Happy New Year / Top 2016 Post / Best 2016 eBay Sales Part 1

Happy New Year to all, I know it's a bit late for the wishes, but better late than never!

I hope 2017 brings you and I good sales, cool finds and huge eBay hauls!

2016 most popular post on Yard Sales Finds Sold on eBay

This year again, to most popular post on this blog was.... yes that's right: Fake Littlest Pet Shop Sold on eBay by Chinese Sellers ! Rather sad and telling. Not that it's not just Littlest Pet Shop that is affected by this influx of counterfeits and knockoffs unfortunately. It's getting worst and worst everyday. And it's bad both for the collectors and sellers of genuine products.

The LPS market is almost destroyed. So many buyers got scammed that they don't return. And legit sellers are getting buried in search by Sellers from China selling fakes for 0.99$ free shipping. And eBay? Well I doubt they make a lot of money on a 99 cents sale, especially when the real deal can fetch anywhere between 4$ and 30$ + shipping (ebay does money on shipping too). Most products/collectibles that are popular and in demand are most likely being fake by the Chinese. I am always surprised when I check ebay to see the amount of counterfeit. And it's not just the expensive stuff. Collectables and toys that sells well in the 5/10$ range are getting counterfeit.

Rule of thunb: do not buy ANYTHING from China sellers. Of course that doesn't mean you cannot get fakes from other sellers (some sellers do buy their stock from Alibaba and Alibaba is the biggest maket of fakes and counterfeits. You can buy ultra cheap toy brand knockoffs such as Disney's, Hasbro's and Mattel's. But buyer beware on eBay and for us sellers it means less sales in some categories.

Some of my Best and Favorites Sales on eBay in 2016 Part 1

part two is here

 

Pair of Red Glass Kugel Antique Christmas Ornaments Etched With Mistletoe Leaves
Paid 5 euros each sold the pair for 85$ in January. Also sold a similar pair in blue later that month.

Saint James Nautical Wool Sweater French Mariniere Striped 

Sold for 70$ in January. Paid a bit less than 8$ for it.

This one was very cute and shabby, sold for $35 : Antique French Enameled Cast Iron Trivet Pink Timeworn Shabby Cottage Decor. I paid 9,5 euros for it (5 + shipping). Not huge profit but still, these are usually safe sales for me because this cute French antiques often brings out the "oh so cute, I want" in buyer

Sold for $65, paid around $35 (29 euros) : French Mermaid Cast Iron Trivet Signed by Deville Timeworn Blue Enameled. Again this one was not cheap when I bought it but I was 100% sure it would sell for much more. It was just so unique and original

Paid around 10$ for it: Vintage French Provencal Sewing Box Fabric Covered Bright Red Green Yellow . Sold for $35

I paid 3 euros (about 5$) for this in Limousin during a local fair and brocante. Sold for $36: Old French Handmade Basket Harvest Gathering Wooden Basket 

Paid around 1$ in a charity shop, sold for $20 

Snoopy bed sheet paid less than 5$ at a yard sale (hubby's comment: you are not going to buy THAT are you?! Well yes I am!). Sold for $48 

Part two will follow later this month! Also soon pics from the first two community sales of the year. Not much to show, but still... 

Two Weeks Worth of Toys... Mostly

Toys toys toys. I am drowning in them! The last two weekends sales were very very good!

I score loads of toys and for very very very cheap.

Lots of My Little Pony, including many International exclusives (sold two already for 25$ and 32$ which cover around 75% of what I spend during these two weekends).

Lots of Littlest Pet Shop (I do not buy unless there are dirt cheap now. I use to buy whatever I find, but now the market is saturated and filled with fakes from China selling for 1 cent... They still sell, but instead of selling a few per days, I sell a few per weeks. It's a shame that eBay help China ruin the market). The houses I will sell locally. I paid 18$ for the house, the car and all the Petshops and accessories shown in photo #2. Most of it will be covered by the sale of the empty house and car.

I also bought some nice Playmobil including some with the box. I may sell them in set or break them and sell by pieces, depending on what they are worth sometime it is better to sell piece by piece.

The nice tin box with cats and dogs should sell well too.

I bought some more vintage Disney bed sheets and duvet cover. I haven't finish listing the others I found a few weeks ago, but the one I listed sold for 58$ (from that sale, the one with the classic Dinsey characters: http://www.myyardsalefinds.com/2016/09/treasure-hunting-with-kids.html)

Luckily the kids are off school for the 2 weeks fall holidays and they are visiting mom in law for at least a week so I can focus on listing all these babies!

Toys toys and toys

More Toys for Ebay

I attend only one sale this weekend, for a local school. As expected, lots of toys and ok prices. Got a big lot of playmobil for 15$, many LPS and accessories for about 13$ and some very neat old wooden silk spools that will look great in someone's home. Also a couple of epiphany "feves" (Found in King's cake during the epiphany in France). No big deal like the bed sheets I found last week, but still all of this will be profitable.

Toys toys toys

Feves (French epiphany figures) for a nativity scene

Old silk spools

Big Toys Haul This Week End

Perfect for the up coming Christmas! I found loads of toys this weekend. Dirt cheap too. The Playmobil sets are pretty nice and should sell easily. Fairies are cute and will make a nice gift for a little girl. I still buy the Littlest Pet Shop when they are cheap enough, the market is slowly dying thanks to the Chinese seller loading eBay with cheap knockoffs (http://www.myyardsalefinds.com/2014/11/fake-littlest-pet-shop-sold-on-ebay-by.html).

I bought many My Little Pony too, they don't move very fast for the most part but they were so cheap that it doesn't matter. Also some Pokemon finger puppets (10 cents each), some Polly Pockets, Pinypon and Disney stuff.

My favorite find is a nice French porcelain bathroom set with soap box, wall hanger, toothbrush holder and a pair of door plates. This set will most likely go on Etsy.

I also like the Naf Naf fox pajamas! Very cute but not my size. Whimsical enough to sell ok.

Oh and I love that little pink bag with horses, should do well too, very cute!

Toys From yard Sales

Treasure Hunting With The Kids

Hubby was away for the weekend so I did bring my kids "treasure hunting" (like they say) with me in Grenoble. We had a blast, except for my youngest one who kept telling "are you going to sell that mommy" despite me having explain not to say that. At least she didn't do it in front of people I was buying from. And it was not as bad as what my son did last year when he told a lady "my mom is going to sell that for a lot of profit"!!

Otherwise they were very nice and didn't ask for anything, nor did they complain!

I didn't find a lot of stuff and once I factor in the train the tram and the food for the 3 of us, profit will be hurting a bit (although the Disney bed sheets may save the day).

Total fees for the day were 50 euros (about 58$) + the price of what I bought. The LPS alone  covers everything and more (transportation, food, purchases and ebay /paypal fees).

Vintage Snow White Bed Sheet, Vintage Disney Bed Sheet, LPS, Wicket Basket.. oh my!!

 My favorite find was the beautiful wicker basket! I am tempted to keep it, but I know it will sell well (I will most likely sell it locally). I paid less then 3$ for it! I also love my big glass jam jar. Will most likely keep it.

I am also looking forward to sell those vintage Disney bed sheets. Most likely from the 70's maybe even a bit earlier. One is Snow White and the other shows various Disney's character (Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Pluto etc) These will probably change my day from just ok profit to very very awesome!! And the "Around the World with Willy Fog" sheet? Pretty awesome and most likely rare but I am not sure if this show has a lot of fans. We shall see soon.

Around the World with Willy Fog bed sheet