posted on May 10, 2001 04:39:44 PM
HI all - I know we have sellers on this board of all sizes - recreational, small-time, and Power Sellers. I was curious how many have grown in their business since starting online. Did all you big-timers come to ebay after having your own B&M or flea market business? Or web site?
Is there something more to growing an online business than getting and "ebay house" full of stuff to sell one day?
Is there a natural limit to growth in that you can ship only so many items per day? Or do you just hire help? Get home pick-up?
How many auctions can you run at one time and still keep up with all the email, feedback, and problems?
Does growing mean getting into higher-quality merchandise so you aren't selling thousands of low-end items? Does investing more in inventory mean better sales...or just higher risks?
For myself, I am definitely a one-woman, part-time show, but I've increased my volume quite a bit since last fall. I can still handle all the mail myself, but I can see a natural limit approaching, and I ponder how, when, and whether to take it to the next level. Or what that next level would look like. [I sell second-hand books mostly]
Great topic...
I started as an ebay buyer 2 years ago..I collect reggae star autographs.
Ebay was a good outlet to find promos photos of these bands to take to the shows
to have them signed..
6 months later I posted my first auction...some damaged packs of hp printer ribbons
that I was about to throw out...
As of today I have 4 full time ebay employees ..one that answers around 200 emails per day,
one that pulls merchandise for completed auctions and relists...one person to list new auctions ..
and one person to handle shipping...
We have just built a new office after having to move twice in the last year due to growth..
I have also talked three of my friends into ebay ..two of them now
have larger ebay operations an mine...
Here is the trick...
Pick items out that have high supply and demand factor,
offer it a very good price...and treat your costumers
the way you like to be treated and offer the best service money
can buy....and pay you help well...
So simple it’s simple....
I have been in business for 20 years and have never made faster money than
this...
Good luck to you
[ edited by jumpinjacko on May 10, 2001 05:26 PM ]
posted on May 10, 2001 05:53:37 PM
I started in 10/99 for the fun of it. By 3/01 I quit my "real" job. Prior to going full time ebay, I knew I had to make a decision - either stay with 10 items a day or do it full time. There was no other way to make it keep growing. Time would not allow it. Working 40+ hours at my real job, the hour + a day in the drive, the kids and spouse and house work etc, there just was no time for me to do anything else. I was at my natural limit.
So I chose to grow. Now I list 25 - 40 items a day Mon - Thurs. I make more money then I did working and I get to go to school functions during the day that I have never done before. I have time for myself and time to read these boards with my eye open.
I had to get rid of the guest room to hold my inventory. My biggest worry is running out of items. I recently had two great opportunities to purchase items so I did. But at listing 100-150 items a week, inventory goes fast.
I am still searching for better ways to get more things done so I can list more items. I plan to do 30-50 items per day next week. I grow just a few items extra per day to make sure I can keep up the pace.
Most of my items start at $9.99. I have a good following. But I sell new clothing and people just do not need 100 shirts if you know what I mean.
Growth is wonderful as long as you are thinging ahead and can keep the pace. If not you need to slow down, do some planning and decision making. That's what I did and I am really glad I made the leap.
[ edited by RichieRich on May 10, 2001 06:08 PM ]
posted on May 10, 2001 08:23:03 PM
With 50 items per day [!] how do you manage to handle all the back-end work? I guess you are automated? How about shipping? do you get help hauling stuff to the P.O. or just get it picked up at home? Clothing has to be so bulky to pack and ship.
posted on May 10, 2001 08:58:34 PM
Good for you, RichieRich! I, too, worked a "real job". I started selling on ebay approximately 3 months ago for supplemental income (I had bought a house in November, and with just me and my 4-year old, I needed something). Right after I started selling "supplementally", the company I worked for filed chapter 11! I was working half the hours with ebay and making more money. I continued to do it part-time until recently when my company decided they just couldn't pull out of the Chapter 11 and decided to do full liquidation (I worked in corporate office of large retail chain)....so I am selling full time and loving it. Running a little behind on listing, but will be catching up and staying consistent starting Monday.
I think it is a wonderful opportunity, especially for parents whose corporate lives have prevented them from watching their children grow up - I applaud anyone who considers this when deciding to sell full-time! Richie Rich, you are a super parent!
posted on May 10, 2001 11:02:58 PM
Automated....NOT! I do a lot of copying & Pasting. I have my EOA setup as a draft in my email. I pull up my seller list with that days closed auctions and click away. First I click on about 10 - 15 of the email addresses, copy & paste my notice in, type in the auction # and title, amount of high bid, shipping and the total. Copy the email addy over to my spreadsheet for my records and on to the next one. I have found with more then 15 open emails, ebay, auction watch and excel all open my computer memory starts to go weird.
I schedule shipping for Tuesday and Friday. Usually end up there at least one other day because some bidder just had to have it yesterday, if you know what I mean. The kids like it because on Post Office day I drive them to school and head straight there. I get the looks from all the people behind me. I use two luggage carriers and usually a shopping bag or two. I am nice to a point, I do let the people who walk in the door directly behind me have the next number.
Tuesday is usually my big shipping day.
Lately out of 20-25 items only 3 or 4 do not have bids. I use to sell everything.
My 11 yr old likes to help. She usually pulls the paid items out of the closing days pile for me (when she's in the mood, that is)
I plan to check into a stamps.com type thing when I have some time. That will save me tons of time waiting at the post office.
My favorite day is Friday....SHOPPING Day!
[ edited by RichieRich on May 10, 2001 11:15 PM ]
posted on May 11, 2001 05:45:54 AM
Thank you, RichieRich, for pointing out that there is a lot of work that goes into selling and not something we just click a key on and sit back!
Don't waste your time on stamps.com! Please email me to discuss before you decide to give them a try! [email protected]
posted on May 11, 2001 07:18:23 AM
RichieRich - sounds like your operation is pretty much like mine...only much more so! Hats off to you. You must work really hard. Nothing wrong with that - I don't mind putting in the time and effort to do the best job I can with this home business. But there are definitely days when I wonder if I don't bite off more than I can chew. Like today when I have a bunch of stuff to pack and mail and will need to have the small fry along with me at the P.O. Maybe a severe ice-cream cone bribe will keep 'em in line.
posted on May 11, 2001 07:48:20 AM
I started off with buying ( romance books of all things but I was addicted to reading) then I started selling off my romance collection~ some books went so high , I gasped for breathe. BEGGED my husband , I need to quit my job!!! But pension is just around the corner~ so I travel alot and you guessed it ~ an accident on our terrible roads in BC. Still selling as it keep my mind active and I love it ~ highs, lows whatever, I am truly addicted to ebay~ I don't even read much anymore~ just these boards.
I think anyone , anywhere can make a living at selling on ebay. I do it as a hobby and reinvest in what I consider a future market~ ie Nancy drew books or whatever that are flooding the market right now but won't be there in 5 years ~ also many people are not listing in these categories correctly. Plus you get to know , at least in books, what is valuable or can sell ~ a bit of a difference. I plan to retire and if not do ebay at least sell my knowledge~ I look on this as a training field ~ lots to learn about starting a business but not a lot of outlay of money.
There are markets and I think ( don't know for sure) the ticket would be some diversification and of course knowledge. I mainly do books but have been "stuying" cds/ etc. Opps~ got to go to make my hubby breakfast! he's is off to work and then I am off to phyio~ no laying around in bed these days~ I will be more fit than before the accident ~ weight lifting course starting up this week and I am online for that one not counting lifting parcels up to the mailing desk! Good luck everyone and nice thread Kesiak! lovebooks elsewhere! and everywhere
posted on May 11, 2001 03:36:02 PM
Sold my video store in 2000
Happy happy happy
Now if I could just stay off of these boards and list stuff!
Actually, I can see a definate growth potential here. I just started bringing in people to take pictures so I could spend time listing items. No use teaching competitors my business! (I made that mistake in the video industry)
Oh - my butt has grown - it is getting wider!
My plans for fall 2001 include a video store chain BUT I still will retain the eBay business - and perhaps increase that staff.
Good luck to all and might I add I am totally enjoying being able to spend some time finally with my kids.
posted on May 11, 2001 05:30:10 PM
I would like my business to grow, but until both my kids are in school all day, well....
Actually, I've manage to increase my sales despite not being able to increase my hours by:
1. Using post-sale management software to automate emails and keep better track of the stages of my auctions
2. Switching to cable, allowing for faster uploading of pics., etc.
3. Using a bulk lister, which allows for preparing auction listings even when other family members are online.
4. Setting up templates in FrontPage 2000 (formerly used Word which also works very well) to make writing descriptions easier and faster
5. Working sort of on the assembly-line method: Instead of taking 1 pic, writing up 1 description, submitting 1 auction, I'll take 10 - 20 pics, then write up 10 - 20 descriptions, putting each one in the bulk loader as I go. Then when I'm ready to launch, a few clicks is all it takes.
6. I'm starting to take a breather once a month instead of having so many auctions run every week. I find I feel fresher when I'm not juggling all aspects at a high level of busyness continually. And I still average about the same number per month anyway.
I don't ever expect to be able to make a living at this for 2 reasons:
1. I don't want employees. I like being in control and doing it all myself.
2. The items I like to sell (also primarily books) would have to be sold in such a huge volume, that I would have to hire help to be able to make big bucks that way. See #1.
3. I might eventually branch out into other items and become more diversified, but I think it takes a lot of effort and study to become knowledgeable and comfortable enough to sell something with confidence and know you're not selling junk. And even when my kids are in school all day, there still won't be enough hours in the day to maintain a certain level of business and try to learn about another product line and squeeze in some leisure time before the kids come home from school. (Sure not going to get it after they're home. )
posted on May 11, 2001 08:27:50 PM
I bought two items in 1998 (came upon stuff I wanted as I was searching in vain for a reasonably priced Furby for my neice). In December of 1998 I started having severe medical problems, and couldn't work outside the home.
In March 1999, I won some Blues Clues software in a sweepstakes. I didn't want/need it so I put it on ebay as a lark. My "Lark" brought me almost retail for it, and got me hooked. I began paring down my CD collection, etc.
I'm still doing ebay full time, but wouldn't be enough for anyone else to consider full time -- I live with my mother. Ebay was great when I was having so many medical problems (have been gone for a year this month!)
I've always enjoyed garage sales, and so ebay was a perfect fit.
I keep hoping to find that dream item at a garage sale and get rich and quit ebay, well, I don't know i could ever quit, its rather addicting, but I'd like to go to under 5 auctions a week as opposed to my 30-150 a week (depends on how much stuff I have, time, how I'm feeling -- been really stressed lately, etc.)
I am glad I found ebay but do hope that I can get out of depending upon it for my full amount of income.
)