I got lucky!

Last night I listed a lovely piece of Rosenthal china

Pollo white art vase Design Tapio Wirkkala Rosenthal

When I list something like this I usually look online to find others that might have been listed and sold to see where they started the bidding and where it ended up. I know much more about clothing than things like this.

This is a lovely little piece and you know how much trouble I sometimes have selling my things! - but I just have too much stuff and really want to clean out my life a little bit.




So I listed it for a starting price of $1 and knew that many people would watch it and hopefully it would do as well as the one that sold previously on ebay - $157.50.

The next thing you know - I get an instant payment of $12 for the sale of the vase!

OK - what happened here? That was $1 for the vase and $11 for shipping - someone really knew a great deal when they saw it! I always say "those ebayers are really savvy shoppers" - needless to say - I WAS NOT HAPPY AT ALL!

So what happened? Well, obviously I managed to make a HUGE mistake in the listing - somehow I put $1 in the BUY IT NOW box. I don't know how I could have done this - truly I don't - I've been selling now for just about 4 years and know where the price goes. Also - this was not going to be a BUY IT NOW auction. Somehow, someway - it happened.

What do you do now? Although I have sold many things at very good prices and am always happy when someone gets a great deal (like the Black Label Armani suit that went for less than $200!) I wasn't sending this little gem out for $1! I would have to risk bad feedback - but I wasn't going to do it.

I emailed the buyer and explained the error. HE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN NICER! How lucky am I?

Hi Barbara, I am not surprised that there was an error in the Buy-it-now price. I am a reasonable person but, you're really not counting on that since you've stated quite clearly that you will not honor the price. My position is this, I'd like to buy the vase so what is your bottom dollar? If we can come to a reasonable accommodation, I will PayPal the additional funds, if not, reverse the charge and the deal is undone. No harm, no foul... Let me know.

Now - this is the type of person you would hope was the person who bid and won. Lucky for me! What a nice person - I so appreciate his attitude - he sure knew a GOOD DEAL when he saw one! Besides being smart - he is also very very nice! I refunded his $12 happily and hope that he will be able to buy it in the relisting for a fair price (NOT $1).

I gave him my price and he passed but of course he will have a chance to get it at a good price in the auction. The vase will be relisted on Sunday starting at $1 with NO BUY IT NOW!!!! price!!!!!

This will be the listing.....Rosenthal vase

And the rest of my items can be found here! THANKS!

This is what makes it all worthwhile!!

Hi Barbara, Just a quick message to let you know that your parcel has reached me safely and I wanted you to know that your new method of posting via USPS Global Express is indeed a very good method. I can now track and follow whereas before I could not. Thanks for listing such wonderful items, handling your business in such a professional manner, and for being such a lovely person to deal with. Kind regards and appreciation, Melanie

Global Express has made a huge difference in the shipping. Unfortunately the price is considerably higher. The fact that the item can be scanned at the post office (they have a special scan sheet that you can get for each label that you purchase online), insured and that delivery is so much faster makes it all worthwhile.

I have lost two sales because of the higher shipping costs. Neither person even bothered to let me know that they didn't want to pay the additional shipping - but I think that was very foolish of them. One of the items was a fabulous brand new shearling hat that was $150 and purchased on ebay for about $20 - it would have been worth the additional $8 to ship it Global Express and I don't even remember what the other item was. Overall, I think that people have been very pleased. The fact that you can track your item online is very important. I sent two packages to Australia today and this way you don't get the feeling that they are going out and you have no way to track them. When someone emails and says that they didn't receive the item - you were just out of luck. I know that the gal who I refunded the $200 to received her item as the other two people did too - she is just a dishonest person. Luckily for me most of the people I meet are honest and appreciate their good luck in finding such good values on ebay.

Ahhhh - ebay is great!

I love this!

Received this feedback today

Terrific item, fast shipping, just in time for Valetines day, wife loved it! A++

I think that this is really great!
I have been thinking about the person who had bought the SSQUARED RED PATENT LEATHER Handbag for ONLY $29.99! The reason I had been thinking about it was because it was such a GREAT DEAL! and I have wondered about who could have been so smart as to buy it!

I look through so many of the fashion magazines and the BIG THING seems to be PATENT LEATHER! Well, not my favorite thing unless it's on the tip of a CHANEL ballet slipper! Other than that I can live without PATENT LEATHER.

But that's the funny thing about trends - at first you might really not like it - but somehow they win us over and it's in our closets too!

I have really been noticing all of the PATENT LEATHER bags - and the prices too - $1000 and UP UP UP! and this bag was really good looking - sorry I do not have a photo but it was a really great looking RED PATENT LEATHER bag - just like the very expensive bags I have been seeing in Vogue, Bazaar, Elle, W, etc. etc. etc.

So I have thought about this person and how happy she must have been to have gotten such a great bag at such a great price and then I get the feedback and discover that it was a MAN who bought it for his wife on VALENTINE'S DAY!

Isn't that the VERY BEST?!!!!
I think so..........

Check out my ebay listings

THANKS!

It's easy selling YOUR things!

It's easy selling other people's things - it's like the George Carlin routine about packing for a trip - how do you decide which of your "things" to take with you. How important all of your things are - so you finally decide and then you get to your friend's home - so you push their "things" out of the way to make room for your more important "things" - then you go on a side trip - and how do you decide which of your wonderful "things" to take with you! Your THINGS are so important to you!


I've decided that I must clean out my life a little bit - well, really a lot a bit! TOO MUCH STUFF - just tooooo much stuff. BUT is my STUFF just STUFF? It's important to me - but I hate that so many wonderful things are just sitting there not being used. I know I've talked about this before but since I've really been trying to move things on it is forefront in my mind. So I go through things and pick some things out to sell on ebay - I photograph them and write the descriptions, schedule them and watch the auctions - but then - what happens? I remove them from ebay - I just can't sell them! I can't move them on! I want to - but these are my THINGS! Hopefully I come to my senses and put them back on.


Is the person who is going to buy my fabulous brown Prada handbag going to love it? Is she going to use it everyday and really enjoy it? Do I get a guarantee that the bag is going to a good home? I feel like I'm sending my babies off - obviously I am not a well person. What should I do? I really want these things to go to people who will use them and enjoy them - otherwise they just hang from the hook in my closet - what a waste!


What about the wonderful Kieselstein black leather dress bag with the sterling Kieselstein charm bracelet that is attached? I've had it for years - I listed it on ebay and then just couldn't do it! I couldn't do it! I removed it and put the bag back into my closet. I know that I will never use it. I have an even more fabulous Kieselstein that I carry in its place - how many can you carry at one time?


How does it happen that our "STUFF", our "THINGS" can take us over? I know better than this - I really do - I must clean my life of all of this stuff!


It's easy though for me to sell "YOUR THINGS" - I'm not attached to those them!

Check out my ebay listings

This is good!

I loved this - I received this email from someone (who happens to live very nearby) and it did give me a giggle because I understand exactly what she is saying.

I live in a very small town - in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts (no, not near Boston at all). It's beautiful here and people love it - but overall, people do not get "dressed up". Comfy, casual and easy! that's the way people look - because I work in this wonderful high scale clothing store I am usually dressed in my wonderful clothing. Not that I'm all "dressed up" - but I'm not in the basic blue jeans and UGGS!

So when I received this email about this hat - it did make me smile!


They look at me like I am crazy when I go into the country store in center of New Boston with my Eskie stuff on...but heck, I don't care...I am too dang old...and I, too, so love the beautiful clothes! So you keep on wearin' too!
I am bidding like crazy on the hat...I love it..and guess what they will say in NB when I show up wearing it! HA!

A few days later I got this email from her!

I did get IT today! How absolutely wonderful...I can hardly wait for an opportunity to wear "IT".....Although, one might think I look like a weird escapee of the Third Reich!...Some resemblence to a German soliders helmet...Still, so wonderful...so smart, so avant-garde! Looking forward to many more wonders....be well!

ALL SALES FINAL!

I admit that it is not fun having to take something back - it is not fun having to give a refund! BUT is it really fair to ask someone to buy something and then tell them - ALL SALES FINAL! This person is being asked to plop down a few hundred dollars for something that they are only seeing in generally pretty unprofessional photographs. Pictures taken at home in lousy lighting conditions - leaving questions about the real color, actual shape and size. Many of the items that I sell are high ticket items - and I just do not think it is fair to ask someone to buy it with the notion that it is NOT RETURNABLE!

Overall I have gotten very few items returned - I sell good things of great value and people seem genuinely happy to receive them. I was very angry at the gal who bought the MARC JACOBS bag - I should have never taken it back - it was way beyond the 7 day return policy that I offer. I believed her when she said that she didn't use it. It turns out that she did use it and managed to get the lining dirty. SHE LIED! It was too late for me - I had already agreed to take it back with the understanding that it was not used - the bag was BRAND NEW when it was sent to her.

That wasn't a nice thing for her to do. She probably does the same thing with department stores - devious!

But overall when items are returned it is OK - because it is just because the item is not right for that person and no one should be asked to keep things that are not right for them. I received this lovely email from the person who returned the sweater that he bought for his mother. It did not fit her.....

Hi Barbara,
The paypal funds have finally cleared today, and I have left ebay feedback for you.
Thank you very much for this wonderful, and very professional ebay experience. I have not dealt with anyone so committed to customer service as you are, in a very long time.
I hope to do business with you again in the future; and in the mean time I wish you happiness and lots of success in your life.
Best regards

I really appreciate his kind words.

Good for PAYPAL!

You just have to have a little patience - PAYPAL has refunded my money for the NINTENDO DS that was never sent to me. I guess the system works.......Good for me!

Dear Barbara Green,

We have concluded our investigation into your case and have decided in your
favor.

We were able to recover $158.60 USD and this amount has been credited to
you. Please allow five business days for this adjustment to be posted.

If you are due any additional funds, we will make our best effort to
recover the balance from the seller.


If the seller's account has insufficient funds to complete the refund owed
to you, please be assured that we will take appropriate action against the
seller's account, which may include limitation of the seller's account
privileges.


-----------------------------------
Transaction Details
-----------------------------------

Transaction Date: Jan 17, 2007
Transaction Amount: -$158.60 USD
Your Transaction ID: 8NY725230T5506746
Seller's Transaction ID: 1WV39901XA689302G
Case Number: PP-245-747-791
Seller's Name: Motion0202
Seller's Email: MOTION0202@HOTMAIL.COM

I don't blame her........ but really!

Q: I HAVE GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THE GREEN RUNDHOLZ JACKET THAT FINISHED YESTERDAY-THE POSTAGE AND SHIPPING VAT IS GOING TO MAKE IT EXPENSIVE FOR ME-WOULD YOU ACCEPT £50 FOR IT???

Now it is unfortunate that shipping is not cheap! But really am I supposed to GIVE AWAY an item that I had listed because her shipping costs would be high? I had this fabulous RUNDHOLZ jacket listed for $175 - a really good value and a really great jacket. Sold for over $500 - was worn once - is virtually brand new and now someone is suggesting that I sell it for less than $100 because her shipping costs are high.

I would have less of a problem with her just offering whatever amount she thought would be fair - but to suggest that because her shipping costs are high that I should basically give the jacket away. I don't like that!

I don't know this person - do I really have to do her any favors - like GIVE HER THE JACKET?

Very often after an auction ends people will ask if the item will be relisted? I don't like to relist if I don't have to as I have to incur all of the ebay costs AGAIN - often I suggest that if they would just like to pay via PAYPAL that would be fine. I have enough good feedback for people to trust me and most times they do. I send them an invoice through PAYPAL and they pay and I send off the item. Generally they do not ask me to lower the price - often they just miss the end of the auction (this is why I recommend auction sniper) and really want the item.

On occasion I am offered less than the original asking amount - but it is not a ridiculous offer - it is usually fair and when it is I am happy to sell them the item. Easy for me and easy for them. It never hurts to make an offer. But this offer I feel is insulting and for the person to suggest that because shipping is high that I should be happy to give the item away.

SORRY!

The make-up lesson

I have been wearing make-up since the age of 15! YES, that means I've been wearing make-up for ALMOST 45 years! Wow!
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Years ago I mentioned to a friend that I felt my daughter (she was about 15 at the time) was wearing too much make-up (now she wears hardly any) and she laughed at me! "You" "of all people" - "you made more trips to the drugstore for make-up than anyone else!"

So yes, I have always enjoyed wearing make-up. I love going to the department stores and seeing the new colors, the new products and trying them all out. How much hope is there in all of these containers? The joy of getting up the next morning and using the new products - how gorgeous will I be? Ha Ha Ha!

But I don't even sit in the house without my make-up on. The other day we had an ice storm - my power went off at 9:07 am and was out until late in the afternoon. That didn't stop me from putting on my make-up (knowing full well I wasn't going anywhere that day) and getting all dressed. That's it - I just do it - everyday! I don't know any other way!

I believe my vanity helped to save me, when, at age 32 I suffered from clinical anxiety and depression - no matter how miserable I was - no matter how miserable I felt - I got up each day - put on my make-up and got dressed! along with my sense of humor - which luckily helped me to laugh at my misery - I even continued to get manicures even though sitting there was torture! I moved forward thank goodness!

So I see it as a good thing - it helped me to keep going.

This is the list of products that I shared with my sister-in-law. We had such a nice day last week and did our "make-up" together in the morning. It was great fun!

YSL (Yves Saint Laurant) OMBRES QUADRILUMIERES 4 color harmony for eyes
Cle de Peau cream foundation (expensive - but I have used them all and I think that this is the BEST!)
YSL RADIANT TOUCH - highlighter - it seems they sell one every 20 seconds! a great product!
Cle de Peau Contour des yeux - for puffiness under the eyes
Laura Mercier Secret Concealer #1 (again - I have used them all! and I like this one the best - but also use YSL concealer)
Paula Dorf Cheek Color Creme DISCO
YSL Blush VariationFARDA JOUES - variation blush 2 (their blushes are so beautiful)
Lancome Hypnose Black Mascara (again, I've used them all and keep coming back to this one)
YSL Lip Pencil
Lipstick (buy at the drug store-Loreal makes a great selection of colors)
YSL Golden Gloss (ah, this is so beautiful)

Night eye creams:
hylexin serious dark circles
StriVectin SD Eye Cream

Morning - YSL Contour Expert Yeux (for the puffy eyes)
then the Cle de Peau contour des eyes (before putting on concealer)

This is a very expensive list if bought all at once - I couldn't even calculate - but purchased over a period of time - these products all last and I couldn't live without them. Oh my - of course I can! Must keep things in proper perspective.

But then.......

But then there are the really nice things……

I went downstairs to bring some things down that have already been listed. I keep everything listed as best I can downstairs! Always the fear that there will be something that I will not find….

I put the things away and noticed a black WATHNE coat – now how could this be? I sent this coat out last week to someone in New York City – she got a great deal! I panicked! What have I done? What did I send her?

Now I did send about 25 things out last week – having just returned from NYC myself there were all of the things that I sold while I was away – wouldn’t I have noticed though? After all, a black coat with a velvet collar is a black coat with a velvet collar. I’m pretty careful – I write everything down and do check that I am sending the right thing to the right person.

Oh my! Dilemma!

So I did an advanced search on ebay and got the phone number of the person who I sent the coat to. You can do that if you have had a sale with this person – buyer or seller – you can request the person’s contact information. Honest people give real information – dishonest people give phony information.

I received the information quickly and put in a call to the buyer. She answered immediately and couldn’t be nicer! She did receive the coat the other day and seemed rather pleased – she did get a fabulous buy! And yes, she did get the right thing!

The outcome – I had TWO of these coats – the one she bought which was 100% Wool and the one that I just brought up that is CASHMERE and WOOL.

The buyer was so nice – it was good to chat with her and now I have another wonderful coat to list. OK OK – it was careless of me not to notice that I had two! I would have discovered it eventually (as I already have) – things like this can happen.

The opportunity though to have a nice chat with a lovely person is always a good thing! Things are looking up – the sun is shining – hopefully the ice will melt in the next few days and SPRING is getting that much closer each day!

Just not in the mood.........

I just haven't been in the mood for BLOGGING!
This blog is supposed to be about shopping, ebay, clothing, etc.

I've done lots of shopping........shopping for next fall for the store - it was great fun - but exhausting. It wore me down so that it definitely put my blog on hold.

I'll post some photos of the things that I really loved.
The problem with that is that we haven't finished this winter season yet and I really can't wait for this winter to be over (yesterday we had an ice storm and the front of my house looks like a skating rink) - but on the other hand - the clothing was so great - I can't wait for next fall! Now that sounds bizarre even to me!

Once we start opening up the boxes for spring and summer - I'm sure that I won't be looking all that forward to next winter!

As for the ebay part of the blog - well, it's almost four years now that I've been selling on ebay and you all know how much I enjoy it - but frankly, the last two months ebay has really worn me down.

First I had those three packages that didn't get where they were going.
One came back to me marked "unclaimed" (as you might already know) and was sent back to Canada - this time received in a timely manner and the woman was thrilled.
The second finally arrived in France and the woman who received it was so happy. She loved it and immediately paid me back the $217.99 through PayPal - an honest ebayer and a lovely woman. I'll actually miss our correspondence.

BUT THE THIRD - well, I'm willing to bet that this person received the package (after all, the first two did turn up) and will NEVER pay me back the $200 that was refunded to her. She is not an honest person. I have emailed her repeatedly and she has never given me the courtesy of a reply. She has been removed from ebay (I wonder why). I'm surprised that she ever paid me for the item in the first place - I had to wait and wait. I am sorry that I refunded her for the jacket as there was absolutely no correspondence from her. I did believe that I would be paid back if the item was finally received. Things like this make me lose a little bit of heart in ebay.

Then we have the creep who never sent me my Nintendo DS. My claim with PAYPAL is still open. I have to wonder what the question actually is. After all - he gives a tracking number - bogus of course - and not trackable - he NEVER sent anything! He sent that ridiculous email about falling off a horse (Oh Elysha - why are we so gullible - we so wanted to believe him). What would make a person do that? I don't mean the part about being a creep and a thief - I mean write that silly email? Isn't that the stupidest thing?

Ahhhh - but then......I offer a return policy. I mean it - I don't want anyone to be unhappy with a purchase from me! But why oh why - 3 items in one week! In the almost four years I've had so few items returned - couldn't count them on one hand - but this week the hand got used up! Three items - over $1000!

Let's see-one was a Marc Jacobs bag - gorgeous! gal said it wasn't "new" enough. OK - but the bag was really in perfect condition and is still $975 at Neiman Marcus. I would be more than thrilled to use this bag - it's fabulous and totally clean! BUT I say it's OK to return and it is. The bag has already been re-sold on ebay for a BUY IT NOW and there was so much interest in the bag. People know a good deal when they see one.

The second - another Marc Jacobs bag - really fabulous - but already returned twice. The first person actually used it for a week b/4 returning it. I should have never taken it back - but I believed her when she said that she didn't use it. She said that because it doesn't fit over her shoulder she didn't want it. That's OK - but perhaps she should have been honest - the lining of the bag was soiled when returned to me. This bag was BRAND NEW (never used) when sent to her. Then the bag sold again and the next person said the same thing - it doesn't fit over her shoulder. Tell me - please - I give the dimensions - 7" clearance - we all know that this is too small to fit over our shoulders. But I say that I do not want you to be "unhappy" - so the bag came back again. It has been relisted and again - it is a great bag and a great deal. This time I clearly state - THIS BAG WILL NOT FIT OVER YOUR COAT!

This returning costs me money - and remember - these aren't my things to begin with. I only make a commission for selling the items. SOOOOO - I have changed my return policy. You can still return anything but there will be a small charge to cover the listing/relisting charges. $10 maximum depending on the original cost of the item. I am charged a listing fee and then when it sells, a "final selling fee" from ebay. When the item comes back to me there is another listing fee. So I do think that this is fair.

The third item returned - a fabulous cashmere LORO PIANA sweater for either a man or a woman. A very nice guy bought it for his mom - but it didn't fit her and he returned it. Really, that's fine - it was expensive - if it wasn't right he shouldn't have to keep it. It has already been bid on - as it is back on ebay and many people are watching the auction.

But you can imagine - all of this at once wore me out! When I looked and saw the three boxes piled up (all having been received by me on the same day) - I just sighed! Then I issued the three refunds that totaled up to over $1000! Good bye profits!

So I just didn't have the energy to blog and I didn't have the energy to list things on ebay either. But yesterday I got myself going and did manage to list about six new items - I have a ton of things that have to be listed and soon we can start thinking SPRING again!

Hopefully my energy has returned and I can happily be blogging and selling again!

I'll put those photos in another blog - this one is long enough!