RichieRich
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posted on May 9, 2002 10:41:30 PM
I am a full time seller and make a living selling on ebay with 100 auction per week.
Normally when I am going to be gone a week I do not have items close well I am away from a computer for a week. I do have them close up until I leave and the auctions are clearly stated that there will be no shipping from XXX to XXX. And I also put it in my EOA notice. I also have new auctions launch while I am gone so they are closing when I return.
I have never been gone for 14 days before, usually 5-7. I plan to NOT have auctions close well I am gone. I do plan to have auctions launch during the second week I am gone to close when I return.
I am just curious what other sellers do about planned time off.
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ahc3
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posted on May 9, 2002 11:16:46 PM
I'm taking a 4 week vacation this summer. I plan on stopping ebay auctions by late this month, at least 3 weeks before I leave. I will place this info in my auction descriptions so it will let them know if they do not pay by a certain date, they have a long wait. I have slowed down on the auctions already. I only do ebay part time, but I do have a full time internet consulting business that I can take with me on the road for such a long trip. I really love being able to do something like this!
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sun818
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posted on May 9, 2002 11:48:10 PM
I'm taking six weeks starting June. No more auctions after this Sunday. Process what is left -- follow up with 2nd and 3rd notices. File my FVF and negs before vacation. My web store will be available a resource, but no orders will be taken. Hmmm, "Inventory and business assessment"... yeah, that it! "Inventory and business assessment" 
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RichieRich
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posted on May 10, 2002 12:20:34 AM
The first year that I sold on ebay I stopped in time to have everything paid for BEFORE I left. That was a financial problem! I was like out of business for a month. I can not to that now for sure. I have built this business up and being out of business for a month would kill me!
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twinsoft
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posted on May 10, 2002 12:33:57 AM
Time off. Ha ha ... a joke, right? 
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ilene
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posted on May 10, 2002 02:46:30 AM
I stop my auctions one week before I leave. When i notice those winners, I just tell them if I do not receive their payment by X date, their shipment will be held up until I return.
I send a large batch though Mister Lister to be listed by a freiend while I am gone. These will end the day before I get back
I can take off two weeks and only miss one week of selling.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on May 10, 2002 12:05:01 PM
I run auctions while on vacation. That's what two laptops and an AOL subscription are for.
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mrfoxy76
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posted on May 10, 2002 12:55:16 PM
VACATION WHATS THAT?
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computerboy
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posted on May 10, 2002 01:38:41 PM
I went to New York on business and came back to 140 orders that needed processing, along with numerous instances of follow up that was required from customer emails. I anwered most of the email while away, but some of the more detailed inquiries required that I be in my office to answer. It was a big pain in the butt and I'm just now recovering.
The above is just one of the major setbacks if you have an active business selling online and you work on your own.
Makes me wonder what will happen if I decide to try and take a week off over the summer...
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on May 11, 2002 10:00:05 AM
140 orders, OK, that's a weekend of playing catch-up. For the inquiries that require research back at the office, I respond with something like "I'm away from the office but will answer your query in more detail when I return on 00/00/00." There are very few things that can't wait. At least that has been my experience.
It's no different from any other kind of small business. Some friends of mine who own a small Mediterranean deli are taking a few weeks off; relatives are filling in while they're gone.
I think like any other business you should schedule your vacation with an eye towards the seasonal slow time. In my experience summers are slow on eBay anyway, but if you've been selling for a couple of years you'll have a handle on when the bidding is dead.
Or vacation may be the time you should use some other sales outlet, like consigning some big-ticket items to a live auction or wholesaling some stuff to a flea market dealer before you leave. You know what works best for your own line. I have several sources that buy scrap precious metals; vacation is a good time to bundle up the bits and pieces into big lots and ship it off. It's nice to have a couple of fat checks waiting in the mailbox when I return.
I think that most people who make their living primarily by selling on eBay have another sales outlet; it's just nuts depending on the whims of bidders to pay your mortgage.
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stopwhining
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posted on May 11, 2002 10:44:31 AM
some sellers are mortgage free,lots of retirees on ebay,old 30 years mortgage paid off already.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on May 11, 2002 05:30:52 PM
That's a shame. It's not too bright financially to pay it off so soon. Perhaps you should do as we did and buy some investment property.
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roadsmith
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posted on May 12, 2002 09:38:45 PM
But fluffy!!!! How about taking the extra money you have BECAUSE your mortgage is paid off and investing IT? Every financial advisor I've ever heard who's legit says pay off that mortgage as soon as you can. We just did the regular payments every month for years and years until several years before retirement when we had some extra income and paid it off about 5 years early. We have NEVER regretted that.
I know this is slightly off the subject!. . . .
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hotcupoftea
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posted on May 12, 2002 11:31:25 PM
Roadsmith, you are correct. The financial whizs have done the number crunching. Paying the mortgage as quickly as possible puts more money in the bank at the end of 30 years than maintaining a mortgage for the purposes of debt leveraging or interest write-offs.
I've met of number of eBay sellers who are similar: 1)in their 40s or 50s, 2)no mortgage, vehicle loans or credit card debt and 3)a substantial investment portfolio outside of the retirement savings. What we share in common is how we spend our days: investment management, eBay sales and leisure activities. Most importantly, though, we are able to take more risks with respect to the eBay business based on intuition and knowledge - because we don't have to worry about making debt payments. In other words, we can trust our hunches in taking a risk, whereas those who have debt will put those considerations first and normally take the safe road - which may not be as profitable in the long-term.
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