eBay

nanniestreasurechest · ‎10-15-2023

When I first started selling a little over a year ago, I was mainly doing it to try to sell some of my finished pieces of art and some of my professional art supplies I no longer used. The first few months were great! Professional preowned art supplies sell great but it's not something you can easily source.

After that played out, I decided I wanted to keep reselling so I went out and started sourcing. I made a lot of bad buys in the beginning but over the past year I do feel like I'm getting some better at sourcing but still have a lot to learn and much room for improvement. I don't have a certain niche but have just been finding and looking for items I could flip for profit without getting into things such as electronics and such.

Trying to keep this short so I will try to get to the point. I don't have a store so I only have 250 free listings per month. At first I thought that would be okay since I'm only wanting to make a little extra each month to help supplement my fixed retirement income. I still don't have a goal of becoming a big time seller but I would like to try to double what I'm doing at the moment.

Currently I have over 100 additional items I could list but with only the 250 limit I have to really watch what I'm doing. I've been considering doing the basic store where I'm understanding that I would have 1,000 free listings each month. When I look at the 100+ things I have to list, my thought is that I can't sell it if it's not listed. I've been promoting at 2% and have gotten some sales through that and also have gotten several sales from offers. I also try to be active on my account every day and at least list 1 to 3 items if my allowance allows it.

Is it realistic to think I could double what I'm doing if I had the basic store with more listings? I really value the sellers' opinions on this board so hopefully someone can give me some pros and cons. I'm so undecided right now and would like to hear what other sellers think of my situation. Again, I want to stress that I'm not looking to become a huge seller. I don't have room for 1,000's of items but I do have room for more than the 250.

isaiah53-57 · ‎10-15-2023

@dhbookds wrote:
someone who had 800 listings and 5 feedback in the last 30 Days

considering that my feedback is about 20-30% of what I sell, I don't think feedback is necessarily a good indication of how much people sell. Also, there are many different goals.....and as you grow older.....finding what to do with TIME is more of a problem for some of us.......than younger people may realize.......

If that is the case, I feel for you - perhaps a better plan in the years leading up to retirement would have helped? - Though I do understand unforeseen circumstances could hinder that for some people - But I can tell you this, before I shuttered myself into my home, away from life, running through the daily grind of online sales, I would take a part-time job which would allow me to, most likely, make MORE MONEY hedged with benefits, but more importantly, allow me to have the wondrous pleasure of meeting and talking to real people and experiencing real life events - though again, I understand this is not possible for some individuals - If it is possible for you, dont get trapped in a bad situation if you can help it...

nanniestreasurechest · ‎10-15-2023

I see many things that could be ended to make room for new more desirable inventory that could be relisted later.

@az93

Yes, I've been taking some things down to make room for better items this past month. I made some bad buys when I first started sourcing. We are planning to have a yard sale this coming weekend so will try to sell those items there and if they don't sell then they will be donated. I still see some other items I'll probably be taking down this week. I'm also taking down the art for now. It may go back up later if it seems reasonable to do so.

nanniestreasurechest · ‎10-15-2023

@isaiah53-57 wrote:

If that is the case, I feel for you - perhaps a better plan in the years leading up to retirement would have helped? - Though I do understand unforeseen circumstances could hinder that for some people - But I can tell you this, before I shuttered myself into my home, away from life, running through the daily grind of online sales, I would take a part-time job which would allow me to, most likely, make MORE MONEY hedged with benefits, but more importantly, allow me to have the wondrous pleasure of meeting and talking to real people and experiencing real life events - though again, I understand this is not possible for some individuals - If it is possible for you, dont get trapped in a bad situation if you can help it...

I don't know if you've reached retirement yet but I spent all those years working and preparing for retirement. To be honest I don't want a scheduled part-time job now that I'm retired. I love reselling. I love sourcing. I meet lots of people every where I go and made many new friends this past year. Definitely not shuttered inside my home. I can work when I want to and only have myself to answer to. If I want to take a trip or something then I'm free to do that. I'm not in a situation where I need to make more money but it's always nice to be able to make extra doing something you love to do.

dhbookds · ‎10-15-2023

@isaiah53-57 wrote:
@dhbookds wrote:
someone who had 800 listings and 5 feedback in the last 30 Days

considering that my feedback is about 20-30% of what I sell, I don't think feedback is necessarily a good indication of how much people sell. Also, there are many different goals.....and as you grow older.....finding what to do with TIME is more of a problem for some of us.......than younger people may realize.......
If that is the case, I feel for you - perhaps a better plan in the years leading up to retirement would have helped? - Though I do understand unforeseen circumstances could hinder that for some people - But I can tell you this, before I shuttered myself into my home, away from life, running through the daily grind of online sales, I would take a part-time job which would allow me to, most likely, make MORE MONEY hedged with benefits, but more importantly, allow me to have the wondrous pleasure of meeting and talking to real people and experiencing real life events - though again, I understand this is not possible for some individuals - If it is possible for you, dont get trapped in a bad situation if you can help it...

Lol.........I certainly grant you the right to live your life the way you want.........and I hope you grant the same to everyone else...... Be assured I am NOT trapped in a bad situation.....meet, talk with plenty of people.....without worrying about money or benefits. Someday you may understand what I'm talking about......or perhaps not.....

Apologies to the original poster......I should not have responded to @isaiah53-57, did not mean to derail the thread......

nanniestreasurechest · ‎10-15-2023

@dhbookds 😂 You didn't derail the thread. I love retirement. No way do I want to go back to any kind of scheduled part-time job. I love what I'm doing now.

toomuchstuffagain35 · ‎10-15-2023

Also it's not as easy or simple to just "open another non store ID" these days since Managed Payments and all the govt info for the IRS etc that is required.

I've seen too many posts where even long established sellers have had the new ID shut down for no valid reason (usually risk to community blah blah blah) within minutes of going live. No rhyme or reason to it.

Remember too, with a monthly basic store you not only get the 1,000 free insertions but another 10,000 you can use in "selected categories", which should be more than enough to carry you along.

Just be warned that having more free insertions encourages you to source more as well LOL

"If a product doesn't sell, raise the price" - Reese Palley
"If it sold FAST, it was priced too low" - also Reese Palley

nanniestreasurechest · ‎10-15-2023

@toomuchstuffagain35 I agree with you about opening another account. I've seen some bad experiences posted here on the board. I definitely don't want to do that. I laughed at your "Just be warned that having more free insertions encourages you to source more as well LOL". I can see myself doing that if I had more free ones. 😂 I have to be careful because storage space is limited and I sure don't want to get into a situation of having to deal with what to do with it.

dhbookds · ‎10-15-2023

@nanniestreasurechest wrote:
@dhbookds 😂 You didn't derail the thread. I love retirement. No way do I want to go back to any kind of scheduled part-time job. I love what I'm doing now.

I'm glad!!! Me, too............

nanniestreasurechest · ‎10-15-2023

Thanks to everyone who gave me some advice! I really appreciate everyone who chimed in. I think I've made the decision from your advice that I'm going to hold off about opening a store. Winter is coming on and sourcing will be scarce for the next few months. If I need to go over my limit by a few listings it will still be cheaper than a store at this point. I do still have a goal to have a store at some point but I think I'm just going to wait it out and see how things look next spring. Again, Thanks to everyone who responded to my question! Ya'll are a great bunch!!!

isaiah53-57 · ‎10-15-2023

@dhbookds wrote:
@isaiah53-57 wrote:
@dhbookds wrote:
someone who had 800 listings and 5 feedback in the last 30 Days

considering that my feedback is about 20-30% of what I sell, I don't think feedback is necessarily a good indication of how much people sell. Also, there are many different goals.....and as you grow older.....finding what to do with TIME is more of a problem for some of us.......than younger people may realize.......
If that is the case, I feel for you - perhaps a better plan in the years leading up to retirement would have helped? - Though I do understand unforeseen circumstances could hinder that for some people - But I can tell you this, before I shuttered myself into my home, away from life, running through the daily grind of online sales, I would take a part-time job which would allow me to, most likely, make MORE MONEY hedged with benefits, but more importantly, allow me to have the wondrous pleasure of meeting and talking to real people and experiencing real life events - though again, I understand this is not possible for some individuals - If it is possible for you, dont get trapped in a bad situation if you can help it...
Lol.........I certainly grant you the right to live your life the way you want.........and I hope you grant the same to everyone else...... Be assured I am NOT trapped in a bad situation.....meet, talk with plenty of people.....without worrying about money or benefits. Someday you may understand what I'm talking about......or perhaps not.....

Apologies to the original poster......I should not have responded to @isaiah53-57, did not mean to derail the thread......

Thank You oh Sage... Look you were the one who said "finding what to do with TIME is more of a problem for some of us than younger people may realize" and now all of a sudden you are Warren Buffet on the jet set... I started planning for my retirement in my 20's so I guarantee the "someday you may understand what I'm talking about" comment you made, assuming you know something I don't? It doesn't apply here. Glad to hear you think your reply to my post was wasted time @dhbookds - Happy to hear I wont have to deal with it in the future then...

isaiah53-57 · ‎10-15-2023

@nanniestreasurechest wrote:
@isaiah53-57 wrote:
If that is the case, I feel for you - perhaps a better plan in the years leading up to retirement would have helped? - Though I do understand unforeseen circumstances could hinder that for some people - But I can tell you this, before I shuttered myself into my home, away from life, running through the daily grind of online sales, I would take a part-time job which would allow me to, most likely, make MORE MONEY hedged with benefits, but more importantly, allow me to have the wondrous pleasure of meeting and talking to real people and experiencing real life events - though again, I understand this is not possible for some individuals - If it is possible for you, dont get trapped in a bad situation if you can help it...

I don't know if you've reached retirement yet but I spent all those years working and preparing for retirement. To be honest I don't want a scheduled part-time job now that I'm retired. I love reselling. I love sourcing. I meet lots of people every where I go and made many new friends this past year. Definitely not shuttered inside my home. I can work when I want to and only have myself to answer to. If I want to take a trip or something then I'm free to do that. I'm not in a situation where I need to make more money but it's always nice to be able to make extra doing something you love to do.

You know this site from what you have seen in the last year - I know this site from selling under 8 different accounts with likely close to 75,000 feedback between them all, with an avg selling price of close to $100. There was a time I loved it here - Could do no wrong - My opinion is this site is a shell of its former self, that the ability to sell and make money is greatly diminished, but people still hang on here. Making money was the ONLY reason I sold here and when I felt the powers that be were taking too much of my hard earned profit I made other plans quickly..

I am not knocking what you love to do, reselling - I Iove it also and still do it, in places where I can keep my money and my sanity - If you are looking to increase your presence here to make more money, I am sorry to say that in my opinion you are likely doomed to future unhappiness - If you look at dhbooks figures and consider the amount of money that was made over the last year compared to the amount of time invested, then a part-time job would have BY FAR been the better option - Hardly anyone here wants to admit it because they think they are their own boss, but online sales is controlling and people spend sooooo much more of their precious time devoted to it than what they know because they fail to account for it properly.

You were looking for advice and I gave what I believe is the real side of it for better or for worse... Best of luck to you...

nanniestreasurechest · ‎10-15-2023

@isaiah53-57 I appreciate the advice you gave me and I know it was meant with good intentions. I agree with you on some of the things. If I had to make a living doing this, eBay would probably not be my choice or only choice at this time. It sounds like you were or are a much larger reseller than I want to be. 8 different accounts is a lot! That would really start looking like a full time job if I was doing all that. For me, this is something fun to do now that I've retired and make a little extra money without the daily grind of going into a scheduled job every day. Of course I want to get better and make a little more than what I am but it's not a necessity. Thank you again for your advice. I do truly appreciate it.

downunder-61 · ‎10-15-2023

@dhbookds

Late to this party, but when you get a store can you start out with a monthly fee rather than locking in for the 12 months?

@nanniestreasurechest

If so, may be worth a trial period before you go bothering with additional accounts, just a thought.

********************************************************************
I have been imported from Australia and this is my posting ID

retrogames10000 · ‎10-16-2023

I think the one idea that is left unsaid here

Everyone is so focused on the tangible dollar amount that a store will cost you vs new listings

I would focus on the intangible value that a store will bring your business - the perceived professionalism by customers, perhaps an increase in the algorithm too. Simply, having a store may create more money for your business by encouraging buyers to purchase and encouraging the algorithm to rank your products higher.

If I were you I'd opt to pay the $21 a month fee with the yearly subscription - if you end up not liking the store you can cancel for a fee that would shrink by the month anyway.. not like you are gonna cancel on month 2 of 12..

nanniestreasurechest · ‎10-16-2023

@downunder-61 Yes, you can do month to month. If you don't commit to a year the basic store is $27.95 per month. If you commit to a year it's only $21.95 and you pay monthly. I wouldn't do additional accounts. That may work for some but it's just not something I want to do.