eBay My World: critterstuff( 1869)

I am a member of ASPCA, HSUS, IFAW, and I support my local Humane Society with every chance I get. I am NOT PETA..... I disagree with a lot of their ideals. I currently own two dogs, four cats, and eight birds/parrots, all of which I Love Dearly.

I used to sell a lot of M&M's collectibles. I gave up smoking 4 1/2 yrs. ago, after 40 years, and I believe eBay took the place of the cigarettes. It's a much better habit and even a little profitable. I mainly sell lots of birdcages, pet accessories, and am going to start making bird toys, which I am really excited about. I'm trying to move more to the 'Critterstuff' and away from all the other things. Folks need to look to you, as a seller, for certain items they know you always have, and for me that will be pet items and bird supplies.

I buy way too much............I have a room full of M&M's that is a child's dream come true, but children are not allowed to touch.. :>( I buy nearly everything I need on eBay. As long as you add in the shipping charges before you buy, you can get almost anything for better prices than stores. I have bought everything from my Leather furniture, to Parrot pellets, dog collars and leashes, pet toys, you name it, I buy it. Recently I've been buying a lot of bird toy parts, so I'm really getting anxious to start on that project.

My collection is definitely M&M's, mostly the ceramics, but I also have all the dispensers, some very rare items, full sets of many items, and some sample items that were never put into production. I have some very rare items that I am really proud of. My home office (for eBay) is surrounded by M&M's.

English

We live on the Texas Coast, so we love to fish. We have a really nice Kenner Bay boat, 22' long, and we live one block from the water. Ebay is also a hobby, and I'm in the process of training our Chocolate Lab to be a Therapy Dog. I want to take him to Driscoll Childrens' Hospital, nursing homes, etc. I used to ride and compete in Cutting Horses, but it's been awhile, however, I still ride a little when given a chance.

I am not a reader at all. The book I read the most is my Bible, and it brings me all the comfort and knowledge I want from reading.

I've always been a Tom Hanks fan, I have the complete collection of all his movies and productions. I also love any movie with Dakota Fanning and/or Denzel Washington.

I'm ashamed to say it, being a Christian, but Two and A Half Men just cracks me up. I would never let any of my Grandchildren watch it, but my husband and I love it and laugh all the way through it. I also love Complete Makeover Home Addition, it's a wonderful show and they do wonderful things for special needs families.

My husband and I have been in the building and construction business forever. I became a TIBD and AIBD Professional Building Designer about 30 yrs. ago, now I have pretty much burned out on that. I am a 'wannabe' artist and have painted off and on all my life. My husband is still in the building business and I do all the paperwork, payroll, taxes, books, etc., while managing a large Climate Controlled Storage facility. And in my spare time at the office, I do eBay. I really have a great job with the flexibility to do eBay also.

The Building Business mostly, accounting, bookkeeping, I designed houses and buildings for 30 years.

I definitely prefer Paypal over any other payment method. I will take money orders or cashiers checks, however, Paypal is so quick and easy and every purchase is insured.

Shipping is the hardest part of eBay-ing. The smaller items I almost alway ship via USPS Priority, but the larger bird cages, I have to buy big boxes, they are heavy and bulky, but I do it anyway. Most items I ship internationally, however, I'm spoiled to having my items picked up at my front door, and international items have to be taken to the Post Office to be shipped. It all goes along with it, tho. No complaints. The Huge Parrot cages are the easiest to ship. I print the label, stick it on the packages in my storage unit right here at work, FedEx comes and picks it up. Very simple compared to the other bird cages.

I'll take almost anything back and pay shipping one way, if that is what it takes to make a buyer happy. I don't want anyone to be unhappy with a purchase or mad at me, it's better to just take things back, which has very seldom happened, but occasionally it does.

I prefer to only be contacted through eBay's Message Center. I get so many spoofs and so much spam, that's the only way you can trust to get emails.

My biggest complaint with eBay is that they are too big to watch individual sellers. Just in bird cages, there are four or five BIG Power Sellers, who sell bird cages for $.01 then charge $49.99 for shipping/handling (just an example). Or they sell a parrot cage that wholesales for $150.00 for $9.95 and charge $169.99 for shipping/handling, and so on and so on. I've seen so many cheaters on eBay, and it seems it takes forever for eBay to do anything about it, or eBay will end an auction that is reported, and the next day, the seller is re-selling it the same way as before and eBay does nothing about it. I pay eBay over $200.00 per month for the little I sell, because I am honest. These crooks are selling like crazy and probably paying very little in eBay fees. It's just not fair to the honest folks trying to sell things for reasonable prices and shipping fees. I have recently, however, become a 'Power Seller' myself, which I am very proud of.

Some forget, but we must never forget, that which we tame, we remain responsible for forever. Don't breed or buy while homeless animals die. Spay and neuter...........it saves lives.

by critterstuff(1869)

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