Did I mention I was going to Chicago

Going for eBay LIVE, which is always fun. And to meet up with friends that I haven't seen in a couple of years, and one I've known for over five years, but haven't met in person.

It is usually a motivating time for me -- time to re-energize my eBay batteries. This year eBay has presented some roadblocks, so this year is going to be interesting --- to see if they can convince us that there is a future for us with eBay.

Mostly it will be fun, and not here in this sweltering heat -- and NO WORK!

I know no Leap Day babies, do you?

I don't think I've ever known anyone born on Leap Day -- have you?

Wonder if Leap Day people like having a Leap Day birthday?

I don't know that there is much to blog about this week -- lots of mini monetary crisis I won't bore anyone (else) with, but just grinning and getting through it. What other choice do you have?

Otherwise, weather is lovely -- getting a tad warm for me for February, but at least the mud is drying.

Gosh darn I lead a dull life, don't I?

My sales pitch of the week is US WEEKLY magazine --- 52 issues for $79.95, which is like $1.35 an issue -- which is pretty nice. Interested? Let me know.

I just ordered Dog Fancy for myself -- I just love dog, cat, and bird magazines.

Well I'm surfing the net looking for Tri Trip roast recipes for crock pot or oven. It was on sale, but I probably should have checked to see if I knew how to cook it before I bought it, ya think?

All for now -- Happy Leap Day all!

iOFFER - alternative to eBay?

These guys have been around for awhile I guess, but many of us eBay sellers are finding it now for the first time while looking around for alternatives to eBay. If you're looking to buy something online, please look here before looking at eBay or Amazon -- help a new site find its legs.



Thanks for taking a look.

Ready, Set, What's after that?

Ever have one of those days (weeks, months, years, lifetimes) when you have great ideas about things you want to do -- so many that instead of getting anything done -- you getting nothing accomplished because you can't figure out where to start?

That's how I feel of late. With the uproar over eBay's fee increases and feedback changes many of us want to go to other sites and maybe open our own websites. That's what I'd like to do.

But I just can't figure out how to start -- I know, just start! But for some reason -- more now than usual -- I just can't seem to find the starting mark.

But at least I have completed one thing on my list today -- I blogged :) and made my current state a public statement. I'm hoping that will help me get started!

Oh yea, that's it -- ready, set, START!

Well shoot -- I must have forgotten to blog

I just realized that although I read blogs on a regular basis, I can't seem to do it myself -- write one, that is. So here I am trying to get in the habit again.

So, what's happened since my last blog? Hmmmmm.

Hmmmmm.


Hmmmmm.


Hmmmmm.


Maybe -- maybe that's why I don't blog regularly -- I live an unbelievably boring life. It seems complicated to me -- work & finances & dogs and stuff. But apparently I'm just fooling myself.

I sell on eBay and life there sure has become complicated -- they've jacked up the fees for us sellers, they've added some other 'features' that only serve to make life difficult for sellers. I know they're trying to keep buyers coming back, but my mother's expression comes to mind -- cutting of one's nose to spite your face.

Let me tell you -- should you ever buy something on eBay -- please give your sellers FIVE STARS when you leave feedback. eBay gives you 1-5 and describe 4 as very good and 5 as exceptional (or some such verbiage) but they don't tell you that sellers are 'punished' if all they are is very good. The placement of our ads in searches is based on those star ratings (called DSRs on eBay), they determine our fees -- if you are under 4.8 on any category you don't qualify for a fees discount, and heaven forbid you are below 4.5 they don't even let you become a powerseller. Which isn't the worst thing in the world, but in the small little narrow universe that is eBay, it's important to us.

So, sermon almost over -- please keep those things in mind when rating with those stars. They seem of small importance to buyers, but are of humongous stress & anxiety to sellers.

Okay, so I did do one weird thing -- I became a magazine salesperson. Now how weird is that? A good friend was telling me about it, and it sounded like a great idea to earn some extra money. And these days I don't need extra money -- I need rent money and gas money, and dog food money, and --- well I'm sure it's the same for everybody.

I'm building a website for them very slowly -- well I have a name, but haven't gotten too far. I do have photos:

Mandy's Mags

If you see any you'd like to order, let me know and I'll send you the details -- until I have the website ready.

So that's it for my grumble with eBay and my sales pitch (I am NOT doing magazine sales door to door -- I don't think I could take the rejection) and let's see if I can actually blog something tomorrow -- one day at a time!

In the meantime -- Happy President's Day