eBay Adventure - A Dollar Doesn’t Buy What It Use To

                Christmas selling season has been slower than average. I admit that I have not been writing eBay Adventure and going onto Periscope as much. Also I have been a tad bit under the weather stopping my progress. Yesterday night I willed myself to do a late night Periscope detailing how I was not taking New Year’s orders for both US and global buyers. I loaded it into HootSuite and reshared it to Twitter aggregators retiring for the night.

                I awake today and break my ‘no email first thing in the morning’ rule. Whenever I break this, it does not go well; but, something in my spirit tells me so I do it. I check this $1 Stuart Weitzman eBay bid offer. Her letter says ‘$75 shipping is a mistake?’. I decline that offer explaining that the $75 shipping for the global priority because the post office lists gladiator sandals as dim weight items. Dim weight items receive an extra charge. This correspondence gives me a chuckle that will take me throughout my day!

                I am taking New Year’s orders for both domestic and global clients. Shop my store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

eBay Adventure – Pause for the Cause

                Okay I am the first to admit that having 4 sales in 5 days (one of those days was Veterans Day, a federal holiday) is time and energy consuming. You have to pack, write thank you letters and ship. Resale is hard work so I have taken a slight break Monday. All I’ve done is track my Saturday package. I haven’t relisted anything. I even let some things expire. I just take a break from the madness (It also helps that I am getting instant PayPal payments because now I don’t have to wait until the buyer receives her package to receive my money.)

                Shop my eBay store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

eBay Adventure – Receiving My 15th Star

                I have working feverishly photographing merchandise to put in my store. There have been a lot of sales lately but I will keep all of my items ready for sale. I must keep a fully stocked store especially with these few weeks before Thanksgiving. After uploading new merchandise, I see a new rating. It has gone from 14 to 15. My heart flutters because I am truly honored that my customers view me so highly. I will remember these hearts because they say that they appreciate my customer service. I shop same day upon payment. Also I ship only domestic and global USPS priority mail so that my customers get their items ASAP! On a personal note, I am very happy that my overall rating increases to 92.3%. Haters take that!

                Shop my eBay store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

eBay Adventure - All Hail Instant Payment PayPal

                Resale is not an easy business. I have been doing it for 5 months. I have listed, relisted, negotiated, fought fraudsters, checked ungrateful customers and been surprised by shipping weight more than once at the post office. Throughout it all, I’ve written thank you cards, purchased materials and shipping the same day as payment. All of this toiling and seed planting have reaped me a bountiful harvest: I now qualify for PayPal’s instant payment.

                This blessing ranks right up there like manna from heaven! Liquidity and solvency are important to every business. Instant payments mean that I can transfer the money to my bank. I achieve liquidity because these transfers are cash infusions. Also with cash on hand I stay solvent by paying my bills!

                Shop my eBay store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

eBay Adventure - 120 Days In

                This 30-day period is my slowest because I have taken myself offline after the Depop failure. I have emotionally regroup from that. I have only sold one item for $55; and, I am perfectly okay with that because eBay’s fees are super slow. The last thing I need right now is a heavy heart and high fees. I do think that I will reassess what I do regarding selling my clothes.

                Shop my eBay store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

eBay Adventure - 90 Days In

                Right after Labor Day, I am in a very nadir place. I have decided to sell my clothing items on Depop. I have seen some YouTube personalities mention it so I say ‘why the heck not?’ Well after 6 weeks with no role (I’ve even done a Labor Day sale plastering my photos everywhere from Blogger to Instagram to Pinterest with no such luck.). I have never experienced no sales. It has taken me less than 2 weeks to get my first eBay sale. I declare defeat deleting my Depop store.

                This has taken a whole lot out of me. First, I’ve devoted time towards learning a new system. Second, I have created a separate marketing campaign. Third, I am still stuck with unsold inventory which costs me time, space and money. I so need a break from resale!

                Shop my eBay store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

eBay Adventure – Some People Are Not Your Customers

                No sooner do I accept the Kate Spade black patent leather tote bag then the buyer emails me through eBay saying ‘please disregard’. Now this is a new one: a customer saying that she wants to cancel an order after doing a bid. I am like ‘huh?’ because this has never happened to me. I agree to cancel because I refuse to fight over $26. Inside I feel like blocking this buyer for her messiness. However, I decide against it because she is probably petty and I need to conserve my energy for more sales.

                This incident magnifies that not everyone is my customer. eBay is a global auction place where anyone and everyone can come into your store; however, not everyone should be my client. You need to be discerning because some clients do not want to pay; and, you are in business to sale!

                Since I am now selling purses, I may get these customers because unlike my shoes and dresses, purses have a wider demographic. What I will do is ask more questions and screen them because cancelling orders hold up merchandise.

Shop my eBay store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

eBay Adventure – Here’s to Another Successful Week

                I am fresh off of receiving three sales. I have been successful implementing the webinar strategies and shipping same day as I receive payment. I attribute my success towards more than merely positive thinking. I have taken massive action. I have been thinking like a businesswoman. I am looking at the sales goals subtracting my costs of goods sold. This is why I have increased the domestic shipping cost for my gladiator sandals. That dim weight shipping cuts into the revenue.

Shop my eBay store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

eBay Adventure – Wheeling and Dealing

                My eBay store activity has picked after these two sales. Also, I am happy that those weird midnight requests are gone. I have noticed something new that is happening to me. I am starting to receiving offers and counteroffers. This is a new trend so I am starting to flex my counteroffer muscle. In one such case, I have a brown embossed Kate Spade purchase where someone pitches me $35 for $75. I counteroffer $45. It is fair because half of $75 is $37.50. She has not replied but I am standing in my price and fairness. Since the beginning my counteroffer policy has always been ½ of the stated price. I am not bending over that. Remember, even though I am decluttering, this is a business. As a seller, my goal is to make a profit. I always tuck that MBA in the back of mind. It is the reason why I have made over $3200 in sales in 4 ½ months.

Shop my eBay store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

My eBay Adventure - International Commerce

                Although this Monday is Independence Day in the United States, the rest of the world is going to work. I am happy to announce that the United States Postal Service (USPS) is delivering my Stuart Weitzman order. I mailed it last week. It was the first time that I ever completed a customs form because it was being shipped out of the United States. Below is the screen capture showing my package’s travel from the US to France.

Tomorrow I will mail another package to France. This woman is my first repeat customer (I know!? I have only been doing this since June 15^th and I already have a repeat customer, in France no less!). I cannot wait until my first full week in July sales. 

Visit my eBay store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

10 Years Strong

Today is my 10^th work anniversary. I started working at the Bureau of Economic Analysis as an Economist on May 15, 2006. I have made significant amount of personal and professional progress in a decade. I worked there for 6 years. BEA has moved from DC to Maryland. I have moved on from BEA but since live in DC. When I walked back from seeing my officemates, I felt like it was survivor of the fittest because DC had undergone a lot of changes but I survived them. After 4 promotions in 9 years, a couple of discrimination complaints and fighting off eviction due to a new company wanting to raise the rent and push out poor people, I was still there!

Now I am at the beginning of the new 10-year phase. I am an entrepreneur who is on the cusp of releasing my first book entitled Expand Your Personal Brand. If the first 10 years here in DC is any indication, I am onto bigger and better things! These first 10 years were just the warm-up!

Enjoyed this article? Sign up for my free email course here: http://carlarjenkins.com/course

Live from the Front Lines of the Gilt City Warehouse Sale!

                Today is the start of the Gilt City DC’s warehouse sale. It is located this year at Dock 5 of the Union Market. This is behind the shops off of Neal Street NE. I have attended the biannual Gilt City warehouse sale since its inception and have reported on it through this very blog (http://bit.ly/21ffFu0 ). I have attended the first access media event. Gilt City has sent me a private email link before the regular tickets go on sale because I am a premium client, have been here before and the site follows me on Twitter. The first access media event benefits are getting first crack at all of the goodies. This is great when both my dress and shoe size is 12. Speaking of shoe size, I am happy that Gilt City has (finally) stocked my shoe size!

In addition, to shoes, I have snagged the white Diane von Furstenberg dress and two Alice + Olivia dresses. These are two of my favorite designers plus I couldn’t resist the Alice + Olivia sparkle! I absolutely love sequins and they make me feel feminine.

Another bonus is the extra discounts coming from certain colored tags. I manage to score an extra 20% off my blue Alice + Olivia dress because it has a lavender tag. 

I hope that these insider tidbits guide you through your Gilt City warehouse sale visit. This event is happening today and tomorrow. Here is the link to purchase tickets (http://gi.lt/1oQY4uA). Hurry up because they are going fast and you save hundreds of dollars in one place! 

Closing the Door

                I have always been great at closing the door on things, persons and processes that no longer serve me. Today I have decided that I am closing the door on working in the federal government. I have had an 8-year career there but after receiving 2 $80/hour jobs from recruiters. This is $160,000 per year. One of the 2 will offer me $90/hour or $180,000. That’s more than GS-15 step 10 income which is $155,000; and, the process takes 15 years to go from step 1 to step 10. Right now I stand to earn more than 15 years. Knowing myself I will be way farther along than $180,000 by year 2031.

                This isn’t the first time that I have closed the door on something. I have done this with two federal agencies, Constellation and now the federal sector. I am happy to leave and never return to my first federal agency because this year this agency is moving from DC to Maryland. I have a choice in this matter. There are so many miserable people relocating but I am still here in DC.

Closing the door is liberating because I can focus on the future. The past is not competing with my future. I can devote time towards creating a new system that serves me now instead of being torn. Indecisiveness kills many people’s dreams; but, not mine. Yes, I admit that the federal sector has been good and has taught me a lot; but, I am very happy that I can move on towards something good. If I stay applying for federal jobs than I am limiting my income and personal growth; therefore, I am closing the door.

Intrepid : My 2016 Word of the Year

Intrepid (noun)-  

characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance  intrepid explorer>

                Intrepid is my word for 2016. I am fearless both personally and professionally. 2016 will bring about absolution. I am very resolute that this will be my biggest and best year yet. There will be no slow down here from 2015 to 2016. I envision my business will be successful earning over $1 million in its inaugural year. Although this is a lofty goal, having earned over $100,000 for three straight years, I have new lands to conquer. I know that I need a system and am open to developing this in order to achieve my $1 million. My radio show will take off because it deals with positive change, project management and brand management. In addition, I will also have my radio and positive change mobile apps available in 2016.

Personally, I envision myself in a full-time job that I love where I can contribute. I have been planting a lot of seeds this year and am ready to reap the harvest. Although this is winter, early 2016 will be my harvest season. I will get a high-paying job where I will be a great fit. In addition, I will rid myself of negative and people or companies trying to take me down. Most importantly, I will eliminate people and things that no longer serve me because I need to be lighter in order to get to the next level. 

My 2015 Has Been Nothing Short of Amazing!

                Although there are still 15 days left in 2015, I feel that this is the appropriate time to discuss my year. I have purchased my carlarjenkins website domain, started a blog, became a LinkedIn Pulse contributor, renewed my PMP certification, traveled to Dallas, Cleveland, Atlanta and New York City and reserved my LLC business name. It has also been tumultuous as I am in between consulting opportunities; however, the good far outweighs the bad. Taking control of my personal career brand and dedicating myself towards writing have increased my confidence. I can handle anything that comes my way in 2016.

Deliberately Expect the Extraordinary

                Listening to Constance Arnold’s most recent podcast has motivated me to deliberately ask and expect the extraordinary. This phrase has awakened me because until then I have only expected the ordinary. Given how my life has been for the past 4 years, all I want to do is keep my head above water and pay my bills on time. Now I have managed 3 promotions in the last 4 years but there has been a significant amount of turbulence too. However, right now I realize that I have decided to ask for the extraordinary. I simply don’t want to have a full-time position. I want one which is mentally stimulating where I will be able to learn something every day. Also I will deliberately expect more than just starting my business off on the right foot. I expect to it to be epic! Constance’s podcast has stopped me from settling right then and there because I know that I am capable to expecting more; therefore, for the next 30 days, I will keep a deliberate action journal chronicling my daily steps towards an extraordinary life. I love this idea because I love continuous improvement and with 32 days remaining in 2015, I can see progress ending this year on a high note; and, positioning myself for a way better 2016.

Veracity

Veracity (noun):

Full Definition of VERACITY

1

:  devotion to the truth :  truthfulness

2

:  power of conveying or perceiving truth

3

:  conformity with truth or fact :  accuracy

4

:  something true

                The word of the week is veracity. Although I practice internal honesty every day, with 2016 being less than 45 days away, I need to be more honest. I need to declutter letting things, ideas and people who don’t serve me. I need to drop things that hold me back from my greatness. I must do it now and not want until New Year’s Eve because those evil spirits will weigh me down.

My 1% Improvement: Reading What Color Is Your Parachute 2016

I am reading, ‘What Color is Your Parachute for 2016’. Honestly, I was just perusing Amazon just to look at any new career books that I can read and I discovered that this book was just published this past Tuesday, August 11, 2015. It’s a classic. I honestly never read a previous edition. I know it's been around for over 20 years but I said why not go ahead read it? Give it a chance, give it a shot and more importantly from a personal career perspective I wanted to get into my second gear for the rest of 2015. As you know this is August 2015 and I believe we have in between 33 to 40% of the year remaining so why should I wait until 2016 to do something when I can get started in August 2015? Get a head start and do something productive for the remaining three and a half months. Furthermore, this time also coincides with the children's back to school. I know that a lot of my friends have children. Since this is back-to-school for them, I decided to read this book as my own personal back-to-school for personal enrichment. I will update everyone on periscope to see what I currently think of the book.