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!
Jessica- I needed to hear this... Thank you for a voice of reason... and not a boot in the pants. I have been beating myself up for not doing enough and that just makes it harder, but reading this for some reason has shaken me from my "dark place".. Thank You, my friend....
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Michelle. You've made an important point. Persevering through a hard time is different from telling yourself, "I've got to List List List!" We don't want to take that beyond the point of productivity to the point where we resent it.
ReplyDeletePressing through frustrating eBay times is good, but as with all things, we need to keep a healthy balance. If you're burnt out, take a break. If you're just bored, keep at it and get it done. :)
Love this, and it is so true. I've got to get some boring clothes done so I can get to some interesting vintage. Persevere!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, that is a daunting pile! Was this all from your shopping expeditions? Looks like you have it stored in an airplane hangar, haha! Well my hat's off to you for conquering "Mt. Everest."
ReplyDeleteJazzle, that's not my Mount Everest. That was just a fun google image I found. You can see my ACTUAL Mt Everest photos in this post:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ebayundergroundblog.com/2011/02/fantastic-finds-friday_25.html
Okay, haha - you had me there. I thought "man if I had that much stuff I'd have to fall on my sword." -- Lisa
ReplyDelete