What is the solution for seller burnout?

[gwzcomps]

Been pretty burned out on selling on eBay like some other people I know.  Decided for February I would neglect my eBay duties and only put in minimal effort.  Still managed to do a decent amount of sales regardless.  With all my spare time I went through my inventory and got rid of about 20 truckloads of stuff.  Even grew other aspects of my business.  I probably won't stop selling here, but at the same time putting less effort in was nice.  It leaves me to wonder though, what do other sellers do to deal with burnout when it comes to selling on eBay?

[mam98031]

I've often wished I could get a job just prepping and photo'ing stuff for some big shiny seller and not have to go out shopping and the like.  I'm not great at picking, but I'm great at operations.

For me, it is opposite.  I don't particularly like doing the listings themselves.  I think my problem is it bores me a bit or something.  So I drag my feet on it.  And believe me I've got all kinds of stuff I need to create listings for.

We are all have different aspects of selling we like more than others.  It is interesting to hear the thoughts of others on this.

[richard1rst]

Surely you know the line about smelling the roses. I prevent burnout by periodically taking a break and going crazy. I went out to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, hooked up with the Richard Petty driving experience and spent the day driving a NASCAR racer around the track. I have gone sky diving. There is an organization the Collins Foundation that travels around the country with restored WW2 war planes. In some case you ride as a passenger but in other cases you can also take the controls. I have piloted a P51 Mustang and a B25 Mitchell bomber. I could go on but you get the idea.

[mtgraves7984]

@gwzcomps 

" It leaves me to wonder though, what do other sellers do to deal with burnout when it comes to selling on eBay?"

I cruise The eBay Community boards. Misery loves company!

[washedashore]

I am having a hard time making myself sit down and create the listings even though I use templates and it really isn't that hard.  I have a lot of new stock arriving on the 19th of this month, and I am having a serious surgery on the 13th, so I won't be in shape to handle making listings when it gets here.  I need to have them ready to go as soon as the stock is unpacked.  My husband will do the unpacking, shelving and weighing, but he has to take care of me too since I will need a month to fully recover. 

[monster-deals]

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@katz.paw wrote:

Me - Treat it as a hobby, not a job.

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That's funny, I do the opposite.

[divwido]

Do what I'm doing, sell off and set an end date.

There has to be more to life than sitting at this stupid computer all day and night.,

Then maybe, maybe, come back on a much smaller scale.

[monster-deals]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

I've often wished I could get a job just prepping and photo'ing stuff for some big shiny seller and not have to go out shopping and the like.  I'm not great at picking, but I'm great at operations.

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I pick and list full time (30-45 hours a week) for a company and pick, list and pack for myself (20-30 hours a week)

[corvettestainless]

Want to avoid burnout? get a real job, working for someone else- a corporate gig where your job is only as great as your 'next' boss or a construction job, back and hands hurt daily, then you'll LOVE how easy it is to sell here.

Buy it Now. Immediate Pymt Required. Free Shipping. 1% promotions, GTC. Rinse and Repeat.

I don't have to rely on anyone but myself.
Site raises fees? shipping increases? That's ok- items that were $49 are now $59. Increases again? so do prices.

[mam98031]

I am having a hard time making myself sit down and create the listings even though I use templates and it really isn't that hard.  I have a lot of new stock arriving on the 19th of this month, and I am having a serious surgery on the 13th, so I won't be in shape to handle making listings when it gets here.  I need to have them ready to go as soon as the stock is unpacked.  My husband will do the unpacking, shelving and weighing, but he has to take care of me too since I will need a month to fully recover. 

I SINCERELY hope your surgery goes well and your recovery a smooth one.  And I hope your husband spoils you rotten in the process!!!!  👨‍⚕️

[coast_of_maine_antiques]

Had a bad spell of burn out last year- decided to change the store around getting rid of most items under $50 and shoot for higher end items. It's worked out nicely since it takes the same amount of time to list a $500 item as a $10 item and the satisfaction when my phone goes "Cha Ching" (My ringtone for sale notifications) is much higher.  Now a year later I realize I have less sales, less listings (about 100) and less burn out. 

[mam98031]

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@corvettestainless wrote:

Want to avoid burnout? get a real job, working for someone else- a corporate gig where your job is only as great as your 'next' boss or a construction job, back and hands hurt daily, then you'll LOVE how easy it is to sell here.

Buy it Now. Immediate Pymt Required. Free Shipping. 1% promotions, GTC. Rinse and Repeat.

I don't have to rely on anyone but myself.
Site raises fees? shipping increases? That's ok- items that were $49 are now $59. Increases again? so do prices.

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This is a real job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Why do you consider it less than that?  Because we work for ourselves?

[corvettestainless]

Working for yourself is not a job, that's why. You are either in a 'partnership' a 'corporation' (where you are partial owner') or 'sole proprietor'- fully self supporting, self employed- your the 'boss' and can do what you want, if you are successful enough for what you need and require. 

I do both. Construction for 15yrs, Corporate for 12 years, back into Construction (thankfully Management, so no physical anymore) for the past 15-  work at a 'JOB' 60 hrs. a week, then run my own business for another 20-40. I build what I sell, I created what I build. I build to order, so when I get orders, I work. 20-40 hrs. a week, on top of FT job. 

Selling here, working for yourself, is NOT a job. A 'job' is when you have to do what others say. Self Employed, you don't have to rely on others for your food. A 'job' is when you have to be here at 7 and can't leave til 5. Self Employed, like the OP stated- means he can just 'not do it' if he wants. That is NOT a job. That is being self employed, your own boss. Anyone here can list 3 weeks and take 1 week vacation every month. They can list 1 week and take 3 weeks vacation every month. Depending on what you sell, finding the right items, wanted items for the right price, could allow you to do that. Having a 'Job'- does not allow you to do any of that. 

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@corvettestainless wrote:

Want to avoid burnout? get a real job, working for someone else- a corporate gig where your job is only as great as your 'next' boss or a construction job, back and hands hurt daily, then you'll LOVE how easy it is to sell here.

Buy it Now. Immediate Pymt Required. Free Shipping. 1% promotions, GTC. Rinse and Repeat.

I don't have to rely on anyone but myself.
Site raises fees? shipping increases? That's ok- items that were $49 are now $59. Increases again? so do prices.

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This is a real job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Why do you consider it less than that?  Because we work for ourselves?

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Wanna know what a REAL job is? Try farming. The weather is your boss, and he can be a real <insert your favorite cuss word here> to work for.

Yes, I actually have had people tell me I need to get a "real" job when I tell them I'm a truck garden farmer. They're heads would probably explode if I told them I also sold on Ebay lol

Some people only equate a "real job" with what I call a "public" job - where one leaves the house five days a week, punches a time clock and works for someone else.  If you don't do those things, you're just "playing around".

[chapeau-noir]

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@corvettestainless wrote:

Working for yourself is not a job, that's why. You are either in a 'partnership' a 'corporation' (where you are partial owner') or 'sole proprietor'- fully self supporting, self employed- your the 'boss' and can do what you want, if you are successful enough for what you need and require. 

I do both. Construction for 15yrs, Corporate for 12 years, back into Construction (thankfully Management, so no physical anymore) for the past 15-  work at a 'JOB' 60 hrs. a week, then run my own business for another 20-40. I build what I sell, I created what I build. I build to order, so when I get orders, I work. 20-40 hrs. a week, on top of FT job. 

Selling here, working for yourself, is NOT a job. A 'job' is when you have to do what others say. Self Employed, you don't have to rely on others for your food. A 'job' is when you have to be here at 7 and can't leave til 5. Self Employed, like the OP stated- means he can just 'not do it' if he wants. That is NOT a job. That is being self employed, your own boss. Anyone here can list 3 weeks and take 1 week vacation every month. They can list 1 week and take 3 weeks vacation every month. Depending on what you sell, finding the right items, wanted items for the right price, could allow you to do that. Having a 'Job'- does not allow you to do any of that. 

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Huh, funny - the IRS thinks this is a job.

[corvettestainless]

No, they think it's income that you need to report. If you bought the right stocks 20 yrs ago, and live off the earnings by doing nothing all day, you still have to report. It's still not a job.