eBay My World: bertajeanne( 3182)

One day while meeting a workday requirement at an antique mall, another dealer said...Hey, have you heard about this online auction called eBay? Need I say more!

VINTAGE.....glass, pottery, porcelain, kitchen utensils, books, clothing, dolls, radios, sewing items, magazines, Pepsi, sports memorabilia, toys

Shelley china, very old colored glass bells

English

Josh Grobin, Il Divo, Alabama, Elvis

Ace of Cakes, Deadliest Catch, What Not to Wear, Dancing With the Stars, Bachelor, Food Challenge, Emeril Live

This gorgeous black & white creature in the upper left corner of the page is the light of my life...she is Sugar, my border collie. I've had dogs since I was 4 years old and loved them all but this one....she is the highlight. This girl is so smart and such a great companion to me. She understand every word I say and goes with me wherever I go. I carry a small cooler in my car with fresh water for her (with ice in the hot summer months) and she waits patiently while I run in the store for a loaf of bread or drop off clothes at the cleaners. She has only one fault that I can think of...she really detests kitties...oh m'gosh how she enjoys chasing them. But, a word from Mom and she stops and comes back to the house. What a special place in my heart this dog has! Just wanted to share her with you.

Any job I had during my working life dealt with administration in an office setting. Duties were organization, recordkeeping, and public contact. My last job was with state parks but I was also a member of the volunteer docent association & chaired the annual Christmas in Coloma fundraiser. This activity generated needed funds for artifact restoration, building repair etc. not covered in the State budget. The Wells Fargo stagecoach gave rides, a local contractor hauled in SNOW to put in a pile in the picnic area for the kids to play in (no snow in Coloma as a rule). I was a charter member of this committee, chaired it happily for 10 years & retired from state service in 1994. Antiques and collectibles had become a part of my life back in the 80's when my husband & I attended the Sutter Street Faire in Folsom California. That's when THE BUG bit me! Being able to devote myself full-time to finding treasures after retiring became my job and now I sell for clients as well as myself.

I've generally always offered multiple payment methods...personal checks, money orders, cashier's checks or PayPal when it became available to buyers a bit later in my eBay career. Currently, I'd say about 95 percent of my buyers use PayPal so it processes that stack of boxes that sit by my front door ready for shipment alot quicker.

This is a tough one....when I first began selling online, as a listing got closer to closing (and if there were bids on it so I knew it was sold), I diligently packed it up so I'd be ready to quote a total to my buyer including shipping costs. Good thought, but more often than not someone would email me and want to know...Does it have blue eyes or green or something similiar that I didn't know without looking. Which of course meant I had to UNPACK the item to answer them. I happily give estimates on shipping if asked by weighing the box and the item but I don't list a specific amount in my description. I suppose it's having to balance my office budget, the organization and accuracy part of me that wants everything to be right on the money. Because I don't know where my buyer lives, I don't know what the charges are until I know that. (Being in California, the rates vary considerably depending on if they're in Washington state or New York).

I spend a good deal of time putting together my descriptions through book research, comparisons with closed listings, and inquiring of various contacts I've developed throughout the years. Everything I can think of that I would want to know if I were buying my item I put in it, particularly any flaws or damage. So...if I've made an honest mistake by omitting any pertinent information, I will of course give a refund to my customer. I try hard not to make mistakes though as it does create extra work for me. It's in my best interest to be as accurate as possible because I don't have any help other than an occasional friend who will give an assist when needed.

It's amazing to me how many long lasting friendships I've made on eBay over the years. It's nice to network with people who share the same interests and we help each other with item identification and so on. Most of my eBay friendships began with them buying an item from me or visa versa. Being a naturally outgoing person, I find myself adding a couple of extra lines of humor or commentary in a transaction sometimes which can lead to chatting back & forth. It's so enjoyable when that happens and some of those folks wind up on my Christmas card list! One friend I met several years back after selling her a large lot of quilting fabric. She emailed me after receiving it saying how pleased she was. She volunteers at a teen center for disadvantaged young girls & bought the fabric to teach them how to master the old art of quilting. We keep in touch, comparing notes on our kids and grandkids. When you get older and your kids are grown, it's lovely having those friendships.