Detail To Resale 101. When Rags become Riches.

KOOPERSMITHin' #18
A Look @ Pop Culture at its Cheapest

By: ASK: Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith
Koopersmith's Global Communications
"People read what Adrienne writes about...
"Chicago, IL USA

DateLine: Tuesday, January 8, 2008

TOPIC: The Goodies discovered when you know how to properly 'Shop CHIC-ago'
and/or
You, too, can be seen as ‘most glamorous’ - any (miserable) Season of the Year on a Resale Budget. Many do. Many (more) should.

Attn: Newcomers. You’re in the Big City now – on The Verge of finding your Fame & Fortune, but first there are a few Things you need to know. A few Things you must get done. Listen up. This is all for your Benefit and Trust-FUNding whose root word is FUN.


FURNISH YOUR APARTMENT CHICAGO-STYLE:

One of the most exciting Elements about moving into a New Town is The Stores. That means Shopping in an Environment that may be totally different from the one you left. This means a different Style that you were ordinarily accustomed to, plus The Fact that each and every Region has its own Charm & Personality, like you, a Person(ality) chock-full of C&P. However, there are better Ways to shop than most People are blindly unaware. Trust me. I know. If I had only known of the Slew of Great Deals that beckon at RESALE STORES, I’d probably have saved over $100,000 the last 3.5 Decades of being a Chicago Resident.

There are super(b) Deals to be found. It is now My Mission to absolutely know where each and every one of them are. LET ME EXPLAIN: By methodically checking out Resale Stores you are finding one-of-a-kind Items that:

1. may have never been worn;

2. are slightly used;

3. were merely given away as the Owner didn’t like them for unknown Reasons; or

4. may have been from great Estates and must be liquidated (for much less than it’s worth, thus giving the Thrift Store Buyer an astounding Deal.

I have gotten the best-known Deals in Furniture, Knick-Knacks and Clothes at Resale Outlets since Boyfriend #31 (Buc) turned me on to them circa 1994. If I had only met him 20 years earlier. The Money I would have $aved could have been the Downpayment of nearly any thing my Heart desired.

THE HIERARCHY IN SHOPPING PREVAILS:

For the picayunish Shopper, there’s Designer Resale followed by regular Resale Stores. It’s now CHIC to ‘shop’ Resale whereas 40 years ago, only the Poor Kids (in Class) would go to Salvation Army Outlets. Usually the Mark-Downs hover around Ninety-Percent (90%). This is what I call RECYCLING at its Best. You do have to realize that when you shop for FINE ANTIQUES – they are actually Recycled Items, Furniture, Chandeliers, etc. from another Age and Era that were well-cared-for. Therefore, because of its pristine state, Antiques can and do command Top Dollars. The same Principle holds true at the Fine Auction Houses.


HOW IT IS DONE – TRICKS OF THE TRADE LEARNED FIRST HAND:

If (by chance), you are invited to a Party where you really don’t like the Celebrant (as a future Mother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law or Friend-of-a-Friend-of-a-Friend) all you need to do is GO TO RESALE, buy a Vase for 90¢, put it into a fancy Macy, Nordstrom’s or Neiman Marcus’ Gift-Box; buy a Card (2 for $1 at a Dollar Store) and some colorful Wrapping Paper (again found at a Dollar Store ) and voila: There you have it: a stunning Gift for less than $3.00. This is nearly cheaper than ReGifting and much more fun!

There are pertinent Degrees of Creativity here that cannot be found elsewhere. The Fun & Creative Elements cannot be beat! Sometimes the Tax seems higher than The Present (itself). Listen: No one needs to know…That’s THE REAL SECRET although THE TEMPTATION to spill “The Beans’ is very difficult to contain.

With the Money $aved from this Eco-Gifting, treat yourself to something you really want; or sock it away till a larger Sum is accrued and then splurge. Because Chicago (as a major metropolitan City) is actively participating in THE GREEN MOVEMENT & our newly-achieved SAVE-OUR-EARTH CONSCIOUSNESS is in full-swing, by either shopping or donating to Resale, you are cleverly Recycling that equates to bettering the Life and Longevity of THE PLANET. Even leading US TV Networks are maximizing Coverage to GO GREEN and to educate their Viewers in doing it as easily as possible.

Since Shopping is a vital Part of our Lives, Resale Shopping is a Win-Win Situation from all Sides of The Coin – Pun intended! This is the Best Method to use up that loose Spare Change. After all, The Change will do you good; make you feel better and ultimately upstart the (ailing) Economy. Even if you wear the outfit (shirt, dress, sweater, pants, blouse, shoes, knickers or scarf, etc.) only once and recycle it, therefore, it’s well worth its minimal Investment.

For those serious about THE ART & ACT OF RESALE SHOPPING, if you develop a real Pension, Passion and Skill for Resaling, it can be(come) a very lucrative Past-Time. Because an Item can be purchased for a few Dollars, it can then be sold on eBay for 100 Times the Price (or whatever you can get for it) it was purchased at.

One of the major Laws when Resale Shopping is: TAKE THE ITEM(s) WITH YOU. Even if you are not really sure if you need or want said Item, PICK IT UP and carry it with you until you are ready to check-out. Trust me. You'll be glad you did this. Years ago, I quickly ran in to my Favorite Resale Store and luckily found 8 awesome Items I wanted. However, I wasn’t going directly home, could not carry them, so I opted to hide them. I thought I hid them very well. Later that Day, I returned to buy them all. I looked here. I looked there. I looked everywhere. High & low. All had been found, confiscated and bought while I was gone.

Unfortunately, Resale Stores do not hold your Items. Their Policy is CASH & CARRY (only) and securing a Rpaid Turnover for all the more Items that continually arrive (on a daily basis – numbering in the thousands). Finders keepers. Losers weepers. Even if you wear the Item once, it’s well worth the Minor Price.

“Once bitten by the Resale Shopping Bug, you will never ‘go back’ to Retail Shopping. Even Wholesale looks too expensive.”

Quote of: ASK
Tuesday, January 08, 2008 – 11:25 AM

THE IRREFUSABLE DEAL: Resale Shopping puts The CHIC into CHICago (as I say) and the Money back in your Pocket. After all, with Global Warming, Foreclosures and the Iffyness of daily Life, Rainy Days are much more prevalent in the 21ST Century to larger numbers of People who are no longer insulated as they were 40 years ago. Being prepared with Cheaper Creature Comforts separates the Smart Shopper and Consummate Clothing Connoisseur from The Crowd. What's one Man's Rags are another's Riches.

CONTACT INFO:

Email ASK at:

askoopersmith@hotmail.com

to schedule a Day of Deluxe Resale Shopping with Ms. Koopersmith.

Co$t: 6 Hours + The Limo = $750.00. Fifty percent deposit required.

©2001-2008. Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.