Big Lots is celebrating Friends and Family this weekend

Big Lots is celebrating Friends and Family this weekend, Saturday July 16 and Sunday July 17. On Saturday, 5pm-9pm, Buzz Club Rewards members will receive 20% off their purchase by scanning their Buzz Club Rewards Card. On Sunday, just present this printable coupon to receive 20% off your entire purchase.

Now, if you really want to "work the deal," hit multiple Big Lots in your area. The coupon can be printed multiple times as it is not tied to your specific Buzz Club card, it is just a generic printable coupon. Here is how I make the most of these coupon deals:

If you are unfamiliar with the locations of the Big Lots in your area, go to the website and enter your zip code to see the locations.

Create your battle plan. Make a route using the store addresses and Yahoo or Google Maps. I usually design my route in a big circle and hit about 4 Big Lots in one day.

If you go on Sunday, make sure you have printed multiple coupons so you have enough to use at each store you visit.

This is a great opportunity to stock up on items for your eBay and Amazon stores. Many Amazon FBA sellers rely heavily on Big Lots for inventory. Remember that Big Lots will accept returns within 30 days with the original receipt, as long as the item is in original condition. So if you over-buy, you can return some of your items. Also remember that if you are selling on Amazon FBA, you don’t have to send in all of your inventory at once. You can send in a few items, see how they perform, and decide if you want to send in the rest or return them.

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Dumpster Diving for eBay Inventory

Dumpster diving is a messy and sometimes smelly activity, but it can be a good way to find eBay inventory. There are some basic steps you should follow to stay safe and (relatively) clean. There are also some locations that are better than others and normally yield better items.

If you live close to a college, you can find some great items at the end of each semester when students are moving out. A lot of times the students are too lazy to pack up all of their stuff, so they just throw it out and figure they’ll buy another item next semester. Or they realize they have nowhere to store items over the summer, so they’re forced to leave them behind. Also look for text books.( I have a coaching client (shout out Nancy M. in New York!) whose husband is a professor at a university in New York. My client told me that she walks around the campus at the end of the semester during exam time and finds abandoned books lying in hallways, on steps, and in parking lots – all free for the taking! Not dumpster diving, even better!)

When you go out dumpster diving, make sure to bring a step stool with you. This will make it easier to climb into the dumpster (since actual diving isn’t the safest choice). You’ll also want to bring gloves and boxes for your finds.

Once you’ve arrived at the dumpster, put your gloves on and use the stool to climb up and open the dumpster. Look over the dumpster and note where anything sharp or potentially dangerous is. Decide where the best place to climb in is and look for anything valuable there – you don’t want to step on it and break it. Once you’ve scoped everything out, climb in – while ignoring any comments and stares from people passing by.

After you’re safely inside the dumpster start going through all of the trash. You can find a lot of different things in dumpsters – radios, televisions, used DVD’s, cameras, purses (they may have jewelry or even cash inside), computer equipment, etc. Basically you’re looking for anything that may be worth money. If you find old handbags, be sure to look through them for money.

Move from one side of the dumpster to the other. As you come across potentially valuable items, move them outside the dumpster to your boxes. Once you’ve sifted through everything, climb out of the dumpster carefully. Make sure you replace any trash that’s fallen out and close the lid – you want to leave everything looking just like you found it.

 
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Estate Sales

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5 Ways to Get Free Inventory to Sell on eBay

The tight economy makes it tough on eBay sellers who don't have the cash to put out for inventory. However, if you are just a little bit creative, you can collect free stuff and then sell it on eBay. Here are some ways to do that.

FreeCycle is a great way to get free inventory to sell on eBay. You can get all kinds of things from home accessories to toys to furniture. Subscribe to the mailing list and when someone has something they want to get rid of, you will be notified. You don't have to tell anyone you want it to sell on eBay. Just make arrangements to pick it up and they'll be happy to get rid of it. Craigslist is another good place to find free inventory to sell on eBay. People post ads when they are putting their items on the curb and whoever gets there first to haul it away gets it for free. 

(Side note about FreeCycle: It is an organization set up to help keep things out of the landfill. The FreeCycle organization has not issues with selling items obtained from the site. The FreeCycle website says, “Welcome! The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,936 groups with 8,376,006 members around the world. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by local volunteers (them's good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on 'Browse Groups' above the search box. Have fun!” However, moderators and members might impose their own opinions here and punish those they feel are taking items away from the financially needy, even though that is not what FreeCycle is about. It is best to stay under the radar and not broadcast that you are an eBay seller or you might be removed from the group.)

In fact, picking useful items up on the curb is a good way to find free stuff. It's best to drive through the more affluent neighborhoods, especially on trash pick up day or take it a step farther and go dumpster diving. You never know what you'll find.

Garage sales are a great place for freebies when you get there late. By the end of the day, the people hosting the yard sale are usually worn out and the last thing they want to do is drag what didn't sell to Goodwill, so you can offer to haul it away for free.

Start collecting free samples by joining coupon groups and forums. Some good sites are Money Saving Mom, Coupon Cravings, and The Krazy Koupon Lady. You'll be kept informed when manufacturers offer free samples so you can send for them. Before long you'll have quite a collection you can sell on eBay. . Or even tune into the new show on TLC called “Extreme Couponing.” This program profiles extreme couponers and how they obtain thousands of products for free.

Another way to get free samples is to "like" manufacturers on Facebook. Sometimes you are rewarded with a coupon for a freebie, plus they will occasionally send free offers to their fans on Facebook. Some examples are General Mills, Clairol, and Neutrogena.

Finding free inventory to sell on eBay can be an adventure in itself but is worth the effort since you'll be rewarded with pure profit.

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Tips for Estate Sale Shopping

People love to shop estate sales because it gives them a chance to see into other people’s lives – plus you can get some great deals! Estate sales offer just about everything – they’re normally a way for people to get of the contents of a whole house, so buyers can find everything from kitchen supplies to window treatments. Because there is such a wide range of items, estate sales are popular with eBay sellers, antique dealers, and individuals. Check out these tips to help you shop successfully.

Don’t miss your chance. Other shoppers won’t have a problem grabbing something that you’re looking at, so pick up items you’re interested in immediately. You’ll always have the option to put it back later. It’s also a good idea to bring a mesh bag with you to carry all your items.

Focus on lesser known items. Popular brands and collectibles will be priced higher. If you can learn about valuable items that aren’t as easy to spot (such as items that don’t have the brand name marked obviously), you can get better deals.

Start in the basement. Most companies that run estate sales will place all the “nicer” items near the checkout station so they can watch them. Most buyers look at those items first. By heading to the kitchen or basement first, you’ll be able to avoid the crowds and have a better selection in those rooms.

Wait to shop until the last day. Not everything will be gone by then, and the best part is that sellers will become more willing to deal with you because they want to get rid of the items. You can score great deals by waiting until the last day – often up to 75% off.

Respect the family and their items. Even if you think everything you’ve seen is a piece of junk, there’s no need to say it. You never know who is listening – family members and close friends may have decided to come to the sale. Be nice and thank the sellers for giving you the chance to look, even if you don’t choose to purchase anything.

It’s also very important to be honest and polite. Many people push and shove and fight over items at estate sales. No item is worth causing a fight. Becoming known as a trouble maker can also cause you to be banned from future sales – estate sale companies share information on people like that so don’t get put on the naughty list!

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How to Find Estate Sales in Your Area

Vintage Items to Sell on eBay – Huge List

Learn More about Selling Estate Sale Finds on eBay

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The Ideal Type of Product to Sell on eBay

Consumable products are the ideal type of product to sell in any business, including eBay. Why?

1) Consumables run out and have to be replenished.
2) Consumable products create a stream of repeat customers.
3) Once type of consumable can lead to others in the same niche and are easy to cross sell.

Ok, so what are consumables? These are products that are used up by the customer and must be replenished on a regular basis. Some good examples include:

Vitamins and supplements
Printer ink and cartridges
Coffee
Cosmetics
Hair Care Products
Diet and Weight Loss Products
Gourmet Food Items
Medicines

The key to an auto-pilot eBay business with consumables is having a reliable source for your product. You don't have to look far. Try warehouse clubs like Sams and Costco. These members clubs have different merchandise in different parts of the country. Yours may offer something that is not available everywhere in the nation, or the world. You can also try a wholesaler. Click here for a list of 395 eBay friendly wholesalers along with 5 important facts for choosing profitable wholesale products to sell on eBay.

Happy Selling,

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