What is your take on this

[resesh-63]

My husband and I have been reselling for about 6+ months now, and we’ve officially reached the point where our profits are enough to cover our rent! 🙌 That’s huge for us. It’s been a grind — hours of sourcing, listing, packing, and posting on social media (and honestly, we could probably be even more consistent).

But here’s the thing that’s been on my mind — not a single one of our sales has come from friends or family. 😅 Out of everyone we know, maybe 2–3 people ever like or comment on our reselling posts… and two of those are our moms 💜😂

Is that just how it goes? Do most resellers notice the same thing — that support usually comes from strangers before people you actually know?

Anyway, just had to get that off my chest. The progress is real, even if the likes aren’t showing it.

[resesh-63]

As for me once I see my family members I pity them so I just give for free 

[mtgraves7984]

The progress is real, even if the likes aren’t showing it.

@resesh-63 

There you go! You're not selling 'likes' anyway. Keep it up!

[tobaccocardyahoo]

My children and relatives do not want what I sell.

They live in fear that I will die and leave them with all of my inventory to deal with.

There are a limited number of my friends and acquaintances who sell things I might want. I can usually buy those items from someone else for less than I would have to pay them.

I buy some unique items from friends and acquaintances because I can trust them and have no trustworthy alternative sources.

[meekamaye]

My kids know the name of my store, course if you asked today, they probably couldn't remember it. My adult grandkids; some know I sell on eBay, some don't know, they just aren't interest but this group doesn't know the name of store. Neither do any relatives, including my sister. I love it that way. That see what I sell or what I have sold. 

[gwenscupboard]

I've been selling on the bay since 2005, my very first sale was a manual for a Ski-Doo that I found in a cupboard. 

My family knows I sell on the bay, my grands know I sell on the bay, they don't SHOP on the bay and I don't mind one bit.

My kids will go to rummage, estate sales and trash and find me stuff to sell (which is the greatest thing ever!).

My son picks up items and my daughter loves to shop for me.

[christworks]

@resesh-63  I do not sale anything listed to family or friends. Period.  They are all well-aware of the rule. 

I think it is a bit rude to expect they would "support" you and buy from you. You are running a business. Your income should be coming from strangers, not family and friends. Otherwise, you won't ever know whether you are actually successful or are getting sympathy buys because your buyers are people who have a personal connection to you.

My family and friends are welcome to have anything that is not listed. In fact, at Christmas, that's normally what I let the nieces and nephews do. Go pull one item they would like from the stacks of non-listed things. 

Everybody knows I source, and they let me know to be on the lookout for something if they need it. I keep it clean and just give it to them. 

[sin-n-dex]

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@resesh-63 wrote:

My husband and I have been reselling for about 6+ months now, and we’ve officially reached the point where our profits are enough to cover our rent! 🙌 That’s huge for us. It’s been a grind — hours of sourcing, listing, packing, and posting on social media (and honestly, we could probably be even more consistent).

But here’s the thing that’s been on my mind — not a single one of our sales has come from friends or family. 😅 Out of everyone we know, maybe 2–3 people ever like or comment on our reselling posts… and two of those are our moms 💜😂

Is that just how it goes? Do most resellers notice the same thing — that support usually comes from strangers before people you actually know?

Anyway, just had to get that off my chest. The progress is real, even if the likes aren’t showing it.

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My friends don't buy from me because they know how much I'm buying my stuff for and what I'm selling it for, and feel that I'm making too much profit on the item.

Strangers on the other hand are comparing my items to other similar items from other sellers and making economic decisions about who to buy from.

C.

[sakic92710]

I'll just say that, if she were a kind soul, I would have been happy to give it but she is a very entitled person who thinks everything should be handed to her & everyone should help her.  If you do 20 things for her & do not do #21, you are talked about behind your back.

[studiodeflores]

I agree with what everyone's saying-try not to do business with family or friends.  The other "situation" is when a friend or family member asks you to sell their stuff for them and split the profit.  They think they're helping you out but there are SO many reasons not to get involved with that.  

[chapeau-noir]

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@christworks wrote:

@resesh-63  I do not sale anything listed to family or friends. Period.  They are all well-aware of the rule. 

I think it is a bit rude to expect they would "support" you and buy from you. You are running a business. Your income should be coming from strangers, not family and friends. Otherwise, you won't ever know whether you are actually successful or are getting sympathy buys because your buyers are people who have a personal connection to you.

My family and friends are welcome to have anything that is not listed. In fact, at Christmas, that's normally what I let the nieces and nephews do. Go pull one item they would like from the stacks of non-listed things. 

Everybody knows I source, and they let me know to be on the lookout for something if they need it. I keep it clean and just give it to them. 

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It was just a question. 

My friends won't allow me to just give them a thing - they're well aware of how much one has to hustle running a small business and also like to keep business and friendship separate, but it hasn't come up that much. 

[christworks]

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@studiodeflores wrote:

  The other "situation" is when a friend or family member asks you to sell their stuff for them and split the profit.  They think they're helping you out but there are SO many reasons not to get involved with that.  

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This just come up tonight with one of my nieces. 

I have done consignments before for a friend. Never again. It ruined the friendship. Some of that is my fault, because I did not ask him the right questions before I agreed to do it.  I felt bad for him though, because he had to move suddenly for work and he could not take all his things with him. It was a fast decision on my part, and looking back I wish I would have just bought him his stuff that I thought was sellable outright. Instead, we did a consignment agreement. 

Most of his stuff sold. Some of his larger stuff didn't. After a year, I needed it gone because it was taking up too much space and I felt one of the reasons why those things had not sold was due to how much it would cost to ship when compared to the value of the items. By then my friend was living an hour's drive away, but would come up every couple of month to see family. I told him that I needed him to stop by here next time he was in town to pick up his things, or I could donate them for him if he did not want them. He did not want to do either, and instead asked me to take them to a pawn shop. I did, and neither pawn shop I went to was interested. Another 2 months went by and he came to town and he got one of the items, and left the other stuff. I donated that stuff and he flipped. I ended the friendship because I don't deal with entitled people nor people who take advantage. 

I told my niece today to sort through what she did not want, I would check it out and make her an offer. Of course, I will offer her more than I would a stranger, but I'd rather own the stuff so I can do what I want with it. 

@chapeau-noir  Yes, the OP asked a question and I gave my thoughts. What exactly is your point? Is that not what I was supposed to do? Was I supposed to tell the OP something they wanted to hear? 

[chapeau-noir]

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@christworks wrote:

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@studiodeflores wrote:

  The other "situation" is when a friend or family member asks you to sell their stuff for them and split the profit.  They think they're helping you out but there are SO many reasons not to get involved with that.  

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This just come up tonight with one of my nieces. 

I have done consignments before for a friend. Never again. It ruined the friendship. Some of that is my fault, because I did not ask him the right questions before I agreed to do it.  I felt bad for him though, because he had to move suddenly for work and he could not take all his things with him. It was a fast decision on my part, and looking back I wish I would have just bought him his stuff that I thought was sellable outright. Instead, we did a consignment agreement. 

Most of his stuff sold. Some of his larger stuff didn't. After a year, I needed it gone because it was taking up too much space and I felt one of the reasons why those things had not sold was due to how much it would cost to ship when compared to the value of the items. By then my friend was living an hour's drive away, but would come up every couple of month to see family. I told him that I needed him to stop by here next time he was in town to pick up his things, or I could donate them for him if he did not want them. He did not want to do either, and instead asked me to take them to a pawn shop. I did, and neither pawn shop I went to was interested. Another 2 months went by and he came to town and he got one of the items, and left the other stuff. I donated that stuff and he flipped. I ended the friendship because I don't deal with entitled people nor people who take advantage. 

I told my niece today to sort through what she did not want, I would check it out and make her an offer. Of course, I will offer her more than I would a stranger, but I'd rather own the stuff so I can do what I want with it. 

@chapeau-noir  Yes, the OP asked a question and I gave my thoughts. What exactly is your point? Is that not what I was supposed to do? Was I supposed to tell the OP something they wanted to hear? 

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No, just not applying assumptions like "rude" when the question was pretty neutral. Your answer need not include judgment on the very question. 

[johnrj1226]

Doing  business with family or friend always don't  turn into a happy dance -  try to shy away from them.  Don't want a "Hatfield & McCoy" event at my front day  just Peace in the Valley

[pickapaper]

@resesh-63  is in Cameroon, Africa.  I know nothing about Cameroon so can only guess what the OP is talking about.  We are all saying what we would do in the U.S. but perhaps the "friends or family" situation is different there.   Some family units and cultures are much closer than others and what "we" would say no to might not be acceptable in another country.  The OP may actually have a point about not feeling supported because that is what her culture leans toward.