fluffythewondercat
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posted on March 25, 2004 10:55:13 AM new
think outside the box
There's a stack of marketing books next to my Jacuzzi tub. My favorite, despite the title, is _Marketing for Dummies_ by Alexander Hiam. Does it address eBay selling? No. But there's a great idea on practically every page. Check it out.
Sellers, do you send out postage-paid survey cards with your orders? Don't you want to know who your customers are, why they bought from you, what they want and how happy they are? A surprising number of people return them, I've found. They like the contact. Costs you about 25 cents apiece. Here are some of the postcard comments (not all complimentary!):
"I look through your site AT LEAST one a week. I am one of your frequent buyers and have NEVER been disappointed. If anything your pieces are nicer than pictured and can't beat the prices! Thanks SO MUCH! And please keep taking my CHECKS!"
Praise is nice, but it's also helpful to know that most sellers won't take a check from this frequent buyer. Maybe we should play that up in our ads.
"Very bad billing service--reported me for non payment after 3 emails requesting payment instructions. Will NEVER buy again."
This is from an AOL user who refused to look in her spam folder for our invoices. Never buying from us again is probably the right action, since neither she or AOL are likely to change their ways.
"Would greatly appreciate some feedback!"
We pay a service to return positive feedback, but that didn't happen here. Left her feedback. eBay feedback is not important to me, but it is to other people.
"Repeat customer - excellent service, fast delivery, quality items."
This person also indicated that she found our listing by browsing the category, rather than by keyword or seller search. That's useful to know. Can I improve my titles?
As far as I know, I am currently the only eBay seller who encloses a survey card with some orders.
--
"The word 'aerobics' came about when the gym instructors got together and said: `If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it Jumping Up and Down.'" -- Rita Rudner
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on March 25, 2004 12:08:04 PM new
Oh, one other thing.
If you want to succeed (at anything), stay away from people with negative energy.
There are a couple of people I don't have much to do with anymore because of their negativity. One is a relative.
--
"The word 'aerobics' came about when the gym instructors got together and said: `If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it Jumping Up and Down.'" -- Rita Rudner
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micmic66
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posted on March 25, 2004 01:40:57 PM new
Reamond, here is my ID and I am proud to offer it up. Each and every item I sell comes from a garage sale and I save it up for months so I list all winter long. Ebay is my hobby and without it I would be working a part time job or two. Get your head out of your %@$ and have a little fun! Pay a little, Make a LOT. Be sure to check "completed"
retroplace
[ edited by micmic66 on Mar 25, 2004 01:42 PM ]
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bigpeepa
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posted on March 25, 2004 01:53:53 PM new
sabreelectronics, I have made enough money selling on Ebay to 100% pay for my son's college. Yes, I think it is possible to make money on Ebay. Having said that I don't think its wise to only sell on Ebay. I don't think people like fluffy or anyone else should put all their eggs in only one basket like Ebay. I wish everyone well but I don't think people realize how much it cost in both time and money to set up a business and run a full time business. Things like having "WORKER BEES" around you can sting. If Ebay was the only place I had to sell I would worry. Please remember one more thing if you haven't already noticed there is a awful lot of B.S. on this board. Watch out for what people are telling you. Most posters here do not run a full time business or make much money on Ebay.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on March 25, 2004 02:45:31 PM new
I don't think people like fluffy or anyone else should put all their eggs in only one basket like Ebay.
Why?
No, I mean it. I keep hearing this repeated as if it is a law of nature, so explain why.
Do you really think that one of the few online companies to survive the tech bubble-burst is going to up and vanish anytime soon?
Do you really think that anyone out in the "real world"--except, maybe, people feeding at the public trough--has a job for life?
I want you guys to actually think through this stuff. I have. This is the fourth career change I've made in 32 years. I doubt it will be the last.
So what if eBay goes away?
Guess I'd better add to my recommendations: "Thrive on change".
--
"The word 'aerobics' came about when the gym instructors got together and said: `If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it Jumping Up and Down.'" -- Rita Rudner
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stopwhining
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posted on March 25, 2004 03:05:51 PM new
reamond,
u said you are consulting ceo and mbas.
i think when you ask the question is anyone turning a profit,you have to define for us what is your definition of profit.
net profit after tax from operations is net after all expenses,and payroll cost is one of the expenses,depreciation of car used in business is an expense,so is use of office and storage space.
most of the sellers who said they are turning a profit is saying they are making a living.
we are making a living by selling on ebay,we are not running a business acceptable according to any corporate business model,neither is our bookeeping GAAP(if there is any bookeeping at all).
if cash coming in is more than cash going out,it is our paycheck(which many call profit).it is not profit,divide it by the number of hours we spent,it comes to 35 cents an hour.
35 cents/hour is the maximum wage in rwanda.
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
[ edited by stopwhining on Mar 25, 2004 03:06 PM ]
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stopwhining
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posted on March 25, 2004 03:08:34 PM new
more,
reamond,
if you are making 100k consulting ceo and mbas,why are you wasting your time here asking us?why are you wasting our time trying to tell you something we accept as way of life on ebay??
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
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rustygumbo
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posted on March 25, 2004 03:52:41 PM new
i started 5 years ago, and my sales go up every year. this may be the first year that it doesn't. this is only because i opened a vintage/mid-century modern storefront here in Portland. what i sell online is quite different than what we sell in our store, but the store wouldn't exist if it wasn't for my ebay sales over the last 3 years. i'm shifting gears and trying to focus more on selling collectible items rather than selling new stuff. eventually, my plans are to do ebay only in the winter (September - March) and work the store the other months.
i think you'll find many sellers do quite well, whether they exclusively sell through ebay, or use it as part of the whole pie. it is all a matter of how you wish to work your business. if you enjoy a computer, taking photos, and listing, then you'll do well if you have good product. if you don't care for computers, or are slow then you may only want to do it to suppliment.
here is a blast from the past. when i first started on ebay, i couldn't afford a digital camera, so i would use my 35mm SLR with film. i would pay for film, developing, and then would scan photos into my computer. that took forever. i would list about 10-15 items a week at first, now i'm up to managing 125-200 items a week. that is what it took for me to get started though, and i'm sure glad i did. the first thing I ever sold was a Hulk Hot Wheels car that I found at a thrift store. I sold it for $79.00 and paid $1.00. I was hooked!!!
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MAH645
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posted on March 25, 2004 03:53:59 PM new
Yes, I make money on E-Bay and at the Flea Market and I do turn a profit. The more you put into something the more you get out of it. To be a seller who makes alot of money you must invest money and time. There is money to be made if you can afford a large inventory and you know the right sources. But you also have to work hard to market your product,you can't just throw it on the shelve and hope somebody will give you big money for it.
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whatnot3
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posted on March 25, 2004 05:06:25 PM new
Just do like this seller: http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=dvdairline&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=50
Just make your own CDs to sell. Might get in trouble if you aren't in China though. There are several of them doing it that I have seen in the last few days.
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Libra63
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posted on March 25, 2004 05:24:42 PM new
I don't know about millions but better than decent. Not me but another seller I know. They deal only in high end antiques. Every once in a while throw in some lower ones. They are doing really good. I think what they list in a week keeps them their power seller status. Then there is another seller I know that sells low end items runs lots of auctions and does really good. Took early Retirement and now is just doing eBay. I think there are quite a few of them but none post in here because they are to busy selling.
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Libra63
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posted on March 25, 2004 05:34:43 PM new
Bigpeepa - Please remember one more thing if you haven't already noticed there is a awful lot of B.S. on this board?
How do you know this for a fact. Give us some examples. All I know about you is that you come in here a complain about the price of gas. Get over it it will not change.
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sabreelectronics
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posted on March 25, 2004 05:54:24 PM new
Glad I got so many replies, but ...
It seems most of those saying they make a profit are selling antiques or things from estate sales. I wouldn't exactly call those "new items."
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Fenix03
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posted on March 25, 2004 05:59:00 PM new
Fluffy and I both sell new items if that helps.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
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ninerfanzz
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posted on March 25, 2004 06:08:04 PM new
I sell new items as well. Its all in the buying...
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momof3boys
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posted on March 25, 2004 07:00:23 PM new
Mine too are all new. We buy in such bulk that we can get discounts that most other sellers can't beat (or stay in business long if they do).
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Reamond
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posted on March 25, 2004 07:39:05 PM new
The one thing that irrittes the hell out of my is people who assume that because they have not been able to do something , no one else can.
What I can or can't do is irrelevant. I've never said one way or the other what I can or can not do.
But it appears that I have tapped into the BS vein regarding eBay.
I think there may in fact be eBay employees spreading the bulk of the BS about the profit action on eBay.
I also think it would be interesting to see exactly who the buyers were in the first year or two of eBay. I'll bet that many were eBay employees.
But look where the "facts" have taken us.
We have a single person supporting a loft and cable TV who has made a living for 4 months and maybe some previous years.
Another who claims to make a living and yet others who make some money or have paid for this or that with "profits".
Bottom line: It appears that probably no one is making a living wage from eBay.
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Fenix03
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posted on March 25, 2004 08:23:28 PM new
Reamond - check ebay, maybe you can find a life there because at this point I truly believe that you have actually decided to entertain yourself with baiting. No one can be this dense, but you have given new definition to sad.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
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sparkz
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posted on March 25, 2004 08:49:01 PM new
Reamond...Are you a seller on Ebay? Are you even a registered user on Ebay? Every statment that you type comes that much closer to confirming my suspicion that the BS vein you refer to starts at your mouth and trolls endlessly over these threads. Frankly, I question your credibility to even offer an opinion on anything having to do with online auctions.
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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kiara
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posted on March 25, 2004 09:17:07 PM new
Here is a more up to date list of the eBay top 500 than the list I posted the other night. It shows Jan, Feb, and March of this year.
http://www.nortica.com/UserArea/
Edited to add that Germany is doing very well.
The list is based on feedback ratings and #70 is NARU and his last feedback was from a year ago.
[ edited by kiara on Mar 25, 2004 09:30 PM ]
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jake
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posted on March 25, 2004 09:36:12 PM new
The few sellers I looked at near the top of that list aren't very impressive, and most probably aren't very profitable either. Hell, even the #1 sellers are looking to get out.
Just as I predicted here in '99, the good days are over.
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bigpeepa
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posted on March 26, 2004 03:21:53 AM new
fluffy, you post a lot on this board and help a lot of people. I am sure people are thankful for your efforts. You asked why you should not focus 100% on ebay for sales. I say why should you only focus on ebay and miss other markets. You said you want to have "worker bees" around you that's fine but do be careful these people you call "worker bees" don't sting you.
Libra63, Yes, I did make a post about high gas prices cutting into my profits and yes that is happening. About BS on this board. The posts both you and I made is the only example you need to see about what I am saying about BS. You and I both went blah blah about something we were not asked to comment on. Both you and I had no first hand info to reply to this post that's BS in my book.
Its 6;30 am and I am off you look for more junk to sell on Ebay and other markets. Have a good weekend all.
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glassgrl
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posted on March 26, 2004 04:39:58 AM new
I found someone that makes quite a nice earning selling on ebay. Check her auctions:
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=mmh3of5&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=50
& her completed auctions:
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MfcISAPICommand=ViewListedItems&userid=mmh3of5&include=0&since=30&sort=3&rows=25
I only saw her auctions when Yorkie Rescue daily newsletter said "wow check these yorkies out".
Evidently the highest bidder was determined to have the pair of yorkies that the seller made. The sad part is the Bid History on this one. A (now) NARU 0 bidder increased the bids by 2-3 thousand dollars.
http://offer.ebay.com/ws3/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=2992284504
my husband wants to know why I can't make these!
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stopwhining
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posted on March 26, 2004 05:02:11 AM new
looks like more than one id is used for shill bidding.
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
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stopwhining
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posted on March 26, 2004 05:13:36 AM new
read the feedback left by the seller and read the feedback left by her high bidder-cindereyes.
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
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Twelvepole
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posted on March 26, 2004 05:35:49 AM new
reamond I am curious as to what anyone's ID has to do with your ASSumption they are or are not making a living... the database only lets you search back 90days... that hardly is any kind of economic indicator...
But then again you keep hedging your bets... Are YOU making a living from eBay? What is YOUR eBay ID?
AIN'T LIFE GRAND... 
http://www.nogaymarriage.com/
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neglus
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posted on March 26, 2004 05:39:34 AM new
Stop..I don't think there is shill bidding at all there! Cindereyes won another auction for $6,999 and the second highest bidder was one with 200+FB http://offer.ebay.com/ws3/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=2994216491
I couldn't see any feedback left by cindereyes.
Good for this seller! Looks like she has beautiful items - I'll bet it takes a lot of time to make them though.
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Twelvepole
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posted on March 26, 2004 05:44:58 AM new
[ edited by Twelvepole on Mar 26, 2004 09:46 AM ]
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stopwhining
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posted on March 26, 2004 06:17:46 AM new
the seller is risking (1) paying high final value fee on her own items.
(2) if she files for refund one time too many,she will attract ebay attention and run the chance of being suspended.
-sig file -------we eat to live,not live to eat.
Benjamin Franklin
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on March 26, 2004 06:24:22 AM new
Thanks for posting the link to these auctions. The cocker spaniel is adorable. My first dog was a cocker named Taffy...run over by Mr. Everett down the road. My sister and I badmouthed Mr. Everett for years as a dogkiller. It wasn't until a few years ago that my mother said that when he realized what he'd done, he sat down and cried like a baby.
The cat, on the other hand, is not very realistic and poorly proportioned.
--
"The word 'aerobics' came about when the gym instructors got together and said: `If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it Jumping Up and Down.'" -- Rita Rudner
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