Real People: Kathy Terrill, from Show Biz to Ebay

WorthPoint likes to build community. One way we can do that is to introduce our readers to real people who have built careers out of buying and selling and highlighting real places to explore on thrifting adventures. The end goal: We want our readers to have some real fun in the world of antiques and collectibles.

Reselling is a considerable part of the business model in vintage, antiques, and collectibles. Some sellers offer a variety of items, from clothing to home décor, sports memorabilia, and artwork. Others have new inventories like electronics, handbags, and accessories. Regardless of the product and whether it’s sourced from thrift stores, estate sales, or wholesale distributors, managing a reselling business can be complex for those new to the industry.

WorthPoint spoke with Kathy Terrill, an eBay reseller and auction educator. She didn’t start in sales or the vintage space, but when she did begin her reselling journey, she’d come from a career in television and theater. She said her reselling business “synthesized her skill set of presenting, being on stage, and acting.”

EARLY DAYS

Terrill graduated from Northwestern with a theater degree and moved to New York City to pursue her passion for “legitimate theater.” For her, that meant the indie theaters, off-Broadway, and “off-off-Broadway” in small regional theaters. New York City also offers opportunities to act in soap operas. Small roles, known as “under-fives,” refer to characters with five lines or fewer. These roles typically last a day or two and help new actors develop their skills. Extra work also helps earn a small income, and many actors have retail jobs or jobs in restaurants to pay the bills. One of her hustles at the time was as a merchandise display worker for Macy’s, and that’s when brand managers from QVC reached out to her.

“Normally, brand managers and sales staff from the products sold on QVC would do the on-air presenting, but the location of the QVC studios in Westchester, PA, is difficult to get to, and a one-hour product feature could take a day or two with travel, shooting, and demonstrating. So they looked for experienced actors and others who could present products,” Terrill explained. “I spent 6 years with QVC, which worked well for me. I already had experience in brand ambassador work and merchandising, so I knew how to talk about products, describe them, and make them look good.”

Throughout her career in acting, QVC, and the “day jobs” that helped pay the bills, Terrill learned that “It’s great when you get to do what you love, and that’s what I tell people who ask me about career strategy, either in reselling online or acting. Whatever it is you want to do, go for it, do it.”

WHEN IT’S TIME TO PIVOT

So, how does a New York City theater actress/television presenter go from acting and brand ambassador roles to selling on eBay? It’s about knowing when a change has to come. For Terrill, it was increased family responsibilities. Her mother was experiencing some health issues and needed help. Terrill was the only one of her siblings living near her mother, so she left television presenting and theater work to help. She planned on simply “stepping away” for a few months, but she was needed longer. “It was an honor taking care of my mother. I’m glad I did it, but it was a turning point, for sure,” Terrill said.

Eventually, when her mother passed away, she cleaned out the family home, getting rid of some of the furniture and other items. When that was done, she realized that selling items was a career much like the retail and waitressing jobs many actors take. “It was something I could pick up and put down, as needed, so the plan was to start with just a few hours a week and then scale it up over three years to a full-time option. It only took me a year, but I never looked back.”

LEARNING AND SHARING

Once she had a handle on the basics of selling, she began to source her items from wholesale events like jewelry and gift shows and thrift stores. She says this is where her ability to pivot, as she had in her acting career, from one task to another, was a benefit. “Just like when one role or part was over, there might be a period of downtime, and then the next contract would come up, and you’d be on to a new task. Selling was like that since trends and demand can change.”

Some of the first items she sold were VHS tapes of older movies that weren’t always readily available or had gone out of print. “When you sell on eBay, it’s important to be able to switch to another category of merchandise when demand shifts. If you can sell videos, you can sell fitness gear, memorabilia, or clothing,” Terrill explained. Ebay management noticed her efforts and frequently asked her to be a guest on eBay Radio, a podcast and show aimed at helping eBay sellers get the most out of their sales. She also spent time at eBay events in Las Vegas, participating in panel discussions and other educational events for sellers. From there, it was a natural progression to having her own YouTube channel and helping others learn how to maximize their profits, manage inventory, and succeed in reselling.

When asked if there was one piece of advice she would offer to those new to selling on eBay, she said, “Avoid comparison. Don’t look at other sellers who are at different points than you are. The only one to compare yourself to is yourself. It’s OK to be part-time and work at selling for three hours, and it’s fine if you want to spend 40 hours a week on it, but looking around at what others are doing isn’t a good idea. There’s one way to learn how to list on eBay, and that is to list on eBay. Don’t overthink everything. There are some that I call ‘the sky is falling people,’ and they can make it seem like everything is so difficult, but it’s not quite that bad.”

TRY EVERYTHING

Terrill is a fan of trying different methods to boost sales. “There are so many tools and resources available, and WorthPoint is certainly one of them. They have a free trial option, and sellers should absolutely try it; it’s the only way to know if it will work for your shop.”

Terrill also explained that, given the economy now, sellers and buyers are all looking for one thing: value. “WorthPoint can help you determine value; it helps with pricing and finding out which items are hot and which might not be selling so well. Research is essential for resellers.”

Tariffs are also a concern for many sellers, and how they will impact eBay sellers remains to be seen. According to The Business of Apps, 80% of the items sold on eBay are new, and the remaining 20% are used. About 40% of items listed will sell, and used items (likely mostly vintage or collectibles) sell at a higher rate than new ones.

As the reselling community grows and develops, new best practices and methods will emerge. Staying informed is crucial, and resellers like Kathy Terrill are helping others take their sales to the next level. WorthPoint is committed to supporting power sellers and newbies with our pricing, sales, and trend resources. Has WorthPoint helped your seller efforts? Let us know at insider@worthpoint.com.

Brenda Kelley Kim lives in the Boston area. She is the author of Sink or Swim: Tales From the Deep End of Everywhere and writes a weekly syndicated column for The Marblehead Weekly News/Essex Media Group. When not writing or walking her snorty pug, Penny, she enjoys yard sales, flea markets, and badminton.

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