Listing Quickly on eBay

I mentioned before that I had found a way to list items much quicker than I had been. I don't know if this is blog-worthy or not, but a friend asked me if I was ever going to blog about it and today is an Awesome day to list, (Ebay announced a "List up to 1000 items free" 1 Day only sale) so here goes!

I used to start with a category, a title, and then fill in all the blanks about the item (of clothing usually), add my picture and then rewrite it all in the description box. Even though I was using a template (or picking up an old listing and changing it) it was taking me forever to list each item. Part of the reason is that loading pictures to the listing is not exactly fast. That can be aggravating. I don't know if it's just my computer, or if it's that way for everyone. These great Sale days would come along and I'd do my relists in a couple minutes but then I would only list maybe 20 new items if I was really working hard. I decided something (or a few things) needed to change.

First off, my goal is to really downsize my inventory. Get these great clothes out of my ebay closet and into the arms of people who would loooove them! So I needed to list, list, list like crazy. At least to save the Free listing "space". Here's my strategy now:

1. I just listing the title, and fill in the necessary fill-in boxes (pre-owned, size type, size, color, etc, etc).
2. I skip the picture (for now)
3. In the description box the first line reads "Picture Coming Soon" and then I list anything that I think is necessary that wasn't covered in the drop-down boxes (ie tulle underskirt, sequins & beads, side zip, etc). There is no need to repeat everything that is already covered in the drop-down boxes, since the listing will show it right above the description. Then I do have an ending that says "No international shipping, ship within 24 hrs of pymt, check out my other auctions, yadda yadda yadda", but all of that was picked up from the previous auction ad and I'm not actually retyping it.
4. I add my price
5. I select the # of days
6. Double check the shipping price I've decided on
7. I click the list buttons, and I'm done with that listing.
8. Then I get a box that says the item is listed, and I click "Sell Similar" and more on to my next item.

I have been able to do many more listings that way. Then when I am done for the day I can relax. I go back and revise my auctions and add the pictures when I have more time, like the next day. I usually do 3 day listings, because I think people don't really have the patience to wait till a 7 day auction ends. I know I don't! So if I am listing fast like this, I will select 5 days, just to give myself time to add the picture. I've even had people ask me to add a picture or just click to watch the item until I do. I love it when that happens because it gives me incentive to add the picture. If I don't have time to add all of the pictures and some of the auctions end without pictures, I don't stress. Since my item has been listed, I'm one step closer to selling it, and I can go and relist it and add a picture, and on sales like today's where its free, I'm not losing any money if I didn't get them picture on!

Anyway, I hope this helps someone, anyone. It may sound like gibberish, because I'm excitedly typing (and tiredly its 3:16 am) and my fingers are freezing because my house is freezing with no heat on. I think I'll go to bed for now and get up whe my kids go to school and get busy with a ton more listings! How would it be to list 1000 items I wonder???? Thankfully I don't have that much inventory! Have a great listing day!

The Humanity Spectrum

I'm no philosopher, but when you witness humanity at its worst and best, I believe it causes you to consider life.

I dropped my kids off at school yesterday. I pulled up next to the curb, temporarily parallel parking. My kids and my friends kids all jump out, I watched as they got through the gates, and headed for their classrooms. Then I prepared to depart by checking the thru traffic that is always moving. I looked to my left and realized that the person who pulled thru traffic as I parked, is not in their car! They pulled in, hopped out and walked their kids to their classrooms, or whatever. I was incredulous! Infuriated! Why would someone do that?! There aren't 2 parking lanes! I sat for 10 minutes in my car until I could safely back out into the thru traffic, and get around her. I was mad and had daydreamed smashing into their dumb SUV.

I drove out of the parking lot, and to the post office, dropped my ebay envelopes in the box and left. I drove about 2 blocks, and prepared to turn right. In front of me were 2 cars. To the right of me was a van, which was kind of parked in a bus loading shoulder.

I was still mad at the dumb person who dared to box me in at the school. I was mad at the school staff for not monitoring morning traffic (not that they monitor afternoon traffic very well either). I'm contemplating this waiting for the two cars to move forward so I can turn right. Then I realized what my mind was not registering but my eyes had been witnessing. 3 men had gotten out of their vehicles to help an elderly woman in a handicap scooter who had tipped over sideways and was lying in the street at the crosswalk. She probably has miscalculated the curb slope. She hadn't even moved, too in shock, or didn't know what to do. These 3 saintly men picked the scooter up, then helped the woman to sit up and then gently picked her up and placed her in the scooter. Then they talked to her, made sure she was ok to go on, probably asking if she needed medical help. They smiled and then ran back to their cars. I had witness a beautiful act of kindness.  A genuine concern for another person. I realized I was bawling as the man in the parked van got closer to me. I waved a thumbs up and wiped my tears. He probably thought I was nuts. I was basking in the kindness and love and humanity they had shown, and it wasn't even towards me.

It made my previous encounter seem ridiculous. My hard heart softened as I realized possibly I was supposed to witness this. Or maybe the Lord was trying to teach me how to be kinder. I believe He knows us and our struggles and yet is constantly trying to teach us. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ loves each of us as a brother, as a parent, and wants us to love each other as well. I am a mom, who wants my children to share their good example and be kind to others. I am not perfect, I don't expect others to be either. However sometimes its easy to forget, and we get mad and judgemental of others. We take things too personally. By thinking of each person as a child of a loving God, it is easier for me to forgive and love others. I hope they would do the same for me. I am a Thrift store Shopper, an Ebay Seller, a Mom, a Wife, a Child of God and I'm a Mormon.