posted on July 11, 2001 07:26:48 AM new
Hi Everyone:
I am fairly new to selling items on a "regular" basis on eBay and have found the info posted on this board to be *most* helpful. I have a question...Is it possible to really "make a living" by posting auctions as your FT job on eBay? I have never met anyone who has done this as their FT job. I don't want to "pry", but I would be really fascinated to hear what kind of annual incomes people are making. I have been seriously considering trying this more on a FT basis and would appreciate any and all insight and comments/suggestions!
posted on July 11, 2001 07:35:20 AM new
I think it would be very easy to do this full time. How much money you would make is another question. There are folks on this board who are making a very comfortable five figure income from doing eBay. (I'm not one of them!)
IMO, EBay is too unstable an environment to trust with your livelihood. My fear is that no matter what you sell, there could always come in someone better funded, better equipped, better whatever. and zap your sales.
Also, eBay keeps turning the screws on its sellers in various ways and there is no way to predict what additional burdens they may add in the future that might make it prohibitive to run a reasonable business.
I definitely have no plans to quit my full time job. eBay is providing me with some nice extra disposable income but if I were to quit tomorrow, I'd still be OK. I would never want to place myself in a situation where I was required to keep doing eBay to put food on the table.
posted on July 11, 2001 08:18:14 AM new
In my opinion it would be very hard to make a living on ebay alone. I do ebay and my husband has a real world FT job, so ebay helps us cover some extras and since his job is a little shaky right now (hopefully the business will not go under but it is not looking real great), at least we have ebay to help cover our needs should a lay off occur.
I wouldn't quit a job to sell on ebay right now. For one thing, the summer months are hard in sales anyway. Maybe re-evaluate in a few months when things pick up again?
posted on July 11, 2001 08:27:22 AM new
if you do not have a job ,then try ebay,you have nothing to lose.
if you do have a job ,i mean a job outside home,then dont quit,just do ebay on the side.
if you sell vintage items,these items are becoming scarcer and more expensive to acquire.
if you sell new items,there are plenty of competition and supply just keep coming and no one make money
posted on July 11, 2001 08:42:25 AM new
Well, I am going against the grain here. But I did quit my full time job about a year ago and have never regretted it once. I have an accountant help me with taxes. I list about 250 auctions a week (unless FLD comes along) and make more money than I ever did at my *corporate* job.
I set my own hours and have more time to do the things I want like travelling. I even took time off to travel abroad a few months ago, something my past job would have never allowed for more than a week at a time.
Am I making enough money, heck ya! I don't have a family so I don't feel too pressured in that sense. I know if something happened and I couldn't sell on ebay I can easily pick up and find another 9-5'er but don't see that happening. This job is giving me the freedom I have always wanted.
If you don't follow your dreams then what is the point. Life is too short to be doing something you don't want to do.
If I want to make more money I just work more hours. I have repeat business and that helps my numbers as well.
Honestly, I am glad I didn't know about the message boards before I quit my job, I might have not done it and therefore not had such a great year.
NOTE:
A good thing to remember,
A better thing to do ---
Work with the construction gang,
not the wrecking crew!
Good luck at whatever choice you make but make it because YOU want to!!!
posted on July 11, 2001 11:58:06 AM new
I'm sitting here at work training my replacement. I've just quit to try e-bay full time. I don't get benefits at my 9-5, no sick pay, no vacation pay...just a salary. I figured out that the days I have at least 10 auctions with bids that I make as much money as I do at work. I thought to myself..."why am I here and not out working for myself?" I am looking forward to the freedom that ebay will offer. So I'm going to double up on my auction listings and not look back. Wish me luck everyone. I'm taking the full-time e-bay plunge next week. Yee-ha
posted on July 11, 2001 01:20:25 PM new
I am trying to convince my better half that I want to do Ebay full time. I have worked at the same company for 18 years and I am so tired of it. My boss keeps giving me more and more to do. He's a really nice boss but he hates paperwork. So I get to do it. Even the things I'm not supposed to do. I have been selling (and buying) on Ebay for quite some time and I love doing it. I would love to hear some more success stories. It just might help me realize my dream.
posted on July 11, 2001 02:21:42 PM new
It's easy to do ebay FT, but keep in mind it's like a regular job. 25 auctions listed daily for 5 days brings home a nice income and amounts to a 40 hour work week. I get real tired of it though so I drop my listings considerably often to take a breather, mainly during slow periods anyway. During good periods, like Christmas, I will work non-stop and can make twice the income.
I suggest starting out slow and learn to be efficient, this way you can do 5x the listings in the same amount of time.
posted on July 11, 2001 02:32:25 PM new
Well, I'm a positive too. I was really scared to take the dive into it, as the Part Time job I had, making a little money was the little bit of money this household needs to keep running smoothly. I reached the point another person here mentioned of feeling like "what am I doing here" at the day job! I tracked the sales figures for about a year and finally convinced my husband that I could do it, and if I failed, I know I can get a day job anytime as I have a lot of skills and while I may make less money, I know we'll eat!
So, 4 months ago... I did it! I quit! I'm thrilled! I'm in Charge, I'm responsible... I luv ebay! Don't get me wrong, it's WORK! But it's MY work! I work when I want, go to Busch Gardens w/ the kids when I want and stop at all the thrifts on the way... I work at night when everyone is asleep and sometimes I work in the day time... But, you have to weigh out, no benefits, if you don't work, you don't get paid, the money trickles in and there is no paycheck to count on. That's probably the worst for me is counting on money... you can't do it... you just never know with this business and I think you need to be sure you have something or someone to fall back on, including a little cushion in the bank.
The point of my rambling here is:
1. Plot your success and really analyze it... how are you doing? Are you making money monthly? Count up all those expenses related to it and be sure....
2. Be prepared to work - hard!
3. Be prepared to save yourself if the market bottoms out on what you sell. It happens!
4. Good luck!
posted on July 11, 2001 02:37:10 PM new
I would love to, and will, when I retire, use ebay full time. Something you MUST keep in mind: if you want to make money, steadily, you need an inventory that will do that for you. It is very difficult (and becoming more so) to find good things to sell that you can acquire at a decent enough price to make a good profit. (Unless you are going to deal in "new" stuff, then you need a good wholesale supplier!) Good luck in whatever you decide to do. If I could KNOW that I would bring in over 45K a year, then I would do it......
posted on July 11, 2001 09:23:38 PM new
If you can sell in the real world and make a living then you can sell on eBay and make a living. That's what it boils down to. Have you done outside sales? Have you been a straight commission salesperson? Could you handle the grind of being a telephone solicitor? Have you sold shoes, advertising, cars or houses? Do you already make a living in antiques and collectibles?
If you can't handle the stress and uncertainy of real life sales you certainly won't manage eBay. This is your life, not a fantasy.
posted on July 12, 2001 01:26:15 PM new
I have already read "Doomed by Ebay". I read it quite some time ago. I didn't just start selling on Ebay. I have been for quite awhile. I'm not trying to get rich. I just want to bring in a little extra income while sitting in my pajamas. I am trying to be realistic. I know there will be times when sales are way down and vice versa. If I do quit my job, I am giving myself a 6 month trial period and if it doesn't live up to my expectations then I'll get a real day job. I'm not the major breadwinner and I don't have kids (only the 4-legged kind). I have worked since I was 14 and I intend to keep working unless I win the lottery. I just want to do what I want to do for awhile and that is sell on Ebay.
posted on July 12, 2001 02:04:07 PM new
I think whether or not you can make it full time depends upon:
a. attitude - you must have a positive, can-do attitude even during those time periods that are down.
b. willingness to work and work hard. - Sure they are going to be your hours, but you may find you will work harder at all the aspects of selling than you did at your current job.
c. organization - being organized is 50% of the work in my opinion. it makes life a lot easier when you have a schedule, a list, a place for this and that and so on.
d. support from your family - You can do this without their support but it definitely helps if they will support you.(and decreases the stress level)
e. Don't get greedy. You may think you can make xyz off one item, but remember 50% of something is better than 100% of nothing. I believe you can make a comfortable living by looking at what you paid and what you believe a decent profit is instead of going by the book value (which BTW is only good for identification now-a-days)
f. Listen to all of the advice, but do what is best for you! Don't pay attention to naysayers. They just like the rush they get from riling up others. Oh and remember nothing is as good or as bad as it is first perceived.
I am sure there are more, but these are what came to mind. Bill Gates didn't become the richest man in the world by not taking a chance, neither did Mike Dell. This is what makes America so wonderful, you can go for your dream. I wish you the best of luck.
posted on July 12, 2001 02:41:53 PM new
This question of selling on eBay FT generally depends on personal and subjective goals.
What kind of FT job are you leaving ? Many have described jobs with no benefits and low pay- sounds like a paper route would be an improvement- so eBay was a boon for them.
Benefits are an important consideration. Most never realize it until they need them. Sick leave, disbility, retirement, medical, should be considered IF your present job offers them. Benefits through an employer generally are not taxed as income. If self employed, paying for these things comes out of your profits.
You also need to explore and know about "hidden" costs associated with your own business. As example, if you earn over $400 a year, your self employment income is subject to Social Security taxation.
When you are in your 70's and others are getting a company retirement check every month without fail and company health benefits, your situation will be only as good as your planning, chosing the right investments, and disclipine was in the previous years.
If it's just about money, it may not be the right choice.
Money and security may not be an issue with some people. Free time, lifestyle elements, and self realization from running your own business is what counts.
In any event, Internet sales are fabulous and tailor made for part time involvement. The great thing is that your auction is working for you when you can be doing something else. A part time seller gets the best of both worlds- security from the FT job and extra income that requires relatively little time and investment.
For many, the extra auction income pays for children's college, the vacation, the IRA contribution, and things that couldn't be had from doing only one of the activities full time.
