iSold It on eBay

The stock market may have plunged 15 percent in October and other indicators may be pointing at a severe recession. But not every business is down.

"August was my best month ever. September was up 60 percent over a year earlier and October was up 30 percent," said Scott Brown.  He owns an iSold It franchise in Fullerton, Calif., that sells on eBay auction Web site items brought in by individuals and businesses.  Recent economic turmoil seems to have motivated a lot of people to clean out the garage or company store room.  Many of my customers are selling things off, cleaning out closets, downsizing and moving," Brown said. "They need cash, not to meet the mortgage but maybe for Christmas presents or gas."

Cheryl Jackson has a shoe collection many women would die for, but the Plano woman is voluntarily parting with high-priced pair after pair.  She's preparing to sell them to the highest bidder on EBay.  Jackson says, "The holidays are coming up, you know with the economy going the way it is, if I have anything in my closet that can give me money and I don't have to spend money, that's ideal for me."

 And for others, apparently.  David Goldstein owns 3 "I Sold It" on Ebay stores.  His business jumped more than 50 percent from October to November. 

David Goldstein says, "People are trying to simplify their lives.  They're trying to de clutter.  They've much more conscious now of recycling things they're no longer using.  Of getting rid of some of the excess.  That's kind of what this economy is about.  Getting rid of the excess."

Goldstein says a lot of people are bringing in items they want to replace this holiday season, like digital cameras or skis.  Other people are simply, trying to cash in on the unwanted.  That's Donna Vesel, a single mother who today became a first time Ebay seller.  She says the few hundred dollars she hopes to get for her gold jewelry is already earmarked for bills.  Donna Vesel says, "It seemed like a pretty good way to make a little bit of spending money and with the economy the way it is, you make your money the way you can."

Dona Vesel says she wouldn't know how to sell it herself on EBay.  Cheryl Jackson doesn't want to.  Jackson says, "If I were to do it myself, I would have to box it up, ship it to the person and take time to respond.  I don't have time to do that."    

Jackson says letting a professional do the heavy lifting is worth pocketing only 60 percent of the sales price.  She says, "40 percent of what's sitting in here and 60 percent going in my pocket and I haven't done anything but handed them something that I wasn't going to use before.. Absolutely I'd do it everyday."

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Individuals, businesses putting more merchandise on auction Web site, and quality, value still sell in down times.  The stock market may have plunged 15 percent in October. Housing prices may be 26 percent below a year ago. And economists at Cal State Fullerton and UCLA may use words like "grim" in describing Orange County's economy in the near future.  But not every business is down.

"August was my best month ever. September was up 60 percent over a year earlier and October was up 30 percent," said Scott Brown.  Wow! Get me into whatever Brown is doing.  He owns an iSold It franchise in Fullerton that sells on eBay auction Web site items brought in by individuals and businesses.