Average Retail *Starting* Wage is $15-Are You at Least Making That Selling Online?

[katzrul15]

Our numbers that will close out 3rd Quarter are pretty dismal.

2nd was not much better - 1st quarter was terrific, but Holidays boosted Jan.  Feb was fine and March began an abrupt decline in sales/revenue.

We clearly are not making $15/hr.  Is anyone?  Have you taken the time to calculate the number of hours put in resourcing, sorting/prepping items, database entries for inventory,  researching, creating listings, shipping, dealing with customers, returns, inquiries, etc. ??

Pretty sure our average hourly rate is dismal at best right now.

Add item resource costs, supplies and taxes due on quarterlies and this is not a side hustle - it is side "hustled".....hustled into thinking this can be profitable??

Our CPA is starting to question why we are working so hard at this for so little return?  We're starting to wonder too.  😫

[katzrul15]

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@farmalljr wrote:

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@katzrul15 wrote:

@farmalljr 

Earlier in the thread he/she they got it for free by dumpster diving.  So which is it?  Story has changed so much and yet the thread is here for easy reference??

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What this poster is trying to do, is make it sound like they are using Chris' system, doing things his way, but doing it way faster than the actual expert (meaning Chris).  From his photo, I can tell he is packing and numbering just like Chris does. 

Big difference is, Chris would tell you, after his own experince with VA's that you should not use them, because they screw up and will eventually cost you your account. That IF you use a VA the time you "saved" costs you anyway having to proof each listing to be sure they are right.  IF this guy is doing what he claims (selling similar) what is the VA doing? VA's can't take photos. VA's can't sort and measure either. VA's can't pack and ship. The only use is creating listings, which they claim they are doing themselves from sell similar. 

Chris also buys mall brands in bulk. But Chris was upfront telling viewers that cost him a premium.  He buys HUGE bulk and way more pieces then Mr. Speedracer and pays substantially more. Even if you were buying all the clothing from storage unit buyers, you aren't getting the inventory that cheap, sorted and washed. Not in a million years. I too buy my records in bulk from a certain clean out guy, and I get them "cheap". But when you figure that 80+% of them are garbage and the time to sort, I am not buying records for 10 cents each. 99.9% of little 45's and 78's are dumpster fodder. I'm lucky if 20% of the 33's are sellable and there is a market for them. Same goes for clothing, IF they are buying them from storage unit buyers. I've bought storage units in the past, and I know all about that. The reason people abandon storage units, is because most all of that stuff is junk and not worth what the unit costs every month. And that clothing DEFINATELY needs washed. 

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Great points - Chris is very upfront about the pitfalls, etc.

No, it does not appear laundered, which violates e-Bay policy.

Sometimes, slow and steady wins the race.  Not one size fits all - we too sell vinyl and I buy remainder stock from a B&M guy.  You are correct - more than 50% is fair graded or less.  We too spend pennies to get it, but unless you are a collector with a higher end turntable/speakers, many of our vinyl do not play well. We have a Garrard from the 80's and it plays extremely well - no issues.  We sell it to a Buyer with a cheap carpy turntable setup and they complain it is damaged/flawed. 

We have expanded our own collection - that has been nice!

For me (not speaking for others), presentation is important.  Exuding care and professionalism, etc.  Just my personal preference. ymmv

[patmos-8]

Wow, I went fishing over the weekend and you guys are writing doctoral dissertations about me.  You guys are cray 🤣

I don't buy pre-laundered, pre-sorted clothing for $1.13/piece, nor did I claim I do.  I buy unsorted, unlaundered used clothing in bulk by the pound.  It averages out to $1.13/item for the items I keep and list.  Again, attention to detail, my friend.  Perhaps a lack of attention to detail has something to do with your poor business performance.  

I know of Chris, but I don't follow his methods.  A sequential SKU system was not invented by Chris Lin, it's just literally the simplest and most obvious way to do it.  The fact that it took him as long as it did to start doing it that way should tell you something about his business acumen.  He's also permanently banned from this platform, so that should also tell you something about his judgment.  

Chris hangs everything up to photograph, I do a horizontal flat lay, which is much faster.  Chris photographs on an iPhone and transfers the photos via Airdrop, which is incredibly inefficient, time-consuming, and prone to technical problems.  I have a dedicated camera with a dedicated SD card and my photo transfer time is under 10 seconds.  Chris commutes to a storage unit to work every day in Bay Area traffic, I built a detached shed on my property and my morning commute is about 7 seconds.  Starting to see a trend?

Chris also had a second eBay store selling high-end sneakers, a Youtube channel that churns out content constantly, and a Patreon group where he "mentors" other resellers.  I don't have those distractions or demands on my time.  I do one thing and I do it well.  

There are several hundred other people doing what I do on eBay at an even higher level making even more money, they just don't find their way onto these platforms.  They're too busy making money and enjoying life to waste time complaining on these forums.  I know a few personally.  My claims truly aren't that unbelievable.  What I do is so incredibly simple that anyone could do it.  But instead of just doing what works, for some odd reason, most people seem to want to complicate things and find reasons not to be successful.  Sounds like you might be in that group.  Instead of trying to convince yourself I'm making fantastical claims, maybe you should just give one or two of my pointers a try and see what happens. 

I think I'm about done with this thread now.  It's devolved into silliness and I feel silly for how much time I've wasted going back and forth.  If anyone would like to ask me any questions, feel free to message me.  I'm not hiding behind a secondary throwaway account, I'll receive and read any messages sent and I'm always happy to help if I can.   

Later skaters!

[farmalljr]

LMAO! The clown show continues!

You buy unsorted and unlaundered clothing. Well, it's nice to know you are breaking policy and selling dirty clothes. Yet you poke at Chris because he screwed up and lost his account. Lol. 

So how does this work for you? Are you personally sorting the clothing? If so, well that's more time you haven't claimed you are actually working. Are you washing the clothing or paying someone else to do it? Well there is more time or expense. 

Laying clothing on the floor is harder and more time consuming then a layout at working height, like Chris does. I know, I used to sell clothing. 

Chris was turning over a million dollars a year, you can't score half of that. So claiming your system is better seems pretty silly. Every time you post another rambling, you keep exposing the holes in your claims. If you are happy with your sales and income, that's great. No need to make up stories and make yourself sound more productive and with a larger income, then what's actually the truth. There is no "winning" the internet or a forum discussion. This thread was started by someone seeking some business help. You jumped in and started thumping your chest and bragging about how you wanted people to see you. That's not helpful, and what you came here repeating is nothing better or different then others already are making videos about. 

If your system were so incredible, then you could sell it to people and make way more money with much less effort, then you are doing now. The problem is though, it just isn't what you claim. Good luck to you in your future endeavors.