E-Bay

[Heid the Ba]

Mrs B and I occasionally sell things on e-bay, old books cds etc. nothing of value, just to clear shelf space.

About 3 months ago we listed a china cabinet and a bookcase, as they were furniture we made it clear how big they were and that the buyer would have to collect. Both sold for about £8 each. Payment arrived through PayPal. Then the bloke who bought them e-mailed to say that due to family illness he couldn't come to collect them, we should re-sell them. We offered him his money back but he said to keep it.

About a month later we relisted them, a woman bought them both for about £20 each and paid through PayPal. Then she asked if we could deliver them; we said no, you have to collect. She hummed and hawed. After a week without any word we e-mailed her to find out what was happening and didn't get a responcse. After another couple of weeks we told her that we would re-list if she didn't pick them up. Nothing. We still have her money.

Third time lucky, both sold to different people. The china cabinet went for £10 and was picked up on Tuesday. The bookcase was about £7 and the buyer came round last night to pick it up. It doesn't fit in her car, it isn't economic for her to hire a van so she asked us to take it back and keep her money.

Someone had asked about the bookcase after the auction had finished so we are sellingthe bookcase to them. They may even take it away . . .

[St. Jimmy]

Wow. I think that bookcase is using magical powers to try to stay at your house. It desn't seem to want to leave you.

[Enzo]

Think it through, Heid, you could get yourself a number of additional bookshelves. SO far you seem to be netting over L20 per month on what you have. On the occasions where the items are actually picked up, then you;d have to replace the stock of course. SO 10 pairs of bookshelves ought to net about L200 a month.

I am not sure there is a limit to the success you can achieve. Especially when you produce an infomercial selling your How To Make Money seminars and kits.

[hippietrekx]

Dang. That's the most lucrative bookshelf I've ever heard of...

[Heid the Ba]

Enzo, I think that is a great plan. Do you want to run my US franchise?

[Enzo]

Hi folks, the mighty Enzo here for Bookshelves Unlimited. have you got a book storage problem? You know you don;t read them, but you have to put them SOMEWHERE. At least until you need the space for your bowling trophies.

[Heid the Ba]

Sale four is falling through since she is now asking if we can deliver. she has a van but can't get to Edinburgh to pick it up. She hasn't paid yet.

[Heid the Ba]

Sale four (different buyer) has happened. Money paid, bookcase to be picked up on Thursday evening.

[Мастер]

So are you looking for the fifth buyer now, or do you wait for the fourth one to fall through first?

[hippietrekx]

You'll have to let us know how it goes.

[Heid the Ba]

I'll wait for four to fall through before going for five. :D

[Enzo]

There is probably a threshold, then they will want to tax the operation.

[Heid the Ba]

Ok, so I had e-mailed four to remind him how big this bookcase is; 42"x48"x12". It's big and heavy, it came from a bank back when they made proper furniture; it isn't flat pack rubbish.

So he turns up in a small hatchback, he measured it and is convinced it will be made to fit. He looks it over with his mate, opens and closes the glass doors etc. I point out that one door has a bolt and the other locks into it, he doesn't bother fastening it properly. I take his money and stand well back.

His mate and I exchange glances as we both know the bookcase simply is not going to fit, but off they go into the rain. Halfway accross the road the doors open, one hits the road and the glass smashes. They press on to the car and lo and behold it is too small.

They start clearing up the glass and bring the bookcase back into the house to come back at the weekend with a bigger vehicle. We look over the bookcase and it is very well constructed with a lot of screws etc at the back. I offer screwdrivers etc and they set to it with a will, removing various panels etc. The back panel which you might expect to be hardboard is actually 10mm chipboard, the glass is 8mm thick, and we're starting to realise why this is so heavy.

They can't remove enough to make it fit or to dismantle it completely so I have most of a bookcase still, they take the shelves, backpanel etc.

Mrs B arrives home shortly after they left: Did he come?
Me: Yes.
Mrs B: Is it still here?
Me: Funny you should ask that . . .

[Enzo]

Well they have to take it, they broke it already.

[Dragon Star]

No, they could just not take it, and he could sell it...again.

[Heid the Ba]

Four is coming back tonight with a Volvo estate, I'm not convinced it will be big enough.

[Enzo]

A lot of estates are shrinking these days...

[Heid the Ba]

And it has gone!

[Enzo]

So it fit the Estate, in a manor of speaking.