Gathering Your Items
Lets start with the fact that I hate clutter, I don't like things around that are not needed. I like clean open space. And living in an 1100 sq ft apartment with 2 kids, 2 dogs and 2 adults does not help with this mission. Things creep in all the time and this is how I can get rid of things guilt free. So I usually go through my home at least once a month to pull items that we no longer use or need. I clean out my kids clothes and toys. I go through my closet and laundry room. Things I pull to sell are clothes in great condition with no rip, tears or stains, toys that are not broken or missing pieces, books no longer being read, video games just sitting there and kitchen gadgets and items we either have more than one of or another item can do the same thing.
I will take all those items I have and sort them into groups. Kids clothes, kids toys, adult clothes, electronics, and home goods(including kitchen gadgets). If anything needs a quick wipe down before I take a picture I take the time to do it now. I also make sure the clothes are as wrinkle free as possible.
Photographing Your Items
Everyone goes by first impression. So start off with a great one with a good photo. Good lighting, a clean product, and no clutter surrounding your item is key. Also a clear picture is needed. Now with the smart phone cameras it is way easier to get a good photo. An example of a good photo is:
The picture is of just the item, it is well lit and it is a clear photo.
A bad picture would be
It is very cluttered and you can't really see what is selling. Also it is not very clear. By simply taking the lamp and putting it on the ground with nothing around it and taking a photo would have made a better picture.
Pricing
Pricing your items can be tricky. When doing so with kids clothes I usually price them to go. Think second hand store prices most of my kids clothing items are priced at $5 and below. The exception is if it still has tags, is a bigger item, or if it is in perfect condition. Other items I look them up and see what they are going for. I google my item or type it into ebay. You need to take into account the age of your item also. No one wants to spend current retail prices on a refrigerator that is 5 year plus old. Once you decide on a fair price its time to post your item.
Writing the Add
When posting an item on a Facebook group you need to be aware of the groups rules. Some will require a pickup location be posted others only allow certain things to be posted. If I was posting the car above I would first make sure I am able to post it in the group I am trying to post it in. Then I would upload my picture and for the caption I would write: Spider Man Car with Spiderman figure. $10 CP pickup Newhall. The short sentence says what it is and whats included, how much I am asking, that it is cross posted(CP) on another site and that you can pickup in my town of Newhall. Notice I did not put my physical address or phone number or any other personal information on that post. Be very careful not to for obvious safety reasons.
Selling your Item
After your item is posted if someone wants it they will post interest. If they are trying to offer you a lower price you need to decide if you want to take a lower price or not. If I decide to take a lower price I usually private message(PM) the person and then on my original post let them know I did so. If I would like to keep my item the same price I will write on my original post that I am not accepting lower offers at the time. Remember to always be kind and courteous No one wants to purchase things from someone they think is rude. Once someone decides they want your item at your price you then need to arrange pickup. It depends on the person and the item as to my pickup procedure. If I have sold to the person before or know them and am comfortable with giving my address to them, I am very selective of this, I will give them my address and leave the item out on my porch in a bag labeled with their name and how much they owe. They then place payment under my mat. I only do this for low ticket items. Any Item over $10 I keep with me inside and they have to knock to get the item. If I do not want to give out my address I have a Starbucks in a shopping strip down the street from me that is easily accessible to most people and has a big parking lot I will meet the person there to sell my item. When first starting out I suggest this option. Think safety first and always. Never meet at night alone or in an unpopulated area. If you are not comfortable leave and arrange a different place and time if possible. And lastly try to bring a friend, an older child, spouse, someone anyone so you are not alone. Once your item sells make sure to delete your posting.
You may not receive interest in one of your items right away. This is ok. Just keep "bumping"your post up. You are able to do this a few different ways, check with your group as their rules on this. If your items don't sell in a few weeks consider lowering the price or donating the item. Sometimes if it is not season appropriate i.e. a swimsuit in December, I will remove that item save it in a bin in my garage I have specifically for this reason and repost it closer to summer.
Saving your Cash.
Since I only accept payment in cash this is easy. I take it and put it in a really cute piggy bank I have hidden, mostly because if I see it I will want to take the money out and spend it, in my room. I keep it there until it is time to start buying Birthday or Christmas presents. At that time I usually have a few hundred saved up and can afford some nice gifts.
Selling your items may take some time to initially start up. But once you are set up and get in a rhythm its a pretty quick and easy way to earn some extra cash!
No comments:
Post a Comment