posted on November 22, 2000 01:10:12 PM
As an old time thrift store shopper who hs been into funky old stuff for 100 years, Ebay was a fantastic place to find things from other people of like minds, and like many others, I ended up buying and finally going into selling and actually doing quite well.
But now, my little niche in the on-line auction world seems to have died. My niche being vintage, kitchsy, funky anything stuff that caught my eye. Vintage western, quirky pottery, odd ball stuff that used to be the backbone of Ebay.
Now it is just not worth my time. The world has caught on, and I can't buy the junk for a price that would get me a profit. The flea market thrift store ambiance of Ebay has gone. Oh well, fashions change, collectibles come and go. The market has been saturated.
I think I'm done. I don't blame Ebay or their marketing tactics. It was inevitable that the collectible market would become saturated. The unfortunate part is that the wholesaler venue is not viable either, in my opinion. I can buy singing Billy Bass at the supermarket, and how many singing Billy Bass'es does the world want to buy anyway?
So, maybe I'll stumble across something that will make it worth my time to try Ebay again, I know you just have to find the right thing. But I'm fresh out of ideas. Think I'll blow it off for awhile.
Thanks for letting me vent. I know this has all been said before. Happy Thanksgiving!
posted on November 22, 2000 03:18:39 PM
I don't think anyone knew how eBay would keep evolving and changing when it first started. I imagine the people who used to sell beanie babies long for the way it used to be too.
I'm with you--I miss the flea market/thrift sale ambience eBay used to have. However, those kinds of items can still be found on eBay--you just have to look a little harder than you used to.
I keep expecting another venue to fill the void that has been left by eBay's evolution.
posted on November 22, 2000 07:39:54 PM
The marketplace changes so quickly and often it is difficult to make a living at it. But that's old news, big (and small) businesses have encountered this dilemma for ages. Then take a look at big online sites that have struggled and gone out of business. It's just the way it is- booms and busts. Consumers are fickle, and every company big or small struggles with making a profit. Everyone wishes that we could just list all our items and sell out, then keep this rotation going, but it's not realistic.
If you enjoy selling on ebay, you will naturally find solutions, and bargains still can be found with persistance. During the baseball card craze of the late '80s, early 90's, a couple teenagers encountered me after attempting to sell a few shoe box full of cards from the '60s, to a card shop owner, who declined to sort through the boxes. I was almost druling at the cards I saw. For a mere $40 I got them all. The Mickey Mantle card alone made the deal profitable. It also helps to spot new trends. Go to shows and see what "new" trends are developing. Again, during the baseball craze, I went to a card show and saw football cards being sold at a few tables. Football cards at this time were dirt cheap. I traded baseball card sets at 2 for every football set. That alone was a profitable trade for me because I created my own sets for a mere penny per card. Three months later football cards take off, doubling, tripling and quadrupling in price. I mistakingly sold several sets at this time. Just years later the sets go for over $100 each. Individual cards alone can be worth that much. Even grab collector magazines and see what is gradually getting more ad space. Believe me, it takes time and energy, but it is hugely profitable and well worth your time.
"If you lend someone $20, and never see that person again, it was probably worth it."
posted on November 22, 2000 07:55:26 PM
Thanks for the encouragement! I do have the feeling that as far as selling goes, I am in between "rotations" and for the first time in a while, can't find something that catches on in the marketplace.
It will be interesting to see where the trends will go.....I think I'll keep my eyes open, but in the mean time it makes no sense to beat a dead horse, thank goodness I've turned over most of my merchandise.
It really is a rush when you find you are at the front of a new trend, isn't it? You know, I think I've been so busy selling that I wasn't looking forward!
And I forgot how much fun the research is!
See, feeling better already! Maybe it's the pumpkin pie in the oven.....
