posted on April 2, 2001 11:58:14 AM
I'm just waiting for them to start. My husband and I have recently moved to a remote area (read very rural, few computer/ebay users) and have decided to try to supplement our income from more ebay sales.
What kind of things should I look for at yard sales? Any thoughts, anyone?
Hopefully, I'll be able to find lots of widgets that will be marketable on ebay.
posted on April 2, 2001 03:53:00 PM
i have just started going to yard sales again a couple of weeks ago. i havent found much for ebay just a few books. but im doing great finding stuff for myself. two weeks ago i bought a 17 inch computer monitor (that im looking at right now) for 10.00 and just this past saturday a printer for 15.00. both work great. cant wait till next saturday!
posted on April 2, 2001 05:16:28 PMnapcruz
you read my mind
rowane
I have found that certain board games sell very well. Cleaned out my attic, my parents, my aunts, my husbands & my neighbors. Made lots of $$$$ Plus I find them all he time at garage/yard sales. I bought one for 50 cents and sold it for $67. An another I found at Goodwill for $2, and it turned out to be a collecter's item that sells for around $150 on ebay. I'm still holding that one though. Will put it up when we need some fast cash!
But others didn't even sell. So you take a risk with them. But considering you buy them for $2 or less, it's not a huge risk. It's worked well for me!
Others seem to do well with books, but I haven't had any luck. Maybe i just don't know what to look for.
Edited to get my smilies right!
[ edited by luvmy2bears on Apr 2, 2001 05:19 PM ]
posted on April 2, 2001 05:40:54 PM
Here's what I buy:
Books: I sell them in related lots like "15 Young Adult chapter books" or "10 Easy Reader books" etc. I usually pay around 10 to 25 cents each and sell them for around 2 bucks each if they are in very good condition.
Toys: Little Tikes discontinued toys, Fisher Price little people (the old ones), Polly Pockets, baby toys, action figures.
Diet books and exercise videos: notice how they are always found at garage sales?? LOL
Some videos from the 80's are out of print and can be worth big $$$. Same with old, more obscure Nintendo cartridges. Look at the completed auctions when you have time and do some research.
I NEED to get to some garage sales! This is a fairly small town, but we eBayers know each other from seeing each other at the post office, thrift shops and garage and estate sales! Competition is fierce!!
posted on April 2, 2001 07:01:34 PM
Rowane: Had to chuckle when I read your post. I already live in that small rural area. Just because we live in the country doesn't mean we're illiterate. I think you've watched too many episodes of "The Dukes of Hazard."
posted on April 2, 2001 07:13:30 PM
Rowane
I understand what you mean...
I just visited a very rural place in Ohio (the larger cities had the antique malls) and got great deals. Do as others recommend and get what you like (you have to have a gutt feeling for it). I bought a metal bowl for 10 cents and sold it recently for over $20.
My sis got 1966 seat belts from an estate sale ($1 for entire box of household items) and I sold the seat belts for over $100! She didn't even see the seat belts in the box. She saw/wanted the brass electrical outlet plates for my Dad's "vintage" house...
posted on April 3, 2001 08:00:58 AM
Please don't misunderstand my post. I'm not saying that rural=illiterate. Most of my new neighbors have a much higher education level than me. However, they don't have computers. We (me and a few of the neighbors) were talking around the firepit last night and I started telling them all about ebay and how it works. They were quite interested and we came into the house and I started searching completed auctions for them. Now I'll be helping my neighbors to sell firing up the digital camera.
Thank you everyone for your help; I'm looking forward to the weekend and going for a nice drive with the neighbor lady who says she can stop me from getting lost.
posted on April 3, 2001 09:34:34 PM
We had a sub at our post office the other day, and I've gotten more info out of him than any of the regulars. In my town (officially between 500-2000 residents depending on where you look for your info and if they include the cows) there are at least 3 full time ebay sellers, and there are 5 in the next town (where this postal worker usually works) population 2500. I think there are 7 in the town on the other side of me (population 3000), so just because you live in a rural area doesn't mean there isn't competition. We don't have a stoplight, but three full time ebay sellers!
But, I've found some out of the way thrift stores, and since I deal in a little of everything, and they do mainly auctions specialing in glass, I can't really say they are competition -- YET!
posted on April 3, 2001 10:38:14 PM
Since we're talking small towns, the question is How Small?
I live in a town of 48 people, used to be 50 but my neighbors just moved and the house is empty. The only business is the grain elavator. I have on ISP that services the community. Nearest fast food is 25 miles South and 22 miles North. There is one gas station 14 miles from here.
I have to travel at least 20 miles to hit any garage sales that are clustered together. Some of my best deals have been the really rural ones that are on the way though.
posted on April 4, 2001 01:19:05 AM
Rowane, I think either you are making this up or you live amongst the Amish! I have found that even the most backwoods old people in our part of hillbilly-ville are quite familiar with Ebay, even if they don't use it. Country people, at least around here, were always the biggest wheeler-dealers you ever saw, due to marginal employment. The local sales paper was very thick but after Ebay it is almost gone. They wouldn't have been caught dead around a computer but then there was money to be made!!!!!
