posted on February 18, 2004 11:18:08 AM new
My ever-helpful sweetie came up with a good idea.
If someone buttonholes you at the post office or the packaging supply store and wants to know all about eBay selling, simply hand them your business card.
"Please call the number here and we'll set up an appointment. My consulting fee is $250 an hour and I require payment by cash or money order at the time of consultation."
If the woman stammers or protests, you smile and say, "The first rule of making money on eBay is that you have to spend money to make it. Good day."
posted on February 18, 2004 12:37:55 PM new
It's a good idea, I've actually given a lot of thought to doing ebay consulting (I do other types of internet consulting) - This would be for local business, making sure they are set up with computers, accessories, and training them how to use the different programs to sell online. I know they mostly want to know what to sell, but it might be a good idea to turn it around and provide them info (for a fee) on how to sell.
posted on February 18, 2004 01:48:07 PM new
I like the idea of a "How to make thousands selling on eBay" seminar.
Lots of information out there about liquidators, drop shippers and b2b auctions. Odds are you can present that to a room full of people without cutting your own throat.
posted on February 18, 2004 02:43:48 PM new
Hah! I have been frequenting our favorite supply type site and I don't need any more competing bidders - give me a couple months to get fully stocked up before you let the world in on it
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
[ edited by Fenix03 on Feb 18, 2004 02:44 PM ]
posted on February 18, 2004 08:38:20 PM new
Fluffer: I LOVE your sweetie's solution! Hope I remember it next time.
I have given a little advice to close friends, none of whom have pursued selling on Ebay once they saw what was involved.
___________________________________
"I have resolved to allow my friends their peculiarities." -- Samuel Johnson
posted on February 18, 2004 09:29:58 PM new
Fluff - no the L word . I am surprised you didn't for their lot of bubble mailers last week.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on February 18, 2004 10:25:41 PM new
Ebayvet...Your original post brought to mind an Ann Landers column I read about 20 years ago. A reader wrote in that she had gone to a formal party and during the course of the evening she had been introduced to a "Dr. Smith". After talking to the distinguished looking doctor for awhile, she began to question him about a medical problem she thought she might have. He informed her that as a favor to the host, he would be happy to do a brief exam and possibly recommend a course of care. They went to a private room and he ordered her to disrobe. After about 15 minutes of probing, prodding and squeezing, he told her he had no idea what was wrong with her and she should make an appointment with a physician for a checkup. He explained to her that his doctorate degree was in polital science. She was furious and her question to Ann was whether it was legal for this guy to use the title Doctor? Her response was yes it was legal, and was followed up with the most classic piece of advice she ever gave: " You got what you paid for".
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on February 18, 2004 10:26:08 PM new
I don't give out advice anymore either, but I smile and nod when I'm in line at the post office. I might make a comment, when I see someone else with more packages than me- "are you selling on ebay? How's business, good I hope?" It passes the time.
When I was doing costuming, I had an assistant- she was a quick learner, and a real treasure. I only had to show her how to do something once, and she had it down. But she HAD me to show her how to do things, while I had had to invent the ways all by myself sometimes. (this is why I hate Martha Stewart, by the way all she has to do is hire someone who knows how to gold-leaf- I had to learn it. By myself. Trial and error.)
One day we made a hat for a client, and I charged the full rate. Chris looked at me and said "sixty dollars- and we know how long it actually took" I said- "yeah, it took 45 minutes to make the hat- and a lifetime to learn the skills that let me make it that quickly!"
When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple
with a red hat that doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
posted on February 19, 2004 09:14:25 AM new
I don't share my sources, but I am happy to give people who ask my standard advice about how to start a business online, whether it's eBay or on the web. It generally starts with "you need to get a resale license." Most people won't get past that sentence. If they do, it progresses to choosing products, and from there, I make suggestions about how they can research (by themselves) the products they want to sell. All very general information that could be gleaned from almost any entrepreneurship or retailing book at Amazon. It's polite, doesn't give away any trade secrets, takes less than 5 minutes, and keeps me on the "good karma" side of the universe. And 99.9% won't do anything with the information anyway.
For the other .1% that do want to do something with the information, it's a business opportunity in the making for me, because then they are interested enough to pay for it. And I'm happy to move up the supply chain and become their product supplier.
posted on February 19, 2004 09:20:02 AM new
If friends sound serious, I tell them I'll help them after they've bought at least 10 things on Ebay--so they understand and appreciate the buyer's perspective. And so they learn lots of stuff I'd have had to tell them about otherwise.
Even when they get hooked on buying on Ebay, none of them have asked for further information. It may be that they've seen a large part of what the seller has to do, to make a sale. At least if the seller is good at it!
___________________________________
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
You read about all these terrorists --- most of them came here legally, but
they hung around on these expired visas, some for as long as 10 -15 years.
Now, compare that to Blockbuster; you are two days late with a video and
those people are all over you. Let's put Blockbuster in charge of
immigration.
posted on February 19, 2004 09:39:24 AM newI am surprised you didn't for their lot of bubble mailers last week
If it's the one I'm thinking of, the shipping cost made it too expensive.
If it's not the one I'm thinking of, someone got a great deal instead of me. Oh well.
I'm having some problems with those folks, by the bye. You may or may not have noticed that I have no auctions running there.
I can't be more specific at the moment, but if they refuse to resolve the problems (which I suspect will be the case) I think I can come clean and let everyone know.
posted on February 19, 2004 11:23:20 AM new
I don't think it's the same one since it was still excellent pricing with shipping - I just overslept - The AM ending times clash with my sleep schedule.
I have noticed that I have not seen anything of yours listed lately after a run of some decent closings but din't thinkk it was because of anything negative - please do let me know what happened when you are able. I don't sell on the site, just a buyer but I haave done some inquiries about selling and would like to be able to anticipate any downfalls.
BTW - Know anyone good with auction scripts? There are some flaws from both the buyers and sellers point of view that I see that leave them open to competion.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on February 19, 2004 12:32:10 PM new
The quote to have the Cessna 182 Skylane shipped to my house was $1065. Maybe they're thinking of taking it apart and putting it into UPS-able boxes.
I think their shipping calculator works solely on weight, though, and 1000 pair of jeans probably does weigh more than 2150 lbs.
The auction says buyer can arrange his own shipping, so buyer will probably want to pick it up personally. My sweetie picked his 172 up at the Cessna factory, where they were using it as an instrument demonstrator.
posted on February 19, 2004 01:01:06 PM new
Actually - the jeans weigh 1250 pounds. Last item purchased I paid approx $90 for a shipment that cost less than $40 to actually ship. Your last lot it would have cost $62. The jeans are highly inflated- the plane was the surprise - given their normal trend I wa expecting something in the two grand range.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on February 19, 2004 01:12:25 PM new
Well, you know you're paying their costs of contracting a separate logistics company to do that work, plus some profit. Right? At least that's what I've always figured, given their strict "Buyer must use our shipping" policy on most things.
It's a great racket if you can make it work. The L folks get:
1) A stiff commission from the seller (minimum $200)
2) A buyer's premium
3) Some profit on shipping.
I'm surprised about those jeans, though. I always thought a pair of jeans weighed a couple of pounds, at least.
Signed,
posted on February 19, 2004 01:34:03 PM new
I am thinking of starting "How to do eBay" seminars. Seriously. The concept for hurting my own business is obvious, but what's the difference if a couple dozen newbies get started, given the millions who are already selling? Think of it: a couple of hundred dollars for one evening's work.
posted on February 19, 2004 01:56:13 PM new
::Well, you know you're paying their costs of contracting a separate logistics company to do that work, plus some profit. Right? At least that's what I've always figured, given their strict "Buyer must use our shipping" policy on most things. ::
Oh yes - I had the extreme displeasure of dealing with that company when one seller had not shipped for two weeks. I raised a fuss and the L staff approved an upgrade of the shipping from ground to 2 day then put me in contact with the logistics company who changed the address of the shipment to an incorrect one and still used ground. I was unimpressed.
As for the racket... why do you think I asked if you knew a good programmer - there is wiggle room to draw both bidders and sellers.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
. I am surprised you didn't for their lot of bubble mailers last week.