Are you a full time eBayer?

messiah · #1 11-28-2013

I know its been said before, but i haven't noticed this asked with a poll.

Is selling your only form of income? Or full or part time job on the side? If so what do you do?

For me, i started out on ebay when i was unemployed. I was suffering really bad social anxiety so it suited me perfectly, and was generally successful in the beginning. But after about a year i started becoming very frustrated with being at home most of the day.

When i lost my account to a silly ban, i knew it was time to get a job. I started working as a courier, and tried the whole ebay thing at the same time. Since i was on the road most of the day i new id have time to take all my parcels to the post office. But i simply couldnt keep up. I was too tired to check my ebay and pack parcels, respond to emails etc. Ended up with cases being opened against me left right and centre, which lead to another ban

Since my ban ive had 4 different jobs and im hoping to start a 5th asap.

Im unemployed at the moment so im giving ebay another go, but i dont think i want to go back to full time ebay.

EDIT: Im aware i have the poll option of 'no i have a job' which is completely irrelevant. If anyone can advise how i can remove this please let me know, and the option, 'i have a job and ebayer too' makes no sense..

rsot · #2 11-28-2013

Not a full time for me - more of just a bonus sales/parttime/net interest of mine - I get in heavy when I can but I enjoy the sales I do.

JamesNorth101 · #3 11-28-2013

I eBay for a few hours day, but it only makes up about 25% of my income.

The rest comes from trading on certain markets (also from the comfort of my own home) and rental income from houses I let out. I do eBay because it is something different that I rather enjoy (even if it can be a massive headache at times)

agent-x · #4 11-28-2013

Good thread.

I was thinking the same as well as how much profit a day is satisfactory for the users.

Im a working professional and ebay is a secondary income for me.

I would be happy with around £150-£200 profit a day.

I feel its a realistic aim over 3/4 accounts I think in a few months you can easily be making this much profit a day.

joesshooze · #5 11-28-2013

Other than SS it is my only other source of income. I probably put in a total of 4 hours a day, 7 days a week. I consider myself very successful at this as my gross margin is at least 60% or more.

MM78 · #6 11-28-2013

Full Time Student...Full Time Husband/Father....Part time Ebay.

jeffweico · #7 11-28-2013

I think a more accurate question would be:

Are You a Full-Time Online Seller

as many of us DO sell on eBay, but also sell on Amazon, other sites, our own websites, etc.

jeffweico · #8 11-28-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by messiah

For me, i started out on ebay when i was unemployed. I was suffering really bad social anxiety so it suited me perfectly, and was generally successful in the beginning. But after about a year i started becoming very frustrated with being at home most of the day.

When i lost my account to a silly ban, i knew it was time to get a job. Im unemployed at the moment so im giving ebay another go, but i dont think i want to go back to full time ebay.

It is definitely a lifestyle change from working a job to doing your own thing online. I was working in a pressure-cooker job, more than 14 hours per day. I LOVED my job, don't get me wrong, but it was a lot of stress. The money was good, but money only means so much.

Doing my own thing online has been much less stressful. But you are correct, suddenly being at home all the time can take a toll psychologically, even if you are making good money doing it.

So, I made it a point to do things outside the home as well. I became a member of the local chamber of commerce. I took a couple of computer related classes at my local community college (I wanted to learn more about Adobe products like Illustrator). Made arrangements to go out with friends for dinner. Am a volunteer at the local animal rescue. Little things like that.

I am MUCH happier now. But I know that not everyone can make the transition.

Edited to add:

It also affects those that live with you. But that is another matter.

messiah · #9 11-28-2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by agent-x

Good thread.

I was thinking the same as well as how much profit a day is satisfactory for the users.

Im a working professional and ebay is a secondary income for me.

I would be happy with around £150-£200 profit a day.

I feel its a realistic aim over 3/4 accounts I think in a few months you can easily be making this much profit a day.

I would be very happy with £150 a day!

This is one of the things i love about ebay, its completely possible to achieve this.

I remember reading an article when i was first getting into ebay, about how the number of ebay millionares has increased by X amount in 2010 or 2011.

An0nym0u$ · #10 11-28-2013

I fall into the category of a part-time ebayer, with a full time day job.

I have a normal day job that keeps me occupied for 8-9 hours a day. I'm also expected to be oncall 24x7. I am reimbursed very well, but it takes its toll.

The good thing about the job is it involves computers and I work behind one all day long, which gives me an opportunity to check my accounts when not busy.

So, full time job pays the mortgage + other bills, while eBay makes enough money to allow the wife to stay home

Dazzler87 · #11 11-28-2013

If I ever manage to consistently make £150-£200 a day, i would happily give up my day job, £1050-£1400 a week is more than enough for me and my family,

That would be very nice...

josh · #12 11-28-2013

i full time ebay, but have no overheads like rent, electric and water etc, just have petrol car insurance and lesiure etc. Im only 21... think i do quite well for my age....

kingdomcome84 · #13 11-29-2013

Full-time Job & Self-Employed - Part-time eBay

I spend 12-14 hrs of my day as a School Bus driver & licensed professional carpet cleaner Mon-Fri. During the hrs school is in session, I squeeze in (1) carpet cleaning job. Return to pick-up students in afternoon and take them home. sometimes squeeze another carpet cleaning job before going home.

I take small parcels with me onto the school bus to package them and drop them off using the school bus with breaks between routes I have. large parcels I package them at home

Gamefreak · #14 11-29-2013

As Jeff said, I'm a full time online seller. Im on so many sites but my main venue is amazon and of all the sites i sell on i take that one more seriously than all others.
Also accounts for 80% of my profits

Hettie · #15 11-29-2013

I sell on line full time and I have just recently started on Ebay. I find it a lot slower than Amazon and the buyers are not as good. Etsy is also quite good for me. But a profit is a profit no matter where it comes from.

Sandy D · #16 11-29-2013

Like Jeff I do several things, not just ebay.

Ebay, Amazon, Etsy and several antique only websites I sell on.

I also sell in antique malls and craigslist.

Buying and selling is my passion and I love it.

Helping others become successful once ebay does their normal ban of accounts is also something I enjoy.

This has been a record years of sales on ebay for me so I am happy with that.

Dunersdunes · #17 11-29-2013

Full time for me. 15 hours a week with ebay motors. Usually 8,000 net a week. So its more then any job could offer me. Love it. Ebay motors has been good. Only sell 3 items ever. Ever. Lol. Just sell the crap out of those 3 items. I have no overhead. All from my house and garage. Usually 15 hours a week I spend on ebay.

At first after rocky past only greenbean and rsot I think know about I decided to sell some parts on ebay motors. Before I knew it I was making sales profits of over 1,400 daily of net income. I was like thats like 32,000 profit a MONTH.

Saved ,saved,saved because I thought it was a fluke. But nope. I have accounts from late 90's yet. Never been suspended or limited. But my thinking and backround makes me think different. Not that im proud of that but hey im single dad of 3 year old and, if it was'nt for ebay motors none of this could be possible.

I never dealt with amazon, so I never offer advice on those threads. Never thought about my own website like others mentioned,but may look into it.

glacier922 · #18 11-30-2013

@dunes

If you haven't been banned, are you worried that you will be banned eventually?

Dunersdunes · #19 11-30-2013

No. Not at all I have over 100 accounts if I was to guess. all verified. I use like 6 of them from time to time. Im not worried about bans lol. Im many steps ahead of them already.

Before I sold my first items back in 1998, or 1997, I made my stealth accounts. I thought ahead like a chess game. Lol

Dmshark25 · #20 11-30-2013

Yep that's kind of my approach I keep making accounts and have a group of main ones and rotate the backups to keep then active and selling. After a year I figured out how to sell the what changes every couple months but I like to sell something that moves BIN listing and justvkeep 3 to 4 great items and make great sales day in and out

glacier922 · #21 11-30-2013

@dunes

Okay, so you are hedging just in case you do get banned? Interesting. I would have thought that most people would have had some type of limitation or suspension first before they make tons of stealths. I personally have not been banned on my legit account. But I have been suspended for a week for shill bidding years ago and now I have been permanently restricted in a certain category. Interesting that you didn't go through some sort of restriction, but yet make lots of stealths.

Dunersdunes · #22 11-30-2013

Dmshark. Keep rotating ur accounts. Thats always a good thing.