Garage sale finds while treasure hunting picking Brainerd, MN. Ways to make money selling on eBay & Amazon

Ways to make money selling on eBay & Amazon.

Garage sale treasure hunting picking in Brainerd, MN.

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Ways to make money selling online.

Le Center, MN & Belle Plaine, MN had their city wide garage sales last weekend. 

The night before the sales, the weather dumped about 6 inches on the area. 

Even with the snow, there was plenty of finds to be had thanks to the dedicate sellers at the Garage Sales.

We stopped at the Marathon gas in New Prague to pick up some cash and some breakfast.

Share this video to find out exactly what we found.

Ways to make money selling online, this is my story so far. Written by Sarah Brown, article online at www.theonlineseller.com

Ways to make money selling online - MY ONlINE SELLER PROFILE BY THE ONLINE SELLER

While many of his comrades were fast asleep under a hot evening sky, Adam Coleman hunted for explosives along high-traffic roads in Iraq.

Coleman was part of Special Operations for the U.S. Navy as an explosive ordnance disposal technician, a post he held for eight of the 11 years he served in the military. Recently, Coleman turned down a $90,000 re-enlistment bonus so he could sell full time on his eBay shop, FamousTurtle2010,  instead.

From bombs to treasures

Since childhood, Coleman has been going to garage sales with his mother, a fond memory that eventually led to his change in careers in October.

He credits his mother with teaching him the foundation and secrets to a successful eBay business, and his military experience as the engine to his online success

“It always felt like we were going out treasure hunting, and to this day it still feels like that,” he reports.

So instead of hunting for improvised explosive devices, Coleman now hunts for treasures, which make up the inventory of his successful home-based business. He sells mostly vintage home items and military collectibles, but adds that he will sell anything he thinks has value or that people will enjoy.

Much of what he offers in his store might be considered hard to find, so he reaches a lot of customers who are searching for a particular item they otherwise couldn’t locate. It’s fitting for a man like Coleman.

“I have trained to spot things that most people wouldn’t, because—if I didn’t—I would be dead,” he says.

When hunting for IEDs, there are telltale signs to look for, such as out-of-place rocks or objects that might be used as markers for hidden devices, Coleman says. When it comes to finding the right treasures to sell online, he researches key features to help spot valuable items and determine their ages.

Explosive sales

Not only is Coleman’s military experience amazing and beyond what can be put in this story, but his success selling online is also very impressive. He credits his mother, Doreen, with teaching him the foundation and secrets to a successful eBay business, and his military experience as the engine to his online success.

“I was trained in the military to think outside the box and to never stop trying to make things better,” he notes.

“I like to sell across multiple platforms as I feel that the diversification helps dampen the peaks and valleys of sales”

Within the first several months as a newbie merchant selling on eBay—he’s been listing about three years—Coleman achieved PowerSeller status. In his first year, he earned about $10,000 in sales, but that was just the beginning.

“My second year, a switch went off, and all of the sudden I just figured things out, and I was averaging about $2,000 and $5,000 a month,” he adds.

Coleman’s sales have increased every year. Last year he added Amazon
to his marketplace options—and his own Web store.

He moved all his barcoded items to Amazon and kept the vintage home décor products on eBay, he says. That decision proved to be very profitable, because it seems when one marketplace experiences low sales, the other picks up the slack.

“I like to sell across multiple platforms as I feel that the diversification helps dampen the peaks and valleys of sales,” he continues.

Of course, each platform has its own pros and cons, but Coleman notes that all three are easy to list on. And though Amazon and eBay have high fees, they both provide fast sales and high traffic, which can eventually lead to more traffic on his personal Web shop.

Wife and military are behind his success

When Coleman was on active duty, it required an extremely high level of professionalism and expertise, he says. His team would drive about 5 mph to locate IEDs along highways, clear U.S.-held bases of leftover unexploded ordnance from Desert Storm and disarm underwater mines.

“I have been ambushed, shot, blown up, and I almost drowned at 150-feet when my diving rig malfunctioned,” he says. “I realized after the third time of almost dying that I should probably start considering a new line of work and selling online.”

“I realized after the third time of almost dying that I should probably start considering a new line of work and selling online”

Originally, selling on eBay started out as a means to help pay for his wedding to now-wife Sonia. Just days before his wedding, a medical emergency came up, so he continued selling online to pay medical bills.

By then, he says he was already addicted to selling. From there, his online business took off, and Sonia helped with the orders while he was deployed.

“[The business] was not strategically planned at all,” he notes. “It was actually a knee-jerk reaction to the amount of orders that I started receiving.”

Wooden turtle inspires name

Coleman named his eBay Store based on a gift from his wife, who had traveled to Fiji and brought home a wooden turtle. Coleman made the turtle famous by making it his store mascot, and thus was born Famous Turtle’s Treasures.

When he started his Amazon store, Sneaky Squirrel Games, he decided to give it a different name based on his experience in the Navy. Those who were part of elite special operations—such as Coleman—with very hush-hush missions, were jokingly referred to as “sneaky squirrels,” he explains.

“On top of that, my wife calls me a squirrel because I am always hiding money around the house, forgetting about it, then finding it weeks-to-months later, and reacting like I just found treasure,” Coleman adds.

And it’s thanks to the support of his wife that he has made it this far with his business. Coleman credits Sonia with keeping him organized and on track, despite the fact she looked at him like he was crazy when he first brought home items to sell online, he says.

In turn, Coleman tries to offer that same support to his customers by offering a 14-day return policy, next-day shipping, and “going above and beyond” the call of duty to make sure they are happy with their purchase.

Visit Coleman’s listings on eBay, Amazon and his Web shop.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Brown is a freelance writer who writes about e-commerce and small businesses. She recently graduated from Chico State with a journalism degree and is also a budding online entrepreneur, having launched two Web businesses and her own line of handmade products. Opinions expressed here may not be shared by The Online Seller and/or its principals.

An invitation to our google plus picking community

Join our picker community on google +.

We are inviting all pickers, resellers, treasure hunters, garage hunters, thrifters and anyone else who loves to find treasures to join our picker community.

https://plus.google.com/communities/105677307208689007327

May sales overview

May has been an outstanding month for eBay sales. As today winds down I am counting 7 sales so far which after a long memorial day weekend with no sales makes me very happy.

Totals for May: 67 items sold with $3888.00 in sales after ebay fees. Not to shabby considering I thought May was suppose to be slow.

Lets go over a few sales.

Vintage oil rain drop garden lamp

Paid:  $15.00 at a garage sale  Sold: $149.99  - free shipping.

While researching completed listings I came across these kinds of lamps and noticed they were selling pretty well.   One day later I found this lamp at a garage sale.

Vintage steampunk swing arm lamp

Paid: $9.99 Sold: $139.99 - shipping

I am always on the lookout for steampunk stuff, and this is the first piece that I have found.  What made me think it was steampunk?  I just looked at the arms as pipes and the elbows as steam junction points.  Obviously someone else felt the same way.  Remember a lot of items you will come across are up for interpretation.  All you need is someone to interpret the item and price the same way you do, and you got your self a sale.

Danish modern hanging swag lamp

Paid: $7.99 Sold: 110.99 - shipping

I knew this was an unusual swag lamp.  I have never seen one that was made out to be a sort of wooden prism so I listed it as danish modern and it sold within a week to a very satisfied customer in New York.

Well thats all for now, keep your eyes peeled for goodies.  You never know what your going to find.

If you are not on my blog, come see my other posts at http://famousturtletreasures.blogspot.com

Famous Turtle's recent garage sale finds

Well today wasn't exactly the most productive garage sale hunt I've had that's for sure.   Do you ever have one of those days where the GPS just wants to take you everywhere but the garage sale only to find out that after an hour of trying to figure out where the place is, it turns out that its closed because it's raining?  Well I had about 4 or 5 of those today which didn't make me very happy.

Luckily my bad day turned good with a single rummage sale that yielded some nice finds.


VINTAGE ATARI 800XL COMPUTER


I am a huge computer nerd so I was very happy to see not one, not two but FOUR Atari 800XL computers.

I tested all of them but only two of them actually work so I am going to sell the one below as a whole lot, and then sell the broken two as repair parts, and keep one for myself  :).

I ended up paying $100.00 for all 4, but if you check the completed listings on eBay you will see that I will have no problems getting my money back and then some.

    

INDUSTRIAL SPACE AGE STEAMPUNK FLOOR LAMP

I ended up paying $30.00 for this floor lamp, but I think to the right person this lamp will be worth much more than that.  This thing is a fairly heavy lamp so I think I will be using greyhound express to ship this one.  If you are interested in shipping with grey house check out my how to ship greyhound express post.

MID CENTURY MODERN FLOWER POWER CHIC CEILING LIGHT FIXTURE

I was a little bit apprehensive about this purchase, it has been sitting at a thrift store I go to every other week for the past month or so.  Every time I looked it it, it started to grow on me.  I ended up purchasing it this weekend, and after looking at the pictures, I think I made the right decision.

SIGNED CURTIS JERE METAL WALL SCULPTURE 1983

I have been waiting to find one of Curtis Jere's sculptures for quite some time.  I didn't expect to actually find one though.  

I ended up paying $12.00 for the sculpture so if all works out I should have a nice profit.

Its fairly large so its going to be another one to ship.

Well that's all for now.  Keep on getting out there to find new treasures, they are out there are ready to be found.

My first garage sale hunt of the year along with finds & sales

This weekend was a great weekend for my first hunt. It was nice and sunny, which if you are familiar with the pacific northwest then you know that's a pretty big deal. I ended up spending a total of $100.00 when it was all said and done. I also learned about a prime spot for metal detecting so I am going to have to go check that out eventually. Ok lets get on with the finds shall we?

Vintage industrial style adjustable lamp

Danish Modern table lamp.  I wish I could have found the other one, but it was MIA.  I already have an offer for $25.00 for this lamp but I literally just listed it so I didn't take the offer.

Vintage TOKI mid century modern goose neck desk lamp.  

This is an interesting find.  Its an art deco goose neck desk lamp.  I am guessing its probably from the 40s.  The base is cast iron so its fairly heavy.

Vintage cosmo clock made in the USA.  Faux wood face with arcade like numbers, I am going to offer this one as a vintage gamer clock and use woody ( like the Atari) as one of the keywords.  Should be an easy sale.

Hollywood regency chic angel goddess wall plaques.  I just sold this exact pair for $38.00 so it was nice to find them again.

Homoco four seasons wall plaques.  There is a specific term for this style, I just can't remember what it is off the top of my head.  If anyone knows please leave a comment.

I have to do some more research on this clock but its Hollywood Regency and its called the Homestead clock made by Talley Industries. ( Made in the USA)

Vintage desk lamp with articulating arm.  I just sold the yellow version of this lamp for $39.99 so this one should be an easy sale.

This light fixture is probably from the 40s judging by the wiring.  I am listing it as Gothic Victorian.

This is another interesting light fixture.  This one is probably from the early 1900s judging the wiring and porcelain sockets.  Its  all brass with some sort of lacquer coating which is scrapped up.  This would be great as is or someone could paint it.

1ft retro funky mod Lucite candlesticks.  I have never seen any like these and there are none listed on eBay so we shall see if they sell.

Hollywood regency faux bamboo octagonal cocktail tray.  These seem to be fast movers, I have sold every one I have ever found fairly quickly.  

Well that's all for the finds as of right now.  I have a bunch more, but I have been listing all day, and I have not had a chance to take pictures of the other stuff.

Now I am going to go over some of my recent sales. (Not that there are very many, things have been SLOW lately)


Dorothy Thorpe pitcher and bowl


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130444983567#ht_500wt_922

Paid:  $3.00  Sold: $60.00     I had these in a lot with a champagne glass and another pitcher as you will see in the link.  I ended up breaking up the lot and selling the 2.  Its probably better this way.  They had been posted for awhile.     If you find Dorothy Thorpe items cheap, do not hesitate to pick them up.

Navy pea coat

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130478654323#ht_1402wt_907

Its spring, and I am still selling winter coats.  If you find a pea coat for under $20.00 I would recommend buying them as long as they are in good shape.

Paid:12.99  Sold: 79.99

Corning percolator cord

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130483770627#ht_1402wt_907

Vintage corning percolator cords are not worth a ton but they do sell.  You can't sell certain corning percolator bodies on eBay due to recalls so people piece together parts when they have the body.

Paid:$0.50  Sold: $15.00

Ship wall hangings

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130504902469#ht_1402wt_907

Vintage nautical items sell pretty well so if you find anything old and nautical, its worth a look up.

Paid:$4.00 Sold: 50.00

Vintage adjustable  lighting.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130504896458#ht_1402wt_907

These lamps are probably from the 70s judging from the cords.  The color is what told me I would be able to sell these,  it just stuck out at me.

Paid: $2.00 Sold: $45.00

Pendleton Tweed jacket

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130509513973#ht_485wt_1033

I say this all the time, but once again.  Its vintage and its Pendleton...  nuff said

Paid:  $4.99   Sold: 59.99

Graphic novel - Manga Naruto 1-27

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130493995677#ht_1402wt_907

Manga is expensive, but it sells.  If you find a large lot I would pay up to $1.00 per book.

Paid: $27.00  Sold: $100.00





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