the high's and low's of selling furniture !

From December to February I didn't have any work, so I painted a few bits of furniture. I was hoping, I could make money from doing this, to fill in any periods when I didn't have a commission.
Initially I put three pieces on ebay.

I love working at home, I was pretty excited.

In the first week, I sold nothing and it knocked me for six. My plans weren't working, and together with other things going wrong, I just went into a bit of a lull.

We put the items on again, and eventually (after three weeks) sold this.

I was going to keep this cabinet, but our old tv didn't look good on top, and the old geezer didn't like the height (and I didn't want to take the casters off ).

So I was feeling high and a lady turned up to collect it, and was £10 short !!!

Now, I don't know about you lot, but I was a bit shocked. If you were going to collect something, wouldn't you have the money put aside in an envelope ?

I would.

She scratched around in her purse and found £8.50, so I let her off £1.50. She kept apologising, but whether she was genuine, or trying to get it for less, who knows.

I just know, it left me a bit miffed !

Then I sold this, after another 3 weeks.

It started out life like this.

I painted it cream, distressed it a little and added square glass knobs from TK Maxx.

The guy turned up - he brought the right money !!

(Btw, this was photographed in the old geezer's daughter's bedroom - she has two shades of purple on her walls).

Then I sold this.

In fact, we know the person who bought it, but they actually found it on ebay.

We got the right money !!!

Then I sold this. It sold almost immediately.

A lady turned up with a handful of change. I started counting it, and told her why I was doing so. Then I felt bad, so I stopped counting - it looked about right !

She left with the table and I counted the money. It was 10p short !

Ok, that's not a big deal, but it's the principal - I was a little bit miffed !

Then I painted this.

It's a desk, but that top section just sits on top, so it could be a console table.

Believe it, or not, I painted it the same colour as the tv cabinet - but I put a dark wax on it, and it changed the colour completely.

I put it on e-bay, on 'Buy It Now or Best Offer'.

I was first offered  a quarter of my asking price !!!

I politely declined.

I then had two offers of less than half my asking price !!!!

I did only try for one week, then I started sorting out the mini guest room, and tried it in there. It looks so good, that I'm going to keep it for now.

And the moral of this story - I'm not going to make my fortune on e-bay, though things do sell eventually.

Put 'script' on as much as you can - it will probably sell faster.

Get a booth, so that someone else can count the money !