AC Dickson: eBay Power Seller

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Dark side of the (PowerSelling) Moon
by acdickson

I hope you've all had a great Thanksgiving weekend. AC feasted on turkey, but eBay sales were stagnant. I'm in a Sunday 7 rotation these days –– that's PowerSeller for a sustained period of multiple 7 day auction listings posted and hence ending on Sundays. November was great until today. I'm not sure if it was spill over from one of the worst Black Friday ever or a symptom of holiday travel. Bodies in motion tends to mean bodies not in front of my auctions during their closing minutes. But I feel good about this week. I've got almost 60 auctions up this week. I can feel the pop offs in my bones. What am I selling?

Lots of exaggerated postcards from the turn of the century that will bring $5-$10 each, but also a few really unique pieces, most of which will either not go at all or fetch a fair penny in holiday gift giving frenzy. If you ever need to find something for the person who has everything, get in touch with AC. I think this antique 1931 frat party invitation could bring big money. Think about how many folks across the US were in or have a family member who was in the frat. Can you imagine a more interesting gift? I didn't think so. Keep your peepers peeled as the week progresses, and if you're looking for something special for the folks gift wise, I suggest you puruse what I've got.

It's been awhile since my last post, so what else do I have for you?

Well, since I finally figured out the link feature on this here blog, let me point you to a few more spots. NBA fans (or playa haters) might be interested in this already ended auction of the cup thrown by a fan at Ron Artest. Much like the Virgin Mary toast (bought by an online casino for 28 grand as part of a promotional effort that is clearly working since I now know of thier existence((full story here.))), this auction quickly shot up to 99 million dollars (the eBay max) before it was pulled. This is the classic case of how-do-we-know-this-is-the-actual-cup-thown-at-Ron-Arest-and-not-just-some-cup-that-looks-the-same-as-the-real-one-someone-clever-is-trying-to-make-lots-of-money-off-of. We've all been down THAT road, haven't we. No wonder it got yanked.

This week I did get a little press courtesy of the Portland Tribune, our twice a weekly. A couple of my Blog brethren had some follow-ups. 1) Yes, you can get health insurance as a PowerSeller, but I don't actually have it, I'm a Pacific Source man. 2) Do all we PowerSellers hang out? Here is where the full weight of this day's post comes to bear. No, I have actually only met about 5 fellow PowerSellers. There is no secret handshake I have been taught. As sexy as PowerSelling sounds, there are days when it feels more like data entry with a minor in going to the post office. I'm not complaining. Far from it. But there is an isolation that comes from prolonged periods of time at the computer, filling out address forms, and waiting in line at the post office. Do I ever notice a fellow PowerSeller in line with me? Yes. Do I try and strike up a conversation? No. Truth be told, all to often the mark, the obviously doing the same I as do person, is not someone I want to talk to. They often seem they just realized eBay is easier than Amway or Mary Kae scary.

There I said it, not only do I not invite them to my PowerSelling Tuesday brunch of one, but I don't even talk to them or for that matter make eye contact. Shocking? Perhaps. Sacrilegious? If eBay is your God too, yes. But hopeless? No. I'm on a mission. Look, I'm not here to promote my own auctions or to try and get you to read the Tribune cover story about me that you may have missed, or even to entice you to come to my retrospective show at the Guild Theater this Friday at 7pm... I'm here becuase I want you to share in the PowerSelling. There are dark days, but they are far outnumbered by the days when the afternoon is yours save for the need to cash the myriad of checks that clog your mailbox. When your most pressing responsibilty all week is to hit a thrift store and find some cool t-shirts to post. When logging onto the Internet feels more like checking in with your bullish stock porfolio than a way to stave off boredom.

I'm here, folks, because the next time I'm waiting in line at the downtown post office, eyes darting bow and stern for a friendly PowerSelling face, I hope that it's your face I see. And yea, I will make eye contact. And I will talk to you. And you will be invited to brunch with me where we will feast on turkey no matter the day and concoct secret handshakes we will deny ever existed.

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