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The official thrift/discount store bragging thread

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Typhoid Jones

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You haven't seen my handwriting though
lol8%5B1%5D.gif

^^^ You could always take the time to cut out letters from magazines and ratchet up the creepy-factor of your notes?
alien.gif


edit:

6040843388_39a0f3e845.jpg


^^^ You wouldn't even have to spell out "Thank You." In retrospect, it would me much creepier with random words.
 
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concealed

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I tend to send a hand written note, unless I am in the process of mailing out 30-40 < $20 items. I am not sure if it has any effect though.
 

Brianpore

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IMO if you measure correct, take good pictures and ship well the buyer will be happy with the item.....that's all I do. No special package, no free items, no hand written note. Just do the basics well and you won't have problems on ebay. The one neg I have in 10 years is from the post office scanning the package delivered and then the buyer saying it wasnt delivered. Chalk that one up to bad luck as it was only a $40 item. The very very few returns I have had are due to either a) me missing something or b) the buyer being an idot, and with good measurements and pictures that does not happen often, about 1 in 100.
 

mjt73106

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IMO if you measure correct, take good pictures and ship well the buyer will be happy with the item.....that's all I do. No special package, no free items, no hand written note. Just do the basics well and you won't have problems on ebay. The one neg I have in 10 years is from the post office scanning the package delivered and then the buyer saying it wasnt delivered. Chalk that one up to bad luck as it was only a $40 item. The very very few returns I have had are due to either a) me missing something or b) the buyer being an idot, and with good measurements and pictures that does not happen often, about 1 in 100.

+1 on the 1 in 100 buyer being a dumb ass, did not read the title or description, I want to return it, i.e., "I did not realize it was a short sleeve shirt when I bought it. . ."

I do like the note and and I have included something extra sometimes, especially for the large purchase. I bought a load of cd's about a year ago, and occasionally I include one for a large $ sale. I have found that it has no effect and I have never received a thank you. So I will probably now discontinue it for sellable items. May be a great way to get rid of some dead stock though. . .
smile.gif
 

Typhoid Jones

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I do like the note and and I have included something extra sometimes, especially for the large purchase. I bought a load of cd's about a year ago, and occasionally I include one for a large $ sale. I have found that it has no effect and I have never received a thank you. So I will probably now discontinue it for sellable items. May be a great way to get rid of some dead stock though. . .
smile.gif

^^^ I have never included a freebie with any outgoing packages in the past, but I was thinking about doing something nice for a couple of return customers from eBay and my Etsy shop out of appreciation for their business. I'll keep you all posted, lol.
 

capnwes

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Hey guys!

My wife's out of town for work this weekend and a quiet breakfast alone got me thinking about my little hobby, lol.

I was just wondering how many of you include a freebie with some of the stuff you sell on eBay or Etsy? I usually hand-write a thank you note on a postcard and include that with every outgoing package (I have a relative who has been buying me really nice stationary, card / postcard sets, etc. for years, so I literally have hundreds of really cool MoMa-type and other kitschey stuff like that).

Also, I was looking at some of the stuff you guys have listed on eBay and was wondering what you consider a good sales / total items listed percentage? (Ex. 20 things listed, 5 things sold.) I know that selling everything you list is the goal, but that's not always possible unless you start everything at $9.99 or so. First, I stagger my starting prices depending on the item and based on how much preparation went into getting it ready for sale (dry cleaning, repairs, laundering, etc.), so I believe that I cannot go the $9.99 across the board route. And second, I neither have the inventory / storage capabilities nor the regular traffic and existing network of regular customers that some of you guys have and I'm just trying to figure out a better way to do things.

Thanks
smile.gif
I have thrown around the idea of adding something to the pakage too. I had quotes for pricing for small custom made pin/button which had the phrase "Vintage Shoes Have Sole" and my domain name to put in any shoe shipment. Also found a customizable shoe horn, could put store domain name and logo on it. I received only one of the samples of a cheap ass shoe horn, but the one I wanted never showed up. Still working on that idea.

Another idea is keeping a stock of new shoe laces, and not only replacing the worn out laces in the shoe, but throwing in an extra pair. I do the "My Store Reward" program where buyers get 2% for signing up and 5% for return visit purchases.

Then as a "secret lottery" I automatically refund 50% of the sale price to every 500th feedback I receive. Was considering bumping it up to every 100th, but neither of the two buyers even thanked me for the surprise rebate.

My latest idea is providing a small sack of cedar chips/shavings with each suit or jacket. I have a huge cedar log outside and it would be simple to do.
 
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Randy

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I had a seller here on SF include an extra shirt: I bought a Robert Graham signature jacket (super nice) and a Robert Graham signature shirt from him... And the seller threw in an R&G shirt in my size (Graham's diffusion subbrand; totally unexpected; incredible gesture; I am now a loyal acolyte forever).
happy.gif


Randy

P.S. While I'm proclaiming goodness, let me shout out to capnwes, wizardswears, and grendel as stellar sellers. Thank you very much for sustaining my buying binge with incredible goods shipped quickly and with good cheer. Seriously, thanks!
 
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Typhoid Jones

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Another idea is keeping a stock of new shoe laces, and not only replacing the worn out laces in the shoe, but throwing in an extra pair.

^^^ I don't sell nearly as many vintage shoes as you do, but some time ago, I decided to keep my eyes out for vintage shoe lace lots on eBay. I ended up buying a few lots for > $5 and ended up with a ton of vintage shoe laces in mostly black or brown and a mix of sizes and styles (waxed, unwaxed, semi-wide cotton, black ribbon, and a number of really cool brown waxed laces with metal brass tips that I ended up keeping for myself, lol). I only use them to replace messed up laces on vintage shoes, though.

Your other freebie ideas are REALLY cool. I never thought of buttons or shoe horns mainly because I don't really sell a lot of shoes, but the button idea is something to think about for the future. I would also mention that going through all the effort or expense to source new shoe horns might be equally served by getting a hold of a number of vintage metal shoe horns or kitschey plastic advertisement ones from the 1960s. If a bought a pair of vintage 1960s Florsheims, I would be happy to open the box and find a vintage 1960s Florsheim shoe horn in there with them, lol.

Good input re: my original posting! Thanks!
-M-
 

VLSI

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I had a seller here on SF include an extra shirt: I bought a Robert Graham signature jacket (super nice) ato resell and a Robert Graham signature shirt to resell from him...  And the seller threw in an R&G shirt in my size (Graham's diffusion subbrand; totally unexpected; incredible gesture; I am now a loyal acolyte forever). :happy:

Randy

P.S. While I'm proclaiming goodness, let me shout out to capnwes, wizardswears, and grendel as stellar sellers. Thank you very much for sustaining my buying binge with incredible goods shipped quickly and with good cheer. Seriously, thanks!


I hope?

What happens with your freebie if the item gets returned?
 

FaceOfBoh

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Here is this weekend's GW shirt haul (five shirts, everything's relative). :satisfied:

Three Eton shirts. These are really nice shirts though I can't say I'd pay retail for them. Super nice condition. Available.
Two are 17/43 and the third (black label) is 15.75/40.
Anyone know's what's up with the black label? See spoiler. Why use a black label and dark grey lettering? I had to hold it in direct sunlight and I still couldn't read it all. Does it signify anything? Seems to say 80 years of (sty?)ling. Maybe it was an anniversary thing.

P1040699.jpg

P1040655.jpg

P1040643.jpg

P1040512.jpg

1 Brooks Bros. (18-34) Available
and 1 Burberry (not available).

P1040703.jpg

P1040610.jpg

And speaking of labels, what's up with this? I thought content was supposed to add up to 100%.

Says 60% Cashmere.
P1040628.jpg

PM me if you want better pictures and/or measurements.
 

horse's_ass

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Well, you couldn't wipe your ass with a post card. You could *********** on your living room floor and push it around with the postcard, however.
 
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