posted on December 9, 2005 06:26:54 AM new
No eBay is not fun anymore.
I see the grim faces in the brick and mortar stores buying Christmas gifts and supplies. I imagine it is the same for the online buyers. The joy and festiveness of the season is not apparent this year. It appears to be an obligation rather than a celebration.
You try to make that cash go as far as possible while worrying about home heating costs, gasoline prices, rising food prices, etc. All variables that you have no control over but that are going to hit your disposibale income. IMO, it is not good year economically for the consumer.
posted on December 9, 2005 08:23:12 AM new
No, it's not fun anymore. It's a chore most of the time. I noticed unhappy faces in the malls, too. I've also noticed that they aren't as decorated as they were in previous years. The sales are great, though. Aeropostal is practically giving things away. I got a $40 wool sweater for my son for $5! You just can't beat that. I'm going back there today to see what else I can find. I don't think retailers are going to be happy at the end of the holiday season. They seem to be selling volume-wise, but at drastically reduced prices.
Cheryl
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
posted on December 9, 2005 09:00:37 AM new
Yes it still is fun for me...very rarely do I get grumpy about it and feel it is a chore (the other day was one of those days). I think it appeals to the latent gambling addict side of my personality.
That doesn't mean I am thrilled with the ebay company all the time (or maybe most of the time). I like what I do and ebay is the place I do it - if buyers went someplace else, I'd go there in a heartbeat. It isn't the "vibrancy of the marketplace" (or whatever the current ebay speak is) that keeps me here.
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I've noticed the rudeness in the clerks, as well. Years ago I worked for the May Co. during the Christmas and post-Christmas season (1973). I would have been fired on the spot for the way some of these clerks act. Back then, things weren't as easy either. Credit cards were a PIA since you had to do them by hand. Returns on credit cards were even a bigger pain. However, our supervisors watched us like hawks. We had to be cheery, cheery, cheery. Then after our shift, we could go home and be grumpy, grumpy, grumpy!
BTW, I find that being super nice to a rude clerk is the best way. It catches them off-guard.
Cheryl
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
posted on December 9, 2005 09:12:12 AM new
I disagree. I do still think it's fun. But then again, I spent 14 years doing the same thing in a retail environment. eBay is ALWAYS going to be more fun than dealing with customers face to face.
Those grumpy people are far worse when you have to stand behind the counter and hear them all day long.
eBay lets me:
1) Play whatever music I want while I work.
2) Take the phone off the hook when I want.
3) Take a whole day off if I want (snowed in today... oh darn it!)
4) Work at midnight and sleep till noon.
5) If I need money for something (2 teeth pulled Monday) I can just list more stuff to cover the expense. I make as much as I want to work.
I really believe that if all you want to do is complain about eBay, then go out and get a "normal" job for a while. You'll be back soon and happier for it!
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Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum sonatur.
posted on December 9, 2005 09:15:26 AM new
The problem with the clerks is that most of them are minimal-wage temporary help who know darn well they won't be fired with the bulk of the Holiday rush ahead of them and that they will lose their jobs by the end of the year anyway. Why be nice or helpful if you know that?
Back in the day people would be nice just be nice. Not so anymore.
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Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum sonatur.
I think most of us start to feel this way around this time of the year. Between eBay work, the regular job, the rotten winter weather and Christmas shopping, well, you begin to feel blah and just worn out! I'd love to be able to hibernate over the winter months. I have some wonderful repeat customers that more than cancel out the rude ones.
Between January and March, I begin to emerge from the dulldrums. What I do like is the freedom I have over the summer. eBay has allowed me to cut back to two days a week at the other job and it's great in the summer months! If I didn't feel so obligated to stay at the other job, I'd do this full-time. Since I'm one of the founders of the other job and am the only one who knows how to do the accounting, payroll, and the oh so vital billing for next to nothing (just a few of the dozens of things I do there), leaving them wouldn't seem right.
I've love to be able to sleep until noon! Unfortunately, the internal clock goes off at around 7:00 a.m. no matter what time I got to bed the night before.
Cheryl
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
posted on December 9, 2005 09:40:54 AM newI would have been fired on the spot for the way some of these clerks act. Back then, things weren't as easy either. Credit cards were a PIA since you had to do them by hand...
Omg remember those old sliding credit card things? Give ya callus on your hand and a pain in your shoulder all day with them!!
Cheryl, I feel if they are going to take my money, they can at least be courteous.
Classic, LOL!!! I have standards, you know.
I always carry myself nice and politely. But if a clerk smacks my merchandise around or answers an inquirey rudely, I usually have no problem mirroring that back for them.
Btw, at the store the other day. I stopped to ask a clerk what aisle (forget what I was looking for) -is in? She was a couple feet away from me restocking the shelf. So I'm yelling, "Excuse me! Excuse me miss! Plain as day ignoring me! wft? Now I'm about to go over to her, and I happen to glance down to her smock and see her name badge with the words underneath it in big letters: DEAF. (She then rolled out her basket out in front of somebody else in the aisle. As I passed, THAT lady was going, excuse me, excuse me trying to get around her.... I just laughed to myself.)
IT'S THE HOLIDAY SEASON...SO WHIPPDEEDOO AND DICKERY DOCK!
posted on December 9, 2005 09:54:00 AM new
I remember when my family sold at a flea market in the early 80's and we accepted credit cards. I had to go to the one payphone (often a line) to call in an authorization. Can't imagine doing that today.
Is ebay fun? You bet! I love what I'm doing, most of my customers are great, I've got a good repeat business too. I recently sent a small gift to some of my best customers, and I got this reply from one of them:
"I'm a retired businessman and I have to say that you have a superb business sense in the way you have yours set up. Well organized, fast response and that extra touch that separates the successful from the commonplace. It has been a pleasure doing business with you and no doubt you will hear more from me until my shelves are full up."
If it stopped being fun, I would find something else to do. I actually feel sorry for those who feel that way. Perhaps it is time to try something else, I really mean that. Life is too short to not enjoy what you are doing...
posted on December 9, 2005 11:34:16 AM new
eBay was fun before they had the watch list feature, because you would get a lot more bids during the listing duration.
Now everyone just waits until the last day to bid, and its no fun wondering if you will get bids or not.
posted on December 9, 2005 11:36:18 AM new
Selling online, as compared to my day job, is great fun for me - if I made enough to pay the bills and for all dh's toys doing this full time, I would do it in a heartbeat--and that's the goal I'm working toward, slowly but surely. I'm having my best holiday selling season in four years, so even though there are more hostile customers, the CA$H makes up for it.
Selling on eBay - I don't quite enjoy that as much as my website work because of the bottom feeders and the fees. I'm still trying to figure out how, or even if, to coordinate eBay into my overall business and marketing plans other than for selling off my returns and overstocks.
posted on December 9, 2005 12:06:12 PM newI actually feel sorry for those who feel that way.
Uh, well, yeah, if I could sell all day long to "retired businessmen" I'd probably be having a lot of fun too.
Not many of those in the market for jewelry, though.
I can't help but wonder how long your superior attitude would last if the buyers in your chosen field were frustrated stay-at-home moms and brides to be.
posted on December 9, 2005 01:37:39 PM new
I think some of the problem might be in your business model. I've thought about setting up a business like that as well (put a lot of the profit in shipping, not the item itself) but ultimately decided that it is probably a lot of hassle that I did not want to deal with. I know you clearly state (about 5 times in each listing) that you do not combine shipping, but I am sure you deal with a lot of bottom dwellers that are trying to pick up an item for next to nothing, and then get them all shipped for next to nothing. I am sure you get plenty of customers who think they will get that special exemption card where they can buy 10 pieces of jewelry, and get them all shipped together for one price.
I get stay at home moms too, they are all over ebay. I get some bottom dwellers and creeps too, don't get me wrong, but considering how many customers I've had, the experience is 99.9% positive!
p.s. not trying to be superior, just don't think it is worth doing something if you're not enjoying it (unless it is something you have to do, and ebay isn't one of those things)
posted on December 9, 2005 01:43:41 PM new
Yes, that is true, you might be invested in inventory, leaving ebay doesn't have to be something you do in a day. You can phase moving out of that, just like you would from changing what you sell (which I have done before)
posted on December 9, 2005 03:44:34 PM new
As for being fun ...... I don't find it fun I never found it to be fun. I've been doing Ebay for 7 yrs and I do this because I closed my Antique Shop & closed down my flea markets.
I will never get another retail shop and I will never work for someone, being home doing ebay is much better, but not fun.
It's work and shuffling your time for family and work is hard when you work at home ..
Also it's hard getting merchandise that I know will do good on ebay because I'm not out where its all happening anymore,
As for needing the money? ........I would find other things to do if I didn't need the money.
posted on December 9, 2005 03:44:43 PM new
Ebay is not as much fun for me as it used to be--especially right now. It's hard to get my energy up to do some listing these days. And I don't expect as much profit as I used to. Still sticking with it, but I keep wondering how long I'll be doing this.
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posted on December 9, 2005 04:02:12 PM new
Tonimar,
I think you are confusing something being difficult or easy, with fun or not fun. I'm not saying it isn't difficult, I work way more hours than I used to. I can't even imagine at the moment going to work, coming home and having nothing to do til the next morning. Taking a vacation was taking a vacation, no need to be in contact with anyone.
That being said, I still maintain that if there is not fun in it, maybe there is something else to try (not something so sales oriented) that can be done without getting a 9-5 job. There are lots of service oriented businesses someone could start up from home that isn't directly selling things like ebay.
Everything you do will have some misery. I have a consulting business in addition to ebay, and I do deal with difficult clients from time to time. I've actually "fired" more than one of them. Sometimes I wish I could fire some of my ebay customers, but I guess I sort of do when I block them.
posted on December 9, 2005 04:42:34 PM new
"eBay was fun before they had the watch list feature, because you would get a lot more bids during the listing duration.
Now everyone just waits until the last day to bid, and its no fun wondering if you will get bids or not."
I have to agree with this... the watch feature is used by all of us, buyers real or wishful and sellers. I HATE waiting until the end of auctions most of the time to get any real action. I will never EVER make as much selling antiques and collectibles,my field, on ebay as I do at a show. BUT I do like ebay I don't have to do 3 shows a month now to pay the bills and I have met some wonderful people smart folks like most of the folks that post here regularly. Bottom line this isn't as much fun for lots of reasons as it used to be... but I can work at my pace ... like now I'm watching a hockey game (GO AVS) and typing auctions getting ready for the FLD or whatever they decide to do. Fun ... no, but it ain't rocket science wither!
posted on December 9, 2005 05:14:38 PM new
Ebayvet, I don't know what you mean "I'm confusing something being difficult or easy, with fun or not fun.
Work doesn't bother me, difficult don't bother me,.........I'm just not having fun doing it thats all I'm saying. I didn't have fun doing my shop either,and I had that for 20yrs.
I do what I do just to earn a living since this is what I know best. I Am an Antique Dealer and Auctioneer for the past 30yrs and to answer pelorus question honestly I have to say "I am not having fun doing Ebay."
I watch my Grandson during the week to help out my daughter......NOW, that's fun......
posted on December 9, 2005 05:27:54 PM new
I still get a thrill when I sell something for $150 when I paid $3.00 for it.
Too bad it doesn't happen as much as it used to.
posted on December 9, 2005 06:38:38 PM new
I love postcards and this is one of the few opportunities that I can be so immersed with them. Shipping is not fun, and the pay sucks but shipping comes with the territory and hopefully the pay will improve. I get tremendous satisfaction when I can unite someone with the postcard they've been looking for and, yes - there is the gambling side to it!
posted on December 10, 2005 08:12:35 AM new
eBay isn't much fun when you have to send email like this to someone who emails you constantly for order updates because she thinks she's shopping at Nordstroms. We do, by the way, send out a shipping notification when an order goes out. That's not enough for her:
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Thanks for your bids, but we simply can't afford to do daily email support, checking on items that have shipped or not shipped. Our regular long-term customers -- some who've been buying from us steadily for five years -- appreciate the fact that we sell new perfect sterling silver jewelry at typically only 5% - 10% of what they'd pay in a department store. Since we don't get jewelry for free, we operate on extremely thin margins that are getting thinner all the time. We could hire more people but we'd have to pass that cost on to customers.
There are MANY other jewelry sellers on eBay and I'm sure you can find one or more who will gladly do business with you the way you'd like to. Amazon has a great selection of jewelry as well and can show you the status of your order at any time.
--
In a rational universe, dealing with reasonable people, the recipient of this would understand that the business relationship is a mismatch -- she wants more than I can provide -- and move on, maybe even appreciating the suggestions I made about where else she could shop.
But this is eBay and the reaction will be hostile. Shrug. I can't do what she wants. Like marcn said on another thread, it's time to get my life back. My husband got back last night from a week-long business trip and instead of spending the evening with him, I "got" to do email instead. This is not right. We only have so much time on this planet and we have to place limits on how much of that time other people can grab.
