Cyber Monday Shopping Experiences

I realize that many of my recent posts have covered shopping and selling, but 'tis the season. The majority of my holiday shopping was completed well in advance of Thanksgiving but I couldn't help purchasing a few things for myself on Cyber Monday.

Ah, Cyber Monday. It was the day with the most spending in 2010. I can totally see why. There are sales galore anywhere without free shipping is laughable. But are online stores equipped to handle huge increases in traffic? hothardware.com said that Cyber Monday 2012 was the heaviest online shopping day - ever - with nearly $1.5 billion in sales.

My experience was mixed...

J.Crew Factory

via funnyscreenshots.com

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, 50% off everything plus free shipping this year! I absolutely couldn't pass up this offer from J.Crew, even if it is the factory store, because my husband will never notice the difference when he receives the $9.99 t-shirts as gifts. (Never mind my small pile of jewelry and apparel.)

I filled my cart, only mildly disappointed that a pair of crystal earrings was sold out, and hit submit. It took a few seconds - okay, this is a busy day. Then the page kept defaulting to a 404 error. Not to worry - I can do it the old-fashioned way and call! After a reasonable hold period a sales person took my order. Slowly. And then the system crashed. "Would you like to start over?" he asked? No... I'm at work and can't be at this all day! Fortunately the website became responsive again and I placed my order.

As of the Saturday after Cyber Monday I have not yet received my order.  Scores a B.

Macys.com

Macy's was offering boots at buy 1 get 1 free and I just happened to need a pair (or two).  After scouring the selection and carefully reading the reviews I ordered two pairs - heeled-yet-rugged booties and black riding boots.

The positive side is the riding boots arrived within three days.  The negative side is that despite being Nine West and leather they are cheaply made and the heel is hard as a rock and uncomfortable.  The reviews said they run large; I found them too small.  Back they will go.

via businessweek.com

The super-negative side is that the other pair was sold out, despite my successful order, and will not be shipped.  Boo.

The really-super-negative side is that a customer service rep told me that it will take three days to email a return authorization slip (none was included in the package).  What???  This seems a little bit ridiculous to me...

Macys.com scores a C on this one.

Bluefly.com

Bluefly is one of those sites that I want to love.  Whenever I shop, though, I can't find a thing.  I had a $35 merchandise credit kicking around that I wanted to use up so I placed an order for two tops and a necklace.  Despite advertising an 80% off sale none of the items I selected were marked down to that extent.  One was final sale; no returns (and I hate that).

I also dislike Bluefly's practice of displaying all of the items that they are sold out of.  If I can't have it, I don't want to see it!

As of Saturday my order has not yet arrived.  Scores a B.

Express.com

40% off my husband's favorite jeans plus free shipping?  Sold!  This was an easy transaction to round out my Cyber Monday shopping.  They still haven't been delivered, but they score an A- for being easy-peasy.

Final Thoughts

Yes, I only shopped clothing for Cyber Monday, but the deals were worth the hassle in the end, I suppose.  

• Too many places advertised unimpressive sales.  I also disliked Amazon's quick-decision model with deals expiring every few minutes.  I don't want to play games - I want to purchase what I need (or maybe want) at the best price.  That's it.
• Few places listed the best deals - at least for clothing.  I tweeted and emailed my favorites to share with friends.
• I enjoyed the fact that J.Crew applied the discounts right on the web and I didn't have to search for a coupon code.
• Shopping via mobile device has really upped the opportunities for days like Cyber Monday.  I like that I could've taken advantage if that if I needed to.

Until next year...

3 More Tips for Selling Effectively on eBay

If you have a lot of stuff to get rid of, why not try eBay?  It's easy and you can reach a much larger pool of potential buyers than in your neighborhood yard sale.

Before you dive into this blog entry I recommend that you read my 4 Effective eBay Strategies.

Don't Bite off More than You Can Chew

It might seem like a good idea to list everything at once.  Voila!  Your clutter will be gone in a week!  Think about when it comes time to ship all of that.  Do you really want to bring dozens of packages to the Post Office and stand in line with them?  Not so much...

Listing 5-10 items per week seems safe.  If there's a larger item make it a lighter week.  If things are smaller, like clothing, it's okay to it's more items.  Remember that eBay allows you to list 50 items for free each month.  (You still pay seller fees but not the listing fee.)  Ten items per month fits nicely with this plan.

Another time saver is to box items up for shipping as you list them.  This way you have accurate measurements and weight of the package so the buyer can pay actual shipping charges.  There will be no delays in shipping the item after it's purchased because there are no excuses for waiting around to get it ready to go.  I recommend using post-it notes to label the boxes so you know what's inside.  That way, if the item doesn't sell this week, you won't forget what it is and have to rip it open!

Cross-Promote so More Eyes See Your Item

Do some research to see if there is another website where you can list your items for sale.  ModelHorseSalesPages.com, for example, is a website that's exclusively for model horse sales.  There is an option to link up eBay auctions to the listing so people can see what you've got for sale but know they must go to eBay to bid.

Consider Selling on Other Sites, Instead

• Craigslist - Craigslist is great for large items or anything that would be difficult or expensive to ship.  For example, I sold a toddler bed (not mine!) and a Pilates machine via Craigslist.  Pros - there are no fees and you can just make the listing and forget about it for awhile.  Cons - people are unreliable and you've absolutely got to meet in a public place to avoid bad things happening!
  
• Amazon - I prefer to sell my books here.  Old textbooks are just bestsellers - you can get rid of anything.  Be sure to price competitively - within a few dollars of the lowest price will ensure you sell your item.  Pro - large audience.  Con - prices are sometimes too low.
  
• Etsy - This is a site I've just begun using and I will certainly be blogging about it more in the future.  Pros - reach people looking for your items, easy to use, and lots of tools built in.  Cons - lots of fees (although they are not overly expensive) and there's no "ending" time so orders could come at any time.

Effective eBay Strategies

I've been an eBay user since 1997.  Back then I was seeking out rare model horses that I could snag for a steal.  Today I'm mostly a seller, culling model horses that I no longer want or selling "stuff" that's sitting around our house and would otherwise be donated or trashed.

This year I've offloaded a VCR, media player, lots of clothes, Christmas ornaments, miscellaneous electronics (mostly outdated), and some other stuff.  My tally so far is $800 so I must be doing something right!

eBay is easy to use and there are lots of sites out there that teach you how to get the most out of it.  Here are my tips:

Know what you have and whether or not others want it.

1. Search for the item you want to sell on eBay.  On the right, scroll down, and there's a toggle called 

2. 

   
   

    Completed Listings.  This enables you to see not how many are on the market right now, but what people actually paid for those items.  Setting a realistic price will ensure that your item sells.
3. If your item didn't come up in search, consider why.  Is it super-rare?  If so, good for you!  Maybe, though, it's out of season or just not popular right now.  Example:  I don't bother trying to sell model horses online during July or August because so many collectors are visiting BreyerFest. 
4. Maybe there's a better venue to sell your item.  I sold an unopened Pilates machine via Craigslist because I didn't want to deal with shipping.  I could've used the local pickup option on eBay, but I thought Craigslist would reach a larger local audience.  It worked - and I avoided fees!

Use the listing form to its full advantage.

1. Use every character that's available to you in the title field.  Rather than springing a few cents for a  ub-header, pack a punch with the free title field.  For example, instead of saying "Blue Gap Sweater", blow it out with "GAP Ladies Light Blue/Teal/White Argyle Sweater Size Small".  The more descriptors you add, the more likely your item is to come up in search.
2. It's in the photograph!  eBay allows lots of free pictures for many categories.  Add as many as possible - full length front and back, close ups of patterns or details, bottom view, whatever.  If the pictures are not free try to add at least two of different angles.  eBay allows users to zoom in on the photos so make sure they are high-resolution so that the viewer can see details.
3. Be descriptive.  Describe that item as best as possible.  Measure EVERYTHING.  Let eBay do the work for you in some cases, like electronics.  I sold a VCR and when I typed in the brand and model number into search, eBay offered to add dozens of specs to the listing.  Do this!  Users can search by specification and if you aren't including them then you're already out of the race.  Just make sure that everything eBay enters is accurate. Remember to test your item and be sure that it works.  If it doesn't, be honest about that in the listing.

Price to sell and ship cost-effectively.

1. Way back up in #1 of the first section I told you how to price your item.  If you don't need to sell it right away, price it at or a little above what you think it will sell for.  If you just want to get rid of it, try $5-10 below the regular auction price.
2. Shipping is tricky.  Apart from re-using packaging and offering the cheapest option (usually Parcel Post) there's not much you can do to cut costs and bidders shy away from high shipping costs.  Be mindful of your packaging because it can increase costs.  I put clothing into plastic bags and then ship it in manila envelopes because they weigh considerably less than cardboard boxes.  Using newspaper as padding is a great way to recycle but it also adds weight.  Consider re-using the inflated air pockets you receive in other shipments - no matter how satisfying it is to pop them.
3. I've had more success since I've started using "buyer pays actual shipping costs".  This feature inserts a little calculator into the listing and the actual price is determined based on where the bidder lives.  When you list the item, just enter the measurements of the package and the weight and boom, you're done!  Bonus:  your item is boxed up and ready to go!

Communicate and keep your promises.

1. Bidder has a question?  Answer it ASAP and consider posting the answer for all to see on the listing to avoid repetition.
2. If you said you'd ship next-day, do it!  It's just a matter of getting to the Post Office if you've got things packaged up according to #3 in the previous section.  If you can't keep your promise, let the buyer know and give him/her the opportunity to back out.  Hey, they might need that Joker Halloween costume for a party this weekend!
3. Follow-up by promptly marking items as shipped and leaving feedback.

Those are my tips for eBay success!  I've got lots more including don't bite off more than you can chew, cross-promotion, and selling on other sites like Craigslist, Amazon, and Etsy that I'll share in a future entry.

Back in the Saddle

Having unofficially completed my master's degree I have some limited free time for "hobbies" once again.  (During the course of working full time and taking classes part time over the past two and a half years I'd almost forgotten what both free time and hobbies were!)

When I was eight years old I got my first pony, Savvy, and started learning how to ride horses.  I rode constantly until I was about 20 and completed my associate's degree.  From that point riding was sporadic.  If I felt up to it and had time, I rode.  If not - I didn't.

Now I feel as well as I'm going to feel and I have as much time as I'm going to have.  So I'm riding again at a great farm with lots of horses that need work.  

This post is inspired by the fact that I needed to get a new helmet last weekend.  Equestrian riding helmets are meant to be replaced every three to five years because the styrofoam and other materials can break down and become less protective.  Additionally, if you fall in your helmet, you should also replace it because the material could have become compressed.

My helmet was nine years old and I'd fallen in it no less than three times.  So I found a helmet that is comfortable and safe and went on my merry way.  But it got me thinking about a recent blog post I read about how much "stuff" you need to buy when you have a baby (keep reading, I'm getting somewhere).  Horses are much the same!  

I don't even own a horse since Savvy passed away over a year ago.  But just to go ride someone else's horses I need, at a minimum:

• My own clothing - boots, half or full chaps, helmet, gloves, and possibly spurs and a whip
• Equipment - saddle, saddle pad, and possibly a fleece pad
• Brushes (if the horse doesn't have its own) - curry comb, hard brush, soft brush, mane comb, hoof pick

It's also nice to have:

• Towels, fly spray, and horse treats - it's nice to be clean, keep the bugs away, and reward the horse after a ride!
• Girths in various sizes - there never seems to be one that fits and if it's too small - well, imagine trying to put on a belt that's too small - you just won't be wearing a belt that day
• Coolers, anti-sweat sheets, and other blankets - on cold days or after a bath it's nice to be able to dry the horse quickly
• Clippers - in the winter particularly, horses get very fuzzy and things don't fit right - with clippers you can easily buzz off that hair!
• Bits - if you need to try something different it's helpful to have that vast bit collection you accumulated over 20 years
• Boots and wraps - some horses hit themselves when they move so it's nice to have assorted polo wraps, leg boots, and bell boots to choose from
• Training aids - martingales, side reins, and lunge lines make it easier to deal with a frisky horse

This list includes items I could think of in five minutes.  I'm sure I left quite a few things out - and this is just riding equipment - it doesn't even begin to cover the equipment you need to just to own a horse!  Needless to say, I have two big wooden trunks full of stuff at my disposal.  

But when I rode Maverick last week (see picture from two years ago) I found four 42" girths (size small for you non-horse people) but no large ones.  Luckily I was able to borrow a bigger one, because a horse with no girth holding the saddle on would make for a good comedy, but it would also test out my new helmet pretty thoroughly!

Resources:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Horseback-Riding-Helmet-Dos-and-Donts&id=2455160

Holiday Cheer

A little less than a month ago I wrote about preparing for holiday shopping.  Now December is here and the holiday season is in full swing.  Nearly all of the gifts we intend to give have been wrapped and the holiday cards are written - just waiting for a trip to a photo print center so I can pop some pictures in them.

Today we celebrate one of my favorite holiday traditions:  getting our Christmas tree.  When I was younger we'd wander through the woods at a rural tree farm until we found the perfect one.  Now we venture about 20 minutes from home to a fresh-cut tree lot.  Luckily it's not a depressing parking lot tree lot - it's on a farm.  The trees are beautiful Douglas and balsam firs.  The thought of that first whiff of pine has me excited already!

Before we leave we'll pull the boxes of decorations from the basement, along with the tree stand.  I'm also hoping to put up our outdoor lights before we leave.  That tradition is typically conducted on the weekend after Thanksgiving, but I was away this year.

I can't wait to open the boxes of ornaments and Christmas decor.  Each one has a memory associated with it:  the antique tin birds my great grandmother gave me from her own tree, the huge Santa Clause from my grandmother, the beagle and horse ornament collections, and more.

Of course, despite being finished with my shopping, I'm going out for a little more tomorrow.  Target has a coupon for a $15 gift card if you spend $150 (I got their $10 gift card for spending $100 on black Friday).  My mom needs a few gifts and I need to buy her a pair of slippers as well as some grocery items so together we can probably hit it.  I also discovered this pretty cool Android app:  Google Shopper.  Scan a product bar code and it'll tell you prices for the product at various stores as well as other information.

Happy Holidays!

Are You Ready for Some... Shopping?

Black Friday is right around the corner!  I was always afraid to shop on this day because of the reports of long lines, crowds, and people being trampled in order to get a great deal on a TV.  One year I tried shopping on the day after Thanksgiving and am glad I did.

I learned a few tricks that make it easier and to me, the deals and relief of getting most of my shopping done in one day are worth it.  I'll share five of my Black Friday tips in this blog entry.

1. Plan ahead.  Instead of watching football on Thanksgiving Thursday I scour the flyers that come with the newspaper.  (Many retailers even have preview ads online this year.)  I make up a shopping list ahead of time so I determine which stores have the best prices for the items I need.  I write down the store(s) in which I can get each item and bring that list with me so I waste no time browsing while I shop.
   
2. Avoid electronics.  Unless you really-really-really want that TV or other appliance, avoid electronics stores on Black Friday.  (Or, make that your primary objective and plan on doing that only.)  I skip stores like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target because I know they'll be zoos.  I don't want to stand in a line just to get in the store so I start elsewhere.  If I make it there later, fine.
   
3. Know where you're going.  I decide which items are the most important for me to get and plan on going to those stores first.  Then I map out the rest of my route for the day.  If the trip involves a mall, all the better, because that only involves parking once.
   
4. Start early.  Get to the first store as soon as it opens.  You may want to adjust your plan in #3 to start at a less important store if it opens earlier than a more important store.  Starting earlier means that it's easier to park, the stores are less crowded, and the check-out lines are shorter.  Yes, Black Friday is busy all day, but the crowds at 4:00 a.m. on Black Friday are equivalent to 6:00 p.m. on a regular day.  By 10:00 a.m. they're unbelievable.
   
5. Bring water, a snack, and your patience.  Everyone is focused and in a rush.  Don't forget that you're purchasing gifts as part of the holiday season.  It never hurts to remember what that's all about!

Resources:

http://policeonthescene.com/?m=200811 [image]

Frugal "Fashion"

Reading All Over Albany helped me discover All This Happiness, a really cool blog that's had a lot of fashion posts.  Not fashion like Vogue or In Style (yes, I subscribe to those, too) but fashion like how to make that boring dress in the back of your closet new and exciting again.  Reading it inspired me to dress "fun" and not just throw on something for the sole purpose of:

1. Staying covered so creepy guys don't ogle me
2. Staying cool during this 100 degree heat wave (#1 and #2 are hard to pull off simultaneously)

Because I also want to:

1. Maintain a unique sense of style
2. Do ALL of the above without breaking my ever-shrinking bank account (thanks, wedding)

When I was away at Lake Placid this past weekend, I visited many antique and thrift shops.  I got a really cool set of bathroom decorations (plaster flower sculptures for the walls) for $16.  My fiance guessed $50.

The point is, you don't have to spend a lot to get a lot, something this economy is reminding all of us.  Stores push buy-buy-buy with deep discounts and markdowns.  But really, how much does 20% off calculate out to be?  Not that much.

Lately, the outlets have been my friends.  You can even sign up to receive email coupons from some of them like Coach, Gap, and Banana Republic.

Of course, there are the tricks of using online sites like Retail Me Not to gain free shipping or a percentage off of your online purchases.

Social media plays a role, too.  My Entertainment Book regularly emails me offers.  I have two coupon apps installed on my Droid - supposedly, their coupons are accepted right at the register from my phone - no printing required!  Using my location the apps have found quite a few offers in my area, although none I happened to need at the time.  (My best coupon luck tends to come from the good, old-fashioned newspaper.)

Between all of these money-saving options, I can't remember the last time I paid full price for something.  Not even at the Olive Garden last night.  My grandma sent me home with a coupon the last time I went to visit her.