Apps for Shopping

5 Apps to Make You Rethink How You Shop

Browse.  Browse. Point. Click.  That’s usually what you think of when you think of online shopping.  That’s nice.   It’s pretty easy…except that after a while your eyes start to hurt because you keep seeing the same stuff over and over again.  The apps you are about to see prove that shopping can be a lot more engaging, interactive and fun when it’s done online.  Dare I say, even social?

You thought you were cool when you got the eBay app or maybe when you downloaded the Amazon app.  Just when you thought you had browsed all you could, here come five IOS apps that are ready to take on shopping and the fashion world.

  1. TagSale and Rumgr: are yard sale apps.  Need to sell something?  Wanna buy something?  Check out your neighborhood to see what’s available.  You browse through pictures of unique finds, and great prices, all in a “Instagram-like” type of way.

It’s easy!  Take a picture.  Add-on a price tag.  Post.  If you’re shopping, type in your zip code, type in your city and start discovering cool stuff, without spending all the gas you normally would by going to yard sales.  Don’t worry.  These apps have precautions built-in to protect your privacy.  It’s not like any random person can instantly see where you live or anything.

  1. Etsy:  If you’ve never heard of Etsy, you need to check it out.  Etsy has a warm fuzzy place in my heart because it’s all handmade by artists of all backgrounds.  The products are reasonably priced and you can literally type in any word and something of that word will be for sale.  I bought a lot of my Christmas presents with them this year.  There’s t-shirts, wall art, geekery, cups, clothes, jewelry…everything.  Also because everything is hand crafted, you can easily request for your orders to be engraved or somehow personalized.  Never give a default, lame gift card gift again.
  1. Nifty: “Oooooohhh!  Ahhhhh!”  How about you don’t spend any money?  Give stuff to your friends with this app.  Have old baby clothes you want to give away?  This app lets your friends call dibs on anything you took a picture of.  So now you know that all your things are going to a good home.  What a cool way to get new stuff without spending a dime!
  1. Birchbox:  I think this one is my favorite.  Have you ever heard of “subscription boxes”?  They have them now for beauty products, bicycling products (bikeloot.com), and clothes.  Birchbox is a subscription service and a shopping experience all in one.  Once a month you get a box filled with beauty goodies.  You know, beauty stuff.  You box comes loaded with perfumes, lotions, creams, body washes.  All sample size.  It’s like a new present every month.  Best of all it’s super cheap. ($10-$20).
  1. Threadless:  This app offers some super cool, original T’s.  Seriously, the greatest selection of graphic arts t-shirts you’ve ever seen.  Artists put up their art.  You put it on a shirt.  Vote for your favorite artists.  It’s their art on your shirts.  Now you can tell someone, “You are a walking piece of art.”  Not bad huh?

Yes, I know what you’re thinking.  I said five apps and you really got six.  Consider it a freebie.  I just hope that you help me in one of my life’s missions: to end the giving of lame and impersonal gifts and gift cards.  So now that you know about all these cool apps and services, go put them to use!  Be chic.  Be smart. Have fun!

sell antiques on ebay

Picking Collectibles for Sale

Shopping at yard, estate, and garage sales are perfect opportunities to pick items for resale. Collectible items can be resold to antique shops or sold on eBay. Here are some solid tips in picking for profit:

Deciding on items to purchase is an important component of buying for resale. Depending on where you live, items of value vary. Items made of metal, wood, and durable products are smart choices. If an item is plastic or is cheaply constructed, don’t waste your time and keep looking for older items. Condition is of extreme importance. If a piece doesn’t work, needs repair, is split, or stained, forget it. Do not purchase collectibles with such flaws. Their value has been destroyed.

Hummel figurines are collectible. These porcelain figurines depict children. Research “Hummel figurine” on the Internet and familiarize yourself with what they look like. Sites dedicated to their hallmarks can help you date pieces. Fine china made in England is another sought-after collectible. English china is found easily and is usually a magnificent bargain. Under the plates, teapots, and cups you can find the maker’s mark. Look for coveted makers such as Royal Doulton, Johnson Brothers, Wedgwood, Spode, Minton and Worcester.

Salt and pepper shakers and head vases are finds worth buying, especially figural items. Salt and pepper shakers in the figural form of cartoon characters, chefs, children and cars are most desirable. Head vases are ceramic planters that are formed to resemble a head of a woman. They were used as planters decades ago. Disney-related items are also in high demand, like their music boxes, figures of porcelain, and old card games. Disney has dated many items and often creates new figures annually. This ensures a collectible value because the same mold is seldom used for more than a year or two.

Old and complete board games that are based on vintage  television shows and movies are a hit for collectors.  Think Mork and MindyStar Wars, Star Trek and other successful shows. Metal lunch boxes with famous television stars, shows, and musical artists command high prices. Kid toys are always a good bet, if they are old enough and in good condition. Barbie and Ken dolls and accessories and Madam Alexander dolls (which usually have jointed heads and arms with rubber bands) are extremely collectible.

Old kitchenware has a unique market. Griswold iron pans and baking molds for corn bread are popular. Vintage juicers, mixers, meat grinders and Fire King cookware are prized items. Even vintage drinking glasses and milk bottles and racks bring profit.

Advertising items are desired memorabilia. Examples include ashtrays, matchbook covers, and empty containers of old bath or perfume bottles.  Advertising posters, premiums that were in cereal boxes, airline and railroad china, Joe Camel items and jackets are sought after because the  Camel cigarette company was forced to get rid of their Joe Camel character. As a result anything with Joe Camel is collectible. Surprisingly, old paper Coca-Cola printed ads from magazines have buyers. Advertising is easy to find and antique stores are always looking to replenish their supply.

Old postcards, which depict places and people of long ago, are hot topics. Letters and pictures from World War I or World War II are gems. Calendars, medals, uniforms, books, and many other items from wartime are sought after prizes. Don’t forget to look for unusual postage stamps on old letters. You could find a rare one among the bunch. LIFE and Playboy magazines are always in style.

Vintage clothing, especially jackets, have found high resale value on Etsy’s online marketplace. The fancy embroidery and beading of vintage clothing cannot be found in today’s mass-manufactured varieties. Bakelite jewelry and old rhinestone costume jewelry, brooches, necklaces and rings are hot items to buy for profit. (Avoid the clip-on earrings as they are too uncomfortable and do not resell well.)  Look for old hairbrush sets, art prints, most books, Avon bottles, Jim Beam bottles, children’s clothing, shoes, and new children’s toys. Start small and keep track of the items you have collected. Record what you paid for them and what you need to sell them for to secure a profit.

Shopping and picking collectibles for profit is an easy method of earning extra cash. Shop yard and estate sales early. Knowing what to buy as well as items to avoid will start you earning supplemental income.

Buying or Selling Art on Etsy

Buying and Selling Art on Etsy

Buying and selling creative works of art, from paintings to handmade cards to decorative vases to stunning jewelry, cannot be easier when you use Etsy. Similar to eBay in design and ease, buying and selling art on Etsy will leave you excited and anxious to use it time and time again.

Etsy opened its virtual doors in 2005, and millions of people from all around the globe visit the auction site to purchase a wide variety of goods. Buying arts and crafts from Etsy is very simple, as is selling your own creative projects.

Buying art on Etsy:

The creators of Etsy wanted a fun and easy-to-navigate site for people to view a wide variety of products and that’s what happened. The platform is similar to eBay in design, with items being placed under an assortment of categories. Browsing these categories is very simple and fast.

There is a search box at the top of the page. So, if you are looking for a glass vase, simply type in ‘glass vase’ in the search box and click on search. You will get a list of items which match your description. Then you can click on the item and decide if you want to purchase it or not. Simple.

Using Geolocator, you can search for art sellers who live close to your own location. This is very handy if you are purchasing bigger items such as decorative screens, paintings or even sculptures as it would save you a fortune in shipping and handling costs. Plus, you may even be able to meet the artist themselves.

The Etsy Time Machine is a handy tool which allows you to see recently added items to the site, progressing to older items. This could be very useful if you are interested in seeing what new items are being uploaded before everybody else gets there.

Connections is where you can view what other people are interested in. When you save something as your favorite, it can be saved in the Connections section. This allows people then to browse items that you like, gaining inspiration for gift ideas.

Once you have decided that you wish to purchase an item, all you need to do is register a free account on Etsy. Go back to the relevant page and simply order it. If you need to ask the seller any questions or perhaps ask a special request, then you can initiate a ‘conversation’ with them. These messages are kept in your inbox until you delete them. Follow the payment instructions and the seller will ship your item to you. Upon receiving it, you should leave feedback on the seller’s profile and they will do the same for you. Other people view this feedback to determine whether you are a trustworthy buyer/seller.

Selling art on Etsy:

Selling art on Etsy is a little more complex than buying art on the site, but even then it is a simple enough process which reaches millions of people all over the world. Etsy itself is not a shop, but rather an online marketplace where vendors come together and sell their goods, just like your local market.

You should note, however, that there are two small fees to pay out when you sell your art on Etsy. You need to pay a small listing fee when you upload products to your shop, and you also have to pay a small transaction fee when a customer purchases an item from you.

In order to sell art on Etsy, you begin by setting up a seller’s account and then open a shop. This will require a credit card to do. Fill out the profile page and the shop description. This is a great way to advertise how unique you and your items are.

Then you need to list your items you wish to sell. Add a good quality photograph of the item, tags and a detailed description of the object. Also, make sure you include clear shipping costs and information, especially if you are willing to ship overseas.

The next step is to advertise your shop (through social media like Facebook or Twitter for example) and wait until an item is sold. Once the payment has cleared, you need to package the item and then ship it to the purchaser. Once your customer has received the item, leave feedback on their profile. They should leave feedback on your profile; this is important as other potential customers will read your feedback in order to determine whether you are a reliable seller.

Etsy has gained a trustworthy reputation as a reliable online marketplace for anything arty and creative. Buying and selling art on Etsy is fun, easy to do and very profitable, making it a popular venue for artists and customers alike.

mojito relax home-based business

Home-Based Business Ideas

There may come a time when you’ve just had enough of working outside of the home. It may be due to the stress of a nine-to-five office job, dealing with unsympathetic bosses, the daily commute or just wanting to spend more time at home with the kids; no matter what the reason, online businesses are beginning to see a huge surge in popularity across the world.

Deciding what kind of online business to engage in can be somewhat tricky if you have always been in the same sector before starting out on your own. There are a multitude of different online businesses to choose from, but deciding which one you will go for should take careful deliberation and planning.

Writing:

Writing articles has become an increasingly popular method of earning money online. You can write on a variety of different topics in the comfort of your own home – you don’t even have to get out of your pajamas! Find a nice and quiet corner of a room in your home and type away to your heart’s content. There are many different websites which offer writing projects, such as Freelancer, and article directories such as Dragon Articles, which allow you to earn ad revenue on your articles. If you hold a university degree, you can make a lot of money helping write essays and theses. Travel writing is another popular choice.

Website Development:

If you are savvy with a computer, you could always go into developing websites. With so many people going into online business, website development is a big business itself. You may need to purchase certain software to help you create bigger and flashier websites, but you could charge a bundle for your time and expertise. If you are just starting out, good places to learn web design are Lynda and Codecademy.

Translation:

If you are lucky enough to know a second or even a third language, you could offer your services as a translator. There are numerous translation companies across the world looking for online translators. The office will send the documents to your email address; you translate them and send them back. Easy as that. You can charge either an hourly rate or per word.

Online Store:

With so many people preferring to shop online (no queues, no rushing around to find a parking spot and no incompetent or rude staff to deal with), an online store can be a lucrative business opportunity. Try to sell a unique range of items – you can choose from clothes, food, drink, music, DVDs – the possibilities are endless as are the potential profits. Some of the most popular places to check out are eBay, Etsy and Shopify.

These are just a few of the online businesses that are out there. However, before you hand in your resignation at your nine-to-five job, it is vital that you research your next chosen career. Working from home has its benefits, but it also has its cons.

Starting a new business involves a lot of research into businesses similar to the one you are thinking about going into, and a lot of time will be needed to help market your business. Remember to create a business plan – not only could this help you obtain funds to set up your business, but it could also help guide and remind you what you need to do and, once established several months later, help remind you of where you wanted to be.

Leaving the rat race behind and starting on your own road is something that many of us dream about doing. No matter what your reasons are for creating your own online business, you can achieve your goal with careful planning and research.