Alex's Somewhat Collectible Stuff

You can find me and my items right here:
Alex's Somewhat Collectible Stuff

Note: not all items pictured may be available at this time. This is just a sample of what you might find when you browse through my booth.

Jewelry
These are 2 fantastic real diamond rings. The one on the left is an antique cluster ring, currently available. The one on the right is a vintage 1/4 carat ring with a 14K-18K gold band, also currently available.

China
These are 2 stunning example of antique china pieces that I offer. The one on the left is a limoges hand painted porcelain plate; at right, a beautiful Imperial Crown China Austria plate featuring the artwork of Angelica Kauffmann.

Glass
I'm an avid glass enthusiast and collector and really like making these sorts of items available to others. At left is a pretty Fenton mini hobnail ruffled vase and at right is an Avon lead crystal candle holder.

Coins
In addition to glass, I'm also an avid coin collector and seller. I especially enjoy old, obsolete American coins, such as this great 1849 Braided Hair large cent(left) and excellent 1858 Flying Eagle small cent(right).

Handbags
This is something I have limited quantities of(were part of my inheritance), and after they're gone, I likely will not offer any more. At left is a very nice Oroton bag, and at right is an older Coach bag that is desperate for some love and attention.

Collectibles
I always offer a wide assortment of collectible items. Shown here is a genuine, non-dug Civil War Navy coat button that has been modified in to a stick pin, and a Ruege Berta Hummel Music box.

Football Cards
I have a huge assortment of more current football cards, including a few with autographs. At left is a signed Eli Manning card and at right is a signed Plaxico Burress card. We're Giants fans around here(but there are plenty of other teams to choose from... if you must).

That's certainly not all, but if I continued to show you everything, your head might explode from the sheer coolness of it all. Plus, I'd really dig it if you came by my booth and took a look at everything I've got to offer.


I VERY RARELY offer the same item twice, so if you spot something you want, grab it fast before it's gone. Some of my items are reasonably easy to find elsewhere(hey, at least I'm honest), but others are extremely unique(such as the limoges plate and the antique diamond cluster ring) and you may never again in your lifetime see anything exactly like them. So stop by and find yourself some cool stuff!

Alex's Somewhat Collectible Stuff

Need help? Have a look here. This information is far from everything you may need to know, or what's available to you, but it can likely help you get started in the right direction.

Promoting
If you sell on Bonanzle, you need to promote yourself. You've probably heard that at least once or twice or twenty times, but it's really true. Unlike eBay, where the traffic flows pretty freely(or, well, it used to), there is not yet a steady stream of buyer traffic on Bonanzle, nor is the site widely known. So, in order for potential customers to find you, you have to devise ways to let them know you're there, and that Bonanzle is a safe and secure place for them to make their purchases. Reality is, people are wary in general of sending their hard-earned dough to a total stranger on the internet, and even more so on relatively unknown sites like Bonanzle.

So, what should you do? If you have a selling history on eBay, import your feedback to your Bonanzle account, even if you really, really don't want to. That feedback is extremely useful in establishing yourself as someone who can be trusted to do business with. While it's possible to makes sales with no feedback whatsoever, it does tend to work against you to some extent, particularly with buyers who may have been burned on eBay in the past by low/no feedback sellers.

Also, if you're a current or former eBay seller, consider contacting your customers, especially those who have made multiple purchases from you in the past, and let them know that you can now also be found on Bonanzle(don't forget to provide them with a link to your booth!). Use caution when doing this, as it can be a bit tricky and potentially backfire-- some buyers simply do not care to be bothered beyond paying for and receiving their purchases, and may view your promotional efforts as little more than spam. You may want to limit your contact to those you feel confident will appreciate your information. Do not contact the same customer more than once-- if they're interested, they'll come check it out. If not, let it go and focus on developing new customers. As well, if you are still selling on eBay, consider printing up some simple flyers or business cards and including them in your packages when you ship. Whatever you do, DON'T BEG. Keep it professional and informative.

Another way to gain some new customers is to seek out message forums that cater to the types of items you offer for sale. If you sell Hummels, do a Google search for Hummel and find forums where collectors gather and talk. Before you post anything, make absolutely certain that advertising is permitted and that you post in the correct area of the forum. Respect all rules of any forum you choose to advertise on, otherwise you'll just look like a spammer.

Drive traffic
Yes, here's what you're really here for. Ways to drive traffic straight to your booth. There are really endless ways this can be done, though it's best if you focus more on methods that have the potential to drive more targeted traffic to you. Targeted traffic is traffic that is more likely to be actively seeking-- or at least have some interest in-- what you're offering. Untargeted traffic might possibly yield you a sale or two if you're lucky and one of your visitors just happens to be in to what you've got, but it will take more time this way.

Targeted traffic
The following links can assist in driving more targeted traffic to your booth.


EveryPlaceISell
EveryPlaceISell is likely the number one method for driving truly targeted traffic to your Bonanzle booth or other selling venue, because that is specifically what it is designed to do. The registration process may take a day or two, as all sites submitted are manually reviewed before acceptance, but after that it flows very quickly and easily. If you are not registered here, do so now(right now!). Once you are accepted, place your banner with your link anywhere you can-- on your blog, on any websites you may run, in promotional communities, etc. You can register more than one site as well, so be sure to add each site you want traffic for.


The Top 100 Bonanzle Booths List
note:this site is Bonanzle-specific
Here's another good method for driving targeted traffic. Some folks poo-poo these kinds of sites, however, they really do tend to generate traffic. With this site, you add your booth to the list, write a brief description of what you have to offer, and perhaps upload a small banner(strongly recommended, as this attracts attention), and away you go. After acceptance on to the list, you will be given tools to help promote the list itself. Additionally, since everyone else is given those same tools to promote, lots of people will end up browsing this list at some point or another, and YOUR booth could be the one that stands out to them. Maybe you're offering that super rare Star Trek figure that someone else has been seeking for years-- they could find it right here.

The Other Top 100 Bonanzle Booths List
note: this site is Bonanzle-specific
Yes, it's another Top 100 list just like the previous, and it functions in the same manner. It might seem redundant to join multiple similar lists, but it actually isn't, as incoming traffic to these lists can vary, and one person who views one of the lists may not necessarily ever see the other. It's always going to be in your best interest to get yourself out there in as many advertising venues as possible.

The ReallySmartDeals Top 100 Shopping Sites List
Alright, so obviously I think these Top 100 lists are valuable. ReallySmartDeals is the same as the above, but open to more than just Bonanzle sellers. Wouldn't it be cool to join this list and get yourself ranked higher than someone selling on other more well-known sites?

The Top 100 Sellers List
Last one. Same concept. No reason not to.


Slightly less targeted traffic
These sites will help drive traffic, but it might not be quite so targeted.


Plumdrop
This site is basically for sellers to sign up and let everyone else know you're alive. It's very simple to set up and use, you pretty much just need to cut/paste your selling site info in to the boxes provided. You can also join groups in which you can advertise(please do so sparingly so you don't look like a spammer), add lots and lots of friends(who could possibly become customers, if you have what they're after), and write blog posts if you so desire.


ReallySmartDeals
This site is a traffic exchange program geared toward buyers and sellers. Offers off-site text and banner links as well, which are pretty effective.


Extra super untargeted traffic-- but still worth it
Using these sites will generate you a lot of traffic, but much of it will be untargeted. That's okay though, a positive flow of traffic is never a bad thing, and like I mentioned earlier, it's entirely possible that someone from this untargeted flow will be looking for just what you're offering. Use these resources-- they're worth it.


LinkReferral
LinkReferral is a remarkable traffic-getter, because the entire concept of the site involves other users viewing your site in exchange for other users viewing their site. You WILL see a massive traffic increase to your site by registering here, however, this site also requires a small amount of effort(once daily) on your part to keep you visible. It's not hard at all, and you'll probably have at least a little fun looking at all the different sites.


Twitter
Twitter, as odd as it is, is an incredible resource for getting the word out that you and your goods are just waiting for great new customers to stop by and have a look around. Bonanzle members are able to "tweet" an item directly from it's page, and you'll be able to attach a small description or point of interest(Bonanzle will attach the actual item link, you don't need to do that). If you're not using Twitter, you're missing out on a HUGE market.


Some notes on Twitter
First, Twitter is almost impossible to manage if you use it directly from the web. I strongly recommend downloading TweetDeck. You'll be amazed at how much easier everything is when you use TweetDeck.


Additionally, you'll need followers, otherwise you'll just be talking to yourself. It's fine to start with friends, family, and other Bonanzle members, but you need more than that. I recommend TweeterGetter for this. You will build followers very rapidly with this method, just remember that they are entirely untargeted. Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter.

Note: when you get followers, always be sure to follow them in return. It's common courtesy, and if you don't follow your followers, you may find they begin to UNfollow you... which is exactly what you don't want. Also, along with advertising, "tweet" a few other things, like something interesting you did or saw, and respond to those who "tweet" things that catch your interest. Show people that you're engaged and paying attention to them.


So there we have it. This is a nice l

Here's a quick rundown of where you can find me online:

My Bonanzle Booth
Seemed like the obvious place to start.

My Bonanzle Community on LiveJournal
All are welcome to join this community, whether you're a seller or a buyer, Bonanzle member or not, come see what it's all about. Note that LJ is a blog site, and I know new users sometimes have trouble figuring out how it all works, so here's a direct link to the actual blog portion of the community.

My Selling Blog
Admittedly not updated or maintained as well as I'd like, but you're welcome to follow it anyway.

My Bonanzle Portal Page
Contains much of the same information listed here, but it's kind of nifty to look at anyway.

Twitter
My Twitter account, as previously mentioned.

My Plumdrop Account
My Plumdrop page, if you want to add me as a friend.

My EPIS Listing
My listing on EveryPlaceISell. This is what your page will look like as well once you're registered.

Here's one of my other lens, dedicated to my love o' glass:

Alex's Glass Showcase

Other swell lenses coming soon!