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how to build up a clientel

how to build up a clientel
« on: July 31, 2011, 06:50:52 PM »
ive been reading on some posts about how having a proper clientel and such is important. now i know to move items you can post them on CL, amazon, ebay and flea markets. but as for other items i guess more of less speciality items or more valuable items if one does come across them. how would you move them fast to make room for other lkrs?
also just out of curiousity around where i live furniture does not sell well as people dont have much money and arent buying. how would i move furniture fast or other large items that i might get that would be useless to be leaving around?

Offline Bandit

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Re: how to build up a clientel
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2011, 08:30:56 PM »
  At the last big locker I got , We sold a few Large pieces to other dealers at the auction , unloaded a few wooden chairs at a yard sale and flea market's , and after two months of no interest at the flea market , or from CL , I broke up the rest as I needed the room .
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Offline jrossjr79

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Re: how to build up a clientel
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2011, 09:47:36 PM »
You can either look ahead in CL wanted ads for things that people are collecting. Or you can wait till you get a certain piece (since you never really know what you will find) then network to find a collector, or at the very least a dealer who deals with what ever it is that you have.

Re: how to build up a clientel
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2011, 12:58:35 AM »
One more section people seem to overlook on CL is the "barter" section.

If you are having trouble moving something, list it in the barter section for trade, or find someone who has stuff you need or could sell easier, then trade them.

I have traded items for things I want and for someting that was easier to sell.

Re: how to build up a clientel
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2011, 02:31:27 PM »
probably a dumb question in my world but whats the best way to network to get items to move fast so i can have more room for inventory?

     Also probably not sure about this as to what kind of response i would get but anyways... i am lookin to do this full time without opening a resale shop or anything of the like. i am going to be aiming for at least 200-300 dollars a week profit or about 1000 a month profit. i will be doing flea markets along with ebay, CL, maybe amazon. is this a reasonable amount or should i shoot for less and hope for more?

Offline jrossjr79

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Re: how to build up a clientel
« Reply #5 on: August 05, 2011, 05:27:31 PM »
probably a dumb question in my world but whats the best way to network to get items to move fast so i can have more room for inventory?

     Also probably not sure about this as to what kind of response i would get but anyways... i am lookin to do this full time without opening a resale shop or anything of the like. i am going to be aiming for at least 200-300 dollars a week profit or about 1000 a month profit. i will be doing flea markets along with ebay, CL, maybe amazon. is this a reasonable amount or should i shoot for less and hope for more?

Dont do it for a day to day, week to week, or month to month. Do it for each locker. Just make you goal to at least double your money for each locker you buy. So lets say you bought 10 lockers this month.
1 = 75
2 = 30
3 = 350
4 = 125
5 = 200
6 = 130
7 = 600
8 = 210
9 = 90
10 = 150

These are an example, this would total up to $1960. So in turn you want to at least double that profit to $3920.

And this is the reason I say do it by the locker. Cause that is when you make your money, this number will never change. You may not get 10 lockers this month, or even 2 lockers. It all will go by how aggressive you want a lkr (smartly I might add), the price it is sold to you at. (Cause these variables will change all the time on what is in the locker, if you want it for X amount of dollars, and of course what your competition is willing to throw at it).

So I would make your goal, just to double your income on each buy. This is not like a regular retail store where you have a set price that you buy at.

Re: how to build up a clientel
« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2011, 10:10:22 PM »
Jross is right.You have to go by locker.Some weeks you will do better than others.After you have done it for awhile you will have carry overs from other lockers.Its important that you come up with a business plan and stick with it.Be real specific.

Re: how to build up a clientel
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2011, 11:03:31 PM »
That is correct. Do it by the locker. Here's what I do from buying to pricing and selling.

1. When I get that glimpse at a locker I try to be in the last few people as by then the auctioneer has been pushing people along and then as you are near last you actually get to stand there in front of the unit as the auction proceeds. This gives you added time to look at it and evaluate what you can see, That can make the difference in winning or losing by getting a better longer look.
2. I do my add ups of what value I can see from the door then take that number times 2.5 to arrive at the max I'll go. The 2,5 number is two times what I can see and .5 for a fudge factor so if I see 100 at the door my max bid would be 250.
3. Then after I win the locker I actually look to set my minimum sales value at 3 times the winning bid value to cover costs such as gas, cleaning fees, buyers premiums, dump fees and ebay fees etc etc. and PROFIT. So I'd be looking to get 750 minimum out of a locker I bought for 250.

That means I'd set my sales prices for the sellable items (in total) such that I'd get 750 or more out of it. If what I get hits or exceeds that 750 mark the locker was profitable and I made money, if not I reevaluate what I did in step 2 above for the next locker. Of course there is that factor of luck as you really don't know what is in the locker until you buy it.

Also as others have said you may only get 3 lockers in any given month and 15 the next, coupled with all the back end work to list and sell what you got and how long all that takes is so much of a moving target that it's nearly impossible to base earnings on $$ per day or week. Have I confused everyone yet? LOL.

What you need is three months worth of earnings cash in the bank that you can ride on thru the dry spells and that amount of money is over and above the locker buying funds. Now there are a lot of people who will take exception to what I do and say here and thats fine, this is just what I did and do and it is working. In the last year my plan has worked to the point where (with the exception of health insurance) I can nearly leave my full time job and do this full time. I sell on CL, ebay, ebay classifieds, etsy and others and also now have THREE booths at a local antique mall that my wife and I operate and stock from lockers, auctions, estate sales etc. It has been a long tough road but the rewards are coming more and more.


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