Hot Toys of the Summer 2011 (Part 1 of 2)

My fellow online sellers on eBay Underground have been posting some of their yard sale finds.  Unfortunately, for those of us that live in areas where yard sales haven't quite started, we are just a wee bit jealous...but in a good way!

Since my last post was about researching toys while out at yard sales or thrift stores, I thought I would share my personal "Look-out For" list!  Basically these are toys that I'm hoping to spot while out at yard sales this summer.  Most of my list is based on my personal selling experience or research.  Also, these are toys that I know you can find.  Many of them have been discontinued, but not for so long that you can't find them.  Keep in mind that trends can change on a dime, so always keep your own information current...so you know whether it's still HOT or NOT!

I have links to completed listings on eBay, (just click on the toy title) as well as some Terapeak facts.  Terapeak is a fabulous resource that helps me to know how popular a product is as well as sales history.  When Terapeak shows you the average price, remember that it is just that...an average.  Auctions gone bad can bring down the price.  Incomplete items or items in only fair condition can also bring down the rpice.  I typically price my items higher for this reason.  With that said, here's part 1 of my top 20.


1.  Lego's

We'll start with the obvious here.  I've made a pact with myself to just start collecting any and all Lego's (within financial reason).  Lego's sold in bulk by weight are a hot commodity.  You could even sell bricks by the color.  Especially sought after sets are Star Wars and Harry Potter.



2. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Bird Bath Shape Sorter

This is discontinued and hard to find.  Amazon has them listed for $42.99 on up.  One recently sold on eBay for $69!  Terapeak is showing an average price of $23.23 with a sell through rate of 57% (only 7 listed within that 3 month period).  *Note-this comes with 4 shape sorting toys!



3.  Parent's Animal Hospital

This is discontinued and hard to find.  There is (1) listed on Amazon right now for $139 in new condition.  I
recently sold an incomplete set in very good condition for $40 on eBay.  Terapeak average price is $22.27 with a sell though rate of 86%.  The link provided above shows (2) recently sold, both at auction...I would have listed as a "Buy it Now".



4.  Fisher-Price Crawl & Cruise Musical Jungle

Now this is a large toy, but it's hard to find.  There are (2) collectible listed on Amazon for $149.99 and up.  Terapeak is showing an average price of $61 with a sell through rate over 60%.



5.  Disney Einstein Kaleidoscope

This toy is great because it's small.  Terapeak average price is $9.18 with a sell through rate of 72%.  Why is this on my list?  Well there are NONE listed on eBay right now.  It's discontinued and hard to find.  Amazon has only (2) listed for $58.95.  Because it's small, I know I can pick this up for less than $1 at a yard sale!



6.  Fisher-Price Little Superstar Stage

This is discontinued and hard to find.  These are listed on Amazon for $54.99 and up.  Terapeak is showing an average price of $32.14 with a 75% through rate.  That's an awesome percentage of sales.  *Make sure you get the microphone so that it's complete!



7.  Disney Einstein Electronic Pat-Pat Rocket

I've been lucky enough to find (2) of these and sell from $30-$50 range, depending on condition and the characters you have with it.  Terapeak is showing these with an average price of $39.83 with a sell through rate of 68%.  There are (5) complete collectible sets listed on Amazon for $74.99 and up.  My hearts skips a little beat when I see these! :)


8.  TMX Elmo or Elmo Live

Elmo has always been an "It" toy, but these two in particular are a hot commodity.  A few months back I sold a new TMX Elmo for $90 on Amazon.  Terapeak is showing these with an average price of $29 and a 43% sell through rate.  Terapeak is showing Elmo Live with an average price of $37.83 with a sell through rate of 51%.  There are probably others that are just as popular, so when you come across an interactive Elmo...take a closer look!


9.  Leap Frog Explorer Globe

Yet another hard to find item!  Terapeak shows an average sale price of $41.54 and a whopping 78% sell through rate.  I'm kicking myself for not listing the one I had on eBay!


10.  Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grand Piano

And the three magic words are "hard to find"!  Terapeak is showing an average price of $37.33 with a 68% sell through rate.  There are none listed on Amazon and only one seller on eBay is offering these for sale right now. 

See now, isn't this fun?  Who doesn't just love toys?  If you want to stay "in the know" of any and all HOT PRODUCTS, make sure to fan our page here!

Stay tuned for my next post (Part 2) of my "Look-out For" List!

Finishing What I Started

Whew! One month later, I have finally managed to emerge from Clothes Mountain, and I thought I'd take a breather before moving on to Shoe Mountain.

It was a long, grueling project. I bought these clothes on February 19. The first step was to sort it all by brand. Then sort by size. Then wash and dry. Then take photos. Then edit the photos. Then research the line names. Then research prices. Then list. It was NOT just a matter of slapping a bunch of listings up in my store. I don't even care to guess how many hours and hours and hours I spent on this project. But now it's done, and all I have left to do is sit back and watch the money come rolling in!

I ended up with 610 items in 180 listings. I have already sold 52 items in 20 listings, for just $25 shy of my initial investment. So that leaves me 558 more items in 160 more listings of basically pure profit.

Let me tell you, there were so many times I just wanted to say, "Forget it! I'm just putting this stuff in the yard sale." It was exhausting, it was time-consuming, it was frustrating. BUT ... I persevered. I finished. And now, I can enjoy the fruits of my labor.

AND ... I can now move on to listings other stuff! I've got over 50 pairs of shoes that I've accumulated over the last month. I caught a whiff of my beloved Meltonian the other day and it was wonderful! I can hardly wait to get started on shoe shining. I've got some turntables and Corning Ware to list. They are good sellers, so I'll get them up first I think.

I'm running off on a rabbit trail again (surprise, surprise), but my point is this: There is nothing about this eBay business that's easy. People think it's just a silly hobby we do, but it's not. It's a bona fide, legitimate business. It is WORK. We all have times that we want to quit, but we can't. This is our business, this is our living, for some of us anyway. If we set goals for ourselves and push ourselves until we accomplish them, our businesses will grow in leaps and bounds! March has been my biggest month so far, and I've still got 4 days to go. Perseverance ALWAYS pays off.

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.

Now go get 'em, Tiger!

Where Do You Draw the Dotted Line?

I'm thinking of adding a category to my store.  It has to be a happy category, it has to make me smile.  The category will be about round things!  No, I won't put the eyeballs in this category, turns out those eyeballs don't make EVERYONE happy.  But then again you can't make everyone happy all of the time, right?  No I want to do a category all about Polka Dots.

Like this polka dot chocolate mug,  I'm thinking that all this mug needs is some ice cream, hot fudge, nuts, whip cream and... me.  Yep that would make me really happy!  Ta.. daaaaa Mr. Mug you get to go in the new category!  This mug makes me happy.


Polka dots have come a long way!  When the European dance, Polka became popular here in the good old' USA, they brainstormed to find a good way to promote the dance... hence they used the dot.   Get it?    Get it?  Get it?   (Don't you find it annoying when someone does that?)

Look at this little clown and his polka dots.. and look!  I see pearls in the corner, that is a surely a polka dot if I every saw one.  Mr. Clown gets to graduate to the Polka Dot Category too.  
I found a polka dot blouse this week that ties around the midriff. Oh it is so cute.  I'm thinking I should look for ties too.    What do ya think?


If you like polka dots you would be interested to know that psychologist say if you like to wear polka dots then you love to please people.  Of course clowns wear polka dots and their job is to make people smile.  Women love pearls, and men give them to make their girl smile.  (Well at least that is what I heard.  My husband apparently DOES NOT want me to smile as I've yet to receive my June Cleaver pearls) 

Lucille Ball was known for her polka dots, look how she made us smile... looks like Ricky is pretty happy right now too. Ooh la la... Ricky you were one hot musician back then.  (I married a hot musician myself you know, and I may or may not have worn a few polka dots myself)  

Whoa Nellie!  Where did that come from?  Yikes... okay  this might make me smile for a minute, but really?  Maybe..it would grow on you...  naaaaww.  




I'm thinking that I'll just spark up some romance with my musician in my "Lucy Dress",  maybe put on some "June Cleaver Pearls" and carry a little "Paris Hilton" dog around with me.  I'm just hip that way you know.

I'll make those darned categories as soon as I find my little pooch...
Remember, make your own little niches in your stores, bring a smile to your customer and create an interesting place to browse!

Polka Dots Dots Dots Category

Is it getting dusty in here?

Alright, everyone ... our blogging schedule got totally derailed this week! I can't speak for Lesley, but I know I have no excuse. I just forgot. What kind of a devoted blogger am I???? Next week, we'll try to get back to our regular blogging schedule. We haven't forgotten about you - don't forget about us!

Fantastic Finds Friday

We want to hear all about your Fantastic Finds! This features isn't about your exciting sales. It's about your exciting finds! There are so many places to find inventory: your closet, your garage, a yard sale, thrift stores, a consignment item you're selling for someone else. What did you find this week that you are excited about? It can be something you're excited to get listed OR something you're excited to keep! You can even post to your listing, if you'd like. Free advertising!

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I have spent the week devoted to listing. I stopped in at Goodwill on grocery day and found a pair of SAS shoes and a super-cute pair of Clarks boots. That's it. This thrifting fast is really making my FFF posts very boring...

--Jessica

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So what exciting thing did you find this week? We'd love to hear all about it. Leave a comment below about your Fantastic Find!

--Lesley

Fantastic Finds Friday

We want to hear all about your Fantastic Finds! This features isn't about your exciting sales. It's about your exciting finds! There are so many places to find inventory: your closet, your garage, a yard sale, thrift stores, a consignment item you're selling for someone else. What did you find this week that you are excited about? It can be something you're excited to get listed OR something you're excited to keep! You can even post to your listing, if you'd like. Free advertising!

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My sister-in-law lives about 3 1/2 hours from me, in a prime thrifting location. She shops for me in between visits. She visited this past weekend and brought me 5 huge bins of inventory! Obviously, she saves receipts and I pay her, but it's so nice to have inventory hand delivered :D There was one full bin of shoes, one full of hot rollers, one full of board games, one full of stuffed animals, and one full of glassware. Mixed in with all of this great stuff was lots of little odds and ends. Off the top of my head, the item I'm possibly most excited about is the 3-piece pink Pyrex Gooseberry nesting bowls. Or maybe the 5 quart Corningware casserole. They sell well. There was nothing earth-shattering in the delivery, but lots of good stuff that I list and sell regularly. Thanks, Paula!!

--Jessica

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It's Friday and I didn't get anything new this week.  I didn't have to!  I am still digging out from my huge haul of a week ago.  I have sorted through my stuff, well almost, and found exciting things that I didn't even know I had purchased.  What I uncovered that I was most excited about was a bunch of Sarah Louise England smocked dresses.  I'm a sucker for smocked anything, so this "find" kept me satisfied all week!  I even managed to get them all listed! :)

So what exciting thing did you find this week? We'd love to hear all about it. Leave a comment below about your Fantastic Find!

--Lesley

Featured eBay Underground Member of the Week

Every Tuesday [okay, so we're a day late this week - sorry!], we will put a spotlight on a Featured eBay Underground Member. We want to get to know other members on eBay Underground, and we want you to get to know each other too!

This week's Featured Member is ...

Becky Pries! Becky sells on eBay at To the Toy Box and Beyond

We sent Becky a list of questions, and here's what she had to say:

Start by telling us a bit about yourself.

My name is Becky and I live in Wisconsin with my husband and 3 children (William 15, Robbie 13, and Ryker15 months) My oldest Ben(18) moved out in February. We have a german shepherd named Garret. We used to live in S.C. where I was a preschool teacher and my husband was a mechanic. I am now a stay at home mom. My youngest teen (Robbie) is hearing impaired and has developmental delays. Oh and I am also a twin. (not identical. Though that would have been cool)

How long have you been selling on eBay? Why did you start?

I started selling on Ebay in February 2010 and opened a store in January of this year.

I had a bunch of Ryker's baby clothes and figured maybe I can make some money on this. I was already buying on ebay so why not try selling.

Do you remember the first item you sold?

When I first started selling, I did auctions and the first thing I sold was a lot of 0-3 months baby boy sleepers with matching hats for $8. I underestimated shipping and ending up selling the clothes at a loss.

What keeps you going during slow sale periods?

When sales are slow, I try to go out and get more inventory to list and hope things pick up. The last few sales I've had, the day before I either showed the item to my sister or talked to her on the phone about it and bam the next day it sold! I figure she is my good luck charm. It does not work all the time though.

Tell us about your favorite buyer.

My favorite buyer was actually on Bonanza. She sent me a message at 2:30 in the morning happy to find a lovey just like the one her son had just thrown up on. and she wanted me to teleport it there because he would not go back to sleep without it.

Tell us about your worst nightmare buyer and how you handled it.

My worse buyer was this lady who had bought a talking 24 inch piglet from me. I had listed it new with tags but the hang tag was bent. She felt that the item was not new and reeked of smoke. (I do not smoke) She also claimed there were stains on the doll and the voice box only worked half the time. She demanded $19 back as she felt the toy was only worth $10. I told her I would have never accepted a BO of $10 and if she was unhappy, she could mail it back for a full refund including return shipping. She refused to return the doll and opened a case. I ended up refunding her $10 and she kept the doll. She then gave me negative feedback which I had asked Ebay to remove. They did and I saw under the feedback I had left for her she wrote "This seller managed to have my negative feedback removed. I no longer trust ebays feedback system.'' What a nut! Oh I also signed up her email address for a Christian Newsletter. I figured if she could lie so easily and steal (she did keep my doll and got $10 back) then she needed Christ in her life.

What was your best sale?

I sold a Stuart Little talking plush doll for $54.00 ( I paid $2)

What purchase for resale did you buy that turned out to be a big mistake?

I don't really spend alot of money on my inventory but I do have several plush that have just been sitting for awhile.

Do you have a niche? What is it and why?

I sell mostly baby and toddler toys and plush. They are cheap and some can turn a good profit.

What is your favorite thing to watch for when you're out thrifting?

I always look for Fisher Price Super Star Sing along stage. I usually find them anywhere between $1-$5 and can resell for $25-$40 I have sold 3 so far and have one left in my store. I also look for Care Bears although these haven't been selling for me. I look mostly at toys and will buy anything I think I can at least triple my investment on.

Tell us one thing you have learned on eBay Underground.

Never underprice your items and use BO. You can always turn down low offers but no one is ever going to offer you more.

Anything else you'd like to comment on?

Without EBUG, I would have never opened a store and probably would not have gotten as many sales as I have.

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Thank you, Becky, for giving us a chance to get to know you a little better!

--Jessica & Lesley

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Be sure to stop by Becky's eBay store at To the Toy Box and Beyond!


Also stop by our eBay Underground group and tell Becky hello!

And watch out - you might be our next Featured eBay Underground Member! :)

Fantastic Finds Friday

We want to hear all about your Fantastic Finds! This features isn't about your exciting sales. It's about your exciting finds! There are so many places to find inventory: your closet, your garage, a yard sale, thrift stores, a consignment item you're selling for someone else. What did you find this week that you are excited about? It can be something you're excited to get listed OR something you're excited to keep! You can even post to your listing, if you'd like. Free advertising!

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I found nothing interesting this week. Just some more clothes. I need an exciting find next week...

--Jessica

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Where to begin with my "Fantastic Find"?  I got a phone call from a baby boutique that was closing part of their store and renovating the other side...basically downsizing.  They wanted to know if my resale shop would be interested in purchasing some inventory.   Umm...let me think for a minute...okay!! :)

I purchased enough to fill 3 van loads full of inventory ranging from clothing, shoes, diaper bags, feeding supplies, nursing supplies, gates, boppy's, toys, crib bedding, gates, diaper pails, Gund plush animals, etc.  There's more but I haven't even looked through all the boxes/bags to see exactly what I bought!  I have spent the last 2 days inventoring said items and pricing for my resale shop and preparing some to list on eBay.  I am a little bit tired right now but oh so happy!! :)

So what exciting thing did you find this week? We'd love to hear all about it. Leave a comment below about your Fantastic Find!

--Lesley

Feeding the Addiction

We were talking on our eBay Underground Facebook Group over the weekend about how long we're awake in the morning before we get on the computer to check our sales. I had to laugh at some of the responses! I was so relieved though, because I thought I was the only one who couldn't get my day started without a little eBay. Most of our members admitted that they get a cup of coffee and sit down at the computer first thing. I don't drink coffee, so I skip that part and head straight to the computer.

Then the conversation turned to discussing whether this is a good thing or not ... this first-thing-in-the-morning addiction. I am completely comfortable using the word "addiction," because for many of us, that's what it is. There have been mornings where I wasn't able to get to the computer first thing, and my day just felt all wrong until I was able to get online. There are those of you who MUST have your coffee before starting your day, or you just can't function right. There are those of us who MUST check our eBay activity before starting our day, or we just can't function right.  Then there are those of you who require both, but that's a completely different level of addiction that I just can't comprehend. :D

Is this level of addiction good? I think it is, to a certain extent. Let's break it down a bit into the different types of sellers.

There are part-time hobby sellers. They sell old, unwanted stuff from around their house. They have no long-term eBay goals, they aren't looking to build up their feedback. They just want their stuff out of the house, and a few extra bucks in their pocket. Maybe it's not essential that they check their eBay activity first thing in the morning, but it's probably fun. They look forward to seeing if anything happened while they were sleeping, just because they want to.

There are full-time hobby sellers. They buy to resell, and they do it a lot. But their eBay income is not required to support their household. I fall into this category. I really love selling on eBay. I spend many many hours a week on it. If I'm honest about the number of late night hours I spend on eBay, I could probably fill up a full-time time card. But my eBay earnings are not required to support our household. I mostly sell for fun money: restaurant meals, extra clothes, books, big ticket items (the treadmill, for example)... All stuff we wouldn't be able to afford without my eBay income, but certainly not necessities that make my eBay income a requirement.

There are also full-time business sellers. They buy to resell, and they do it a lot, but their eBay income is their lifeblood. They either contribute heavily to or solely support the household.

I think both of these later groups really need to keep on top of their eBay activity. It is important for both groups to build up their feedback, to keep their customers happy. We need to get those questions answered promptly. We need to get offers answered quickly. We need to ship packages out right away. In order to do these things in a timely manner, we really need to keep tabs on our eBay activity at all times. For "normal" folks, eight hours away from eBay while they sleep is a long time. I'm sure most of us check on our stores several times a day. A lot can happen in those eight hours while we sleep (or four or five hours for those of us who are night owls).

I'm going off on a rabbit trail again, but what I'm getting at is this:  That conversation has given me some food for thought. Is it really necessary for me to spend SO MANY hours on eBay? Technically, no. I do spend more time than I really need to doing eBay-related things. But we do want to spend as many PRODUCTIVE eBay hours as we can spare, if we want to build up our businesses.

Devoting time to our businesses is definitely necessary. Just be sure to use that time wisely. Be productive.

What do you think? Is it necessary or healthy to spend so many hours on eBay? Or am I just making excuses for the embarrassing number of hours I spend online?  Leave us some thoughts in the comments below!

Featured eBay Underground Member of the Week!

Every Tuesday, we will put a spotlight on a Featured eBay Underground Member. We want to get to know other members on eBay Underground, and we want you to get to know each other too!

This week's Featured Member is ...

JANICE YUREK!  Janice sells on eBay at Gurley Max Treasures!

We sent Janice a list of questions, and here's what she had to say:

Start by telling us a bit about yourself.

I am 41 years old, living in Henderson Nevada.  I have 3 kids (an 8 year old girl, 5 year old boy & a 2 year old girl) and one naughty puppy.  I will be married 10 years in September.  I am originally from Northern Wisconsin and am a huge Packer fan!  I take my kids back to Wisconsin for a month every summer to hang out with my family and swim in Lake Superior.

How long have you been selling on eBay? Why did you start?

I have been selling on eBay since 2003.  I started selling off some of my oldest daughters baby clothing and became instantly hooked when I realized the thrifting potential.  I have always enjoyed thrifting and was happy to find a way to support it!  Plus, living near Vegas, this is a much safer hobby than my Black Jack playing single days...

Do you remember the first item you sold?

I absolutely remember the first thing I sold.  It was a Baby Gap snowflake sweater and guess what?  I sold it to an non-paying bidder!

What keeps you going during slow sale periods?

Well, I just opened my store in September, so I am kind of getting used to not having a huge batch of auctions going at once, which makes it seem slower.  It always seems to pick up sooner or later, so maybe experience keeps me going.  I also do this as a side hobby and for extra fun money.  It might stress me out more if this were a main source of income.


Tell us about your favorite buyer.

My favorite buyer was from this past fall.  I sold a large lot of baby girl clothing to a Military person and it took forever to get there.  They were so friendly and apologetic to ME about customs and how long it was taking.  They were awesome.  The package finally arrived after about a month!

Tell us about your worst nightmare buyer and how you handled it.

Okay, seriously knocking on wood here, I have never had a nightmare buyer.

What was your best sale?

My best sale was a Marx western town playset that I purchased at an antique store in Kingham.  When I got it home, I realized it had never been played with.  I paid $18 for it and sold it for almost $800!  I also had a stuffed lamb lovey that I got for $3 and sold for $100.  I have had a few St. John suits that I paid $15-$20 and solf for $150-$200.  Really, any sale thrills me!

What purchase for resale did you buy that turned out to be a big mistake?

I have never had any huge boo-hoo's or anything.  I am definately more selective now when it comes to clothing brands.  What use to sell in 2004 doesn't necessarily sell now.  Gymboree being one brand that I never used to pass up, but now will only pick it up if it's super cheap.

Do you have a niche? What is it and why?

I suppose my niche is children's clothing, mostly because I am lazy and it is easy to photograph and ship, but profit margin has decreased dramatically over the years on kids clothing.  I think a lot of that is due to the recession.  I am starting to branch out more into women's clothing and other odds and ends that I find.  I have an iPhone now, so I can search completeds in the store.  That helps a lot.  I also adore vintage kitchen items and glassware.


What is your favorite thing to watch for when you're out thrifting?

A few things I ALWAYS pick up are:
Hot rollers
White floaty beach portrait dresses (kids sizes)
Quacker factory sweaters
Pampered Chef items
Toddler girl pink cowboy boots

Tell us one thing you have learned on eBay Underground.

One thing I have learned from eBay Underground is that Big Lots & TJ Maxx can be a source of inventory for discontinued items....who knew?

Anything else you'd like to comment on?

If I buy something for a quarter and sell it for $15 it is still a "eBay high"!

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Thank you, Janice , for giving us a chance to get to know you a little better!

--Jessica & Lesley

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Be sure to stop by Janice's eBay store at Gurley Max Treasures and her blog Feels Like Time!


Also stop by our eBay Underground group and tell Janice hello!

And watch out - you might be our next Featured eBay Underground Member! :)

How to Research a Toy Name!

Yard sale season is coming up and that’s the time of year that I love. Each Saturday, and sometimes Friday too, I get up early and head out. Toys are a great product to seek out because they are easy to find as moms and dads clean house and try to rid themselves of the excess. That’s where you come in…..the eBay seller!

Toys can be a hot commodity, and I’m going to show you an easy way to research those toys to know whether it’s a good buy and how to list with the proper keywords!

Here I have two toys that I have no idea what the names are. One looks like a wizard educational toy the other is a train with balls. 

The first thing you will need to do is to look on the bottom side of the toy to locate the manufacturer and the model number. We’ll start with the wizard.

I’ve located that information underneath the toy and will begin a Google search with Fisher-Price J8234.

I’ve typed in the manufacturer which is Fisher-Price along with the model number. It’s not necessary to add a lot of other descriptive words unless this search shows up nothing. In most cases this method will work. If it does not work I recommend typing in a generic description like; Fisher Price Wizard Toy then click on images and see if you can find it that way.

As you can see this search has generated the exact name of the product, it’s called Quizard the Learning Wizard. Now you can begin your search on eBay, Terapeak and Amazon to see if this will be a good buy or not. When you go to list this product you will have the exact name and description of your product.

Next, I’ve got this Playskool train that I’ve come across and again I will check the underside of the toy for more information.

Now that I’ve located the model number of this toy I will start another Google search.

Again, I’ve generated a search of what appears to be called the Playskool Busy Ball Popper and a quick click on the Google image confirms it!

I would recommend carrying a small screw driver while out searching for toys. You wouldn’t want to purchase a toy, only to come home and find old batteries exploded in the battery compartment. You can check quickly to make sure the compartment looks clean; it’s more likely to work properly. If you are so inclined you could even keep an assortment of batteries with you for testing!

Also, familiarize yourself with recalled toys or products by searching the Consumer Product Safety Commission website. It is your responsibility as a seller to not list recalled products on eBay.

I will be posting soon about "Hot Toys" to buy this summer.

Want to learn more about sourcing inventory to sell on eBay? Join our discussion group on Facebook!

Happy hunting and eBaying!
Lesley

Fantastic Finds Friday

We want to hear all about your Fantastic Finds! This features isn't about your exciting sales. It's about your exciting finds! There are so many places to find inventory: your closet, your garage, a yard sale, thrift stores, a consignment item you're selling for someone else. What did you find this week that you are excited about? It can be something you're excited to get listed OR something you're excited to keep! You can even post to your listing, if you'd like. Free advertising!

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I haven't found anything new and exciting, but I am regularly adding to my pile of clothes! I found another big stack of Gymboree pieces last weekend while I was road tripping, and I just found 12 more today, along with some Izod, Lilly Pullitzer, and Lacoste. I've just been focusing on shoes and clothes. Nothing out of this world exciting.

--Jessica

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I came across some run of the mill stuff like Jessica, but I also found some items that I thought were quite unique.  First up is the Playmobil Noah's Ark set which I discovered is rare.  Terapeak shows them selling at an average price of $84.46 with a sell through rate of 82%!  I don't have a complete set, but my set is in very good condition and has some nice pieces.  Now to sit back and wait for the right buyer!

I also found this boys Brooks Brothers wool blazer.  There are currently only 6 Brooks Brothers boys jackets listed on eBay right now and none that look like this one.  This is just a well respected label in a classic style that I think will sell no problem!

So what exciting thing did you find this week?  We'd love to hear all about it.  Leave a comment below about your Fantastic Find!

--Lesley

Featured eBay Underground Member of the Week!

Another new feature! Every Tuesday, we will put a spotlight on a Featured eBay Underground Member. We want to get to know other members on eBay Underground, and we want you to get to know each other too! So without further ado...

This week's Featured Member is ...

RITA STEWARD! Rita sells on eBay at Desert Sun Collectibles.












We sent Rita a list of questions, and here's what she had to say:

Start by telling us a bit about yourself.

I live in north central Ohio with my hubby and 3 Pekingese dogs. I'm mom to 3 grown sons and grandma to 13!

How long have you been selling on eBay? Why did you start?

I started selling on eBay part time in Oct of 2000 because I had a stroke and was no longer able to work as an over the road truck driver with my hubby.

Do you remember the first item you sold?

The first items I sold were Madame Alexander dolls, I was passionate about the 10" Portrait dolls!

What keeps you going during slow sale periods?

Slow sales are both a blessing and a curse! I use that time to take pictures, write up descriptions and list. I also get caught up with all the dust bunnies that have invaded the house while I'm not paying attention! lol

Everyone knows how slow summer sales can be, so I'm thinking of doing a "Garage Sale Challenge" like "The Auction Rebel", Gary Hendrickson used to do. If you're interested, leave a comment on my blog. If there's enough interest, I will set it up and let everyone know the start and ending dates. I may even offer an incentive for the most listed and sold this time. :)

http://ebayunzipped.wordpress.com/

Tell us about your favorite buyer.

My favorite buyer is the one who sends me notes on why they bought an item and what it means to them if they've been looking for awhile. :)

Tell us about your worst nightmare buyer and how you handled it.

Ummm, I've never had a nightmare buyer. I had one item returned in the early years, a new doll that had a manufacturing defect on her leg and the buyer decided she didn't want her after all.

What was your best sale?

My best sale was a Daum Nancy Art Nouveau vase that I got from an on line auction. I paid $45.00 and sold it for $404.00!

What purchase for resale did you buy that turnedout to be a big mistake?

When I first started getting into the glassware, I bought any and all I found! Big no, no! I got stuck with most of it and it ended up in a garage sale and the rest went to GW.

Do you have a niche? What is it and why?

I guess if vintage glassware, pottery, porcelain and collectibles are a niche, that would be mine. I'm especially fond of elegant colored glass, such as opalescent and I love RS Prussia porcelain and Limoges. I also like Jim Shore collectibles, both new and older and some of the vintage toys.

What is your favorite thing to watch for when you're out thrifting?

My favorite things to watch for are elegant glass, vintage pottery such as Roseville, Weller and a few others. I also watch for NIP cross stitch and embroidery patterns.

Tell us one thing you have learned on eBay Underground.

I've learned about BIN! I hardly ever used it before and now I use it almost exclusively. I now price my BIN items much higher! I think between that and my own hard work is why I recently made Top Rated and Power seller for the very first time! :) :) Great feeling too!

Anything else you'd like to comment on?

On a final note, I've made new friends who are like minded and I love helping and interacting with them all. :)

Thank you for the opportunity to share a little about myself with all the others. :)

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Thank you, Rita, for giving us a chance to get to know you a little better!

--Jessica & Lesley

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Be sure to stop by Rita's eBay store at Desert Sun Collectibles!

Also stop by our eBay Underground Facebook Group and tell Rita hello!

And watch out - you might be our next Featured eBay Underground Member! :)