posted on February 27, 2001 12:08:33 AM
I first keep up with whats hot\whats not. Harry Potter books for example are RED HOT. Here in Ellensburg, WA they retail at $25-$35 each and tuff to find. If there is a famine, gold is worthless. I picked up several for $4-$5 each and sell them at $10-$17.50 each. Gone through 10 in the last 75 days with buyers from WA, PA, TX, CA, and looks like one from UK and Pakistan. GOLDEN RULE: I don't want to be "bled" for a price that I can get at a retail store a mile away so I dont do it to others. GOLDEN RULE: I have a clientel who are looking for certain items and and go to them via email or phone first, then my friends (at a lower cost), then auction site. Dont underestimate LOYALTY and giving good service. GOLDEN RULE: Ya gotta give it away to keep it! I'll list a sale with 2 items and the 3rd on discounted or FREE! OR I PAY THE SHIPPING.
UNIVERSAL LAW: THERE IS NO FREEDOM WITH OUT BLOODSHED! So I often list some items with a value of $2 - $10 FREE or buy it now price of 1 cent. I sometimes offer 10% off for fellow dealers. Sometimes I know collectors are looking for certain items and I just ship it off to them FREE and they dont even know it's coming! I get some great feelings, feedbacks, laughs, and Karma out it, MONEY AINT EVERYTHING!
I couldn't afford to do this ANYWHERE that charges a LISTING FEE or a RELISTING FEE. That's why I use EDEAL.COM and pay only a small Final Value Fee.
[ edited by RussellJDS on Feb 27, 2001 12:19 AM ]
posted on February 27, 2001 05:01:41 PM
I see at least one problem with your golden rule.
If your selling harry potter books online because you think they are hard to find you didnt look very hard for harry potter books every other website was selling or giveing them away last year online.
another thing thats wrong with your golden rule is that loyalty today isnt what it was long ago.
There use to be a loyalty out there that spaned generations your grand parents used it you parents used it you use it and your childern will gorw and use it.
That went for stores like sears wards supermarkets brands of bread toothpate you name it today loyalty isnt the same at all if its lower priced and it has one less goverment warning then the other brand people will use it.
in one month a family will use 5 different brands of tooth paste from 5 different stores in 5 different towns where is this loyalty you dont want us to under estimate.
Auction sellers as well many have no loyalty being loyal means to Do something no matter What others are saying or doing if loyalty is such a big deal on in internet business why was yahoo bailed from because they decided they need to make .20 per listing.
Money is not a matter in loyalty as some one who is loyal to a service will pay what is nessary to receive that service so it will continue to exist.
A Person loyal to macys will pay $200 for a new outfit at macys they could get for $99 at walmart even if its the same name brand outfit at both stores.
True loyalty is something that cheapens its self or allows its self to be wooed away for A sale or a discount.
Your dog is loyal it wont turn around and bite you because the guy next door can afford to offer him a steak one night when all you can afford to give him is a milk bone snack.
posted on February 27, 2001 10:22:04 PM
You are confusing "fair weather" loyalism with true loyalty, not to any thing or person but to PRINCIPLES. It is what sets us apart from the animals (such as a dog). People may have courage, so does a dog. People may have affections, emotions, and the power of reasoning out things, so does a dog. But a dog does not have PRINCIPLES. I may be loyal to a vendor because they hold to the priciple of offering a quality item and accomodate those who are at a financial disadnvantage. But when they drop that principle to sell crappy items or good items at a riddiculously high price, my loyalty to the vendors leaves and follows the principle to the next, unless the vendor amends the situation by returning to those principles I value. And correctly read the books are tuff to find at retail stores in our town (but then so are Brachs choclate covered cherries).
posted on February 27, 2001 10:29:41 PM
AND just because everyone else or a majority chose to or due to charater defects can't hold to principles and become animals, I aint goona join em. If I steal food because I am starving I am a thief nonetheless. However, if I am starving and ask for food not only am I fed, but I have become the means for another to have the opportunity to excersize thier principles and bring out the best in thier humanity. ...and so it goes...
posted on February 28, 2001 01:07:00 AM
A starving man stealing food is no theif, he is a survivor. According to the Geneva Convention laws a starving man shall not be tried for the theft of food, so long as he is not stealing more food than he can handle himself.
You can discuss the activities of dogs and theifs all you want, but the behavior I see is not loyalty, it's more like stupidity.
"I will post my auctions here and only here, regardless of the results, because I am loyal" is the stupidest thing that I have ever heard!
Helping a site grow is one thing, but why do you have to put all of your eggs in one basket? Are you afraid that you will be "cheating" on your auction site? Are you afraid that they may file for divorce?
Russell, I think that you have an interest in the site that you are constantly advertising and I think that that interest goes beyond just that of a member. Argue until you're blue in the face, I will still believe what I believe.
posted on February 28, 2001 11:30:41 AM
Seems like you're sacrificing profits for sales revenue. Large companies do this to gain market share. My pockets aren't that deep, I can't sustain losses for a long time.
The choices nowadays are too vast for loyality to develop. Good service, and low prices are easy for any business to adapt and your competitive advantage will disappear.
