Friday, February 27, 2009

Thrift Store Item to Sell on eBay - Men’s Façonnable Shirts


Façonnable is a high-end retailer specializing in tailored men's and women's clothing. (Pronounced Fas-a-knob – it is French.) The company started in 1950 as a small custom tailor shop in Nice, France. By 1988 Façonnable came to the United States as a partner with Nordstrom and in 1993 it opened its first store on New York City's Fifth Avenue. The brand has been sold exclusively at Nordstrom stores since 1989. You may be more familiar with the sunglasses, watches, and cologne than with the clothing line.

I have found many items from this line of clothing in thrift stores costing between $2 and $5 each. Here are some recently completed listings. All of these listings are for "preowned" or used items.


FACONNABLE Men's Wool KNIT POLO SHIRT - Black - L




Faconnable men's dress shirt size L button up 16.5 x 36




XL Men BLUE & RED PLAID Faconnable Dressy Casual SHIRT


Click here to for my free list of thrift store items to sell on eBay for profit.

Happy Selling!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Coupon Giveaway - $550 in Free Grocery Coupons


I love my neighbors! They keep giving me their coupon inserts so I can pass them on to you! We get a special free paper on Thursdays with the same coupons coming in the following Sunday's paper. This week, I have 60 inserts to give away. (These are whole inserts not the clipped out coupons - so I hope you are friends with Edward Scissorhands!) These will be divided between 4 winners who will each receive 15 inserts each. Total value of each set of coupons is $550! The inserts are SmartSource 2/22, Vlassis 3/01, and P&G 3/01. Lots of good ones - $2, $3, $4, $5 and bogos.

To enter, just leave a comment below. For extra entries do any of the following:

Subscribe to my blog
Follow my blog
Post on your blog
Post on Twitter
Post on Facebook
Post on MySpace
Post on a forum or group
Stumble this post
Digg this post

Be sure to leave a comment for each extra that you do. If you love coupons like I do, check out these sites where you can print online coupons. By signing up, you get email alerts for new coupons each week. Many are $1 or more.

CoolSavings

FreeFlys (coupons and free samples)

Coupons.com

Happy Selling!


Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Thrift Store Item to Sell on eBay - Ralph Lauren Equestrian Skirts


These are usually long skirts in a wrap-around style with leather buckle fasteners on the side. The print is either a plaid or a solid with an equestrian motif - such as riders on horses, equestrian accessories, or a hunting scene. The skirts are usually made of a rayon wool blend and are lined with either rayon or acetate.

Here are a few recently completed listings - please note that all of these items are in used condition and were probably found at thrift stores for less than $5. Nice profit margin!


RALPH LAUREN wrap wool Equestrian skirt womens sz 4 S M




RALPH LAUREN Gorgeous Equestrian Scene Wrap Skirt sz 8



Ralph Lauren wool challis Paisley Equestrian Skirt 8

Click here for my free list of thrift store items to sell on eBay.

Happy Selling!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Thrift Store Item to Sell on eBay - Ralph Lauren Label Clothing


Ralph Lauren is a steady, consistent seller on eBay. But, keep in mind, not all Ralph Lauren items are created equal. Here is a breakdown of the different “levels” as well as quality and pricing of the different Ralph Lauren label items. This report covers men’s and women’s clothing.

Black Label
The top level of Ralph Lauren is the Black Label. These items can retail for over $1,500. In my almost 17,000 item history, I have never found a black label item – but that does not mean they aren’t out there. (Click here to see all completed listings for RL Black Label.) Black label items are men’s and women’s - look for blazers, sport coats, pants, sweaters, dress shirts, skirts, denim, and polos. If you find a black label item, in any condition, it may be worth buying and listing simply for the traffic you will get from those key words. Black label is definitely the elite of Ralph Lauren products. Here is a recent listing for a Ralph Lauren Black Label sweater, used condition (somebody probably paid less than $5 for this at a thrift store):



Ralph Lauren Black Label 2pc Green Cable Knit Shrug Set

Purple Label

Purple label is also exquisite. I have found a handful of cashmere and wool sweaters, and polos. Purple label items will be men’s clothing. Again, purple label is an elite level of Ralph Lauren that will draw huge traffic if you can put this in your store. (Click here to see all completed RL Purple label items.) Here is a recent listing for a Ralph Lauren purple label jacket:


Ralph Lauren Purple Label Men's Black Leather Coat XXL

Blue Label
Still very high end, blue label is the next level. These will be women’s items. Some of these items can retail up to $800 – so don’t pass up blue label items if they are in decent condition.

Green Label

Green label is what I find most often. It is also known as Lauren. Green label is the most mainstream, but still considered a designer label. This line is more moderately priced than the black, purple, and blue labels. Retail price can still be up to $300.

Pink Label

This is a Women’s line. You will see a pink pony on the item, as well as the pink pony tag. These items can retail for over $200. I’ve only found a few, and they did well.

Polo, Ralph Lauren
This is the more mainstream line for men. I find these quite frequently. They will sell well, even if gently used. This line is more moderately priced, however, some of the blazers, sport coats, and overcoats can still retail around $1,000.

Chaps, Ralph Lauren

This is somewhat a discount level of Ralph Lauren. You will find this brand in stores like Kohls. Still good, quality clothing, but Chaps will not bring the same price as the lines above. However, if you find larger items, NWT, they are worth buying. Also, men’s sport coats and blazers in the larger sizes, EUC, do well.
Pre-owned clothing is easy to source, plentiful, and sells well online because everyone in the world needs clothing! Check out my class, "The Profitable World of Selling Pre-Owned Women's Clothing on eBay" and learn how to make money selling unused items in your own closet, as well as items from your local thrift store or garage sales. I've been selling clothing on eBay since 2003 (over 20,000 items) and this business model is do-able for anyone with a computer and the desire to succeed!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

How to Clean Thrift Store Items Before Selling on eBay



Thrift store finds will not always be in stellar condition, so you will have to do some work to bring them back to life. Here are a few of my favorite tools for cleaning up thrift store items to make them more sellable on eBay.

Woolite. Wash fine garments and delicates by hand and lay flat to dry.

Shout Color Catcher Sheets. Use with multicolored garments to keep colors from bleeding.

Dryel in Home Dry Cleaning Kit - use to freshen clothing. Works well on sweaters, jackets, blazers, coats, and all types of clothing.
Click here to get a $3 off printable coupon.

Greased Lightning Multipurpose Cleaner - Use as a laundry pretreat for tough stains including grease, ink, grass, makeup, and food. Click here for a printable coupon.

Clorox Bleach Pen. Great for touching up spots on white garments.

Shoe Polish. Use to hide scuff marks and make shoes look newer.

Black magic marker. Use to "color" scratched zipper pulls.

Read my article, "How to Remove Mothball Odor from Clothing."

Feel free to add your own!

Happy Selling,

freeflys

Hot Item to Sell on eBay - Today Contraceptive Sponges

Today Contraceptive Sponges. These are selling for 5 times the retail price, but are very hard to find. The company has temporarily stopped production as a result of a packaging change. Women love these and will pay big money for them - since they offer hormone-free, convenient birth control.

They have been found Rite Aid and Walgreens and other drug stores. Some have even been found marked down on clearance. They cost about $10 for a box of 3, or $20 for a box of six. Also look at flea markets. If you can find any, buy them and sell in a lot. Here are some recent completed listings:


Today Sponge Vaginal Contraceptive Box of 6 2010
That's right! One box of 6 sponges that costs $20 sold for $99!


6 ~ TODAY SPONGE Contraceptive New in Box Exp 6/10
Same thing, a $20 item sold for $99.95!


3 ~ TODAY SPONGE Contraceptive Exp 6/10 New in Box
Box of 3 sponges which cost $10 (or less) sold for $49.95.


Let me warn you, these are hard to come buy. But it never hurts to look if you are out and about and can drop by a drugstore and check. If you do decide to sell them, list them as a private listing. You will get more bids and buyers if the buyer's privacy is respected, because of the nature of the product. Click here for step by step instructions on how to create a private listing.

I had great luck with these last summer and fall, and have cleaned out most of the stores in Atlanta! Other sellers in my Facebook group reported finding the Today Sponges and making several hundred dollars.

Update September 2013: Since this post was written in 2009, I have become proficient in selling grocery items on Amazon, including "embarrassing products" like contraceptives. Personal items sell better online than in retail stores because of the privacy of buying online. In fact, I make between $150 - $200 selling condoms on Amazon every month. Learn more about selling grocery items by taking my class, "The ABCs of Selling Groceries on Amazon."

Related Posts:

How Kraft Foods Paid My Mortgage

Understanding the Amazon Prime Customer

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Thrift Store Items to Sell on eBay - Huge List


As an eBay seller earning my living online since 2003, I have sold thousands of items sourced at thrift stores. Below is a list of items that my readers and I have personally found at thrift stores. This list is meant to help you get started sourcing profitable items to sell on eBay. I will continue to add any future posts to the list so you might want to bookmark this page to refer to in the future.

My specialty is women's clothing. Check out my popular downloadable courses, The Profitable World of Pre-Owned Women's Clothing and The Art of Selling Preowned Shoes to learn what you are leaving behind at thrift stores. 

Top 10 Thrift Store BOLOs

Affliction t-shirts

Alpaca Sweaters

Animal Orgy Coffee Mugs 

Appliance parts

Ariat Riding Boots

Beatrix Potter Items

Birkenstock Sandals

Bobby Jones Golf Shirts

Books

Born Mary Jane Shoes


Blue Remington Hot Rollers

Bras

Briggs & Riley luggage

Brighton Shoes (Womens)

Chenille Bedspreads  

Christmas decorations

Cole Hann Loafers (Men's)

Cycling Jerseys

Denim Modesty skirts

Down Vests

DVF Dresses

Eileen Fisher Apparel

Exclusively Misook clothing

Far Side Collectibles

Ferragamo Shoes

Fiestaware Dishes

Fire King Jadeite

Free stuff from your own yard

Frye Boots

Griswold Cast Iron Skillets

Jeff Rose Golf Shirts

Jigsaw puzzles

Legos

Loveys 

Magazines (not collectibles - current issues)

Masters Golf Polo Shirts

Mephisto shoes

Men's Blazers and Sport Coats

Men's neck ties

Monopoly games, tokens, and boards 

My Buddy dolls

North Face Coat

Obsolete office supplies (cassette tapes, typewriter ribbons, etc.) 

Overalls 

Paint by number paintings

Perler beads

Pizza Hut Mugs

Plush (stuffed animals)

Ralph Lauren Crested Blazers

Ralph Lauren Equestrian Skirts

Ralph Lauren Label Clothing

Richard Caruso Molecular Steam Hair Rollers

Richard Scarry Vintage Books

Robert Graham Shirts

Rothschild Coats

Snoopy Fire King Mugs

Starbucks Bearista Bears

Swimwear

Top 5 Shoe Brands

Top 5 T-Shirt Brands

Under Armour

Vintage Character Sheets

Vintage Pyrex - Amish Pattern

Vintage Electric Hot Rollers

Vintage Lady Schick Hot Rollers

Vintage Personal Care Items (still in packages)

Vintage Rotary Phones

Vintage Typewriters

Wal-Mart Clothing Brands



http://suzanneawells.com/the-profitable-world-of-selling/
Learn how to make more money with thrift store finds with my downloadable course, The Profitable World of Pre-Owned Women's Clothing.






Grocery Item to Sell on eBay UK - Dryel Fabric Care Kit


I'm sure you've seen this product in your local grocery store, Walmart, Target, and Kmart. Dryel is an at-home dry cleaning kit. The starter kit comes with a large fabric bag that you put the garments in, stain remover solution, and cleaning cloths. This is a popular item on eBay international sites. I've sold Dryel on eBay UK in the past. I actually had better luck selling the refills than the starter kits.

Here is a listing for the Dryel Starter Kit that sold for £8.75 ($12.25 USD at today's 1.4% exchange rate). This seller charged £6.99 for shipping($9.78 USD at today's 1.4% exchange rate), which is about right for the weight of the item.



Here is the purchase history on this item. You can see it is a good consistent seller and on several occasions, a buyer bought more than one at a time.



Tuesday, February 17, 2009

WalMart Item to Sell on eBay - Aquafresh White Trays


I was in Walmart yesterday and noticed they are re-setting the shelves, AGAIN. In the front of the store by the registers were carts of clearanced items. One was full of teeth-whitening kits.

These are good sellers on eBay. (Remember the Listerine Whitening Pen deal?) The manufacturers of teeth whitening products are constantly coming out with "new and improved" formulas, so the current products must be moved off the shelves to make space for the new products. For example, Aquafresh Whitening trays normally cost around $35 a box. You can often find them on clearance for half price in these special Walmart clearance bins, in the clearance section at Walgreens, and at Kroger.

Click here to print a $5 off Aquafresh White Trays coupon and just keep it with you in case you see a deal. You can hit your back button and print this twice. Click here to see completed listings on eBay.

On a side note, I also saw the Valentine's Day candy marked down. They had Hershey Kisses for $1.25 a bag, and I happened to have a stash of $1 off coupons for Hershey Kisses, so I grabbed a bunch of bags for only a quarter. The chocolate is fuel for me when I am listing my eBay items!

Happy Selling!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Thrift Store Item to Sell on eBay - Gymnastics Leotards


Gymnastics is an expensive sport. The training is expensive, the meets and traveling are expensive, and the leotards are expensive. (I competed for years and was planning to go to college on a scholarship until I ruined my knees - so I know how expensive it was 25 years ago!) Many times, gently used leotards are outgrown before they have time to wear out.

Frugal moms often buy gently used leotards for their girls to wear to gymnastic practice, or even for competition. Good brands to look for include Shawn Johnson, GK Elite, Adidas, Alpha Factor, and Gym-Kin. You will get the most for the hologram, velour, foil, and sequined fabrics. Be sure to put the key words hologram, foil, and velour in your title if that is what you are selling.

Here are some recent completed listings:


GK gymnastics leotard! AS..competition or workout


Gymnastics Leotard- Child Large - Red and White


Gymnastics Competition Leotard sz 10-12


See all completed listings here.

I have been earning my living selling used clothing and thrift store finds on eBay since 2003 and have sold over 16,00 items - and these gymnastics leotards do well. Look for them in the swimsuit sections of thrift stores (children's and womens areas). Sometimes they are also mixed in with the Halloween costumes.

Click here for my free list of thrift store items to sell on eBay.

Happy Selling!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

How to List eBay Items Faster


This is a very popular question, "How can I list my eBay items faster?"

It is all about organization and time management. I find the best way to do listings is to do similar tasks in batches. Pick 5-10 items at a time. Photograph them. Edit the photos in a batch. Then sit down and create your listings at a time when you will not be interrupted. If you have kids, the best time is when they are at school, taking a nap, or after they go to bed.

Close out all internet windows (yes, even Facebook) and focus on the task at hand. You will be amazed at how much you can do when you are focused on doing one thing. Multi-tasking is a myth. Focusing on one task at a time gets the job done.

Use the same listing format for everything. Whether it is bullet points, paragraphs, or whatever - so all you have to do is change the specifics for each item. I save my template in WORD so I can just copy and pop it in and change the size, color, etc for each item.

I am not a fan of Turbo Lister so I don't use it. In my experience, it just takes longer to batch upload the photos and time is money. It is just too slow for me.

Switch to a DSL or broadband internet connection. Dial-up will take forever to upload your photos, and you will just get frustrated. Internet is a business expense that you can deduct from your taxes. If you are serious about growing your eBay business, a fast internet connection is crucial.

And it may just be time to hire some help. Maybe you are doing all one person can do in a day. Many eBay sellers are hiring helpers for various parts of the business workflow. Check out my class called, "Keep Your Business Growing," and learn how to hire help for your at-home ecommerce business. The class is taught by a long time eBay seller who was able to go from 800 items listed a month to 3,000 items just by hiring a few college students!

Books to Sell on eBay - Richard Scarry Vintage


The author Richard Scarry is famous for his children’s books about Busytown, and the beloved animal characters (with human characteristics) such as Lowly Worm, Miss Honey, Mr. Fixit, and Doctor Doctor. I remember these books from my own childhood, I read them to my children in the mid 1990's, and they are still popular today. The most popular seller is “Richard Scarry’s Busy Busy World.”

You find Scarry’s books at garage sales, thrift stores, used book stores, estate sales, and library book sales. You'll make the highest profit on the books published 1960’s and 1970’s. The better the condition of the book, the higher price you will receive. If it is an older version and the book is in fair to good condition it should do well on eBay.

Here are a few recent completed listings:


Richard Scarry's Look Learn Library 4 book set 1976


Richard Scarry's Busy Busy World 1965



Richard Scarry's Busy Busy World by Richard Scarry 1965


I actually still have some of my Richard Scarry books from the 1960's, but will never part with them!

Happy Selling,

New Podcast - Clothing Lead Testing Law and eBay Clothing Sellers


Today's guest was Jenn Cangelosi of Boutique Bargains. Jenn is a WAHM and has been an eBay seller for over 8 years. Jenn specializes in selling gently used children's boutique clothing and runs a specialty membership group to help others succeed in this same niche. We discussed how the new lead testing law will affect eBay sellers. Click here to listen to the 1 hour podcast. (Episode 24.)

Boutique Bargains & Beyond: Alerting You To Clothes, Toys & More To Sell From Your eBay Store


Boutique Bargains is a "private membership site where eBay-loving moms seek out networking and mentoring advice for selling Boutique Children's Clothing, Toys & More on eBay. Get direct feedback from Jenn and our seasoned eBay sellers." On a daily basis, Jenn and her members share what's hot on eBay in the children's clothing categories, how and where to get inventory online with coupon codes and discounts, and all the nuts and bolts of selling children's clothing. Jenn has even negotiated special deals with manufacturers and online boutiques so you can get your inventory at the lowest possible price.

Most importantly, Boutique Bargains has put together a list of merchants who sell items (clothes and toys) that are approved under the new lead testing law. Jenn and the other members are constantly adding to the list. You'll definitely want this information if you are going to continue selling clothing on eBay. You can access the list by becoming a member of Boutique Bargains. Jenn has offered eBay Coach readers and listeners a special deal: Receive $5 off the monthly membership fee of $12.97 at Boutique Bargains– for as many months as you want to use it. Forever! To get your $5 discount, follow these steps: (You must use the link below for the discount to work.)

Click here to visit Boutique Bargains

Enter coupon code 81440

Happy Selling!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

What Not to Sell on eBay - Well Worn Socks


I get this question about three times a week. Someone finds a listing for "well worn socks" or "used socks." You'll find the same for ladies shoes. People, this is not something you want to do.

These listings are for the foot fetish people out there - all part of their little sexual fantasy world. Sellers set up listings showing a woman (or man) wearing a pair of socks or high heels, and there are creeps out there who buy them. The idea is that these items are used and smelly. Some of these listings go for over $50. But, remember, this person will have your email, and your shipping address. If you are struggling for money, there are better ways.

Related Articles:

Make Money Selling Pre-Owned Plush on eBay

Make Money Selling Household Trash on eBay




Target Clearance Item - Listerine Whitening Pen


My Target has the Listerine Whitening Pens marked down from $11.98 to $5.98. They were on the end of an aisle near the pharmacy. Use this $3 off coupon from last Sunday's paper:



and that brings your out of pocket price to $2.98 before tax. Most listings are for lots of several pens. One box weighs 1.3 oz, so shipping will be ultra cheap. Here is how they are doing on eBay:



2 Listerine Whitening Pens - Brighter Smile in 2 weeks



NEW: 2 Listerine Whitening PENs Expires 11/09 (two)


Tip: Neither of these sellers used the word "teeth" in their title. That is a big key word to leave out. I doubt buyers are searching for "brighter smile in 2 weeks." Also, always put NEW as the first word of your title if applicable. It gets you to the top of Best Match. Also, be sure to offer international shipping on this item. Click here for my guide, "eBay International Shipping Made Easy."

Good luck!