posted on January 17, 2002 04:43:09 AM
spend at eBay activities. Whether it is taking pictures, typing descriptions, packaging, etc. When I quit my "real job" in August, eBay became my "real job" (my choice). I find it hard to stay focused sometimes because 1. Clothes need washing. 2. Carpet needs vacuuming. 3. Have to go to the grocery store. Bla, bla, bla. You get my drift. I guess this question is geared more towards the females on this board. How do you stay focused? Right now is the time I need to make money because I have a sick cat who is probably going to cost some bucks. BTW, I am an animal lover and no cost is too high for my furbabies. Any suggestions???
posted on January 17, 2002 08:22:13 AM
washing and drying clothes are done by machines,it is not like we have to carry them over our head in a basket and pound them hard on a rock by the river??
it is the boredom and lack of challenge and lack of reward which make most of us hate doing laundry,just think the same old stuff being laundered over and over again.
if you are doing well,look into an office in your city for 200 plus a month,then you will appreciate coming home-home sweet home .
posted on January 17, 2002 08:37:37 AM
That is why it is good to use a service like AuctionWatch (shameless plug -- not affiliated with AW). Take pictures one day, create ads and schedule the next, do your home chores the next etc. etc. When auction closes automatic WBNs are sent out. You can choose to ship 2 times a week.
posted on January 17, 2002 08:48:44 AM
Ditto to springmoon.
I ship Monday and Thursday each week. WBNs are automatic and I've refined them to the point of being very explanatory. I still get a few folks who don't read them or won't provide information via that method, but in general all my customers are pleased and feel that I run a professional auction thanks to AW.
Had one guy the other day who got sniped at the last second by $0.01 who was a bit upset. This guy wasn't even the winner, but I took the time to explain it all to him how the other guy beat him out by less than the bid increment. He was very happy when all was done. Disappointed still, but happy that I took the time to explain it all.
posted on January 17, 2002 08:53:44 AM
Some of us guys have to do than domestic work too.
My auctions are my full time job and I treat it as one. I have regular hours, scheduled breaks (like now) take a lunch hour, and trip over the pile of dirty laundry until I'm off work. Then I take care of all the house stuff, just like I did when I worked for someone else.
posted on January 17, 2002 09:02:26 AM
Hi, evertime I think I have it figured out you know right down to an art and a science, it turns out I don't, sometimes you just don't want to list the item you thought was wonderful when you bought it, then bring it home and question yourself why? there are days I have to be in the mood to list a particular category, then there are nights I take loads of pictures and have no problem writing the descriptions the next day. I ship upon receipt so there must always be time for packing, I am fortunate that the post office is about 5 minutes away, a great deal of the time my packages are taken for me, that is a tremendous help to me. I find it very difficult to stay focused once I have been out running errands or thrifting, then come home and work on my ebay stuff,or even the house, I must do that first then go out. Sounds wierd doesn't it.
Reenie
posted on January 17, 2002 09:34:07 AM
I work 40 hours a week as a nurse and list approx 30-50 items a week on ebay. All my auctions open and close 6pm on Sunday. I take all my pictures in batches on Thursday. As I take the pictures I write down measurements and problems etc of each piece then load down into auctionwatch. I ship 1 time a week on Fridays. I have stopped going to the post office and I have an online commercial account with UPS. All my ship labels are printed off the computer. Load up the van, drive 20 miles to UPS and drop off. No waiting no hassle. All of my notifications are cut and paste in notepad. auction wins, I just type in the item number, ammount, shipping and total. When I ship have a letter that I just put in the track number.I used to do this full time but, had to financially go back to work. Now, I spend maybe a total of 10 hours a week . I used to ship almost daily and would stand on line at the post office almost 8 hours a week. Due to limited time I had to streamline. UPS along with the cut and paste notification letters has saved a ton of time. I did have to alter my auctions to only USA. UPS is prohibitively expensive for out of country. The 1 in 400 that I get for Alaska or Hawaii I will go to the post office for.
Aren't you the person who asked for advice a while back about whether to take a part-time job with your old company? Why didn't you take my advice and accept the job? I hope you will listen to me next time.
posted on January 17, 2002 12:59:15 PM
pelorus, actually I did fill in for them and trained someone new. I hated every minute of it and couldn't wait to leave. I have had months of freedom from the corporate world and pajamas beat dress clothes any day.
lattefor2, I'm just the opposite. I have to do any errands in the morning or my motivation is gone. I think I'm going to have to make a schedule and stick to it. I'd forget where I put it. Actually, the next 3 weeks are going to be pretty bad for me. I got news this morning that my cat that is at the vet right now may have cancer (lymphatic sarcoma is what they call it). My cats and dogs are my children and I can not describe the ache in my heart right now. They are going to do a biopsy today but the vet said that from the tumor she felt she's almost positive it's cancer. Today has not been a productive day.
posted on January 17, 2002 01:33:40 PM
Hi, I am sorry to hear about your cat, When I have a lot on my mind I am able to get motivated by listing and taking pictures, it does make the time go by faster and better yet hopefully profitable. Keep us posted.
Reenie
posted on January 17, 2002 06:14:51 PM
My wife and I both work at this full time. We have been doing it for a couple years and spend five or six days a week (about a forty hour week) working directly on ebay.
She does most of the emailing, end of auctions, and bookkeeping. I prepare the items, list, and pack. Together we buy, plan, and #*!@ and moan.
Laundry, dishes, lawn, snow shoveling, home repairs, and all the things that need to get done are plugged in here and there when we think best.
Somehow we get everything done and just love this life.
We both have had other jobs away from home and none have measured up to this. The money is just about as good, considering the lower cost of working at home. This year we grossed about as much as one of us made at our other jobs, but we were much happier and less tired.
I look forward to the time when we can spend fewer hours listing and packing but I believe that will come with smarter buying.
We are lucky to be able to work together peacefully. Most of the time it is quite fun and we share a great life in rural Maine.
posted on January 18, 2002 06:50:53 AM
dixiebee:
Im with you... I retired from a tech job I grew tired of. Why commute for 2 hrs a day to sit at a computer when I can do it at home in my shorts?
Trouble is my wife is now the big breadwinner and the realization of that financially is starting to worry her. Go figure...
;-( :-> ;-< :-]