ebay and the new generation of sellers

[patken123]

If I ever decide to make an extra buck these days without investing anything other than a few minutes of clicking on my computer,ebay would be my first choice to do my so called "Business"

All one needs to do is look at what items Amazon.ca is shipping for free,advertise the same item on ebay,charge $40 or so for shipping,and drop ship the item from Amazon to the buyer's home.

Of course this "business person" must rely on the uninformed buyers (one born every minute,right?)to succeed,it must be the sign of desperate times ,

I see the same thing happening on our local Kijiji(Peterborough) where people buy items on sale from Canadian tire,wait a week and then try to sell it at full price,I wonder how well these sellers are doing.

I checked the the definition of Entrepreneurship: 

 entrepreneurship is a process of identifying and starting a business venture, sourcing and organizing the required resources and taking both the risks and rewards associated with the venture. 

These clowns make a mockery of  this process,zero risks,high rewards never works in real world,don't you agree?even those petty criminals who are now behind bars believed in  little risks /mediocre rewards so who are these "new generation" of sellers with this new mentality?is ebay a place for them to experiment or even to flourish?I'm not even sure if it's ebay's fault .

Forgive me for thinking out loud Today but I welcome your opinions and thoughts.

[marnotom!]

Nothing  new as far as I'm concerned.

Years ago when my wife and I lived in Victoria, we moved to a different neighbourhood across town.  In our first month there, the supermarket in that neighbourhood had a case lot sale.  I ran into the operator of the corner grocery in our old neighbourhood buying up items the supermarket was giving away:  cases of Kraft Dinner, flats of Campbell's condensed, that sort of thing.  

Obviously, he was getting a better deal on those from the supermarket than he was from the wholesalers he was dealing with.  But there were also people shopping at his corner store who were happy buying from him rather than trek across town to get more cans of soup than they needed.

People aren't just selling goods.  They're selling their service, they're selling convenience as well.  If it works better for a buyer to purchase something from a reseller than a retailer and they're happy with the price and service provided, what's the issue?

[patken123]

.  If it works better for a buyer to purchase something from a reseller than a retailer and they're happy with the price and service provided, what's the issue?

I agree but that's a big IF.the point of my observation was about those who don't provide anything extra except higher price and the reason for the higher price is not because operating cost,overhead cost,etc,etc, is a mentality of pulling the wool over people's eyes by charging extra  for zero service.

A simple example:

item#261427521792

OR this same thing from Amazon.which as you know will provide by far a better service,better return  policy,more reliable /well established business all with free shipping oppose to the item above for a whopping $388.99 shipping ,also read his FB.

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000BY2DJQ/ref=s9_simh_gw_p421_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_s=...

The corner store owner spent time /money(gas. etc.)to get the free samples,provides a dedicated valuable space on the shelf in his store,to make an extra buck,sure I see that all the time myself at Costco but what I'm saying is like I tell you to give me X amount of money and I'll tell you where to go get the free samples.no risks on my part but great return.

[femmefan1946]

my observation was about those who don't provide anything extra except higher price

Don't be so sure that is all the reseller is providing.

If the buyer wants something now, and it is right in front of him. the reseller is providing an opportunity for the impulse buy. Obviously the buyer was not interested in doing research.

And the lower price may, sometimes, stop existing after a very short time.

The corner store reseller was providing two services to his customers. Immediate gratification and opportunity to buy after the supermarket deal had expired.

higher price is not because operating cost,overhead cost,etc,etc

The reseller does have operating costs  and overhead. Even just rewriting the Amazon ad and uploading it would take about 10 minutes, more if he needs his own pictures. At a minimum wage of 17 cents a minute, that is $1.70 value added. Plus eBay and PP fees which take about 20% of the buyer's payment.

Not useful to the buyer, but they are overheads.

Did you think eBay sellers did not do this for income? Or that we could miraculously make a listing appear without effort?

Now, I agree that this is a foolish business plan in the long run. Not the buying at Amazon part but the shipping directly. It makes the buyer, as you do, feel foolish for not finding the better price and cheated because the seller paid less than you did. (Which is always true if the seller is doing it right, of course.)

[gotwhatchuneed]

If people are making money buying and then re-selling with little effort then what's the problem? Other than you being a little bit jealous of course? If you can wake up and make an extra 50 bucks a day on top of your pay cheque and not have to spend any more time away from the family to do it then I say good show have at it and enjoy .  More pay for less work is the Western society way!

[patken123]

 At a minimum wage of 17 cents a minute, that is $1.70 value added. Plus eBay and PP fees which take about 20% of the buyer's payment.

Not useful to the buyer, but they are overheads.

Did you think eBay sellers did not do this for income? Or that we could miraculously make a listing appear without effort?

I'm sure you agree there must be more honorable way of making money rather than copying and pasting pictures /descriptions,from another vendor and to t top it all off, take advantage of the other  vendor's shipping ,If an ebay seller did that to another seller,oh boy how the $1.70 wage and 20%pp fees-argument becomes so meaningless.

What is wrong with the old concept of buying low ,keeping stock of the items,and gradually selling them at a profit?

BTW,that item # in my post was just a random example,I was never interested in buying it.

And as always Femme. I respect you and your opinion as an honorable ebay seller .

[patken123]

If people are making money buying and then re-selling with little effort then what's the problem? Other than you being a little bit jealous of course?

The key word is BUYING not redirecting,and about your comment on being jealous,how childish of you,I have no more to say to you.

[dipmicro]

Free enterprise is a basic principle of democracy. 

If it's easy money, why don't you try it.

Everyone thinks fishing is easy, just sit and drink beer and then collect free dinner. Why most people are buying their fish ? 🙂

[patken123]

I guess what I was trying to say went right over your head or don't make much sense.