Constructive anti-eBay Talk: Where are you shopping?

[cranky_hippie]

Anyone recommend any antique or used item sites?

I could recommend mine if I could ever get it done.  :

[thentavius]

[quote author=cranky_hippie link=topic=5215.msg24143#msg24143 date=1158858012]
I'm not giving up at all, XPP. I just found it telling that those of us with websites didn't "seem" to think independent first rather than big box or major retailer. Now maybe you are right and they were thinking of new items.
[/quote]

Hmm... that's a good observation. In thinking about the sites I regularly buy from, most of the ones I listed are not mom-and-pop. Now that I'm seriously thinking about it, I wonder why? Iwonder if it's an unconcious choice to lean toward what I consider established places?

Or perhaps some of the sites *are* mom-and-pop, but don't readily announce it, therefore we assume they're bigger than they really are?

I have bought from:
http://www.soapwizards.com (mom and pop)

http://www.bethanddon.com  (mom and pop)
Handcrafted board games from all cultures - FANTASTIC work

ChinaDirect                  
http://www.chinadirectstore.com        (mom and pop)

I've also bought software from smaller one-person development sites before, like:

http://www.mapmage.com             (one guy)
(Roleplaying game software)

I can't think of any others right now... Maybe we can share some more smaller stores, too.

p.s. If you do stained glass, this is a good one:
http://www.delphiglass.com/

[thentavius]

You know what's funny--I haven't been able to sell diddly squat on Overstock since January. I used to sell pretty well.. It's kind of a bummer, too, because I've been pretty pleased with them.

I bought a few things through the auctions in 2004, but after that not much. I really do hate auction formats...

[cranky_hippie]

p.s. If you do stained glass, this is a good one:
http://www.delphiglass.com/

I've been thinking about trying my hand at stained glass or mosaics. Nice site, Thentavius. Thanks! 

[BellisimaJ.]

http://riogrande.com  (catalog sales; best source for jewelry designers)

I live a few blocks away from these guys and I pick stuff up in person. LOL.

Thentavius,

I I love Rio Grande. ALthough if I lived near the actual store, I am quite certain I would go broke, lol.

If you don't mind my asking, what do you sell?

PS//Try Michael's for florals.
http://www.michaels.com


Edited to add:

Cranky,

BEST  source pricewise and selection (you buy it by the sq ft) for glass mosaic tiles is :

http://www.susanjablonmosaics.com/p_Home.cfm

[thentavius]

Thanks for the florals idea. I found a few online, but most were wholesale and some were really expensive.

I do all kinds of things--but I'm assuming you're asking about jewelry? Fabrication of rings, pendants, bracelets, and lots of odd pieces (like crowns) from raw metals, with unusual gemstones. I also do jewelry casting.

Does anyone have a favorite woodworker site? Like someone they've bought handcrafted wooden furniture from before?

[Anita]

I ALWAYS look for a mom and pop kind of store for homemade or "crafty" items.

With so many websites looking so professional, it makes it difficult to find a mom and pop website though. 

What I used to do is find the item on eBay and then ask the person if they had a website.  8)

[BellisimaJ.]

Anita said:

What I used to do is find the item on eBay and then ask the person if they had a website.

[quote author=bud link=topic=5215.msg24145#msg24145 date=1158859900]
Sometimes I use ebay to search for items locally by zip code, contact the seller and cut out ebay at the quick. That way I can look the seller in the eye, inspect, test etc. Otherwise, I avoid ebay these days.

Shopping on Ebay was a craze onceuponatime, now it is just plain crazy.
[/quote]


Good ideas, Anita and Bud!

[thentavius]

With so many websites looking so professional, it makes it difficult to find a mom and pop website though. 

I think this is true for a lot of sites, actually.Some of the sites we may regularly shop on might be "little guys" who just make their site look really pro.

[xppman]

[quote author=thentavius link=topic=5215.msg24330#msg24330 date=1158973443]

With so many websites looking so professional, it makes it difficult to find a mom and pop website though. 

I think this is true for a lot of sites, actually.Some of the sites we may regularly shop on might be "little guys" who just make their site look really pro.
[/quote]

Yep thentavius I'm sure many of them are just mom and pops.