MoreHi!
As you read this we are setting up for our ONLY Live Boot Camp of the Year at the beautiful La Quinta Resort! We are all so excited to welcome the 20 + students on Friday morning.
- Lynn Recommends: Rocket Place in Las Vegas
- Special Announcement: If you already own BCiB–watch for a special offer.
- Feature Article: A Rose by any other name would still smell as sweet
- The Queen’s Update: Our 45th 100 Best Story from YOU
This ezine is published once a week.
September 4, 2008 Volume IV, Issue 34
Dear eBayers,
O.K. I have to admit it. I am freaking out. Houston started middle school this past Tuesday. I don’t know why this has been such a huge milestone for me but it has been. My parents moved our family from Olympia, Washington to Bellingham, Washington for me to start sixth grade (middle school) in an entirely new city.
My grandma and grandpa lived in Bellingham so that helped, but I had never been so teased and tormented as I was for those three years of middle school. Maybe middle school is just hard for everyone. I’m sure it is. But it was my first dose of a mean reality and I worry about Houston and his extremely positive outlook on life. I don’t want that to EVER change!
Luckily, Houston has been in this same school district since Kindergarten and he is well liked, looked upon as a leader and is good at sports. So, I am sure he will be fine but I am still freaking out! But please don’t tell him that I am worried. I even bought him a cell phone this past weekend. I see all these second and third graders with cell phones and I think “How ridiculous!” But now that Houston is in middle school, I think it is finally time. Wish us luck!
Here is Houston on the first day of Middle School
Here is Indy on the first day of school with her new teacher.
Indy made her new teacher a card and gave her a gift.
This newsletter is going to be short and sweet. Not only because I have two kids starting school this week but because of Live Boot Camp and the fact that I have to throw all my energy into making it the BEST one ever!
If you are a Boot Camp in a Box owner and are missing this event, please read my special announcement section for an exciting special offer. This Boot Camp is going to address all the eBay changes and is going to be more valuable than ever! We (Me, Mo, Carmen, Jason, my brother Lee, Joel Elad, Houston and Indy) are all excited to meet the new and returning students and know it is going to be Awesome!
I wanted to update you on the purse I sold this week. I was hoping for $200 but since I only paid $15 for it–I really can’t complain. Mo got mad at me for being bummed at the selling price. What do you think?
See the auction here.
Ever hear the saying “A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet”? Well, even though my rose (the purse) didn’t sell for as much as I had hoped, you will have to read my feature article this week to see what rose did sell for a bunch and smelled quite sweet last week!
And, I wanted to update you on the box-recycling tip from last week’s ezine. I got a very helpful email from my friend and Postal employee Robin (sanjaccats and eBay store is Ace’s Storage Unit is Full-HELP). I knew that you couldn’t send liquor bottles through the post office unless you cover up all the names with stickers (and forgot to tell you all) but there is more to that rule. Here is what Robin wrote,
“Lynn, this is one of your best ‘zines ever, love it! A quick note from your friendly mail-lady….
When you started talking about boxes, I just KNEW you were going to hit the liquor store for some. Please let your readers know that alcohol, wine, beer boxes are NOT ACCEPTED at the Post Office EVER…. unless you have COMPLETELY obliterated the brand, the wording, the alcohol weight, ALL the printing… everything on the box. There can be NO sign of what the box originally contained, and clerks are pretty sharp at spotting them a mile away. Just a head’s up… As always, it has to do with aviation security as a result of 9/11 and the flights that day, for good reason obviously.
YOU ROCK! We love you, Robin Bailey & mother Lynne Kuhn”
Here is my rental truck full of all sorts of boxes.
Thanks Robin and mom!!! When I asked Robin if I could quote her email, here is what she wrote back….
“Sure, quote away, including how cool we think you are! My mom & I are reminded of you & your mom all the time, on our eBaying adventures! Take care, Robin (sanjaccats)”
In case you missed last week’s ezine, I will be teaching a 30-minute class this September at Rocket Place in Las Vegas. Please read the Lynn Recommends Section to learn more.
Finally, we are bringing back the section where you write in with your major scores! Please read The Queen’s Update to hear about Colleen’s amazing score from a 50¢ boxed lot.
Happy eBaying!
Lynn Dralle, ‘The Queen of Auctions,’ Creator of the best-selling eBay Boot Camp in a Box and Boot Camp in a Box Lite.
I am teaching a 30-minute course at Rocket Place in Las Vegas on Thursday, September 11th at 2:45 pm. Rocket Place is being held at the Rio Hotel. I know that isn’t a very long time to teach but Debbie from As Was has put together so many great other teachers that the seminar is definitely worth attending.
With how much eBay is changing, how unaware so many sellers are about the changes, and how much people need guidance for their holiday season, this event is a great investment into your eBay business.
Teachers include Jay Berkowitz, Marsha Collier, Jason Guzman, Michael Lambert, myself and others. You can read more at their web site here. My ezine readers will receive $100 off your registration with the discount code: ROCKET. I hope to see you there!
As we gear up for our Live Boot Camp, I am so excited for those lucky enough to attend, but also want to extend an offer to those of you who own the full Boot Camp in a Box and couldn’t make it this year.
Watch for this special offer coming soon. It will go out by email to those of you who own Full Boot Camp. For those of you who don’t, click here to learn more about Full Boot Camp in a Box with the LAX audio, the Bellingham DVDs and the La Quinta DVDs from last year.
We are planning on retiring two of these after this week’s Live Boot Camp, so you will want to purchase the original three Boot Camps in a Box before that happens.
Click here for a special price before we retire two of those Boot Camps sometime in October.
And for those of you who own all three, please let us know which of the three we should keep and which two we should retire!
‘A Rose by any other name would still smell as sweet’
by Lynn A. Dralle, ‘The Queen of Auctions’
What does that saying mean anyway? I Googled the phrase, but it got a little confusing with all the Romeo and Juliet references so I just gave up and decided to figure out its meaning all on my own and relate it to eBay. Why not? This is my ezine and I can take some liberties.
The rose (Sharpei purse) that I thought was going to sell for so much didn’t, but a different rose (one of the Beatles pins) sold for way more than I expected. So, like I always teach you guys, it is a numbers game and even if one of your roses doesn’t bloom (sell for a bunch), a different one will!
AND I have another pin just like it listed this week in a separate auction on eBay, but there are no bids yet. Mo is so funny, as you Queen’s Court Members know, she said to me, “I am going to buy it for $9.99 and list it closer to Christmas.” Ha Ha! (I thought) But she is probably right!
So along those lines of a rose still being a rose but with a different name (or eBay item number), I have to tell you about my Fitz and Floyd find this week.
I ran into Mo this past Friday at a thrift store close to her house. I try and only go in to that thrift store once a week (after Pilates) because it is on her “turf.” But I needed to get some things listed quickly, so I stopped in with my kids while we were out school shopping in her area.
It was a little awkward. Houston and Indy ran up to me and said, “Mo is here.” Darn! I got caught. Just kidding. So, we start shopping together. I saw this stack of hydrangea plates that were just gorgeous. I knew before turning them over that they would be Fitz & Floyd.
Guess what? They weren’t. They were signed OCI 1990 China. I asked Mo (Maureen), “Have you ever sold any OCI and do you know anything about them?” “Nope,” she said.
I certainly didn’t know anything about OCI either, but since it was the Friday before Live Boot Camp, and I needed to get 100 items listed and listed quickly, I bought them. There were 14 pieces in all and I knew that they would be 14 pretty quick listings. Each piece was priced at $1.99. So I paid about $28.00 and I know that I will get close to $140.00 eventually (even if they don’t sell at auction–they will sell from my eBay store).
When I got home and Googled OCI, I found that it was a division of Fitz & Floyd called Omnibus!!! I tell you, a rose by any other name will still smell as sweet. And my gut reaction had been correct. They were F & F!
Here is one of those plates.
Here is a little history about Fitz & Floyd. Pat Fitzpatrick and Bob Floyd started the company in 1960. I am very happy to say that 1960 was way before my time. Well, not “way” but still before I was born!
I am also glad that they named the company Fitz and Floyd instead of Fitzpatrick and Floyd–too long and not as much fun to say. I have seen signatures on their pieces with a paper label FF, with an incised F & F and with the full written name Fitz & Floyd. Watch for all three. And watch for OCI (their Omnibus division)!
F & F began as an import company but began designing ceramic pieces in-house during the 1960s and finally got into tabletop (i.e. dinnerware–my favorite) in the late 1960s. They introduced their hand painted lines and collections in the 1970s.
The 1990s brought ornaments, teapots and cookie jars. You just never know what type of collectible will have the F & F signature.
Fitz & Floyd is well known for the superior quality of their work. They have set a very high standard. One article I read about the company said that, “You can just tell a Fitz & Floyd piece before you even turn it over and see the signature.” That is exactly how I felt when I saw those OCI hydrangea pieces! And I was right. I love being right!
When I told Mo today that the OCI signature stands for Omnibus (a Fitz and Floyd subsidiary) she was shocked. She didn’t know it either. Then she had the grace to tell me that those collectible pieces had been in that (her) thrift store for quite some time. See, other people didn’t know it either! Whew, now I don’t feel so bad that I was in Mo’s thrift store buying items that she passed up!
To wrap it up, A rose may not always be called a rose. And always buy the rose Fitz & Floyd when in good condition and OCI (omnibus)–the name that doesn’t bring to mind rose!
Happy eBaying!
Lynn
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEBSITE? Yes, you may – just as long as you include all links as they are and append this complete blurb with it: The Queen of Auctions and eBay Power Seller, Lynn Dralle, publishes ‘eBay Tips & Tricks’ a weekly ezine with 10,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to jump start your eBay business, make more money and have more time, get your FRE E tips now at www.thequeenofauctions.com
I am happy to present our 45th story for The 100 Best Things You’ve Bought or Sold on eBay! Colleen has a great story of a corkscrew found in a box at an estate sale that brings in big bucks. Click below to read…
Click here to read the story…
A big thanks to everyone who has already submitted a story! We are looking for more great stories of your eBay adventures. We know there are many great tales out there, so please submit your story along the lines of the stories from the 100 Best Books and a great side story with photos will help. If we use your story, you will receive a $35 merchandise credit on my web site and you will have your story featured–along with your user ID–in my ezine! It may also eventually end up in a published book!
By the way, when I mention my ezine readers’ user IDs with links to their auctions–it actually helps their sales! Amazing how that works. Click here for the guidelines for submitting your stories.
eBay PowerSeller and third generation antiques dealer, Lynn Dralle, is the creator of Boot Camp in a Box, the home-study course where you can learn to implement the Dralle Method to maximize your eBay profits.
If you liked today’s issue, you’ll love this step-by-step course that is guaranteed to be the most complete and enjoyable guide to selling on eBay that MAKES YOU MONEY.
Read all about it here.
The Queen of Auctions also offers articles, teleseminars, how-to books, tracking guides, DVDs, eBay Boot Camp training and other resources to help entrepreneurs make their eBay business a six-figure sales machine. Click here to learn more.
The Queen of Auctions/All Aboard Inc.
PO Box 14103
Palm Desert, CA 92255
760-340-6622
Lynn@TheQueenofAuctions.com
Happy eBaying!!
Lynn
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