Auction Information

How To Sell Santa's Slip-Ups


Shoppers spent more than $15.5 billion this Christmas on gifts on the Internet alone. Just imagine how many millions went to unwanted polka dot sweaters, electric nose hair clippers, and thigh masters. That wasted cash piled up under the Christmas tree. We've all had it happen to us. In fact, you had it happen to you this year. You unwrapped the pretty red bow and tore through the shiny paper on that present from your Uncle Mortie, and immediately, you had to put on your best poker face.

How did you know I needed a sushi roller kit?" you exclaimed with as much excitement as you could muster through gritted teeth.

The problem is you don't eat fish sticks, let along raw salmon.

You can't be too sore at poor Uncle Mortie, though, and the other friends and family who gave you unwanted holiday gifts this season. Buying Christmas gifts is difficult work. Then again, getting rid of a doosie of a Christmas gift is no piece of fruitcake either. That is, unless you know how to use the Internet to return your unwanted gifts from the comfort of your own home or, better yet, sell them for better use.

You're probably wondering how it's possible to sell off Santa's slip-ups when you feel bad enough returning them. In most cases, your friends or loved one invested time and money into shopping for your gift. They browsed countless Web pages. They trudged through the mall. And they were sentenced to hard time in the cashier line. All of it they did to please you.

At the same time, however, your friends or loved one couldn't read your mind as Jolly Old Saint Nick supposedly can. They could never tell if you'd appreciate that coffee table book on coffee tables, or that matching set of plaid socks and necktie. They could only guess at your inseam or your blouse size, or whether you look best in blue or black. And they had no way of telling that your third cousin on your father's side got you the same exact gift. With no list of who was naughty and who was nice, Uncle Mortie and company added to the millions wasted worldwide.

This waste doesn't have to be. Your loved ones only wanted to make you happy with their presents. So it stands to reason that if their gift didn't do the trick-because it was the wrong size, a duplicate present, or completely off the mark-they would want you to fix the situation. Whatever it takes, they would want you to be happy, right?

That leaves you with two options. You could return the gift to the mega store or the maul-er, mall. You would join the thousands of your neighbors with the same idea, all of whom are cramming into your local stores and cash register lines to return their unwanted gifts. Then you would also have to face the thousands of bargain shoppers out there looking for those post-Christmas specials, a rush that lasts well through January.

What's worse, some stores won't let you return goods if you don't have the original credit card or receipt. That means you could at best be left with gift cards with expiration dates at stores that you may not like. At worst, you could be stuck with your gift, not knowing what to do with it.

Now you're seeing the light. No, it's not the light from the inflatable 12-foot Santa Claus and reindeer on your neighbor's front lawn. It's the light from your computer monitor: the Internet. Today's Web can link you with someone who will think Uncle Mortie's gift is a precious treasure. This person, whether they're in Peoria or Pawtucket, North Carolina or the North Pole, is willing to pay good money for it.

Classified Internet sites can link you to this person faster than it would take you to stow the sushi set up in your attic. The best classified sites out there will also be free of transaction and membership fees. What's more, they allow you to negotiate price directly with your buyer and plan shipping arrangements, all with privacy and precision in mind.

You'll end up with cash to buy that special something you really wanted. Your buyer will be pleased with Uncle Mortie's gift. Uncle Mortie, well, he'll be glad the gift he gave you, doesn't just sit in the attic.

Donald Lee is the public relationship manager for Buysellcommunity.com. Buysellcommunity provides free classified listing services for individuals and businesses to market their products and services online.For global and localized classifieds, please visit - Free Buy & Sell Classifieds


MORE RESOURCES:

Business Recorder

Treasuries Remain Lower After $32 Billion Three-Year Note Sale
BusinessWeek
7 (Bloomberg) -- Treasuries remained lower after the US sold $32 billion of three-year notes in the first of three auctions of notes and bonds this week totaling $72 billion. Treasuries fell earlier after reports that Greek officials are closer to a ...
U.S. 10-Year Yields Reach 1-Week High on Greek Debt ProgressSan Francisco Chronicle
Treasury yields ease ahead of U.S. debt auctionMarketWatch
Treasury Auctions $32 Billion Worth Of Three-Year NotesNASDAQ
Washington Post
all 169 news articles »


Ritchie Bros. to conduct first Tipton auction of 2012 the day after World Ag Expo
MarketWatch (press release)
Tipton auction site on Friday, February 17 Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (nyse and tsx:RBA), the world's largest auctioneer of farm, construction and other equipment, will conduct an unreserved public auction at its Tipton, CA auction site on February 17, ...

and more »


Agriculture.com

Land rent auctions 'stunning'
Agriculture.com
The farm land broker and manager said it all started when he saw a copy of the sale bill from a series of farm land rent auctions held around Iowa between Thursday, February 2, and Saturday, February 4. It was the first time he'd seen such an auction, ...

and more »


Green auction expected to raise millions for environment
Reuters
By Chris Michaud | NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bidders will be able to buy fine art, a vacation in the Maldives, or an internship with designer Donna Karan and help the planet at the same time in Christie's annual Green Auction, which is expected reap ...

and more »


MarketInvoice Completes Five Million Pounds of Auctions Within 12 Months of Launch
Sacramento Bee
By MarketInvoice Ltd Online auction platform MarketInvoice has completed over five million pounds worth of auctions to UK SMEs within a year of launch. With over 150 auctions to over 60 UK SMEs, MarketInvoice has helped many small businesses within the ...

and more »


Hindustan Times

Sahara open to negotiations as far as Pune Warriors is concerned
Times of India
Sahara India ended its 11-year-old financial ties with the BCCI and also pulled out of the IPL auction last weekend after it accused the Cricket Board of not giving due consideration to its genuine grievances. "If really needed I will not give a second ...
Open for talks on IPL but no sponsorship deal: Subroto RoyEconomic Times
I Hate You (Like I Love You). Subrata Roy and the BCCIForbes India (blog)
Shock before IPL auctions, Sahara dumps Pune, Team IndiaHindustan Times
TruthDive -exchange4media.com
all 644 news articles »


Former Hungry Peddler restaurant set for auction
NewsOK.com
The auction starts Thursday at 10 am Everything in the building, including wall décor, a phone booth and an antique bar, will be sold and the structure will be razed. BY JENNIFER PALMER jpalmer@opubco.com Leave a comment The former Hungry Peddler, ...

and more »


Tattoo Auction Benefits Puppies in Montrose
The Daily Cortlandt
by Jessica Glenza (email) 14 hours ago MONTROSE, NY – Charity auctions can mean prohibitive admission fees or stuffy dress codes, but in a taboo-testing eBay auction, bidders will compete for eight hours of ink-on-skin artistry to benefit Recycled Paws ...

and more »


Moneycontrol.com

IPL-2 auctions rigged claims Lalit Modi
sportal.co.in
Former IPL chief Lalit Modi accused the Indian cricket board of rigging the 2009 auction in favour of N.Srinivasan-owned Chennai Super Kings. In an interview to CNN-INB, Modi said all rules were rested to get England cricket Andrew Flintoff to play for ...
The Flintoff deal explainedESPNcricinfo.com
I am an honest man and I don't seek publicity: SrinivasanTimes of India
Lalit Modi claims IPL 2 auctions were rigged to favour CSKCricket Country

all 46 news articles »


Jose Reyes, New Marlins Shortstop, Auctions His Hair On eBay
Huffington Post
Reyes is now auctioning off the dreads on eBay. Proceeds from the eBay auction will benefit the Make-A-Wish foundation of Southern Florida, a nonprofit that fulfills the dreams of sick children. As of this morning, there were 42 bids to buy the ball ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006