I am only posting this because some sellers only ship through FedEx or UPS. It is very annoying and aggravating. You know why? If something is shipped by the above methods, it is guaranteed to take at LEAST a week for standard shipping. It can take even longer during holidays!
The Post Office used to be derided for being slow and inefficient. I am sorry, but I can order something from New York and have it here in Idaho within three days, maybe four, and that's with first class or standard post!
The choice is yours, but I think you will find you get your items much faster if you avoid FedEx and UPS.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Getting The Best Deal on eBay
If you look around on eBay, and in your local stores, you quickly will notice something: Even the most aggressive sales prices in the big box stores are double or even triple what you can buy the exact same thing for on eBay. I know, half the fun is being able to drive to the store, browse around, see what you can't live without... But, if you don't need it the same day, and know exactly what you need, then it makes sense to save what you can by buying it on eBay.
See, wholesale prices are so low compared to retail prices, (amazing considering most of it has to come all the way from China), that there is always someone willing to sell what you want for less than the next guy. There are literally people operating on a profit margin for each item consisting of merely a few cents! The theory is you can move enough product and still make more than the next guy because you are "giving" your stuff away cheaper than anyone else can.
How do you go about finding the best deal?
eBay has made it simple now. You can sort your listings, and if I am going to buy it now, then I want to sort it price plus shipping lowest first. A lot of people still have it in their minds that if they pay more they will get better merchandise. The fact is, its the same item, if in new condition, no matter who you buy it from and no matter the price. Just beware of the extremely low priced listings to make sure they don't ship from china or you could be waiting a very long time for it to arrive. Always check the sellers feedback as well.
If possible, I try to buy from sellers in my region, I do what I can to shop locally because keeping a local economy strong is important. No sense sending money back east if I don't have to. And I avoid whenever possible, having to buy from anyone in another country just because I feel we can't keep exporting our money and expect our country to get stronger.
I may not be telling you any new things, but, there seems to be so many new users on eBay, I have no idea what happened to the veteran eBayers. I now get buyers with 0 or 1 feedback, and then I am lucky if half of them pay. In any event, I hope someone finds this useful.
See, wholesale prices are so low compared to retail prices, (amazing considering most of it has to come all the way from China), that there is always someone willing to sell what you want for less than the next guy. There are literally people operating on a profit margin for each item consisting of merely a few cents! The theory is you can move enough product and still make more than the next guy because you are "giving" your stuff away cheaper than anyone else can.
How do you go about finding the best deal?
eBay has made it simple now. You can sort your listings, and if I am going to buy it now, then I want to sort it price plus shipping lowest first. A lot of people still have it in their minds that if they pay more they will get better merchandise. The fact is, its the same item, if in new condition, no matter who you buy it from and no matter the price. Just beware of the extremely low priced listings to make sure they don't ship from china or you could be waiting a very long time for it to arrive. Always check the sellers feedback as well.
If possible, I try to buy from sellers in my region, I do what I can to shop locally because keeping a local economy strong is important. No sense sending money back east if I don't have to. And I avoid whenever possible, having to buy from anyone in another country just because I feel we can't keep exporting our money and expect our country to get stronger.
I may not be telling you any new things, but, there seems to be so many new users on eBay, I have no idea what happened to the veteran eBayers. I now get buyers with 0 or 1 feedback, and then I am lucky if half of them pay. In any event, I hope someone finds this useful.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Stamp Collecting: Opportunities
I never thought I would get involved with stamp collecting but things have changed fortunately. I say fortunately because so many stamps are being sold but right now it is slow enough on eBay where anything is concerned that a lot of amazing bargains can be found. Of course, that bargain is not ALWAYS a bargain!
I've had the opportunity to bid on some amazing stamp lots that no one else would bid on, and it took very little time for these lots to pay for themselves as well as give me some amazing pieces to put in my collection. Other lots though, it is strange how you can examine pictures and what you are looking at can actually be in worse shape than would appear.
Rare varieties are easy to find for a few percent of their catalog value, but, there is a risk they may not actually be that variety. Such stamps will have to be certified before you can get anywhere near what they are actually worth, but there are those that for whatever reason would rather just sell them and see what people are willing to bid. You probably should not pay anywhere near catalog value for a stamp that is not certified by an expert.
I suppose what I am trying to say is you have to use common sense which isn't so common when dollar signs flash before our eyes. I am guilty of it too here and there and that's why started this blog. And...
I discovered a remarkable opportunity in stamps right now. It is such a buyers market. You can literally obtain stamps for anywhere from 2% to 15% of their retail value that you would have to pay if you were to buy from stamp dealers. This means that you can build a massive portfolio of rare and semi-rare stamps for negative cost! i.e. you will be profiting by collecting! And I want to show you how!
Though, a lot of people are like I used to be, can't see why we would collect stamps in the first place. They are kind of boring right? Wrong! I've learned so much since I started collecting them that it has become a quest for knowledge. One thing I learn leads to more questions and before I know it I've discovered some things that are actually exciting and interesting!
Stamps are kind of like antiques... Art... Someone will always buy them. You would be hard pressed to find anything from ancient Rome that you can't find a buyer for, the same will be true of old stamps, the older they get the more desirable they become.
So... Let me ask you: What is the last big opportunity you missed out on because no one could talk you into it or you refused to believe how something like that could be a good idea? I mean, there was Microsoft stock that a lot of people I know missed out on years ago. Then there was of course Starbucks stock... What I am going to share with you is not a stock tip, it's not a gimmick, it's not a scheme... It is a time honored hobby that's existed for at LEAST 150 years, but right now the timing is perfect to give anyone who wants in a chance to build up a substantial portfolio of collectible stamps. I almost missed out on it myself, and I am glad I didn't... I wanted to give everyone a chance to learn about stamp collecting and why it is such a great opportunity that I actually wrote another book and published it.
I wrote about how I went from non collector to collector and put a big focus on the opportunity aspect. Not only for stamp collecting though, as I wanted to better prepare my readers for all opportunities regardless of what shape or form they come in. I've got a nice collection of very nice stamps, and after all of my collecting, it is all profit and I explain how in my book. You can't lose money on an investment that has already paid for itself. Normally I don't call any form of paper an investment. I don't like stocks, because in the end they are arbitrarily valued paper that can be manipulated by traders. Stamps on the other hand, are regulated by the free market. Supply and demand.
I don't like to write posts to promote my own books, but I am willing to share most everything I have learned since day one in this short book that won't cost you any more than a typical espresso!!! You might ask why am I not keeping the information to myself. Well normally a person might consider it, but, my fear is that we need more stamp collectors. There seems to be less and less of them every year now, and it would be very sad to see such a great activity die off. A lot of people aren't even aware of stamp collecting. So, I am doing my part by giving you reasons you should be aware of it and want to take part in it!
Philatelic Philosophy: Stamp Collecting Wisdom & Opportunity is available on the Kindle for $3.95, or in paperback from Amazon.com. You can click the link and it will open in a new window, you may need to disable your popup blocker or else you can just search it up yourself.
I've had the opportunity to bid on some amazing stamp lots that no one else would bid on, and it took very little time for these lots to pay for themselves as well as give me some amazing pieces to put in my collection. Other lots though, it is strange how you can examine pictures and what you are looking at can actually be in worse shape than would appear.
Rare varieties are easy to find for a few percent of their catalog value, but, there is a risk they may not actually be that variety. Such stamps will have to be certified before you can get anywhere near what they are actually worth, but there are those that for whatever reason would rather just sell them and see what people are willing to bid. You probably should not pay anywhere near catalog value for a stamp that is not certified by an expert.
I suppose what I am trying to say is you have to use common sense which isn't so common when dollar signs flash before our eyes. I am guilty of it too here and there and that's why started this blog. And...
I discovered a remarkable opportunity in stamps right now. It is such a buyers market. You can literally obtain stamps for anywhere from 2% to 15% of their retail value that you would have to pay if you were to buy from stamp dealers. This means that you can build a massive portfolio of rare and semi-rare stamps for negative cost! i.e. you will be profiting by collecting! And I want to show you how!
Though, a lot of people are like I used to be, can't see why we would collect stamps in the first place. They are kind of boring right? Wrong! I've learned so much since I started collecting them that it has become a quest for knowledge. One thing I learn leads to more questions and before I know it I've discovered some things that are actually exciting and interesting!
Stamps are kind of like antiques... Art... Someone will always buy them. You would be hard pressed to find anything from ancient Rome that you can't find a buyer for, the same will be true of old stamps, the older they get the more desirable they become.
So... Let me ask you: What is the last big opportunity you missed out on because no one could talk you into it or you refused to believe how something like that could be a good idea? I mean, there was Microsoft stock that a lot of people I know missed out on years ago. Then there was of course Starbucks stock... What I am going to share with you is not a stock tip, it's not a gimmick, it's not a scheme... It is a time honored hobby that's existed for at LEAST 150 years, but right now the timing is perfect to give anyone who wants in a chance to build up a substantial portfolio of collectible stamps. I almost missed out on it myself, and I am glad I didn't... I wanted to give everyone a chance to learn about stamp collecting and why it is such a great opportunity that I actually wrote another book and published it.
I wrote about how I went from non collector to collector and put a big focus on the opportunity aspect. Not only for stamp collecting though, as I wanted to better prepare my readers for all opportunities regardless of what shape or form they come in. I've got a nice collection of very nice stamps, and after all of my collecting, it is all profit and I explain how in my book. You can't lose money on an investment that has already paid for itself. Normally I don't call any form of paper an investment. I don't like stocks, because in the end they are arbitrarily valued paper that can be manipulated by traders. Stamps on the other hand, are regulated by the free market. Supply and demand.
I don't like to write posts to promote my own books, but I am willing to share most everything I have learned since day one in this short book that won't cost you any more than a typical espresso!!! You might ask why am I not keeping the information to myself. Well normally a person might consider it, but, my fear is that we need more stamp collectors. There seems to be less and less of them every year now, and it would be very sad to see such a great activity die off. A lot of people aren't even aware of stamp collecting. So, I am doing my part by giving you reasons you should be aware of it and want to take part in it!
Philatelic Philosophy: Stamp Collecting Wisdom & Opportunity is available on the Kindle for $3.95, or in paperback from Amazon.com. You can click the link and it will open in a new window, you may need to disable your popup blocker or else you can just search it up yourself.
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