eBay

roccotacodad54 · ‎10-16-2025

Ok. I realize this will be buried soon enough but I just have to say something.

I"ll preamble by stating that I only buy on eBay but was self employed for a great deal of my working life.

I constantly see sellers complaining of 3 day holds or that they won't get paid until delivery etc.

Working capital folks.

In my self employed life I sometimes didn't get paid for work completed for 90 days or longer. I had to cover labor, materials etc. myself in the interum depending on the job. Yes sometimes I got paid immediately upon completion of the job but not always.

I had to have money set aside that I didn't need for personal expenses for those 90 day holds or for disputes with customers in general.

Sometimes I ran into dishonest customers and had to be able to keep business going while pursuing legal remedies etc.

It seems to me if someone is selling online for needed capital they are basically self employed. A business model that incorporates working capital into it will make their lives much less stressful. I didn't have it at first but set aside part of my profits until a comfortable cushion was achieved.

I know that buffer allowed me to enjoy life without undue worry and to sleep well at night.

Just food for thought...........................

tobaccocardyahoo · ‎10-17-2025

Many Ebay sellers have little working capital and have bills to be paid each month.

Some Ebay sellers have little credit and will not qualify for credit other than at usurious rates.

Many sellers are barely able to balance a checkbook. Let alone capable of raising cash when they need it.

Ebay's growth along with other internet marketplaces was driven by sellers who were short on working capital.

I have had good friends who have sold here since the early days who never had enough capital and sold their products at any price they could get in order to pay their bills. And I saw how some of them were able to actually make some money when they started drawing a pension.

When I ran my computer business, my first $100k+ order was for equipment which I did not have the money or credit to buy. Fortunately, I was able to get some advice on how to creatively finance the transaction from an experienced former boss. I would regularly find my self into a credit line for twice the amount of the line thanks to the techniques I learned. All legal.

A major auto parts manufacturer filed for bankruptcy recently. They failed due to a combination of poor and expensive practices to boost working capital, including factoring, and fraudulent accounting.

Over the years, I have seen many companies with inadequate working capital fail due to their use of factoring and floor planning. Many Ebay sellers will think I am speaking Greek when I mention these techniques. Often these techniques encumber more of the assets of the business than the assets which secure the loans.

Of course, many Ebay sellers have adopted strategies which minimize their need for working capital and only need worry when Ebay makes changes which affect their cash flow. It is the reaction to such changes which is the basis of this thread. Those who live closest to the edge are the most at risk.

broto_64 · ‎10-17-2025

I understand, I'm a contractor IRL and the hand-in-mouth attitude of some sellers bothers me as well, more so because from what I understand they're on the verge of insolvency.
I've worked hard to get where I am, in my line of work legal remedies aren't worth the time and effort so if someone doesn't pay then I'm just stuck that way and it's best for me to move forward. Not all people pay, all the time, but after 20-some years I have a clientele that always pays, although some can go 3-6 months before paying too.

Like yourself I have a balance in an account.
Money goes in that account, money comes out.
Everything has to be budgeted, that account can't fall below a certain amount.
It's taken me a long time to get it all good but I also strongly suggest others do the same, build yourself a nest egg.

wri-8727 · ‎10-17-2025

@roccotacodad54 wrote:
I guess the answer is that I don't like selling things, mine or in a retail setting either.
When I get rid of my stuff I almost always give it away rather than deal with the disgruntled or thieving buyers.
I intend to give my gun safe contents to the grandkids (3) and leave instructions to draw straws for who goes first second and third on a rotating order. 2 boys (men) and 1 girl (woman) and she will probably score well. Some nice vintage jewelry in there as well as vintage guns and blades geared toward feminine tastes.
A mining claim is cool to have. The state geniuses in charge put a moratorium on claims here.
My grandfather had a sawmill/logging camp on the Klickitat river south of here. No road (gravel/logging or otherwise) access. I talked to a guy that said he saw what appeared to be some sort of old encampment by the river while steelhead fishing about where it would have been. Getting him to take me there in his jet boat is on my bucket list. I never met grandpa but I've seen pictures of him in buckskin leathers with obligatory fur hat in winter. He cut railroad ties for the railroad back in the day and I guess they floated them down the river.
He retired as a mailman later when they told him he had to drive a vehicle and could no longer deliver on horseback or with his wagon (skis on it in another picture, buckskins & hat) and mules in winter....................

I hear you but sometimes people don't appreciate freebies OTOH I've sold books to people who do appreciate them. A good feeling.

My Grandfather was a Klondiker and his Grandfather a 49er . The closest I got was watching Terry Carter the treasure hunter on YouTube.

onlinecentral · ‎10-17-2025

You can see people who don't effectively manage their Working Capital within eBay discussions.

Selling an iPhone 17 Pro worth 973.83 UK Pounds Sterling equals $1,304.93 US Dollars. You would normally keep that for the useful life of the phone, years. Otherwise, trade it back into the phone store right away, forfeit an early termination fee and still get the majority of your money back. Nope, gotta sell it on eBay because of a cash flow crunch. Then become a victim of the "fake tracking return scam".

So it says my funds will be available for withdrawal Oct 16 it is now the 17th and they still say processing. Businesses operate on Net 30 Day terms. Employees operate on a 2 week payroll cycle. Some eBay sellers operate on instant gratification.

Thinking about my childhood friends, the ones who were paying fees, interest and penalties back in the day are still paying that decades later.

roccotacodad54 · ‎10-17-2025

My friends in Nevada wanted the stuff. I asked who wanted it and they came. The ore cart is in a friends back yard with the ore samples in a desert landscape.

Klondiker and 49er. Adventurous and tough.

I also live in the sticks like you......Peaceful.................................

wri-8727 · ‎10-18-2025

@roccotacodad54 wrote:
My friends in Nevada wanted the stuff. I asked who wanted it and they came. The ore cart is in a friends back yard with the ore samples in a desert landscape.
Klondiker and 49er. Adventurous and tough.
I also live in the sticks like you......Peaceful.................................

Grandpa 49er didn't strike it rich but came back with a herd of Spanish longhorns and Grandpa Klondiker didn't strike it rich either and only came back with frostbite. I don't think they looked at themselves as tough or adventurous in the way we think of tough and adventurous. They were just men of their times. BTW the dates don't pencil out for Grandpa Klondiker to be in on the Rush but it figures he went later.

Regards

autosol15 · ‎10-18-2025

Everyone has to start somewhere.

I went into business on my own about 5 years ago after working in the industry for the previous 20....didn't have much money, but I'd socked away about $10K to get started. I started small, low quantity purchasing, about 30 or so items listed on eBay, and some wholesale stuff that I did outside of eBay. I always had at least 1/2 of what I started with in the bank for the first few months....then as the numbers grew, increased inventory, increased items for sale, and now I'm in a spot where want to be....5 years later. There were times in the beginning when the $$ would have really helped, so I didn't have to wait a week or more to place my next stock order, but that's business.

I'm not sure it's fair to compare someone just starting out with a handful of items for sale trying to get their foot in the door to an established business that has learned from every bump in the road over the years. The more seasoned guys can certainly offer advise though...and should (unless they're competitors lol).

gurlcat · ‎10-18-2025

What a weird thread. If you are well positioned enough not to need or even want your revenues as soon as possible, does that not make you happy enough? Do you really need to publicly pat yourselves on the back for it and look down your noses at others? Goodness sake have a cookie.