17 September 2007
Thwarted by constraints
Now I know why there are so many three-quarter-dollar stores on half.com, and I will state on record that it seems conspiratorial. It seems there is a lower pricing limit of seventy-five cents. Thus, I am now one of those hundreds of virtual street corner vendors competing for attention with the lowest possible price I can place on my items. Yep, time for a different means of getting the attention of the many out there who have no knowledge of One Room.
16 September 2007
Life is a cheap paperback novel
The Mrs. has held for some time now that used books don't sell. I would have to grant that used books don't sell fast, but I think they do sell in the right markets. Sadly, I haven't found THE right market. I mean, there has to be more than a handful of people who actually know how to read the printed page, or that paper is used for some purpose other than wiping various orifices. When questioned why I was even bothering listing books on sites like Swap Simple or half.com, I reminded the question poser that books were part of the clutter. I have books, the Mrs. has books, there are books left about the house that prove we blended our genetic material a few times. I even have the blessing of inherited books from Dad and technically inherited books from Mom. [chuckle] Don't even get me started on the Stephen King novels, all hardbound, all in new condition, and probably never read, but MUST be kept. Where's that train?
So, anyhoots, where was I? That's right, books.
I listed a number of bound paper gems on Swap Simple, and have even swapped at least one away, which was the subject of a previous post here at One Room central. I have listed a number of old fashioned communication tomes on half.com and actually needed to send a few to new owners. I know there are people out there who want the tactile feel that only a book can provide, or have some space on their bookshelf that needs filled. I know there are people out there who want the books I can provide to them. Finding these people, however, can be a challenge. I have embraced this challenge. Well, that and decided to tackle the lowballers.
You know them. The street corner sellers who price things cheaper than the stores. Those folks who help make the great american way what it is, a vicious economic wrestling match to get the almighty dollar. The almighty dollar that will never make it into Heaven, I will remind you. The same almighty dollar that has storefront operations named after it, where you can find all manner of cheaper things at cheaper prices. On a certain half-sized web site, there is an equivalent of the dollar store, or rather MANY dollar stores. Technically, seventy-five cent stores, but what's a quarter? I reckon the main objective is to make the elusive profit via volume. Not that this is a horrible thing, as I am a consumer who loves bargains like anyone else. I am also a clutterer who needs to get things out of his house. And, in some regards, I am much like the street corner vendor competing against the storefront operations. Thus, I have resorted to a temporary tactic to move things and bring in browsers. I have taken on those other street corner vendors and will see just what they do in response.
You hear it here first, folks. I dropped the price on a great number of books I have listed on half.com, some at half dollar prices. The reasoning? Uhm, have you not been reading? I just wonder how long before I just have to mail the books to random people. Hmmm, that gives me an idea...
So, anyhoots, where was I? That's right, books.
I listed a number of bound paper gems on Swap Simple, and have even swapped at least one away, which was the subject of a previous post here at One Room central. I have listed a number of old fashioned communication tomes on half.com and actually needed to send a few to new owners. I know there are people out there who want the tactile feel that only a book can provide, or have some space on their bookshelf that needs filled. I know there are people out there who want the books I can provide to them. Finding these people, however, can be a challenge. I have embraced this challenge. Well, that and decided to tackle the lowballers.
You know them. The street corner sellers who price things cheaper than the stores. Those folks who help make the great american way what it is, a vicious economic wrestling match to get the almighty dollar. The almighty dollar that will never make it into Heaven, I will remind you. The same almighty dollar that has storefront operations named after it, where you can find all manner of cheaper things at cheaper prices. On a certain half-sized web site, there is an equivalent of the dollar store, or rather MANY dollar stores. Technically, seventy-five cent stores, but what's a quarter? I reckon the main objective is to make the elusive profit via volume. Not that this is a horrible thing, as I am a consumer who loves bargains like anyone else. I am also a clutterer who needs to get things out of his house. And, in some regards, I am much like the street corner vendor competing against the storefront operations. Thus, I have resorted to a temporary tactic to move things and bring in browsers. I have taken on those other street corner vendors and will see just what they do in response.
You hear it here first, folks. I dropped the price on a great number of books I have listed on half.com, some at half dollar prices. The reasoning? Uhm, have you not been reading? I just wonder how long before I just have to mail the books to random people. Hmmm, that gives me an idea...