Clocking in, clocking out

[bigdeals.etc]

How many hours would you say you actually work on ebay and ebay related stuff on average in a given week to help your sales (I'm not counting messing around in this board like I'm doing right now).

If I really had to guess under what I would think "normal productivity" would be, I'd say I work 25-30 hrs a week. But since I sometimes go at snails pace, it stretches to about 30-35 hrs.

[tsme35]

I get that, single dad of 4 kids, got no child support or state aid, finally got my last one out of the house and it was ALL my money, no more kids to feed, got cut to part time so started selling part time, then they shut down and went full time on ebay over 10 yrs ago. 1st 5 yrs I was rolling in it, clearing $70-80k a year then everyone got greedy, ebay raised rates, post office killed my international sales in '16 by raising rates over $12, sales dropped 95% and ended that in '17 just wasn't worth the risk. USPS did the 1st zone rating last Jan, killed large packages in June and now around 40 states collecting taxes is making it a real challenge to stay a float

[mcdougle4248]

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@tsme35 wrote:
I get that, single dad of 4 kids, got no child support or state aid, finally got my last one out of the house and it was ALL my money, no more kids to feed, got cut to part time so started selling part time, then they shut down and went full time on ebay over 10 yrs ago. 1st 5 yrs I was rolling in it, clearing $70-80k a year then everyone got greedy, ebay raised rates, post office killed my international sales in '16 by raising rates over $12, sales dropped 95% and ended that in '17 just wasn't worth the risk. USPS did the 1st zone rating last Jan, killed large packages in June and now around 40 states collecting taxes is making it a real challenge to stay a float

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Yours is the best explanation I have seen in a long while!  Thank you so much for sharing!

[wastingtime101]

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@bigdeals.etc wrote:

How many hours would you say you actually work on ebay and ebay related stuff on average in a given week to help your sales (I'm not counting messing around in this board like I'm doing right now).

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It varies by week. I've spent the past 24 hours working almost non-stop on new listings with about 6 hours off for sleep. I've been posting on this board throughout the day today as a reprieve to keep me from going stir-crazy.

[this*old*attic]

I soooooooo miss my international customers! They were a solid 1/3 of my business!

It costs $35 or more now to ship what I used to mail $12.

[chapeau-noir]

I still sell a fair amount of international - the most I've paid is about $25 shipping, though, for a heavy item. Most of my stuff ships between $10 and $18. It was a shock when they raised the rates so much in 2016. 

[keziak]

Just had a long talk with the hubby about how I need to spend a week charting my work to really nail down how much of my time is true work and not just busy busy. He's a lawyer and keeps track in 6 minute increments. Sounds like nuts to me but he's used to it by now.

All I can say for sure is that on weekdays my day is fractured by work and non-work activities, and I make up for it by working a lot on the weekends.  Usually I get more listing done on weekends, spend a lot of time Monday-Saturday on the mail and sourcing.

[tsme35]

I feel it in my pocket book for sure, I've sold to almost every country in the world, probably $15-20k a year

[lovefindingtreasures2]

Online selling is my full time job, I work 7 days a week at it too.

I sell on multiple platforms so I can't exactly say how much is spent on eBay, but I work it as a full time job everyday.

[tsme35]

I know, I stopped when I shipped a lure to Sweden and they open a case because it was faded a little more then they liked. It was new in package, I wasn't gonna pay another $12 to ship back and refund them for the $20 for item and original shipping, ebay sided with them so I refunded and ended international shipping.

[lovefindingtreasures2]

chapeau-noir
Re: Clocking in, clocking out
in reply to tsme35 02-15-2020 12:00:24 PM
@tsme35 wrote:
Well it'd be disability, a whole $800 a month, doesn't cover my house payment but it takes a while to get and because you can't work, so I wouldn't be able to make too much more. During the summer I make really good money, not so much in winter. I just score a huge lot of reels back in Jan. and making twice what I did a year ago.
There's also the engagement factor, keeping the mind young with new things, the hustle, organization of the day, feeling of accomplishment, etc. It's why people retire and then go back to work or take up volunteering, etc.

I have to say, selling online, especially eBay where I have to research most of my items, has really increased my brain power. I can get so many JEOPARDY answers correct now due to selling online ;-0

All the research makes us smarter for sure, I can talk about all sorts of odd things now and I sound like an expert, ha ha 🙂

Even better, people look at me and ask, "How on Earth did you know that?"

eBay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[keziak]

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@this*old*attic wrote:

I soooooooo miss my international customers! They were a solid 1/3 of my business!

It costs $35 or more now to ship what I used to mail $12.

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Same here.  Used to ship international all the time including boxes of books via "M Bag".

[buck3eighty]

I run my store and help my wife with her listings.  I easily put in 25 hours per week on eBay.  If I count time for cleaning items to prepare for listings, I would say 35 hours.   Does not include of course the hunting!!

But it is also my hobby.  I enjoy "working" with the items I find/sell.  It is better than watching TV or playing games on a computer.  It is basically a hobby that pays for itself.   I never try to look at it like a side job or small business.  I do take it very serious and appreciate the opportunities and the buyers.  But at the end of the day, it is a hobby.