posted on February 25, 2005 10:05:52 AM new
I registered on March 9, 1997, so it is almost 8 years for me. At the time, I thought I was a little slow in getting on the bandwagon, as I was busy with my own website, and the auctioning I did was run on other sites and by myself. I also had (and still have) another internet business, and in 1998 ebay was advertising with me! Too bad that didn't last as long as I had hoped it would. No real complaints though, overall ebay has been pretty good to me.
posted on February 25, 2005 11:09:57 AM new
Member since: Feb-27-98
1st sale was a set of the Pillsbury Dough Boy family, found laying around the house from the kids. Got $75.00 and realized that there was alot more to all the stuff we have laying around and have been loyal ever since.
Side Note - The appraiser was here Wed. and did over 300 items for us. Whew! Best was an old German chair $3000. Lots of yard sale stuff too. LOL.
Both he, John Bruno and his wife Tina, came. They have had an appraisel TV show from NYC for a couple of years. They are hoping to go national in a few months. There is a link on his web site for a site where antique / collectible dealers sell their stuff. You can list there as long as you have a tax ID # and he says the fees are very low. He is John Bruno at Flamingo Shows. http://www.flamingoshows.com/ and the link is on that page.
posted on February 25, 2005 02:50:46 PM new
Louise- When and where is your yard sale sale??? I did a Flamingo show many years ago- havent been doing shows on the Island for the past few years-they are a tough crowd- Does John Bruno do house appraisals? I know he does items at the shows as well as the TV show-but I didn't know he made house calls-good to know-
posted on February 25, 2005 03:28:58 PM new
Does John Bruno do house appraisals? I know he does items at the shows as well as the TV show-but I didn't know he made house calls
Yes he does. Their next show is 3/6 at Temple Judea on Searingtown Rd.
They charge $125 an hour for the house call plus 30 minutes travel. We almost had to pawn our 1st kid since they were here 6 1/2 hours. But boy does he know his stuff.
The TV show is not coming back. Metro TV originally was to be sports and they sorta weasled in. Now the powers that be don't want them to continue. They said they were hoping to National - sounded like they were close to a contract. EM me at AOL if you want his phone number. Louise
posted on February 25, 2005 04:38:24 PM new
April 20, 2000. My first sale was a Suzanne Summers bracelet.
Cheryl
"No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~ P.J. O'Rourke
posted on February 25, 2005 05:10:25 PM new
Member since: Oct-30-97
Totally insane since: Oct-31-97
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Replay Media - The best source for board games, card games and miniatures on the web! http://www.replaymedia.com
posted on February 25, 2005 05:34:48 PM new
First sale December 15, 1998. A box of half used yarn which brought me more money than a box of new yarn would cost...$34 for 18 skeins of half used yard.
Those were the days.
I was hooked. Just wish we had been able to load 100 items a day and process them like we do now. I would be rich! Everything sold within hours of listing and bids continued until the very last minute.
As it was, I did good to get 20 items a day listed on my old dialup connection, taking photos with a video camera and screen capture and doing the descriptions through Ebay. But, it was fun!
I fell in love with Auction Watch (now Vendio) when I came across it, and later found Auction Rover (now Channel Advisor). Channel Advisor wooed us all over to their site with free Ebay listing days about every other month.
And, AuctionWatch, ChannelAdvisor and Paypal were all FREE!
Happy Birthday Jack! Where's the cake and ice cream?
posted on February 25, 2005 06:21:26 PM new
Hi all, especially LindaJean (haven't seen you in ages...)
I'm a year older than you, Jack. My eBay birthday is March of 1999. After a BUNCH of buying I decided selling might be a good idea.
I don't recall what my first sale was but I do remember having to type listings in real time, direct to eBay. (What a pain - thank you Vendio!) Then waiting to see it come up in search.
After that it was just watch the bids come rolling in. Every single thing sold with multiple bids.
posted on February 25, 2005 06:31:32 PM new
hahahahaa, Lucy, i likened it to a slot machine,,,,even putting a flashing RED light on the top of monitor and a handle on the side of the screen,,,,,pull,,,,,,clink, clink, clink,,,,cocktails, yes,,,,cigars? yes, and the beat went on,,,,,,,,,,yehaaaaaaa! Everyone paid!!!!!
posted on February 25, 2005 06:32:30 PM new
I started out in June of 99. It was hit and miss as got the stuff on and then about a year ago I stumbled on EO. I have learned so much from you all and am now addicted to EO. I lurk a bunch but try to help when I can. I have sold everything from toilet seats to fine china. Had a ball working for myself and surprised all the time at what some of my treasures bring. Its been a great ride. You are a great bunch to take your time (when you could be listing) to help us all out and especially Ralphie with his input, not to mention Tom.
posted on February 25, 2005 06:45:43 PM new
I started on November 29, 1998. I bought something to do with George Strait. Don't remember exactly what. My first sale was romance paperbacks sometime in 1999.
Be kind. Everyone is fighting their own secret battles.
...Author Unknown
posted on February 25, 2005 06:57:36 PM new
I actually got a happy birthday email from ebay, one of my accounts turned 4 years old today. Funny that it was the day of this thread.
posted on February 25, 2005 07:25:45 PM new
Signed up the first of November 1998 and was buying that very evening. I started selling a few months later and used AW/Vendio, Auction Rover and Honesty at different times.
I'd grab items from my shop and rush home and list every evening and usually had bids on all of them by next morning and the bids went higher as the auctions ran. eBay seemed so much easier then and the bidders were lower maintenance and it was less work and more fun.
posted on February 25, 2005 07:51:39 PM new
All my fellow hustlin' hillbilly friends had been telling me about this Ebay deal! Never gave it much thought. One day while out & about I stopped at a yard sale. The people had an Hammond M3 organ in the garage for sale. They were asking $50 for it, which wasn't a bad price. I noticed that it had Leslie control switch, I then asked: by chance would you have the speaker cabinet for this organ. They said: Sure it is under the deck, you can have it if you buy the organ. No Problem, money was in their hand before they could even think about it.
I loaded up the Organ & Leslie and went on my way. Well I was one happy hillbilly, I once owned a Hammond B3 & 122 Leslie which I sold in the early 80's and wished I hadn't within 5 minutes after doing so. Back in the early 80's the Techno Sound was emerging and the way to go, people were selling Hammonds & Leslies for nothing, including myself. Since that distant time they have made a comeback and so has the price.
Unfortunately, my wife wouldn't have it no way!! So I listed it on ebay it brought over $1100, June of 99. I was still kinda pissed about not getting to keep it. My wife then had the audacity to ask: What are you going to with the money from the Leslie? I said: I will buy you a gift, yes, a birthday gift with the money. She beamed back with a most loving smile. Boy, she sure was surprised to receive a Bass Boat for her birthday and after I explained to her that, I had intended on using it when she wasn't.
posted on February 25, 2005 07:51:43 PM new
My first sale was in Feb 2002. My husband had been am ebay buyer for years beforehand but I (knowing my addictive personality - I played bridge online about 12 hours/day) had stayed away from ebay until then. I listed a complete set of US battleship postcards and had NO CLUE how ebay worked....they didn't sell. I must have spent a fortune in listing fees with scans of each of the ships! I did sell them on a relist and I WAS HOOKED!!
I never was around when sell through rates were anything like the ones you old timers describe!! I made a decision in the fall of 2002 to sell full time on ebay and the rest is history! I didnt discover EO until 2003. I hardly ever play bridge online anymore.
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"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "...holy sh@#...what a ride!"
posted on February 25, 2005 08:29:46 PM new
I joined in May 1998. My first sale was a Homer Laughlin plate. Those were the days. 90% sellthrough, no deadbeat bidders, no restrictive rules, low Ebay fees and AuctionWatch was free. The money was easy and Ebay was fun and very addictive.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on February 26, 2005 05:49:28 AM new
OMG Jack - now I see why I don't understand you! You post opposing positions within 20 minutes of each other...
first I read one thread where you said ( I THOUGHT you said) not to bother selling anywhere but ebay....
jackswebb
posted on February 25, 2005 10:54:33 PM I have,,,,100%, ok. 99% sales on ebay and at ALL other places,,,,Sorry but your ITEM did NOT sell.......e bay has the monopoly folks....believe it or,,,,,don't even bother with OTHER sites,,,,,,
FREE!!!!!!!!!!!, who cares, for NOT and ALL that typing!!!!! and dumB questions,,and on and on and,,,, waste of ENERGY........And the O,,,,,money!!!!! and they grab EVERY dime.your 79 cents will be taken from your credit card,,,,79 cents? yup!
and then I read the above post - posted 20 minutes earlier :
[b] jackswebb
posted on February 25, 2005 10:33:56 PM[/b] From Now what I see it's 50/50......and the HOUSE (ebay)Always,,,,,,, Wins.......
and the beat goes on.......?????
Not with this guy....time to go to a NEW Casino.....
Where you seem to be saying you are leaving ebay (or I THOUGHT that's what you said) for a new casino....
Am I missing something? Maybe I need my morning coffee.
**********************************
"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "...holy sh@#...what a ride!"
posted on February 26, 2005 05:59:54 AM new
neglus
Jack is a study in contradictions and I have the distinct feeling most like him that way. At least, I do. He's fun and can certainly put a smile on my face!
Things have changed drastically even since 2000 when I started selling under another name I have since let fade away. That was back when you used your email address. Or, I did anyway. Gawd, am I glad that's different! Spam was a real problem then.
Didn't it seem bidders were nicer and more appreciative than they are now? So many act as if we owe them the world instead of just a product!
Cheryl
"No drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~ P.J. O'Rourke
posted on February 26, 2005 08:21:05 AM new
The 1st thing I ever sold on ebay was about 3 years ago. I sold an empty doll box for 48 dollars and I even got a thank you and positive feedback. I really coulnt believe it. I think that would hook anyone.
posted on February 26, 2005 12:27:01 PM new
May, 4, 1998 I took my first look at eBay. Found an item I HAD to have that closed the same day. I registered and got a message that said they would send me an email to tell me when I could bid. They must have had the seller's email right in the auction then because I wrote her in a state of panic to ask what I could do to hurry it up and bid because I HAD to have that widget. She was very nice to me (no prejudice against newbies) and said they should get back to me in time. They did, I bid, and (for me) the rest is history.
I don't remember my first sale but I do remember that most everything sold then and some things sold for amounts so far over my expectations that I felt downright guilty!
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“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
posted on February 26, 2005 12:49:18 PM new
I have been a registered seller since April 25 of 97. My first sale shortly after that was a stero card of the San Francisco earthquake. I had it for sale in the shop for $8 ( for months!!!!!) sold it for $97 in 7 days ..... the rest is history. I moved out of the mall 2 years later,made more $ on ebay and paid less to do it. I certainly have a love hate relationship with ebay as we all do, but it is still THE cheapest place to sell. No motels, gas, food, booth rent.....
posted on February 26, 2005 07:05:58 PM new
Sparkz, Wow you have been on much longer than I have!
In some ways it is hard to remember life BE (before eBay) in other ways it seems like yesterday.
-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
