A Personal PSA

[gerisullivan]

The "Shop at Geri's" debt reduction program remains open for business with framed art, jewelry, fanzines, PEZ, yarn, Candlewick crystal, carnival glass, objets d'art, and other curiosities from Toad Woods for sale. All proceeds go to my creditors to pay down debt.

To date, sales lists, photos, and prices have been handled on a one-to-one basis. I keep working on having Copious Free Time to build sales lists and post them, but haven't managed to make that work yet. I will, and I'll post when I do. In the meantime, please inquire directly if there's anything you're interested in, and check out the framed art I'll have up in the resale area of the Boskone Art Show.

Since Shop at Geri's opened last April, $3,250.50 has come in and gone immediately to creditors, helping to reduce my debt load and thereby saving additional interest expenses on that debt. I also have items on commission at an antiques shop in Sturbridge and proceeds from those sales will be added to the Shop at Geri's balance sheet as they are received.

Many thanks to all who have supported the Shop at Geri's debt reduction program with their purchases and interest in various items. It's been a fun and effective aspect of my debt reduction efforts, and I hope it continues being so for shoppers as well as for your grateful shop keeper.

Comments

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Yikes! I should have looked. It never occurred to me that someone else might be using the name. It seems so unlikely, especially with the same spelling and everything.

No, that's not me. I've been doing one-to-one so far, with sales taking place in person at conventions, here at home, and via email. I have an eBay account, but have been focusing on sales that don't require me to spend money to find out whether anyone is interested in buying a specific item, since money itself is in horribly short supply. I also have very little eBay experience -- purchases I can count on the fingers of one hand and no listings or sales. (Yes, I know. There's only one way to change either of those things!)

So no links yet; I'll post 'em when I have them. Direct queries regarding types of stuff and/or likely price ranges welcome.

[alicebentley]

Well darn. Because my next question was going to be what your experience with eBay had been so far, or what kind of shopping cart software you used.

Diane Duane did a sale on her LJ a while back where she listed items and prices as a post, then lined them out as they were sold.

I've been debating methods to use to unload some of the vast numbers of books I've acquired and really don't need to keep. So far all I've done is get a Dealer Table at a couple of conventions. It does get them out of the house, but I usually land up paying more than I collect. I wouldn't recommend that route for debt reduction.

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Yeah, sorry.

carnyjack has a lot of eBay experience, as does minnehaha K. I can give you Jack's email if you need it -- he doesn't frequent LJ very often.

(I'm sure you have contact info for the Minnehahas.)

I haven't yet had the experience where selling objects cost more than I took in, but I did spend 2-3 hours of prep time and 5 hours of set-up and selling time to make something like $37 or $42 at the Wales Farmers' Market one Saturday last summer. The conviviality of the people made that worthwhile, but the proceeds didn't. Especially since I burned through much of what I had that folks might be looking for when visiting the farmers' market with its couple of flea market-style tables. This next year, I might try a Christmas in July sale there, and also push the bits of outdoorsy stuff I have since lots of the shoppers are weekend campers at the campground across the street.

[casacorona.livejournal.com]

klages also does a lot of selling on Ebay.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

I used to sell beads on eBay and also sold some books. The advantage of eBay compared to Amazon is that you can pick your own shipping & handling rates. Another option for books is Abebooks.

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

You could always be the Toad Hall Emporium.

[gerisullivan.livejournal.com]

Now that's a title I would expect to already be in use! There's Toad Hall Bookstore here in Massachusetts, Toad HallToys in Winnipeg, MB, and, yes, sure enough, Toad Hall Emporium in Chemainus, BC.