Do you Set Goals on How Many Listings To Do In A Day?

Well I was challenged and I did it!  I was asked to set a realistic goal by Danna Crawford of Virtual Online Learning of how many listings I could do on September 22.  I did it.. I said 30 and I had it done by 8:21 PM.
Five were accomplished on my iPhone while hubby was driving to the nursing home to see his mom and five were done on the way home.  I completed the rest tonight but I felt like my little Thomas did a few years ago.  Like a dog... but I made my goal.. Next month on the challenge.. 40 in one day..

I will suggest ways on how I got so many done in such a short time. 

1. I listed the first ten on my iphone and they were all sewing patterns of girls dresses so I have the patterns with me, Did the title, set the category once because I listed a similar item over and over and the other preferences stayed the same.  I then changed the title and the description slightly to adjust for each one. 

2. When I got home, I listed a number of Cross Stitch books on a great program called

Seller Sourcebook . The concept for the listings were the same.  I made a pile of ten books, all in samplers and starting scanning the books on my scanner, and started making the listings while the next book scanned next to me, (multi tasking is my middle name).  I like Seller Sourcebook because they have cutsey templates and I can list a similar item very quickly buy just changing the photo, title and some of the description. I then launch and fix any prices, fixed or auction or category and up we load.  Another MAIN REASON I like Seller sourcebook is because it places my photos in my ads, not up at the top and you have to click each one like eBay selling does.  Take a look at this ad and you can see. An Ad With Photos in Ad not At Top

3. Scan while listing.  Get a pile of item you need to scan and put them by the computer and scan while you are doing  a writeup and then when it finishes do another scan. 

4. I NEVER write up an item on sheets before hand unless it is one of the rare Madame Alexander or Ginny Vogue Dolls I have about 70 of I need to get listing.  I feel writing up sheets is a waste of my time since I know my product. If you don't know your product and have to do research then use the sheets with what you are going to write up your add with. 

I have five more listings in front of me before bed time so I better run... more later. 

Why I am Sad Today! I feel the Heart of eBay is Leaving the Company!

With a very sad heart today, I find out the marvelous woman responsible for all auctions and listings on eBay is leaving due to family matters.  Knowing Lorrie, she did not make this decision easily and needs to be where she is needed but I will be selfish here and say "We need her at eBay"  and as I am broken hearted, I am sure she is relieved to move on with pressing matters.  I have to say there have been a lot of people I have seen leave eBay due to better jobs, layoffs, etc but this one is the one that I feel impacts me the most.  Lorrie LISTENED and Lorrie Listened well.   As I wipe away the tears while I write this, I feel I have lost a great friend.  Lorrie will do well in her next venture, I just wished it was at eBay.  Why not a sabbatical?   I am sure this was all thought through for a long time but I feel like I lost my "counselor" of sorts at school.  Lorrie always knew my name, always greeted me and asked how my boys were.  She had to deal with thousands of faces and people all the time and traveled the world but never forgot who I was. She never forgot ME.  I felt Lorrie cared.  It didn't matter that I might be small seller on eBay or even a small buyer.  She cared about ME and if I had any issues with eBay. How my business was doing?  What could be done about it on eBay's part. etc.  That is what Lorrie was about.. She is and remains an advocate to US, the eBay seller and buyer.  I hope others at eBay will take note of Lorrie's way with people.  She is an amazing person and I will miss her dearly. 


You will do well Lorrie and I am your biggest fan. 


Cindy Sorley
BubbaCanDance
Layton, Utah 

Why I am offering My Secrets to you the eBay seller

I have had a number of people tell me I am crazy to give up many of my secrets on selling on eBay and it could hurt me in many ways either giving competitors the secrets or by keeping customers away by telling how much I paid for an item and how much I made!   What do you think?

I met a lady at the thrift store who will not tell her eBay selling name.  She will not tell what she sells, etc.   She is worried we will see what sells well and buy it when we see it and she will lose out.  

I am not like that...  I think there is enough competition out there... so if you live in Northern Utah, don't read this so I can get the good deals.

My Find of the Week! How about the Find of the Month!!!!!

Earlier this week my little car just decided she needed to go to the thrift store that is about 25 miles away.  This store by far is the best in the area and has been well worth the drive every time.  I always head directly to crafts and this time I didn't see a thing.  I saw the young lady bringing out a cart full of goods and instead of being trampled by the masses I waited to see what might be left after the cart was picked through.   I found a Christmas Stocking kit marked $2.00.  My body started shaking as I knew I was guaranteed $50 for it. I knew the market and knew there were some on eBay for $99.    I saw a few had sold recently for around $50 but there were about ten listed on eBay from $49.99 to $99.99.  I knew if I listed it at $99.99 I would sit on it for months or longer.  I also knew that I could sit on it for more than the $49.99 for a few months as we get closer to the holiday season. So I chose to list is at $69.99   It sold today.

Please note that three others have sold

Why did mine sell for more?  (I don't understand why it says best offer when I never put a best offer on it)  Could it be title?  Could it be Top Rated Seller?  Could it be my shipping Costs?  Makes you wonder.

Here are the others listed on eBay

You can see many have been listed for some time since store listings are 30 days with only several days left.  Also they could have listed these months and months ago but when they relist they show what time is left in the current 30 day listing. 

So look for old Vintage Bucilla Christmas Stocking Kits with Felt and Sequins... lots of money for these.  

Signing up on eBay And listing Fees. Starting a Penny LOWERS Saves you Lots!

It is very easy to open an account on eBay. Just go to www.eBay.com and it will say sign in or sign up.

To start selling you will need to set up an account to pay with. I opened an account at my bank that is linked only to paying my eBay fees. I add to it as I see my bill amount for the month. Remember it costs to list on eBay.

Fees can be found in the help section on eBay under fees.

My biggest word of advice on Auctions: starting prices at .99 instead of $1.00 start saves you fifteen cents. $9.99 start instead of $10.00 saves you 25 cents. The next increment is 24.99. NOT $25.00. This will save you a dollar or more.

You will be amazed how fast 25 cents add up if you want to list for an additional penny.

Why I have to Schedule my day?

So you wonder, how does she do it and still function.   It is very easy....
SCHEDULE....
This blog was too long so I am adjusting it for an easier read

My time frame for a day
Arise and check to see what sold during the night to figure out my time frame for shipping
Get Thomas fed and ready for home school while printing off invoices
Get Thomas started on his spelling and math papers (he can work on these on his own unless questions arise)
I go and print off shipping labels (Stamps.com or Endicia are a must have for shipping so you don't stand in line at the post office. I go to the head of the line and just drop off my bins with all my postage ready packages) NOTE: Since I know what most of my leaflets weigh, I guess on shipping and sometimes have to add a 17 cent stamp or two.
I go and sit with Thomas in his classroom and put the label on the envelopes with the invoice on top.
As Thomas takes a break or finishes up his day at school, I then go to the huge office where all items listed on eBay are stored (2100 as I write this and many are multiples). I pull the items, add to envelopes and seal.  I then weigh them downstairs and add postage if necessary and arrive at the post office at 5:30 daily at closing.

I do get some listings done while Thomas is working or later in the evening. 

A Schedule is very important.

eBay Live 2008 Film Cindy Sorley Stitchery XPress

Imagine my surprise when I was notified by eBay that they wanted to come to my home and film a video of how I sold on eBay.  My first thought... oh crap.. I have to clean my house... second thought.. I have to clean my office... Third thought, I have to look organized... well you can see it worked...

How Do I Begin Selling on eBay and Why Online Classes are A Must

There are many sources on selling on eBay from books (most are a waste of money with all the changes that happen and become outdated very quickly) and then there are virtual online classes which I think is a must.

There is nothing like being able to go to your computer and watch a video on how to list an item. (I hope to get one filmed soon on how to list an item in under two minutes with your IPhone).  okay maybe three minutes.

Okay back to watching the videos.  Virtual Online Learning is a must.

Virtual Online Learning

 I spoke with the owner of this company, Danna Crawford,  a couple of weeks ago while in San Jose for an eBay event and she told me she wanted to keep her prices low (I am saying make coffee and home and forgo Starbucks for a few times and a lifetime membership is paid for.) so that SAHM (stay at home Moms) and others could learn to sell online from home reasonably.  Now Danna not only has guest teachers (I hope I am honored to be one someday) but she also teaches blogging, getting your items out there on other means of social networking sites etc.

As a homeschooling mom, who would have thought there would be a networking groups for Catholic Home School moms with like minds and interests.  I also belong to a VW 1302 Club online.  (1302, you wonder, I did too A 1971 of 1972 Flat Window Super Beetle and mine is a convertible)

So it is easy to list on eBay.
In the future I will talk about
What to sell
Should I be a niche Seller (my mind changes on this daily)
Where to find items and make money
Why an eBay store is a must
and I would love for you the reader to ask questions about eBay selling and I will help out


Cindy, off to buy on eBay
I am a buyer and seller

What Are Your Costs of Working Away From Home?

I get asked by people "So if I stayed home and sold on eBay what should I sell?".

I always think.....  I am not a mind reader and I met you thirty seconds ago. I start off with my philosphies of:
 " buy low, sell high, sell what you love"
 and
"nothing listed, nothing gained!"

Those two sayings get the brain moving and turning and then I get the "I have no clue".

Before you start to sell off all the family heirlooms think about selling the gift that your Ex Sister-In-Law gave you three years ago. Okay it might not bring much knowing her but it is worth practicing on how to list something on eBay. I am going off topic here and have you all ready to sell but we have to see if eBay is right for you.

 I ask my students to write down the answers to the following questions.

In one month of working outside of the home what do I spend on:

1. Travel expenses to work (car, gas, bus, parking, tolls, insurance (more mileage increases policy).
2. How much do I pay a baby sitter or child care? (remember to add the extra cost of driving to child care)
3. How much do I spend on lunches or dinners at work and sodas, snacks etc?
4. How much do I spend on wardrobe and upkeep (dry cleaning)?
5. Do I make more than my husband and could he stay home instead?

Then I ask: don't tell me how much you make an hour. Tell me what you bring home after taxes, social security deductions  and other deductions in one month.

I understand some people need to work outside of the home for different emotional and financial reasons. I am just hoping you would consider again staying home and still making money while your children are young.

Now will you consider eBay?

Why I am a Stay at Home eBay Selling Mom

So I probably lost you with the title with your first thought that maybe this lady is totally wacko. A stay at home homeschooling mom. Many will say oh she doesn't have to work she is spoiled.

Wrong. I do have to work.  I have a son in college and have a mother in law in a nursing home and my after my husband retired as a pilot from Delta after 18 years, we getting a whopping $1000 a month in bankruptcy retirement.

I sell needlework supplies on eBay under the selling name BubbaCanDance. www.bubbacandance.com

Working was part of my life until we were blessed almost twenty years into our marriage with what I thought was a tumor. Well it was a little boy who brings so much joy to us. I decided to continue working when he was a baby since I did own the needlework store. When the time came for a rent increase and a new freeway exit that could have my store torn down, it was time to look for other options.  Thomas was three and harder to keep from escaping out the door when a customer arrived. I thought of eBay and decided to give it a try. 

In ONE MONTH I had more sales on eBay than in the store. eBay was not a tough decision to choose with less overhead, no shoplifting, less bounced checks and Thomas could be home. We closed when the lease was up four months later.

 Well..... 17,000 feedbacks later I am a power seller mom with a marvelous eight year old shipping manager. I am with Thomas everyday and I choose to teach him what I wanted to teach him and not what a public school in the state of Utah was going to teach him. Thomas has a brother 14 years older than him that attended Catholic school in Utah first through graduation. With Thomas Catholic school was not an option with us supporting grandma in the nursing home. I was a "victim" of the Utah school system and when we returned to Utah to live I asked my husband to please honor my wish that our children would not be victims of the same system. So my option was Homeschool and I love it. Thomas uses a structured program that lays everything out for the teacher daily and I sit with Thomas and teach in his own classroom (actually the end of the family room partitioned off with wood screens). When Thomas is doing his papers I am still next to him at my desk either loading items to sell on eBay on my phone or laptop. My husband is very much a part of the Homeschool process and helps out when he is not working. I get my orders ready to ship in the afternoon and head to the post office daily to beat the closing at 5:30. After dinner I list more items many nights a week while Thomas reads to me or he quizzes me on the presidents of the US. I am having not just quantity time with my little guy but quality time.   Thomas is much like his mother and goes for detail.  A simple phonics lesson became an art project.... my son who sees everything in dimensions.

NEXT:  Can you afford to sell on eBay and leave the workforce?