Why mostly pros these days?
David Johnstone
It used to be all private people, selling stuff they no longer needed,
clearing out their basements and attics.
Nowadays it seems to be all mail-order shops, putting in one auction
after the other, or the new class of (semi) professional resellers who
buy cheap sell expensive for a living.
I read recently that as many as 500 000 people earn a living from ebay
which I found hard to believe, but I have to say I find ebay has become a
lot less interesting for me because of this change. What ebay needs is two
separate sections, one for commercial (business) users and one for private
users.
Just my two cents worth.
David
boboo
clue?
Who separates the two classes? You? Bug off.
"David Johnstone" <davi...@mail.com> wrote in message
news:av50vv$2j2$06$1...@news.t-online.com...
Peter van der Goes
Everyone who sells for a living is a "pro" and wonderful to deal with? Not!
Everyone who sells only once in a while is an idiot? I think not!
The separation could easily be made using the same criteria local
governmemts use for dealer licensing. Something along the lines of (and,
before you get going on it, this is a hypothetical example *only*) if you
run 5 or more auctions a month, you're in the "pro" class, less than that
and you're an "amateur". Many local governments use similar criteria to
properly classify individuals who are "selling my old car" constantly from
residential neighborhoods and not paying for the appropriate licenses nor
remitting taxes required by law.
"boboo" <hec...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:av59u4$qka$1...@slb6.atl.mindspring.net...
Gatekeeper
to look. I've also had some of my worst buying experiences from them
too.
You find 500,000 people making a living on ebay hard to believe?
Did you know that people spend an average of $41 Million each day on
ebay? I've been researching it and I'm surprised at what I'm finding.
This is a real and very strong way to make a living if you do it
right.
Then again, what are you looking for and for what reason to make your
comment.
I'm a flea market vendor and understand from my point-of-veiw why I
would only want only "private" people to deal with.....To get the
better deal so I can resell it at a profit.\
Well, that's just my view of this.
Stay out of the hot sun....
The Gatekeeper
El Franko de Bozo
Hi David,
Haven't you ever heard the popular quote: "It's the economy, stupid!"
I've been living in Illinois for going on 3 years now. I moved up here from
Florida in search of "opportunity" and a better paying job. Without my
knowledge or consent, the economy crashed! Then those F'in Terrorists
attacked us! It was quite surprising to learn that alot of "major"
corporations in America are based here in Illinois, and of course, most of
the layoffs occured here. So, my lease ends at the end of Feb. and I am
heading back to Florida. At least I can live cheaply down there! I lost my
savings in the market crash and my credit cards are mounting, so I took up
garage sale searching, spring cleaning curbside retrieval, and Dumpster
Diving to find many things to make somewhat of a "professional" living on
eBay. I've done quite well, at least by my customers, 580+ positives, no
neutral, no negative! I'm still searching for the "lost" authentic Monet
painting in some obscure place......( I have to include "authentic" now
because I have found a reproduction!)
Clown in the Dumpster
boboo
Very simple.
He wants to deal with those he considered uninformed and incompetent.
He longs for those days when many auctions were donations.
TOO BAD. Analogy me Butt. There is a mix on ebay that ranges from idiot to
savant. No need to separate into classes.
"Peter van der Goes" <pv...@spamx.att.net> wrote in message
news:iJqR9.93749$hK4.7...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
David Johnstone
I just want to buy used goods privately so as to avoid paying a dealer
mark-up.
If I am willing to do that, I can go to regular shop, so I don't see the
purpose of
ebay anymore.
The market will decide what a fair price is anyway.
David
"boboo" <hec...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:av6q2k$vlb$1...@slb4.atl.mindspring.net...
Fred A. Murphy
On 3-Jan-2003, "David Johnstone" <davi...@mail.com> wrote:
> As a (potential) buyer I've noticed a change in ebay over the years.
> It used to be all private people, selling stuff they no longer needed,
> clearing out their basements and attics.
> Nowadays it seems to be all mail-order shops, putting in one auction
> after the other, or the new class of (semi) professional resellers who
> buy cheap sell expensive for a living.
They've raised listing rates up to 65% in some areas, raised FVFs up to 25%,
replaced a workable SYI system with a convoluted mess, replaced Mr. Lr. with
a system that won't even work on many machines, and in general made things
so difficult and/or expensive that they've scared away the little guy.
> What ebay needs is two
> separate sections, one for commercial (business) users and one for private
> users.
That's exactly what we *don't* need. It would just give ebaY another excuse
to charge more to people trying to make a living on their site, just because
they're "dealers".
--
"My family's coat of arms ties in back. Is this normal?"
Fred A. Murphy
On 4-Jan-2003, "David Johnstone" <davi...@mail.com> wrote:
> Not really.
> I just want to buy used goods privately so as to avoid paying a dealer
> mark-up.
> If I am willing to do that, I can go to regular shop, so I don't see the
> purpose of
> ebay anymore.
> The market will decide what a fair price is anyway.
Exactly, we had an example of a dropshipper user who was selling a catalog
value $199.95 TV for $170.10 plus shipping, minimum, or some psuedo-plastic
Buddah figures for something like $22 plus shipping, $24.95 list.
You can buy junk like this at Wal-Mart 24/7, who needs to wait three weeks
for delivery from someone you've never heard of, who may or may not take
your money and run?
Fred A. Murphy
On 3-Jan-2003, Gatekeeper <super...@yousuck.cum> wrote:
> You find 500,000 people making a living on ebay hard to believe?
Yes.
> Did you know that people spend an average of $41 Million each day on
> ebay? I've been researching it and I'm surprised at what I'm finding.
> This is a real and very strong way to make a living if you do it
> right.
Do the math, that's under $1 a day per user ID. If the average user is
making $300 a year or so in sales, that's *not* a living.
According to ebaYs own figures, more than twice as many people think of ebaY
as their sole source of income as there are powersellers. At the minimum, a
powerseller isn't coming close to making minimum wage, much less a decent
income, and that's if they're making 100% profit on what they sell. If
they're making half of their sales in profit, low-level powersellers are
under the povery level, and half the people who consider ebaY their income
aren't even doing that well!
Let's take your 500,000 people making a living. Let's assume that's minimum
wage, and they double their money on their product. That's about $22,000 a
year, or $11 billion a year. At $41 million a day, all of ebaY takes in
about $15 billion a year. That sure doesn't leave much extra for the other
50 million users, or for anyone to make a little *more* than minimum wge.
Fred
"Fred A. Murphy" <NObiggf...@telocity.com> wrote in message
news:3e172ff6$1...@nopics.sjc...
>
>
> Exactly, we had an example of a dropshipper user who was selling a
catalog
> value $199.95 TV for $170.10 plus shipping, minimum, or some
psuedo-plastic
> Buddah figures for something like $22 plus shipping, $24.95 list.
>
> You can buy junk like this at Wal-Mart 24/7, who needs to wait
three weeks
> for delivery from someone you've never heard of, who may or may not
take
> your money and run?
Wal-Mart sells the Presto Pizazz for $50. A lot of them on eBay start
above that!
F
bp
> What ebay needs is two
> separate sections, one for commercial (business) users and one for private
> users.
Wouldn't it be enough to just ensure that the type of seller you prefer is
still present? Why do they have to be in a separate section?
David Johnstone
dealers then it is hardly worth my while looking. It seems to
depend on what you are looking for, but in some categories
the professionals, or at least people who acquired the article
with the sole purpose of selling it at a profit, are in the vast
majority.
"bp" <b...@bidpanel.com> wrote in message
news:s5IR9.2275$mQ5.14...@news.nnrp.ca...
boboo
knuckle draggers.news:av7brb$cdi3n$1...@ID-114440.news.dfncis.de...
bp
> I guess so, but if there is only one private seller for every 100
> dealers then it is hardly worth my while looking. It seems to
> depend on what you are looking for, but in some categories
> the professionals, or at least people who acquired the article
> with the sole purpose of selling it at a profit, are in the vast
> majority.
What's wrong with profit? Anyway, if price is the issue, you can sort/limit
search results by price.
David Johnstone
the capitalist world go round - and who isn't capitalist these days?
It is just that having to finance dealer mark-ups has made ebay
uninteresting, at least for me. If I want to do that I can go to any
number of other virtual or non-virtual shops. Which I also do, like
most people, on an almost daily basis. As far as ebay is concerned I
am willing to pay what I consider to be a fair value of goods, but not
profit or wages/salary for the seller, and not rental for his warehouse
where he stores his inventory. It was exactly the private nature of
ebay that first made it different and interesting as far as I am
concerned.
If others are happy with shop prices (and higher) in ebay, plus paying
auction costs and postage and the risk of non-delivery for goods which
are possibly used and sold as-is with no guarantee, then that's fine with
me. Maybe I'll join the power sellers sometime - I think they have the
better side of the deal. I'm just expressing my feelings as a (potential)
buyer right now.
As always, "caveat emptor" applies (let the buyer beware). And that is
just what I am doing, being wary.
David
"bp" <b...@bidpanel.com> wrote in message news:<Ca3S9.305$Yr2.1...@news20.bellglobal.com>...
bp
> There is nothing *wrong* with profit per se - indeed it is what makes
> the capitalist world go round - and who isn't capitalist these days?
>
> It is just that having to finance dealer mark-ups has made ebay
> uninteresting, at least for me
But if the price is right, there's no problem, right? If you use the
advanced search tools so that your search results show only items that are
within your price range, and you manage to buy something for the price you
want, then it doesn't matter whether or not the seller is making a profit.
If you find that the auctions' closing prices are consistently above your
price range, that would be caused by other bidders who are willing to pay
more than you -- not the type of seller.
RonAldo
And thats why we all use eBay right? To get stuff cheaper.
Scott_Sev
news:avd4ka$ma0$1...@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
> The difference between the pros and private sellers is the price.
>
> And thats why we all use eBay right? To get stuff cheaper.
>
>
sellers.
Fred A. Murphy
On 6-Jan-2003, davi...@mail.com (David Johnstone) wrote:
> There is nothing *wrong* with profit per se - indeed it is what makes
> the capitalist world go round - and who isn't capitalist these days?
>
> It is just that having to finance dealer mark-ups has made ebay
> uninteresting, at least for me. If I want to do that I can go to any
> number of other virtual or non-virtual shops. Which I also do, like
> most people, on an almost daily basis. As far as ebay is concerned I
> am willing to pay what I consider to be a fair value of goods, but not
> profit or wages/salary for the seller, and not rental for his warehouse
> where he stores his inventory. It was exactly the private nature of
> ebay that first made it different and interesting as far as I am
> concerned.
Great! Then wait until a private individual brings back a couple of
carvings from China and pay him $20 each for their unique character, instead
of buying them from a dealer who brought over a containerload and sells them
for $2 each.
No one is forcing you to buy from those who use ebay for a livelihood, many
of whom are the same sellers who can no longer afford outrageous rents on
those quanit little "junk" shops. Now, as then, you can cut out the
middleman and buy directly from the little old lady, who can't take a shot
in focus and hasn't a clue how to package something so it arrives safely.
Gee, some people sell brand new stuff on ebay, and even get more than you
can buy it at the store? Not everyone has a Wal-Mart next door, and for
people in East Bumfart, these also serve a useful purpose. For many years,
I could only drool at the prices in the sunday supplements, knowing the
items would be long gone by the time I had the chance to make the hundred
mile trip several days later.
David Johnstone
legitimate in using ebay to make a profit. They are playing by the
rules after all. And yes, it is generally the buyers who determine
the prices, so of course it is as much them who have destroyed the
flea market aspect of ebay.
Sure, I would still buy from ebay, and also from a pro, if the price
was right. But because that is nowadays almost never the case, I find
it hardly worth looking at ebay anymore as a buyer. But that's just me,
obviously a lot of others still find it worthwhile. As I said, maybe
I'll try it as a seller!
David
davi...@mail.com (David Johnstone) wrote in message news:<62703be8.03010...@posting.google.com>...
Supenus
<NObiggf...@telocity.com> wrote:
>
>On 3-Jan-2003, Gatekeeper <super...@yousuck.cum> wrote:
>
>> You find 500,000 people making a living on ebay hard to believe?
>
>Yes.
<shrug> I am
>
>> Did you know that people spend an average of $41 Million each day on
>> ebay? I've been researching it and I'm surprised at what I'm finding.
>> This is a real and very strong way to make a living if you do it
>> right.
>
>Do the math, that's under $1 a day per user ID. If the average user is
>making $300 a year or so in sales, that's *not* a living.
Interesting that you placed all people on ebay as buyers when it's the
other way around.
>
>According to ebaYs own figures, more than twice as many people think of ebaY
>as their sole source of income as there are powersellers. At the minimum, a
>powerseller isn't coming close to making minimum wage, much less a decent
>income, and that's if they're making 100% profit on what they sell. If
>they're making half of their sales in profit, low-level powersellers are
>under the povery level, and half the people who consider ebaY their income
>aren't even doing that well!
>
>Let's take your 500,000 people making a living. Let's assume that's minimum
>wage, and they double their money on their product. That's about $22,000 a
>year, or $11 billion a year. At $41 million a day, all of ebaY takes in
>about $15 billion a year. That sure doesn't leave much extra for the other
>50 million users, or for anyone to make a little *more* than minimum wge.
I make quite a bit more than minute wage there but that's not the
secret to making a living at ebay, err We should call it making a
living on-line.
tom thump
<NObiggf...@telocity.com> wrote:
>
>On 3-Jan-2003, Gatekeeper <super...@yousuck.cum> wrote:
>
>> You find 500,000 people making a living on ebay hard to believe?
>
>Yes.
What about the stock holders??? That number takes them into account
too.