eBay Sales Going Strong, but I am Getting Lazy!

It has been a while since I wrote.  Last time I was celebrating a big day.  My BIGGEST day!  Today, I am just writing because I am having eBay euphoria.  I realize something.  I am one of the few.  One of the people who set out to sell on eBay and went through all the pitfalls and am still on and still making money.

Kudos to me.

BUT, this week I did something I told myself I wouldn’t do.  I cheated.  I said I would not find what other’s are selling and just copy it.  But I did, and it is going well!

As part of Chris’ Better Sources software we can see a blog where he (very infrequently ) posts information on trends, etc.  Well this past week he posted about some wireless keyboards he found and told us where to get them.  He then also showed some current eBay auctions and it looked good to me.

So, I picked up 7 of the keyboards and got them for $6.00 each and have been happily selling them for $26 – $38 each.  Not a bad markup.  But I do have some remorse.  I feel instantly lazy.  While I have been using the techniques in the Dropshipping Sucks guide (please, use my affiliate link!) and using the Better Sources software to find products, it was so easy just to have Chris tell me what product to sell and where to find it.  Now, I find myself checking the member’s blog every day and to my dissapointment there has been nothing more.

To me it is kind of interesting from a psychology standpoint.  Here I am doing well and have become a self-proclaimed expert at finding products myself, but the second someone hands me one I just want more and more.  So, Chris, POST MORE!

Well, I suppose I should get back to finding products for myself.  Wish me luck!

Record eBay Sales on Monday!

I am writing this with a bit of unabashed glee!  On Monday, my sales generated me an all-time high in profits.  It’s not close.  Monday blew every previous day of eBay sales out of the water with a one day profit of over $630!!!

I do have to brag a little.

My closest day before Monday was in early June when I had a day which netted me $212.14 exactly.  That was a great day.  But this Monday was even better.

The main difference though was that my previous high eBay sales profit record was set amond many items, over 10, while this Monday only 4 sales were made. 

I was lucky enough, or should I say skilled enough, to find a product that sold for $540 more than what I purchased it for less than a week earlier.

What did I sell you ask?  A “Professional Audio Mixer”.  I am not even sure what it is still.  I know it is used by DJs and recording studios.  I bought it at a government sale which I found through the Better Sources software I have been raving about.

I got it at $120 above the minimum bid of $100, so I paid $220 for it.  But as Chris suggests, I had researched it before I bought it.  Really I researched it while I was buying it.

This was a big purchase for me so I was nervous although confident.  I really did not want to muck things up and lose $200+ on a single item.  Believe it or not, I still do have some stinkers from time to time!

That didn’t happen so today is a celebration!  I am going to take my Wife out for a nice dinner and perhaps catch Step Brothers at the movie theatre.  It looked kinda funny to us and we haven’t seen a comedy lately.  We did catch The Dark Knight and I enjoyed it for the most part, but I am ready to see something a bit more funny and a bit less dark.

Then I will come home and start looking for more products to sell.  More days like Monday and I will quite my real job!

Wish me luck.

Wahooo! That eBay Wholesale Product Tool is Out!

Ok, it is like 5:00 in the morning.  I just woke up to some news that is going to make you very happy.  That product finding tool that I wrote about in the blog recently and that I have had the privilage of beta testing has been released.

Unfortunately for me, there is no affiliate program yet so I will not be able to make a commission if you go there and order.  But since I got the software for free I guess I will not pout too bad.  But if you want to wait to order it until you can use my affiliate link I will not complain either. 

The site is www.bettersources.com which is kind of weird because that is the name of his guide that he sells at his drop shipping sucks site (that one IS an affiliate link).

If you want a really cool way to find products to sell then I do recommend you give it a try.  Maybe do me a favor and when you order send an email to Chris and tell him that you found out about the site from my blog.  Who knows, when he makes his affiliate program maybe I will get the credit.

Well, I have to get to work.  Yeah, I know, I still haven’t quit my day job.  I am doing well on eBay but it is not stable enough yet for me to do it full time.  I agree with all the comments I got that I need to have at least 5 – 6 months worth of bills in savings.

Enjoy Chris’ new software.  Wish me luck!

Long Time Gone… Doin’ Fine on eBay!

I haven’t been here for a while.  I have been pretty busy working on my eBay business.  But, I thought now would be a good time for an update.

I have been continuing to play around with my WorldWide Brands membership but have yet to really try selling anything from there.  I seem to be addicted to the Drop Shipping Sucks stuff.  For me it is just easier and now I have experience at it so it seems to make more sense.

I have decided to do my taxes a little early this year and when my return comes I plan to really invest in some products because I think it is time to have some inventory finally.  Right now I may buy one of an item or maybe buy five or six if I think it is really a good seller.  But I would like to try and buy some quantity now.  Hopefully I won’t make a mistake and blow my tax cash!

That is it.  Between work and eBay I have very little time these days.  I promise, I will be back on this weekend and actually write something of value!!

Wish me Luck!

eBay and Me are Doin’ Swell!

Well, if you read my blog you know recently I had a little slump selling on eBay.  But things seemed to recover quickly.

Lucky for me, they have stayed that way.  And while I still do have some total product flops every once in a while, actually it is fairly common, I am back making profit.  I just love profit but who doesn’t?  I you don’t love profit then feel free to send me yours!

So, even with some listings that end without bidders, boo, I am still ending well into the profit and am actually paying some bills now.  Lucky for me this wordpress site is free or I would be doomed!  J/K

My most recent flop product, after the body lotion fiasco, was a dumb Elmo toy.  I thought it was so cute and let’s just say that the retail price on the thing was basically $20, and that is what Walmart was selling it for, and I got the cute little animated guy for $5.  Actually I got 7 of them at that price of $5 each.  I guess I could return them to Walmart for $20 each and say I lost my receipt.  J/K  I would not do that!

I listed little Elmo on eBay with a buy-it-now of $10 + $5.95 S&H, which would have me profiting about $7 each, and he did not go anywhere.  But that is ok, I will take Chris’ advice from his Better Sources guide and save it for the Christmas season.  Then I am sure it will sell but I thought if I could offer a lower price than Walmart I could maybe sell them now.  Oops!  Sorry Elmo, nobody wants you.

I have to get back to my auctions now.  I just wanted to keep the blog alive and remind those of you who are struggling that everyone has some flops.  You just need to keep at it.  I mean if I, the super eBay guru with a whole month of success, can have a flop then so can anyone.    Maybe this is going to my head a bit.  I guess when I look at my feedback score and my total profits I am still a newbie.  But hey, I am profiting and my feedback is getting higher all the time!

Wish me luck and I will do the same for you!

Enough Money on eBay to Take the WorldWide Brands $300 Leap!

Ok.  I have done it.  I have purchased a Worldwide Brands membership to their Onesource program!  Since Chris gave it a good review (see review here) I decided once I had made enough money on my eBay sales using the tips from the Better Sources guide I would take the $300 plunge.

So far, it looks good but it is kind of overwhelming.  I really don’t know where to start.  Also, it seems like there is some upselling going on.  Did anyone else notice this?  Are the extra paid features worth the money?

There are definately tons of wholesalers and (uh-oh!) drop shippers.  Don’t worry, I will not use the drop shippers.

I think I will play around in here for a few days before I actually buy any products.  I am happy with what I am doing right now so there is no need to be in a rush.  But at first glance Onesource looks really complete even without the additional things available.

I just thought you would like to hear that I finally did join Worldwide Brands like I was saying I would eventually do.  I will write my OWN complete review once have really looked around in there.  I also notice they have an affiliate program like Chris does so I will join that so when I write my review maybe you can use my link to signup and earn me some money!

Let me just add too that other people have said that Worldwide Brands and DOBA are that same.  Now, having joined both, I can say they are not at all.  DOBA was like a big online store with products that could be drop shipped.  Worldwide brands is a bunch of suppliers and tools.  I have not made an opinion on Worldwide Bands yet but as you know if you read my blog, I did not like DOBA at all.

Wish me luck!

eBay Sales Better After a Little Slump, Phew!

I have not written here in a while and it was not for a good reason.  My eBay sales started to slump.  Granted it was only for a few days but I must admit I did panic.  I even got paranoid and wondered if it didn’t have something to do with that mentoring telemarketing call I got at the end of Jan.

As it turns out, I just happened to run into some unwanted products mixed with what I think was a slow week on eBay.  Maybe it was all the Superbowl hype keeping people off of eBay?  I do not know, but I do know I was scared.

For the first time since I bought the Better Sources guide from DropShippingSucks.com (if you buy this guide please use my affiliate link) I had a bunch of auctions close without a sale.  I was selling some body lotion I thought would be good for Valentine’s Day but it seems nobody wanted lotion or maybe it is just that eBay was oversaturated with it.

At least I will smell good and have soft skin for a few weeks now!

But starting on Monday everything started getting bids on eBay again and selling on my buy-it-now auctions.  So all is peaceful and happy in eBay Seller Land.

Recently I have been considering posting my eBay ID on this blog, maybe in the about me page.  But I am a little worried as Chris advised against it and so did my friend John who has also started selling on eBay lately.  The concern is that people will then simply look at my auctions and sell exactly what I am selling using my listing headers and auction descriptions and everything.

I am slightly concerned that it might happen, especially since I am very vocal about where I get the products.  Not exactly where, but everyone who reads my blog knows I use the recommendations from Better Sources.  So, they could potentially steal my eBay listings to compete with me.  But will people really do this?  I am not making millions or anything so will anyone really care?  Is there really a danger?

I AM ASKING FOR YOUR EXPERIENCES?  IF I POST MY EBAY USER ID WILL IT HURT ME IN SOME WAY?  MIGHT SOMEONE REALLY STEAL MY AUCTION LISTINGS TO COMPETE WITH ME?

Please post your comments.  And “The Man Man” if you read my blog still, sorry I deleted your comment by accident.  I love getting comments and I don’t want you to think it was something personal.

That’s all for today.  Wish me luck in my quest for total eBay domination.  Ok, maybe not total eBay domination but I do want to eventually quit my job and become a full time eBay junkie!

Big Loss on eBay Because I am an eBay Dummy!

Have you ever listed an auction late at night with a buy it now instead of a starting bid?  I did and it really hurts!

I was selling a telescope I found using the better sources guide I always talk about and was really excited.  I bought it for just over $20 and was ready to sell it for around $60 after shipping, seeing that the other completed items for this exact model were going for that or more.  It would leave me with a profit of around $30 after my shipping costs and ebay/paypal fees.  I was excited about it.  I was going to start the bid at $1.00 and watch with joy as it ended up with many bids.

That would not happen.  Instead I listed it for $1.00 BUY IT NOW.  Well, needless to say it sold fast.  It sold so fast that it was too late for me to fix my error.  Now, that $30 profit is a $10 loss.  I still make money on the shipping & handling so I will lose about $10.  But that makes me so mad!

Also, I was lucky enough to get SIX of these telescopes.  Now, I am worried that nobody will want to pay more and bid up when they see one in my feedback that went for $1.  I am going to ask the buyer not to leave feedback for the purchase so hopefully she will understand and not leave me any.

Wish me luck and that I get a brain!

This is getting ridiculous. But there is some good news!

Ok, this is getting crazy.  I have now searched around Salehoo for a few hours and contacted many of the wholesalers and visited their websites.  There is really no obvious product to sell that will turn a profit on eBay.  Yuck!  I do like what Salehoo offers much better than DOBA though.  Also, the DOBA guys tried to pressure me into stuff on the phone and I was not comfortable with that at all.

As I mentioned I also bought the Drop Shipping Sucks guide which I have now read the first several pages of and I must say.  I am excited again!

This has some good and really different information.  I am not sure if I will be able to profit on eBay yet but it does look that way!  I must admit, the guide was nothing like what I thought it would be.  I thought it was going to be about wholesalers that sell on consignment or something, maybe getting credit with wholesalers so you didn’t have to pay for the products first.  It is not.

I will let you know how it works tomorrow if I can or cannot find some products that will make money on eBay.  I am hoping to turn my -$166 into +$166 over the next week.  Wish me luck!