posted on June 29, 2001 08:54:32 PM
I was wondering if anyone else has shared my experience. My friends are so fascinated and impressed with my ebay business that many have expressed major desire to start their own (and a few have.) This slightly annoys me, b/c I feel like its MY thing! =) Also, I don't appreciate those that try to sell similar items as me -- Friends shouldn't be trying to compete! It almost makes me want to keep my business a secret, but thats really impossible....
I haven't had that problem, but a few of my relatives are selling on ebay. No real competition though......
I have had a problem with some friends and acquaintances (did I spell that right?) wanting me to sell items for them. I've had some very good results selling on ebay, and once they heard my stories, they all had things for me to sell.
They all said I would get a percentage, but it's really not worth the time unless it's something high end. Also I worry about getting my FB rating messed up by selling things for others. I have worked very hard to keep a good FB. It's only 31, but all are glowing positives.
One guy has some really neat antique widgets, and antique craft stuff that belonged to his deceased mother. For the right price, I could be persuaded.....
posted on June 29, 2001 09:23:47 PM
YES. Only they aren't generally friends but aquaintances. They want FREE tutoring, drive over unannounced to ask me a stupid ebay question, etc. Then go to my best garage sales and smile at me when I see them. "HELLO! How are you? Look at all the great stuff I just bought!"
On another similar note is people we buy stuff from. You can't blame them for wanting a piece of the action but more than one time we have been asked about our business, "OH, I don't have any desire to do it! I am just curious!" Then in a month they stop selling to us and start selling on ebay.
I know what you mean. Free enterprise.
Other annoyances:
There is a guy who hangs out where we buy stuff (from a junk man). The guy does not sell on ebay at all. He just "browses" and asked what we bought today. Finally he found us on ebay and started printing our our ended auction list for the junk man. Now junk man wants $xx for each item PLUS 50% of anything over that!!! Unreal.
Relatives. They gave you something. DID not want it. Hated it. Can't stand it. PLEASE drop it off at Goodwill for them! Can they put it in your car RIGHT now?
Then in a year we put it up for auction...they call us and say "That's mine! I want it back! Why are you selling MY thing?" I actually had to end an auction once for my mother-in-law for something she DID NOT EVER WANT TO SEE AGAIN. If the kids clothes/toys are OUTGROWN they are OUTGROWN. It doesn't matter if YOU gave them to me. I want to sell them. They are usless to me.
Plus it's like having your business ledger printed in the local newspaper every week.
We live in a small town and you are right it is hard to hide. What can you say when your father-in-law says, "What's your ebay ID?" for the 12th time? They know it's our full time business. I got a second one (to hide), "We noticed YOU are't working anymore but your hubby IS. Did you get a NEW id? Here, write it on this paper with this pen for me."
NO!NO!NO! Are we freaks to be gawked at by the entire community?
T
posted on June 29, 2001 09:24:31 PM
Sure, that happens all the time. However, I have found that 99% of the acquaintances who decide to jump on the eBay bandwagon soon jump off again. Why? They find out that it involves *work*. Scanning and/or taking pictures. Writing descriptions. Tracking auctions. Correspondence. Packaging and mailing out items. Bookkeeping. etc. etc. etc. Even when you do eBay on a small scale as I do it's *work*.
posted on June 29, 2001 11:11:52 PM
Worse! I've had a friend of a friend; my daughters friend's mother; and a boss all coming to me to get them started. No monetary reward either. The boss wants me to sell her items and I'm supposed to get zip. Seriously I'm not angry or upset, I'm glad to help them. I've tried to get family and friends started and no takers. It takes risk takers and that does not describe my family and friends.
posted on June 29, 2001 11:39:19 PM
I've had two people ask me to teach them what I know about selling on E-bay. I have put them off because frankly I don't want the competition. One said to me "I won't be any competition because I will sell different things." Yeah right...
posted on June 30, 2001 01:13:53 AM
hmph here's a good one for ya! I INVITED a friend to help me in my business with EBAY right after I frist started, cause I could barely keep up, with working full time. She is retired. 50/50 buying and 50/50 profits. Know what she wanted to do in the biz? Collect the money, control the money, and ship the item. Period. When I mentioned her writing the description and me taking the photo and listing the item, it was a no go. NOW she wants me to list HER stuff!!! I told her, lets get your computer hooked up, and I will show you how. Nope. I aint listing her stuff, either! Some friend, eh?
posted on June 30, 2001 01:56:28 AM
I have taught several friends to sell on ebay and I am happy that some of them have made a business of it. With all the sellers on ebay, I hardly think that a few of my friends added to the mix are causing any increase in competition.
posted on June 30, 2001 03:41:49 AM
I started in mid '97 and didn't tell a soul. Sold my brains out Now everyone wants in on the action, I don't give lessons, sorry. Would they do the same for you?
posted on June 30, 2001 03:54:04 AM
Friends? Whats that a TV show? Everybodys a cut throat when there's money involved. They will look at everything you do. Some will even get a calculator out and add up how much money you are taking in each month. Some people think Im doing good. Perhaps I should buy them calculators.
posted on June 30, 2001 03:59:16 AM
I just went to ebay and did a seller search under Tuesday2001. I don't see any auctions listed. Could you please tell me your ebay handle so I can look at your auctions. I might see something I want to buy (or sell).
posted on June 30, 2001 04:05:49 AM
I am happy to teach CLOSE friends or family that I TRUST, with the stipulation that we sell totally different items. Let me empasize TRUST, because with the people that I have helped, I would never even have to spell that out. They know not to compete directly, and wouldn't want to take away from my income. If I had any doubt of this, I wouldn't even want to tell them what I sell, let alone teach them how to sell. As a matter of fact, when people ask me what I do (strangers, acquaintences) I usually just say I'm a SAHM. If I don't, I get bombarded with questions that I don't want to answer: What do you sell? Where do you buy it? How much do you make each week? How many hours do you work?
I also have found that people drop out quick, they don't realize the amount of work and the risk.
posted on June 30, 2001 04:35:52 AM
I have had a lot of people try to get me to teach them--I am basically a person that tries to be helpful but it was getting to be too much time involved.
I designed and printed a brochure that gives my rates and conditions for tutoring, selling on commission, or running an estate sale. When someone STARTS asking how I do it, I hand them the brochure before they ask me to start showing them how it is done.
It works and I have made a few bucks on some commission items. I also seem to have a few more hours every week to list now that I don't have the "students" around any more.
posted on June 30, 2001 05:42:14 AM
tuesday2001
"i feel it's my thing"...........yes mcdonalds also feels that way about burger king , wendys and jack in the box.............its called competition...it's the american way, thank our forefathers for that!!!!
posted on June 30, 2001 06:19:45 AM
If someone has been a great friend or helpful family member to me, I gladly share information. If they are not, and are pumping me for information on more, the answer is that I do it for a living, and charge $50 an hour. (Yes, more than any of us make on ebay!)
That usually deters the favor seeker.
In the small town I lived in until recently, so many were asking for help I put together a course for the adult education program this past winter.
It sold out, and I earned $470 over 8 nights helping people in the high school computer lab learn how to search, sell, buy etc. Sort of an ebay university, but high school level. It was a very popular and successful course. Great feedback, but few went on to sell when they found out it took work, time and dedication.
I may soon offer private tutoring. There's money in all that "friendly" interest.
posted on June 30, 2001 06:23:18 AM
Over all I don't mind it as a friend helped me get started. So, I have passed that along to a few other friends and helped them get started.
BUT, I do have rules that must be followed! The two main ones are: No direct competition and no bidding against each other!
It has worked out well...
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