aging out

[keziak]

I blather way too much here so I'll just pose the question: have you or others you know aged out in the business and for what reason? work is too heavy? want more time to do other things? don't need the money like you once did? bored?

Or, on the flip side, even as you get older do you decide to NOT change your business model and to hell with age, it's just a number?

[dubiousgain]

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@keziak wrote:

I commented to someone that there has to be more to life than shipping boxes of books to strangers.  He said yes! but he's retired. I'm still of the age when most people work, some going strong due to years of experience and contacts. But when hubby asked me today how long I can keep this up I didn't know what to say. 

One thing that makes me sad is that I have large gardens but always feel like working there is...work.. on the do-to list.. time suck. I would love to turn that around. Today I did work out there and enjoyed it but now I tell myself time to work on auctions. Always on the hamster wheel.

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Yup ...Working to live, or living to work. 🙄

[act_iii_antiques]

I am a lot pickier about what I sell. I try to steer clear of items that can't be easily shipped.

[keziak]

I'm always amazed to hear about people finding good stuff at yard/garage sales. Around here it's mostly recent immigrants selling to each other, a lot of clothes, toys, and miscellaneous. Granted, I look for books and maybe nobody  has any due to lack of buying books themselves, or they take any books to the big bookstore in town to get money there.  There are tons of good books in the area which I know from seeing them in the bookstore, and from years working in libraries in town, sorting donations for the Friends of the Library.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

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@hawkwind5454 wrote:

It's the old adage of working twice as hard to get half as much. I've been here selling for almost two decades, so I remember how *good* it once was;  I think I'm growing weary of the whole spiel of keeping a stiff upper lip, rolling with the punches, and trudging on.  I can only sell myself a bill of goods for so long. I have cut way back on my listing since the beginning of the Covid Dynasty... I don't know what the future of selling on eBay has in store for me... I guess we will see. One thing I can say, is that I have never regretted my selling tenure here; Not for a minute-. For the most part, it has been a great ride. ☺️

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For me it's been an interesting ride. Many peaks and valleys. Met all kinds of awesome customers and fellow/fellowette sellers.

As of late I'm just getting tired of watching out for next pothole. You know it's coming, you just don't know when. 

-Lotz

-Lotz

[chapeau-noir]

Yard and garage sales here are full of junk because everyone sells the good stuff online.

[luckythewinner]

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have you or others you know aged out in the business and for what reason? work is too heavy? want more time to do other things? don't need the money like you once did? bored?

I suspect most people who left for those reasons would not be on the board any longer. That aside .. 

I will stop when the sales slow down or when I start having issues with returns or fraud.

Now that eBay has settled into a more sensible listing model (i.e. no more scrambling to juggle listings and meet the arbitrary deadlines of random "listing specials")  eBay is pretty much on autopilot for me. 

Buyers buy, I ship, money shows up in my bank account. No drama. 

[gwens*4saleitems*]

Happy Birthday 

[gjs_16]

I feel if someone's "aging out" for any reason other than they're retiring it's because they failed to keep up with changes... Eaby and the web are constantly changing and migrating, not everyone finds it easy to stay in tune with that but it needs to be done or the business will slowly decrapitate, and if that's the reason then "aging out" is just an excuse.

[coastaltechsolution]

🎂

[dirk12955]

Me rambling on:

I've been selling on eBay since February 2000     I've seen the different trends and advances. From buyers for instance from paying with a check to being hogtied and forced by eBAy to open a Paypal account.

Then later having being blackmailed and coerced to give up Paypal and being forced by eBAy to accept MPs.

At the time,    MPs were the end of all that was good ,    We and eBay will never survive.

At the time,   GTC was the end of all that was good.   We and eBay will never survive.

At the time  Chinese sellers getting their political postage discount  was the end of all that was good.   Adding in the influx of millions of listings from China for discounted junk to the issue?   We and eBay will never survive.

At the time that seller hub was set forth,    We and eBay will never survive.

At the time,    New "My ebay" page.    We and eBay will never survive

Store subscriptions,    Promoted listings,   Can't leave buyers a neg,       on and on.

OMG Amazon is taking over and eBay and it's sellers will never survive.

So all that and 21+ years later?    3 selling accounts and about 2500 current listings.     All BIN stopped running true auctions years ago.    Was sure that eBAy and all its sellers would not survive. 

To address the original question.     Aging out is a real thing.     Closing in on 70 years of age and some serious 

health issues,   even eBay is becoming more difficult to handle.    

I've already lost my obsession with buying and have been spending more time pondering the question of who will deal with all this **bleep** if I can't?  

Deep and thoughtful pondering for a quiet Sunday afternoon. 

[keziak]

Like everyone else still here...especially us old timers...we've seen and adapted to an impossible number of changes. Sure, many changes have been good. Also, there any many things Amazon does to sellers that ebay does not, especially endlessly canceling listings at the whim of bots. But we're still here.  Hubby the lawyer says his work is just about the same as it's ever been.

For me, a business plan that hinges on constant heavy work is ultimately untenable and I suppose I will age out before people who sell much lighter stuff than books. The question is when. Until I need knee replacements?

[frodobagginskennedy]

I love selling but more so love hunting stuff.  I hate taking pictures.

Just returned from a 3 week All inclusive diving trip to Roatan Honduras.  THIS is the real reason I do e commerce...to pay for my diving!!

[frodobagginskennedy]

If you feel like the "hamster Wheel" I would take some serious time off!  I bailed in 2010 after all of the changes in 2008 I just burned out.  I was chasing all of the PS+ crappola.  

When I came back in 2012 I was still PS+  did it for a while but just told myself if I lose it It is what it is.  THen my Dad fell ill and passed from 2018-2020.  I just said screw it.  I will increase my handling time and let it fall where it may.

Never been happier on E bay.  

[jewelbiz]

[jewelbiz]

I just can’t post up here a simple static pix of me in TimesSquare on Friday saying I’m not aging out in spite of immediately needing knee replacement surgery which I am not wanting to do but yes, it’s very painful to even walk!  Something is also very wrong & bizarre with my eyes & I’m seeing eye surgeon tomorrow.  But not retired as need to work & make money!