Honest Reseller/Indie Biz Talk: What's Selling, What's Not, and How to Sell ANYTHING

The frustrating thing about being a indie business owner/reseller is being unable to predict what the hell is going to sell! Looking back at sales is so very random no matter how much demographics research you do. Donating and marking down what won't sell is part of the process. Let's help each other out and start a discussion on what sells and what doesn't in your area and medium (eBay, Etsy, Antique Mall, vintage markets, brick and mortar store, etc.) I'm sharing from an antique mall booth/Etsy perspective.

Things That Sit Forever: Ceramic knick-knacks, non-atomic style retro kitchenware, ceramic mugs, ceramic non-1960s Mad-Men-Looking barware, non-valuable books. I do sell these things from time-to-time and they can sell for a lot, but they're slower sales.

Universal Recommendations: Very interesting novelty vintage/antique items, unique antique/vintage storage items, unique metal signs, items with interesting history, high quality 1960s mid century modern items, practical utilitarian vintage items with a use, vintage/antique electronics, and of course, things of collector/monetary value.

To Clearance or Not? My clearance experiments are done, my last one went up yesterday. It took almost all of my Sunday to re-shoot the items and mark them down without much payback, and it literally hurts me when an item I worked so hard to find/clean/list sells for less than my hard work and time. I'm basically giving the items away and I won't do it anymore. I want to establish myself as an artist/curator, not a bargain bin. I'm excited to return to selling my quality, carefully-selected wares at the wage I need to earn.

Anything Can Sell: I come from a marketing background and firmly believe with good branding/marketing you can sell anything. Branding will be my new focus. Let's take the polarizing expensive designer purse phenomenon as an example.

I have friends who love them, when I question their loyalty they site the "high quality and expense of the materials used". I can guarantee this $6,900 price tag does not reflect the sum of it's parts. Hell no. (Although I love that it's snake skin. Snake oil. Get it?! Sorry...) These brands sell you an experience and a lifestyle and people will pay out-the-ass to feel like a million bucks in a $6,900 purse. If your branding is done right, you can you sell your wares at whatever price point you want with hard work and determination.

(Everyone will find the money they "don't have" to buy something if they really want it, too. More lessons on that later. I was taught well by sales coaches/telemarketing peeps/bill collectors/marketing specialists/school of hard knocks. Oh, the yarns I shall weave...)

Choosing Your Mission: Do you want your brand to be Gucci or The Dollar Store? Trendy or artsy? Anti-establishment new agey or modern and trendy? There is no problem with being either, but is it just me when it seems like you have to choose one and choose well? And of course, if you're a knowledgable seller who cherry picks the valuable stuff and works hard you will be successful either way.

I reviewed sales from the past three years and my own art sold really well especially locally so I'm excited to spend more time making again and adding that to the line. Be you, have fun, make it unique and really communicate the value and why your customer needs the item and I honestly believe we can sell anything we want. But it's nice to make it as easy as possible and pick the items that have a better chance of selling!

What's selling for you locally, on eBay and Etsy, and beyond? Can you predict any trends for 2014?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Online Reseller Starter's and Organization Guide: Your Beginner's Checklist

Reselling can be a very rewarding way to make income while selling thrifted wares. You can even downsize the clutter in your home and earn a living! Here's my at-a-glance starter's guide, go through it again if you're already a reseller, you may find new ideas for keeping organized! Bookmark if you're a beginner. It's time to stop putting it off. Let's get started:

1. For You? Really analyze the pros and cons (Stuff. EVERYWHERE!) Read: Frustration Confessions
2. Business Plan: Complete your business plan before you get started. Read: My fav biz plan
3. Taxes: Figure out how you'll keep track of sales and pay your taxes. Read: Tax Tips
4. Inventory: Track what you buy and sell in pedantic detail.  Read: Keeping Track
5. Stockpile: Have your stockpile of wares to sell online organized and ready. Read: My Stockpile
6. Camera: Any camera will take great photos with patience. Invest in an SLR later. Read: Reseller Photos
7. Social Media: My blog and social media sites are big money makers. Get established! Read: Blog Checklist
8. Platform: Both Etsy & eBay are great choice. I use Etsy, and will use eBay soon. Read: Etsy Tips
9. Storage: You need organized storage for receipts, merch, photos, and packaging.  Read: Reselling Station
10. Packaging: Buy in bulk via sites like Uline or Read: Free Packaging

My favorite aspect of reselling, or starting an online business, is the flexibility. You can sell make a full time living selling dinosaur and batman toys, groovy 1970s cowboy boots, or even vintage bras and panties! I'm grateful for the creative avenues for making your own income in an economy where many unemployed individuals need income to support themselves and their families! Let's get selling!

What are your reselling tips or questions? Did I leave anything out? Do share in the comments or send me a question if you have any.

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Thrifty Upcycled Packaging Ideas: How Do You Ship Goods?

I love shipping playful vintage goodies from my Etsy shop all around the world.

I'll eventually replace my thrifty packaging methods with streamlined, professional wraps, but for now I appreciate the routine of cutting shipping labels and "thank you" cards from bright paper. Here are techniques I use to spend $0.00 on packaging supplies:

1. Check Curbsides and Dumpsters: They often yield the boxes you crave in excess!
2. Cut Big Boxes: I often cut down the sides of big boxes to get the perfect sized box.
3. Ask Friends: A friend gave me a huge stockpile of boxes and packing material for free! :)
4. Ask Stores: Ask if they'd set a pile of packaging aside for you instead of trashing them.
5. Use What You Have: I use excess construction paper for shipping labels for example.

In the future I may order pre-printed "thank you" cards but they'll need to leave room for me to add the customer's name and a space for me to draw, it makes packaging unique and it's free! It doesn't have to cost anything to make an impact!

How do you ship your packages? Where do you buy supplies? Let's discuss and help each other out in the comments.

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Thoughts on Reselling and My Merchandise Room Tour

One of the most challenging aspects of selling online is finding the perfect storage solution for your merchandise. I'm a long-time apartment dweller that used to resell and work full time. For years I've tripped over merchandise boxes and begrudged their ugliness as they gathered in bedroom corners.

Sensing my frustration, BF very kindly offered me the groovy wood paneled sun room in his house for storage! I'm extremely grateful.

I love finally being able to have an open storage situation. When something sells in my Etsy shop, I can easily find it in the merchandise room. BF lives 15 minutes away and visits often and he sometimes brings merchandise that's sold over to my place so I can ship it out.

It's fun to see my collections displayed together, they're the result of years of hunting at thrift stores and flea markets. I've been addicted to finally listing my years worth of hunting online. It's wonderful to make a living documenting the beauty of these vintage finds.

As you can see, I'm playing catch-up big time. You'll recognize some of the items in my Etsy shop but for the most part, almost nothing in this room has been photographed! And I'll be bringing over many more boxes of merchandise soon. I feel like I'm filled to maximum capacity with merchandise. Mission accomplished?

I've been thinking about this and what it means for the blog and my future as a reseller. I love what I do, but the constant influx of merchandise frustrates me. And sometimes I feel like I'm going against my values as a non consumerist. I know I'm only buying merchandise second-hand and I'm curating everything I find carefully, which makes this more like an art project and less like a pure capitalist venture, but still. It doesn't sit right with me sometimes.

I don't feel like I can continue doing weekly thrift hauls when I already have so much to photograph. But readers always tell me the haul posts are their favorite posts and I gain lots of new readers, followers, sales and blog traffic from them. This makes me want to keep doing them even though I already have so much merchandise. That's the retail life, you have to keep acquiring and getting fresh merchandise.

Be prepared for the blog and what I do to evolve. I absolutely love flea marketing, thrifting, documenting beautiful finds and curating a shop of playful vintage. But my true passion isn't for objects, I want to educate and inspire people to live a healthy, creative, thrifty life more than anything else. I don't see myself stopping reselling anytime soon, but expect my focus and posts to include more crafting, art, healthy recipes, and frugal lifestyle posts. I'd love your support while I grow in this new direction!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the thrifty and reselling lifestyle. What are your common frustrations? Any advice for me? I'd could really use it right now...

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Hot Damn, The Thrift Core Etsy Site is Finally Launched! Beautiful!

Well it's ABOUT DAMN TIME! The Thrift Core Etsy shop is finally back online after nearly three years of being neglected. I listed three items online back in 2010, then never bothered with Etsy again since antique mall and blog sales were steady. I've been dying to launch another online shop and recently finished organizing the last box of vintage stock (yay!) so I busted ass the past couple of days to get this beast running.

I have hundreds of items I can add to the shop, lots of them are goodies you haven't seen! I'm excited to get work and I'll likely be adding at LEAST 10 to 20 items per day this month.

If you're Christmas shopping I have dozens of cute gifts for low prices. If you're looking for something in particular that you don't see in the shop drop me a line, because I might have it! Many items in the haul posts are available as well.

Discount Code: I'm offering a 10% discount to celebrate the launch. Type in "Dinobots" upon checkout to receive your discount for one week!

I'd love your feedback! Any tips for a beginner on Etsy? Let me know!

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter andFacebook.

Why Reselling is the F*cking Best Job Ever! No Regrets, No Surrender.

Graduation season comes with mixed feelings; pride and regret. When I watched two of my best friends accept their diplomas, I wished I'd worked to get a degree at 25, too. Yet I know I chose the best route. My friends have debt and no jobs, I'm employed with savings and no debt- and I love what I do.

Freelancers and Resellers who may feel regret or doubt, here are 5 reasons that prove we have the best damn job ever!

We're Passionate: My friends told me they hated their jobs. They'll look at the clock, wishing time will speed up and mercifully end their shifts. We can't stop working. We love it!

Flexibility: Complete flexibility is a dream, especially if you have a family! I can change the day's tasks. I can do twice the work one day (or even week!) to take the next off. Sky's the limit!

No Debt: Starting a reselling business is a very low cost start-up. No debts, less problems!

No Boss: I've had nightmare bosses that made me hate living. No longer! I love to choose what I do and how I grow my business. In the words of the immortal Cartman, Whutevuh, Whutevuh, I do Whut I Want!

Most Importantly...Happiness: The combination of the above factors lead to complete satisfaction. Reselling is overwhelming. I'm never completely caught-up, but I'm truly happy. My friends will eventually (By the way, I LOVE them, don't think I'm dogging them in this post) get good jobs. They're going to out-earn me by far in their lifetimes, but I'll never trade happiness for money. Full stop.

Resellers, speak up! Do you feel like you made the right choice? Through the long hours and hard work, do you still feel pride and satisfaction?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Reseller Adventures: Free Box Hunting and Book Seller Friends

Last week I replenished my free box supply. (Read: 10 Ways to Get Shipping Supplies for Free.) My box dealer, Joe, is a book reseller and worked part time in shipping and receiving at our local organic grocery store. He has a huge stockpile of boxes and supplies and begs me to help take it off his hands.

I love to visit his pedantically organized book collection. I met Joe bike riding on a mild fall day last year. He was hosting a yard sale and the ample, eclectic piles of books completely filling his rental vintage home's stone stoop caught my eye.

 He was clearly a reseller so we exchanged cards and I went on my way with three books in my bike's basket. We discovered we had friends in common when I ran into him at a nearby bar months later and we've been reselling and thrifting buddies ever since.

I always have to come home with one book. This time I bought a little something that should help me better be a better foster mama to The Yuko cat.

I love reaching out to local vintage lovers and urge others resellers and artists to do the same. The opportunities you gain this way are endless. Thrifting, reselling, writing, and making art with like-minded people is good for the soul.

Have you made resellers friends online/offline? Try it!

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Reselling Experiments: Vintage T-Shirt Haul and Selling Vintage Clothing

Reselling is food for the creative's soul. It's flexible. You can switch your niche and sell things you wouldn't have thought of. I'm giving bold, nostalgic and vintage t-shirts a try in my antique store booths. They're fun to display and they appeal to my love of graphic design. They go with Thrift Core's saturated color scheme and unlike selling vintage suits, jackets, or dresses, they're portable. They're my gateway drug to selling more vintage clothing. They appeal to my inner 12-year-old that's obsessed with zombies, dinosaurs, and robots. Watch out, if it goes well it could turn into a full blown addiction.

What are your favorite things to collect and/or sell? Trying anything new lately?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Success Takes Time: A Four Year Check-In. Never Give Up!

This week marks four years since my first day as a copywriter and one year since I left Cubicle Hell to embrace freelance bohemianism. I was 21, Thrift Core was still an idea yet to materialize. I was eager to drink in as much marketing knowledge as possible, yet still dreamed of something more.

It started out fun. The novelty wore off by the end. My fabric pinned legacy remains.

I make a living from freelance writing/marketing gigs, selling stuff from my blog and on craigslist (slow setting up an Etsy shop because people buy a lot from the blog), advertisements, and sales from three antique store booths. I feel spoiled by this lifestyle now, so I wanted to look back and feel some gratitude for what it took to get here- and show you that it's not easy! Overnight success this was not!

1998-2004: Middle/High School, made dozens of websites and practiced writing.
2004-2008: Dropped out of college after 2 years. Worked full time, squirreled funds.
2008-2011: Learned and grew immensely working 50 hours a week as a marketer/writer. Developed Thrift Core, started reselling, networked in the art community. Working 70+ hours/week in total.
2011-2012: Worked slowly while catching-up on stuff I couldn't working 70 hours per week for years!

Consolation for those stuck working for the man: I was never more motivated than when I was working hard writing to help make someone else successful. I miss how it kept me hungry for success. Embrace it!

I spent this year playing catch-up. I got thrifty/healthy eating down to a science, donated and sold tons of personal possessions (eager to sell more), and finally organized my damn life. Now I'm ready to work harder on my brand than ever and take it all to the next level. I'm excited, and sincerely glad you're here with my on the journey.

When you feel like you're not moving at the pace you'd like, remember to look back at how far you've come. Keep moving!

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

5 Reselling Tips: Make Merchandise Irresistible, Increase Sales!

Making your merchandise irresistible takes more work and research, but it's worth it in the end. You can use these five tips whether your sell in antique store, your own shop, Craigslist, Etsy, eBay, or Amazon. They're universal ways to increase sales!

1. Tell it's Story: Customers gravitate to vintage and antique merchandise for it's history. Tell the item's story and make it big. Did famous people own it? Did Don Draper have it on his desk in Mad Men? The details sell it!

2. Paint the Picture: Tell your customer exactly how their item will fit into their lives. You'll be surprised how suggesting a usage will help your item sell. Tell a customer the rock you're selling will make a nice bookend and it will sell!

3. Exact Dimensions: This applies to everything: rugs, furniture, clothes toys. Write the weight, lengths, and widths in your description. It's a pain, but it helps your customer decide whether it will work for them.

4. Precise and/or Playful Title: Research what you're selling to make sure the item's title is precise. I've noticed my playful titles like "The Magical Unicorn" sell fast. I make my titles playful yet informative as a happy medium. Example: Sunshine Yellow Mid Century Modern Serving Tray.

5. The Power of Photos: Even when selling in a store, photos sells things! I staged a Thanksgiving spread (seen here) with my vintage plates and attached the photos to my plates. They all sold! Photos are paramount when selling online. I have photography tips if you need help taking clear, bright photos of your merchandise.

Did I leave anything out, resellers? What are your tips for increasing sales?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

10 Easy Ways to Get Shipping Supplies for Free- Or Close To It!

Presentation is paramount for a small business. I want my customer's purchase to feel like a special gift. Each vintage treasure is carefully packaged and customized using ample protective packaging to keep finds reaching their destination intact. Shipping supplies can be prohibitively expensive, so I've found ways to cut corners and save money while providing customers with the best experience possible. Here are my 10 tips for getting shipping supplies for free- or close to it!

1) Ask: friends/store owners if they have packaging to spare
2) Create: a system where nearby stores set boxes/supplies aside for you
3) Assault: dumpsters behind grocery stores for boxes, peanuts, and bubble wrap
4) Estate Sales: sometimes have office/packing supplies for low prices
5) Save: boxes and packing supplies you receive in the mail and re-use them
6) Pillage: your workplace, use supplies they're going to toss
7) Cut: existing boxes into the shape you need; then tape it up!
8) Use: what you have around the house, be creative
9) Exploit: coupons for supply stores like Staples, Joanne's, and Michael's 
10) Customize: utilitarian up-cycled packaging with stickers and stamps

A fellow reseller friend of mine does shipping and receiving at a local organic food store. He provides me with boxes of all sizes and high quality bubble wrap that the company would otherwise throw away. This helps me ship my wares to customers around the world while keeping prices as low as possible. I'm brainstorming on more professional, attractive, and inexpensive packaging ideas, but this environmentally (and wallet!) friendly way works for now.

Where do you order your packing supplies? How do you get supplies for free or close to it? Do share in the comments!

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Thrifting and Reselling Storage: Where Do You Store Your Scores?

As a reseller your abode will occasionally mimic the soul crushing squalor seen on Hoarders. You're not alone, it's part of the process. As a reseller you can never stop taking in more merchandise, and it's tough to accommodate, especially if you're an apartment dweller! After I happily took in my best friend as a roommate it took me days to have a liveable home again! (The boxes! They were everywhere. Everywhere!)

The best solution I could come up with were storage boxes in my ample-sized closet and open storage in my living room. From here I'm going to go through each bin and separate unsold wares into Etsy, eBay, Donate, and Antique Store categories and document each one. It's a lot of work, and I'll be sure to do this one box at a time so my home doesn't get overwhelmed and messy again.

Almost all of the books in the tall pine bookshelf are books I'm selling.

I tried having my own "office/studio" where I lined shelves with my wares and kept craft supplies accessible, but that wasn't working for me. I'm feeling more creative and working better with a combined dining room/work space, it keeps me inspired and productive. There's better energy this way.

I'm enjoying the combination of vintage merchandise on display and vintage merchandise stored away. I'm going to keep working at it every day until I find the perfect balance in this organization game. Consider this a sincere warning from the inside as a reseller and/or artist, there's no avoiding the occasional monstrous disaster mess. At least every day is a new opportunity to practice slaying the mess-beast!

Where and How do you store your vintage and thrift finds?

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Sneak Peek at My New Office: Workspace and Reselling Headquarters

I've been working tirelessly the past couple of weeks trying to pedantically organize hundreds of bits of things to sell and craft with lately. I thought I'd stop to share a real-time peek at how my new "reselling headquarters" and workspace is coming out:

The bookshelves to the right of my computer are stuffed full of my favorite animated/horror/cult classic films and vintage/art books galore. They make me feel cozy and comfortable as I type here.

I'm still working it out, but attractive open storage solutions help me throughout the workday. I'm always packaging, cutting, pasting, and generally making a big mess. All part of the creative process!

And favorite toys and collectibles out on display put a big smile on my face, too. The framed "art" on the upper right is a collectible Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animation cell!

Oh, and there are far more supplies were these came from that I'll have to figure out how to effectively organize for maximum efficiency...

And with plenty of windows I've always at least got a peek at the outside world while I work, cloistered away inside. The Florida heat out there is hotter than 2,000 blazing suns so it's safer in here anyways!

And a silly Yuko is always around to keep my company while I write, package thing, go through boxes of merchandise, craft, or take pictures!

My new workspace is far from done, but I feel more comfortable working in a combined "office/dining room" area than in a designated office. Things are definitely on the right track!


What's your workspace like? What do you need around to keep you happy and comfortable while you plug away? :)

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.

Thrift Jobs: 5 Fresh and Innovative Reselling Tactics

We all know about reselling online and in vintage shops and fairs, but we can do better than that. As thrifters we're required to be the most creative and resourceful people alive! Let's exercise those skills on these less-often reported guerrilla reselling tactics!

1. Make a mailing list; update frequently.

Create mailing lists for your online and offline retail spaces. Send an e-mail out to members at least once a week to show off your new merchandise and/or developments.

2. Extort Your Friends! (What else are they good for?)

Tell everyone in your circle about your thrift endeavors. Let interested friends and acquaintances get first-pick on your finds. Friends can make the best repeat customers. It helps to cut them a tiny friend-break on prices within reason, of course ;)

My pals at Old Skool Junk stage their retro artwork and accessories with real vintage props.

3. Post all of your Finds on Facebook.

Increasing the amount of eyes on your products increases sales. Try posting a photo of your hauls on Facebook and let people know everything pictured is for sale.

4. The Power of Craigslist Compels You!

I try to post every single thing I find at the thrifts and flea markets on Craigslist, it really helps increase sales! Get creative with how you advertise with it, experiment!

5. Sell at arts and craft markets, shows, and events.

Art and craft market attendees and attracted to unique objects, and vintage really fits the bill. If it's allowed, find a way to sell your vintage wares (artfully staged, of course) at art shows, events, and markets.

What are your ideas for selling that are outside the norm? Let's think outside the box and sell, sell, sell!

Daily thrifting updates, information, & Inspiration: Follow Thrift Core on Twitter and Facebook.