The Business of Reselling

By Jessica Oman

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Subscribers: 5
Reviews: 0
Episodes: 26

Description

Welcome to The Business of Reselling, a podcast to help vintage & collectibles resellers grow their businesses, become full time, scale up, increase profits, and learn more about the lifestyle of 6-figure resellers. Your host Jessica Oman is an MBA graduate and co-owner of Storage Warrior, an online reselling business based in Canada, that was recognized as eBay Canada’s Micro Multi National Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019, and we are also eBay 25th Anniversary Hall of Fame inductees. Join me as I try to answer the question: Is it possible to sell $1 million in one year as a vintage & collectibles reseller? To find out, I’ll share selling secrets from million dollar e-commerce sellers, experiment with my own business, share my successes and failures, and – hopefully – sell a million bucks worth of stuff.

Episode Date
The Business of Reselling Episode 24: Limiting Beliefs and Your Business
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This week learn about limiting beliefs: what they are, how to recognize them, how to shift your thinking. Jess shares some of her deeply personal limiting beliefs, both ones that she's dealt with, and others that still constrain. How does this matter to your reselling business? You might be keeping yourself from growing your business and not even know it. Also, Jess answers a listener question about bringing inventory back from the US to Canada! 

ARTICLES & RESOURCES:

Canadian reseller? Get an RM import/export tax identifier, FREE: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/guide-eng.html

Learn more about Carol Dweck’s research on Fixed and Growth Mindset: https://www.mindtools.com/asbakxx/dwecks-fixed-and-growth-mindsets

OTHER LINKS:

Start Selling on eBay: https://ebay.us/Rzgs7m 

Research sold prices with Worthpoint: https://www.worthpoint.com/partner/0000 

(please note: I may receive a small commission if you sign up for services through any of these links) 

FIND US ON SOCIAL:

YouTube: The Business of Reselling by Storage Warrior: https://www.youtube.com/@storagewarriorpodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profitablestoragewarrior 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storage_warrior

Mar 28, 2023
Just the Tip: You Don't Need ChatGPT
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In this week's just the tip, I'm challenging resellers NOT to get caught up in the bright shiny object that is ChatGPT, and offer a different solution for getting listings done faster.

Subscribe to the podcast anywhere you get your podcasts! Pod.link/businessofreselling

ARTICLES & RESOURCES:

Practice Your Typing Speed: TypingTest.com

OTHER LINKS:

Start Selling on eBay: https://ebay.us/Rzgs7m 

Research sold prices with Worthpoint: https://www.worthpoint.com/partner/0000 

(please note: I may receive a small commission if you sign up for services through any of these links) 

FIND US ON SOCIAL:

YouTube: The Business of Reselling by Storage Warrior: https://www.youtube.com/@storagewarriorpodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profitablestoragewarrior 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storage_warrior

Mar 14, 2023
The Business of Reselling Episode 23: Scale Up with Bulk Buys
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This week's episode is all about Bulk Buys, or Volume Purchasing! But first, Jess dives into her first "month in review" update with a quick talk about how Storage Warrior did in January. Want more updates like this? Leave a comment on our YouTube channel and ask for more!

Buying in bulk is critical to scaling up your reselling business and it's really important to get your feet wet and get out of your comfort zone by making larger purchases and figuring out how to deal with them. In this episode Jess uses the example of our huge storage locker purchase on Vancouver Island to show how you can take a small risk by purchasing a ton of inventory all at once, and in this case it had a huge payoff. 

If buying storage lockers isn't for you or if you're looking for something a little more manageable, Jess also goes over a few different ways you can test out the process of buying in volume so you can get used to handling more inventory and scale up in a sustainable way. Enjoy and don't forget to leave a comment! 

CALL TO ACTION: What's the biggest purchase you have made in your reselling business, and how did you handle it?

 ARTICLES & RESOURCES: 

Episode 5 – Reselling During Massive Inflation https://youtu.be/jzTYPrzqmzs 

OTHER LINKS: 

Start Selling on eBay: https://ebay.us/Rzgs7m 

Research sold prices with Worthpoint: https://www.worthpoint.com/partner/0000 

(please note: I may receive a small commission if you sign
up for services through any of these links)  

FIND US ON SOCIAL: 

YouTube: The Business of Reselling by Storage Warrior: https://www.youtube.com/@storagewarriorpodcast 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profitablestoragewarrior 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storage_warrior  

Feb 28, 2023
The Business of Reselling Episode 22: Let's Talk Shipping
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Based on listener requests, I'm doing this week's episode on all things shipping! Specifically, why Canadians are at a disadvantage when it comes to shipping (especially rural Canadians) and how we can ALL think about shipping strategically to both please our buyers and make sure we aren't losing a ton of money.

Subscribe to the podcast anywhere you get your podcasts!
Pod.link/businessofreselling

ARTICLES & RESOURCES:

 Get a Canada Post Small Business Account: 

Sign up for Stallion Express! Load up your account with at
least $100 in credits and get $25 back: https://ship.stallionexpress.ca/register/Zb8mH7 

Sign up with ChitChats: https://chitchats.com/r/870763 

Sign up with Shippo and connect your Canada Post account
integration: https://apps.goshippo.com/join  

OTHER LINKS:

Start Selling on eBay: https://ebay.us/Rzgs7m

Research sold prices with Worthpoint: https://www.worthpoint.com/partner/0000

(please note: I may receive a small commission if you sign
up for services through any of these links)

FIND US ON SOCIAL:

YouTube: The Business of Reselling by Storage Warrior: https://www.youtube.com/@storagewarriorpodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profitablestoragewarrior

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storage_warrior

Feb 07, 2023
The Business of Reselling Episode 21: I'm Back!
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I'm finally back with my first episode of 2023! I got a late start on things after losing my dearest little furbaby early in the year, but we're finding a path forward and it feels really good to be getting back into the content creation routine. I have a variety of topics to chat about this week including how a lack of systems failed us during hard times, how I'm trying to deal with (another) abusive buyer, AND I want to talk about selling on Whatnot, which has me more excited than almost anything else right now. Enjoy the episode!

Subscribe to the podcast anywhere you get your podcasts! Pod.link/businessofreselling

Want to buy stuff on Whatnot? Sign up for Whatnot and get a $10 credit on your first purchase: https://whatnot.com/invite/storagewarriorcanada

Want to SELL stuff on Whatnot? Apply to be a seller here: https://whatnot.com/invite/seller/storagewarriorcanada

OTHER LINKS:

Start Selling on eBay: https://ebay.us/Rzgs7m

Research sold prices with Worthpoint: https://www.worthpoint.com/partner/0000

(please note: I may receive a small commission if you sign up for services through any of these links)

FIND US ON SOCIAL: YouTube: The Business of Reselling by Storage Warrior:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2q1egvudHLENqEjIF65dQ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profitablestoragewarrior

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storage_warrior

Jan 24, 2023
The Business of Reselling Episode 20: Just the Tip - Set Goals & Create Systems
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As we wrap up 2022, Jess has some tips for you on how to frame your 2023 business goals in terms of the systems you'll create to help you achieve them. It's one thing to set a goal, but it's really hard to achieve it if you aren't seeking incremental improvements all the time to help you get there. And that means creating processes and systems that move you closer to your goals. Subscribe to the podcast anywhere you get your podcasts! Pod.link/businessofreselling ARTICLES & RESOURCES: James Clear, Forget about Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead: https://jamesclear.com/goals-systems Read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell: https://www.gladwellbooks.com/titles/malcolm-gladwell/outliers/9780316040341/ OTHER LINKS: Start Selling on eBay: https://ebay.us/Rzgs7m Research sold prices with Worthpoint: https://www.worthpoint.com/partner/0000 (please note: I may receive a small commission if you sign up for services through any of these links) FIND US ON SOCIAL: YouTube: The Business of Reselling by Storage Warrior: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2q1egvudHLENqEjIF65dQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profitablestoragewarrior Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storage_warrior
Dec 13, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 19: This Buyer Called Me a Scammer
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In today's episode, Jess explores why some people act rude and aggressive online and how it might affect your business and your feelings towards it. Recently Jess was called a scammer for selling in US dollars despite being in Canada, with the buyer implying that it was illegal to do so (it isn't). The person took their complaints away from eBay and to our company's Facebook page, making all kinds of accusations that they later deleted themselves. But it brings up the matter of difficult buyers in general - why are some buyers accusatory and aggressive? Is there psychology behind this? And what does it mean when you're trying to build a business and a brand? Let's clear up the specific accusations first - because what happened matters to Canadian sellers and it's important to know how to deal with situations like this and stand your ground. We'll also look at how to deal more generally with those interactions that just make your blood boil - and how to leverage them to make your business even better. Oh, and you'll also hear all about our Black Friday sales results! Subscribe to the podcast anywhere you get your podcasts! Pod.link/businessofreselling ARTICLES & RESOURCES: Canada’s Currency Act: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-52/page-1.html#h-142377 Learn about Online Disinhibition: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958822000033 The Psychology of Online Behaviour: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/who-is-that-the-study-of-anonymity-and-behavior OTHER LINKS: Start Selling on eBay: https://ebay.us/Rzgs7m Research sold prices with Worthpoint: https://www.worthpoint.com/partner/0000 (please note: I may receive a small commission if you sign up for services through any of these links) FIND US ON SOCIAL: YouTube: The Business of Reselling by Storage Warrior: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2q1egvudHLENqEjIF65dQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profitablestoragewarrior Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storage_warrior
Dec 06, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 18 - Just the Tip: Try This Sneaky Cyber Week Sales Tactic
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It's Giving Tuesday! Today Jess recaps a fun night at the Binners' Project fundraising event and gives you "one weird trick" to boost your sales this week. Try it! ARTICLES & RESOURCES: Donate to the Binners Project: https://www.binnersproject.org/donate.html Check out this new video about the Binners Project including a spotlight on binners and their important role in urban communities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B25rVX8RMks OTHER LINKS: Start Selling on eBay: https://ebay.us/Rzgs7m Research sold prices with Worthpoint: https://www.worthpoint.com/partner/0000 (please note: I may receive a small commission if you sign up for services through any of these links) FIND US ON SOCIAL: YouTube: The Business of Reselling by Storage Warrior: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2q1egvudHLENqEjIF65dQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profitablestoragewarrior Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storage_warrior
Nov 29, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 17: Miscellaneous Thoughts on Reselling, Helping Others and more
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I wasn't really feeling psyched about any of the episode ideas I have in my list of potential episodes so instead this episode is about what's going on in our business at the present moment, what we're working on, how Black Friday sales are going but most importantly I want to talk about my favorite non-profit called Binners Project and what they're doing to reduce stigma towards dumpster divers while touching local communities in really important environmental and social ways.
Nov 22, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 16: eBay Promotions Experiment (VIDEO episode)
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This is a video episode! You'll get the most out of it if you watch it on YouTube. This week Jess runs an experiment to determine once and for all, the difference between Volume Pricing and Order Discounts on eBay. eBay's marketing tools are a great way to get more sales this holiday season - so this week's episode goes hand in hand with Episodes 15 (Maximize Your Holiday Sales) and 14 (Black Friday Sales Strategies). Put all of them together for great sales this holiday season! Start Selling on eBay: https://ebay.us/Rzgs7m Research sold prices with Worthpoint: https://www.worthpoint.com/partner/0000 (please note: I may receive a small commission if you sign up for services through any of these links) FIND US ON SOCIAL: YouTube: The Business of Reselling by Storage Warrior: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2q1egvudHLENqEjIF65dQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profitablestoragewarrior Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storage_warrior
Nov 15, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 15: Maximize Your Holiday Sales
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As a followup to Episode 14 that was all about Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales strategies, this week we have a full episode on maximizing your sales during the holiday season. Jess dives into some forecasts about consumer spending at the end of 2022, and looks at what researchers say are going to be the big trends of this year's shopping season. Then Jess will get into what Storage Warrior is doing to leverage these trends, and how all this consumer research applies to resellers. Subscribe to the podcast anywhere you get your podcasts! Pod.link/businessofreselling ARTICLES & RESOURCES: Deloitte Canada: Spending less, connecting more: 2022 holiday retail outlook. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ca/Documents/strategy/ca-holiday-retail-outlook-en-aoda.pdf CNBC: Big bargains will dominate the holiday season, but shoppers may not be sold. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/20/inflation-weary-shoppers-see-more-holiday-sales-2022.html OTHER LINKS: Start Selling on eBay: https://ebay.us/Rzgs7m Research sold prices with Worthpoint: https://www.worthpoint.com/partner/0000 (please note: I may receive a small commission if you sign up for services through any of these links) FIND US ON SOCIAL: YouTube: The Business of Reselling by Storage Warrior: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2q1egvudHLENqEjIF65dQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profitablestoragewarrior Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storage_warrior
Nov 08, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 14: Just the Tip - Black Friday Selling Strategies
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What's your Black Friday strategy? In this week's Just the Tip episode, we're talking about all the stress, anxiety and discounts associated with Black Friday and how you might be able to bring some of the key aspects that make in-person Black Friday sales successful into your online reselling business to have a great Black Friday sales weekend. Subscribe to the podcast anywhere you get your podcasts! Pod.link/businessofreselling ARTICLES & RESOURCES: The Keep, Eastern Illinois University: An Analysis of Consumer Behaviour on Black Friday. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=fcs_fac Tidio: Black Friday Facts & Cyber Monday Stats. https://www.tidio.com/blog/black-friday-trends/ Harvard Business Review: Make Black Friday a More Exciting Online Experience. https://hbr.org/2021/11/make-black-friday-a-more-exciting-online-experience OTHER LINKS: Start Selling on eBay: https://ebay.us/Rzgs7m Research sold prices with Worthpoint: https://www.worthpoint.com/partner/0000 (please note: I may receive a small commission if you sign up for services through any of these links) FIND US ON SOCIAL: YouTube: The Business of Reselling by Storage Warrior: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs2q1egvudHLENqEjIF65dQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profitablestoragewarrior Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storage_warrior
Nov 01, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 13: The Benefits of Networking
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Here's your recap from the BOSS Reseller Remix and a whole episode on the benefits of networking with resellers and other business owners! It was an amazing week in Las Vegas, where I met hundreds of other resellers. It was an amazing feeling getting out of my bubble and talking business with so many likeminded people. What's great about networking? Not only does it help you find more business opportunities but it helps you build confidence in your business, gain perspective on business problems, and so much more. If you're a nervous networkers, this episode will offer some tips on how to get started.
Oct 25, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 12: Just the Tip - Raise Your Prices
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In this week's "Just the Tip" episode, Jess discusses why you should consider raising your prices. Whether it's a 5% increase, a 10% increase or more, there are two big reasons why it's a good idea to evaluate your pricing: 1) Inflation is real, and everyone's expenses are up, including yours; 2) Perceived value, where consumers may choose NOT to buy from you if they think your price is too cheap. Don't turn away potential buyers by making them suspicious that something is wrong with your product! Jess looks briefly at the psychology of value perception, and how you can use this concept to price your inventory so that the benefits of your product are clear, and you maintain your profit.
Oct 11, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 11: 6 Tips for Scaling Your eCommerce Business to 6 Figures and Beyond
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Heads up! This is a video episode. If you're listening on Spotify, Apple or another podcatcher, you won't be able to see the slides. Check it out on YouTube instead! https://youtu.be/Cioq4hgKEG4 For Episode 11 (our first video episode!), Jess is taking a quick break from her ongoing series on sourcing, to review her 6 Tips for Scaling your Reselling Business to 6 Figures and Beyond. Jess presented this information in a networking session at eBay Open 2022, and after receiving so many requests for the slides, notes and other material, she decided to record it all again as a podcast episode! The 6 Tips are: 1. Raise Your Average Selling Price 2. Put a Value on Your Time 3. Document Your Processes and Build Systems 4. Source Better Stuff 5. Get Help 6. Don't Fear Failure!
Sep 27, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 10 - Just the Tip: Sourcing on Vacation
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In this week's brief Just the Tip episode, Jess discusses how to keep sourcing while on vacation. Yes you can go to yard and estate sales, but there's another great sourcing method you can use on vacation, that can have fantastic results! Listen to find out what it is, why it works, and how it won't jeopardize your rest and relaxation. Also, join Jess in a virtual networking room at eBay Open on Friday, September 23!
Sep 20, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 9: Push and Pull - Sourcing Proactively for Better Inventory
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Have you heard of "push" and "pull" strategies in supply chain management or in marketing? You might be wondering what this has to do with your reselling business or with sourcing, so bear with me. It's important! In the continuation of my series on sourcing strategies for 6 figure sales, I’m going to share how some proactive measures for finding inventory have worked for us, and how you might try some of the same tactics at different budgets. I'll define push and pull strategies and how you can apply them to your sourcing methods. I'll describe a few push strategies that we've had success with; these include Facebook ads, online classifieds, networking, and direct marketing via door hangers distributed to people's homes. And, because it's important to know what doesn't work, I'll talk about when these methods have failed us, and how we pivoted.
Sep 06, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 8 - Just the Tip: Negotiating Bulk Deals
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In this week's "Just the Tip" episode, Jess is talking about the art of negotiation. This episode continues the ongoing series Sourcing Strategies for 6-Figure Sales, covering all aspects of sourcing inventory for your reselling business. Sometimes it can be intimidating to start looking for bigger inventory hauls, so what do you do when you find yourself in the situation of having an opportunity to buy a lot of items, but struggling to agree on a price? How should you approach the seller to get the best deal for everyone? This episode dives into a bit of the psychology behind negotiation and how you can apply just a few small tricks to your negotiation strategy so everyone walks away happy.
Aug 30, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 7: Sourcing for 6-Figure Sales (Part 1)
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This is Part 1 of a series on Sourcing Strategies for 6-Figure Sales (and beyond). I'm not sure how many episodes will be in this series, so I'll just keep doing episodes until it seems like I've covered just about everything. Lots of resellers might tell you to source better items to grow your business, but what does that mean? How do you do it? Where do you look? What should you buy? In Part 1 of this series, Jess explores why you should look closely at your own sourcing strategy to figure out where it's working, and where it isn't. Identifying what you can do better will help you develop a better overall strategy for sourcing items for reselling. Why does this matter? Because sourcing is the basis for a successful business, and almost everything else you do as a reseller is a result of how you source. Bad sourcing leads to inefficient business, which leads to lower sales. Jess discusses various aspects of a sourcing strategy, what you should be thinking about when you go sourcing, and what you need to do to improve your sourcing processes.
Aug 23, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 6: Just the Tip - Should Canadians List on .ca or .com?
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On this week's Just the Tip, Jess discusses a sticking point for Canadian sellers - whether to list on ebay.ca or .com. Spoiler alert - .com is almost always better, but it has a few drawbacks too. Jess shares what Storage Warrior does to get more USA sales without excluding Canadians, and shares some of the benefits of listing on .ca too. This episode also has an update on Jess's abusive buyer situation, so it'll be juicy!
Aug 16, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 5: Successful Reselling During Massive Inflation
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This week Jess is discussing how to continue to be a successful reseller in spite of massive inflation and a possible looming recession. After defining what inflation means and how it affects consumer spending, Jess dives into how it might affect resellers specifically, and what we can all try in order to keep our businesses healthy over what could be a lengthy stretch of slow economic activity. Jess also discusses why Storage Warrior is no longer selling on Etsy, and her dog Eddy also has something to say about it!
Aug 09, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 4: Just the Tip - Building an Email List
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Online sales down, resellers? It's time to try some new marketing tactics. Today’s Just the Tip is about Audience building, specifically using an email list to market your eBay or online store. Jess discusses how email marketing works for Storage Warrior, how their email marketing system is structured, and what services they use to grow and nurture repeat buyers via an email list. And, while it's true that many sellers don't want to use email marketing because they don't like receiving promotions by email, it is still an incredibly effective marketing method as long as you only email the people who want to be on your list. If they unsubscribe, that's okay too!
Jul 26, 2022
The Business of Reselling Episode 3: How to Say No
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In this week’s episode we’re talking all about how to say no to unreasonable requests. We’ll look at some of the psychology behind why we have trouble saying no and Jess will offer some suggestions on how you can practice saying no when you need to. Also, why learning to say no will make you more money!
Jul 19, 2022
Business of Reselling Episode 2: Just the Tip - Revising Your Listings
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In Episode 2, our first “Just the Tip” episode, I’ll share tips for how I revise older listings to improve conversion and sales. I have 5 things for you to look at: the title, the pictures, the description, the language, and other item specifics. Try these 5 revisions to your listings and increase your sales! Here are the 5 things to review when revising listings: 1. The title 2. The pictures 3. The description 4. The language 5. Item specifics and other fields Go review 5 of your stale listings and tell me what you changed! Add your comments in YT, email me or hit me up on Instagram. Links are okay!
Jul 12, 2022
Business of Reselling: Episode 1
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It's the very first episode! To help listeners get to know me, I'll be doing some storytelling about how we got started with reselling, some of the interesting things that have happened along our journey. I have some big goals for the business and the podcast to share with you as well. Also: is it a good idea to start a podcast about reselling $1 million when a recession is potentially looming? Let's look at how buyer behavior has changed in previous recessions and use that to help forecast what might happen next. HBR Article on How to Market in a Downturn: https://hbr.org/2009/04/how-to-market-in-a-downturn-2
Jul 05, 2022
Business of Reselling: Episode Zero
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In Episode 0, you'll meet your host Jessica, find out what this podcast is all about and why it exists, and get the chance to share your ideas for upcoming episodes! Get the lowdown on episode length, frequency and style, learn a bit about Jessica and her business Storage Warrior, and start thinking about what YOU want to learn about reselling that Jess & her guests can teach you.
Jun 06, 2022