Ebay Storefront on Flatbush

Weird, does anyone know how those things work?

Really? I think one of those places opened in my old storefront on 6th ave between Dean and Bergen. Why have another right around the corner? Maybe it's the same people. Selling stuff on Ebay is so easy, I'm actually a little incredulous that you'd hire someone else to do it for you and take some of the profits.

Actually, I think that could be really useful. Some things are easy to sell on ebay and others are really hard to get a decent price for.

ISA-- Basically, you drop your stuff off at the storefront and they set up the auction for you. They think up a description that will get a good price, figure out what the reserve should be (if any; I always screw up ebay auctions by setting reserves), and then they ship it for you. They take a cut (the amount depends on how much the item went for) but if you're busy and have a big load of junk, I think it could be really useful.

BTW, ebay maintains a list of businesses that are approved to run this kind of thing, and you should check that they're on it.

I walked by there a few minutes ago and I think I've finally figured out what to do with that 60 lb. antique accordian I've been dragging around from apt. to apt. for the past 12 years. I took a brochure, but I didn't see anything about what % of cut they take out, so I looked it up:
i-soldit fees

30% is pretty fricking steep, but I guess since they do all the legwork, maybe it's worth it for those heavy annoying items otherwise I'd just do it myself.

Picture I took last weekend (you guys scooped me again):



Listing on Ebay, dealing with potential buyers, and shipping the damn thing out is very time consuming, particularly if you're not geared up to do it regularly. I can't count how many times I've just stuck a box of stuff on the sidewalk because it was just too much trouble to list on eBay. The last item I stuck on the sidewalk was an old plastic typewriter from the 60s (working) that I probably could have sold for $30. Next time, I might just shlep it a few extra blocks if it means I'll be able to breeze in and collect a $20 check the next time I'm out grocery shopping. However, if dealing with i-soldit.com is any hassle at all, then I'll toss it on the sidewalk (and hey, somebody else will take it to i-soldit... I'm starting to see the business potential here).

We went to iSoldit today to offload some stuff.

The good news: they're very friendly and the process is quick and straightforward. Someone was comparing the business model to a pawnshop; while they don't make loans which makes them fundamentally different, they do check IDs, presumably to make it possible to track down people selling stolen stuff. Anyway, you give them some contact info, they look up items similar to yours on eBay, and give you a form that will make it possible for you to find and track your own auctions.

The bad news: they only take items that are likely to sell for $30 or more. So if you're planning on throwing a bunch of junk in a bag and letting them sort it out (which we kind of were), that's not going to fly. We only left two items there, both of which will start at about $10. If they don't sell, we'll have 10 days after they notify us to fetch them or they go to charity.

So, if you have any items that are actually worth something that you want to sell on eBay, these guys could help you not botch it up. If you've got a load of junk that you're too lazy to list on eBay, they're not going to do it for you; the Salvation Army is still your friend.

No, it was three dudes. Sorry.

I also dropped off "an item" at i-soldit this weekend as a test case. Is the time you save really worth it to have somebody list your item for you? They charge 30% of your sale price--and don't forget that you also have to pay fees to eBay.

I stopped in before noon on Saturday. I was the only customer in the place, so I got taken care of right away. Unfortunately, there was a computer glitch, so we spent a few minutes chatting about the weather.

Incidentally, the guy behind the counter told me there are about 150 i-soldit depots in California. In New York, there are 2 locations in Long Island, and this is the first in Brooklyn. He said they are "really happy" about the highly visible location of the place here on Flatbush, that they get traffic from passersby and the bus stop outside, and that they are currently have so much business that they are backed up beyond the usual time-to-listing ("middle of next week" as opposed to the usual 48 hours).

We set the starting bid at $9.99 for an item that's expected to sell for up to $60. Is it worth it? We'll see. Total time invested so far: 18 minutes, including 5 minutes to get the item ready, 5 minutes to walk to i-sold it and back (off the beaten path from an errand I was already doing) and 8 minutes to get it listed.

There has to be some cutoff point where it's better to list it yourself. If you sell a guitar for $500, the i-soldit fee is $150; if your total time invested is only 2-3 hours to list, manage and ship, then you could have essentially paid yourself $50-75 per hour to list it.

I was there, oh about 3 weeks ago. I *lugged* a computer monitor there. walked in and the guy - while on the phone - just shook his head at me. I was that "no?" he pointed at his LCD monitor and said "no one wants those anymore"

greaaaaaaaaaat. thanks.....I had to lug it back home. ugh.

all this hasn't changed my initial impression: it's a ridiculous thing. I guess I just don't really get eBAY, but if it's worth less than $30, sell it on craigslist or give it away; if it's worth more, sell it on ebay yourself and save yourself the commission. it adds up, after all, and money is money.

http://www.capnwacky.com/lists/list67.html wrote:

By BRODIE H. BROCKIE, JUSTIN VIDOVIC, BEN FLASTER, and GUTBLOOM

POSITIVE: Item shipped quickly, have been having erotic dreams about seller. Thanks!

POSITIVE: Thanks for great Rainbow Brite lunchbox. Should shrunken head be inside?

NEUTRAL: Excellent communication, but should've poked holes in box before shipping the kitten. Refunded.

NEGATIVE: Despite indication in listing, I could not fit item into any of my body cavities.

NEGATIVE: Honda R-Type sticker did not add horsepower as advertised.

NEUTRAL: Item shipped promptly and in good condition, but I should not have to bid on birthday presents from my parents.

POSITIVE: I don't really remember what I ordered. But I've been sitting in the box it came in all day, and it's great!

NEGATIVE: Product didn't work, possibly broken. I woke up this morning and was disappointed to find I still believe in Jesus Christ our Savior.

POSITIVE: Excellent Buyer. A++++++. Thrilled by the quartz movement of the "Rolex". HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

NEGATIVE: Should have been clearer that seller only accepts payment in Bhats via Eastern Union Moneygram.

POSITIVE: Plain brown packaging seemed to fool my wife. Thanks!

NEGATIVE: The dog won't hunt.

NEGATIVE: Very nice monkey mascot costume, but it's a size 34, not a 63 as advertised.

NEGATIVE: Lederhosen not as pink as the picture led me to believe.

POSITIVE: A+++++. Items are exactly as described. Best case of kalashnikovs I've ever bought. Allah Akbar!

NEGATIVE: This is clearly the ninth, NOT THE SIXTH, repackaging of Mad Super Special #24.

POSITIVE: One of the scents mixed in with the packing peanuts remind me of a passionate weekend in Rio... was that you?

POSITIVE: The way you wrote my zip-code makes me weak in the knees. Such smooth strokes. A+!

NEGATIVE: Though you did nothing wrong, I am giving you this negative feedback to teach you that the universe is arbitrary and unfair.

NEGATIVE: Buying this Space 1999 Lunchbox did not fill the void in my empty life for as long as I'd hoped.