eBay My World: tgrocks2( 1174)

Being blessed with a Addictive Personality has had it's ups and downs. As a 20 something in the early 80's, it became collecting. It started with cardboard Candy Bar boxes from the 20's - 50's. By 1987 I had acquired 175, paying 2.00 - 10.00 each...

Well in 2000 after learning enough about the computer to trade on ebay, I started selling the candy bar boxes off..And as I sold them off I couldn't believe how much they had appreciated in value. And buy this time I had gotten my hands on about 1000 bottles from a digger who was moving quickly and wanted to unload his collection, as found, FAST...So I have been selling those off little by little over the past few years...

About anything that interests me at the time. I like history so that sometimes is a factor if I'm buying something I'm planning on keeping. I'm from Kansas City Kansas so I try to hold on to some of the things that play a part in i'ts history. I would sell about 95% of my bottles and probably will start. But if I see a local one that interests me, I want it. This was a cattle town so I have some items related to it, but I'll end up parting with them. Long story short, nothing in particular I buy specifally unless it really grabs me. Or I have a reason for buying it. And likewise, I have so many odds and ends You are liable to see me sell about anything. I hate to say it but alot has to do with the almighty dollar...I have learned a lot about selling on Ebay and continue to learn...My focus really is on PAPER realted items right now...Any type, blotters trade cards, postcards, prints, magazines, old books, but that doesn't mean I'd pass up on something else I might want for down the line

Okay, this is a hard one. I really can't pin anything in particular down. When I sold my Candy boxes, in a very roundabout way I ended up buying old prints, lithos that I had framed. BUT IT WAS THEIR SUBJECT MATTER. I've always liked to stack dry stone and fit the pieces together like a giant puzzle. I even gathered up thousands of my own samll flat rocks in the fall and winter from about every dry creek bed around here. REALLY RELAXING to build and look great when done. OK back to the artwork I bought. I found a guy on Ebay selling these original (about 9 x 12 or so)prints and lithographs of an explorer who traveled thru Egypt and all the spots in the middle east and had brought back veiws if the Sphinx, Pyramids, Petra, Temples of Luxor and all these really neat pieces built and carved out of stone. And the time AND labor it took. and he saw these from 150 or so years ago. I think he went in the 1830's to 1840's and it took him another 10 years or so to publish his works. And I guess I

English, SLANG

Played golf since I was 8 for about 35 or 40 years. Got to where it took too long. I'd get out there and start thinking about working on a goldfish pond, stacking rocks or spending 5 hours at a big farm auction. I already knew how to play pretty good so I felt like I could be better off hunting down a bargain or trying to locate some good OLD BRICKS to build a walk or something. At 55 years old, 2 sons that are 11 and 16. I'd love to take a stab at doing EBAY..FULL TIME..Dreamer

Honestly, are you kidding...The last 2 books I read were Jurassic Park and The Firm...UPDATE..Buying old books is on my RADAR

Well after having 7000 movies in our video store from '87 to '97 and buying about 95% of them: Apocalypse Now; Pulp Fiction; Fargo; Blade Runner; Silence of the Lambs; Sin City; All 007(Except Timothy Dalton); Bourne movies; American Pie movies; Scarface w/(Pacino); 12 Monkeys....OK Enough, I watched movies for a living for a decade.

I'm going to make this short and sweet. I don't listen to much of the new stuff, SO...Here Goes and you can draw your own conclusions.CLAPTON, STEVIE RAY, BUDDY GUY, ROBERT CRAY, BB KING, and come on over, and let JIMI take over.. HENDRIX that is..AND FOR SURE MOTOWN...

ALIAS, LOST, 24, THE SHIELD, ANY CSI'S, LA FEMME NAKITA, LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT...and let's not forget JUDGE JUDY and MARRIED WITH CHILDREN (Classic)

I don't think anyone really knows how bad I'd like to do this for a living..I love hunting down items for people, including myself...I REALLY love the interaction I have between the buyers AND sellers...There isn't a day go by that I don't think about how lucky I would be to be in a position to do this everyday day because I really do love it..I started in 2000, and in around 2005 or so I had to step away for a couple years when I switched jobs, at a $20,000 decrease in pay...It really had an impact to go from a successful sales route, VERY loyal BIG customers, and a sales manager/friend that screwed us both in the long run..From my boss to my competition out to ruin my customer base at any cost...But when I got laid off in early 2008, I knew I had Ebay to fall back on and once I got started, I was hooked again...It's my only vice...I've been there, done that, set all the wrong examples and hear I am...One of the lucky ones who survived and maybe offer help to others..Ebay is my DRUG

Sales Food Service.Hotel, Restaurant,Casino. Openned a video store in (1987) with my brother/sister-n-law's money in crowded market.15 outlets in 5 mile radius..Pre-Blockbuster, but several other National Chains.(THE PLAN)We had: 900 Movies , 900 square ft, A theatre style popcorn machine, chaser theatre lights in windows, Hand Picked High School Girls, Cute-Bright-paid over minimum wage always. Shifts 4 to 6 hours.Girls, some siblings, lined up waiting their turn to work(MAIN OBJECTIVE)and only one CUSTOMER SERVICE.The place always smelled like a theatre, popcorn was free (NOTHINGS FREE) and went thru at least 1 50lb sack a week. Cost 13.50 corn/boxes about 500 a week @ 10 cents.RULES/LATE FEES/ETC.Handled on an individual situation, because there are no set rules if you're going to make CUSTOMER SERVICE your #1 Goal.Sold store to friend (1997) Turn Key. 2100 sq ft. 7000 movies 10,000 customer names.Competition left. ME and BLOCKBUSTER..WE PROVIDED CUSTOMER SERVICE.(Store closed 1999)

Seriously, I try carry out by Ebay transactions the exact same way I have done everything else business wise...Having a sales background and being a people person has really helped me...I could never work in a Franchise situation where rules couldn't be bent..I've had a casino call me at 8 am on a Saturday, tell me they need something and I make it happen for them..Because There are 5 guys behind me begging for a 2 million dollar a year account. Am I mad they called me at 8 on a Saturday, no I am delighted because once again they know they can count on me to solve their problem..At the video store, it's closing time, lady comes in with 5 or 6 movies, they're all late. She's just gotten off her second job and has her 4 or 5 kids with her.Is she paying late fees? No, the store is open for her and her kids to find some movies while I fix them up all the popcorn I have left in the machine, a couple movie bags full, it's closing. Her memb.#133 out of 10,000. NO, this ISN'T BLOCKBUSTER..

I have said this many, many times.I always try to describe things to the best of MY ability.It might not be as good as someone elses and if they email me and offer advice or correct me, THAT's GREAT.If I see or know of a flaw, you can be sure it will be mentioned.And if I have a question about an item and don't think I would be happy getting that particular item because of the shape it's in or whatever, I set it aside for another day to think about. And the final thing in the pie, which I spent a couple years doing for my brothers business we he needed some help, PACKING AND SHIPPING.I try to pack each and every box in a manner that if I openned it as though it was shipped to me, I would be happy the way it was handled..As I said earlier, I buy a lot of paper items right now.And I am a loyal customer, especially to someone who is doing things right.But I can tell you, I have some paper items I could never sell due to the condition they arrived in. They aren't on my favorite seller page