Calling Attention

Posted on May 21, 2013 by papershopjen

Sometimes placing an ad online is just the way to go. It’s simple, straightforward and fast. And occasionally even the most outgoing folks among us just prefer the businesslike efficiency of using the internet to get things done.

But there are other times when you just need human input. Maybe you’re unclear about the kinds of ads we offer or you’re unsure how, exactly, to word that ad. Perhaps you’d like to check on the status of the ad or would simply feel more comfortable if you could hear the finished advertisement read back to you.

We get it. And we’re more than happy to help. We’re on the phones from 8 AM until 6 PM Monday through Thursday and from 8 AM to 5 PM on Fridays. Reach us locally at 570-969-3100 or toll-free at 1-800-537-9377.

FAQ: Why aren’t there online pictures for every ad?

Posted on May 16, 2013 by papershopjen

Questions. We love ‘em. When somebody has a question for us here at Paper Shop, we know that they’re either already advertising with us or thinking of giving us a try. We’re happy to help with and all inquiries, and we’ve found that a number of them are, well, frequently asked questions. Here’s where we take some time to talk about them.

This is a surprisingly common question, and though the answer might seem evident, there are a number of reasons why many of the online ads don’t include photos of the item. And, no, it’s not because only certain ads are eligible. Or because there’s a charge for posting a photo. In fact, we welcome photos for every single ad that’s placed, and it’s always, always free to do.

The most common reason for a dearth of photos is that the advertiser is either not comfortable using the internet or that they don’t feel a photo would enhance the appeal of the item (a good example of this might be, say, a hammer or a pallet of bricks). In other cases, the seller might assume that the item will sell quickly enough on its own merits that a photo isn’t necessary (oftentimes they’re right).

It never hurts, however, to ask for a photo of an item you’re interested in; even if the seller isn’t particularly internet-savvy, once they know they’ve got an interested party for the item, they may well commandeer a friend or family member to help get the photos to you via email.

Got a question for us? Ask! We’re happy to get you an answer.

Ad of the Week: Pop-Up Barrels

Posted on May 15, 2013 by papershopjen

Because we sell anything and everything, we often get ads for the interesting, the unusual and the extremely specialized. One of the best parts of working here is that we learn so much about so many different things. Here’s where we feature an ad that made us sit up and take notice.

We know you’ll understand why we got “Pop Goes the Weasel” stuck in our heads when this ad came in. And we hope you can forgive us for getting it stuck in yours, too. This ad was submitted via thepapershop.com, so we saw the text just before we saw its appropriate category; as you can guess, our imaginations ran wild!

POP-UP BARRELS $50. +(FACTORYVILLE) 570-290-3019

We imagined something like this:

But today’s item looks more like this:

Not quite as musical, but something fun nonetheless: pop-up barrels are used to practice for barrel racing, which is a rodeo event in which horses & riders negotiate their way around a pattern of barrels, competing for the fastest time. The course consists of three barrels placed in a triangular shape in the center of the arena. Because it’s a sport that relies on both the speed of the horse and the skill of the rider, you can imagine that there’s lots of practice involved. And you can imagine just how useful these barrels might be (even without the pop-up clown).

Ad of the Week: Cigar Store Indian

Posted on May 8, 2013 by papershopjen

He looks a little disgruntled. Or maybe even a little bored. We suppose it’s because he hasn’t yet realized that he’s this week’s star ad:

Here are his vitals:

CIGAR STORE INDIAN 6′H., wooden, sell $450. (VG) +(MT.TOP) 570-606-5613 (See Picture Online)

Since we’re all about advertising, this fine fellow fascinated us. Traditionally, cigar store indians stood outside tobacco shops to inform the largely illiterate public that tobacco was for sale within. Very much like the striped barber shop pole or the three brass balls that could be found at pawn shops, this wooden figurine let everyone know that this establishment was a purveyor of tobacco. Why an indian in particular? Because tobacco was introduced to early settlers by the Native American population (who subsequently became strongly associated with tobacco in the public consciousness).

Interestingly, the very first statues of this sort appeared in Europe in the 17th century. And since the European craftsmen who carved them had never been to the New World, much less seen a Native American, the earliest ones were incredibly fanciful and bore little resemblance to the dress of actual Native Americans. In addition, female figures originally outnumbered male ones.

Find him (and countless other interesting items) in our Antiques & Rare Items category, starting on page 36 of this week’s issue.

Missing

Posted on May 7, 2013 by papershopjen

It’s funny how you get when you’re missing something, especially when it’s something very specific. If you’re a collector, you know the feeling well; in fact, hunting down those hard-to-find parts of the collection is a huge part of the fun. If nothing else, the internet has taught us that whatever strange or unusual collection you might be working on, there are others with the same yen.

Did you ever consider using the airwaves to find that item? You could reach a rather wide audience on Paper Shop Live!, and – best of all – it costs nothing. We welcome you to give us a call on Saturday, tell us a little about what you’re working on and let us help you hunt down what, exactly, you’d like to find.

We don’t care if it’s a part for an antique car, a serving piece to complete that antique china collection or even something you’d just like to have for sentimentality’s sake, such as an old toy. Call us. Tell our audience. Get collecting! 9-10 am Saturday, 1-888-303-0630

Visit Us!

Posted on May 2, 2013 by papershopjen

See us in our natural habitat!

Of course, that sounds far more exciting than it really is. You won’t see the exotic settings that you’d find on wildlife programs, but what you will find is a small office full of folks who are ready to help you.

We welcome you to stop by to place an ad, report a sale, pay a bill or even just pick up a fresh copy of Paper Shop. If you need photos taken of an item you’d like to sell, we’re ready to help you with that. Whenever we’ve got a giveaway in the works, you’re welcome to fill out an entry form while you’re here, too.

We’re here from 8 am until 6 pm on Monday through Thursday and from 8 am until 5 pm on Fridays. You can find us at 330 Montage Mountain Road in Moosic; we’re just past PNC field and to your right.

Thanks!

Posted on May 1, 2013 by papershopjen

We’re closing in on the 200 post mark (and our 6 month anniversary), and we’d just like to take a moment to thank you for keeping up with us.

As always, you’re welcome to comment here, say hello on Facebook, throw a tweet our way, or even contact me, the blog author, at jenk@thepapershop.com. I am happy to answer your questions and I’m always open to suggestions regarding the kind of things you’d like to find out about Paper Shop and all the interesting items we advertise.

Your support & readership is most appreciated. Thank you!

Ad of the Week: Element #2

Posted on May 1, 2013 by papershopjen

We’re making a concerted effort to keep our voices from taking on the dulcet tones of cartoon characters as we present this week’s ad *ahem*:

R-20 HELIUM TANK & REGULATOR blows up approx. 50-12″ balloons w/every fill-up, save lots of money, refill is less than $20., w/regulator, $100. +(DURYEA) 570-451-1265; 570-983-9965

You know us, and it will come as no surprise that we wondered why inhaled helium makes your voice sound so odd. It turns out that helium is far less dense than the air that we normally breathe, so sound moves much more quickly through it. As wild as it seems, the speed of your vocal frequency is increased, giving your voice that weird sound.

(While helium itself is non-toxic, we need to remind you here that helium inhalation is not a particularly safe practice, and it’s especially important that you never, ever inhale it from the tank. To do so might result in lung damage and even death.)

Aside from the purpose pointed out in the ad (balloons!), helium is also used in arc welding, cryogenics and is combined with oxygen to help deep-sea divers avoid nitrogen narcosis (a state of mental confusion caused by the effects of nitrogen on the brain).

This week’s ad? A gas!

You’re invited.

Posted on April 14, 2013 by papershopjen

See us in our natural habitat.

You can, you know. You’re always welcome to stop by our office – we’d be happy to see you! Whether you’d like to place an ad, report an item sold, pay a bill or pick up a fresh new copy of Paper Shop, our doors are open to you.

You can find us at 330 Montage Mountain Road in Moosic. We’re just past PNC Field and to the right. We’re here from 8am until 6pm Monday through Thursday and 8am until 6pm on Fridays.

FAQ: Why is there a plus sign just before locations in ads?

Posted on April 11, 2013 by papershopjen

Today’s query is a shockingly common question. We get asked all the time why there’s a little + just before the location in every ad. Generally we’re asked directly, but every once in a while we’ll get a mystery-minded caller who suspects they’ve cracked some sort of code and wants confirmation.

Here’s the symbol in question:

We’d love to tell you that it’s evidence of a highly-developed system of ad ratings or even discreet commentary on the location of the item at hand, but the truth is far more prosaic. Our ad system automatically inserts the location right next to the phone number, and the plus sign – despite looking rather, well, positive – is just there to help differentiate visually between the numbers listed for the price of the item and the contact number for that item.

And that’s positively the long & short of it.

The Paper Shop Blog

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