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2005 NEW TO THE BOARD? INTRODUCE YOURSELF HERE

Discussion in 'PUBLIC Information Center - Welcome to the Forums' started by artisannes, Jan 14, 2005.

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  1. coololdstuff

    coololdstuff Registered Guest

    Hi All,

    Really great to browse this thread and see the different areas of vintage people are into. Cool!

    I'm new here. I'm Linda, I had a store (CoolOldStuff.com) which I started in 1998 but had to close it down because life intervened! In 2001 I met a guy from the Netherlands who is now my hubby. Since then I've been traveling back and forth between Maryland and Europe. Not the ideal lifestyle to run a business but it's been quite an experience! I've sold vintage in Europe and met some great people there. I hope to resurrect my online store as soon as my hubby and I decide on where to settle. :)

    My personal interest is in 60s and 70s vintage, especially from the mod era. Go go boots are a big passion of mine! I also love vintage lingerie from all eras. My new interest is salvaging and recycling clothing that others left for dead, but I'm a novice when it comes to sewing, so it's quite a challenge!

    Look forward to "meeting" all of you. I am not on the computer much in my spare time but I'll try to check in as often as possible.

    Cheers,
    Linda
     
  2. Hi, Linda--welcome aboard.

    What a romantic love story! Ahhhh.
     
  3. Patentleathershoes

    Patentleathershoes VFG Veteran VFG Past President

    Welcome Linda!!!!!!!!!!

    You will love our lingerie resource then it sounds like.

    I adore Mod things too but unfortunately not all of it flatters my shape. Even though i try to make it work :) that is what accessories are for.

    Chris
     
  4. cymbeline

    cymbeline Registered Guest

    Welcome Wendy, Steph, Joanne, Mollie, Heather and Linda, This is a fun place. Its so nice to "meet" people with the same love for "vintage". ENJOY!!!
    kelly
     
  5. misscoconut

    misscoconut Registered Guest

    Hi everyone! :hiya:
    My name is Bess & this is my 1st post to the VFG board. I run Lucky Coconut's Vintage & have been selling vintage online for about 9 months. Oh, I have sooo much to learn!

    About me & why I'm here...
    I was born and raised in Syracuse, NY but I relocated to Massachusetts to go to school in 1996, and now I've decided to stay-- largely because this is the only state that understands the true meaning of equality! I currently live just outside of Boston and I'm dragging my feet through the final days of law school (yay! I'm almost finished!). Unfortunately, being a lawyer is NOT my calling & in an effort to follow my heart, I thought I'd try to start my own online-vintage-clothing-business. :love008:

    First, I had a shop in the FashionDig.com "mall" for about 6 months. Then, I decided to build my own website becasue I wanted to have more control over the format of my items' presentation. Now I'm happier with my own website, but I'm having trouble generating site traffic on my own.
    Anyways, as I'm about to graduate from law school-- I just can't bear the thought of wearing modern business attire to work everyday
    :hysterical:
    and I've been wondering if anyone would be kind enough to share....do y'all sell vintage clothing full time? Can a girl make a living selling vintage online only? I know that's a really big question, but absolutely any help on this topic would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
     
  6. Patentleathershoes

    Patentleathershoes VFG Veteran VFG Past President

    Hi Bess!!!!

    Welcome!!!

    Small world...i moved FROM Massachusetts in the past few years. Couldn't wait to get out of the blizzards and the traffic. And yes, one can make a living from selling vintage online...but it takes perserverence, consistency, marketing well, and just sticking to it :)

    Have a great time here and jump in and ask questions at any time!

    Chris
     
  7. misscoconut

    misscoconut Registered Guest

    Thanks for the reply, Chris.
    I love the snow, but I hate the cold. And I know what you mean about the traffic! I plan to move to western mass in a few months, where, hopefully I will find myself sitting in fewer-- or at least smaller-- traffic jams.

    As for selling vintage, I suppose I'll just have to be patient...and keep working in the meantime!
    Thanks again.
     
  8. Hi, Bess! :hiya: Welcome 'a-board!' :)

    I think most here are selling vintage online for secondary or discretionary income, but there are also those here who do only this as sole support. I do only this, but I can't call myself terribly successful. :wacko: I've done eBay for the last four years and have yet to develop my own site. 'Eggs in different baskets' is a good way to go, though, and you already have a site developed! Plus, eBay is good for generating traffic for your website.

    If you already know your way around vintage and have the site (a number of us are stuck on ever getting our sites fully developed or <i>stocked</i>), it sounds like you're not far away from 'clear blue sky.' :)
     
  9. debutanteclothing

    debutanteclothing VFG Board Member

    Hi Bess! Welcome. Please give us a link to your website!!!!
    Sandra
     
  10. misscoconut

    misscoconut Registered Guest

    Oh, you have no idea how I appreciate the advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Here is my website
    http://www.LuckyCoconutsVintage.com
    I built it myself, so its kinda home-made, but I think you can get around OK?

    "Eggs in different baskets," huh? That sounds like good advice. I just posted one of my favorite vintage gowns on eBay and it didn't sell, but eBay makes no sense. I have to make peace with that, right?? When you post gorgeous stuff with lots of pictures & written details- which never sells, and at the same time you watch other people's 1 sentence/1 picture listings get bids. UGH! If there was a smiley face pulling out its hair, it would be here.

    So, what is the best way to get eBay traffic to your website without violating eBay rules? I currently have a link to Lucky Coconut's website on my "ME" page, but I am afraid to do much else for fear of violating eBay policies & getting kicked off- the horror!

    Thanks again for your kind response! :roll:
     
  11. Welcome Bess!! Love your site.

    I sell on eBay and a little bit on the VC-Mall. Generating hits and sales is a constant uphill battle!!

    Looking forward to seeing you around much more. I am sure you will learn a lot from our members!

    Bonnie
    bonton*vintage
     
  12. debutanteclothing

    debutanteclothing VFG Board Member

    Hi Bess.

    I just generated a sale from eBay through my transaction correpsondence emails. Make sure to put links to your sites in your signature on EVERYRTHING. don't forget we buy from each other too!!!!

    I also put my website address in my location on ebay listings.

    Sandra
     
  13. misscoconut

    misscoconut Registered Guest

    Oh, Sandra! You are sooo smart! I would have never thought to put my website as my items' location on eBay! But of course, that is exactly where they are!!


    Thanks for the great advice, you're a :saint:
     
  14. Patentleathershoes

    Patentleathershoes VFG Veteran VFG Past President

    You can post a link to your website on your ebay me page.

    I use "putting things in different baskets" to diverse my marketing versus expecting all the baskets to runneth over on their own, and if you look at yourself as a small business owner and not niche yourself as an ebay seller or an internet seller, it all works together without one taking away from another. I primarily use ebay for participating in group marketing, and i also do it to generate more people for my newsletters and expand my customer base to direct them or eventually make them customers of my regular store. But i am not there all the time. My newsletter is very important, and i also do other sorts of postings and networking so i grow over time

    Chris
     
  15. denisebrain

    denisebrain VFG Vice President Staff Member VFG Past President

    Hellllllo VFG! I am a new member (as of ~ahem~ months ago) and I'm finally getting my act together enough to even say hello!<p>My name is Margaret, and I go by the seller name denisebrain, which is an homage to my favorite horn player, Dennis Brain. I am a professional horn player, and Denise Brain has been a nickname of mine for years. I got a bit burned out in music, so I'm now at least trying to make a living with my life-long passion for vintage clothing. LOVING it! <p>-Margaret <p>PS Please forgive if I have stray html code or other doo-dahs, I pride myself on even learning to turn on a computer! The rest awaits...
     
  16. Patentleathershoes

    Patentleathershoes VFG Veteran VFG Past President

    Hi Margaret!!

    Great to see you here!

    we have something (semi) in common! I used to play the cornet/trumpet. (but nowhere near professionally)

    I have enjoyed seeing auctions - i love your photos and we have a saying around here that seems to be "don't model your clothing unless you can do it as well as denisebrain or retro-rani (our long time member ANna) :) (in response to some of the unwilling husbands and reluctant friends with sour expressions in ball gowns and other missteps along the way.)

    now that you are completely embarrassed, we hope you enjoy it here!

    Chris
     
  17. denisebrain

    denisebrain VFG Vice President Staff Member VFG Past President

    Hi Chris,

    Yay! Let's play duets sometime! <p>Thank you for your kind words about my auctions. Anna's photos have caught my eye many times. I suspect she enjoys to play dress up as much as I! <p>-Margaret
     
  18. Patentleathershoes

    Patentleathershoes VFG Veteran VFG Past President

    you would NOT want to hear that because am completely out of muscle tone. :violins: (playing violin because it would be a major tragedy for anyone to hear me try to play now.)

    Anna i don't think has done the modelling thing for short little bit - but maybe after her little one arrives in the next few months she will be back to it :)
     
  19. fuzzylizzie

    fuzzylizzie Alumni

    Hi Margaret,
    It's so very nice to see you here!

    Lizzie
     
  20. denisebrain

    denisebrain VFG Vice President Staff Member VFG Past President

    Hi Lizzie, thank you so much! I just tried to send you some labels too (getting cocky about my fledgling ability to post I guess!), and I'm not sure if I did it right. Might I say, I <b>LOVVVVVVE</b> the label resource! Bravi tutti!

    <p>Chris, maybe we should do violin duets then, I'm strictly beginning on violin but it's fun!:violins::violins:

    <p>-Margaret
     
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