Successful Online Trading Hints

Top Ten Book Sales January

2009-01-28T18:52:00.011-05:00

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Top Ten Book Sales January 2009
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FOL stands for the Friends of the Library. These are the organizations that sell the book which were donated to raise funds for various public libraries. If you go to eBay or Amazon and put the title in the search box you will see the closed auction or listing and each picture of the item. You have more valuable books imprinted on your brain if you take a look.

TURNABOUT (Roswell Series)~mass market pb~$200
FOL $.25

ERNST HAAS COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY~hb~$187
FOL $2

HELL, I WAS THERE~Elmer Keith~1989~pb~$85
FOL $1

SUPERMAN ON RADIO: SMITHSONIAN HISTORICAL PERFORMANCES (Historical Radio Plays)~audio CD~$75
Thrift store $5

AWAKENING OSIRIS: THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD~Jean Houston~audio book~$75
FOL $1

MAGICAL DISPLAY: THE ART OF PHOTOMICROGRAPHY~pb~$70
FOL $1

DYNAMIC MEMORY AND STUDY SKILLS COURSE~Brad Voeller~audio CD album~$70
FOL $1

LITTLE BLACK SAMBO~A Golden Book~1961~hb~$50
FOL $.50

THE JOY OF COOKING~ Irma S. Rombauer~hb~1964~$50
FOL $.50

THE COMPLETE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC~CD set~$50
Rummage sale $5.50

If you were surprised by these prices you’ll be further surprised by what we put in your inbox every month. Over 60 titles that are not uncommonly found with links to each book on eBay. This is a great way to learn which titles make great money. Look at the pictures of the titles! Click here for more information

Top Ten Book Sales for December

2009-01-10T23:04:00.001-05:00

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Top Ten Book Sales December 2008
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FOL stands for the Friends of the Library. These are the organizations that sell the book which were donated to raise funds for various public libraries. If you go to eBay and put the item number which is in parenthesis you will see the closed auction and each picture of the item. You have more valuable books imprinted on your brain if you take a look.

FOXFIRE SET 1 - 6~The Foxfire Book, Foxfire 2, Foxfire 3, Foxfire 4, Foxfire 5, Foxfire 6~1972~$130

FOL $7

STAGECOACH STATION SET 1-45~ Hank Mitchum~Bantam books~PB~$100

FOL $5

MCCALL'S COOKING SCHOOL~ Complete 2 Vol. Set~3 binders~$99

Garage sale $5

GENTLEMANNERS COLLECTION~3 book set~John Bridges~2003~HB~$90

Thrift store $4

THE DOUBLEDAY COOKBOOK~Complete Contemporary Cooking~ volume

1 & 2~1975~HB~$60

Thrift store $4

THE SOUND OF MUSIC~8mm Film~Ken Films~$50

FOL $1

MCCALL'S COOK BOOK~Random House~1963~HB~$49

FOL $1

JANE AUSTEN SEVEN NOVELS: Deluxe Leather Bound~NIW~$39

Arbitrage $20

HI, PIZZA MAN!~Virginia Walter~1995~HB~$35

FOL $.50

ROSWELL HIGH (Lot of 5 Roswell Books)~PB~$30

FOL .25 each

Happy Selling!
Julie Anna Schultz
Book market specialist, eBay Power Seller
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com
http://www.FamilyBusinessIdeas.com

Top Ten Book Sales for November

2008-12-27T09:33:00.000-05:00

Here are our top sellers for the month. You should look up the books with a completed item search so you can get a visual of the book covers. This will help you in your hunt. FOL stands for the Friends of the Library. These are the organizations that sell the book which were donated to raise funds for various public libraries. If you go to eBay and put the item number which is in parenthesis you will see the closed auction and each picture of the item. You have more valuable books imprinted on your brain if you take a look.

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Top Ten Book Sales November 2008
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Encyclopedia Britannica 24 Vol. (Encyclopedia Britannica)~$300~orig boxes~AZ
Pd. $10 FOL

2002 World Book Encyclopedia - Complete Set - 22 Books~$223~AZ
Pd. $50 FOL

ValueTale 24 Volume Set (Value Tales, ValueTales)~$218~eBay
Pd. $12 FOL pieced

ValueTale 23 Volume Set (Value Tales, ValueTales)~$218~AZ
Pd. $12 FOL pieced

Anthony Robbins’ Personal Power II: The Driving Force!; Unleash Your Personal Power!; 30 Day Program For Unlimited Success; Volume 1 To 12, Audio - Indexed - 25 Compact Disc~$124~AZ
Pd. $8 FOL

Foxfire Set 1 - 7 (The Foxfire Book, Foxfire 2, Foxfire 3, Foxfire 4, Foxfire 5, Foxfire 6, and Foxfire 7)~$99
Pd. $7 FOL pieced

365 Bedtime Stories~Nan Gilbert~$90 ~ AZ
Pd. $1 FOL

Woman’s Day Encyclopedia of Cookery Complete Set of 12 ~$75~ eBay
Pd. $10 FOL

The Three Investigators in the Mystery of the Blazing Cliffs~HB~$70~ABE
Pd. $1 FOL

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS STORYBOOK~$52~eBay
Pd. $1 FOL

The DIARY OF A CHURCHMOUSE~Graham Oakley~HBDJ~$35
Pd. $1 FOL

Finnegan Begin Again~VHS~$40~eBay
Pd. $1 FOL

If you were surprised by these prices you’ll be further surprised by what we put in your inbox every month. Over 60 titles that are not uncommonly found with links to each book on eBay. This is a great way to learn which titles make great money. Look at the pictures of the titles! Click here for more information

Our Top Sales for October

2008-11-10T18:57:00.002-05:00

Here are our top sellers for the month. You should look up the
completed item search with each title so you can get a visual
of the book covers. This will help you in your hunt. FOL stands
for the Friends of the Library. These are the organizations that
sell the book which were donated to raise funds for various public
libraries. If you go to eBay and put the item number which
is in parenthesis you will see the closed auction and each
picture of the item. You have more valuable books imprinted
on your brain if you take a look.

Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories~4 vol set~$150~eBay
Pd. $1 FOL

The Brothers Lionheart~ HB~$80~AZ
Pd. $.50 FOL

Alice in Bible Land~Set 23 $80 ~AZ
Pd. $4 FOL

Amazing Babies: Essential Movement for Your Baby in the First Year~signed
~$70~AZ
Pd. $1 FOL

Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day~unabridged~HB~$70
Pd. $.50 FOL

A Second Treasury of the World’s Greatest Fairy Tales~$70
Pd. $.50 FOL

The Phonics Game — 18 Hours of Fun For Better Reading $49~ AZ
Pd. $5 garage sale

Samantha’s World 1904: An American Girls Map (American Girls
Collection Sidelines)~new in wrap~$48~ AZ
Pd. $1 FOL

Betty Crocker’s Cookbook ~$45 ~ eBay
Pd. $1 FOL

Muzzy - Basic French. Book, and Two videos (Early French)~AZ~$40
Pd. $4 FOL

Take Me Home: An Autobiography~$38~AZ
Pd. $1 FOL store

What's Hot on eBay?

2008-10-15T13:35:00.001-04:00

Hot Item Alert

Vintage 35 mm Cameras

I ran a Terapeak search and found there were nearly 38,000 cameras listed with the search term vintage camera in the title the lst 90 days on eBay. Of those 38,000, 55% sold and the average sold price was $42. This is great news for the yard sale addict. These cameras can be found everywhere for a nominal price. Be especially alert to the high end camera parts that are no longer being produced. Such brands include Nikon, Hasselblad, and Leica. Look for lenses with covers and bags.

The old Kodaks with the leather molded cases sell very well - up to $250. Also look for the rolling fold cameras. These are in many antique and thrift shops. Take several pictures of the camera at all angles. If you are not able to tell if it has all working parts or even if it works just state that you are novice and provide as many details as possible.

Our Top Sales for July

2007-08-19T17:19:00.000-04:00

My top sales this month. I don't do this to brag rather so you can get a glimpse of the reality of making decent money by selling books on eBay. Remember that you can do this in nearly every category on eBay. Just learn what sells.

Complete Set WILDLIFE FACT- FILE Books ~Science~New Con (150135546646) $149 eBay$2 at a rummage sale - second day

4 Childcraft Books~HB~1949 Orange~Complete Set~Lke New (150133401574) $149 eBay $7 at FOL

6 VOL UNCLE ARTHUR'S BEDTIME STORIES MAXWELL 1950-51 (150137292795) $60 eBay Found forty five minutes into an FOL sale, pd. $1.50

Paddle-to-the-Sea Holling C. Holling (hardcover) $45 AZ FOL, paid $.50

Parish-Hadley: Sixty Years of American Design $178 AZ
Found about an hour and a half into a sale with ten dealers there and several with scanners, and with specially priced books. :-) pd. $1

2001 World Book Encyclopedia Set - Complete Set of Encyclopedias - 22 Books $208 AZ A half hour into the sale with several dealers there. They usually won't touch encyclopedia sets. Pd. $5 Sold in four days - we wanted to move them.

A Child's First Library of Learning (Time-Life Set) $100 AZ FOL pd $3

The Jewel in the Crown (The Raj Quartet , Vol 1) audio book $43 AZ FOL pd. $.50

Preserving (Dorling-Kindersley) $34 ABE Library ongoing book sale - pd .$25

FOL=Friends of the Library (volunteers put on a book sale at the local and not so local libraries)
AZ = Amazon

How about your July top sales?

Julie Anna
http://www.familybusinessideas.com/about.html
Sign up for our newsletter and get your report of commonly found valuable titles!!

Hot Item Alert

2007-08-04T19:28:00.000-04:00

Hot Item Alert

Vintage Dress Patterns

http://tinyurl.com/2pmtrh

Vintage dress patterns (or any vintage pattern for that matter) are easily found at church rummage sales you pay pennies for them usually. Just check inside the envelope and make sure the pieces are all there. Many times the pattern is unused which makes sorting the pieces very easy. We have seen the older style women's dress patterns do very well. Sometimes they close as high as $150. The typical price is between $20-$70 though. I think for a quarter and maybe twenty minutes work photographing, describing and uploading two pictures, I'd be happy with $30 or so. These ship quite nicely, also. Just grab a small manila envelope and apply first class post and you are good to go. The cost is a total of $2.00 for postage and possibly as much as $1.00 for the pattern. Your fees will be perhaps 10% of $30 which is approximately $3.00 + insertion fee of $.85. Total cost less than $7.

A very easy and economical way to teach yourself or your children a nice selling niche.

Take a look at this one:

Vintage 1930s McCalls Evening Gown Dress Pattern ~$150 final bid

http://tinyurl.com/2xumme

Happy selling!

Julie Anna
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Top Ten Sales June 2007

2007-07-22T17:46:00.000-04:00

Here's our June Top Sellers.

We sold fewer books than our normal at 43 books verses our regular 60. It's fine though since we made just as much as we usually make which means less work for more money.
This is the goal!

Time Life~World War II~Complete Set~39 Vol~Fathers Day (150129397334) $199 pd. $25

Tasha Tudor~Becky's Birthday~HBDJ~1st ~Rare~Signed (150137456927) $150 pd. $.50

Becky's Christmas~Tasha Tudor~HBDJ~Welsh Corgi Dog (150108048422) $89 pd. $.50

Haunter of Ruins~Clarence John Laughlin~HCDJ (150077639860) $79 on best offer pd . $1

THE SESAME STREET Library~Complete 15 Vol Set (150133398605) $49 pd. $7

The Civil War~~Illustrated History~Ward~HBDJ~New (150079025991) $39 pd. $1

Intimate Relationships: Issues, Theories, and Research (150128495465) $29 pd. $1

Fantastic Mr. Fox~Roald Dahl~HBDJ (150095375513) $29 pd. $.50

Wondrous Words~Katie Wood Ray (150137699473) $29 pd. $3

The Big Golden Book of Poetry~Jane Werner~1949 (150120926656) $28 pd. $2

How about you? How were your June sales?

Julie Anna
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Buy High Sell Low

2007-07-17T11:11:00.000-04:00

Running an eBay business can be almost as exciting as the stock market. There is a time and a season for selling and there is a time for buying. Sometimes those time frames overlap, but generally speaking, it is convenient for a business owner to have distinct times in which to do each.

For many eBay sellers, the summer months prove to be the time to buy. There is a lull in activity on eBay but as sellers we can turn that around into a great time to pick up inexpensive product for resale. Just as sure as the sun will rise again, the buying will pick back up. We don't want to take the summer off and play (although we all need to play some) but we want to prepare for our busy season around the holidays before that rush hits.

Where to buy ----

Arbitrage (which is acquiring an item on one venue for a lesser value and reselling it somewhere else or the same place for a higher value) is easily done in the summer months on eBay, Yahoo auctions, Amazon's auctions and a few others. It's a good idea to run a Google search to find these more obscure less known websites in which to buy so the competition is lower than it already is during the slow months.

Here is a great tips webpage for yard sale buyers -
http://www.yardsalequeen.com/yardsaleshopping.htm

Check your local auctions. There are live auctions, estate auctions, and storage unit auctions. The storage unit auctions are normally listed in your newspaper under the announcements column.

Don't forget to glance through the online announcement list called Craigslist. It's a wonderful way to both pick up inventory and list 'in search of' ads.
http://craigslist.org/about/cities.html

Local storage container auctions. Check the personals in your local paper or just simply call the storage companies nearest you to see if and when they hold auctions. If they don't inquire as to how they rid unpaid for storage. We have bid and won several containers. This is an excellent way to obtain merchandise and quickly. There are several things to be aware of so you may want to pick up the authoritative and very thorough ebook on the subject. Storage Auction Momma; Turning Storage Auction Bargains into Online Gold

As you peruse auctions, listings, Craigslist, storage container auctions, estate sales and finally garage sales be sure to stay cognizant of the future market not just today's market.

A major mistake to avoid ----

One of my many mistakes as a buyer for my business is being short sighted. I have a tendency to think if it doesn't resale for the price I want in the next few weeks it isn't worth the bother of picking it up. This is a mistake especially when you have room for inventory. As the stock market dictates a buy low and sell high mentality so does the wholesale - retail business. We need to keep in mind that holding inventory that is sure to go up in value is an investment and will return significantly if we are patient and wise in our listing timing.

For more great ideas in how to profit with eBay sign up for our newsletter: Click Here

Until next time. May your eBay sales prosper!

Julie Anna
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

eBay and Homeschool Training Conference

2006-10-24T13:53:00.000-04:00

This is going to be a wonderful family business conference that provides specialized education for parents and teens to learn together. Learn how to sell things on eBay and how to integrate that business into your homeschool.

If you're interested in learning to make money from home, here is a homeschool conference like nothing you've ever seen before! The instructor is a homeschooling father of eleven children and home fulltime earning money off eBay while homeschooling his children with his lovely wife. Read more about this family and their vision for you as homeschoolers at http://www.FamilyBusinessideas.com/conference.html

If you don't homeschool you certainly are welcomed to come and learn how to sell on eBay. On November 4 in Florence, Alabama.

Power Sellers on eBay
Michael & Julie Anna Schultz
Collectors and consultants of fine out of print children's literature
Owners of Book Jewels for Children
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Email us at: Clan4God@rochester.rr.com

Our Top Ten Money Making Books on eBay for September

2006-10-21T10:52:00.000-04:00

I love sharing my Top Ten for the previous month since I know these books can be found. While I don't have a problem with lists of the top eBay money makers in the book category, the more common money making books are the ones we all can find. I have limited time online, so I want to know what can help me make money now. This is why I share with you which books made us money each month. Many times our top money makers we find over and over. Copy n paste the item number into eBay's search box. This will pull up the closed auction and then you will get a picture (or several) of the book. Doesn't a picture help you remember better?

September's Top Ten Book Sales

2002 WORLD BOOK Encyclopedia~23 vol complete
item 150037323391 $299 store pd. $42

The Little Old Man Who Could Not Read~Irma Black~HB
item 150034587844 $99 store pd .25

Set 11 "The Story of Civilization" Books~Will Durant~HB
item 150028736462 $99 store pd. $3

45 Dr. Seuss ~Berenstains & Smurfs~Suess~HUGE LOT~new
item 150033954536 $76 pd. $12

Lot of 7~The Great Brain Books~Completed Set~PB
item 150036076252 $69 store pd. $2

Lot of 28 Zane Grey books~Walter Black~Western~Gift
item 150035727385 $51 pd. $20

20 Vietnam Experience~Time Life Books~American History
item 150037322137 $50 pd $5

Lot of 25 Magic Tree House Books 1-19, 21-25 Treehouse
item 150037709402 $46 pd $6.25

5 Disney DVDs~Peter pan, dalmations, cinderella~Disney
item 150035749257 $33 pd $4

Light Her Fire Audio Tapes & Workbook Set~Ellen Kreidma
item 150025499190 $29 pd. .25

Do you want to get five times these links each month? Yes, we offer a service that teaches YOU how to find these books easily and frequently. Get your subscription to our monthly book lists which generates leads of commonly found money making books online. Click here to read more about it!

Power Sellers on eBay
Michael & Julie Anna Schultz
Collectors and consultants of fine out of print children's literature
Owners of Book Jewels for Children
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Email us at: Clan4God@rochester.rr.com

eBay Nostalgia

2006-09-02T20:18:00.000-04:00

Today I signed up with The Art of Books.com (or AOB for short). This is a bookseller’s Cadillac of databases for iventory management. It allows you to list on several online selling venues and manages post sales tasks. There is definitely a learning curve involved in the beginning of using the progrm, but well worth the effort. We only started selling on Amazon a few months ago. We have sold children’s books exclusively on eBay for over five years. We have been Powersellers for almost that whole time. eBay has been good for us. I almost felt as if I had betrayed eBay by lsiting my books elsewhere. However, there is a truism in life that never changes and that is that everything changes. It was time for us to expand our bookselling business. We still highly recommend eBay as a great way to start a family business. eBay is a selling venue that is quite forgiving in listing mistakes. We have trained five of our children in entreprenuerial skills through our use of eBay. Our three oldest children are all self starters and independent. They are optimistic about their futures and plan to succeed without being tied to a j-o-b. In fact, our 13 year old son has started a website/graphics business. He is doing very well with it. The seven year old jumps on the computer to list every day. He types all the needed information, and then is rewarded by being allowed to play one of his computer games. Now, I know I had no idea how to type when I was seven. Did you? My 16 year old could be a librarian. He is very adept at viewing and pulling titles in record time amongst thousands of volumes. I was impressed by his knowledge of books. I like that he likes books! So, as much as it saddens me to leave selling full time on eBay, I have fond memories of the flexibility eBay has afforded us in creating a home business. We have learned lessons abot online commerce that we never would have learned if it were not for eBay. We are grateful.

Power Sellers on eBay
Michael & Julie Anna Schultz
Collectors and consultants of fine out of print children's literature
Owners of Book Jewels for Children
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Email us at: Clan4God@rochester.rr.com

How Do I Do It All?

2006-08-25T12:36:00.000-04:00

I am often asked, "How do I do it all?" I have eleven children and a couple of businesses. The only way I can survive is through incorporating my children's help into my eBay business. Their help counts as school credit. My youngers have their tasks, also. Just in time for the busy season, I found a great idea article from Jeni Hunt of HuntedTreasure.com. I love her stuff! Enjoy!

Make Your Child Feel Important With The 'Ebay Box'
By: Jenni Hunt

One of the best ways I have found to make my children feel valued, is to make a point to include them in my own activities. They love it when they think they are helping me out or doing something that is ‘grown-up’ like mommy. When I pay my bills, for example, usually one of my kids is wanting extra attention. Rather than get frustrated for the interruption, I get out another calculator, ledger, pen, and gather some junk mail. Next to my work area, I set up an area for my child. This usually buys me enough time to get my bill paying done – and my child hasn’t felt like they were bugging mommy. Instead, they feel like they are participating in something fun with mom (they are still too young to know that paying bills isn’t fun!).

This is a great idea to apply to our ebay work. Here are some tips for creating an 'Ebay Box' for your child (Great for ages 2-6). It will allow them to feel like they are involved and helping you out. Rather than having your ebay time be a time where you are ‘busy’… make it a family affair.

What you will need:

A Bin large enough for the following items

> Camera (an old one from the thrift store will work – it doesn’t have to work or have film in it… although, the flash can be fun for the kids to play with)

> Envelopes (these can be recycled from your junk mail)

> Stickers

> A small blanket or towel

> A notebook or a few pieces of paper

> Pen, Markers, or Crayons

> Tape

The idea is to create a box that is pulled out whenever you are taking the time to take pictures of your ebay merchandise or packaging the items. This box is your child’s ‘ebay’ stuff. When you are taking pictures of your items, let them pull out their blanket or towel from their box and lay it out next to your picture background. Give them a few clothing items or toys to arrange themselves while you are arranging your own items to picture. They will be thrilled to have their own camera to take pictures just like mommy!

Involving our children in our daily activities is such a wonderful way to express to them their value. It keeps them from feeling like they are interrupting all the time and like mommy is excited to ‘work’ with them as well as ‘play’. There are so many ways to include your child in your ‘work’… here are just a few other tips:

> Get a child’s toy vacuum – or a lightweight sweeper they can pull out and use while you are vacuuming

> My kids have a play kitchen right next to my kitchen. When I’m busy doing the dishes, I give them each a sponge and spray bottle and they clean their little kitchen… we have lots of fun talking about how clean we are getting things. They are learning great skills while having lots of fun with mom!

> Disguise work as play when folding laundry… play a game to have your kids see if they can find the matching socks! My mom use to pay me a penny a pair.

There are so many creative ideas to get your children involved in your every day activities. It can be so difficult to separate our time as ‘ebay time’, ‘cleaning time’, and ‘kid time’… I don’t know about you, but, when I separate my time this way, I always feel guilty that I am putting off my children to clean. There is nothing wrong with having our children play alone for a while so we can get some things done. I, personally, feel better doing this when I know I have already included them in my daily activities as much as I can.

Article by:

Jenni Hunt has a passion for helping other moms succeed in their work at home endeavors. Visit iHomeMaker.com and learn more ways for managing home and business. "Secrets To Profitable Auctions - List like a Pro" Is just one of the many resources Jenni has developed to better your ebay business.

Our eBay Top Performers for June

2006-07-30T18:55:00.000-04:00

Hello All,
Here are our top performers for June on eBay. Our store performed well. We opted out of eBay Express for July. It will be interesting to see if we faired as well once I analyze sales.

Complete WILDLIFE FACT- FILE ~ 7 Binder Set~Like New (4650966614) $149.99 store

BRITANNICA 54 VOL GREAT BOOKS OF THE WESTERN WORLD 1952 (8423597177) $132.50

Book Trails~8 books~Leather~Rare~Little Black Sambo (8070893383) $112.50

Lot of 14 Nancy Drew Mystery Stories~HB~Rare (8071900388) $40.99 store

Stratton-Porter lot~Freckles~Girl of Limberlost~vintage (7027046766) $29.99 store

I, Claudius~ 7 VHS tapes~Box set~Rome History~BBC~1976 (7043854114) $26.89

Star An Irish Wolfhound~HBDJ~Janet Rogers Howe (160003331768) $19.99 store

Eloise at Christmastime~1st printing~Kay Thompson (8076547760) $19.99 store

A Child's History of the World~V M Hillyer~HBDJ (8072669149) $19.99 store

A Dick and Jane Reader~More Friends and Neighbors~HB (8073861395) $19.99 store

Power Sellers on eBay
Michael & Julie Anna Schultz
Collectors and consultants of fine out of print children's literature
Owners of Book Jewels for Children
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Email us at: Clan4God@rochester.rr.com

eBay Top Sellers for May

2006-06-12T22:33:00.000-04:00

Hello All,
Here are our top performers for May on eBay. The encyclopedia set he paid $8 for. Always pick up later edition (2000) or better encyclopedia sets. When they are in great condition you will make good money. Ours were picked up on the "buy it now" for $200.

Encyclopedia Britannica 15th Ed. Complete Set Excellent (4643067202) $199

MUZZY GERMAN BBC Video Language~homeschool~Level 2 (9130138666) $104

MUZZY Language~German~HOMESCHOOL~complete Lvl 1~ Video (9130141697) $91

The City Under the Back Steps~Evelyn Sibley Lampman~HB (7028059197) $56

Dolls To Make For Fun And Profit~Edith Flack Ackley~HB (4623306736) $50

Betty Crocker's New Picture CookBook~Cook Book~1st Edit (4636613360) $41

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory~Roald Dahl~HBDJ (7028057083) $36

Increase Your Bidding Wins with this FREE Service

2006-05-20T17:32:00.000-04:00

I wanted to tell you about this wonderful service I just signed up for. It's free! AND right now you can get $20 just for signing up. Now that eBay is connecting itself to your portable devices like your cell phone the opportunity to win every auction has increased big time. This service calls your cell phone (or any phone) just before the end of an eBay auction. This is the time you want to know what is going on with your auctions. With UnWired Buyer, I never forget about an auction I bid on. I don't know about you guys but I am often away from my desk when auctions close and I get so upset when I forget to bid! No more! The best part is that it's FREE to us ebay users. This is certainly another tool that will help you buy items low and resell at a better time (or better listing) for much more. What fun. What will they think of next? Sign up and get your $20 with your first win. http://www.UnwiredBuyer.com

Happy Bidding!

Julie Anna Schultz
Powerseller
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Another Great and Very Helpful Article for the Bookseller

2006-04-10T20:09:00.000-04:00

I think this ought to be required reading for every online bookseller. It sure would have helped me in the beginning. Karin gave me permission to post this here. She is not only a great online friend to me, but a fantastic moderator of the Yahoo group eBay_Establishings that she mentions.

Enjoy! Julie Anna
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

eBay Establishings’ FAQ: Selling Books on eBay

This information is a compilation of our YahooGroup list members’ expertise. It is freely offered, and we ask that you not attempt sell it, or to copy or distribute it in any form without the explicit consent of the holder of the copyright.

Like anything written about eBay, it should be considered a work in progress – change is the one constant in selling books! If you have comments or suggestions that would make it better, please contact: kbergsagel@cox.net with E_E FAQs in the title.

Step 1: Acquiring Books to Sell
The good news – almost anywhere! Here are some common sources:
1. Your own shelves ☺: what are you and your family ready to declutter and share
with others?
2. Yard Sales: what are your neighbors ready to declutter and share with others?
3. Thrift stores
4. Used bookstores: many accept your books in trade, and so it can be a good place to trade in books that don’t sell well for those that do. This is an excellent way to complete a series, or to add books to a lot.
5. http://www.PaperBackSwap.com is the cyber-equivalent of a Paperback Swap bookstore, but there is no middleman. Users list their books, and when one is requested, they mail it out. When it is received, they are given one book credit, which they can then use to request another book. Member ship is currently free, but this may change. If you do sign up, I would appreciate it if you would use my email kbergsagel@cox.net as your referral. If you do, then I receive a credit as soon as you have listed 9 books in the system. And you receive 3 free credits!
6. Antique stores: for the experienced. If you are used to buying a book for a buck, and selling it for $20, then the next step -- buying a book for $50, and selling it for $100, may not be an approach that you have considered. Think again – bigger investments can equal bigger net profits!
7. Flea Markets
8. School library discards, private and public: get to know your local librarian, and tell him or her that you would love to help recycle any library discards. Older children’s books can be very collectible, even in ex-library condition.
9. Dollar Stores: a much under rated source, in my opinion! Just keep your eyes open; in the last couple of years I found multiple copies of the first edition of Stephen King’s On Writing, which sold for a tidy profit. This is just one example.
10. eBay: again, for the experienced. Once you know what you are looking for, it can be a great way to buy inventory that you can turn around and sell profitably with a better listing. Known as ‘eBay Arbitrage’.
11. Other online sources: these are of two main sorts. One specializes in deeply discounted (‘remaindered’) overstock books at lower than wholesale prices. (A remainder mark is a way that publishers mark books that they are passing on to overstock dealers, so that they cannot be sold for full price. It can range from a hole punched in the cover, to a line through the ISBN, to a mark on the page edges.)
12. Book Sales: I’ve left these for last, because they are such an important source. Book sales are typically sponsored by Friends of the Library (FOL) organizations at public and university libraries. Some churches and sororities and other organizations also sponsor book sales. They are almost always volunteer-run efforts, and proceeds support very worthy efforts.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Treat the volunteers with respect! Some libraries have an ongoing sale in a designated area, and others only hold periodic large book sales. Offerings may include donated and/or withdrawn library books; CDs and audiotapes; DVDs & videos; magazines & other paper ephemera; and computer software. I’ve even bought crates and shelves, on occasion! Keep your eyes open for announcements of sales, and also register for the free newsletter at: http://www.booksalefinder.com/salemail.html . You will receive personalized announcements of upcoming sales.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT #2: Do NOT waste time on the ‘Book Scouts Wanted’ Ad that you will see this web site!
Step 2: What Do You Have?
HINT: Old does not equal valuable.

Now you should have a pile of books to research. Here are some ways to determine value:
1. If there is an ISBN (International Standard Book Number – a 10 digit number found near the barcode or on the copyright page), enter it into the search box at http://www.amazon.com HINT: you don’t need the hyphens This will tell you how popular the book is (look at sales rank in Product Details) and what current asking prices are for used copies.
2. Do a Completed Item search at eBay. (Search in the usual way, then check off “Completed listings” in the left hand column of search options.) This will tell you what prices this book has sold for on eBay over the last 3 weeks or so, and will give you an idea as to how common it is.
3. Search at http://www.addall.com by entering ISBN, title, +/- author. HINT: Make sure that you are comparing the exact same editions. Remember, the prices that you see are ASKING prices – they do not mean that the book is actually selling for that amount! But it will give you a range, and just as important, tell you how many copies are available online. Tip: You may have learned that your books are not worth much. Think creatively – can they be sold as a lot? Typical lots are several books by a single author, or a specific genre (mystery, Western, romance, etc.), or from a series. Can you bundle a book with something else as a gift set? Can you swap them at a book exchange for titles that will sell?

But what about first editions?

Good question. In general, you should check to see if collectible books are first editions. Broadly described for the purposes of first edition identification, collectible books are usually modern (20th century+) fiction, including children’s picture books.

In non-fiction, it is usually more important to have the current edition of a book.There are some exceptions, like Graham and Dodds’ Security Analysis. The first edition (1936) sells for 4 figures.
Identifying first editions is quirky. If you plan to sell many books, you should acquire a copy of a very handy guide: Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions by Bill McBride, which lists over 3700 publishers from 1850 to the present and the manner in which they have identified the first printings of their books.

You can order it directly for $15.95 at: http://www.jumpingfrog.com/pocketguides/index.php Until then, there is an excellent introduction to the subject here: http://www.emptymirrorbooks.com/firstedition.html

Step 3: Make It Look Its Best
With a valuable book, unless you know what you are doing, it is probably best to do very little, if anything. But many books will benefit from:
• A gentle cleaning
• Erasing of pencil marks
• Removal of stickers (UnDu works miracles!)
• Placing the dust jacket in a protective mylar cover
• Deodorizing (try sealing in a bin with kitty litter for a while) or use this product:
http://www.bookdeodorizer.com/

WARNING: Molds and mildews can be highly toxic. DO NOT try to salvage books damaged by mold. This site gives an excellent and detailed description of many repairs: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~preserve/repair/repairindex.htm This is an excellent do-it-yourself guide: http://jgodsey.pbwiki.com/DiscardedBooks
These 3 companies are excellent sources for book repair products, such as those described above. You can even buy basic starter kits: http://www.Demco.com http://www.Brodart.com http://www.Gaylord.com

Step 4: Sell It!
I’m assuming that you are already familiar with selling on eBay. If not, I suggest this ebook: http://cybermomshomeincome.com/eclectic_bookworm

Specific points to cover when selling books are:
1. Title
2. Author or Editor
3. Illustrator
4. Illustrations (color or b/w, woodblocks, engravings, tipped in, etc.)
5. Publisher (including place of publication if important)
6. Date of Publication (include copyright date if different)
7. Edition (if you don't know what it is, don't guess!)
8. Binding (hardcover or softcover, cloth, leather, etc.)
9. Size (state width and length in inches)
10. Number of Pages
11. Other (remainder, ex-library, ARC, etc.)

And a biggie – condition. Let your pictures speak, but also describe it in words. Don’t be intimidated by not knowing the booksellers’ trade jargon – just say what you see. “Pages yellowing” is just as descriptive and easy to understand as “Pages tanning”, as one example.

Try to say more than just ‘good condition’ – what does that mean? Include details – is the spine creased? Is there a previous owner’s name? Is it smoke-free? Is there highlighting? Or perhaps it is crisp and clean and ‘like new’. When selling collectible books, be sure to include pictures of:
• The parts of a book that are most susceptible to damage:
o tops and bottoms of spines, edges, and corners
o hinges
o whether the book lies straight
o the top of the text block (where dirt/dust typically accumulate)
o dust jacket
• Proof of edition state – usually the copyright page
• Any ‘bonuses’, such as a signature
• Any defects, such as a torn or scribbled on page
Craig Stark did an excellent series on eBay bookselling recently. Access it here at:
Part I: http://www.bookthink.com/0044/44bee1.htm
Part II: http://www.bookthink.com/0045/45tex1.htm
Part III: http://www.bookthink.com/0047/47ebay.htm

Step 5: Pack It!
If you are going to be selling books regularly, then I recommend that you use the methods outlined here:
• How to Package Books Cheaply, Quickly and Safely - Part 1 by Craig Stark
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y201/m09/abu0047/s02
• How to Package Books Cheaply, Quickly and Safely - Part 2 by Craig Stark
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y201/m09/abu0048/s02

One of our list members sells B-flute and other packing supplies at an excellent price: http://stores.ebay.com/Packitnow2005 If you are just selling the occasional book, then adapt his method to the materials that you have on hand.

TIP: A bubble envelope alone is NOT sufficient packaging for a collectible book! ‘Lots’ of books are best shipped in boxes.

Step 6: Ship It!
One of the terrific things about selling books is that they are relatively inexpensive to mail. That is because the USPS has a special Media Mail rate. See the complete rate table for domestic shipping, including media mail here: http://pe.usps.gov/cpim/ftp/notices/Not123/Not123.pdf Sometimes a customer will need expedited delivery. In that case, don’t forget about the flat rate Priority envelopes ($4.05), which are often large enough for more than one book, and the 2 sizes of flat rate Priority boxes ($8.10/each). Books are sufficiently heavy that the flat rate boxes are often the best deal in Priority shipping. There is even a special shipping alternative for books being sent internationally; it is called the M-bag rate, and is available by air and by surface.

HINT: Not all post offices are familiar with the procedures for these; call ahead if you
can!

See the complete rate table for international shipping, including M-bags, here:
http://pe.usps.gov/text/pub51/welcome.htm

For faster shipping of smaller numbers of books, remember the flat rate Global Priority envelopes. They are the same size as the domestic Priority envelopes, and cost $7.50 toCanada & Mexico, and $9.50 to the rest of the world (although it is not available to all countries). If the shipping method that you have chosen does not allow for USPS insurance, consider using a third party. Two well-regarded sources are: www.dsiinsurance.com http://www.u-pic.com/

Step 7: Learn More!
One of the joys of bookselling is that there is so much to learn! For places to learn (apart from eBay itself, that is!), I highly recommend:
www.bookthink.com
Copyright 2005 Karin Bergsagel

Do You Know Which Authors to Look For that Make Money on eBay?

2006-03-31T09:16:00.000-05:00

Today, on my eBay_Establishings discussion list, a person asked for a general list of collectible children's books author names to look for to resale. Whew, I don't think they realized what a huge task it would be to type it all out. So, I just gave them a general answer that took about twenty minutes. For a better answer, I do offer a file of 300 book titles that took me a few days to collate after three years of research.

Anyhow, here is how I answered:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Mavis~
Well, always do a completed auction title search on books for , oh say, $30 and over. You can customize your search page to whittle down all the junk book lots that will appear.

As for authors, boy, there are so many, but not all these names'titles are collectible. Names we often pick up and sell would be limited because again, reprints and such devalue books. It is all about knowledge and research.

Illustrators and authors to look for:
Lois Lenski
Tasha Tudor
Paul Brown
Joan Walsh Anglund
Wesley Dennis
Sven Nordqvist
Marguerite Henry
Mariana
Maud Hart Lovelace
Helen Bannerman
Edna Miller
Evelyn Lampman
Jim Kjelgaard
Robb White
Dare Wright
John Denver
Walter Farley (old hardback editions)

Old editions:
Frank Baum (he has a bunch of pen names to look for, also)
WW Denslow
Ruth Plumley Thompson
John Neill
Donahey
Harrison Cady
Winsor McCay
Lucy Fitch Perkins
Elizabeth Upham
Helen Sewell
Walter Crane
Mabel Lucie Atwell
Jessie Willcox Smith

Well, that's off the top of my head. There are so many more, and in particular title names to look for. The lovely thing about children's books as a starting point is hardly any dealers go scopping up books in the children's section of the used library book sales. They do come along but usually I have the tables to myself for a good twenty minutes. Of course, when you are educated you won't get nervous anyhow.

My Dh and I were talking yesterday about the lack of knowledge out there. There are so many booksellers who have been selling for years, but still leave an adequate amount of $50-$70 books behind when I go through the tables after them.

I have a newsletter with a give-away that will help you and I have a monthly subscription list of books that teaches you exactly what to look for. Take a look, and get educated!
http://www.familybusinessideas.com/ebaylinksubscription.html

Julie Anna
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Have I Hit the Big Time?

2006-03-28T10:28:00.000-05:00

Well, they say you have hit the 'big time' when your critics come out publicly. Well, I don't feel like that is what happened necessarily, but my business model on eBay has been challenged previously. I guest editted for Craig Stark at Book Think, his 50/50 subscription issue #11. Boy, did this one stir up some controversy. You can read the public thoughts at his discussion board. The thread title is Question Regarding Newest 50/50 Newsletter.

Let me know your thoughts!

Power Sellers on eBay
Michael & Julie Anna Schultz
Collectors and consultants of fine out of print children's literature
Owners of Book Jewels for Children
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Email us at: Clan4God@rochester.rr.com

March Top 10 Book Sales at Our Auctions

2006-03-26T12:35:00.000-05:00

Something we like to do at the month's end on my discussion list is share our top sellers. Many of you aren't on that list so I thought I'd post mine here. All of these books are not hard to find, especially at library used book sales. Take some time and peruse our closed auctions and you will get ideas of which books sale for how much. Each auction has the item number in parentheses so you can look each auction up at eBay. I suggest doing this for several reasons. Mainly so you can learn not only which book sales for good money but HOW to sell that particular book. Yes, how we list does make a diffeerence in our final value price with collectible books. If you would like more information, then do some completed item searches. I believe we can never stop learning. This will keep you in business; learning. Feel free to peruse our closed auctions. Jot down title names in a small notebook to consult later at a sale or before going in to a thrift store.

Knowledge is the true organ of sight, not the eyes. ~Panchatantra

Top Ten March Sellers

Our exciting auction this month...
This one is still up but closing very soon! This is our fourth time selling this title. This current auction has 15 watchers! Be sure to keep your eyes open for this one.

The Sugar Mouse Cake~Gene Zion~1964~Dust Jacket~Rare (8050102150) currently at $41, expected to close at about $90
http://tinyurl.com/jyvju

The Mysterious Voyage of Captain Kidd~Landmark Bk #122 (8046297482) $99

Lot of 19 The Good Cook Time Life Books~HB~Cook Books (4611881666) $49

17 How To~Time Life Books~HB~Photography~Set (4615737784) $49

The Boys' Third Book of Radio & Electronics~Morgan~HBDJ (8048314714) $38

Little Witch~ Anna Elizabeth Bennett~HBDJ~vintage~1953 (8048589589) $36

Pookie and the Swallows~Ivy Wallace~fairy~1961~bunny (8048589490) $34

Circus Maximus Board Game~Avalon Hill~Complete (6041943403) $25

Double Exposure~Roddy McDowall~HBDJ (4614660870) $25

The Great Brain at the Academy~John D. Fitzgerald~HB (8045790149) $20

Power Sellers on eBay
Michael & Julie Anna Schultz
Collectors and consultants of fine out of print children's literature
Owners of Book Jewels for Children
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Email us at: Clan4God@rochester.rr.com

Sage Advice from a Bookseller and Entreprenuer

2006-03-16T08:58:00.000-05:00

I can't agree more with this sage advice:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is one required quality for the person who would consider opening a B&M and/or making a living full time on the internet, and frankly I'm not sure that can be learned while working for someone else. I'm thinking that some of it has to be innate, a part of one's personality. That quality is that an individual business owner HAS to be a self-motivated person. We have no one to rely on to tell us what to do or when to do it.

A second quality (which maybe should be the first) is that we HAVE to be willing to risk--every day. And the key factor of that quality is that we can't let that risk cause us to become trembling masses of ineptitude and indecision. One has to make decisions continually with sometimes inadequate prior knowledge, going often on gut feelings, and just know that things will turn out just fine. (A lot of prayer is helpful. :-)) In other words, we have to shoot and whatever we hit, we call THAT the target and know we did the right thing for that instance given those circumstances.

Do we make mistakes, fail, spend money foolishly at times, take stupid chances, make wrong decisions, etc.? Of course! That's the fun of this thing. :-) How else would we learn and grow? Risk, in this case, simply has to create within the independent business owner a sense of excitement rather than dread and worry.

Dread and worry are negative states of mind and they block the creative flow of positive possibility thinking--which leads to new ways of doing the same ole things to make a living. Do we also experience dread and worry? Of course, we are only human. But we are able to see through, over, under, or beyond that to the possibility that dollars are possibly there to be made if a chance is taken. Sometimes we are right, sometimes wrong--but wrong doesn't make us Quit, it makes us back up and try again.

These same principles apply regardless of the type of business one would open, not just bookselling. But whether an individual is a self-motivated risk-taker will have a lot to do with whether or not that individual jumps ship at the first upset--only to go on and get out of our way. Booksellers come and go on a regular basis, especially on the internet. My belief is that most will go on to something more suitable for them, so I put little time into fretting about the 'competition'. They just don't have the gumption to keep on keeping on faced with the reality of the bookselling atmosphere.

Then there are those non-quitting independent souls who refuse to admit that bookselling can be an all-consuming, frustrating, and/or misery-making money-losing proposition and they just keep on supporting their family by working full-time at selling books on the internet--learning and growing and Daring others to attempt to follow their footsteps--and that's the individual we should either pay attention to (or recommend counseling to) if we are to succeed at this wonderful/awful business. (How is that for a run-on sentence? )

Cameo and George (and others new to booksellering), you are right to research the possibilities before jumping in, but don't be afraid to admit to yourself if this business just doesn't 'fit' your life. The sooner you would know that the better for you so you can go on to that which is best for you.

Craig is the only bookseller I know that fits the non-quitting description above, fearlessly giving away 'trade' secrets, and making mistakes that we don't have to make as he details his experiences for us to follow or disregard. If one reads all that he has written on the subject of bookselling and still has feelings of being daunted by the whole prospect, then most likely bookselling is just a fascination for you and not something that should be attempted full time.

I would discourage more folks, than encourage them, to be become full time booksellers as the romantic notions and general mystique surrounding the trade do not necessarily match the reality. It's during those especially dull times that one needs the innate qualities to sell one more book, then one more book...until one has the light bill, the mortgage payment, groceries, etc. Much easier to punch a time clock while someone else takes the risk.

Written by Emmy at the forum boards http://www.BookThink.com

Power Sellers on eBay
Michael & Julie Anna Schultz
Collectors and consultants of fine out of print children's literature
Owners of Book Jewels for Children
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Email us at: Clan4God@rochester.rr.com

Why YOU Need this Education Conference!

2006-02-25T19:05:00.000-05:00

This is not directly related to making money online with auctions, but most of the speakers at this conference own online businesses. Many of them started at eBay and grew their businesses! You will love my favorite online mentor and best friend in the whole world, Rhea Perry. While many of us are learning now what it means to think "outside the box" and struggling with re-teaching our thinking processes, our children have an advantage. If they learn early on how this phenomenon called the internet works in making them some money, they will be miles ahead of us who are just now tapping the money fountain online.

Don't set your kids up to be laid off.

If you are concerned about the job market for your kids or for yourself for that matter there is something you can do to ensure their financial security.

Obviously, not everyone knows what that is or our economy wouldn't be where it is.

Well, veteran homeschool mom of 7, Rhea Perry (pictured with my Dh to the left) , has invited educational experts and veteran homeschoolers to give you their secrets of success, educational insight and encouragement to help you protect your children from ending up living a sub-standard existence. If you don't know how to do that, here's help.

Parents and teens from 30 states, including California, are already registered toattend what is being called the education event of the year.

Next weekend, March 3-5, 2006, history is going to be made in historical Nashville, Tennessee as a team of experts spend 3 days revealing the secrets of educating teens to think entrepreneurially at the only event of its kind.

And it's not too late to make plans to join them! Read more here: Education Conference

Book Sale Strategies

2006-02-24T13:25:00.000-05:00

At a Friends of the Library sale it can get quite overwhelming.

Be informed before you go.

If it is a large sale it will be tempting to grab books and throw them in your bag. We have learned with experience to be a little more discerning (even if you are going to look them over later). Do your homework and know which books sell best.

We usually will plan a strategy of who goes where. My boys know the boys’ series titles that do well, so they’ll head to children’s chapter books or young adults. My hubby knows cookbooks well so he’ll head there. He’ll head over to the specially priced books and do a quick scan since most of the time they are overpriced or really not worth their asking prices. The FOL volunteers usually use Abe’s high end prices to justify a title’s worth. Then my dh will head over to the non fiction money or business and look for real estate and stock market courses. My daughter knows designing books and some non fiction so she’ll head there. I go to the children’s picture books. Then they will loop back around and help me go through every box, one book at a time, on the children’s tables since that is our selling niche. We do a quick scan and grab titles that we know, and then we go through individually.

If you are going on the pre-view night then you will want to arrive early to be near the head of the line. Take along totes with wheels, if at all possible, or be sure to have outer garments to toss over your book bags/boxes if you place them in a corner to hold. Not every FOL sale will allow folks to pick their books up and sort later to decide to buy, but most do. We usually park an older child near our boxes since some folks get mixed up and end up rifling through your finds. (Not sure they are mixed up when you have your personal belongings covering them.) Some people have bags or boxes that say “sold” on them so others will know they are not just sitting there to be gone through. When you sort try to go to a out of the way corner (not always possible) smell and flip throug gh all the pages. I can’t tell you how many times we have forgotten to thumb through the books and brought home broken and/or torn paged books.

Julie Anna

Helping book sellers stay informed through research services!
http://www.familybusinessideas.com/ebaylinksubscription.html

What Do You Love?

2006-02-15T08:57:00.000-05:00

Here is another way an eBay seller can stand out and become quite successful; through niche markets. I was reading about eBay niches. I especially love the topic of sub niches but let’s stick to the basics since I am only learning here.

A niche can be defined as a specialty. When people talk about a niche market they are referring to a specialized market. There are thousands of categories on eBay. Additionally, there are many more sub-categories. It would take several lifetimes to barely scratch the surface to become even a little knowledgeable in only a few niche markets on eBay. So what does an eBayer do?

Look at your dreams. Yep, sit back and dream a little. That’s simple, no? What would you like to be doing right now besides reading this wonderful blog? J Hold that thought! Did you think about a loved hobby? Did you imagine yourself creating something? Perhaps doing something? What were those thoughts revolving around? Did your mind gravitate towards a book which highlights an interest you love to read about? Aha. Write them down. We’ll get back to that later.

Specialist defined:

One who is devoted to a particular occupation or branch of study or research: “Specialists... tend to think in grooves” (Elaine Morgan).

Is that a rut? Absolutely. A niche or specialty is a focus, devotion, an obsession, perhaps. Lots of folks don’t realize it but they “study” their hobbies. How many folks do you know who devour every how to book on their particular hobby? They sign up on email lists or internet boards, along with others who love, what they love and they chat. They glean information about their hobbies by just talking, reading about and doing. Is this not research?

Here’s where it gets really nice. You’re already miles ahead of the game since you know something about your niche, or area of interest. Not only do you know something, you enjoy it. See, how this is getting better by the minute. Other people are like you and have the same interests. They are collecting information, products, or items to indulge their whims in their hobby. They may not have all the resources you have. This is where you can make money. You will be making money through being an expert or resource to others in the same area of interest as you. The bonus is you have fun, too! What else can one want in life?

So, now back to the dream list. Look at the three most interesting areas you dreamed about. Use single or short phrased words to describe those fields of interest. Write these words down. They will become your keywords in which you will research to find which particular interest is the most profitable and worth your time to pursue as an internet business.

Examples of these keywords might include; mod decorating, boating, biking, nature walking, painting, handmade jewelry … in reading; science fiction, children’s books, education … in collecting; bears, cats, tea pots, antiques, dolls

Now research. Plug these words in, or derivatives of the words that may apply, into eBay’s advanced search. Be sure to check “completed auctions”. Voila. What popped up? Would it be worth your while to find items revolving around this interest to sell? Can you find additional items related to this subject to sell?

Hopefully the wheels are turning. I hope to post later in continuation of this subject.

Michael & Julie Anna Schultz
Collectors and consultants of fine out of print children's literature
Owners of Book Jewels for Children
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Email us at: Clan4God@rochester.rr.com

Profiles of a Successful eBay Seller

2006-01-26T21:34:00.000-05:00

Over the years, as I have become online acquaintances with many Power Sellers on my eBay discussion group, I have noticed several common qualities of successful sellers. I have noted a few of these. They can be learned and easily adapted to, so you can turn your part time selling hobby into a serious money making business.

Serious and successful eBay sellers do the following:

They treat their eBay listings like a business. This means instead of just a part time fun mad money endevour there is some thought and planning put into it. It means understanding how your investment and fees take a chunk out of your overall gain and how to avoid pitfalls. They also take their customer service seriously, shipping quickly, answering all correspondence politely, and following up with customers.
They find a niche and build on their expertise. A niche is a selling topic in which you are familiar or want to learn about then specialize in. There are thousands of categories on eBay. There is no way one person can be an expert in all of them, and it is futile to be a little educated in several selling topics since the competition can be fierce. The successful eBay sellers establish themselves as experts, and their knowledge is reflected in how their listings are written, the information on their About Me page, and how they respond to requests for additional information. They will willingly share their vast knowledge to interested collectors, or buyers. They also will be open with folks whom may never make a purchase. They are building a reputation in their niche
They are great communicators. They have learned how to write thorough auction listings, describing their products completely. They know how to capitalize on the assets but not neglecting the faults of each item. They take time to be excited about the product and convey that excitement through great write-ups. They are thoughtful and have decided ahead of item what their selling and shipping policies will be. They respond to questions from bidders promptly, with complete and courteous answers no matter how ludicrous the question. They email winning bidders at the close of the auction and maintain that communication until the transaction is complete. The buyer has confidence in the seller’s availability.
They are entrepreneurs and learn by doing. Successful eBay sellers don’t give up easily. They look at each “failure” as a learning and growth opportunity. When an auction doesn’t go as expected, they will take time to research and gain the knowledge to do things differently the next time for better results. They learn from their mistakes. And even when things are going well, they are always trying to figure out how to make them better through asking questions, studying other seller’s successes and researching their selling niche.

Turning your selling hobby into a successful eBay business can be done. Think about it, you already have some passion for the things you buy online or sell. You probably know something about a hobby that others are also interested in. Why not turn that passion into money? Do some research and find that potential money making niche on eBay.

Power Sellers on eBay
Michael & Julie Anna Schultz
Collectors and consultants of fine out of print children's literature
Owners of Book Jewels for Children
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Email us at: Clan4God@rochester.rr.com

9 Reasons to Sell Books at eBay

2006-01-16T08:33:00.000-05:00

Why Sell Books Online?

There are so many very good reasons to start selling books online.

1. Books are commonly found.

2. You can obtain the books at a very low investment. In most cases less than $1!

3. There is a huge market for books. eBay’s number two most commonly searched category is books

4. There is potential to make GREAT money in resale if you are educated.

5. Books can be easily listed online using templates where you just fill in the information. This lends itself well to family members helping you.

6. Marketing can be really fun since there are so many book loving online groups, fans, and collectors.

7. Packing supplies are minimal in investment and time saving since you are dealing with one size and non fragile merchandise.

8. You can save your customers LOTS of money by using the post office’s special services to ship.

9. Overall the book selling niche is quite rewarding since MANY people are blessed by a childhood find, a book they want for their child or the information they need to identify a long forgotten title.

Each of these points are elaborated on in our eBook, Finding Jewels, a Guide in Identifying Collectible Children’s Literature. Click here to see our eBay eBook

Michael & Julie Anna Schultz
Collectors and consultants of fine out of print children's literature
Owners of Book Jewels for Children
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Email us at: Clan4God@rochester.rr.com

Time Saving Research Tool For eBay

2006-01-13T20:00:00.000-05:00

Guess what? There is now a FREE time saving internet research tool!

Mpire Researcher, available at http://www.mpire.com
is a quick and easy research tool that provides you the
information that is essential in knowing how to sell your
NICHE items on eBay.

This tool tells you which day and time are the best choices
for ending your listings, it gives you quick insight into
the top selling eBay listings in your category, it also
gives you the most searched title keywords for the items you
are selling.

Mpire Researcher gives you 100 FREE searches to start out
with JUST FOR SIGNING UP! This differs with eBay's search
engines in that you can gather information from 30 days
back. Currently you can only get data up to 14 days back.

Each subsequent month you get 10 free searches. You may
purchase more searches at only $.10 cents each. The research
reports are easy to read and basic for general information
gathering in your field of sales. Remember, knowledge is
power in the field of online sales.

Take a look at and try out this new FREE tool today! I
guarantee you will be hooked! http://www.mpire.com

Julie Anna and Michael Schultz
Collectors and consultants of children's fine out of print literature
Owners of Book Jewels For Children Book Store
http://www.BookJewelsForChildren.com

Is Your Shipping Policy Going to Enslave You on December 24th?

2005-12-12T08:22:00.000-05:00

Happy December Everyone!

I am sure your eBay sales are hopping. I know we can hardly keep up with the listing demands as so many buyers are buying on the Buy It Now and Fixed Price venues.

Be sure to clearly think out your last day of shipping and state that on your auction. Add whatever special services you are willing to provide clearly stated. If you are willing to make a trip to the post office on Dec. 24th to overnight a package, then state that in your auctions. Many folks will do this since there are so many panicked buyers out there, and you can charge a heftly little service fee without feeling too guilty. We did this last year more of a courtesy than a service. The gal was ecstatic and the feeling good to get her book to her in time for Christmas was reward enough. It is important to know what your limitations are so you aren't surprised by unreasonable demands through these last hectic weeks of selling.

Happy Holidays!

Hot Selling Season

2005-11-10T23:17:00.000-05:00

Hello All~

Isn't this time of year the best for booksellers on eBay!? I love it.

I have a few tips I'd like to share with you during this selling season.

Tip #1~If you don't have a store during the Christmas season you are definitely missing out. As eBay advertises more and more the stores, folks are browsing and most importantly, BUYING! So, perhaps just open your store for the busy season and maintain it through the end of January. The first 30 days are free if you haven't signed up yet. So essentially you are only paying 2 months worth of fees to get probably at least an extra $200-$500. I like that math, invest $30, receive $300.

Tip #2~If you do own a store stock it with plenty of new sparkly books. You say too much investment? Nonsense! You can pick up BRAND new books at library sales for less than a dollar in most cases. The books that sell well brand new are the adult fiction current best sellers, COOKBOOKS (hot, hot, hot, right now... ANY cookbook that is new looking), coffee table editions of non fiction, board books, and picture books. These books can be used, but you definitely want them looking new. Again, when I go to a library sale that is offering hardback editions for only fifty cents, I stock up on the new books to place in my store. I always price at $9.99-$14.99 depending on the retail of the book. This is not hard to do... actually it is a strategy I use towards the end of my typical hour at the sales. This strategy also serves me well when the collectible books are just not there to be found. So, yes, the books will just sit there until someone thinks outside the box and snags them up for profit!

Tip #3~Get the auctions up and running. The more listings you have available the more folks will be perusing your auctions. Then of course, link them through a hyperlink with an invitation to visit your store where they will find many bargains.

Tip#4~Offer a shipping discount that is prominently displayed on your listings. If your buyer buys more than one auction let him know you will reward him with only a quarter or fifty cents more in shipping fees. We are brave souls, and we do offer free shipping on all additional purchases. We say, “Win one book auction or win one hundred book auctions, your shipping will not increase!” No, we have not once lost money on shipping. The multiple times we have been taken up on our offer, the additional books’ profits covered the extra dollar or so we paid for shipping. See the psychology?

Well, I hope this has helped you think about some marketing strategies to capitalize on eBay's major traffic this season!

Your partner in eBay success!
Julie Anna Schultz
http://www.bookjewelsforchildren.com/

About Us

2005-11-02T15:41:00.000-05:00

We're Mike and Julie Anna Schultz, parents of eleven children (yes, they are all ours!), and fulltime Powersellers on eBay. We hope to write often to help you establish an online business, hopefully so you can learn through our successes and failures. If we can do it with eleven children, YOU can do it!