Late April Selling Update

This weekend was about bulk lots and vintage teen books.  I first pulled together all of my extras that I do not see fit to sell individually.  These books suffer from one or more problems: broken binding, loose pages, name written in an unpleasing fashion (very large or in red marker or crayon, etc.), badly colored illustrations, bad stains, water damage, cigarette odor, musty odor, or pulp paper that has turned brown.  I also sometimes pull Nancy Drew picture covers with bookplates for the bulk lots.  Bookplates are more intrusive than names and inscriptions, and I prefer not to list those books individually unless the books are quite desirable.

After I finished with the bulk lots, I pulled out my extra Sweet Valley High, Christopher Pike, Nancy Drew Files, R. L. Stine, and some scattered other teen books.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm focusing on listing books where I can find many like books where I can list them very fast with minor edits to each listing.  That has enabled me to get far more books listed and with minimal effort.

Jennifer's Series Books on eBay

My prices are firm, as I state in every listing.  However, the prices can go down when I feel like lowering them.  In short, it must be my idea.  I don't want to be harassed, for two reasons.  First, it annoys me and adds to my stress.  Second, I feel like I'm being used.  Buyers will request that I lower a price when I know that my price is the lowest already.  I see what's going on, and that annoys me.  So basically, both reasons boil down to being annoyed.

I sometimes do lower prices, when I finally feel like it.  I also make use of eBay's feature where I can offer a discount to people who are watching my items.  I can select which items I want to discount.  Those people will then receive a message telling them about the offer and that they have a limited amount of time to decide.  

I sent around 30 of those offers this weekend for items that are being watched.  I went with 10% off.  I had another 80+ items where I did not send an offer.  Those items were either just listed or were already near the lowest price I can accept without taking a loss.  I won't send a discount on a new listing or on a cheap listing.

So yes, it could be to your advantage to add some of my items to your watched items list.  There is no guarantee that I'll select a listing that you watch, but there is a chance you could receive an offer for a discount the next time I decide to try to move some listings.

I can do the same on Etsy, although I'm leery.

Jennifer's Series Books on Etsy

I thought there was a charge for sending a targeted offer to someone who has faved an item, but I am apparently wrong.  It seems to be free.  I might try that sometime but certainly not now since I've already taken other action.

My Etsy shop is stagnant right now and for probably at least three reasons.  First, shops always have trouble recovering traffic and sales after a closure.  They have to gain a foothold and gradually build back up to where they were before.

Second, I lost the Star Seller badge due to a buyer leaving me four stars.  If only that buyer had left me five stars or not left a review at all, then I would be golden.  I have met all of the other metrics.  I won't recover the Star Seller badge until at least June at the earliest.  It's sad that four stars can be so damaging. 

Third and most important, I am no longer participating in Etsy's free shipping program for orders of $35 or more.  I changed my minimum to $50, which makes me a very bad seller.  Sellers who participate in the $35 free shipping promotion get higher placement in Etsy's search.  I'm not playing that game, so I will deal with whatever.  If Etsy wants to hide my stuff, then they can have at it.  I'm not budging.

Since I do want to try to regain my footing on Etsy, I have put in place a blanket 10% off promotion in my Etsy shop.  This promotion runs for one week, ending on Sunday, April 30.  If I could get some sales this next week, then the shop will gain ground.

When I reopened my stores in March, I said that I couldn't guarantee how long I'd stay open and that I could shut down unexpectedly.  I'm definitely staying open.  I will remain open until early August when I will shut down for the beginning of next school year.  

The next four weeks will be stressful, and I tend to weird out by the last week of school (which will be May 15-19).  This means that during that week I will be as mentally stressed as I was when my stores were closed in December through early March, and maybe even worse.

There's something about students coming to me on May 16 and asking me what they can do to fix their grade when they haven't done their work in three months.  Are you serious?  Is there any extra credit?  No, but you could try doing the 15 assignments that you haven't turned in.  

Yeah, fun times.  The last week is always tremendously stressful.  I will hang on.  I can do it, and my stores will remain open through this final stretch of the school year.  20 more days of school!