Can You Make A Living Selling Antiques On eBay?

Well that's a great question and one for which I have an answer that works for me.

I have sold on eBay for years (almost 16 to be honest). I was part-time for about 8 years...Full Time since May 31, 2005.

There are some problems and some solutions so I figured I'd do an on-going series of posts as I ramp up my business for The Holiday Selling Season and scale it up for higher volume and higher profitbility.
THIS is #1, so you are here at the beginning of my journey.
Here are MY main concerns and those of my mentors:
Inventory -
can two people (there is myself and The Shipping Manger) acquire enough high dollar inventory and get it online consistently enough to make money?

So we'll call that The Sourcing Problem.

It is not really a problem for me... I live in an area where there are between 2 and 19 auctions a day depending on the time of year and the day of the week.
That doesn't count thrift stores, house sales and retail arbitrage.

Processing


This includes, washing/cleaning, photographing, identification and listing it on a site/venue.
How much can I do alone? How much can the shippimg manager help with that?
What is the ideal volume, at a $20 ASP or a $50 ASP or $100 ASP??
Right now with an average selling price (ASP) of $18.00, I need to list about 50 auctions a week to keep traffic coming thru the eBay store which has 2000 items it in (at least this week it does).

I have to work on the numbers for the other levels of ASP and STR (sell thru rate) so I'll get back to you on that subject. Obviously, it is just as easy to list somethng that will sell for $100 as $20. Scaling up to list $1000 items might be equally simple but we'll see as I work thru this.
Shipping

How many things can 1 vintage, used shipping manager handle per day? He says, "More than you can sell" so we'll have to see.
Marketing
Not ready to discuss this yet but I will later...
My concerns, right now are:

1. Cash flow - there needs to constantly be money to source more stock
2. Shipping help - if the shipping manager needs help, whom can I get? I'm totally unfond of the idea of strangers in my house. During the winter I can hire the son to come home and help out... maybe
3. what other "chores" can I outsource?
AND that's Chapter One! Back to work for me.
- 30 -

Goofus Glass ? What is it/

Goofus glass? ever heard of it?? Well I learned years ago at an auction what it was thanks to a fellow glass collector there. 

Here's what Wikipedia says:
Goofus glass is pressed glass which was decorated with cold, unfired paint in the early 20th century in America by several prominent glass factories. Because it was mass-produced and relatively cheap, it was given as a premium for buying things, awarded as prizes at fairs. It was the first carnival glass, preceding the iridized product we refer to as carnival glass today.
Articles produced included plates, bowls, vases, oil lamps, dresser sets, salt and pepper shakers and candle holders. The most common colors used were gold, red, and green, with gold usually being the predominant color. The exact etymology of the name is unknown, but likely stems from the fact that the painted decoration wasn't very durable and people felt that it was "goofy" or that someone had tried to "goof - us".
Indiana Glass Company in Dunkirk, Indiana was possibly the most prolific producer goofus glass. Dugan Diamond Company and H. Northwood were also notable producers of the glass. These companies produced pieces which consisted of lines of pressed glass known as intaglio and painted opalescent glass. These pieces are among the most highly valued items collectors seek today^{[citation needed]}.
The term "goofus" has come to refer more to the use of un-fired enamel decoration to a piece of pressed glass, rather than to the glass itself. Paint decorated opalescent and milk glass items are sometimes incorrectly referred to as "Goofus glass". Painted jewelry, items produced after the 1930s, and items produced outside of the United States are not considered to be "goofus glass".
Goofus glass production came to an end around 1930, as the process for iridized glass was discovered and started being produced.

And here is a picture...(the reason I'm doing the post right this minute is, if I don't you'll never see the picture cause I'll lose track of it..

 

Sales Tax for Everyone...??? or not!

IF you're an online seller, NOW and HERE is the time to express your opinion... POPVOX

Eventually, we'll all be doing "something" about sales tax in our state and/or other states so GO and voice an opinion - whatever your opinion is..

To do lists for Monday??

To do lists for Monday??

Here's Mine
Shipping 8 (done..on the porch waiting for pickup!! )

nothing else is pending or paid so no other shipping...(boohoo!)

Packing up the dining room table... has to be coordinated with recording locations in the custom label field

Calling the auctioneer and reporting that the Versace cake plates are actually fakes..get my money back.. ($230...sheesh..)

Relisting the unsolds....

Listing the things I have pictures of -

Taking more pictures

Listening to Kat's two podcasts if I can manage to remember both... (I make the first one late and then forget to come back from break for the second one...I ain't senile, I'm just stupid!)

First one is at 1 PM EASTERN TIMEeComm Connections - http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/92253
today's topic is Sales Tax - with Keith Yockey and Steven Aldrich. Steven is the new CEO of Outright

Next is FBARADIO which she produces for Chris Green - that's at 3PM EASTERN TIME -
Another appearance by Steven Aldrich of Outright and discussion of what tools you need for FBA... BE there..someone remind me on Googletalk ok?

If you miss the live shows (don't, the chatroom is the best part..and it's not on the replay!) there is a replay!

Play time with the kittens...the one (Whipper of the Levittown Whippersnappers) is still very skittish..she needs more handling - coincidentally I LOVE petting kittens so... we're good!

listing those things I just took pictures of.

Dinner (appears we're all here today..)Chicken Something???

TV night...and read... I'm so behind on reading, I might be dead before I'm caught up.

I'm reading Retail Arbitrage and The Dovekeepers...sort of simultaneously...