It’s been a crazy ten days of selling $700 worth of tea cups and dishes to six different women on four occasions. Two pairs came and two singles, although the last single woman had three children under the age of four with her.
Yes, you heard that right, three little kids. I have three dogs, so I didn’t want them coming inside, too much liability. I brought the white tea cup basket outside. The little girl was happy enough picking my flowers. The two-year-old boy was not happy at all. The baby never made a peep the whole time.
I brought out paper sacks so they could collect sticks and rocks. Not this generation! Then I found some graham crackers to keep the boy happy. Then his mom got his stroller out of the car. Then some juice boxes. Somehow, she managed to shop while all this was going on. Then she wanted tea pots, which meant coming inside. I had the front door open to watch the baby and the unhappy two-year-old boy while the mom and the little girl came inside. Daisy was running around, wondering who the little person was. The two other dogs were behind a gate, barking.
“Don’t pet the dogs!” I said. “The little one bites.”
I used to have in my Facebook Marketplace ad, “No small children because three dogs.” Then I took it out because people weren’t asking to come, and I thought I should change up the ad.
One woman and her 6th grade daughter spent $180. The next woman spent $120. Then two women came and spent $200 for a tea party. Then the woman with three little kids spent $200 on dishes. That’s $700 in ten days.
I guess I won’t worry anymore about selling my stuff. The restaurant guy stopped buying. Many have asked for photos, which is insane. The last woman suggested I make a video to show just how much I have to sell.
The inventory is constantly changing — inventory in, inventory out. The best bet is to just show up. I know it’s weird coming into someone’s house. But why should it be? I had strangers in and out of my shop all day long, and many of them were soliciting me to buy their ads, magazines, pens, etc. The shoplifters came, too. It’ s hard to shoplift when you’re the only one shopping.
I love old dishes. One woman asked me if I was sad to sell them and see them go.
“It was at first,” I said, “but I’ve been doing this for twenty years, so not so sad. I love them all but can’t keep them all.”
The woman was satisfied with my answer and said she’d be back.
I don’t do exchanges or returns, but if a previous customer wants to come back to buy more, I say yes.
FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER! 