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.

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.

Camille Beckman Hand Therapy- I love this stuff

A couple of months ago I mentioned trying some hand cream I got from Kathy Simpson of Kat's Kloset. WELL, I just found out that a mutual friend of hers and mine is also selling the same item but in tubs and in a Rosewater scent - which is a very light, delicate floral. SO...if you haven't tried it yet, quick before she's sold out - go to Galleria Gifts and get some. Here's the link.
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Now, seriously, here is why I recommend this product. I have VERY VERY VERY VERYVERY dry skin. Sahara Desert dry - Death Valley dry. peels off at a touch dry. Understand? DRY... James Bond only wishs his martini was this dry. And it hurts if I bump my fingers or hand or even my toes. Not just hurts but splits - which takes forever to heal. BUT ...since I started using this Glycerin Therapy, my skin is nowhere near as dry and isn't peeling.

Now I don't know the ingredients but I suspect that the handcreams I'd been using has a certain percentage of alcohol as a liquid, purifier etc. And alcohol, even in handcream, dries. That's why it's great for certain types of things but not for hands. SO, try this, you'll like it and I'm sure it will be wonderful on your skin. (and hurry up and buy the rest of the Rosewater scent cause I got that. I want to try Mango and she won't order us any of that til we use up her stock of Rosewater. LOL)