striving towards partial retirement on ebay - not a question just a comment
Had a session with my therapist yesterday and she helped me realize that for a long time I've been in a toxic relationship with ebay, all the work and expense in terms of time, money, energy and living space. I've vented about all this here for too long. I worry about missing the money if I just quit. But I quit three library commissions last year which was scary but it turned out OK! Don't even miss them.
My goal is to end my ebay business of auctioning "lots". I am tasked with denying my compulsion to buy more inventory to lot up and either list or discard my existing inventory. I've started hauling away stuff I know I will never list. I'm hoping that by my birthday and next visit in May I'll be majorly dug out! After that I will either keep ebay for listing single books or say goodbye entirely. I've been here for 24 years so it's hard to imagine a life with no ebay.
isaiah53-57
·2 years agoIn my opinion, the writing was on the wall back in 2018 - I believe this site is no longer a safe place for sellers, especially if you have any type of dependence on it in any way, shape, or form for necessary income. It may serve a purpose for selling certain and occasional items here or there, but even that will be limited in time frame until it simply gets to the point of being far to unprofitable or to dangerous for even that.
fashunu4eeuh
·2 years agoWow, @keziak,
it takes so much courage to walk the path you are on.
It takes wisdom and insight to recognize one’s unhealthy choices.
It takes dedication to continue walking. And discipline to commit to change.
Wish you all the best, always. Thank you for posting your story.
keziak
OP2 years agoI've made headway these past few days hauling away considerable amounts of material that either didn't sell or has been sitting around unlisted with dim prospects. Mostly it feels good. But today I took a load of dishes to a thrift store and helped unwrap them from newspaper. I felt a twinge of remorse: nice dishes. But I had to face the fact that these boxes came into the house to die and I really haven't been motivated to list, pack and ship them.
I told my husband where my head is at and he's eager to see my daughter's old bedroom converted from an ebay room to a guest room even though we NEVER HAVE GUESTS. There will have to be a discussion. But that day will have to wait until I dig out as much of the house as I can, only then will I know if I have a space elsewhere to run a business, albeit hopefully a trimmed-down one.
epowerbargains
·2 years agoThat is great progress. You are bravely moving forward, and it sounds like you are being both realistic and kind to yourself. This is not easy. I found it hard to let go of my eBay aspirations and vision of selling items people want and need. Finally, I had to admit that the time and effort were not paying off for me as I anticipated. When you described letting go of the dishes, believe me I know the feeling. My husband too is looking forward to clearing out our "Ebay" room and turning it into a guest room. He wistfully plots to have the metal racks moved to the garage to hold his tools LOL. It will happen. One day at a time. My plan is to clean out the eBay room and segment a small portion of the garage to a few bins with a few bins in the house for the more fragile items. We will get this done!!!
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoThe whole spare room/guest bedroom issue definitely can be put back a while - I think you're smart there. As you get rid of all this stuff, the dynamic of the house is going to change, as will the dynamics of your business, so one step at a time insofar as future use plans go.
Good job!!!
gurlcat
·2 years agoWhat a great thread. -Just wanted to say that, or say something so I can easily find this thread again when I have time to read all the comments.
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoJust bookmark it.
deosil111
·2 years agoI can relate to your position. It has become painful but easy for me to reduce my selling on eBay. I can no longer seem to source items to sell on this platform, or other venues for that matter. For about 40 years I picked thrift shops, antique stores and malls, flea markets, garage and estate sales, and local auctions to source merchandise. I never considered myself to be a hoarder. I have always had a buying criteria. consigning to major auctions not withstanding , since its inception in the late 1990s, eBay was the place I could get the best return on investment. Now, for whatever reason I no longer can find items that meet my aesthetic or buying criteria. Not just for eBay but for other venues as well. I have a brick and mortar outlet, do antique shows and flea markets, consign to auction, as well as having established clients that I would call if I had something I knew they would like. Unfortunately my sources have dried up. Thrift stores are a waste of time, garage sales are full of mostly unsalable items. 9 times out of 10, I leave flea markets empty handed. I can buy at auctions but have to pay full retail with little or no resale upside, and can only buy things I want for myself. I realized it’s the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I’m not sure why this happened. I think Google lens might have something to do with it. People don’t need any knowledge any more just point your phone at something and know everything about it. Im left with just mediocre merchandise in my storage. I’m slowly downsizing all of my outlets. It’s time to do something else. It has been a great ride for the last 40 years though. I’m grateful for that
keziak
OP2 years agoI think it may simply be that the good stuff is long gone. I can't tell you where it went. But compared to the past it's not readily available for picking and flipping. Other people may find this isn't the case but it seems to be that way around here. With books I feel assured that people during the lockdown cleaned house and donated all their books to whatever thrift stores would take them. Not to be grim, but the people who are passing away now do not have the same good collections donated to libraries by heirs as 10 and more years ago. The library I volunteer for only gets by in terms of donations due to affluent people in the area buying new books and donating them right away. For example the other day we got books about Oppenheimer, The Flower Moon and Napoleon - clearly someone reading books related to current movies. Same with current fiction. Other libraries without such patrons are really hurting and hence dealers trying to source from them.
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoI think its the explosion of online sellers. We are about everywhere, and items that may have been donated or consigned are now directly sold. Thrifting is in, and thrifts are jacking their prices to take advantage of this. It's a myth that thrifts exist for poor people to purchase items, they're there to sell to raise money for various causes.
I never expected this to last.
ETA: Leave us not forget changing tastes and the cheapening of manufacture - yeah we want everything nearly free, but look at the rubbish we're left with.
toomuchstuffagain35
·2 years agoThis is an illuminating article for resellers.
https://www.liveabout.com/when-buying-becomes-a-hoarding-disorder-4142642
keziak
OP2 years agoThank so much for that article. OMG I see myself in that so much. I'm going to share it with my therapist. Thank you.
tealt
·2 years ago@keziak
Great thread!
At age 80 and going into my 25th year as a small-time eBay seller, I can identify with so much that you and others have posted.
I'm now sourcing from my own house/garage/attic, and have established a "hierarchy" of where to sell things:
1) eBay
2) cabinet in a antiques co-op
and, if an item doesn't sell in those places after 6 months to a year...
3) an occasional flea market (nothing big, it's run once a month by a high school booster group), where my prices are low, low, low, and I sell at a loss just to get a little money back. All cash, no returns makes for very little selling stress.
4) donate (after all, if no one will pay 50c or $1 at a flea market, why do I give it storage space)
It is a pleasure to see ever decreasing clutter around me every month. My daughters are very enthusiastic about this "selling off" process. They've already indicated which few of my "treasures" they might want to inherent.
Will I miss the "mad money" I have made lately.? Maybe. After achieving a full de-clutter, I should/could be able to do a few more eBay listings of better stuff--if I want to.
P.S. You mentioned your "neglected gardens". For decades I've found gardening a few hours a week to be very rewarding--both mentally and physically.
keziak
OP2 years agobefore kids and my business I was a very keen gardener. Over the years I've managed to plant but not so much tend. Too much work at a time is hard on my knees. I did do a major revamping of my daylily display bed last Fall. This year I want to be the year when I more consistently tend. As they say, the best fertilizer is the gardener's shadow. My plan is to come home from my swim and spend the next hour in the yard when it's still very early and relatively cool.
that will be for me; for my patient husband the best gift I can give is to unclutter this house. I won't say it's shocking really.....well yeah it is.
epowerbargains
·2 years agoI wish you the very best as you navigate the road ahead. I am 65 and some of the things you said in your post resonated with me. About 6 months ago it hit me that for me eBay was just no longer fun. When we started in 2013, we did very well - we had exposure, our items sold here in the US as well as internationally. Postal rates were more reasonable. With the advent of "promoted listings", "Halo's " increased fees, little to no customer support and a general feeling that this is a race to the bottom, I said "I need a plan" - an exit strategy. I pulled 600 listings and posted elsewhere, dumped, gave away, donated & curb alerted. This left me with about 215 listings to leave on eBay - I closed my eBay store, cancelled promoted listings and will sell the remainer of my inventory as a non-eBay store seller at whatever pace it takes to sell. I am NOT buying anymore inventory. Full Stop - NONE - LOL. I will still on occasion purchase things I need on eBay - there is no question that this platform offers access to unique and hard to find items. I feel a great sense of relief that my house looks less and less like an eBay storage room - not to mention the reduction in stress. It's great that so many people do well selling here but my experience is that trying to invest and grow on this platform is simply too risky and not cost effective - for me. Our time and energy are worth money and when it becomes an emotional drain it's time to take a moment and really decide are there other things in life, I want to spend time doing? For us this was a pleasant hobby, and we did well with it, but times have changed and it's time to move on to activities that are fun and fulfilling. I honestly believe that when selling here impacts mental health it is time to seriously consider alternatives - it is simply not worth being miserable. There are other options available. I hope that one day eBay management takes a hard look at the reasons sellers are giving for reducing their presence and /or leaving the platform.
keziak
OP2 years agoYou are my hero. It's great to know people are out there who really get it.
downunder-61
·2 years agoWhat a beautifully written post and a delight to read.
No animosity towards eBay, other seller's/buyers, no b****ing and whining, but just telling it really how it is and is still becoming for you on this platform.
I wish all of those above who are considering freeing up some time, for whatever reasons, all the very best, and while in a past life I was an eBay cheerleader (LOL) I really think you are doing the right thing at the right time.
luxgoods
·2 years agohave 4 more months of this and I am doing what a lot of sellers are doing. The past ten years have been very stressful with all the ridiculous changes ebay management or lack thee of. This is the first year, I am not even receiving a 1099. Some of the things I have listed, I will keep for myself and the rest will be donated. I will then have time for the things I really enjoy with a lot less stress.
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoI thought it would be tough quitting inventory hunting, but when I started cutting back, I realised that I had better things to do with my time.
@keziak One step at a time and if you find you're sliding back a little, just renew your resolution and keep moving forward, don't beat yourself up.
ETA: Also, I started just considering my backstock "new" inventory and went "shopping in my storeroom".
lux.ra_14
·2 years agoShopping your own stock is good advice. I sold a lot of good stuff during Covid that I had forgotten about.
a_c_green
·2 years agoOh, Lordy, yes. Every now and then I'm rummaging in the basement for something, come across a box or storage tub in the way, pop the lid and realize, "I totally forgot about this!"
In a previous era I was restoring and reselling vintage lighted advertising clocks and signs, and a lot still remain downstairs, either awaiting restoration or boxed up awaiting a buyer, but I'm not sure I will ever revert to listing and shipping them. I've been pondering a booth at the local antique mall, so that buyers can see them in person and take them home without the need for shipping.
keziak
OP2 years agoRecently this happened to me, too, when visiting my storage unit. That was fun. But I am planning on getting rid of the unit this year, too.
I spent today doing my business taxes. 2023 was almost just the same as 2022 but that just means I continued to spend a fortune on amassing inventory and driving around too much. Expenses too high for the gross , not to mention the ineffables like not giving myself permission to take a day off once in a while! My husband the lawyer works hard and often long hours but his weekend are non-negotiable, no work. He also takes vacations and has some holidays. For the income I make it's insane I do none of those things.
The only improvement I made in 2023 was to make my exercise program non-negotiable though these days I get up at 4:15 to get a lane at the pool. I'm in this for the long term because it's the difference between feeling like a normal person versus taking a wheelchair to the hospital for 2 knee replacements.
Unavailable member
·2 years agoWonderful post and discussion. You’ve gotten some things off your chest and helped some others along the way.
oldschool718
·2 years agoWith almost 23000 feedback looks like e bay has been good to you over the years, Congrats you doing something right.
2013grotz
·2 years agoI definitely get where you're coming from. Ebay has brought me a lot of stress over the time I've sold. Add to that I never got enough money to really survive the time doing it and the exorbitant ebay FVF and shipping that's gotten exorbitant too. Finally, I've been knocked out of business, but in more of a position where I *really* need money. It's a lot more stress not having the money I did have come in and stress for *needing* to have the money come in, but it's a lot less stress not having to chase after everything going on in ebay and dealing with the stress of what ebay might abet the buyer to do with a sale I got. My mental health has been tons better getting away from this place.
Oh and my local Salvation Army just went out of business too. Really the trend. Higher costs required to keep open coupled with less money out there means less buyers. I've heard this at every flea market around me. "Ebay's killing me too." is all I could respond with. It's hard all around.
I still will finish "closet cleaning" as I can, but just boxing it all up together is a lot easier than listing and worrying about whether I'm going to lose money via frivolous returns. I'll probably sort out what was actually worth money and put them up, but I'll more likely just donate the whole shebang and move on to just be a common buyer.
tobaccocardyahoo
·2 years agoMany sellers have toxic relationships with internet marketplaces. It is not specific to Ebay.
Since buying reflects the only aspect of my pleasure in dealing with Ebay, I would have a very hard time continuing in any way if I stopped buying.
I am dealing with the how to dispose of much of my existing inventory, and not even considering markdowns or a clearance sale in lots online. The decrease in in person auctions is hampering that goal.
If I am going to clear my inventory, I want to do as little physical work to do so. Last time I sold through an in person auction, they sent a truck and van and three people to haul my consignments away.
My work was over, other than depositing the checks.
gloryglorygifts
·2 years agoYou do what is best for you and your mental health! Toxicity, wether from humans or otherwise, need to be excised from your life. I know that you will be just fine once you make your decisions.
Good luck to you.
12345jamesstamps
·2 years agoI do 3-5 business days for shipping....
I list items when I am in the mood.
When I have a day of no sales I feel free.
sapphire_studio
·2 years agoI highly recommend a book called "The Hoarder in You" by Robin Zasio (she is a therapist on the show "Hoarders"). She talks about hoarding like it's a scale that most of us are on somewhere. It was a really informational and enjoyable read.
gurlcat
·2 years agoDespite the fact that I have watched just about every episode of that show (and re-watched many of them), LOL ..... I have several beefs with it. And #1 on that list is this: They only select the WORST hoarders to feature on the show. What it always makes me suspect is that watching it probably enables lots of hoarders to believe they're not, just because they're not as bad as what the show calls "hoarders", even if the amount of clutter they do have is dysfunctional. So if Dr. Zaiso asserts in her book that it's actually a spectrum rather than a binary, I really appreciate that but I wish the show producers would make it a priority to impart that to viewers. I get that the worst cases are the "best TV", but if you're doing one about a widespread mental health problem, taking some responsibility would be good.
Incidentally, Dr. Z is my favorite consultant on the show. Not only do all the best people have Z's in their name (my last name is Muzingeaux, the Scrabble jackpot 🤣), she is also the warmest and only puts her foot down at the appropriate times. Some of the others, at least in some instances .... are some of my other "beefs" LOL.
golfingaddict
·2 years agoI have always had a few "personal" eBay policies.
1. I give myself a week to list new product that comes in the house.
2. The product must fit in my workroom (converted bedroom) and a Shelving unit in the garage. If there is no room, I don't buy more product.
3. If it doesn't sell in a certain timeframe, reduce the price or donate the items.
I'm considering cutting back on my sales. I've been an active seller for over 25 years. I think it is a challenging thing to think about cutting it out completely but I don't want my family to have to deal with it if I am no longer able to do it.
I am a follower of the Swedish Death Cleaning. It's really opened my eyes and has made our home very comfortable. I realize I don't need that much "material items"
Technically called döstädning, it derives its name from a mashup of the Swedish words for death and cleaning. The concept came from Swedish author Margareta Magnusson, who published the book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning in 2017 and has been growing in popularity ever since.
So what does it entail? "It's a distinctive name towards a simplification process revolving around the idea of downsizing your home contents as you you get older in life-specifically geared toward simplifying before you pass, hoping to relieve family members from having to tackle after your passing,"
keziak
OP2 years agoI should read that book because I can tell the wisdom of it from just a few sentences. I know what heirs can be up against since I volunteered with Friends groups at libraries for decades and saw what they brought in....and that was just books. Plus my kids have zero interest in anything my husband and I have.
As for the hoarder spectrum that makes sense to me. My husband doesn't hoard.......unless you count all the old roleplaying game materials he has not used in decades. My son has never gotten into roleplaying games so there is no inheritance. I don't talk to him about it though. Maybe one day he'll say "try to sell it". Or not. We have vague plans to move/downsize in retirement after I close my business, maybe that will be the time if he doesn't want to just move it elsewhere!
fern*wood
·2 years agoOf course it counts---remember there is a spectrum. Don't put yourself down that only you "hoard" in the household.
keziak
OP2 years agoIn a sense my husband the lawyer "hoards" clients - he has tons of work but keeps taking on new clients . I pointed out that this is not all that different from me taking on more stuff when I already have my hands full. He saw some logic in that, but mostly we have a dang ebay house and he would love to see that change.
golfingaddict
·2 years agoWe helped our friends move out of their house. They were in their 80's and lived in a house with three floors.
I vowed then to clean out our house so that we have only what we need and it won't be a burden when we choose to move or can no longer live here. I had to help my husband understand the process and kept reminding him that we are not as young as we were, and the process is only going to get harder if we don't get it done now. It was shocking how much we cleared out and I still think we can move out more.
I know it is hard to clear out, particularly for collectors and/or eBay sellers. Getting help is a great start.
I just find it refreshing to see empty space in my closets and cabinets. Best of luck in the process.
rockyroadtradingpost
·2 years agoI love the empty space, too. We did Swedish Death Cleaning a few years ago, and it felt SO GOOD.
rockyroadtradingpost
·2 years agoThere used to be a great show called "Clean Sweep" where the host Peter Walsh would help people who were mentally stuck sort through their clutter and decide what to keep, throw out, or donate. I think you can still find it on YouTube. Many of the episodes were pretty relatable.
toomuchstuffagain35
·2 years agoI do remember watching one where the hoarder was "organised". That is rather than unopened shopping bags etc and rubbish, she had everything in tubs but the whole house was FULL of them up to the ceilings.
I wish they'd do a few episodes on online resellers = )
And speaking of tubs/totes. Have you ever looked at the sheer VOLUME of these things that are for sale in every store? It can't just be resellers buying them. I 'm starting to think that as a nation we have major issues with "stuff".
keziak
OP2 years agoThe facility where I have my storage unit is faintly shocking to me in terms of all the units. This is not that big of a town (not city) yet there are many storage unit facilities and they have many units. I can see that some people are using them for business but surely most are owned by regular people needing a place to put excess stuff. Maybe they live in apartments or townhouses with inadequate storage space for all their stuff. Heaven knows I can't point a finger at anyone.
One of my goals is to ream out this office; when I moved in it was reasonably bare and now it's a disaster. I know that what I probably need to do is put Amazon and Ebay on vacation for at least a week to work on organizing and identifying trash to purge but I am greedy and don't want to lose income. On the other hand what difference does one week make? March is usually a slow time anyway. Hmm.
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoI'd call it raging consumerism.
yuzuha
·2 years agoI also put a lot of blame on the people who insist on foisting off all of their stuff onto their kids and grandkids instead of giving the kids/grandkids the option of saying "I don't really want that, thanks."
My own parents have already made quite clear that my sister and I don't have to feel obligated to hang onto any of their stuff if we don't want it (aside from a few things that have been in the family for generations, for obvious reasons).
gurlcat
·2 years agoHmm I'd say raging consumerism explains only a portion of hoarders. Certainly the "shopaholic" type fits, But there are also the "sentimental burden" ones who can't get rid of things that have the slightest association with loved ones, happy memories, etc. Then there are the "usefulness addicts", who are afraid they'll regret getting rid of something that they'll later "need". -I'm kinda bad with this one, because I do so often figure out DIY fixes and crafts with things I already have around. Oh, and there's also the "waste-o-phobes" who can't stand to see anything that's still usable being thrown away even if they themselves don't need it. -Guilty of that one fairly often too.
Meanwhile, it is also possible for someone to have a museum-gorgeous home with no clutter whatsoever, yet also be a raging consumerist. Consider the person who always has to have "the latest" (tech, fashion, furniture, you name it), so they buy them .... but they do get rid of their "old" ones ..... then here come the waste-o-phobes to snatch those up, lol.
nobody*s_perfect
·2 years agoYour next visit with this therapist is in May and you're on your own (except for your buddies on these boards) until then?! I never heard of therapy that meets at such a long interval. I have no clinical expertise in this area, but based on TV shows and family experiences, hoarders cannot just control their impulses through sheer willpower. Maybe it would help if you have a local buddy or support group to help hold you accountable, especially with the hoarding/purchasing aspect of inventory management. Look into local social services.
On a more practical note: Some of the books that you have had listed for a long time are priced far higher than other listings for the identical book. Maybe it's time to donate them. For example, you have "Backyard Bird Lover's Field Guide" at $19 plus shipping, but other sellers have it for under $5 with free shipping. You can't compete with that.
keziak
OP2 years agoI'll probably ask my husband to hold me accountable for buying more stuff. It's his house too and he's so patient but would love to see the piles go away. As for the overpriced books, my single book inventory here is very stale. I just have zero time to go back and look up everything and reprice. Repricing on Amazon is time consuming but a breeze. Maybe after I deal with the stuff for "lots" I will evaluate if I can devote the time to keeping my ebay single book inventory up to date. If not that will probably have to go as well.
lux.ra_14
·2 years agoOak Knoll once repriced 20,000+ books:
https://oakknollbooks.wordpress.com/2011/02/10/the-oak-knoll-repricing-saga/
keziak
OP2 years agoThank you for the good article.
My problem is that most of my ebay books are double-listed on Amazon where prices are higher across the board. I'll list here with a small discount and Best Offer and when I get an offer decide whether to sell here or wait on Amazon. I spend a lot of time deleting books here that sell on Amazon first. But w hen I reprice on Amazon I don't take time to look up the same books here and adjust the price.
So I am going to try to do some thinking about this.
umccars
·2 years agoEbay can be very stressful. Scale back and don't list as much. You can still get your Ebay fix by coming here to chat with other sellers and surfing Ebay. I'm selling off my Hot Wheels collection and anything that I find to sell. A few sales a week gives me a little mad money. No sales in a week is a bummer but doesn't hurt too much. I feel for sellers trying to make a living here.
keziak
OP2 years agoI am also more in the "mad money" category at least here. I am giving myself a gift. Not long ago I had some good stuff and the resulting sales were lucrative. I am letting that money stay in my business account to buffer the stress of making less money. It will also be interesting to see what happens when I don't spend a fortune on buying inventory. My goal is to come out of this mess feeling less stressed out and comfortable devoting time to non-work things I find important like my too-neglected gardens.
house*of*paws
·2 years agoHi @keziak
Any activity can become a compulsion/ addiction. I don’t do social media myself … but I’m sure there must be something like an eBay Anonymous, where you can get peer support to reach whatever goals you feel will improve the quality of your life.
Good luck to you! 😊
meme6253
·2 years agoThe Very Best To You!, Time To Detoxify!
keziak
OP2 years agoKeep sending that positive energy my way!
meme6253
·2 years agoI would do some major donating, You can write it off on your taxes, & the sooner you get rid of tons of stuff the better you will start to feel, then you build from there, The Best To You!!
keziak
OP2 years agoYes, I've been busy donating around town. I had a brain wave to call the little hospital auxiliary thrift shop in town to ask if they were interested in sewing patterns. I bought a ton off a woman a few months ago and I'm pretty sure I've sold what is saleable in that lot and that leaves plenty. The woman was thrilled! So today I took them the first batch of patterns and some dishes, more where that is coming from. I took several boxes of speciality magazines to one library in town but maybe they'll decide to toss them, I don't know.
meme6253
·2 years agoThere you go!!, Great Start,Keep up the good work, You got this!!
sakic92710
·2 years agoI am not sure about why your relationship with eBay but, then again, I am not walking a mile in your shoes. You are on pace to get about 100 February sales. I might have had 100 sales in the entire year of 2023! My relationship with eBay **IS** toxic. I've removed almost all of my listings. I have only posted 7 items in 2024 & actually have 3 sales out of that. I could have 500 listings & get the same # of sales. I do miss the money from when eBay was not toxic for me. It has been for over 2 years. I don't miss listing here because the sales were pathetic. I do not see how you would miss this kind of income if you removed the site from your life. Whatever decision best suits your health & life, I wish you the best! 🙂
PS - I'm in the same boat. What do to with EVERYTHING?! lol Boxes & boxes of stuff. Trying to go through it all; organize. Decide what to toss out. I've sold some things for dirt cheap & never get over regretting it. lol Bills had to be paid. I'm in an apt. with roommates. Trying to appease them; for space. 😛
ed8108
·2 years agoNow that you are committed to change & freedom, sensory experiences & pleasures await you
farmalljr
·2 years agoIf eBay is such a problem you need to see and consult a therapist about it, I have no idea why you even question why you still sell here. If selling anywhere or dealing with that place causes you to have problems functioning as a human being, then I would no longer do something that caused me such undo stress. There are a million other things you can do with your time, why waste any of your life doing anything that does nothing but stress you out?
I don't mean to come across dismissive or crass, but I do not understand why anyone would do something that makes them sick or otherwise feel bad about what they are doing. My own business can be stressful, but it not something I need to see someone about or something that I detest doing/dealing with.
sapphire_studio
·2 years agoThey are probably just seeing a therapist for life in general not necessarily eBay.
I have bipolar disorder so I see a therapist. She seems to not like me selling on eBay and thinks it's beneath me but I feel like she's subconsciously jealous that I don't have to work 9:00 to 5:00. I adore that I have eBay so I don't vent to her about it but she still seems to have a negative opinion.
keziak
OP2 years agoYour therapist should not be injecting her own issues into your therapy (obviously). My therapist has also questioned what I do but t hat's what I pay her for. Yesterday I thanked her for expressing that to me, ebay is a big part of my identity and it's hard to think of not having that anymore. I felt like she heard me. But she also says I"m a freaking hoarder and she's not wrong.
keziak
OP2 years agoYou are right. I've struggled with this for a long time. I thought it was something I needed to deal with to run a business. But I'm going to be 64 and I know I don't want to live this way anymore. If I can't solve the problem by selling off w hat I have I'll need to do some major donating.
farmalljr
·2 years agoOr, find an auction house, drop it off and close your eyes. Whatever it brings it brings and it's out of your life for good. One swoop, and it's gone. You just wait on the check, for whatever it might be.
chapeau-noir
·2 years agodhbookds
·2 years agoMore power to you!!!!!!
lux.ra_14
·2 years agoGood luck, but your plans always seem to be in flux. Brings to mind the title of Larry Woiwode's first book:
 
keziak
OP2 years agoYep. If I can force myself to stop buying more inventory I know I mean it this time.
a_c_green
·2 years agoWell, I refined my inventory buying for eBay many years ago by simply not going to estate sales anymore. They were fun to attend and great for picking up interesting stuff for resale, but I was buying more than I was listing, and my basement [was/still is] looking a little too much like a hoarder's environment.
I further refined (not scaled back, but better focused) my eBay activity with niche selling and no physically large items to ship. Separately, I am slowly weeding out and clearing the larger, older stuff in the basement by a combination of charitable donations and the occasional garage sale. I feel better as I see open areas downstairs slowly getting more cleared out.
4pawsup*
·2 years agoYour mental health is more important than buying and selling on ebay. Anything that comes with the word toxic in it you want out of your life and body. Wish you good luck.
toysaver
·2 years agoBefore trying to sell in lots I recommend doing markdown sales. It's so easy. Start with as little as 5% off and gradually increase the amount off.
keziak
OP2 years agoI'm definitely going to do "fire sales". For example I have tons of wrestling DVDs. Rather than chunk them all out I'll list the whole collection and if that doesn't sell for some reason, donate them.
yuzuha
·2 years agoYep, no reason not to do this to at least get some money in your pocket for your inventory!
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoEspecially since the work is already done.
Key here is not to acquire MORE stuff.
yuzuha
·2 years agoIndeed. I've cut way, way back on my own inventory acquisition as I still have a ton of things sitting around that I haven't yet listed. They can't sell if they aren't listed, so I've been making it a project to work on getting all of my backstock up and so far it's actually been selling fairly well.