<\/p>\n
If your spring cleaning has uncovered items, you no longer need or you\u2019re simply looking to sell belongings you\u2019ve accumulated over the years an Erie-based business is offering to do the hard work for you.<\/p>\n
Doug Luthringer, founder of The Fast Mall, has spent more than 25 years helping people turn collectibles and household items into cash by selling them online. His service handles nearly every step of the process, from researching item values to listing, shipping, and completing transactions.<\/p>\n
Sorting through items like fine China, clothing, books, and memorabilia is all in a day\u2019s work for Luthringer. But before anything goes up for sale, he emphasizes one key step.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never buy anything. I only work for my clients, and the first step is always research,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Luthringer started The Fast Mall from his home, building it into an online selling service that primarily uses eBay as its marketplace. In 2009, he expanded operations, taking advantage of a licensing opportunity that allowed him to sell items on behalf of businesses, school districts, and individuals.<\/p>\n
Unlike traditional consignment shops, Luthringer brings his service directly to clients. That\u2019s exactly what he did for Erie resident Elena Marasco, who reached out to him three years ago for help managing a collection of inherited and personally accumulated items.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a combination of letting go and getting rid of,\u201d Marasco said.<\/p>\n
Since then, Luthringer has spent countless hours reviewing her collection, identifying items of value, and organizing them for sale. Marasco said she trusted the process from the beginning.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolute trust from the start,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Some of the most valuable items uncovered weren\u2019t always the ones people might expect. While many assume that collectibles like fine China or glassware hold significant value, Luthringer says that\u2019s not always the case today.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been told for generations to keep the fine China, to keep the pretty glassware because those things will be worth money someday and in general, the China is not worth anything. The Hummels have no value or very little value today,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Instead, items that have generated profit for clients include unique collectibles such as an Andr\u00e9 the Giant trading card, vintage jewelry including a Saks Fifth Avenue piece from 1926, and historical photos from decades past.<\/p>\n
Luthringer notes that smaller items often sell better and are easier to manage.<\/p>\n
\u201cSmaller-sized items tend to move faster and are easier to ship,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
His full-service approach includes photographing items, writing descriptions, managing listings, handling sales, packaging items, and processing payments. He charges a fee for his service, which differs from resellers who purchase items outright.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do charge a fee and that\u2019s where it\u2019s different from just buying things from people. I\u2019m trying to make as much money for my clients as possible,\u201d Luthringer said.<\/p>\n
For Marasco, the process has been both practical and motivational. While she continues t<\/p>\n
o look for additional ways to downsize her collection, she credits Luthringer with helping her get started through careful organization and steady progress.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe sends a monthly letter with a check and itemization and a breakdown of everything,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Over the course of his career, Luthringer has worked with more than 500 clients, helping individuals, families, and organizations navigate the often-overwhelming process of selling unwanted items.<\/p>\n
For those interested in learning more or connecting with Luthringer, The Fast Mall operates as an \u043e\u043d\u043b\u0430\u0439\u043d consignment service through eBay. He can also help connect potential buyers with clients like Marasco, who still have items they\u2019re hoping to find new homes for.<\/p>\n
For anyone looking to declutter and cash in, Luthringer\u2019s message is simple, you might be surprised by what still holds value and he\u2019s ready to help you find it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If your spring cleaning has uncovered items, you no longer need or you\u2019re simply looking to sell belongings…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":189527,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[74530,19373,84469,84467,136,138,137,84468],"class_list":["post-189526","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-erie","tag-collectibles","tag-consignment","tag-decluttering","tag-ebay","tag-erie","tag-erie-headlines","tag-erie-news","tag-online-selling"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/189526","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=189526"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/189526\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/189527"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=189526"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=189526"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=189526"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}