How do you make money on ebay?

[JGREGORY]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Jay you said,<br /><br />

These are auctions that sell merchandise for city and countys including police departments. The police sure aren't racing down to these auctions and writing tickets.<br />

As a Municipal Purchasing Agent / Finance Official I find the above comment outrageous. I have held auctions for the last 3 years and have networked with Purchasing Offficials at the State, County, and Local level and can tell you unequivicably(sp?) that NO Government Official in the State of New Jersey has ever bid on items that they sell to drive up the price!! It's unethical and unlawful. We want to get rid of the stuff it would cost us more to maintain it or get rid of it for scrap.<br /><br />As a matter of fact most governments have a policy in place that does not allow the employee to bid on G'ment items. They can get someone else to do it for them. But I have never heard of a Government listed item being brought back for bid because they bought their own item at auction. I will not stand by while you attack the integrety of friends and associates.

 

[Jwill]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Jgregory, I know the city, county or goverment doesn't shill bid their own items because they don't care what price they get. <br />What I was saying was that the auction firm they contract to sell their goods also sells vehicles for private partys (mostly used car salesman) and their the ones that are shill bidding. The auction house allows it and it sure isn't a secret to alot of the people that frequent the auction. My point was that its a known practice thats taking place yet the local police do nothing to stop it.<br />"Integrity of goverment officials" where do you live?<br /><br />Ralph your right about my statements may negatively affect Ebays integrity. But, my statements are petty compared to the stuff you can read on Ebays community forum. <br />When I started stuff out for a $1 it and "shill bidded" it up it was just a selling tactic. I would bid on my own stuff to peak interest or activity on the item and it worked.<br />When something gets started for a $1 do you really expect it to sell for a $1? So there isn't much harm in shill bidding if the item is started out a dollar. You start it out for a $1 because more people get involved in the bidding and everyone wants to outbid the other person. Instead of 2 people having an item saved in their "bidding/watching" page there are 20 people that have it saved and that will spur more bids at the end of the auction (I'm sure you already know this).<br />I was just stating the facts as information so everyone can bid wisely. <br />Lastly, I really don't see anything wrong with "shill bidding". The buyer has the say so in what they ae willing to pay for an item not me.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

out of respect for Ryan, back onto the subject.<br />I don't sell, but have over 200 ebay buys, mostly<br />high end business computer items. my key? I am<br />able to sort through 50,000 crud listings and find<br />a few items here and there that I can easily<br />resell at a profit. why? knowlege! my experience<br />in my field allows me to recognize obscure parts<br />that the avg. ebayer doesn't. I recently made<br />over $3,000 on a server. had the seller remove the<br />cpu's and memory and scrap the heavy (costly frt.)<br />part of it and had the items resold in less than 1hr.<br />the only person more stupid than an idiot is the<br />person who argues with him...

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

There are all sorts of people who think there is nothing wrong with all sort of illegal activity. When you break the law and use deceptive tactics to take advanatge of people, no amount of rationalization makes it right. And, when you hurt people like me, who have nothing to do with you or your item, you do great harm. I'm sorry that you can't see that. I doubt you are a bad person. You have just somehow managed to convince your self it is harmless.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Alot of Rott owners are lower class punks that think they need a tough dog to compensate for what they are lacking.

Jay, everyone here knows SBN mows the lawn.<br /><br />Besides,

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

MY - eBay is all about arbitrage like that. It works on both ends - from your local market to eBay and from eBay to your local market. And, like you said, it is all about knowledge of your product catagories.

 

[Jwill]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

well, well, well.........<br />Ralph, I guess since abortion is legal your ok with that? NO. You have your own beleifs on whats right and wrong just like I have mine. Just because there's a law against something doesn't mean its wrong.<br />In my mind I know whats right and wrong and will live accordingly, just as others have their own beleifs and will do the same.<br />I know what I'm about and speak freely knowing full well alot of times it will offend others (ask my friends). I take a stand on alot of issues that aren't politically correct at my own expense. <br />I don't hide behind lies or stories. I tell it like it is and if you people can't respect that than go back in your fairy tail world.

 

[oddjob]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

This is an interesting thread, Ive learned alot. Never bought or sold on Ebay. But I envy anyone who can make a living on it....now what can oddjob market?.....Hmmmm....

 

[Jwill]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Ladyfish, off topic? He brought it up in a post above. <br />How come you didn't blast spinnerbait for bringing it up first? I'll tell you why, its because I'm the target here and its easier to take sides with the majority.<br />The way this thread is going I think you guys are losing the argument.

 

[JGREGORY]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Jay explaination accepted. And I was not talking about elected Officials. I was talking about those of use who do the real work. One of my biggest assets is my integrity. When I talk to a vendor they know I will treat them the same as I treat anybody else with honesty and respect.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Your right. SBN you bad, bad boy.<br /><br />I would hate to see this thread go poof just because its a full moon. There is too much good information here. Why muddy the waters.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

heck, a partial moon is cool LF <br /><br />and to remove some mystery here... I paid $1,200<br />in advance for those server items from a company<br />that I never heard of before. <br />greater the risk, greater the reward?<br />kinda... but I called and spoke with them and got<br />all the info I needed to feel comfortable about<br />MY purchase. smart biz

 

[Jwill]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Thanks ladyfish!!!<br /><br />F.Y.I.,I always felt bad when I would "shill bid" an item up in the last minute of the auction and the buyer would end up paying extra for it. But like I said I was broke and needed the money. I haven't done it in probably a year and won't do it again because their is a certain guilt factor there plus its time consuming. I still don't think its that bad of a practice and buyers need to be aware of it for their own protection. When I was at the local car auction I had to be subjected to the Shilling technique. I didn't like it but I wasn't complaining because I knew it was just a technique that was used and if the owners weren't allowed to do this most of the cars wouldn't have been their for the lack of protection. <br /><br />I have to go and get the boat ready for this weekend so I won't be replying until this evening.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Originally posted by Ryan T.:<br />Lets get back on topic before this thread gets deleted.

Sorry RyanT, I feel like maybe I am responsible in some small way of getting this thrown off topic some.<br />You have some good advise in this thread to look at and some not so good and I'm sure your smart enough to figure which is good and which is bad.<br /><br />The most important thing is to be truthful with the whole thing and it will all work out right.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Now thats mo betta.

 

[Jwill]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Thats right Ryan, be truthful about your item and you will do ok: but than if your truthful your age prevents you from selling(I guess).<br /><br />One thing I wanted to add was that everyone is complaining about its against the law to "shill". <br />I'll tell you I sure would have rather paid more $ for an item that was described properly than the crap that has showed up on my doorstep that the seller won't take back. Is there a law against describing your product inaccurately? There probably is but it would be impossible to prove because people can claim "they ignunt" and get away with it.<br />Not describing a product correctly is by far more of a problem for Ebay than Shilling is.<br />But that's the way out society is. They will hang you for the little things and let you walk on the the big one's.<br />Now I'm done.........

 

[JB]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Mod4 and I have edited a lot of personal insults and some irrelevant material from this thread. I don't know if we got them all.<br /><br />Criticizing a practice, debating it's legality and morality are an entirely different thing than attacking or insulting a member. The former is okay; the latter forbidden.<br /><br />There is a lot of good insight here about what sometimes happens on eBay. A lot of "caveat emptor", and a lot of priceless advice. <br /><br />Please, gentlemen, keep it polite so we don't have to delete the whole thing.<br /><br />Follow the examples set by LadyFish and Ryan.<br /><br />(I have edited this, because it looked like I was telling LadyFish to be polite. She can give us all lessons on that. JB)<br /><br />Thanks.

 

[OBJ]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Jay.....don't often get involved in these sorta "debates", but......<br /><br />As I read your last post, your telling Ryan, in so many words, yes be truthful but because your young and truthful you won't sell. Is that what your telling him??????<br /><br />And please don't blame society on the whole for the short comings of some that are dishonest and blame everything but their own short comings and dishonesty.<br /><br />Sorry folks.....just rubbed me the wrong way. Jay, if I took your last post wrong, please explain and I will apologize for my outburst.

 

[JoeW]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

mellowyellow,<br />

california, the land of fruit and nuts.<br />

You're correct! But they're all imported. <br /><br />signed,<br />A California native <br /><br />Jay Williams,<br />You said yourself that you knew when you posted the reply you would get flammed for it. Your prediction was correct. What's the problem? I think your practice is despicable. <br /><br />Ryan,<br />Do what lets you sleep at night.

 

[Jwill]

Re: How do you make money on ebay?

Outboardjim, Earlier in the thread it was stated that you had to be a certain age to sell on Ebay.<br />Some have stated to be truthful when you sell but if Ryan T. was truthful than he wouldn't be able to sell on Ebay if the age problem is an actual issue.<br />Despicable or not thats what happens on Ebay. So don't be outsmarted by someone else if your bidding.<br /><br />Like I've said before I feel subhuman being around such a class of people thats never done anything wrong before. <br />Next time anyone criticizes me I hope your perfect than I'll refer to you as "God" from now on.