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The limit perspective I use
 

I have seen way too many gripes and complaints lately about limits and (lack of) increases.

Here is my take:

I have three types of accounts. I call them my kids, adolescents, and adults.

Kids are the brand new ones with no sales or at best, no limit increases. Adolescents are those with limits raised a time or two, but not at a level where i need to really work them. Adults are those that are fully functional, meant to bring in the dough, and have limits of 60+ in my case.

My goal is to nurture and cuddle with the kid accounts and the adolescent ones so they grow, stay out of danger, and have every opportunity to become productive adult accounts.

To get the kid accounts moving along I buy or find low cost junk to sell at a very low price and even a loss. Use things that are small to save on shipping, and in high demand. I usually start off with 25 cent books from the library and sell for $2-3. Shipping costs that much and when you consider the ebay and paypal fees, I end up with a net loss.

Considering I already spent about $50 to get VCC, tracfones and other stuff set up, what is an extr buck or two?

I try to let the account sit for 3 months and then hit it with 3 listings in the first month and then max out the 5 limit in the second month. I rarely miss out on a bump after the second month. Then I mix it up with some of my faster selling real profit items along with some more losers. One month below the limit and the next at the limit. When I finally crawl up to a decent established account level then I go only with my money makers.

I have 14 accounts. 1 is stuck on 30/3000, one just got its first increase, and the others are in the adult phase.

Bottom line is...don't try to make a profit on the new accounts. The profit comes from listing say 60 items per month, selling 30 of them. The profit probably does not come from dragging out account growth by trying to sell your good stuff too early. Sell junk at a loss and then list the good stuff so you don't have to deal with too many accounts at once. One account with a 100 limit is much easier to handle than 20 accounts with 5 each.

Part II...for the junk...pre-box it and have it ready to go in your spare time. Make it that much easier. Don't worry about a no-pay, at least you don't have to pay for shipping and you are only out the ebay fees. And don't quibble with a new account. Jsut give the crap away to buyild a track record of sales and hopefully feedbacks.

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

Well put hope others can learn from this

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

wow your a really good parent :rolleyes:

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

Good advice there Lost in the Supermarket, will take this mentally to heart.

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

"My goal is to nurture and cuddle with the kid accounts and the adolescent ones so they grow, stay out of danger, and have every opportunity to become productive adult accounts."

That's rather sweet...

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

Very eloquently put Lost in the supermarket, and an interesting read, even over here in the UK.

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

Nice write-up Lost in the Supermarket - I like the coherency and your patience in general :thumb:

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

This is for sure the key to true long term success! :)

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

That's not a bad way to do things, but it's painfully slow and not all members have the option to spend 100+ dollars at a net loss and wait months before starting to sell.

Instead of coddling your "kids", some parents believe that teaching them to stick up for themselves and tell the bully "NO!" when he demands their lunch money. Many parents have found success when their children are assertive and ask for what they want. Children who request an allowance increase just might find they get one---and if Mom says no, why not ask Dad?

In other words, rather than losing money by selling junk (getting beat up by the bully), it's better to sell stuff that makes PROFIT (standing up for yourself). Asking for an allowance (calling for a limit increase) is better than waiting for one to be given (twiddling your thumbs). If one parent says no (eBay rep denies increase) ask the other (call again and talk to someone else).

Just some thoughts to consider... ;)

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

You have a really good analogy going here nice to see its all planned out

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

I completely agree with your strategy. Too many people want everything to happen INSTANTLY these days, then they complain when they lose the account. I always have new accounts waiting for me to use. I sell a few things on the ones "in the hopper" every couple of months so they keep a sales history, and I believe this helps when I turn the account into a REAL selling account.

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

Sounds like a very solid strategy, should help alot of people, thanks for sharing!

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

That sounds like a plan for real life, but Stealth Ebay-ing is not real life.

Let me poke just one hole in your style......if you get beat up by the bully (ebay) just once you die. Your account does anyway.

So....do you give your 50 cents lunch money to the bully every day for your first 30-40 transactions until you grow up to make (in my case) $20-25 per transaction for hundreds or thousands of transactions?

I have only had one "kid" get killed by the bully and it was becasue I failed to take care of him. I was testing just how "free-range" I could let him be. The other 14 kids of mine have all grown up to be responsible so they can take care of me in my old age. Just a swag at numbers, I have had about 2500-3000 transactions since going stealth, thrown away about $200 in backing down to scammers and selling loser items.

Over 75K to the plus side and a couple Benjamins to the down. Spent around $40 just to get the kid born that died practically at birth because I took a chance.

So................the bottom line is...are you in it for money or for your pride? Will you stand up to that bully on principle and risk having your kid killed?

The cost of a stealth kid funeral these days is:
tracphone with card $30(ish)
VCC $25 minimum minus the value leaves -$5 for VCC fee.
your time $?
risk to your other accounts...........priceless!

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

You've just put my thoughts on the paper! Nice post!

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

Uh, no.

My stealth accounts are created as follows:
Google Voice #: Free
VCC: Entropay card: 5.25
Allybank: Online bank, account setup less than 5 mins
Total cost: 5.25

Nice try though..... :doh:

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

LMFAO LOL oh my, oh my. :pop2:

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

Oh my, it worked! =} :d

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

Clearly you grew up in a situation where everybody gets a trophy.
It isn't all about you like your Mom tried to make you believe.

The key point that you are missing is in the title of the post. "The Limit Perspective I use". Not "The limit perspective YOU use". Or "Everybody should use", or "sheltered babies use". No, it is MY take on things.

You can
a. ignore it
b. glean tidbits of info to help in your stealthing (my intent)
c. continue to make a fool of yourself by not "getting it"

Your point, like you, is stupid. No matter what your new stealth account might cost, does it make sense to take unnecessary risks and have the account suspended? Wait....I bet it is OK to you because you always had the best baseball bats Daddy could buy as his way of showing you love because he really deep down resented you. Or was it your helicopter Mom that made you think you were a "special boy"? She probably even wrote your post for you!

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

Maybe he has no Mom?

He lacks so much all over.

You are not allowed to disagree with the righteous and know sfa one. Be careful

:amen:

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

"sfa" means what? Sorry just clarifying

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

Clearly you don't know how to formulate a logical argument....next.

You posted this in response to this thread:
http://www.aspkin.com/forums/subscri...ts-ebay-5.html

Where the exact thing you just described happened, where I was in your described role. Hypocrisy much?

Does it make sense to take risks?
Does it make sense to start a business knowing you might fail?
Does it make sense to ask a woman on a date, knowing you might be rejected?
Does it make sense to get on a plane, knowing it might crash?
Does it make sense to drive your car, knowing you might get killed by a drunk driver?

Many people say YES! You might be too afraid to take risks, because your mother didn't teach you it's ok to fail, however, some of us had proper parenting. I'm sorry to hear your mother and father didn't love you at all, but theres no need to air out your personal issues on a public forum.


:pop2::pop2::pop2::pop2::pop2::pop2::pop2:

Re: The limit perspective I use
 

Don't run down and do one of them, walk down and do all of them. Good Advise and Reminder!