eBay

bigdeals.etc · ‎08-03-2020

Am I just a grumpy person or do you guys get this too?

It's pretty well known amongst many of my friends and family that I sell online full time for quite awhile now. I remember my parents were even quite skeptical about this when I started, now they fully support it. But anyway I used to always get the same reaction/perception when people found out what I did as a job. It starts with a "Aw that's nice... good for you", then leads to "Are you doing okay? You can't possibly be making much money", then to "Wow you're actually able to make a living off of this?". Even my wife went thru these steps with me when we were first dating.

The final reaction/perception I get from some people is the one I hate most. It's the ones who always tell me how I should be running my business and push "suggestions" to me when it seems they put very little thought into the logistics of it.

-"You should be doing this, or you should be doing that."

-"Hey I have a great idea you can do... you're welcome."

-"You're doing it all wrong. Here's what I would do."

-"Sell this type of item. I'm sure you can easily find a supplier for cheap (someone actually said iPhones because they are so popular)."

Keep in mind that 99% of these people have zero experience in this field or in sales. Yes, very few have a good idea. I always appreciate actual help but most of them have such lame ideas and I have to let them down easy. I only respect 100% of the feedback given by two people... my ebay online colleague who has been selling as long as I have, and my cousin who is a very successful entrepreneur who started his large business from nothing, even giving his extended family jobs.

1786davycrockett · ‎08-04-2020

My wealthy brother-in-law regularly criticized my eBay store, my inventory, my accounting methods, my sales figures -- well, everything, actually. He didn't even like the name of my store -- told me it didn't properly describe what I was selling. But all of his suggestions actually boiled down to him wanting me to sell an entirely different line of products, in an entirely different manner, to an entirely different clientele.

And, by the way, the only reason that he became wealthy, was by doing EXACTLY what he was told to do -- by others.

Thanks -- but I prefer my independence -- even if it doesn't make we wealthy.

inhawaii · ‎08-04-2020

I came up with a great idea!

You should sell these COVID-19 shirts!

"6 feet away or 6 feet under"

"Wear this mask now (picture of a face mask) or this mask later (picture of a ventilator mask)"

"If you're going to wear your mask below your nose, you may as well be wearing it on your elbow."

"Please don't pull down your mask when you talk to me. What did i ever do to you?"

Telephone Line - Electric Light Orchestra

jennachris · ‎08-04-2020

I always get the...
"Don't you sell on eBay? How much is this worth?"

(Check your phone)
"Will you sell this for me? I'd share a bit of the profit with you."
(Ummm... no. I don't think they know how much effort is put into getting the item listed for sale)

1tuna · ‎08-04-2020

............general reply................

I have been getting this sub par treatment from peope that do not know squat

I have supported my entire family for over 20 years with ebay but it still ranks as low class.I am embarrsassed to let people know I sell on ebay .It sounds better when I just say I sell watches online. I think the general population looks at amazon sellers as better or somehow they know whats going on and ebay sellers are cluless.

I had to put up with this kind of stuff from my father in law,his daughter maried a welder,cant let that happen.People lump welders right in there with roofers,God forbid you should be doing manual labor like packing up merchandise, I have had some great years making as much as a health care professional.

Ebay sellers get lumped in there with flea market people,they get no respect.

I know hundreds of on line watch sellers and I can tell you they never ever mention the big A

ebay rocks and ebay rules!!

keep on selling

Germantown proud Germantown strong
up the whiskey hickon
moving right along
19144

evry1nositswindy · ‎08-04-2020

People who know I sell on eBay are always trying to get me to sell something for them. I will sell books for my Dad and some sewing projects for my Mom, but that's it. Nothing worse than somebody walking up to you and asking if you could sell something for them. Oh, "I'll give you a commission". No. I always tell them to sell it themselves.

evry1nositswindy • seller since 2013
Volunteer Community Mentor

rosszonebricks · ‎08-04-2020

Not so much for eBay, but if I hear "Oh... you should sell your stuff on Etsy!" for my artwork and custom jewelry one more time.... Uh no. And they ALL say it like it's the world's most unique suggestion. They legitimately think they are telling me something I've never heard before.

maros9416 · ‎08-04-2020

That's all great! I eat it all up. We are (were-because we are closed for 5 months) prolific flea market sellers for many years. My knowledge is my biggest asset. Although I help others on how to sell, I don't readily disclose my interest in what I'd trying to buy. Whatever is on my tables (25 of them) is all stuff I can't sell on eBay for one reason or another. I get the most juice out of the grape like this. Most customers think they ' got me ' when I'm unloading wares for cheap, but I've already been there & done that and every single item has already been looked up...Another thing that is common is when people ask me to sell furniture for them online, or think something is very valuable just because it is old. I constantly have to break the bad news to people about their collector plates or Bing Crosby Christmas albums.

silverstatetreasureboxes · ‎08-04-2020

You stated your embarrassed to tell people you sell on EBay? My friend, never apologize for having a job!

queenbuttercup · ‎08-04-2020

I get horrible recommendations all the time. I get nosy and rude questions all the time. I get people acting as if selling online is nefarious. People ask me to sell their things for them, things they think are worth 10 times their actual value. People ask for free advice. People ask how much I make and think they are entitled to my P&L statements. lol

It is all annoying, invasive, rude and ignorant. It goes beyond general curiosity. Some people mean well.

moolahmama · ‎08-04-2020

The most irksome response we've gotten from so-called friends is where they want us to find them nice name-brand items for cheap, but these same people claim we are "ripping people off" because we buy cheap and sell for a profit. What do they think every other retailer is doing????

moolahmama · ‎08-04-2020

Yes, we learned the hard way about this. Did a favor for my husband's boss years ago and sold a hunting bow for him. He was mad at how little he got after all the fees came off. Never again!!

usaflea · ‎08-04-2020

my mailman and others always ask what I sell , my answer always...lots of stuff or everything

mailman asked for website, said I don't give it out , do not need the whole neighborhood knowing how much I make, but hey, that is just me...everything between me and the customer only

then nobody can comment to you

monster-deals · ‎08-04-2020

@bigdeals.etc wrote:
Am I just a grumpy person or do you guys get this too?

It's pretty well known amongst many of my friends and family that I sell online full time for quite awhile now. I remember my parents were even quite skeptical about this when I started, now they fully support it. But anyway I used to always get the same reaction/perception when people found out what I did as a job. It starts with a "Aw that's nice... good for you", then leads to "Are you doing okay? You can't possibly be making much money", then to "Wow you're actually able to make a living off of this?". Even my wife went thru these steps with me when we were first dating.

The final reaction/perception I get from some people is the one I hate most. It's the ones who always tell me how I should be running my business and push "suggestions" to me when it seems they put very little thought into the logistics of it.
-"You should be doing this, or you should be doing that."
-"Hey I have a great idea you can do... you're welcome."
-"You're doing it all wrong. Here's what I would do."

I've been doing this 20+ years. The last 10+ full time.

My parents even when I owned a B&M store couldn't believe I was able to be an expert in my field let alone MULTIPLE fields.

My dad...the concept completely escapes him.

The conversations go like this:

What did you buy that for?

What are you asking...why did I buy it or how much I spent?

Why.

To sell dad...same reason I spend $200 every weekend on garage sale stuff.

...and who is going to buy this stuff?

IDK, Steve, Chuck, maybe Pam...I don't care who they are.

...and you think you're going to sell it for X?

No dad, I know I'm going to sell it for X because the last four I sold went for that.

I don't know why someone would pay that much for that.

Yes, dad, and that's exactly why I am able to do what I do because there are lots of people out there having garage sales that can't believe someone would buy an old board game for $200.

bigdeals.etc · ‎08-04-2020

@monster-deals wrote:
I've been doing this 20+ years. The last 10+ full time.

My parents even when I owned a B&M store couldn't believe I was able to be an expert in my field let alone MULTIPLE fields.

My dad...the concept completely escapes him.

The conversations go like this:

What did you buy that for?

What are you asking...why did I buy it or how much I spent?

Why.

To sell dad...same reason I spend $200 every weekend on garage sale stuff.

...and who is going to buy this stuff?

IDK, Steve, Chuck, maybe Pam...I don't care who they are.

...and you think you're going to sell it for X?

No dad, I know I'm going to sell it for X because the last four I sold went for that.

I don't know why someone would pay that much for that.

Yes, dad, and that's exactly why I am able to do what I do because there are lots of people out there having garage sales that can't believe someone would buy an old board game for $200.

Ha ha ha. Yea. Sounds like many of the convo's I had with my mom when I was starting out. Mind you, I started with women's underwear and undergarments.

It's interesting reading the posts here about the reactions we get as online (and ebay) sellers. As mentioned, my wife admitted to being on the fence with continuing to date me when she found out I was an online seller. That was until she saw part of my operation and had a better idea of my income. There's clearly a stigma to being a full time online seller. But that had gotten a bit better because of Amazon. And that's one of the popular follow up questions people ask when you say "I'm an online retailer/seller"... "Oh, Amazon?" Back when I only sold on ebay, I would say primarily ebay... you can see their enthusiasm shift to pity.

It's sorta like the stigma there WAS in online dating. But that has gotten muuuuuch better in the last 5 or so years. I recall back then, I'd run into friends on dating sites and they'd make me swear to not tell anyone that they are on the site. I believe online selling will never really be "respectable" within the general population.

And for the ones who give sooooo many "insightful (sarcasm)" suggestions... I always feel that those people are more talkers and not doers. One friend of mine who gives suggestions still is known to always talk about her plans and ideas... but she never moves on them. She's wasted so much of her life by just talking... so many startup businesses/investments, career changes, etc.