Finally, Thumbnail Photos for Craigslist: CraigsPro iPhone App

I finally found something that lets me view thumbnail images of Craigslist postings while browsing a category.

It's an iPhone app called CraigsPro, and I stumbled upon it by accident.

Above is an example of what browsing listings in the clothing+acc category in the craigslist in my city, Washington DC, looks like, with this app.  (This is low-res, but if gives you the idea). So much better to get a glimpse of what's lurking behind each posting than having to click into each one.

Another thing CraigsPro does is lets you search multiple cities at once, and also post to the site and manage your account. You can use photos taken with your iPhone camera or ones stores in your Photo Albums.

   Another cool thing it does is lets you return to the main search screen with one shake of the iPhone, if you went deep into the results and want to get back.

See a listing you like and want to email it to yourself to print out from your printer? You can do that too.You can also call the poster from a listing, and use Google maps to see where the item is located or to get directions for it.

The overall rating for this app is 4 stars, with 353 ratings at this writing. The app is also FREE. I'm very psyched to start using it.

Do you have experience using this app, or recommendations for other iPhone apps? Post a comment here.

How Does this Coupon Pro Buy $167 Worth of Groceries for 42 Cents?

A lot of people were buzzing about the story on NBC News the other night about coupon pro Jamie Chase, who racked up $167 worth of groceries for a mere $.42. (Yes, that's 42 cents).

The news story gave a few details of how Jamie is able to accomplish such huge savings -- combine sales, coupons and promotions; buy extra copies of the Sunday paper; email companies telling them how much you like the company -- but still, people were posting online in disbelief that she was able to get the bill so low.

After nosing around online, I was able to dig up the following other tips for how she's saving so much:

- Use "CATS," the store-printed coupons you get on the receipt.

-  Shop in stores where not everyone goes for groceries - Major drugstores such as CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens, for example.

- Pair up "CATS" coupons with other coupons (she waits for Cheerios' manufacturer, General Mills, to offer a catalina, and then pairs it up with her other General Mills coupons. That way she's not only saving on the purchase, but if she buys the requisite number of General Mills products dictated, she gets a cash reward at checkout. She then uses the cash reward to purchase those organic produce items that rarely, if ever, go on sale.)

- Use a big binder like Jamie to store your coupons - like the big zip-around binder you can get at office supply stores -- and keep them uncut til you need them, so they don't get lost.

- Use online sites in addition to store circulars, CATS, and Sunday paper coupons

- Take advantage of buy-one-get-one-free sales and combine it with other coupons if you can.

- Another couponer only buys certain items, such as salad dressing, when it's way discounted, then stocks up on a bunch of bottles so she has a stash for the future.

- Spend some time each week preparing. Jamie says she spends 42 minutes a week. Hey, one for every penny she spent at the store!

In my next post, learn how much I was able to save in my first coupon outing.

Want to find out how the coupon pros get over $100 of groceries for around $1 or less? Check out the serious tips in CouponMom's book:

Get New Stuff for Free & Cull the Old with Swap Sites

Looking for a way to get new (or new to you) stuff for free while getting rid of your unwanted stuff? Try a swap site or a swap group.

These sites are growing in popularity, as evidenced by the recent cover story in USA Today. 

Here's a rundown of some major swap sites:

ClothingSwap.com

SwapMamas.com

ThredUp.com

BarterQuest.com

PaperBackSwap.com

DigNSwap.com

ReFashioner.com

SwapTreasures.com

RehashClothes.com

You can also find a local, in-person clothing swap via MeetUp.com. That's how I found the clothing swap group I joined.

I've been to one meetup so far, and in one fell swoop I not only got rid of my black leather "Jim Morrison" pants that just weren't "me" (never worn), and various tops and sweaters, but I also snagged a new-with-tags red suede Coldwater Creek jacket, leather boots, a Ralph Lauren velour sweatshirt, and jeans.

I'll be trying out some of these swap web sites and posting the results, so watch this space for reviews.

Meantime, try some trading up yourself!

There's Still Lots of Money to Be Made at Book Sales

Is there still much money to be made from book sales, buying inventory there and reselling the books on sites like amazon.com and eBay?

Nathan Holmquist thinks so. Here's a pic of his last haul, with a listing value of $433 on amazon:

Nathan's new blog, http://www.booktothefuture.com/ (cute name, huh?), details his finds and crunches the numbers as to how the FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) program works well for him. This is where you ship books to amazon at deeply discounted rates, and they pack and ship the books for you. Many books listed as fba listings on amazon do better because buyers tend to prefer them.

Nathan has a whole ebook on how to get started and make money selling on amazon's fba program, which you can buy via my affiliate link at:

Selling on Amazon's FBA Program

Happy selling! 

Midcentury Modern Can Resell Well on eBay: Bamboo Flatware

One of my readers, Susan, who had the epic find of a Kieselstein-Cord trophy bag (found for cheap at a church sale) for $755 on eBay (http://www.yardsalers.net/backissues/issue1-30.asp), gives us another hot tip - midcentury modern flatware, specifically bamboo flatware made by Stanley Roberts.

 I'll let her tell it:

"The wonderful flips are always a good surprise.  I am keeping my eyes open now for stainless flatware sets and partial sets.  I sold some of that old bamboo stuff that everyone had in the 70�s for a ridiculous price recently.  It was sitting in my drawer for use at Thanksgiving.  I decided that the $180 or whatever that I got for it was worth the 'sacrifice.' 

"I bought a set of 'Astro' for $10.00 at auction.  I haven�t listed it yet, but it is from the 60�s and sells for crazy numbers.  Keep your eyes out for any stainless that looks midcentury, or the Stanley Roberts bamboo stuff. 

"I guess that�s my personal flip story for today!"

You heard it here.  More about midcentury modern in another post. (A hint: think angular, 50s, Frank Lloyd Wright, Eames chairs, "Dwell" magazine).

 

STAMPS.COM EXTENDS OFFER OF FREE SERVICE TO EBAY SELLERS

I use Stamps.com a lot for my eBay and online selling business. I think a lot of people don't realize this great service is out there, and I see people in line at the post office doing simple things like mailing a domestic package and buying postage for it. I always put my domestic packages outside my door with postage already on them. (I do go to the post office for international mailings).

 I just got this press release from Stamps.com that their batch shipping for eBay Stores sellers will continue to be free. Check out the details:

LOS ANGELES � April 13, 2010
� Stamps.com� (Nasdaq:STMP), the leading provider of postage online
and shipping software solutions
to approximately 400,000 customers, today announced that it will continue to
enable unlimited batch shipping from
eBay Stores without any service fees to new customers who sign up before October
1, 2010. Batch shipping with Stamps.com allows eBay sellers to print up to
1,000 labels at a time, and via all classes of USPS mail�including First Class Mail
International�.

�Stamps.com
enables thousands of eBay sellers to ship their orders quickly, reliably and
affordably,� said Stamps.com president and CEO Ken McBride. �The response to
our original eBay promotion was very positive, and we are pleased to provide
even more eBay sellers the chance to benefit from our world-class batch
shipping solution.�

Stamps.com
allows eBay Store users to retrieve order data from multiple sources�including
eBay, XML files and ODBC data sources�and automatically post order status
details such as tracking numbers and cost data back to their eBay Store.
Integration with the Stamps.com USB scale further decreases the need for manual
data entry by automatically importing package weight and calculating the
correct postage. Users also receive discounts on Priority� and Express Mail�,
cost codes to keep track of expenses, and Hidden Postage� which prints shipping
labels without displaying the postage cost.

Stamps.com�s
goal in offering a free eBay batch shipping solution is to introduce eBay users
to Stamps.com's product and encourage them to explore all of the additional
features which are available for a small additional monthly fee.  For instance, Stamps.com offers integrations
with additional eCommerce platforms such as Yahoo!� Merchant, and Google
Checkout.  These additional integrations
allow webstore managers to process, manage, and ship orders from virtually any
e-commerce source. Other features available to standard customers include the
ability to print postage directly on envelopes or on NetStamps� for convenient
mailing solutions. 

For
more information on Stamps.com's free service for eBay sellers, visit http://www.stamps.com/ebayfree5/

About
Stamps.com

Stamps.com
(Nasdaq: STMP) is a leading provider of Internet-based postage services.
Stamps.com�s
service enables small businesses, enterprises, advanced
shippers, and consumers to print U.S. Postal Service-approved postage with just
a PC, printer and Internet connection, right from their home or office. The Company currently has PC Postage
partnerships with Avery Dennison, Microsoft, HP, the U.S. Postal Service,
Interapptive, TrueShip, Auctane, Atandra, Webgility and others.

New Email List-Building Course from the King of eBook Sales

Looking to build a large email list? Who isn't these days?

How about learning from the guy who has over 120,000 people on his own list? (That's right; over 120,000 people). The man is named Jim Cockrum. nd he's sold over 80,000 ebooks -- prompting some, including myself, to call him the "ebook King."

Now he's sharing his list-building secrets with you:

Click here to find out more. 

Get in on the ground floor of this product before the price goes up. I've been following Jim for years -- he calls it like he sees it and won't recommend anything he doesn't believe in. Neither will I. 

Check it out here to get in on it!  

"ShoeMoney" Offers Free 12-Week Internet Marketing Course

ShoeMoney (c'mon, who can resist that nickname?) is giving a FREE 12-week marketing course. The url is http://bit.ly/cq4ohB -- more info below from the man himself. 

But first I will tell you what I know about ShoeMoney. The iconic image of ShoeMoney is him holding this monster check from Google for his AdSense earnings of some $132K (this is taken from a screen shot of his web site:)

 

I first  met ShoeMoney at an eBay Developers' Conference where I interviewed him and his colleague Dave Dellanave for AuctionBytes about their AuctionAds product which won an eBay award. (They sold the co. for what I believe was a tidy sum - the price was not disclosed; http://techcrunch.com/2007/07/27/mediawhiz-buys-another-ad-startup-auctionads/). The interview is here: http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y207/m07/abu0194/s02

He and Dave talked about their product which seemed like a win-win for eBay and eBay affiliates alike, and I was impressed. Since then I have followed Shoe's blog when I have time...it's a fun blog to follow, with lots of readers and comments: http://www.shoemoney.com/.

So when this guy gives away free info, it's worth grabbing it. Details are below. Or go right to http://bit.ly/cq4ohB.

---

Hello,

I'm Jeremy "ShoeMoney" Schoemaker and for 13 years I've been building successful online businesses. For the past five years I've been working hard writing a book to help others get started online. I recently decided that there is just too much great information in my book to exclude people from reading it. I have now backed out of my major book deal and turned it into a completely FREE 12 week guide to Internet marketing. No strings attached. Enter your email and start receiving the weekly guides directly in your inbox!

Week 1 - The Beginner's Guide To Internet Marketing

Week 2 - Affiliate Marketing 101: Everything You Need To Know To Start Promoting Products

Week 3 - Market Research: How To Crush Your Competitors And Discover Hot Niches

Week 4 - Introduction to Pay Per Click

Week 5 - Advanced Pay Per Click

Week 6 - SEO Tips, Tricks, and Tactics

Week 7 - Content Creation: How To Create Articles That Attract Users And Increase Sales

Week 8 - Marketing: How To Use Social Media To Spread Your Brand

Week 9 - Make That Cash: 10 Ways To Monetize Your Site And Increase Profitability

Week 10 - Testing & Tracking: How To Optimize Your Site & Make Sense Of The Figures

Week 11 - Building Your Team: How To Network With Others And Find Long Term Partners

Week 12 - Launch Day: How To Kick Start Your Business And Manage Your Projects

http://bit.ly/cq4ohB

Amazon Launches Rare & Collectible Books Store

A friend of mine who also sells on amazon got the following email

from them about their new Rare & Collectible Books store:

----

Dear Amazon.com Bookseller,



We're pleased to inform you that the Amazon.com Rare & Collectible 

Books store was launched today. This beta launch is an important 

milestone in our efforts to improve the customer experience for 

book collectors on Amazon.com.



During this beta phase, we will be testing new features and 

gathering feedback from buyers and sellers. Please visit 

the store and let us know what you think. 

The new store can be accessed through the Amazon.com Books 

store, or you can see it now by clicking on the following 

link:


http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?node=2056775011


The store features launched today include advanced search and 

dedicated browse functionality, product merchandising, and 

customer-facing content about rare and collectible books. 

We would also like you to know that only collectible 

listings that have the collectible attributes (Collectible 

Edition, Signed By, and Dust Jacket Condition) filled out 

will be indexed and discoverable from our store. It is 

therefore very important for you to populate as many of the 

attributes you can on each of your collectible listings. 



For more details about the new store, please see our Seller

Success announcement:



http://www.amazonsellercommunity.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=183991



We also want to invite you to participate in the new Rare and 

Collectible Books Community forum. The forum is accessible from the 

main store page, or you can go there directly using the following URL: 



http://www.amazon.com/tag/rare%20books/forum/



We appreciate your continued involvement in improving the customer 

experience for book collectors on Amazon.com. If you have further 

feedback or suggestions, 

please write to us at collectible-books-feedback@amazon.com.

Thank you for selling on Amazon.com.


Amazon Books Category Management Team

How to Clean up Selling Dishes on eBay

What are you all but guaranteed to find at not just every estate sale, but every thrift store, and most yard sales too?

Dinnerware. 

You can make good money selling dishes, pottery, and other dinnerware and servingware on eBay. But you need to know what brands and patterns are best to buy, and at what price point to buy.

Now there's a new resource from eBay expert Lynn Dralle, who specializes in this area. I've read the first few chapters of her new ebook, "Dinnerware Success," and was amazed by the amount of information and detail in this work.

Lynn tells you not only which types of china and pottery dinnerware are most lucrative, but which you are most likely to find when out scouting about.

How about coming across an old dish at a yard sale, grabbing it for 50 cents, and flipping it for $143.10 on eBay? What was this particular plate made of that made it so valuable, and how did Lynn tell (and how can you)? That's just one of the many examples you'll get in this information-packed ebook.

 

There are many helpful pictures of different types of dishes, pots, cups and other china Lynn has sold, as well as photos of maker's marks and explanations of what they mean. She explains the nitty-gritty such as the difference between "bone china" and "china," all in a fun and entertaining way.

The book is not cheap, but considering you're getting a lifetime of Lynn's knowledge and experiences, it's a great investment.

To buy it using my affiliate link, click below for more information:

Dinnerware success

or to buy right away, at $129:

Dinnerware Success: Buy It!

Day Four of eBay's Changes: Even Better

I think I'm going to like this. It's Day Four of the eBay changes, with what were traditional "Stores" items now showing up in regular search, and another item that had been festering unsold in my store got an offer.

It wasn't as hefty an offer, relatively, as the item that sold two days ago -- a black Chanel suit -- but I accepted it anyway because I was in a wheeling and dealing mood, and in a "Spring cleaning" mode, I want to clear out all my unsold merchandise.

And I probably will, too, because if the items that have been sitting in my store a year or more don't sell soon, I'm going to take them down. eBay also seems to be encouraging this with their slightly higher fees for sellers who are lower-volume -- from 3 cents for the old Stores-style listing to 20 cents under the new Fixed-Price format.

But, I have noticed that some of my other items have more people "watching" them now, such as my beloved yearbooks. Yearbooks are an example of the specialized kind of items that can take months and years to sell, which I don't plan to keep listed as long if they don't. It will cost me too much more to have them sit there.

I may ship these books to amazon using the "fulfillment by amazon" program -- where you ship a bunch of books to amazon to sell and they then keep them on their shelves and shop them out for you when they sell.

It's too early to tell the overall impact on my business. But, hopefully, with everything getting more exposure, and trimming out the underperformers, it will be positive.

Does this mean a lot of sellers will take down a lot of quirky, specialized, lower price items? Maybe. Tn that case it may make eBay less of a great yard sale in the sky than it is. But if it helps people's businesses, in this economy, maybe we can accept it.

Above: The vintage Chanel earrings in my store which just got an offer. 

EasyAuctionsTracker for Tax Time

I've been using a great program called EasyAuctionsTracker to keep track of my eBay sales. The main thing I use it for is to keep track of sales for items I sell on consignment. I can print out wonderful, detailed statements with all the pertinent info such as the item that sold, auction number, who bought it, shipping tracking number, all the various eBay fees, PayPal fees, and how much is due me and the consignor.

If you've been using it and haven't used it in a while, they made one change recently that may affect your spreadsheet. They sent an email about it but I think it went into my spam folder so it may have gone into yours too.

As Jen at EasyAuctionsTracker put it, "Our web hosting company changed some policies that affected the functionality of some spreadsheets. We have migrated our site and database over to a new server. We have developed a fix and posted the update to the US version to our site. You can get all of the info on how to migrate to the new version at the top of this page:http://www.easyauctionstracker.com/faqs.html."

Just fyi. If you haven't gotten a good eBay accounting program yet, now's a great time to start, as one tax season draws to an end. What better time to get your ducks in a row for the coming year?

 

Day Two of eBay's Changes: Cautiously Optimistic

It's a couple days into eBay's new system, where items that were formerly in "Stores" alone are now intermingled in eBay's regular search. 

It's too early for me to tell how all the new fee changes and the movement of traditional "Stores" into fixed-price style listings and eBay's main search will affect me and all my listings. But early indications are good: an item that's been festering in my eBay Store for months: a black Chanel suit, just got an offer.

So I'm cautiously optimistic. 

Lynn Dralle, the "Queen of Auctions," advises sellers to give it at least a month before they end underperforming listings. See how the new increased exposure in search affects your items. You may be pleasantly surprised.