Making Money Listing on eBay Isn't As Easy As You Think | Why Reselling Takes Time

Photo by Asa Rodger on Unsplash

Hey folks.

Another day here, another dollar, err, maybe not...

One of the biggest complaints I see as a reseller on eBay is this very common complaint that sales are slow... As if this is anything new. The reality is if you're making money listing on eBay, I got bad news for you...

It isn't easy as you think!

Let me explain!

Why Reselling Takes Time...

The reality is, and I don't care who you are, is that reselling takes a lot of time and devotion. Yes, there are overnight millionaires and surprise success stories, but let's get real. Fame comes quick to many, but many will be burnouts.

Ditto with eBay.

Which is why you'll never hear me write a testimony claiming to help you get rich quick! Yes, I did well when I first started reselling online, doing an average of $2,000 a month by the 6-month mark, but I'll let you in on a little secret...

Most of those sales were coming from FBA on Amazon, and to be honest, wasn't going to last. Yes, I did well, but by a year in on eBay, I was selling only $500 a month. Most of the money was made selling baseball hats and coffee mugs, but there was an ugly truth. Making money online takes time. Sometimes years!

Not that you should be discouraged or give up. On the contrary, you should see this as motivation to keep going for the long haul, because if you're truly serious about eBay, you're going to want to be in this business for the long haul.

Which brings me to my next point...

Making Money on eBay Isn't As Easy As You Think

I'll say it again. Making money on eBay isn't as easy as you think. Yes, there are success stories. Plenty of YouTube resellers who will tell you that you can make $100,000 a month in no time!!!

But let's break this down a bit.

Most of those resellers who are telling you you can make a ton of money in a relatively short amount of time are 9/10 trying to sell you something. They're either trying to get you to click their video for some lucrative ad revenue or they're trying to sell you a tutorial on how they made money.

But here's something to chew on... While I don't knock people who are trying to sell you something in order to teach you how to make money, I also don't want my readers coming away with this idea that just because someone else found a ton of quick success is going to do the same. 

Again, not that this isn't possible. Rather, it's just the reality of life. No two people's situations are the same, as are either one's luck.

Which means just because someone else found success doing something a certain way doesn't always guarantee you will find similar results.

But there is something greater to keep in mind...

You can still be successful!

Here's Where I Tell You To Find a Greater Cause...

If there is one thing I truly know in life, it's that God will not make you successful unless genuinely need to be successful. Which means if you don't daydream about buying Lamborghinis and McMansions™ you're probably not going to become a millionaire overnight. Honestly, this is just the way the cards fall. Because when it comes down to it, unless you truly need a million dollars, there's no reason why the universe will ever provide it for you.

Not that you don't deserve it. Nor that you will never achieve this goal...

As someone who stayed in a homeless shelter, I know not to scoff at people's dreams and ambitions. I've seen murderers and pedophiles go on to become family men and own their own homes, so when I say you can do something great with your eBay business, I mean it.

But you have to have some perspective. And this is where many resellers fail. They fail to see a light at the end of a tunnel or get caught up in day-to-day struggles without focusing on long-term results and planning. Which is why if you're going to make money on eBay, you better start thinking of this business in terms of dollars and prospective business models to follow, rather than just listing stuff hoping it will sell.

Not that it won't!

At the End of the Day, We're All Going to Be Successful

I genuinely mean this. At the end of the day, you will be successful. If you stay in the ring long enough to outlast your opponent, which is fear and doubt.

To me, that is the true adversary of an eBay reseller. And trust, it can get to anyone. Even if you've made a ton of money on the selling platform, your success can be wiped away in an instant the moment eBay decides to flag you for a listing violation, or perhaps when they decide to tinker with their mysterious algorithms.

So yes, enjoy your success, if you truly are a child of the light, but keep in mind nothing lasts forever. Nor do you have to fear the unknown.

But if you're like me, and your goal is to make money, get real. This shit isn't easy. As anything in life should be.

...

As always, God bless and much love!

Newbie

Should You Trust Your Gut Instinct | The True Test of a Reseller

Photo by Meiying Ng on Unsplash

AS the saying goes, if you can't trust yourself, who can you trust?

And so it is, as any reseller knows all too well, that the true test of a good flipper is should you trust your gut instinct? To which I would reply, a resounding yes.

Yes, I know there is something hypocritical about writing an eBay blog that gives advice and tips to resellers, not to mention a YouTube channel, but I wouldn't be honest if I told you that half of the stuff I post here is based off my own gut instinct.

So when I recommend you do the same, I mean it. I practice what I preach.

What is the Gut Instinct?

Simply put, the gut instinct is your guidance system. Some say this is your inner compass, others your feelings, but to you and you only, it's what you know deep down is right. Which means you know what is going to sell on eBay.

Not to say, you're always right or that you will always find success in what you believe, but then again, yes you will. Because as with everything, what some define as failure is to others simply a push in the right direction. Which means when you purchase something in hopes of flipping it for a profit on eBay or Amazon, you're trusting your gut instincts to give you an edge over the competition.

And yes, that means finding stuff without a smartphone.

Hold Up, No Smartphone!

Yes, I honestly mean that. I know in some circles that is blasphemy or simply bad teachings, but I will restate it again. As a reseller, you should be aiming to get to a point where you rely less on a smartphone and more on your own natural instincts as a hopefully by now seasoned reseller.

And let's be honest, not only is using a smartphone tacky, but also an easy way to stand out in a crowd.

You won't believe the horror stories I've read about people using their smartphones at garage sales, only to have greedy sellers raise the prices once they spot these unwise resellers. But the truth is, when you're on your smartphone out in the open, you become easy prey to scorn and raised prices. Not to mention people who just think this behavior is downright rude.

And believe me, I get it. I started out with reselling doing the same thing. I used smartphones for a year to learn my craft, and I am in no way demeaning this behavior if you truly feel in your gut it's teaching what to resell. See what I did there?

But I'm going to tell you, that not only is a smartphone a crutch, but is absolutely crippling your own natural instincts as a reseller.

My Gut Tells Me I'm Hungry

Good, go get something to eat. But when you come back, get serious. Which is be honest: wouldn't you rather go out and find stuff to sell without the hassle of having to constantly look shit up on the internet?

Or better yet, wouldn't you like to know that you're that damn good at reselling that you can walk into a thrift store like a smooth criminal and find stuff in the snap of finger before your competition can even google faux leather wooden shoes. Yeah, I made those keywords up on the spot. That's what my gut does.

So get real and start telling yourself that you too can trust your gut instinct. And before you go all crazy on me for suggesting you don't use a useful tool, let me remind you of the horror that is the obnoxious millennial browsing the internet when they should be looking out for other people walking.

So get off those phones and start trusting your gut. And while we're at it, post some solds!

...

Best and God bless!

Newbie

Top Reasons Why Businesses Fail | When You Just Feel Like Giving Up

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Hey folks.

Today I want to discuss a topic that seems to be on a lot of people's minds as they struggle when they first start their own eBay business. Simply put: this is my top reasons why businesses fail. It may seem counterintuitive to discuss failure but I see this everywhere I go when I discuss owning your own business. Everyone seems obsessed with success and the good times but doesn't seem to comprehend why things can go south, usually quickly.

The biggest reason businesses fail is because the owner usually calls quits right when you just feel like giving up. You may think that sounds crazy, but it's a truth. You can blame luck and unfortunate circumstances, but at the end of the day, it's because you give up without recognizing why you even tried in the first place.

As with everything, life is a journey, and while that may sound like spiritual crap, there is a universal truth to that. Not everyone is going to become a millionaire nor end up as the next Bill Gates, but I do believe everyone has the potential to find peace in what they're going through if they're willing to find peace with what they've been through.

But first, let's discuss some top reasons why businesses fail.

1. Successful People Never Quit

It sounds like a zen saying on the back of a fortune cookie fortune, but the truth remains. Ask any successful person how they got where they ended up at and they'll tell you they never quit.

And just to give this idea some perspective, this isn't just related to businesses. Successful people have found stumbling blocks in every field. 

Stephen King, perhaps the most widely read English author in history, is always quick to remind people of all the rejection letters he received when he first started trying to get published. Same with many musical bands and acts. There's always the narrative of having to learn the ropes and endure hardship just to say you persevered and found success.

Which is why it's important to remember that when you venture into owning your own business, you must keep in mind that there will be an uneccesary hardship that generally is out of your control. Perhaps it's the universe conspiring against you, perhaps it's a trial from a god.

Whatever the case is, there's going to be a struggle and the urge to throw in the towel. For some, this might be the greatest blessing they can receive, but for others, it will be a simple push to keep going and find success. Which is why I tell new eBay business owners to keep going just when you feel like giving up.

2. You Were Never Passionate About Your eBay Business in the First Place

This is another one that is hard to hear for many, but the truth for a lot of people is that they went into eBay expecting quick cash and a new hobby. But for many, eBay is a labor of love and something they genuinely enjoy doing.

Which means, if you don't enjoy spending money on used ties in the hope they might sell in a year or two, you're probably never going to enjoy your business. Which means it's no surprise that your business ended up failing.

Please note, this doesn't mean you have to be obsessed with thrift stores and garage sales to become an overnight success. Hardly the truth at all. 

But if you're not passionate about what you do, then there's a good reason you're never going to really find success because honestly, this isn't what you should be doing. If that's the case, you should just quit and start living a life focused on what you genuinely are passionate about.

Granted, that last sentence can be tough to hear if you're like me and find yourself hardly passionate about anything at all. Perhaps it's a leftover feeling of I don't give a shit attitude from my Generation X friends and idols, but there definitely is a habit among many people to say they're not passionate about anything.

But again, don't let the obsession with a field and passion get mixed up. Being passionate simply means you have to keep doing what you're doing not because you enjoy it, but because it's the only thing you know how to do. And honestly, that is what makes you successful. Because you have nothing else left to turn to.

3. You Expected Success to Just Be Handed to You

This is another tough pill to swallow if you're like me and expect talent to win the day every time. Yes, it's amazing to have gifts and feel special, but at the end of the day, God, the universe, or your parents etc. are not simply going to hand you success. They're going to expect you to work for it to prove you're capable of achieving something on your own. Which is why it's important to remember nothing is simply handed to you.

Granted, there are people who are born rich or happen to stumble into success. If that's the case you find yourself in, ignore this, because you have bigger problems. Mainly being regret that you never lived your own dream.

But for those who genuinely care about their own hard work and success, there is the reality that you're going to have to go through a trial in order to succeed. Does this mean you should just bite the bullet and smile as you endure struggle after struggle? Hardly no.

But there will come a time when you realize it's over, no matter how much you expect your problems to resurface. In which case, congratulations, you've survived the worst. 

But remember, the more you do something, the more you get used to problems that at one point seemed too tough to get through.

Which brings us back to my point that successful people never quit. Which is exactly what you should keep in the back in your mind every time you expect God to just hand you something good and pat you on the back.

Does that mean He'll never lend a hand? No. But don't walk around every day expecting God to just give you the keys to the kingdom without at least giving it your all. Afterall, what's the point of even living if you never actually do anything on your own?

Conclusion

The reality is if I can do it you can do it. I know that probably makes you want to barf, but remember I started my own business while on SSDI praying to God to help me pay off some rather large credit card debt. 

I found success quick but as I relaunched my business after a 2-year hiatus to work in politics I found many struggles. I was in the process of getting an apartment and surviving without a car, which is why I found myself often not getting enough sales to fund my own business. It wasn't that I was not succeeding, it's just that I wasn't putting even half the effort that I did when I first started.

Which is why I encourage you to keep going. And if at the end of the day you really fail the point where you never own a business ever again, ask what you learned from that experience. Chances are, you'll find peace when you know the answer.

...

As always, God bless and much love. And may your treasure hunting be forever glorious!

Best,

Newbie

How to Start an eBay Business with No Money | This Is What I Did...

Hey folks.

Today I want to talk about a very special topic that is near and dear to my heart: how to start an eBay business with no money. For those of you who follow me over at YouTube, (if you don't get on it!), I have videos from the past 6 months documenting my own journey as I restarted my own eBay business. If you listened to some of my early videos, I would talk about how I just got out of a homeless shelter and am in the process of starting a new life. Check it out:

Please excuse me not wearing a shirt. I come from the philosophy that sex sells. :)

Really though, this is the honest truth. I just got out of a homeless shelter and within 4 months had a full-time (I use that term loosely mind you) eBay store up and running. How you ask? Simple...

Get Some Cash

Duh, right? 

The reality is though, if you don't have cash, you have no hopes of starting a legitimate eBay business. Yeah, you could sell some stuff you have laying around the house and probably make some money that you could use to buy and flip other stuff. But if you're in a situation like I was, this probably isn't feasible.

At the time I relaunched my own eBay store, I was homeless and living in my mother's trailer. Cue an Eminem song. To be honest it was depressing and I was flat broke. I was waiting for a disability check to go through and was considering just biting the bullet and going back to washing dishes at a restaurant. But one thing I had going for me was very minimal support from my father, who would loan me $10-20 bucks every two weeks.

You'll laugh, but that small amount of money is what I used to launch my business. Every time I had a little bit of cash I would walk, sometimes up to 6 miles! to a garage sale or thrift store and buy some stuff.

The key here is that I was very careful and selective and really only bought stuff that cost a dollar or less. 

This meant a bunch of Ugly Men's 70s ties and some coffee mugs, but the truth was I was just getting back into the swing of things. Still am actually.

Which is what you should start to consider.

Take Small Risks

The next thing I advise to take small risks. If cash really is a problem, the only solution you might have is to get a job. Not everyone has the curse that is disability to provide for them, which means you might have to get a part-time job or take a loan or skip out on McDonald's here or there. Not that your stomach will suffer from this.

Whatever the case is, find some cash and take small, and I mean very small, risks. If you're comfortable selling something like vintage ties, or souvenir coffee mugs, use this as a way to get into the habit of looking for something that can be sold for a pretty high ROI while taking very minimal risks.

Yeah, the prospect of selling $10-$20 ties might not sound thrilling, but remember at this stage you're just getting your feet wet. What you really should be focusing on, at least in my opinion, is ratings and generating steam to really launch your business.

That means less focus on profit, and more focus on reps for what you want to do. 

And honestly, this is nothing. 

You can go to a thrift store and spend 5 bucks knowing you have a potential $200 of profit. That is no small feat. And yeah, while you're not guaranteed to make $200, at least not right away, the truth is you're just now getting a taste for becoming a reseller. 

In which case, congratulations, you're not an eBay reseller. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Start Selling Stuff!

By now, you'll probably have cold feet and hear the lingering doubt in your mind. You can't afford this stuff. There's no way you can sell stuff without money.

I'm here to tell you this all hogwash. The truth is, you can sell stuff and you can make money. But again, you have to let go of these fears and just take a leap of faith.

For many, that might be a problem if you don't have enough sales. 

See, PayPal does this for a lot of new sellers, which means holding onto your money until 2-3 weeks pass. If that's the case for all you newbies out there (don't mind the pun), then you're going to have to bite the bullet and go slow. Yes, PayPal will eventually learn to trust you and give you money after your buyer has paid, but I believe as of today that takes 25 sales to get to that limit removed.

Which means if you're strapped for cash, you're going to have to limit how many items you sell on eBay when you start out.

Not that this should be a problem. eBay usually only allows 10 items to be listed for you newbies, which means you're going to have to go slow, money or no money.

But the beauty is to see this as room for growth and know that you'll never go back, which means now is the time to learn your craft and keep going. But as with everything, this takes patience, which for most can be unbearable. But have hope!

Start Getting More Cash

Here's the gamechanger.

As an eBay business owner, you're going to want to start getting more cash. See, you're going to want to make a profit eventually and hopefully, make a living or at least side income off what you're doing. Which is the point of owning your own business, isn't it?

And the only way to do this is to build your inventory and increase your ratings as a reseller. See, the more you sell, the more the platform and buyers begin to trust you. You may not see this at first, but with every sale you make, you earn a better reputation and begin to build trust with your buyers. Which means by the time you have a few sales under your belt, you should have at least earned some more spending money.

But guess what, unless you want to call it quits now, you're going to have to spend that money again!

On what you ask?

Invest in Your Business

For most, this means buying more inventory and listing more. As you start to increase your ratings and work towards blowing past eBay and PayPal's infuriating seller limits, you'll begin to get more listings available and eventually have funds released immediately after you sell stuff.

Which means no more using your credit card to pay for those costly shipping fees.

Yeah, I speak for myself mostly here. Because that is exactly what I was doing to pay my own shipping fees at first. See, I would spend my money on inventory, and when something sold, I would use my credit card to pay for the shipping.

I did this for about two months but once PayPal had learned to trust my instincts as a seller, I was now given the gift of immediate payments, which included shipping fees.

Which is awesome. 

But guess what, before you start counting your dollars, you're going to want to invest most of the money back into your business.

Why you ask?

The more you invest in yourself up front, the more you have potential to make more as you grow and become established in whatever niche or market you happen to sell in. 

This means now is the time to invest in storage, inventory, or shelves and other stuff that can help your business grow. For me, this meant buying a decent laser printer and a postal scale so that my business could become functional and operating with a semi-level of professionalism. Which is what you should be doing.

To Sum This All Up...

As I said earlier, the only way you can start an eBay business or any business for that matter is to get cash. If you're serious, now is the time to consider liquidating assets that might be hard to let go of. 

When I first started my eBay business 2 years ago, this meant flipping an electric piano and drum set I had in my garage. As a musician, it was tough to let go of these items, but the cash I raised for these two instruments was enough to get my business up and running without having to get a second job.

When I relaunched my business 6 months ago, this meant getting a $100 loan from my step-father as well as donating plasma to a local plasma center. Yeah, that might make some cringe, but as someone who was homeless for four months, the risk was hardly enough to discourage me.

Once I had cash, I was out in the thrift stores and garage sales buying small stuff. Which meant a lot of small investments, mostly all under a dollar, and some small risks.

But within 3 months I began to see the fruit of my labor. I sold sometimes in auctions for a relatively mild sum of $10 per tie, as well as selling a used camera lens I had laying around for $50 bucks.

But those small sales were enough to keep me afloat and as of yesterday was enough to allow me to invest in a basic store subscription. Which is what you can do as well.

So there you have it. Get cash, take small risks, start selling stuff, and begin to reinvest in your business. For me, this means storage and shelving units as well as more inventory. For you, it might mean just paying for gas to get to a thrift store. Whatever the case, though, start selling now and stop making excuses.

But first, make a sale!

...

As always, God bless and much love. And may your treasure hunting be forever glorious!

Newbie

What Do You Need To Start Your Own Business? | Stop Giving a Shit

Photo by Jonathan Velasquez on Unsplash

Let's get real folks. You're either here because you found this on a Facebook group or because you just don't know what the fuck to do when starting your own business. But have no fear! Because I'm going to explain to you exactly how to answer the question: what do you need to start your own business?

And you know what the answer is???

Stop giving a shit!

This is Where I Stop Reading

Good. 

For those of you who stay, much appreciation. But let's get back on track.

The real way to start your own business is to stop giving a shit. Yeah, you'll need other stuff, like financial resources, or a social environment that at least is conducive to your growing on your own journey, but don't let this stuff fool you.

The number one thing you need to start your own business is a can-do attitude that is free of doubt, negativity, and the number one ambition killer judgment. Which means if you're 30 dwelling on your 20s that seem to have been robbed from you, now is the time to stop giving a shit.

Because as I can tell you, I was robbed of my 20s to mental illness and negativity. And a lack of awareness.

But you know what I never let get me down: fear of the unknown. 

Which is why you need to stop giving a shit if you want to start your own business.

But Really, What Do I Need Newbie?

Honestly, everything. 

Owning a business can suck. 

I started mine at the age of 29 selling used baseball hats and coffee mugs online through platforms such as eBay and Amazon. And I'll tell, I had no resources.

I was fucking flat broke.

No joke. I was on SSDI, or as you call it Social Security, receiving a $900 check that had to pay for food and car payments. But I'll tell you what. I didn't give a shit.

Every month I went at my business hard and spent every penny I could scrounge up. I stopped eating fancy foods, invested in ramen noodles, and never regretted a thing. Within 3 months, I was doing two grand in sales, not bad if you ask me, and had paid off $4,000 in credit card debt after a year.

That video was posted in December of 2015, almost 2015. A measly 6 months after I had started my own business. And you know what propelled my success: not giving a shit.

So when I tell you to throw caution and care to the wind, I mean it. Blow your lunch money, spend a day away from your kids, and stop worrying about profits. And just do it.

Yeah, they'll be bumps in your road. There always is. But as with everything, you have to keep doing it. Which is why I recommend just going out there and getting your business license, and registering your own business, and stop making excuses.

Okay, So What Do I Need Tho? For Reals...

Well, not that I've given my inspirational talk for the day, you'll probably want to know what you actually need to start your own business. So I'll tell yeah.

Whatever the fuck it takes to make a profit.

For some, such as online resellers like myself, that includes getting a vendors license to sell on platforms such as eBay and Amazon. For others, it might be a car loan or a house loan. Maybe you need employees or a partner to help you with running a store. The truth is, there is no glove fits all answer.

The only thing you'll get from me is a can-do attitude and an honest assessment. Which is: why the hell are you on the Internet trying to figure out how to start a business when there are people all across the world who can answer this question?

So let me ask you: what do you need to start your own business.

Your answer may just be what you're seeking.

...

As always, much love and God bless. And may your treasure hunting be glorious.

Newbie...

How to Start an eBay Store | It's Not That Complicated

Hey folks.

Today I want to discuss how to start an eBay store. It's something many of you newbies such as I myself might be considering, and if that's the case, then now's the time! And best of all, it's not that complicated.

Why you ask?

You see, if you're really serious about reselling, and you really want to make some money, then chances are, you'll want to start a store. And while that prospect might sound frightening, or dare, too expensive, the reality it's not hard at all!

But first, before we get into this how-to stuff, let's consider some benefits of getting a store...

Cost vs. Quantity

Let's just be honest.

The only way you're ever really going to get your quantity up without having to spend hours each day fidgeting with social media ads or pesky relists is by using my favorite method: the list it and forget it.

It's a method made famous by many resellers, including my personal favorites Scavenger Life. And while that might boring, and gasp!, time-consuming, the reality is it's actually quite a proven method.

Back when I was a true newbie in 2015 I was making at least $500 in sales on eBay in my third month alone, all by building quantity and selling moderately priced vintage stuff. Sales were good and consistent but the true key to my success was that I invested in a store early.

Which is why I highly recommend anyone considering starting an eBay store to do the same.

Take it this way: If you're a new seller without a store, you'll probably start out with a few free listings, maybe 10-20, depending on how much the eBay Gods favor you, and eventually you'll get up to 50 free listings. And while that may sound great, the reality you'll end up blowing through those listings fast if you're aggressive and hungry enough.

Which is why a store might be a better option.

Take it this way: Once you use up your 50 or 20, or however many free listings you have depending on the promotional offers, you're going to get charged.30 per listing. While that seems low, once you start growing your inventory and really building some income, you'll start to see your fees increase.

This might be fine if you don't plan on going above, I don't know, 100 listings, but chances are you really want to make a go at this.

This is where a store comes in.

Instead of paying the high .30 per listing once your freebies are used up, you can upgrade to a basic store for a measly $24 a month, or just pay the annual cost of $240, which ends up being about $20 a month. That might seem like a high cost, but the benefits certainly outweigh the costs.

With a basic store, you receive 200 free listings, plus a discount on future listings once you max the freebies. As of writing this, a basic store will reduce future listings to .20, giving you essentially 250 free listings and a discount when you really bulk up you're inventory.

And that's just for a basic store!

With a premium and anchor store, the discount lowers to .10 and .5 respectively. But don't worry about those, because chances are you don't even qualify for them yet.

So to keep this simple, let's do the math:

A year subscription to an eBay store will cost you roughly $20 a month, giving you 250 free listings. If you chose not to subscribe to this but listed the same amount of items, you would be paying $60 dollars in fees!

Which is why a store makes sense just on the cost factor.

Okay, I'm In... So How Do I Start a Store

Glad you asked. 

Starting an eBay store is actually pretty straightforward. If you click on your accounts tab under your profile name you'll see a link that says "subscriptions." I've included a screenshot of mine for reference.

Click the Subscriptions tab

From there, you'll want to select the subscribe link for a basic store. Again, I've provided a screenshot for reference:

Again, click the subscribe link

From there, you'll be taken to a selection screen that asks you to choose which store subscription you want. It seems to be pretty redundant to make you select which store you want after you already selected a basic store from the previous screen, but this is eBay we're talking about.

Here you can see the breakdown of the store subscriptions

Select which plan you want: either the yearly subscription or the monthly subscription. As I said, I recommend a yearly subscription. While you're locked into a contract you're saving $60 dollars a year, and let's get real, if you're at all serious about this business, you should be in it for the long haul!

After you've done that there's a box on the bottom of the screen that asks you to create a store name.

Please feel free to steal my store name...NOT!

Once you've done this eBay will take you to a final screen that asks you to confirm your store subscription and reminds you to look at the terms and conditions. You can see mine here:

Man up and just do it!

From there you'll have to enter your payment information and voila! You're now an official eBay store owner!

Congratulations

Some Final Considerations

Wasn't that easy???

But the fun part now is designing your store to tailor to your own preferences. I won't go into much detail here, but things you'll want to now consider are creating some store categories for your inventory as well as creating a banner.

Feel free to let your imagination do the work.

As for a banner, you can head over to Fiverr.com and find a cheap artist to create your banner for, you guessed it, 5 bucks.

After that, you now have the luxury of reduced listings fees as well as a renewed commitment to a business. If you're at all serious about making a living doing this, I highly recommend doing this.

As an added bonus, once you have a store subscription, you can now take a vacation! Thanks to eBay's vacation settings for store owners, if you're away for an extended period of time you can set your store so that your listings are hidden. 

So welcome to the good life!

Just to Sum It Up...

Again, let's do the math. 

If you've reached your max 50 free listings, barring eBay hasn't given you any other promotions, you're looking at .30 per listing. Say you list an additional 100 items, you're already looking at $30 in fees. Compare that to $20 bucks for a store and the choice becomes a no-brainer!

Besides this, a store means you're committed to this and are in it for the long haul. Gone are the days of listing a couple of items and hoping you get a sale. Now you're looking at building inventory and having customers find a central location for all your listings.

So quit diggin' your heels in the sand and just do it already!

...

As always, much love, and may your treasure hunting be glorious!

Best,

Newbie

Help, I'm a Hoarder | When Reselling Takes over Your House

Photo by Greta Schölderle Møller on Unsplash

The cry I hear a lot of resellers yell--and honestly, this one baffles me--is when they scream, "Help, I'm a hoarder!" As if this wasn't a problem all of us face when reselling takes over your house, the answer starts to become obvious...

Invest in storage!

Yes, that's right. You might have to spend money :(

Gasp...

Let's get this out of the way. If you're serious about reselling on platforms such as eBay, Etsy, or Amazon (non-FBA of course) then you need to start treating your business like a business.

Which means invest in storage!

But Newbie, I can't Afford Storage!

Bullocks!

Here in Toledo, Ohio, I have a 5x10 storage that I pay $45 dollars a month for. That includes a shelving unit and twelve storage bins just along one wall!

Do you know how many ties and hats can go in a storage unit?

Ditto with clothes.

I have a clothing rack in my storage unit where I hang all of the expensive clothes. Along with other bins to store them in. And guess what, I go to bed at night without having to roll over on a pile of laundry waiting to be listed on eBay!

So again, don't tell me you can't afford to pay for storage. Because if you're at all serious about reselling and are treating this like a part-time business you should be making at least a hundred bucks a month in sales. 

At least!

Again, I'm not going to get too heavy into finances, but honestly, I knew before I even started reselling that I was going to be investing in storage. Which is why I went and paid for a storage unit before selling a single thing.

So don't tell me you can't afford storage!

No, Seriously Newbie! I Can't Afford Storage

Fine, then the next question for all of you unfortunate souls out there is why you're still not treating your reselling career like a business.

If hoarding really is as big of a deal as you're making it, then I have to ask why you don't have a dedicated space in your house/apartment/whatever for your reselling business?

What is keeping you up at night isn't your onset of hoarding nightmares but rather your lack of focus and perspective.

Perhaps you weren't like me. Perhaps eBay or Amazon or Etsy began as a hobby or fun thing to do. Fine. But you get addicted to the real drug of the business... THE HUNT!

So you start loading up your car or van every time you drive to a Goodwill and one day it hits you! You now have a house full of stuff!

And I get it. This stuff happens.

When I first started reselling two years ago I was staying in my dad's very small house, where I had literally a corner in a garage to sell out of.

By two months I had a bedroom stockpiled with clothes and reselling items to list. And I remind you this was a small children's bedroom I was living in.

So yeah, the threat of becoming a hoarder is real...

But I have to ask, why???

Not To Sound Like a Broken Record, But...

Again, treat your reselling business like a business.

Which means investing in storage. And better yet, creating a gameplan. 

Which means, what are your goals? What do you dream about for the future? What do you want to do with your business?

And ask yourself, if hoarding becomes an issue, why do you even do this in the first place?

Trust me, I see this kind of stuff on YouTube videos every day. There's a blog I follow called Scavenger Life that features a couple that live, breathe and eat eBay. And I see it in their own houses. They're literally overflowing with inventory. 

Which is fine, if you're fine with it.

But if you're honestly asking or crying why you're a hoarder, then ask yourself why you're aren't investing in storage.

Believe me, do yourself a favor, and invest in a unit. 

And while you're at, get your sanity back!

As always, much love and peace...

Newbie!