Indiana-Joe's Epic Adventure Journal as I continue my successful journey through the Cash Lands of eBay & Craigslist Treasures!

While you are on ebay look around for the "site map" link. Click on that and look for a link "whats hot" click on that. It will tell you what has been selling on ebay.

2nd
I have not done this for awhile but while your in the site map location look for a link for "want it now". It allows people to post for things that they want to buy. you may find that you have what someone else is looking for.
Bob

Thanks for the insight, tips and additional information. The more we share the greater chance for success. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Thanks Joe for information sharing on the e-bay business. I look at this as another way of acquiring money for investment. I did as I promised set up my e-bay account and assigned functions to each family member. I offered CEO to my younger son, but he declined the position. He siad his college is priority, and decided to accept the position as the tech person and my elder son is the photographer. I decided to take the position as the CEO. We did all this yesterday and posted two items. We expect success soon. Another tip for obtaining items to sells is Salvation Army. I get some really nice stuff there, very reasonable.

Thanks Bob for the info on finding what is the hot deals to buyers. i will check it out for our next postings. Isn't this a great site, there is never a dull moment. God Bless.

Sandra

Thank you so much. I know people that sell things and said it was easy but I just didn't know where to begin. My passion is REI and to get my first deal by 2/1/2010. But I always wanted to learn to sell things on ebay but didn't know where or how to begin even with their tools. So thank you for the tip about want it now and just checking on what's selling. I tried to share with my daughter and have her do most of the ebay thing but I need to get it started and work it as a team and show her the success.
Thanks for the great tips. I can't wait to share my first deal and/or ebay/craiglist adventures. I do need to stay focused on REI though; I get easily distracted and offcourse.
CAthy

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insight. It is great to be able to tap items for eBay from Craigslist, friends, family, neighbors, local thift stores, garage sales, swap meets, etc. The possibilities are endless. If you make some cash today it could help provide some relief today to focus on more deals tomorrow. Glad to hear your family is taking an active role with your new adventure. Keep us posted. Good luck, you can do it! Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Each day can be a new opportunity to make some cash with Craigslist and eBay. I would suggest anyone interested in making some extra cash start out by seeing what is for sale in your local area on Craigslist. See if you can find the similar item on eBay. A little research can go a long way to making some profits. Good luck. Buy local (Craigslist) and Sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"I think it is exciting to see what kinds of ideas they will come up with, things the world has never seen before. That is what I’m waiting for." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

Internet sales is all about creating your system and working the system to perfection. You try new things and find out what works. You find those little tricks or time saving activities through trial and error. Time brings knowledge and knowledge will bring greater profits! With Christmas being only 11 months away (its never too early to start planning), this is one of the best times of year to plan for those big sales on the internet. Buy Local (Craigslist) an sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"You'll fail at some things – that’s a learning experience that you need so that you can take that on to the next experience. What you learn from those challenges and those failures are what will get you past the next ones…I was the pretty consistent bull and the cheerleader on eBay actually." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

It is amazing to see what people often collect. Sometimes I will watch the "Antique Roadshow" on television or attend a local collectibles show. Often we think of items that some of these items may be worthless but at times they could be priceless to others. When you have an expanded knowledge of what people want that is where you can make the cash. You may not like something but if there is a demand for it, that's all that counts. Because the next time that you are at a gargage sale or a swap meet and you see a few of those "hot items", you will see the gems that others will pass right by! Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"You can’t predict growth and success – no one in their right mind would predict 30 percent monthly growth for another year every year." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

Today I saw an advertisment in the local newspaper for a store that is "going out of business". They are having an auction for all remaining merchandise and fixtures of the store. The store is less than 10 miles from where I live so I will be sure to attend. This is a good time to have a friend that has a pick-up truck. You never know what you will find and most items will be cash and carry. Thus, my friend's pick-up is just the thing I need. I will be looking for some items that may have appeal for Craigslist and eBay. The opportunities are endless and it is so fun to find new items. Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"What would happen within a marketplace if everyone had equal access to information and tools?. Would a level playing field enable individuals to compete alongside big businesses? What if members managed their own transactions and accountability?" ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

I organized an area of my basement as my "packing area" for my internet busienss. Some ofthe keys are yoru packing supplies and a comfortable chair. The area consists of a large table, markers, labels, tape and packing supplies. I usually like to even save some extra plain boxes, in the event I need to ship something by regular mail or UPS. Other supplies that come in handy are the bubble wrap, tissue paper and packing peanuts. Sometimes this extra stuff comes in handy and if you do not have to buy it, there is more cash for your pocket at the end of the day! Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"We don't have much in the way of a business strategy. Like no business plan. Which I say to torment all my friends who are VCs or MBAs. That's always entertaining. The deal is, it's a mixture of luck and persistence."
~ Craig Newmark (founder of Craigslist)

I was asked the other day if doing eBay and Craigslist is exciting. I enjoy the business, enjoy meeting people and even enjoy shipping items because it can be like wrapping gifts that people eagerly await. The most exciting thing is selling tiems and realizing in most cases you paid pennies in the dollar for most items you may be selling. Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"Don’t let people who you may respect and who you believe know what they’re talking about, don’t let them tell you it can’t be done because often they will tell you it can’t be done, and it’s just because they don’t have the courage to try." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

Especially in today's market there is a need for second hand items and always a need for collectoble items. People want convenience and also look for items that maybe they can't find elsewhere. I think of the principle of the store "Once upon a Child" . They buy lightly used children items and resell them. How often do you go to garage sales and see strollers, or various other large ticket items for babies or young children. I know strollers can be well over $100 and at a garage sale sometimes you can find them for under $20.00. This is just one example of thinking about a specialized area for an internet business and sales. Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"I founded the company on the notion that people were basically good and that if you give them the benefit of the doubt you’re rarely disappointed." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

...I went to the grocery store today and I always check-out the bulletin board for homes and other goddies. I noticed a few of the local newspapers like the Penny Saver, Thrifty Nickle and the Bargains Finder. These little local papers can be another exceleltn resource not only for FSBOs bu for other "good stuff" or collectible stuff for you internet business. Always keep your eyes open because you never know where the next bargain may be coming from! Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"I need to make an okay living. The people who work for us need to. But after you make a comfortable living, how much more do you need? It's like I make a joke about nerd values, because I'm very much in the rich nerd tradition. And you know, we say, like, hey, people pay us for this stuff, like programming. You know, what else do we need?" ~ Craig Newmark (founder of Craigslist)

Have you found any new items for eBay. Have you searched on Craigslist lately? Are you going to take action today, or just think about taking action? Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"I was one of these guys that didn't really study, so I don't think I was a good student. I used to actually cut gym and sneak into the computer room – which wasn't really a room, it was a closet where they kept the computer between classes – and played on the computer." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

I have sold many things on ebay and craigs list...I never knew there was realestate on ebay....Great tip!!

Thanks for stopping by my journal. Good luck on all your future deals. Believe and Achieve! - Joe

....Well, its going to be 6 more weeks of winter, so its a great time to keep the internet business rolling. The tip of the day is save plain boxes to use for shipping some items. These plain boxes come in handy for odd ball items that don't fit in the regular size mailing boxes such as the US Priority Mail boxes. Buy local (Craigslist) and Sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"It's all about treating each other the way you want to be treated yourself so that you can do business with one another." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

Did you ever notice that if you get great service with an ok product or a great product with bad service, you may lean toward giving repeat business to the company that provided great service? I believe we are a service oriented society and that great service must carry on to the success of our internet business. Your eBay and Craigslist business is no different because if you provide a great attitude and great service you will have more opportunities with buyers and sellers. Great customer service goes a long way for repeat sales, opportunities and referrals. The key here is always treat your custoemrs better than you want (or expect) to be treated. Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"We believe people are basically good; we believe everyone has something to contribute; we believe that an honest, open environment can bring out the best in people; we recognize and respect everyone as a unique individual; we encourage you to treat others the way you want to be treated." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

The power of a freebie gift with an order. When someone purchases an item if you have a small free item that you can give it may add to the value of the purchase to the buyer. Thus, whenever you are out looking for items, always think of these freebie items to help build your business by repeat sales. The better the experience the buyer, has the better opportunity for a repeat sale. For example, when we sell Disney related items we give free Disney postcards, stickers, etc. It doesn't cost that much but it is a little more than they expected. Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"It's all about treating each other the way you want to be treated yourself so that you can do business with one another." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

Thanks for the info!!

Thanks for stopping by my journal. Good luck. Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

Today, I need to pick up more US priority mail boxes from the US post office. The great thing is you can also order these boxes by the case. They sure come in handy for the standard size items that you may be mailing. It is also nice because the "flat rate" boxes take all the guess work out of shipping costs. A key is to always try to charge your customers exact shipping. It is better in most cases to even under charge a little for shipping rather than over charge. The under charge may result in a happier customer and hopefully future repeat sales. However, if you over charge, customers do not like paying for more than actual costs. Back in the day, you would always see shipping and "handling" charges. Today, customers do not want to pay a "handling" charge. Remember shipping is part of the sale and could lead to additioal future repeat business. Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"I think it is exciting to see what kinds of ideas they will come up with, things the world has never seen before. That is what I’m waiting for." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

There are so many great items on my local area in Craigslist that would be a great item to list on eBay. You can find great items locally that you can sell globally. Small restaurant equipment always has a huge market. Once my friend found a small table top pizza warmer (by the slice) machine on Craigslist. It was $50 and my friend listed it and sold it on eBay a restaurant owner for $250! Thus, you can find some real gems on Craigslist that you can sell on eBay. There are new items listed everyday. Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"We don't think of ourselves as do-gooders or altruists. It's just that somehow we're trying our best to be run with some sense of moral compass even in a business environment that is growing." ~ Craig Newmark (founder of Craigslist)

The Super Bowl is in the history books and the NFL will be back in August with the pre-season. I thing that I learn with this internet business is that people enjoy sports related items. There are fans of specific teams in all major sports that live all over the country. If you locate sports related items of teams, eBay is a global market where fans look. The more unique the items, the more fans that may want it. So be sure not to over look those sports related items. Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"Nice guys, a responsible company that has its heart in the right place – that’s run by real human beings – it has to be successful, because if we weren’t that way, eBay would not be successful. eBay wouldn’t exist. It would not be possible." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

..Yet another week is beginning. Hopefully everyone had a fun, relaxing but yet productive weekend. We have been getting more snow and at times more snow can mean more opportunities. Will there be more deals on Craigslist that fewer people go out of their home to check out? Will there be more people staying at home this winter rather than going to the mall? Maybe they will be shopping on eBay for those unique, special or hard to find items. The weather and the time of year can have an impact on your internet business. Well, the sky is the limit! Now is the time to make some extra cash! Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"I had one simple idea about telling friends about arts and technology events. People in the community suggested everything else to us, and that's our theme. We're really run by the people who use the site. We just run the infrastructure, and help out with problems." ~ Craig Newmark (founder of Craigslist)

There are deals all around us from Craigslist to eBay to the local newspaper. Anopther tip to find great items is at auctions. Storage locker auctions or busiensses tha thave recently closed will have an auction to liquidate their remining merchanside or furniture and fixtures. Be sure to check out the "legal" postings section in your paper. You may even see a few probate leads for real estate as well. Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"I started eBay as an experiment, as a side hobby basically, while I had my day job." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

Many of the stores in my area are having terrific sales on NFL merchandise because the NFL football season is over. Sometimes you can pick up items that will make great items for yoru eBay business. Especially if your team wins a championship, others want to remember it years down the road. As you see those cheap t-shirts these can be hot otems next season or in years to come. Buy early buy often, sell later for greater profits! Also remember, Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"When I started eBay, it was a hobby, an experiment to see if people could use the Internet to be empowered through access to an efficient market. I actually wasn't thinking about it in terms of a social impact. It was really about helping people connect around a sphere of interest so they could do business." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

.....Did you know something? Today is the day you are going to take action and look at Craigslist and eBay. I know your busy, right? We all are, but in life we make time for what we want to make time for. But the sooner you get things listed and clear the clutter, the sooner you are making cash. As you make cash and pay some bills or buy things you need it will help you get closer to your goals. I believe that several things I have learned in the internet business has helped me today with real estate investing. You meet people, you work with people, you look for deals, you advertise, I could go on and on. Sometime in life when we practice at something it makes us better for other things later in life. So gather that clutter around your basement, attic and garage and let's get started! Buy Local (Craigslist) and sell Global (eBay). Believe and Achieve! - Joe

"The Internet is changing everything, and has changed the world in such a short period of time, and will continue to change things in very positive ways that we have yet to anticipate. I’m very excited by the prospect of what we haven’t seen yet." ~ Pierre Omidyar (founder of eBay)

First, let me thank you again for the wealth of information you share with us daily. I took your advice and set up two items for auction using my son's e-bay account, since he is more computer savy than me and he has a paypal account. I received no feed back from one item and one question on the other, but no sale. What am I doing wrong? Do you think I should load much more than I am putting up for bid. Thanks.

Sandra

Thanks for stopping by my journal. In regards to the eBay auction a good idea is try to see if there are similar items to your on eBay or recently sold on eBayand it shoudl give you an idea on pricing and desirability of the item. Soemtimes a picture or shipping terms can also deter people from an item. Ither times there are buyers that want specific items and timing could be an issue. Of you have specific questions about your items, please feel free to PM me about it. Thanks for the feedback regarding your recent listings. Believe and Achieve! - Joe