eBay Follies....Longish but Kind of Funny

It's been a pretty good week on eBay for me.
Yah, yah, I know....y'all are getting tired of hearing about this, right?lol

While things aren't flying out the door I've been kept busy with getting rid of(selling)things.  In the past 27 days I have listed 140 items.  Not quite the 150 I wanted to get done but it's close enough for me to feel a sense of accomplishment. 8-)

As of this morning, I've sold 49 items and I have a couple of Best Offers to rule on so I might be up to 50 by this afternoon.

Cyber Monday's sales were steady but not frantic.
And then on Tuesday things dropped off substantially.....except when I get something listed, there is a frenzy of questions to seller(and/or offers if I put that feature on an item)within the first few hours of it being 'live' on the site.  I actually sold something within an hour of listing it yesterday.
But unfortunately most things don't fly off the shelf like that. 8-(
eBay is way down from what it use to be like during the High Selling Season of Oct/Nov/Dec.
Ahhhh, the good old days....lol

I've had some really interesting potential buyers this week.

*A woman who bought an item from me about 7 years ago bought something from me last week.  How do I know this?  Because she sent me a long email telling me this, with many details, which jogged my memory and I actually sort of remembered her.  She was nice to deal with back then and still is, but the main thing I remembered about her was that she was very cheap and never wanted to pay for Priority mail shipping and was always trying to get a better deal out of me.  She is still sending me chatty emails and I just don't want to be her friend so I feel bad ignoring her.
That's the thing about eBay.   Some buyers want to have a relationship with you beyond the buyer/seller interchange.  They cross the line from friendly buyer into needy territory......I want your money but I really don't want to be BFFs if I meet you on eBay.lol

*Someone emailed me about a Star Wars action figure case I am selling that is out of production(from 1999)but new in the package.  She wants to replace a vintage case her son had gotten years ago, now that her grandson was using his SW toys, because that old case was falling apart.  She asked me a bazillion questions that the only way I would know the answers would be if I ripped open the sealed package and inspected the interior of said case.  This is not something I would under any circumstances do(unless the person bought it first and PAID FOR IT and asked me to open it before shipping it off).
After those bazillion questions that I couldn't possibly answer, she wanted to know how long would it take to get it without telling me WHERE she wanted it shipped to OR WHAT MAILING RATE she wanted to pay for. 

Then to top this all off and push it into the "Seriously, get a clue!" category, she offered me half of what I was asking for it...and I had NO Best Offer feature enabled on the item NOR is my price for this item outrageously high.

Since I am a nice person(most of the time...lol), I answered the 2 questions I could, told her why I couldn't give her more information, told her I wasn't taking half of what I needed for this item and directed her to a listing for a lovely used identical case for cheap and said goodbye.
I could have ignored her or told her to kiss my pastey white a$$ but I've still got a little bit of Holiday spirit left......but it's wearing thin I tell ya! ;-)

*How about two different cases where potential buyers emailed me frantically wanting to know where my listing disappeared to when I sold an item that they had put on their "watch list".  One even demanded that I relist the item so they could buy it!  The nerve of someone else buying it...humph!  Well if you really wanted it, you should have bought it instead of just watching it.
I have never understood why someone puts a Fixed Price/Buy It Now item on a watch list.....it's not like it's an auction and they don't want to miss the end of the auction and bid on it then so they win it.  You just have to hit the button and Buy It idiot.....no auction sniping needed!lol

*The impatient buyers from overseas.  I don't quote overseas shipping automatically in my listing details like I do domestic shipping.  Overseas shipping is a tad more complicated with too many variables to just give a cookie cutter response.  Some items can't go cheap rate(1st Class)due to size or weight restrictions.  And then there are countries where I will not ship to using 1st Class rates....countries with massive corruption in their postal systems(many of which are privately held)where packages regularly go missing and end up stolen.  That would be Italy.....Jamaica......and parts of Mexico to name a few.  I am also reticent to ship to places with oppressive communist or dictator-ish governments.....like some "use to be Soviet Union" countries, China, parts of the Middle East.  If you are in those places you need to wait until you ask me if I will/can ship an item to you and what rate I will allow it to go.
Add in that often overseas shipping is a LOT more anyway than these buyers assume.

I will get overseas buyers who ask me for a shipping quote and then since I don't answer them immediately, they go ahead and buy the item. 

I've had one of them last week do this and then pay me without including any extra for the shipping of the item. lol

This week I had a guy buy without finding out the shipping to Italy would be at least $40 since I won't send 1st Class rate to there.  He ended up paying for Express Mail rate for $48!  Heck, I thought Italy was declaring bankruptcy....this guy obviously didn't get the memo yet.;-)
Then I had someone buy without finding out the shipping to China.  I've already had one package returned to me from China that was undeliverable so I am reticent about sending there anymore.  Seems like China actually holds their citizens to the "you can only import certain goods/certain value of items per year" rule.  If someone in China(Hong Kong not withstanding)asks for a shipping quote I remind them to ascertain whether the item is allowed to be received by them.

Another person yesterday in Canada bought an item and immediately paid me.  They chose a random number out of the air and included that much extra in their payment for shipping.  They sent no note or explanation about this payment, including no expectation of which shipping rate they assumed this extra bit of money would buy them.  So now I have to figure out the shipping options quote and email them.  If what they sent is enough to cover the shipping they expect, that's fine, but if it isn't......I have to refund the whole payment and wait for them to send me to correct amount....and I have to email them and hope they see my email and respond in a timely fashion.   That's the thing that gets me.....buyers expect me to instantaneously respond to their inquiries, shipping their package immediately after they pay and post feedback a nanosecond after they pay me.  But when I need information out of them?.....Oh, they are in no hurry whatsoever to respond.  But if their non-response means I can't ship their item and it gets held up for any amount of time, they are hell on wheels bitchy at me. *sigh* lol

But even though eBay selling during the Holidays can be stressful...especially if you are an ethical seller with a conscience who cares about during things the right way....this year I am NOT letting it get to me like I did in past years. 
Because basically, I don't give a shit. ;-)
I don't care about my rating....ok, I do care to do things the right way, but if you have a hair up your ass and just want to go on eBay to screw with someone and ruin their Seller reputation to make yourself feel like a big deal(I've dealt with those in the past), I don't care if you leave me unwarranted bad feedback.  The whole feedback system is a joke and has been for years since they took any serious repercussions against Buyers out of the equation but left all the feedback power in the hands of the Buyers.  Sellers can't do anything to a bad buyer.....can't leave them negative feedback.  But a bad buyer can not only leave sellers uncalled for bad feedback but they can ding them on their 5 star rating for something that is beyond the sellers control--the cost of postage/shipping.  If I don't give FREE Shipping(something that I have to pay for out of my tiny profit and more and more buyers are expecting even though I can't write off the cost of shipping like huge corp. like Amazon can)and charge what it actually costs to ship something, my SHIPPING AND HANDLING Star gets downgraded by them.  This star really needs to be called something else since I don't CHARGE SHIPPING, the Post Office CHARGES it. I merely collect it.  And not only that put I get the great honor of HAVING TO PAY eBAY A FEE ON THAT SHIPPING MONEY THAT I DON'T CHARGE OR GET TO KEEP.  AND i GET TO PAY PAYPAL A FEE ON THAT SHIPPING MONEY I COLLECT FOR THE PO TOO.
And yes, I am shouting here.....

So I don't give a rat's a$$ about what my buyers think about my prices.  You buy it or you don't, your choice.  You pay me what it costs and I ship your thing to you.  You want to leave me nasty comments, fine.  Have at it!  I don't care because when I am done selling off my crap I am leaving eBay and it's Black Hearted Business Model far behind.
Cutting ya loose eBay....with a smile on my face(ok, maybe a smirk!)and a skip in my step because I'll never have to endure this again.

Yah, I'll miss the funny buyers and shaking my head at the "WHAT were they thinking!?!?" buyers but I am retiring as a Master Shipping Box Reconfigurer. 
I'm hanging up my postal scale, tape, yardstick and scissors after this last hurrah.

Sluggy

November Budget Results.......Food and Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for NOVEMBER 2011.

I have posted November's totals on the right side bar under Total Grocery Savings for 2011 and updated the Yearly Totals.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in November.  If you aren't interested in that much detail, just skip to the bottom for the Totals Summary.

My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Pet Supplies, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable.We are a family of 5(3-4 at home this month)& 2 dogs. No kids under 15.
******************

BAKERY OUTLET
OOP  $17.89

Value  $72.44

Savings  75.30%

LUCAS FARMS(local produce market)

OOP  $13.02 

Value  $27.33

Savings  52.36%

RESTAURANT SUPPLY STORE
OOP  $32.50

Value  $75.90

Savings 57.20%

SHURSAVE STORES(small local independent affiliated stores)
OOP  $104.43

Qs/Ads  $173.15
Value  $277.58
Savings  62.38%

WALMART 

OOP  $3.60

Qs/Ads  $0
Value  $3.60

Savings  0%

WEIS (local chain Grocery store in my town/doubles up to $1 total)
OOP  $99.66

Qs/Ads  $261.51
Value  $361.17
Savings  72.40% 

I don't track Rite-Aid's +Ups here, nor CVS's ECBs & Walgreen's RRs. They will be included when used on purchases under "Coupons".   I'll keep track of what rebates are received monthly.  Rebate money/gift cards will be considered 'income' & will go into the Food/Toiletries budget, offsetting the Out of Pocket. Cash will go immediately into the Budget kitty, while Gift Cards will be calculated in when spent.

REBATE CHECKS RECEIVED IN NOVEMBER
Pinecone...$3.00
Subtotal........$3.00

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES
$0.00
TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$3.00 * a pathetic month*

COUPONS and FREEBIES

Zero  *more pathetic-ness*

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were the Bakery Outlet at 75.30%, Weis at 72.40% and the Shursave Stores at 62.38%.
I shopped at 6 different stores in November.....well really it was 8 but 3 of them were Shursaves so I counted them as the same store. ;-)


TOTAL Out of Pocket........$271.10  soooo close!lol

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$546.92

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$818.02
TOTAL Savings of...................................66.86%


TOTAL of CASH Rebates........................$3.00
TOTAL Out of Pocket After Rebates........$268.10
TOTAL Savings including Rebates...........$549.92
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$818.02
TOTAL Savings After Rebates...................67.22%

This closes out the November spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month-I came very close to staying on my $250 food budget in November.  I cashed in a grocery store gift card and did a couple of different Catalina Deals(can you say GRAVY?lol)this month.  I also bought a second turkey in November and did a wee bit of stocking up on dairy/baking supplies.

Oh! Wait a minute.....actually if you look at my October food budget post I set a $300 budget for November so I came in UNDER!

Go me!!lol

Now I'm sure that if I had remembered I gave myself a $300 food kitty last month, wanna bet I would have spent $320?  8-)

What's ahead for December.....
As always I'll keep an eye out for Catalina deals I can use.  I am going to try to use up some meats/proteins in the freezer this month before we get to Christmas.  The freezer needs a good defrosting and clean out.  Using up will help keep the food spending in check since I foresee a big Ham purchase in 3 weeks or so for a big Christmas Dinner and that hunk o' meat will cost mucho coinage!

With 1 month left in the year, we have spent a total of $2,772.85 of our income on food/HBA in 2011.
That comes out to $252.08 per month.
We brought home items with a reg. retail value of $13,287.59 so far this year.
That's a savings of $10,514.74 or 79.07%.

How did you do in November with your Food Budget?  Did the Turkey Holiday dinner bust your budget(not to mention your belt!lol)

What are your challenges for December?  Any family coming to stay....Holiday Celebrations?..  Do you throw parties and how do you budget for that?...or is your/the childs'/the spouse's school/work/Holiday extracurricular activities schedule too busy to shop/cook/eat as a family?

Please leave a comment or link to your post and let us hear about your progress!  By sharing our struggles and efforts we can help each other stick to our budgets and learn to be better guardians of our resources.

Sluggy

One More Day....

....Until December!
I see all of you out there, you KNOW who you are!, talking about having your Christmas buying all wrapped up or nearly wrapped up.
And it's not even freaking December yet!
Come on......

WTF?!?!lol

I can't compete with this so I won't try.
I have bought throughout the year in years past, but with teens and older who don't want 'stuff' anymore I just don't buy much anymore.

I do give gift cards or money, which I can do late in the game and it's so much less stressful.
I ordered some gift cards with our c/c points over the weekend.
Now I have to get something for Hubs and my family 'Secret Santa' person.  The immediate family draws names and we each give 1 nice present to our SS person.
And I'll wait until this weekend to start freaking out over getting this done and getting the house in shape to decorate a bit.

I did buy 1 item for the Nephew for Xmas that was discounted 40% so reasonably priced on Black Friday.  And that was it for BF, except for the Gift Cards(that aren't gifts)I got at Rite-Aid.

Since I was online working on listings all day on Cyber Monday I did a little window shopping though.
I also wrestled with myself most of the day over the Deal of the Day on Amazon......

A $499 600 Pro Series Kitchen-Aid Mixer.
After sale price, rebate AND additional discount if you opted out of the Free Year of some magazine, the price was $183 and change.
I debated over buying this all day....never did hit that order button though.
I'd love to have it but with the kids leaving home, I find I make less and less baked goods.  It would end up being a very pretty and expensive counter tchotchke I'd have to dust.


With reopening the eBay Store, I haven't had time for much else the last week except for throwing food on the table or clothes in the washer.lol

Here's something shipping out today......

3 3-pack gift sets of CARS cars.
I sold them for $69.99.
I paid $5 each on clearance at Target 3 years ago.
My "geiger counter hands" strike again!lol

On the other hand, my 2 local Tag Sale Doll/Toy buyers crapped out on me.  There will be no $153 for me and less crap here to unload.
I'll repost all the Tag Sale stuff tomorrow....Pay Day!lol

There is major consternation in the local online Help Site. I'll post separately about that brew ha-ha when I have more time.

After a week of 60 degrees the temp has dropped and I swear it looks like it's going to snow at any minute.
My poor confused plants.....lol

I got an invite yesterday to go to Scranton and protest Barry Obama.
He's in town politicking and yammering on about something or other.....and causing major clusterfuckness on the 2 Interstates around here.  Thanks so much Washington and don't wait dinner for anyone who has to commute around here today.
Screw your Presidential convoy!  Why don't YOU sit your ass in traffic like the 99% do.....

I decided to stay home and stay pepper spray-free.
Of course, I do have a nice camping tent and I could probably drum up some people and start our own local OWS group.
Maybe if it was still 62 degrees and I didn't have work to do...you know, to make some money so I can support myself and not have to rely on the Government for handouts.

I'm more concerned about this protest right now....

 Sluggy

November Food Spending Week 4, Meal Plan Week 4+/December Week 1

Last week's meal plan is in the books.  Here is what actually happened....

SUNDAY--Pot Roast, Carrots, Potatoes, Onions w/Gravy
MONDAY--Tilapia, Mixed Veg, Sweet Potato Fries
TUESDAY--Tacos, Corn
WEDNESDAY--Leftovers
THURSDAY--Turkey Thanksgiving Dinner
FRIDAY--Leftovers
SATURDAY--Chinese Take-Out

 No Squash casserole night again, because though I actually got to the Product market last week I forgot the yellow squash.  I am claiming I was so overcome by the beauty of the Rutabagas....yah, that's my story. ;-)  Lots of leftovers.  We are almost at the end of Thanksgiving leftovers(except for the stuffing)and we still have taco beef.

 
Total for all the food shopping last week came to $56.02.  I had to use half of my ShurSave Reward money and I still spent $17.46 OOP.  I spent $13.02 at the Produce market(and I got some extra sweet potatoes for later). 2 trips for milk last week and I was at $249.47 for the month.

 

Then Daughter came home and decided she needed yogurt(which she didn't eat all of before she left to go back to school), and frozen pizzas(1 of which she didn't eat).  I asked her to pick me up a few more apples for a pie.....so she bought beautiful eating apples NOT on sale instead of  "I don't care what it looks like as long as it's cheap" apples to put in a pie.  5 apples that cost over $6...EEK!  We had some words about buying apples afterwards.....lol

So I will blame Daughter for tipping me over my $250 food budget for November.

My savings percentage was 50.03% last week, as the reg. retail was $112.10 on the groceries I brought home. 

My running total spent for the month is now at $269.54.  I have to food shop tomorrow as I have a $10 ShurSave markets reward left that expires on that day.  I will try to keep it as close to $10 as possible.

This week's menu.....

SUNDAY--Leftovers(Pot Roast)
MONDAY--Taco Bell
TUESDAY--Leftovers(Turkey)
WEDNESDAY--Leftover Tacos or Taco Salad
THURSDAY--Chicken Parmesan, Spaghetti, Salad
FRIDAY--Subway or Chinese Take-Out or Pizza
SATURDAY--Chicken Casserole(uses up leftover stuffing), Veggie TBD

Items needed for this menu.....nothing really, I have everything I need to make it all....except for the Subway and the Taco Bell of course.

I don't plan on any food shopping this week except to use that $10 in Rewards on Wednesday.  Basically this week's ads suck, as they always do the week after the Thanksgiving Holiday.

I'll be posting my Monthly Food Spending Post in the next day or two as time permits between dealing with Real Life and eBay stuff.

And of course my posting about food shopping this month isn't complete without a mention of.....

 

Sluggy

In The Weeds....

Literally and figuratively in the weeds here!

That's why I haven't posted lately.
#2 son home from school still....it's deer hunting season in PA so they had off on Monday and today is Parent/Teacher conferences.
But he's had pitt orchestra rehearsals and orthodontist appointment.
Plus I am dealing with Daughter's medical issues and medical insurance provider long distance from college which makes me want to spit nails!
And the phone rang 23 times yesterday.....have I mentioned how much I detest talking on the phone lately?
And the eBay screwball buyers have come out of the woodwork and I am behind on getting things listed because I have been packing and shipping like a wild woman and have no time left for listing.
I haven't even done a menu for this week...ack!
And I am so tired I actually drank a cup of coffee at the Orthodontist's office....it was free so what the hell, right?lol

And the weather.....can I just say that the weather is crazy lately?
It's 60 degrees outside...it was 62 yesterday.
This is northern PA.....this is late November....WTF?!?!
It should be 25 degrees and snowing.
It's like in 2007 when it was 70 degrees and we had a tornado on Dec. 1st.
Wacky weather.......

My shrubbery is so confused.
Here is what my forsythia bush is doing.....

It's BLOOMING!
Likewise my Magnolia tree and the massive Rhododendron bush have budded out because they think Spring is here!
Sigh........

If this keeps up we'll need to mow the lawn again this weekend......in December. lolol

I'll be back later after I get something accomplished.

Sluggy