confoozled.com - entertaining the idea of ebay

A few years ago, before I was employed, I tried to start a business selling products on eBay. I signed up as a student of the Disabled Online Users Association, a non-profit organization which aims to help people with disabilities learn to operate successful online businesses, with a main focus on eBay. I didn't do well. My main problem was finding products to sell - ones that would sell, at a profit even after eBay and PayPal fees, and wouldn't cost a lot of money up front (remember I wasn't working; I had no money). I soon got a real, paying job and gave up on it.

Well, you know how I feel about my job these days, and that I'm again trying to find ways to move into making my living at home, on the internet.

Over the past week or so I briefly entertained the idea of trying eBay again, prompted by an ad I'd seen on my Gmail account for a drop ship wholesale network which professes to be one of only thirty eBay certified service providers. I have to admit I got sucked in by that little tidbit of information, because the big fear most eBay sellers have of drop shippers is the fact that they have no control over the process once they've ordered the product for shipment to the customer. I figured if they're certified by eBay, they must be safe to deal with, right? Well that may be, but I'll never find out. I researched all kinds of products in their catalog, from many different categories, and could not find one product that is not already being sold somewhere online for very little more, sometimes even less, than the so-called wholesale price. One product I spent some time looking at last night, was being sold to the public for $10 more than the wholesale price - and from the identical product description and inventory numbers, it was pretty clear that this store was using the same source. By my calculations, I would have had to mark up the wholesale price by $22 just to break even after eBay and PayPal fees. Of course, this supplier holds fast to their claim that they have the lowest wholesale prices available, and that they have no control over retailers who choose to sell items at a loss in order to attract business. Yeah, I'm sure that's the case. $:o\$

So, my previous opinion stands: unless you have something unique which no one else has, and/or you have tons of money to buy items in bulk and space to warehouse them, you simply cannot make any real money on eBay.

entertaining the idea of ebay	Thu 09/04/2008 7:23 PM
A few years ago, before I was employed, I tried to start a business selling products on eBay. I signed up as a student of the Disabled Online Users Association, a non-profit organization which aims to help people with disabilities learn to operate successful online businesses, with a main focus on eBay. I didn't do well. My main problem was finding products to sell - ones that would sell, at a profit even after eBay and PayPal fees, and wouldn't cost a lot of money up front (remember I wasn't working; I had no money). I soon got a real, paying job and gave up on it. Well, you know how I feel about my job these days, and that I'm again trying to find ways to move into making my living at home, on the internet. Over the past week or so I briefly entertained the idea of trying eBay again, prompted by an ad I'd seen on my Gmail account for a drop ship wholesale network which professes to be one of only thirty eBay certified service providers. I have to admit I got sucked in by that little tidbit of information, because the big fear most eBay sellers have of drop shippers is the fact that they have no control over the process once they've ordered the product for shipment to the customer. I figured if they're certified by eBay, they must be safe to deal with, right? Well that may be, but I'll never find out. I researched all kinds of products in their catalog, from many different categories, and could not find one product that is not already being sold somewhere online for very little more, sometimes even less, than the so-called wholesale price. One product I spent some time looking at last night, was being sold to the public for $10 more than the wholesale price - and from the identical product description and inventory numbers, it was pretty clear that this store was using the same source. By my calculations, I would have had to mark up the wholesale price by $22 just to break even after eBay and PayPal fees. Of course, this supplier holds fast to their claim that they have the lowest wholesale prices available, and that they have no control over retailers who choose to sell items at a loss in order to attract business. Yeah, I'm sure that's the case. $:o\$ So, my previous opinion stands: unless you have something unique which no one else has, and/or you have tons of money to buy items in bulk and space to warehouse them, you simply cannot make any real money on eBay. << prev • home • next >>
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3 comments/trackbacks
comment: from Michael I mostly sell stuffs that I don't use anymore. You gotta have some connections to make money on eBay. Fri 09/05/2008 8:58 PM comment: from Canucklehead Hey Carly, I love eBay myself, although I'm more of a buyer than a seller. I just wanted to let you know (I meant to before now) that I got the FlexUSB and it works great - its on the back of the Mac with my iPod plugged in as we speak. Thanks again and all the best. Sat 09/06/2008 1:33 PM comment: from HelloKit Oh yeah, eBay is great for buyers, horrible for sellers. Kinda like the housing market... Sat 09/06/2008 3:43 PM
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