Help Wanted: Only Morons Without A Clue Need Apply

[sneakymagenta]

Quotes taken from the Mensa NOT hell hole known as the Ebay Hobby-Stores Board

should I close my store or stock it up? opinions please

Who needs a business plan?  Go for it! Decide your future by flipping a virtual coin on the hobby-stores board! 

I just gave ebay $100 bucks for about $40 in sales.

Well in that case by all means keep the store open!  Why not open a second or third store while you're at it! 

[maggie777]

[quote author=sneakymagenta link=topic=15844.msg63608#msg63608 date=1186675172]

I just gave ebay $100 bucks for about $40 in sales.

Well in that case by all means keep the store open!  Why not open a second or third store while you're at it! 

[/quote]

I'd upgrade to an Anchor store.

[BellisimaJ.]

[quote author=sneakymagenta link=topic=15844.msg63608#msg63608 date=1186675172]
Quotes taken from the Mensa NOT hell hole known as the Ebay Hobby-Stores Board

should I close my store or stock it up? opinions please

Who needs a business plan?  Go for it! Decide your future by flipping a virtual coin on the hobby-stores board! 

I just gave ebay $100 bucks for about $40 in sales.

Well in that case by all means keep the store open!  Why not open a second or third store while you're at it! 



[/quote]

[amy]

[quote author=maggie777 link=topic=15844.msg63614#msg63614 date=1186681288]
[quote author=sneakymagenta link=topic=15844.msg63608#msg63608 date=1186675172]

I just gave ebay $100 bucks for about $40 in sales.

Well in that case by all means keep the store open!  Why not open a second or third store while you're at it!  

[/quote]

I'd upgrade to an Anchor store.
[/quote]

She's been an eBay member for 6 years, her store has been open for at least 3 years, and she's an SRG member.  If she hasn't been able to build a business or customer base in that length of time she should definitely close the store and find something else to do with her free time.

EDIT: eBay's newest community hall of fame member is offering to make a $40 pity purchase and is advising her to keep the store open. :

[bargainbloodhound]

I just gave ebay $100 bucks for about $40 in sales.

That makes Ray "Wagglepop" Romeo look good.  He only paid eBay $70 for $50 in sales during his recent return. 

Both of them appear to suffer from the same disease: aninabilitytochangewiththetimesandfindnewmerchandisetosellonebay-itis (i.e. just because selling a certain product line worked in 2004 for eBay sellers doesn't mean it will  in 2007).  In Ray's case he tried selling a product that is in oversupply on eBay (pictures cutout from magazines...a product  that anybody with a pair of scissors can and did try to sell on eBay) at inflated 2004 prices.  In the case of "eBay $100, seller $40" she is trying to sell in a price range that is no longer profitable on eBay for most eBay store owners.

Based on her extremely low ASPs (most sales under $2, almost all under $10), it would be a complete waste of time for her to "stock it up"  (on eBay) with the same (price range of)  merchandise.  She either needs to find a product line with a much higher ASP or close her eBay store (unless she enjoys losing money).

her store has been open for at least 3 years...  If she hasn't been able to build a business or customer base in that length of time she should definitely close the store

...definitely close the store and write a new business plan from scratch.  Even with eBay's problems (lack of visibility for store inventory, search problems, assorted glitches) , a business/store that has been selling in the same location for over 3 years should be generating more than $40 monthly revenue during its slowest months.  If it's not you need to get a new business plan.

[FiberGuy]

If she hasn't been able to build a business or customer base in that length of time she should definitely close the store and find something else to do with her free time.

But selling on ebay... even for a loss... is FUN!

Isn't it?