So what do coupons have to do with turning trash to treasure? It’s simple. You might consider coupons for stuff you don’t use trash, but if you use them right, they could be a very smart way to get inventory for your business!

Now I know we have all heard about using coupons to stockpile.  If you have been living under a rock (like I have, tee-hee), let me explain the basics. Some folks use coupons to match up with store sales and buy items at very, very little or NO money. Yep….FREE. For example, if I have a coupon for a certain toothpaste that is for fifty cents off and my store has that particular toothpaste on sale for one dollar, I can get it for free. My store doubles coupons up to a dollar so I would use my coupon to get a dollar off of one dollar. That would make it free, folks! Ok, so what if I have ten or twenty of those same coupons? You get my point now, right? So this is great if you happen to use that particular brand of toothpaste, but what if you don’t? As we’ve already established this week, just because you don’t, doesn’t mean someone else doesn’t. If you can find coupons for products that you don’t need or don’t need 20 of, you can get them for free or for very cheap and sell them as lots on ebay! Anything from shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, vitamins and even seasoning. Couponing and stockpiling is simple but it is also an art. LOL! You have to learn to get the hang of it but it is worth looking into.

I really hope I have given you some useful tips on how to turn things that you never thought would be profitable in your business, into some good money makers!  I want to thank everyone who read, commented and encouraged me! This was also my first experience blogging and I was really nervous (could you tell?).

The winner of the $20 gift card to my Ebay store is…. totally kidding, lol! The winner of the $20 gift card to the retailer of her choice is Tammy-4puppydogtails! Congratulations Tammy!

Thanks again and we hope to see you all in the HCTS forums!

Filed under: Freebies, Giveaways and Prizes, Shopping, Tips and Tricks by Xochilt
8 Comments »

How many things have we tossed because they are incomplete or broken? As you walk by some departments in your thrift store you might think to yourself “It would be nice if only they were complete”. Well it turns out, it may not need to be complete! It may not even have to be in one piece! Be on the lookout for certain things that might seem like trash but with research, a few cents and some patience, they can become a treasure! You might even get a better profit because what you pay for it might be considerably less because of the condition.
One example is Scrabble games. I find these incomplete at thrift stores, garage sales, etc. I keep the tiles and when I have enough, I sell them as a lot.  As I said in my last post, I have no idea what people might use these for, but they do! Other examples are Lite Brite pegs and empty print cartridges. There was a thread started a few weeks ago in the General forum if you want to look into what other Storks look for.

As you are shopping for inventory, you might also walk past a few broken items. Don’t be so quick to walk past! Things like video cameras, picture cameras, old gaming systems and tools can make you some money when needed for parts.
Lastly, how many times have you left behind certain items because of, say, a broken zipper? Look twice, it might still be worth picking up! I recently posted in General about a Columbia coat with a broken zipper and someone suggested I check the warranty info. Sure enough, it was covered! I sent it in to Columbia with a note and my info and I just got it back, good as new!
Sometimes all you need to turn trash into treasure is to see things differently. One of the best things I’ve learned in this business is that just because I don’t like something or can see no use for it, that doesn’t mean someone else feels the same!
Got any other experiences with things you thought were trash and they turned out to be treasure?

Leave your comment and don’t forget that will enter you in the drawing for a $20 gift card!

~Xochilt~

Filed under: Freebies, Giveaways and Prizes, Shopping by Xochilt
7 Comments »

Plush, stuffed animal, lovey….whatever name you want to call it, it is one of the best items to sell with a very low investment and maximum profit!

What’s that? Who would want this dirty, dusty, yucky, OLD plush?!? The answer to that is, lots, and lots, and lots of people. Not only will folks pay for older, less than perfect plush, they will pay GOOD money for them. I could think of hundreds of scenarios as to why people buy what they do, but I’ve decided not to question it and just go with it. The bottom line is, these guys are well worth the work!

When I first started buying plush for resale, I was afraid to wash them for fear of ruining them. I’ve probably sold hundreds of them to date and I am yet to ruin one. Here are some tips to make those dirty duds as spiffy as can be!

If a plush isn’t in bad shape and doesn’t smell funky, you can probably just get away with wiping it (I use a wipey). You could also dip the wipey or towel in oxyclean or another powdered detergent and get any stains it may have. Use a lint roller for those that attract lint and you can even try a vacuum to get that dust off.  Most ink can be removed with rubbing alcohol. That includes the writing some thrift stores put on tags.

If the plush looks clean and just has that “storage” smell, you could put it in a bag and put it in the freezer for a while. I usually only use this method if it still has tags and the value would decrease if I were to remove them and wash it.

If the plush is beyond any surface cleaning help, throw it in the washer. Gasp! I know it’s not recommended by manufacturers but like I said, I’ve yet to ruin one! Make sure you take out any music boxes, etc. If you want to take extra precautions, put it in a pillow case and wash it in a gentle cycle. I always let them air dry and skip the fabric softner.

When listing plush, remember to describe any flaws including a missing tag, a discoloration, loose thread, working lights/sounds etc. Also, be sure to include a size. Buyers can’t always tell the size from pictures. And believe it or not, buyers want to see different angles. I try to take a pic of the front, back, side and bottom.

Plush are a great profit maker! A few minutes of TLC really make a difference! Got any plush tips? Post them in your comment. Remember that for each day you comment, you are entered into a drawing for a $20 GC at the end of the week!

~Xochilt~

Filed under: Better Selling Techniques, Freebies, Giveaways and Prizes, Tips and Tricks by Xochilt
21 Comments »

Hello! You have a new blogger again this week! We’ve gotten some great info from the blog this month, haven’t we? This week, I will hopefully give you some useful tips on how to convert what might seem like junk, into profitable treasures! Sometimes a simple step that might take you a couple minutes will make all the difference in the profit you make!

The thrift store shoe department is where I, for one, could never seem to figure out what was actually good for re-sale. I mean, sure, there is a list of brands to look for, like the one in the recent shoe thread that was started in General last week. However, once you go shopping, you see so many different conditions that you aren’t sure those suckers would sell if they were made out of pure gold! I am here to tell you that there are certain easy steps you can take to make those shoes look great!

Leather shoes, in my opinion, are the easiest to spruce up. You want to find some shoe polish that comes pretty close to the color of the shoes and take a clean cloth and rub it on. Shoe polish is fairly inexpensive (shouldn’t cost more than a couple bucks). Take a wipey or a wet towel and rub the inside of the shoe as well as the sole to get dirt off of that part. If you have a really good brand with a worn out sole, you could consider taking them to a shoe repair shop and getting a new sole (disclose in the listing, of course).  I must say that very few shoes are worth that trouble, so choose carefully.

When taking your pictures,  stuff the shoe with paper so that it looks filled out. Also, make sure everything looks neat for the picture. In this picture below, I stuck a tooth pick in between the strap. Don’t mind the background, LOL!

If its tennis shoes you want to clean up, they take some more elbow grease but could be very well worth it! I also take a wipey to clean them up but I will dip it in oxyclean or any other powdered detergent. This definitely makes a huge difference! If they have Velcro straps with gunk in them, take a toothpick and pick the larger gunk out. Wash the shoelaces if there are any and don’t forget to clean the inside.
As a final tip, use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover to take off any TS writing from the bottom or any ink on the actual shoe.

Remember that the difference between an ok profit and a great profit is just a little work! Got any other shoe tips?  Please share! For every day you leave a comment this week, you are entered  into a drawing for a $20 gift card at the end of the week!

~Xochilt~

Filed under: Better Selling Techniques, Freebies, Giveaways and Prizes, Tips and Tricks by Xochilt
17 Comments »

objective: Starting 2/01/10, list 280 NEW items by 2/28/10.

plan: have members list 10 items on eBay everyday (alt: 70 items per week, listed any day) throughout the month of Feb, and put those item #s into the daily check-in post. Mods will randomly select items for verification. Sorry, no amazon or website items. Members who don’t regularly sell on eBay are welcome to join in-they surely can find 10 each day from around their house to list (I know I could)!

At the end of the month, everyone who successfully completes the challenge will be entered into a drawing for a $50 eBay gift card! During the contest we’ll have weekly games related the the challenge, ie: a scavenger hunt from the newly listed items, listing of the week from newly listed items, etc…The mods are busy planning some fun activities for you! And as a fun bonus, besides “bragging rights”, each game will have a $10 prize!

what to do now: get your inventory ready! Shop, gather, photograph and edit your pictures.

Join me in the First Annual HCTS 280 February Challenge!! Not a member of Here Comes The Stork? Why not?? Join today and have fun while making money!

Rebecca

Filed under: Listing Challenges by Rebecca
No Comments »

Did you know that professional photographers edit practically all their photos? I’m talking pros here! So, don’t be discouraged if after taking all the time to set up perfect shots they turn out…well, less than perfect.

Even if you don’t have expensive editing software, there are easy things you can to to tweak your pics to perfection (or at least close). I know what you’re thinking. You don’t want to have to purchase expensive software to edit your photos. Let me ask you…does FREE fit in your budget?

Meet Google’s Picasa. Picasa is a free download that packs an impressive amount of features. You can perform basic editing like rotating, cropping, straightening and brightening. Plus you can make collages, posters, movies and so much more!  It will also gather all the photos on your computer and organize them for you. You will enjoy playing around with Picasa not only for your eBay listing pics but your personal photos as well. (OK, commercial is over.)

If you’ve set up your photos as described earlier this week, you will only have basic editing to do. The purpose of setting up your photos is to minimize editing time. So today we will cover very basic editing: rotating, cropping and brightening.

Rotating

Haven’t you seen photos like this on eBay?

Actually, I’ve seen much worse. This is a good photo that just needs to be rotated. It is annoying to buyers to have to strain their necks to check out your pic. Don’t annoy your buyer from their first look at your item for sale.

Take a second to rotate…

There!  Much better!

Cropping

If your shot has distracting things in the background, get rid of them! Here’s a sample shot I just took. You can see my light, floor and my foot. At least my floor is clean, and I recently had a pedicure…but still no one wants to see that!

And after a quick rotate, crop and brightening (which took me about 15 seconds)…

Totally worth 15 seconds of “work”, don’t you think?

Brightening

A quick adjustment to the lighting can improve a shot as well. Picasa makes it very easy with a slide bar adjustment labeled “Fill Light”. You can see the changes to your photo while you are making them. Nothing becomes permanent until you click “apply”.

Here is a screenshot of Picasa’s basic editing tools.

This is the screen you work in to edit your photos.

Well, there you have only the basics. You can do so much more with editing. If you enjoy it, the best way to learn is to just play around with it.

I hope you have gained a few nuggets of photo knowledge this week.  Thanks to all who have commented! You have helped make my first blogging experience a positive one.

Filed under: Better Selling Techniques, Tips and Tricks by Melisha
6 Comments »

Yes! We really get to take photos today!
Now that our background and lighting are set up, it’s finally time to take some pics.

Here are a few guidelines to consider:

Posing Your Item
Take some time to arrange your object. If you are photographing an outfit, arrange it like an outfit. Position the sleeves and/or legs in a natural and fun pose. If you are photographing a toy, pose it in an attractive way. To get ideas of how to pose your items, look for similar items in catalogs, online stores or even eBay…check out your competition!

(Photos by Jaci. Visit her eBay store,  Miss Noodle’s Closet.)

Straight From Above

To photograph clothing or anything else lying flat, you must get directly above the object to achieve shots like those above. You can use a tripod with a horizontal arm attachment, or you can just lean directly over your object.  I place my foam core background directly on the floor and lean over it to take the photo.  (Tip: If you have long hair, you may want to put your hair up to take photos!)

Focus!

OK…this may seem like a no-brainer, but haven’t you seen terribly out of focus shots over and over again on eBay?  There is no excuse for this. It makes your listings seem very unprofessional. Get a focused shot. Period.

Fill the Frame
Get in close to take your shot. Fill the entire frame with the object. Remember, those gallery photos are small. Your buyers want to see as much detail as possible before handing over cash to you.

This photo is very nice, but there is a lot of white space around the object. This is going to look really tiny in a gallery shot.

This one shows much more detail. It fills the space much better and will be easier to see in a gallery shot.

Multiple Shots, Multiple Angles

Take several photos of your object and from different angles. This will allow the buyer to visualize your item better. Take close up photos of any details, flaws or damage. Your goal is to accurately depict the item, not make it look better than it actually is. The more details you provide, the more comfortable your customer will be to purchase an item from you.

A nice close up shot of the silver piece.

A detail shot of the silver piece.

Include a Point of Reference

This will not apply to everything, but if you are selling something small and taking great up-close shots there is a chance your buyer may think the object is larger than it actually is.  It is a good idea to include a common object such as a quarter, can of soda or even a ruler in the photo to help the buyer judge scale better.

How big do you think these are?  You really can’t tell from this photo.

This photo leaves no doubt as to the size of this silver piece.

I hope these tips will help you take better pictures for your listings!

Got some tips of your own?  Share them!  We’d love to hear from you!

Filed under: Better Selling Techniques, Tips and Tricks by Melisha
2 Comments »

I know you really want to pick up those cameras and start snapping shots, but taking the time to properly set up will produce much better results! Yesterday we talked about backgrounds. Today we will focus on lighting.

Lighting

You are not going to get a great photograph if your lighting is poor.  There are several lighting sources to consider.

This one will fit any budget!  Open up the blinds and let the sun shine in.  Your goal is to get even, indirect light not bright, harsh light.  If your sunlight is too direct your colors will be overexposed.  Try windows facing different directions all over your house until you find the right light.

These are my personal favorite.  These lights are cool burning and produce a light similar to natural light.  They come in a range of sizes and prices.  Joann’s (the craft store) carries a brand called the OttLite. (Right now they are running a 50% off sale on all their OttLites.) You will find these other places as well, just google “Full Spectrum Lamp” and many choices will come up.

I purchased one for my desk as well as one for my husband’s desk. When I’m ready to take photos, I use both lamps on opposite sides of my background to produce nice, even lighting.

The lighting of my dreams…If you’re like me, you’ll have to save up for this one.  Here is a professional lighting kit that belongs to one of our very own Storks (thanks, Jaci for letting me use this pic!) You will not find better lighting for your eBay listing photographs. This one from Table Top Studio is priced at $425. (I told you, you might have to save up!)  Consider how many items you photograph and how much time you spend editing those photos…it just might be worth it!

Speedlites and Diffusers

Another option to consider is an attachment to your camera in the form of a Speedlite or Diffuser (or both!).  Speedlites and Diffusers help “spread out” the light so it is more even over the entire object you are photographing and not so focused like a spotlight.  You will need to search for one designed especially for your camera.  Shop around for these…the prices vary a lot! Don’t forget to check eBay for used ones as well.

Now for some Stork examples…

This is from Kim. She uses foam core board for a background and a professional lighting kit. You can see more samples of her photos here and here.

Here is a photo by Shannon.  See what a lovely background a sea grass mat can make! You can see more of Shannon’s photos here. Shannon takes most of her photos at night (when those precious 5 kids are in bed) and uses a Speedlite.

And here is a recent photo I took using foam core as a background and full spectrum lamps for my lighting.

I’d love to hear more suggestions for lighting! What is working for you?

Filed under: Better Selling Techniques, Tips and Tricks by Melisha
4 Comments »

To end up with great listing photos, you have to start by taking some time to set up your photo shooting area.  There are two main things to address in this set up time:  background and lighting.  Today we will focus on backgrounds.

Backgrounds

The background of your photos needs to be uncluttered. There should be nothing to distract from the object you are photographing.  It should also be a contrasting color to the object to make your item stand out even more. The most widely used colors for backgrounds are white and black, although other colors may certainly be used effectively.  Here are some great choices for you to consider:

Poster board

Poster board can be found everywhere…even the grocery store.  It is inexpensive and comes in many sizes and colors.  To photograph a large object, two or more pieces can be placed side by side.  It is easy to store flat or rolled up when not in use.

Foam Core Display Board

Foam Core Detail

Foam Core Board can be purchased at office supply stores.  Foam Core is a little more expensive than poster board but will probably last longer. It is available in many sizes and colors. Flat sheets as well as display boards are good choices for photography backgrounds.  A display board can be closed for storage.  Since foam core boards are rigid, you need to consider where you might store one when you aren’t using it. (I slide mine behind our piano.)

Seagrass Mats

Seagrass mats as well as bamboo mats are another option to consider as photography backgrounds. These can be purchased very inexpensively in discount stores and even some dollar stores. Many colors and textures of objects show nicely on this background, and it is especially effective when photographing something red.  Storage is a breeze…just roll it up!

There are many more possibilities for backgrounds. Many different types of fabrics work well. If you have one you use and like, please share it with us!

Filed under: Better Selling Techniques, Tips and Tricks by Melisha
3 Comments »

You have a new blogger again this week. Hi, my name is Melisha, and I’m one of the Mods at HCTS. This is my first EVER blog entry, so take it easy on this newbie! (Please.) Let’s get started…

So, now that we’re all organized (you are, right?), it’s time to get listing!

Step one…take some photos. What? You hate this part of the listing process? You just can’t seem to get your photos right no matter what you do? Then you’ll want to stay tuned this week.

Even though I can take some pretty decent photos (if I do say so myself), I do not consider myself an expert by any means. I have asked some Storks to help me out.  These ladies are just a few of the talented photographers among our members who are willing to share their knowledge with us as well as their photos. Today’s examples are from Kim and Shannon. Thanks, Ladies!

I will take you through the entire process step by step. We will talk about backgrounds, lighting, posing your items, editing and more! By the end of this week you will be equipped to take your own amazing photos like these:

So get those camera batteries charged up and meet me here every day this week.  You might even have some tips to share as well, so jump on in with your comments. That’s what we Storks do!

Filed under: Better Selling Techniques, Tips and Tricks by Melisha
5 Comments »