter).. but never to Goodwill, because they tick me off. I was holding on to a lot of the kid's clothes for a garage sale but got tired of the piles of stuff around here, and figured the kids in the children's shelter would get more use out of it anyway, and it seemed like good karma to do that instead of holding on to it to get a quarter for it in a garage sale.
posted on January 5, 2001 09:24:55 AM new
I too sell only woman's clothing and sometimes a few accessories that I come across. And, yeah, there are some items that just haven't sold over the last few months, even though I've relisted them, some several times. I have them saved and hung, by size and type in a corner of the room I use for storing my eBay items. BTW, husband always grumping about all the space I take up, since closets are full.<p>
I took a break from selling over the holidays and am now starting to get my newer things ready for listing. However, what to do with the "old" stuff that just didn't sell? Rather than give them away or throw them out, I relisted them, with some changes to my ads, and put them all up at a "sale" price. I relisted a bunch of stuff at $.99 or $1.99, just to get rid of these things. I probably will take a loss on some of the things, but then again, who knows!! So far, I have gotten some bids and the auctions still time on them. <p>
It's sure worth a shot!! Also adds a bit of fun to see what will happen to these former "forlorn" auctions.
posted on January 5, 2001 09:32:12 AM new
I too sell - children's name brand clothing (second hand) and when an item doesn't sell the SECOND TIME I donate that item to a local charity. I make sure that they are a 501(c)(3) so that I may take a deduction on my income taxes at the end of the year. This is a product loss for me - but I end up feeling good about the donation - so it's an emotional gain. Sometimes those are worth more than money ever will be!
posted on January 5, 2001 09:38:07 AM newLlampi said: "This is a product loss for me - but I end up feeling good about the donation - so it's an emotional gain. Sometimes those are worth more than money ever will be!"
Exactly! I'm a firm believer in that what you put out, you get back threefold. I gave away about five lawn & leaf bags full of clothing before Christmas, stuff I probably could have sold as 'lots' on eBay, but I was pressed for time and stressed and felt better in the end just giving away. Ironically, I found myself a few weeks later in a situation where my youngest had *no* winter wear and I had no money to buy anything, and just at that time a friend in another state sent me a huge box of her son's outgrown stuff, perfect fit and perfect for cold weather. It all comes back around in the end.
Sheri [email protected]
posted on January 5, 2001 10:22:56 AM new
I usually adopt families for Christmas - and sometimes give away alot of clothing. A few years ago I marveled at the wonderful blue snowpants someone had donated - and how they looked brand new.
A week later my mother-in-law asked if I had seen the new blue snowpants she had just bought for my daughter ....
posted on January 5, 2001 11:58:58 AM new
I too mainly sell clothing and when things don't sell I seperate them by style and size and sell them as a lot.
Actually, I like the idea of selling several items at once as opposed to individually. It is easier to put several items in one box and wait for one payment and mail one box than to put ten items in ten boxes, wait for ten payments and mail out ten seperate boxes.
This also works great for non-clothing items. Recently I put together a lot that contained a thighmaster (ala Suzanne Somers), a Jane Fonda video I bought at a library sale for 50 cents, and a diet book. Prior to listing I checked closed auctions and thighmasters were going for 5-6 dollars, that particular tape was selling for about two dollars and the book about the same.
I put them together and the auction closed for over twenty dollars.
posted on January 5, 2001 09:25:21 PM new
I sell vintage and funky clothing that the college kids (like my own) are into these days. I have disciplined myself to only stock things that I know are really really groovy.
Now my kids and their friends know who to come to if they need a gift, a costume, or something fun to wear to the clubs! In other words, I just keep the stuff and if it doesn't sell, I always have something in my spare bedroom for my (grown) children to play dress up with! If they see something they like, I usually just give it too them. That gives me a lot of satisfaction.
As far as kids clothes, I think it's fabulous to donate to shelters. Someone on here was accepting donations of clothing to take to an orphanage in Mexico. But don't feel guilty about selling them either, you can always consider it recycling!
posted on January 15, 2001 02:58:01 PM new
I usually sell those items in a lot, and to my suprise I usually get a higher total bid price then if I listed the items singly. Another way I get rid of these items is to have a yard sale every summer.
posted on January 15, 2001 03:59:49 PM new
I like to donate them to charity. Helps the charity make money and me clear space. Only problem though....I have actually bought back something I donated! So, I guess that is a form of double-donating.
school-auction.com
posted on January 15, 2001 04:17:17 PM new
I also sell ladies apparel. I do three things with what is left over:
Sell in a lot if none fit regular customers.
Give as freebees, tucked in packages to my regular customers that I know will fit them.
Donate to a customer back east, who is a paramedic and knows of families who get burned out of their homes, or have other difficulties and can use the items.
I was holding on to a lot of the kid's clothes for a garage sale but got tired of the piles of stuff around here, and figured the kids in the children's shelter would get more use out of it anyway, and it seemed like good karma to do that instead of holding on to it to get a quarter for it in a garage sale.
It all comes back around in the end.