Holiday Mailing Deadlines - Important Selling & Seller Info

20 Days to Christmas!  I can't believe it! (I have one gift organized, one clue on DH and nothing for anyone else and NO idea what to buy...how much trouble am I in?? LOL)

As a SELLER though? I have this part down!  Every year the PO sets deadlines for "the last mailing date"... this year's are:

DOMESTIC MAIL:
Parcel Post 12-15
1st Mail 12-20
Priority Mail 12-21
Express Mail 12-22

I rarely use Parcel Post because of the time it takes.  If you have something so heavy, it's the most economical option? I'd check UPS 2 day saver rates or FedEx's.  Why chance not having something arrive in time for Santa to shove it under the Christmas tree? Either that or Mail NOW!

Now First Class and Priority Mail have been sharing planes the last couple of years but the PO has set the deadlines one day apart.  And honestly,  the 21st is Tuesday and Christmas is Saturday of that week....pretty tight!  I'd be dropping stuff on Saturday the 18th if it were me. (and it will be...)

In the Past, the PO has had people delivering on Christmas day for Express Mail but I don't see that on their website this year so plan accordingly.

Now as an eBay Seller, I typically get 20-30% of my sales internationally so I watch those deadlines closely too - and that one is looming

International Mail



Addressed To Global Express Guaranteed (GXG)1 Express Mail® International (EMS)2 Priority Mail® International (PMI)4 First-Class Mail


Africa Dec. 17 Dec. 11 Dec. 3 Dec. 3


Asia/Pacific Rim Dec. 17 Dec. 16 Dec. 10 Dec. 10


Australia/New Zealand Dec. 17 Dec. 16 Dec. 10 Dec. 10


Canada Dec. 21 Dec. 17 Dec. 13 Dec. 10


Caribbean Dec. 20 Dec. 16 Dec. 13 Dec. 10


Central & South America Dec. 20 Dec. 11 Dec. 3 Dec. 3


Mexico Dec. 21 Dec. 16 Dec. 10 Dec. 10


Europe Dec. 20 Dec. 16 Dec. 13 Dec. 10


Middle East Dec. 17 Dec. 16 Dec. 13 Dec. 10

1. GXG is available to more than 190 countries via an alliance with Federal Express. See a retail associate

I highlighted Europe in red because, this week they've had some unusually snowy conditions and frigid cold so there are delays there already.  SHIP sooner,not later.

If you're a seller on any venue (heck I'm on Bonanza, Addoway eCrater Amazon and eBay and I know people on MORE sites or with their own site..) this week, post your shipping deadlines so folks now.  For instance, I don't run out to the Post Office on Christmas Eve for anyone...not even family.  So I'll say it nicer but it will go up tomorrow.
Follow me on twitter @antiquedaze or @BethCherkowsky and on Facebook, come visit my "fan" pages http://www.facebook.com/#!/DepressionGlassWarehouse
and
And have a Merry Christmas, a Blessed Chanukah and a Prosperous New Year.

Red-Hat-Society-Bra-Purse

So, don't you just love the creativity shown by our "artistes!" in the Bling My Bra campaign? So many unique and crazy ideas. Here's one I love!! Now if some local chapter of the RED HAT Society would just let me join, I'd bid...

So Far Behind...I think I'm first!

So as the title says...I'm so far behind (on blogging, listing and housecleaning..) that I think I'm first.

I just want to give you some easy hints... Facebook (which is passing google for number of users/visitors) and with Facebook, if you want to monetize a Fan page, there is Netcarnation and Payvment.  I'm working on a Payvment page for DepressionGlassWarehouse  and when/if it's every done, functional and open for business, I'll try Netcarnation on my AntiqueDaze fan page  so, come and "like" those pages and then check back periodically to see the results.   MORE in a while.

Randomly inserted picture - but aren't they the crew you'd like to have on your side?

Ebay Sellers - Is It Time To End Your Listings? Maybe! #blogboost

These days, eBay sellers, if they are 1/2 as smart as most of them seem, are reviewing EVERYTHING.. Because Best match is such a mess and finding your way to the top has gotten harder and harder for us "little guys".  

One of the things we've been told by multiple sources (ebay itself and lots of guru types) is that using Fixed Price is the way to go BUT don't leave non-selling items up there forever cause after a few months of no sale, Best Match love, like all so-so marriages, turns to icy distain and your item gets pushed closer and closer to the eBay curb...where NO one will ever see it.

In other words, after 3-4 months in your store, with NO sales and too many lookee-lous it's time to relist. 

But if you have, as I did at one point 1700 listings, or as a couple of my friends have, 2500+ listings or even 5000+ listings..how do you find the ones that need to be "reformed"?

eBay has a new trick up it's sleeve - on your MY EBAY page...check this out! (finally they did something right and since I'm complimenting them it's probably going to be taken away on Monday so use it quick)

I know, you're asking, "WHAT am I looking for?".. see that middle drop-down box? it is called Status.  That's where you normally look to see if anything has bids. Well now it has a new and very useful status i.e. WITHOUT RECENT SALE. 

If your items show up in here, it's time to end them, and rework them and relist them.  Not SELL SIMILAR, NOT RELIST .. Do'em over.  They need it. (because otherwise, they wouldn't be there. would they, now? )  I think, according to MY experience it takes about 6 mos for unsold items to get to that list.  But I'll let you know after more observation.

Ok, go look at yours!!

#blogboost.

Every So Often You Need a Sledgehammer

Some times, being patient and kind doesn't cut it.  Sometimes you need to get something done and that is ALWAYS when the software hangs, the garage door won't open or close or some other stupid thing gets stuck.


Ok, I'm not good with garage doors or stupid things but THIS works for the software. 

When USPS Shipping Assistant is open (or any other software) and won't close (lately for me it's IE7) you can right click on the taskbar at the bottom. Bring up TASK MANAGER - click PROCESSES TAB - sort alphabetically and then when you find the offending program, highlight it, and click END PROCESS - and WALA! it's done for!

Now it does say at the bottom, don't do this cause it messes up the software or some other gobbledygook but... I closed AOL that way for about 8 years cause it didn't close out completely on it's own and it sucked up too much in computer "resources" to leave it open. 

I have used it on other software too and some of them NEVER give up without it.  So here's what I say - if you tried everything else and nothing worked?? NOTHING VENTURED, NOTHING GAINED (or lost either in all likelihood)

You can always reboot and do an uninstall/reinstall if that fails or if it causes the software to fail (if THAT causes the software to fail, I seriously recommend you reconsider your software options immediately)

Hey - my online career in a nutshell!! The history of eCommerce!

Hey ! I resemble this chart - (which is courtesy of zippycart) - I told you I'm older than dirt well here's the proof!


[Via: Shopping Cart Reviews]
Embed This Image on Your Site

How to add a Share Button to your Blogger blog

We all want share buttons..right?? (well I do and Blogger offered me one DSRS last week so I grabbed it)  and then people started asking (you know who you are... LOL) Howd' you do that??

So a picture is worth a 1000 words...here's my picture  (see why I failed art for 12 years?) You go to your blog - go to Design - Click that link - it gives you the page layout. Click on the EDIT button under blog posts...gives you the CONFIGURE BLOG POSTS screen and right there (pink arrow!) is the SHARE BUTTONS...check the box...SAVE each step as you back out and BINGO!! you got yourself some share buttons!! .

How to add a Share Button to Blogger -

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy...or I will be when I get these!

So I happen to be one of those crazy people who likes to go all out and decorate for things like Memorial Day and the 4th of July.  There's been some slacking off lately but I'm thinking now that I've got 2 whole weeks so I will get the house and front yard decorated for Independence Day.  Why? Because I live here in the USA where I have more freedom and more opportunity that I personally know what to do with. So here's some things I'm ordering (or already ordered)

I like this... it goes with my new 'tude!

    

And I like this cause I have a small neice who will look adorable in it.

That little cutie and the two great nephews will LOVE playing with these guys...


 Now let's see what else I found or bought or will buy....
I got some of these from a local friend but you can get them here

And I bought this at the fleamarket but I need 3 more (now that I decided to go all out.
..                              
I like these candles for the walkway and for the tables in the yard but I also put them on my arents graves and my great grandfather, grandfather and 2 uncles graves because they served in combat. Only one died in combat but several of them were Purple Heart recipients and most of them had some kind of wound. Even my mom was a veteran. 

SO... I also need some entertainment.. music preferably
and this looks perfect

or this? in case it rains

And for now I'm done... (well unless I find something I really,  really can't live without.. I was thinking of the red & blue painter's cap.... ummmmm I'll let you know on that.

How eBay really lost their Mojo & where it went

I was reading this article  http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/marketing/article/5-marketing-truths-i-wish-id-known-sooner-tim-berry


And got to the #3 "TRUTH" and realized why eBay has lost it's Mojo - for real though.   A lot of people have said this, that & the other thing are the reason - HERE is the real reason...read this

"3. Consistency beats brilliance.

The full form of this one is: better a mediocre marketing plan consistently applied over a few years than a series of brilliant strategies, each lasting months, each contradicting the last one.

That's another one, like the first one here, that I call sad but true. If you define marketing like John Jantsch does, getting people to know, like and trust you, then you have to realize that it takes being the same you – whether that's a personalized company you or a larger company brand – over a long period of time. Every time you reinvent the brand, you start back at zero.

Sure, in real-world marketing you can't keep doing something that isn't working just because it's in your plan. But, on the other hand, with any normal marketing strategy you and your whole team are bored stiff with a marketing strategy long before it begins to make impact on those people you want to reach. You need to give it time. And you need to stick with it until it's not working, not just until you're bored with it.

You can't expect to hit the bullseye with every arrow. You keep trying. "


eBay management decided "AUCTIONS" weren't fun any more.  None of us who like auctions decided that.  MANAGEMENT decided it.  I think what they decided really was "eBay doesn't make enough money with JUST auctions" so they are trying to turn the big boat - the SSS QUEEN EBAY around in mid ocean.  Guess what? Big ships don't turn on a dime and sometime things fall over board when some nimroad does that with the wheel. 

Notice that one term? MARKETING STRATEGY?  eBay has NEVER had an quality, consistent marketing strategy. Heck they never even had a good advertising campaign. We always get these lame slogans and stupid commercials.  They've changed directions and sent so many mixed signals NO one can figure out what they are doing.  So eBay, I know you're out there....go read that whole article and then pass it around the management "cubicles".   That's from AMEX not me so maybe you'll listen...not blinking likely but I can dream.

June 7 - still an A.S.S to eBay

I'm still an ASS and eBay either doesn't get how insulting that designation is or doesn't care or more likely, they meant it? Doncha think?   I mean any other corporation that depended on US and heard us complaining about being designated A.S.S. (which is supposed to stand for Above Standard Seller) but which just sounds denigrating, would have changed it by now.  Above Average Seller or ATR (Almost Top Rated) or "2nd Best"  but eBay took a hard line and says TUFF, you're an ASS and we're not changing it no matter how insulting you all think it is - not in exactly those words but with their indifference and Griff's responses that they just didn't thik it was important. 

So? what is a Girl supposed to do?? Me? I'm ordering this shirt -
Proud to be an ASS

Disclaimer - not my shirt (til I order) and not my listing but I think we all need to show up in San Jose in September or in Chicago next month at the Ebay on Locatiion events wearing these.  There is power in unity, you know? Look what Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King accomplished with Passive Resistance. 

As a followup - to my ASS Status

My sales have now totally tanked.  I'm letting 800 MORE listings expire on eBay
I have 8-10 auctions ending per night and 1200 FP listings until last week.  I am getting 2-3 sales a WEEK - not a day - A WEEK! 

This place is dead and I'm moving on.   I have no more patience for people who tell me to wait.  WAIT?? And how am I paying my bills til eBay fixes the DSR system and the Search System and stops disadvantaging NORMAL sellers in search??

I have no more patience left for John Donohoe and crew.  And if I hear on eBay Radio's chat board one more time that we should be positive, I'm gonna scream.  I'm POSITIVE - SALES THERE SUCK!

I've been demoted...can you tell?

Ok, so I'm no longer a TRS - all because a year ago - TWELVE MONTHS ago I got 1 or 2 in Item as Described every month for 3 months in a row  and then a disgruntled buyer who did not follow THE RULES..(my auction terms) gave me ALL ones for everything. So I'm over my quota on 1s and 2's.  If you haven't gotten any? I'd gladly lend you some.   In fact, I'll just donate them outright. Help you self. I have 2 too many in Item as described and 2 too many in shipping costs (cause God knows I overcharge for shipping.. I say that in the confessional every week. BLESS ME FATHER FOR I HAVE SINNED AND CHARGED AWHOLE $2 for HANDLING on items that cost upwards to $400/500. HEAVEN FORFEND!)............ BREATHE BETH - BREATH!

Ok so what is the deal here eBay? - if I sell 1600 items a year I can be reviewed in 3 mos, right? but I've only sold 1156 so I can't be reviewed for a year?? Guess what?? I ain't gonna make it.  In the 2 weeks since you snatched away my incredibly ugly TRS show prize badge, my sales have sunk like a stone. So I won't be here the end of May 2010 let alone in May 2011. 

And I'm guessing that, of the 1156 transactions I had who left feedback, the 1150 who were satisfied (and honest, not thieves or scammers like 2 of the other 6) count for less than 2 thieves and 4 disgruntled customers who didn't like the item they bought, for whatever reason.   So HELLO CUSTOMERS?? YOU don't count. Only the autograph creep and the book idiot who thought a FACISIMILE copy should be a REAL first edition, count. 

Just wanted you to know where YOU stand. Me? I'm an A.S.S. and heading towards the door. (don't believe it? while everyone else is piling 40-60 million MORE listings on ebay, I've reduced my numbers from 1400 to 800 and this week another 200 will go bye-bye. )

OH, and I forgot, I said MS65 in a title for a coin that wasn't graded cause I duplicated a listing and forgot to remove that phrase and THAT keeps me from being a TRS no matter what I do sales-wise for the next year.  Logical? maybe as a short-term punishment, but for 1 offense of it's type, in 13 yrs, it sure seems heavy-handed to me.

.  

Yes I'm pissed. Yes I know it means nothing or less to eBay managment and yes I know I"m dispensible and they will replace me with some Chinese junk vendor or some Bulgarian scam artist (or  a London art dealer selling forgeries)  but I will survive.  I don't know how much longer eBay can.

How many people do you know that have left? I can tell you 245,000 have diversified because THEY joined Bonanzle or Ecrater or Addoway

BTW, did I mention that I used to buy on eBay? From you, and you and you? and you and you over there in the corner too.  So will I continue to buy on eBay? NO ! the shipping dept apparently will but ME?? NO! emphatically

So, if you're looking for fine books, vintage glass, or depression era china, or other "oddball" stuff, come see me at one of those links right there. 

C-Ya!

5-6-10 Just an FYI - when I'm pissed and I say things, it doesn't mean I won't do them when I calm down. I'm calm now - 142 listings lighter too.  And 1/2 of those are not ever going back on ebay and the rest ? who knows when.

eBay meets the 21st century!! MOBILE LISTING!!1

Ok that's some hyperbole up there but really - so many things are now on your cell phone, I've had ebay search for years on a OLD OLD Verizon phone. However, Now I hear that:

A) Apple's gonna migrate the I-Phone to Verizon (HURRAH!!)

B) Ebay has an I-Phone selling App. (and one for the classifieds too!) so now I can sell from any where.. Gives a whole new meaning to "I've got a bridge to sell you!". Cause you can take a picture of the bridge and listed it WAY SIMPLE!! This is sooooooooooooooo NEW SCHOOL...not old school... check this out

Where do you sell? WHY there??

Where do you sell?? (SURVEY SAYS...?)
Ebay
Bonanzle
etsy
ecrater
Amazon
??
your own website?
Ruby Lane
IOffer?


Well I ask because I sell on several and I'm always wondering how are you doing elsewhere? Here's MY Report card for February 2010

eBay - sales picked up on Jan 20 when I finally got the TRS badge. I deserved it before that but it took a poke in the eye to point out to eBay whomever that I had the volume to be rated on a 3 mos basis NOT a 12 mos basis and if they did that, I'd be TRS. so now I am and sales are upp about 10% - which is ok...but I could use them to be back up to the level of last year which was 50% higher than Dec 2009. - I will be watching closely what's happening March 30th when the store listings roll into search. Hopefully I'll sell out quick and be able to pay a bill and go buy more stuff.

Amazon - I sometimes feel like a red-headed step child there. As a 3p seller and NOT FBA I only get the left over sales. If they are too slow and I've sold something elsewhere and have to cancel a sale...well then I go into "amazon jail" for a month or so. In January I sold 4 things that sold the same day on eBay or Boannzle and so 4 cancellations out of 4 sales...I've been in jail ever since. NOW finally I have 2 sales and I'm feeling the Amazon love again... hopefully it will last this time

Ecrater - I lvoe this site - since day one I sell a couple of items a month -not big money but always something I least expected. I'm tweaking an additional 300 NEWER listings there at the moment so I'm hoping for a sale bump soon

Bonanzle... nothing like a ranch - I sell a couple of items a week there these days - nothing big or expensive but hey someone has to buy circus posters and post cards.. And the Bonanzle folks do. doing some tweaking there too....

IOffer - I quit. I can't stand being nagged to sign in when NOTHING has happend in 4 mos and so I don't sign in for 2 weeks and they nage me every day for another two weeks..DONE! OVER - OUT!!

My website - ANTIQUEDAZE is small but growing. Still waiting for my first sale but since I only started in January putting things up and I only have like 40 up there... I'll be patient a long time for this one. I waste more on eBay fees than this whole thing costs me for a year.

And you?? where are you selling?? I'd love to hear and if you really want to be a guest blogger and link to yourself etc...? email me at bcherkowsky@gmail.com... send me a post and I'll post your blog topic right here about YOUR website...and what you sell

If I needed a reason to eat Girl Scout cookies...

As if I did...not in 57 years. I just love GS Cookies...after all I was a Girl Scout and a Girl Scout leader for 20 years and one day soon I will be again. But I never needed an excuse...Guess what the two little Girl Scouts on my street told me..Take 2 chocolate mint cookies, put a big spoon of vanilla icecream inbetween and make a sandwich out of them.. YUM!

Girl Scout Cookie Video

So? Can I still sell on eBay or is the game over?

So, can we still make money on eBay or is the game over for us small sellers?

Personally I'm a little pissed at the moment cause an idiot that read the description and didn't ask any questions, gave me a 1 in the DSR for description because " SHE THOUGHT" the item would be a 3 part mold but "seller didn't say in the listing" DUH do you think she could have emailed? Sure she could have but she wasn't smart enough to. So I'm "dinged" and that ding is going to cost me $40 because I will not qualify for the 20% discount in May.

Can I sell anything now that she and another person (who NEVER emailed, just dinged) are through and I'm no longer a Top rated Seller - maybe - we'll see...I know one thing. If this was May 21, I'd be delisting items because I wouldn't be dependent on ebay for my very existence. (another income source will kick in). And I'd wait out the 3 months till my stars disappeared altogether.

eBay keeps saying "educate your buyers" on one hand - like when they don't want to spend the money to do it. But when I try to email them, it's "they are not YOUR buyers, they are "ebay's" buyers. Well eBay Dear, you can't have it both ways. Either I educate them, including to the fact that I sell on my own site. OR you educate them and that includes putting back the interstital page that said you can't leave negative or neutral feed back for 7 days for a powerseller (which I still am). Did you know they took that away?? Well they did and the "seller advocate" washed his hands of it and said, contact ebay. "excuse me? I thought YOU worked there?"

So my answer is a qualified "maybe" we can still sell there. But seriously the game is in the last quarter and there's no one left on eBay's team who can "pitch". Batter UP!

Gee thanks Ms Buyer -

Other than that s

FA/FS 1-13-10 Books with Sendak Illustration,s Jim Thompson PB, 1st Ed Vintage/Antique Books (REO Motors, GGA, 1897 Surgery etc.)

We’re open for business at ANTIQUEDAZE. Sign up for my newsletter there and get special sales & discounts! http://www.antiquedaze.com

These are my eBay listings - Use this link to view any of the items below –
DGWarehouse -
this goes straight to my eBay store where I have lots more for sale -make me an offer -this ain’t no museum, this is all for sale and all reasonable offers considered. !

AUCTIONS -
Just my book auctions - Book Auctions
Vtg Cropper's Cabin Jim Thompson Lion 108 FE Paperback
Vtg Roughneck Jim Thompson FE FP Paperback Lion 201
Hanna Thomas Beer 1st Edtion 35/250 Signed Politics
Lettres De Mon Moulin Alphonse Daudet 1937 FRENCH #2700
Mr Love and Justice Colin MacInnes HTF First Ed HC/DJ
Mrs Piggle-Wiggles Farm McDonald Illust -Maurice Sendak
Paul Bocuse's French Cooking cookbook 1st Amer Ed HC/DJ
Salmon Fishing Waddington 1959 1st Ed HC/DJ sport OOP
Vtg Brey Classic Andalusian Stallion Foal & Mare w/box
Vtg Jim Thompson The Alcoholics FE Lion Paperback 127
Little Princess Burnett 1905 Sara Crewe Minchin Childre
Admirable Crichton JM Barrie Illus H Thomson 1st
Albert Sack Fine Points Furniture 2nd Ptg Signed Antiqu
The Intruder 1919 D'Annunizo Novel Romances of The Rose
1st Paperback Edition Fox Woman Merreit Avon 214 G-VG
3 John Bruner Classic Sci-Fi Paperbacks Quicksand Rites
Vtg Caper at Canaveral Rocket GGA Sleaze Paperback
Vtg Family Frolics Star Book SY110 GGA Sleaze Paperback
Vtg Lust Lord Elliott Nightstand GGA Sleaze Paperback
Vtg Naked Cargo Steel G-VG 1st Ed GGA Sleaze Paperback
Vtg Naked Diver MR112 Oil Explorer GGA Sleaze Paperback
Vtg Naked Swap FE Companion GGA Sleaze Paperback
Vtg Pickup Ellliot Sundown 519 GGA Sleaze Paperback
Vtg Sexy Fraud GGA Sleaze Paperback Jan-10
Vtg Sin Shroud GGA Sleaze Paperback G+ 1962 Midnight
Vtg Studio for Shame Nightstand GGA Sleaze Paperback
Vtg Women She Had Private Edition GGA Sleaze Paperback
Sage Green Wedgwood Japserware Bud Vase Cherubs Cupid
Scatlogic Rites of All nations Bourke 1968 Reprint 1891
Cat - Study Backboned Animals Mivart 1892 Illustrated
Vtg 1933 Breechloader in Service 1816 -1917 Guns Weapon
Vtg Demon devil metal Rams horns Doorknocker LG HEAVY
Vtg Guardians 4 VAmpires Finistere GGA Sleaze Paperback
Scatalogic Rites All nations Bourke 1968 Reprint 1891
Hurricanes Tannenhill US Weather Bureau 1938 1st Ed HC
Vtg McCoy Canyon 3 pc Dinnerware place setting Plate Mug
Vtg McCoy Canyon 3 pc Dinnerware place setting Plate Mug
Vtg McCoy Canyon 3 pc Dinnerware place setting Plate Mug
Vtg Historical Review British OB-Gyn 1800-1950
Youat on Sheep 1848 Breed Managment Diseases Livestock
1975 Six Million Dollar Man Complete Board Games Orig
2 Kings Crown Ruby Stain Compotes Depression Glass
Baby Finger Play Stories John Hoard Jewett FE 1513
Black Rock Ralph Connor Charles Gordon
Butterfly Book Holland 1910 Color Plates, Anatomy, Life
Company Commander MacDonald HC/DJ 23rd Infantry 2nd Inf
Cranberry Stain 3" Juice or Tall Whiskey Tumbler Glass
Raise High Roofbeam Carpenters Salinger 1st Ed 2nd St
Reo Motor Car Speed Wagon 1920-21 B Instruction Book
Stone Earrings Pierced Silver-tone 60's Retro flowerchilf
The InCompleat Pogo Walt Kelly PB 1St Ed 2nd Prtg Comic
The Woods John Hows Engravings Poetry Bryan, Longfellow
Vintge Abdominal Surgery Smith 1897 Ex-Lib Medical Dr

Thank you - I don't normally spam but I need the sales. I have 2 bills due this week and need sales.... so Make me an offer! all reasonable offers considered