Crazy eBay sellers

[archcommus]

So I was browsing around FatWallet and I found this thread. It's a giant eBay selling thread that's been going on for about a year. Lots of advice and tips and success stories from power sellers and the like.

I'm very impressed by a lot of the people who posted there. Some of them are people still in high school, who have managed to find competitive prices online and make thousands a month. Some of them are adults who do it for a living. Others are still in college or younger and make more than my parents make.

But I have to wonder, are these people normal? Some of them are people who have a degree in something and a real job, and then eventually quit it to sell on eBay full time. I can't possibly imagine ever doing that. Even if eBay can earn you twice the money in half the time, how could you leave the security of a real world job for something that DEPENDS on the deals you can find online? Not only that, but most of these people do not work with drop shippers, they buy everything themselves, have it shipped to them, and reship it out themselves to their buyers. And these are people sometimes doing 10+ items a day or more. No matter how efficient you eventually get at it, wouldn't that require hours upon hours a day, every day, and not only that but racking up your CC bills to pay for stuff you're buying before you sell it? I don't see how you could have a life at all and still do all that.

Okay, so maybe I'm just ignorant. Just wanted to hear some opinions.

 

[Zap Brannigan]

Anyone on there ever claim that he would club a baby seal to get a better deal?

Now that would be a crazy e-bay seller.

 

[archcommus]

I could picture one of them doing that if necessary.

 

[Wag]

I would eat a bug to give you a better deal.

 

[jpeyton]

Well you probably can't imagine it because you're still selling Diablo 2 items.

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Well you probably can't imagine it because you're still selling Diablo 2 items.

Actually I'm not. WoW killed it.

 

[Baked]

What you have to wonder is how they get the items they sell on ebay came from? If I can pickup stop dropped from trucks I'd be rich selling on ebay too. And of course, I'll be sure to charge $30 per pound for shipping.

 

[badmouse]

To be honest, I actually enjoy the game.

 

[archcommus]

But how much do you do it? Enough to quit your job? I was just amazed at 1) the number of people who have quit CAREERS to sell, and 2) the amount of people who openly admitted to spending 6+ hours a day finding deals, answering emails, and packing and shipping.

 

[PowerMac4Ever]

iirc, a lot of the high volume eBay ballers left FW and formed their own forum. A regular like RossMAN would know the details.

 

[xXped0thugXx]

Originally posted by: archcommus87
But how much do you do it? Enough to quit your job? I was just amazed at 1) the number of people who have quit CAREERS to sell, and 2) the amount of people who openly admitted to spending 6+ hours a day finding deals, answering emails, and packing and shipping.

You have the time when you quit your job...

 

[MaxFusion16]

Originally posted by: archcommus87
But I have to wonder, are these people normal? Some of them are people who have a degree in something and a real job, and then eventually quit it to sell on eBay full time. I can't possibly imagine ever doing that. Even if eBay can earn you twice the money in half the time, how could you leave the security of a real world job for something that DEPENDS on the deals you can find online?

ha, you must've not worked very much. It's no different than starting your own small business, self reliance.

 

[archcommus]

Quitting your job to start your own business is a risk and you're leaving security for the hope of something better. But this doesn't fall into the same realm. No matter how good you are, your source can die, the market can change, eBay could be n00 and raise fees, one-time deals can go away and you could be left with no good ones. This happens in the real world too but much more quickly and dramatically in the online world.

 

[ReiAyanami]

Quitting your job to start your own business is a risk

not if you're a Romanian Laptop Collector

 

[MaxFusion16]

Originally posted by: archcommus87
Quitting your job to start your own business is a risk and you're leaving security for the hope of something better. But this doesn't fall into the same realm. No matter how good you are, your source can die, the market can change, eBay could be n00 and raise fees, one-time deals can go away and you could be left with no good ones. This happens in the real world too but much more quickly and dramatically in the online world.

there is no such thing as job security, and everything has a risk, some people find the gain/risk ratio acceptable.

Bill Gates and Michael Dell both quit school to start their business, they took a huge risk, more than you and I would ever consider.

I'm not saying that everyone will succeed, but you can't win if you don't play.

 

[archcommus]

Yeah, makes sense, you just have to have the urge to do it.

As I said in my first post, perhaps I'm ignorant, not saying I'm right, just posting some thoughts.

I just see eBay as being different from the average risk. I can understand someone quitting a job they hate to start a business they may love. My dad did that himself. But quitting a job for eBay to me seems different. There seems to be too many things that you can't control that could hurt you negatively.

But there are many people on there that also contribute 1/4 of their day or more to selling in addition to their work. Talk about a consumed life.

I guess I just don't see it because of the type of person I am. I need conformity and uniformity and eBay selling is anything but that.

Are there a good deal of power sellers on these boards alone?

 

[Riceball]

I have a friend who does this for a living. He graduated from UC Berkley with a microbiology BS, he wanted to become a doctor but was too burned out from school so he decided to take a year off. That one year became three years and he knew he wasn't ever going to medical school. In the mean time he did look for a job among biotech companies but he didn't like the pay level for what was asked of him. So he became self employed selling items on ebay. He use to sell hot deal items then moved on to pocket pcs and now sells used ipods which he purchases from liquidation buyers. He fixes the ipod by cannibalizing parts from other ipods and sells them back out. He is now a power seller and makes an average of 4000-8000 per month.

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: Riceball
I have a friend who does this for a living. He graduated from UC Berkley with a microbiology BS, he wanted to become a doctor but was too burned out from school so he decided to take a year off. That one year became three years and he knew he wasn't ever going to medical school. In the mean time he did look for a job among biotech companies but he didn't like the pay level for what was asked of him. So he became self employed selling items on ebay. He use to sell hot deal items then moved on to pocket pcs and now sells used ipods which he purchases from liquidation buyers. He fixes the ipod by cannibalizing parts from other ipods and sells them back out. He is now a power seller and makes an average of 4000-8000 per month.

Wow...that's crazy.

Sounds like it'd be fun to play around with while in college. But I'd have nowhere to put all my packing supplies and items I bought in bulk.

 

[DaWhim]

some of the people that post in that thread on FT is on ATOT too. they are not crazy. I don't know how you can use "crazy" to describe them.

 

[seanws]

there is a local store in town that all they do is sell on ebay. they sell their own deals and such, but they will also list items for you for a fee. no idea what they charge, its some % of the final sale price or something. they rake in a ton of money.

plus a lot of these people that do this for a living arent just finding deals online, they are going to flea markets and trade shows and wholesale auctions and buying things that they can mark up and make a profit on. i know a couple of people that do this. one goes to antique shows and buys things, cleans them up, and turns around and sells them for double or triple what they paid for it.

 

[CrazyDe1]

I've got a book coming out on the subject...yes I posted a lot in that thread. Buy the book...and you'll know how to do it.

 

[CrazyDe1]

Originally posted by: archcommus87
But how much do you do it? Enough to quit your job? I was just amazed at 1) the number of people who have quit CAREERS to sell, and 2) the amount of people who openly admitted to spending 6+ hours a day finding deals, answering emails, and packing and shipping.

The money is not made in packaging and answering emails and finding deals. The money is made in purchasing and how and knowing the method of purchasing is the key to running an ebay business. Once you know the basics there's no limit to how much you can make...

 

[CrazyDe1]

Originally posted by: archcommus87
Yeah, makes sense, you just have to have the urge to do it.

As I said in my first post, perhaps I'm ignorant, not saying I'm right, just posting some thoughts.

I just see eBay as being different from the average risk. I can understand someone quitting a job they hate to start a business they may love. My dad did that himself. But quitting a job for eBay to me seems different. There seems to be too many things that you can't control that could hurt you negatively.

But there are many people on there that also contribute 1/4 of their day or more to selling in addition to their work. Talk about a consumed life.

I guess I just don't see it because of the type of person I am. I need conformity and uniformity and eBay selling is anything but that.

Are there a good deal of power sellers on these boards alone?

2 hours a night and 3 or 4 hours 1 night a week is what it takes me. Yes, I have a fulltime job which I put in 50 hours a week at. The whole point of that thread is that it inspires small people to go and take the plunge and make it happen for themselves. I read that thread a little over a year ago and now I'm above a million in sales for the year and over 6 figures in profit.

I have too much fun at work to quit. I can't see working for myself at this age. The other thing about ebay is you can do it and build it while having a fulltime job.

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: DaWhim
some of the people that post in that thread on FT is on ATOT too. they are not crazy. I don't know how you can use "crazy" to describe them.

Lol well I didn't mean crazy as in mentally insane. I meant crazy as in "Wow, that's crazy!"

Anyway, pretty cool for those successful ones out there. Nice going. However, what a few people said in that thread is true: For ever one person that posts a success, a thousand are NOT posting their failures. I have a feeling I'd be in that large group, which is why I've never been pushed to try it. Just don't think I have that "deal finding" edge in me.

 

[archcommus]

So, how come they all recommend against drop shippers so strongly? Sure, it cuts deeply into your profits, but for someone just doing it on the side, seems worth it to save you the hassle of receiving and shipping. True, the concern still exists of the supplier being out of stock, but if you make enough money perhaps you offer your buyer something really good like 200% of their money back to avoid a negative feedback.