Tag Archives: eBay Seller

Side Hustles

eBay Sales 2025 (Q1-3)

Leave a comment

I was checking the dates on another series, WordAds quarterly, and realized I had spaced out the eBay reports.

My last report for eBay was Q4 of 2024.

Early Difficulties

It had been a decidedly slow year for me with my sales prior to the start of the fourth quarter. I also made a $280 blunder along the way, that didn’t help my bottom line by any measure.

I had given some though to looking for other employment after considering my auto insurance bills. I’m keeping that on the table for the time being.

I of course did try to get work after graduating, but found I couldn’t pass the background checks, which led me to self employment.

June and September were my worst months, bringing in under 100 dollars. March through May were excellent by comparison averaging 433 dollars per month.

Estate Sale

In January, I attended my first estate sale. I bought a biker jacket that turned out to be not what I was expecting, but it was actually worth quite a bit. I managed to sell all the items I got there and made a nice profit.

Resourcing

I continued to purchase new inventory at the Treasure Hunt store and Goodwill for a time, but eventually gave up on the Goodwill. Earlier in the year they had stopped accepting American Express at my local Goodwill store and so I stopped going.

I think I went back a couple of times and used my Altitude Go card, but for the most part I got hooked on dollar day at the bin store.

I lost my head at one point and ransacked the bins for all of these swimsuits.

In all I bought 67 swimsuits that I will likely never be able to sell.

Treasures Found

But I have picked up some good items.

I have a large collection of Target brands including Wild Fable, Shade & Shore, and Future Collective now listed on LaFemme1st. I have received deposits of $379 from sales on LaFemme1st so far this year.

The majority of items from the mentioned brands have been swim wear, so these sales are mostly seasonal. But I have had some holiday sales, so I remain hopeful. All of the items are new with tags attached.

I am keeping a list of my Target brand sales included in the eBay Style Code Catalog post. I hope this post will become a resource for other sellers.

Bin Purchases and Pricing Legend (Jan-Oct)

After the recent trip to Washington, I decided to halt purchasing new stock for my shops. I have been good so far and have not visited either the Goodwill or the Treasure Hunt bin store this month.

Wednesday makes up the vast majority of purchases for me at the bin store. I did decide to stop buying air and water filters. There is just too much competition for them on eBay.

Filters also take up a large amount of space and they are heavy. The bag I have them in is a real killer to move about the room.

I’ll see about returning to the store next year in January to see if all the swimwear is gone. I hope to find more dresses and tops. Maybe some jeans if I am lucky.

Personal Health

I’ve also made some changes in my life beyond reselling. I have removed milk, candy, and coffee, from my diet. I am making this change now rather than wait for further bad news from my doctor.

I remain on medication for cholesterol, but I expect my numbers will improve soon. Cutting out candy will reduce my chances of developing type 2 diabetes and eliminating coffee will improve my sleeping habits.

I’ll be turning 40 in nine days. I’m not where I had planned to be, but I am still alive, so I will count that as a boon.

Errant Literary, Side Hustles

Settling back in to old Routines

Leave a comment

My first week back home from the vacation to Washington is nearly over. I think I slipped right back into old habits for the most part. Other than the loss of my watch, much is the same.

On Monday, my eBay shop came off of Time Away, and traffic, organic and promotional, returned to my listings.

I have received 6 orders so far. 3 for FatWalletRefugee, 2 for LaFemme1st, and an AprilAire filter through KingsCastleHomeImprovement.

In the weeks before leaving on my trip, I was involved in getting funding through Liberis for my eBay store.

For several months now, I have seen a banner notice saying I qualified for funding.

I had done some due diligence over on Reddit to see what other sellers had to say about the funding offer. I encountered mixed feelings among the comments.

In the end I decided to go for it. But as the trip approached, I decided it wasn’t a good time to initiate the “loan,” so I declined to sign the contract and after some messages, I let Liberis know I would reapply when I got back.

So two days ago, when I logged into eBay, I saw two banners. One for $600 in funding and the other for a line of credit valued at $1,100. I must say, the line of credit was appealing, but I was wary of the pitfalls of debt and decided to stick with the $600.

It’s not actually a loan per se. What I signed is a revenue purchase agreement. I agreed that 30% of all of my sales would go to paying off the lump sum funding I received. There was also one-time fee of $79.

The estimate I was shown said it would take 4-6 months at my regular rate of sales to pay back the $600 funding.

I received the money in my bank account yesterday and used it to pay off the American Express card that I use for sourcing products.

I also switched to GEICO for my car insurance, so I had another $1,120 charged to it today. I’m saving around $640 annually with this switch in insurers.

Although, I had a heck of a time getting through the application process. Somewhere in this world there lives a web designer; an employee of GEICO, who really needs their head smashed in. I said as much in the exit survey.

Actually, I toned it down. But that web form made me violently, violently angry. I finally got it done after having to clear my cookies and resubmit the form 3 times. No back or undo function. Utter eejits, all of them.

Next goal for my business is to not spend a penny on any new goods. I have backlog of unlisted products, I should be able to finish the year in the black.

Shopping

La Femme 1st

Leave a comment

About Us

Our mission is to provide customers with a seamless shopping experience and quality clothes at affordable prices.

The apparel in our shop has been sourced from a variety of sources, including thrift shops, yard sales, and liquidation stores.

Feel free to make an offer on any of our garments. We offer free returns on all items.

For delisted items, message us through eBay @LaFemme1st or drop a comment on this post.

Featured

Women’s One Piece Backless Swimsuits Deep V Neck Laced Up Adjustable Cheeky Tie ($8.99) Available in Small (Orange), Medium (Red), Large (Red, Teal), Extra Large (Red, White).

Sweaters

Buffalo David Bitton Sweatshirt Women’s 2XL Pink Pullover Top Stitched (SOLD)
Jouica Women’s Turtleneck Oversized Sweater (12.99)
Dressbarn 2x Sweater Cowl Neck Cable Knit Turquoise ($14.81)
7th Avenue Design Studio Women’s “Bow Blouse” ($13.99)
Lane Bryant Sweater Women’s Size 18/20 Maroon (SOLD)
Turnbury Sweater XLT Blue 100% Extra Fine Merino Wool V-Neck (SOLD)

Shirts & Tops

ExOfficio Women’s Dryflylite Long Sleeve Shirt w/ Dual Front Zipper Pockets (SOLD)
Adidas Ultimate Tee XL Women’s Pink Polyester Cotton Stretch Activewear (SOLD)
Alice & Trixie Sleeveless Tank Top (24.99)
UA Women’s Heatgear Tech Shirt Vented Athletic (8.99)
Free To Live T-Shirt Green Women’s Large (Delisted)
Coupe Collection Women’s Blouse Plaid French Cuff Embroidered (Delisted)
1250 North Ladies XL White Dress Shirt 100% Cotton ($22.99)
UA Velocity Short Sleeve Shirt Jacquard Camouflage (SOLD)
Jackets & Pullovers
Columbia Jacket Women’s 2X Teal Switchback III Full Zip Hooded Water Proof +Size (SOLD)
ONLY Sherry Cropped Bonded Biker Jacket Moto Orange Size 36 ($28.99)
Mondetta Women’s Cozy Fleece Shirt Jacket (SOLD)
Lands End Women’s Metal Button Weather Resistant Coat with Detachable Hood ($24.99)
Philosophy Republic Clothing Women’s Faux Leather Olive Green Jacket ($22.99)
Nike Element Shirt Women’s Large Dri-Fit Running Gray 1/2 Zip ($11.88)
Pants & Shorts
Secret Treasures Pajama Bottoms soft Plush Sleep Lounge Pants Women’s size Small (3 Sold | 7 Available) ($6.25)
RAINBEAU CURVES Women’s Plus Size (22-24) Navy Capri Yoga Pants (SOLD)
Women’s PFG Tidal II Shorts Blue – Plus Size 2X 5L (SOLD)
All In Motion Women’s Gray Camouflage Mid Rise 5″ Run Shorts ($20)
7 for all Mankind Dojo Flared Wide Leg Trousers Mid Rise 25 (30×30) Made in USA (SOLD)
New York & Company Bright Pink Sateen 4” Gramercy Shorts Size 18 ($11.99)
Apt.9 Shorts Size 16 Torie Mid Rise Cuffed Blue Hawaiian Cruise 98% Cotton Blend
Member’s Mark Ladies Lounge Shorts 4 Way Stretch Relaxed Fit 2XL Polyester Blend
Old Navy Shorts Women’s 16 Bermuda Railroad Striped Cotton Twill Chino Clubhouse
G Gradual Women’s High Waisted 4″ Bermuda Shorts with Side Coin Pockets Athletic
Other Items
Abercrombie Fitch Beanie Scarf Set Knit Yellow Yarn Vintage Clothing 100% Wool (SOLD)
Kolob Women’s Leopard Print Hat 100% Polyester Flexible Crushable VTG (SOLD)
Official Trump 2024 Hat “Save America Again!” Embroidered Pink Cap for Women ($25.88)
Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Nourishing Oil w/ Vitamin E, 4oz, Natural Scent (Delisted)
Side Hustles

Estate Sales, FBM, and a Moped

1 Comment

I recently sold a moped ($200) on FBM and gave another away for parts. I received cash and later realized I couldn’t put it in my online bank account.

My only use for it was as “fun money.” So this week I’ve been treating myself to crafted coffee at the local Packhouse drive thru. I’ve also been buying goods on FBM using the cash.

I had them in my garage for many years, and my family wanted them gone. We may be moving in the next 2 years, so I figured it was a good excuse to let go of some heavy material goods.

After listing the scooters I looked around the market and found several listing for mens apparel that caught my eye. Last month I bought $33 worth of clothing on FBM.

From one of the lots, I was able to quickly flip a Foundry and a Territory Ahead button-up shirt for an $18 profit. I found the clothes are in better condition than those I find at the Goodwill.

I encountered a reseller on the market after we were chatting a bit over the price on some jeans. It was encouraging to meet a comrade. I think I will keep checking FBM for more good clothes.

I managed to sell that motorcycle jacket with the Terminator patch sewn on it. Even though it wasn’t an original, the underlying Biker jacket was a vintage piece and had great value.

FMC Bikers Leather Jacket

Unfortunately, the eBay selling fees ($11) and promotions ($12) cut into my profit. I paid $35 for the jacket at the estate sale, and I listed it for $75. It sold at full price, but my earnings before COGS were $47.

So, I only earned $12 on the sale. I’m just glad I didn’t offer free shipping. That would have killed me.

I’ve started listing some of my mother’s and grandmother’s vintage shirts and coats.

Among the collections, I came across a vintage Grateful Dead shirt with an Om symbol in the “Steal Your Face” skull design.

I checked the comps and decided to list it at $149 for now. It has an original Double Apple Nepali collar tag. The shirt predates the licensing of the brand and subsequent mass manufacturing of Jerry Garcia merchandise.

Side Hustles

Readjusting to normal sales

1 Comment

Now that the holidays are over I have seen a big drop in the number of weekly sales on eBay.

I had gotten used to the idea of getting 3 or more orders in a day or having an arm load of packages to take to the post office each week.

Since December 30th, I have had only 2 sales. I sold a Columbia women’s vented fishing jacket and some O’Neil men’s red board shorts.

I did miss a few days of listing new items. We got a kitten for Christmas and I have been devoting a lot of time to playing with and filming the kitty. We are once more a cat family.

We named her Mei Mei. It means little sister or plum blossom 🌸.  We hear it used a lot in the Chinese dramas my mother likes to watch.

I almost finished the year with a positive balance on my spreadsheet, but I visited a Goodwill on the same day we got the kitten. I spent $62, on some Foundry and LL Bean button up shirts. I also nabbed a Carhartt Force quarter zip sweatshirt and tee shirt.

My goal for January is to not buy any new stock for my eBay store. I’ll continue to list 1 item a day from my currently available supply of goods. I have also started listing non-apparel items from my closet including computer parts. I’ve sold 2 graphics cards from back when I was mining crypto.

I still have those Apollo Lunar mining units in my closet, but I don’t know if anyone would be interested in outdated crypto mining machines. I also have 5 sets of silver coins from the US and Canadian mints. I was never able to beat the prices of Apmex so those haven’t sold.

I did manage to sell some vintage electronics from the 60’s and 70’s that I inherited from my grandfather and uncle.

So, I still have more to list If I can just stay away from the Goodwill this month. I just need to readjust to normal sales behavior going into Q1 of 2025.

Side Hustles

What Sold on eBay: Q4

5 Comments

See Last Quarter Sales (Q3)

My numbers are up considerably compared to Q3. Starting December 20th, I was raised to “Top Rated” seller status, and I now have a nice badge on my profile.

My quantity sold for the last 90 days is up 56%, however, I did see a considerable drop in the click-through rate on my listings.

Another good news was that I got my first few sales in the new shop @LaFemme1st. I had started wondering whether operating a separate channel for women’s apparel was a good idea, but it seems to be working out now.

I also have a free account with Flipwise that I use to track my inventory for La Femme 1st. I get up to 24 listings per month without having to pay for the service. I highly recommend it for new eBay users.

I have eliminated two of the Excel spreadsheets I was using to catalog my goods and expenses.

I realized that some of the data I had entered was inaccurate and that I had included clothes that I had gotten for free, and then some items just didn’t get included at all.

After clearing those other files, I implemented a new system for cataloging my inventory and sales. I am able to just enter the number of items I purchased and the document calculates to total cost for me.

eBay Excel Sample

I can also include purchases from obscure stores or yard sales and it will keep track of these expenses. I learned how to do a lot of these types of Excel operations in my accounting lessons.

My best sales this quarter have been the Levi’s work shirts I picked up at the liquidation store last month. 13 shirts, all new with tags, mostly in XL or larger sizes, including Big & Tall shirts. A great find. The only issue was that two shirts had security tags attached. I need to find a magnet to remove them.

I also sold the snowboard coat I got at Goodwill. That had been a bad purchase decision. I was glad someone bought it, but I did lose about 75 cents in the end.

Another bad buy was the motorcycle jacket, which finally sold after marking it down over 60%. I did manage to make a slim profit on it.

My most interesting sale was for a Patagonia Hawaiian shirt. I had no idea they made Hawaiian shirts, and it sold within 5 minutes of listing.

I sold it for $40, but looking back, I probably could have gotten closer to $75-80 for it. Apparently, it was a rare vintage shirt. I’ll have to be more careful with items like that in the future.

Side Hustles

Treasure Hunt Liquidator’s

3 Comments

My mother and I visited the local Treasure Hunt store in Raleigh to see what was available. We went on a Wednesday, the $1 day before they restocked the bins. We got some interesting items, mostly arts and crafts stuff.

I picked up a DeWalt Carbon Fiber Hammer Tacker-Stapler, it was in rough shape but I think it still works. I also got a MeshForce WiFi Extender. The little light comes on when you plug it in so I think it works.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/226436469929
https://www.ebay.com/itm/226436463086

Both items were scuffed up a bit, but I think I’ll be able to sell them.

We went back to the store on Friday to see the new items priced at $12 each.

The store was packed with people. We arrived around 11 AM and noticed a few electronic items I was interested in but decided not to take any chances.

All of these items are product returns and only some of the boxes say whether the contents were defective or broken.

I found a great deal though in the clothing bins. Apparel items were all $8 on Friday and I picked up 13 men’s Levi’s shirts for $104 total. The listed MSRP on the shirts was $68.50 and clearance stickers were marking most of them down up to 70%.

The tags all say 2024, so these shirts were all recently released. I checked Levi’s website and I can see that they are still listed at around $45 on a discount.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/226439669050
https://www.ebay.com/itm/226439690864

They came in good sizes ranging from 2XL all the way up to 4XLT. I’ve listed them on eBay at $34.95 each. I am hoping they will get picked up as we roll through Q4.

Unfortunately, one of the shirts was missing the tag and another one had an ink tag still attached to it. I need a strong magnet to remove it without setting off the ink bomb.

Other strategies included burning them off, but I think that risks damaging the fabric. I’ll set those two aside for later.

Queuing in the checkout line.

I’ve had 8 buyers this last week with gross sales of $145 and a net return of $47.03 after fees and cost of goods. My experiment with disabling promoted listings last month was a big failure.

So, I am now always enabling promotions on my listings. It’s not worth trying to go without to save some money. I’ll have to bring down my costs by either sticking to the $2 bins at the Goodwill or by focusing on only selling New With Tag items that I can charge higher prices for.

I am lucky in that the local Goodwill shops do not individually price items on the rack. All shirts and pants have a set price and everything in the bins is two bucks. Sweaters and coats get higher prices, but not a whole lot more unless it is a big heavy ski jacket or something similar.

I’ll see if I can get my spreadsheet uploaded in the coming weeks to give a bit more transparency on how much I am earning and spending with this venture.

Side Hustles

Promoted Listings (eBay)

1 Comment

I recently disabled promotions on all of my inventory to test whether I could go without them and still make sales.

I often hear from YouTubers that they do not use promoted sales, and I was always curious if this would work. On Reddit, the consensus opinion seems to be that promotions are obligatory.

I turned off the promotions for around a week. There were a few sales on days one and two, but these were from promoted listings. Likely, someone still had the tracking cookies in their browser when they made the purchase.

From October 20th through the 29th, I saw my analytics drop considerably. The biggest change was in organic page views, which really surprised me. After the third day, it was just silence. That happy ca-ching sound was not heard again until I turned promotions back on on the 30th.

Within 1 hour of enabling promotions, I received an offer on a shirt. And 20 minutes later, I had two sales at full price on a jacket and a pair of shorts. The orders have continued consistently through to today, when I am posting this.

I have had 10 orders in 5 days. The statistics are fairly consistent, and I even saw a drop in page views, but I have seen a whole lot more offers on my items. And many offers have led to completed sales.

I was disappointed to find that I will not be able to limit or eliminate the cost of promoted listings, but I am much happier having sales.

I have bills to pay, and I can’t afford to have my sales stop.

Side Hustles

What Sold on eBay: Q3, 2024

2 Comments

Next in this series: (What Sold Q4, 2024)

I began reselling/thrifting in July of 2024. This marked the start of the third sales quarter which was a fitting. I had previously used my eBay account for small book sales and some purchases.

My account had a good feedback rating, which I think gave me an advantage.

I’ll start with what sold for each month (July, Aug, etc.) and then give a breakdown of my spending during the period.

I working a catalog of item details for stuff I get from bins that may be loose or new with tag (eBay Style Code Catalog).

July

Sales

It took me a while to figure out which brands would do well. My initial purchases did include a substantial number of flops.

My Net Return for July was $43.18.

ProductNet (Gross-COGS-Fees)
Patagonia Better Sweater L Fleece Vest10.87
2015 Pokémon Group T-Shirt7.39
Nike Dri-Fit Swim Pullover Hoodie3.88

Patagonia Better Sweater Vest Men’s Large Fleece Black Full Zip 25881

ProductNet (Gross-COGS-Fees)
Patagonia Synchilla Fleece Vest Gray5.64
Patagonia Beige Fleece Pullover16.50
Grand Slam Airflow Polo Shirt*(1.10)

Patagonia Jacket Adult L Beige Better Sweater Fleece Pullover 1/4 Zip (25522)

*Due to a pricing mistake, I lost money on this sale.

Spending

I have no other reliable sources of income other than perhaps my dividend portfolio. So spending needed to be kept at a minimum.

StoreAmount
Goodwill147.68
Safe Space21.00

August

Sales

I went overboard with my purchases in August. I also bought a clothes rack, packing materials, and clothes hangers. My Net Return for August was $215.93.

ProductNet Return (Gross-COGS-Fees)
Ralph Lauren Polo 3XLT Performance Golf25.09
Planet by Lauren G Cotton, Oxford Signature15.76
Grundens Children’s Zenith 282 Fishing Jacket20.74
Planet by Lauren G Cotton Oxford Signature22.41
Vinyard Vines 9″ Men’s On-the-Go Shorts8.21

Men’s 3XLT Polo Ralph Lauren Performance Golf Polo Shirt Blue

ProductNet Return (Gross-COGS-Fees)
Peter Millar Crown Comfort 1/4 Zip Pullover6.52
Peter Millar Perth Stretch Loop Mélange16.24
Adidas XL Red 3-Stripes “Rogers Wireless”4.14
Peter Millar Crown Sport Red Pullover9.07
Superdry Premium Lumberjack Flannel Shirt3.46

Peter Millar Perth Stretch Loop Mélange 1/4 Zip

ProductNet Return (Gross-COGS-Fees)
Peter Millar Crown Sport Perth Mélange10.81
P.E.C Detroit 32 Basketball Jersey3.83
Under Armour Tactical Shirt Brown XXL7.20
Gold Label Roundtree & Yorke Pink 16.56.96
Moscow Mockba Dynamo KHL Jersey20.46

Vintage Moscow Mockba Dynamo Men’s Size Large KHL Home Hockey Jersey Bauer

ProductNet Return (Gross-COGS-Fees)
Vintage Winchester Camo Bib OverallsRefunded (6.14)
Peter Millar Polo South Carolina Gamecocks8.84
Ralph Lauren Cotton Dress Shirt – Pink1.27
Bearded Goat Men’s Rover Pants5.63
Exofficio Women’s Large (12-14) Button Shirt3.05

Peter Millar Cotton Golf Polo South Carolina Gamecocks Medium Red/White Stripes

ProductNet Return (Gross-COGS-Fees)
Lands’ End Women’s Plus 3X Blue Raincoat8.26
Scully RangeWear Double Breasted Vest6.43
Patagonia Men’s Better Sweater® Fleece4.74
The North Face Women’s Khaki Shorts1.85
Roundtree & Yorke Gold Label Dress Shirt1.10

Lands’ End Women’s Plus 3X Blue Wind Waterproof Brim Hood Double Zip Rain Jacket

Spending

Previously, I had often avoided shopping for clothes. I tend to wear things until they’re completely spent. Getting hooked on clothes shopping was a new experience for me.

StoreAmount
Goodwill447.56
Safe Space36.50
Cause for Paws17.81

September

Sales

I watched a lot of YouTube channels related to Thrifting, and I got a better idea of what I should be looking for when I shop. Net return was $211.03

ProductNet Return
Roundtree & Yorke Shorts (Lot of 4)9.96
L.L. Bean Women’s XL Tropicwear Rhubarb12.61
Military Woodland Camouflage Outerwear5.16
Columbia Cargo Pants Men’s 38×32 Granite4.78
HANG TEN 10 Men’s XL Surf TrunksReturned

Women’s Tropicwear Shirt, Long-Sleeve, Petite XL Rhubarb

ProductNet Return
Underwraps Cowgirl Vest & Chaps12.35
Hugo Boss Mexico City Polo3.19
Roundtree & Yorke Travel Smart Shirt4.93
NuWave Precision Induction Cooktop15.60

NuWave Precision Induction Cooktop 1300W

ProductNet Return
Under Armour Tech XL Performance T-Shirt6.92
Burt’s Bees Firming Day Lotion (4 packs)61.20
RLX Ralph Lauren Wicking Stretch Golf Polo9.30
PJ Paul Jones Men’s Sweater Vest Cardigan2.71
Unisex Adults Inflatable Shark Halloween4.91

Burt’s Bees Firming Day Lotion Renewal

ProductNet Return
Peter Millar Summer Comfort Polo10.31
Ecko Unltd Jogger Sweatpants Gray6.74
Quince Fleece Sweater Shirt7.65
Power A Armor Case for Nintendo 3DS6.24
Laurel Valley Golf Club Peter Millar7.69

Peter Millar Summer Comfort Performance Polo

ProductNet Return
PATAGONIA Men’s Retro Pile Gray16.06
Carhartt K84 Original Fit Short Sleeve Blue3.73

PATAGONIA Men’s Retro Pile Gray

Spending

This month, I started a 1-item challenge, whereby I ask myself, “If you could only have one thing, what would it be?”

I mostly held to it for about two weeks and then I had a 3 day period where I spent $170+.

My total spend for September came in at $307.15.

StoreAmount
Goodwill299.86
Safe Space3.50
Cause for Paws3.79

My goals for the next quarter are to limit spending to around $100 per month and to reduce my dependence on using promoted sales. My best sales have been the ones without advertising and those where I did not offer free shipping.

I also need to take a good look at my selling prices and adjust my strategy accordingly. There were several sales in September that were close to a loss because I was both sending and taking low offers without considering my cost of goods.

I’ll have a follow-up post for Q4 in December.