Simple trades

In my ethnic neighborhood in Flushing, New York, U.S.A., there are simple stalls where marked-down merchandise - with good labels - can be had. Sort of inside flea market.

So, I went and brought some too tight clothes (coat and sweater) with good labels and he took them on consignment, next Saturday come back and when it is sold, then cash in my hand.

So, the wife looked at some half-full bottles of perfumes that I threw into the deal and said, Oh, I am interested in the perfumes and I sell them to my sister in ..... ( foreign country nearby, the name I am withholding). So, I said, I will look for more perfumes to bring in.

First I want to see the cash for the clothes on consignment, then we can talk more.

Here is my question:

What can I do to make these good label perfumes more attractive for her? She will not know Andy Tauer perfumes nor Maison Kurkdjian. Such good stuff thrown in front of the "indigenes". Should I provide a print-out of the background of the good perfumes I am offering?

I could talk my mouth to fringes, the message will not come across. And as for sniffing, she will sniff and only perceive the top notes.

Okay, that is good for my sister, will she think - but by what measurements, what standards?

The way I act, I will never make it in sales.

Any suggestions to "beef up the merchandise" and make it easy to sell?

I think that doing printouts of the perfumes is a great idea, Pipette! As to the niche stuff, though, I'd be pretty sure that you would get more money by selling it on eBay, where the parfumistas are likely to see it. (I've had good experiences selling my unneeded perfume on eBay, as well as buying there.)

You are so lucky to live in Flushing! It's the main place I stay when I visit family in NY - a wonderful place for walking, and eating a variety of ethnic food, and the hotels are more reasonable than Manhattan!

I have plan and it is built on psychology.

First of all I have to fine-tune myself on their wavelength. The couple in the stall is interested only in merchandise that they can sell. In this neighborhood, the potential buyers don't have much money.

So, I am going to bring in a cute purple blouse already on a hanger, and a royal blue cross-body bag also already on a hanger. Hang it up, let it be seen.

Then I bundled my perfumes in little gauze bags with a string, daintily. The type of bag that ThePerfumedCourt and AusLiebezumDuft issues. I will see whether that woman "bites" immediately or whether I may suggest to her to keep these for a week and sniff them, and next Saturday let me know which ones she wants.

I want to sell my overflow to people in the flesh, right under my nose, in my neighborhood. I know that a SOUK and ebay exists. I just don't want to bother with mailing and far-away takers issues. There are always issues, and I don't have time for that.

Let's see what develops. This is going to be an eye opening experience.

Good luck! let us know how it works out

Sure, it worked out. Simple trades. Right under my nose, in the flesh.

The funny thing is, however, that each of the trading parties had silently a different agenda and was thinking, how can I put one over on the other one.

Merchandise gets traded by supply and demand.

Their agenda is higher because they are paying rent for the stall, so the merchandise has to sell.

I sold the coat and the perfumes at a loss for what I had bought them for. BUT, and here is the but, it was convenient for me. I did not have to display them on a SOUK or with photos on e-bay, I did not have mailing costs, the time when the trade was accomplished was one week and straightforward.

I don't have the time for any other form of trading. When I get rid of things, including perfumes, they are either given away, thrown in with a bigger item, or donated to charity, or discarded.

Voila. Simple.

That frees up my brain and I am ready for daily bullshit or the next adventure.

Meanwhile the trading continues. Each Saturday I bring them one or two clothing items and those are put on consignment for a week, and half-full bottles of perfume that I don't care for anymore and those get sold to a nearby foreign country. Print-outs of those good perfumes would be wasted on them. I sprayed some perfume into the air and a little old man came by and wanted this perfume, and it was for women! Wrapped up Bond No. 9 vials are viewed with mistrust, is this candy?

I could bring them a whole pile of "things" but that would overwhelm them. A little at a time gets sold during the week, and both parties are glad.

I know that I am operating at a loss, but it is sooo convenient.

How's this working out for you now? Any better?

The Flushing neighborhood is full of trades, at the street corners, too. Fresh oysters from a plastic pot, wrapped strange things in leaves, vegetables in a little bowl for one dollar.

My connection with that particular stall is still going strong. I know that I am selling my stuff at a loss, but I like the convenience. My closets get emptied without big fuss. Perfumes? I have nothing more to sell, what I have now is precious to me. Just clothes, costume jewelry and the like are still being shod. Beautiful warm things he did not want because all is quick sales and have to be in season.

I will be back in the Winter, and he greets me with "my friend". Sure, all the bargains he gets and then sells them higher.