Takin' Care of Bid-ness

To the best of my recollection, the last time I sold something on eBay™ was back in 2003. By that time I had been using the site to buy and sell for a few years, and had settled into the style of selling that I now use. I call it the "Here ya go" style, but I think it probably goes by the more proper name of "Soft sell" (or maybe in my case "Soggy sell"). It's not all that new, nor is it all that unique. John used a similar style with the AMLFS event, and there are others that use it. Still, I find it amazing how much I am bombarded with all the tools that will aid me in selling things. Auction tools, merchandising tools, marketing tools. Designed to get my product, my offering, into the hands of the drooling consumer.

Now, I suppose that if my true purpose was to build up my retirement fund, the availability of these tools would be invaluable. If my livelihood were dependent upon selling (rather than having the blessing of family to feed, clothe, and shelter me), and selling more than the other person, then I am sure that these tools would be helpful. Fortunately, the success of my project isn't dependent upon selling. Wait...OK, maybe not wholly dependent. I suppose I could just give it all away [shudder]. My true measure of success will come from an inner sense of accomplishment and a cleaner house. Even if that were not the case, however, I truly doubt that I would use the tools. I rarely used them before. Why? That wonderful yardstick of the free enterprise system - profit margin. These tools ain't all that cheap, folks. Yet, there are free tools available to help make a sale, and still I find that I do not utilize them all. Why? That wonderful yardstick of the human personality - lazy margin. I'll admit it. Part of why I don't do all of the things I could do to improve my sales is that I do have a tendency to be lazy. Well, that and the whole "why bother?" factor, but there are wonderful medications for that. It is this tendency that contributed to creating the need for this project. It is this tendency that contributes to why I don't always have the whole, drawn out description for every item that I list on eBay™. Well, that and my sense of humor and desire to have some fun.

I find that I am butting heads with this tendency lately, as a result of this project. That is why this project is so important. Every component of it forces me to flip the internal switch from lazy to active. Knowing this, I take a further risk. I am going to do something that will push the lazy/active switch to its limits. I am going to announce [drum roll]:

oneroomatatime.net

It's under construction at the moment, but soon, very soon, it will become a joyful addition to the 1rat family. Fills one with anticipation, does it not?

Delusions Of

Mix pharmaceutically restrained dysfunction with neural synaptic misfires and a wickedly warped sense of humor, toss in a bit of environmental chaos, and you get quite an interesting way of looking at things. At times, a VERY interesting way of looking at things, as well as dealing with things. For example, take the generally mundane task of cleaning up the house. Most people would fill up the trash containers with "worthless" items, fill up the car with things to be donated, haul out the cleaning supplies, and take care of business. It is, after all, yet another of those chores that fill up the lives of average homeowners. For some of us, however, it does become more of a production, even if that production only plays out in our heads. I suppose this project is my way of moving that production onto the stage, letting the global internet community become my audience.

Wow, that IS almost grandiose, isn't it?

I will acknowledge that this project may have some detractors (even within my circle of family and friends), but I surmise that it may also have some defenders. I also have the feeling that this might serve as a motivation for others, a feeling that comes from an item that I encountered as I was looking in a room for something to release to a new home. In a future post I will share the story of that item, but for now I will just say that it renewed my dedication to this project. Dedication that involves doing it just the way that I am doing it, as doing it this way serves a greater purpose than just cleaning up the house.

Besides, everyone needs a little self-importance at times, right? And on that note, I shall take my exit cue and go find something to sell.

Doing the Math - Week One

Items listed: 7
Items sold: 1

OK, perhaps not the most glorious of results, but it could be worse. Silver lining is that there is one less thing taking up space in the house.

Final bid for sold item: $12.50
S/H charged: 12.00
Total Item sold income: 24.50

Insertion fee: .35
Final value fee: .66
PayPal fee: 1.01
Shipping actual: 14.10 (messed that up a bit I did)
Total Item sold costs: 16.12
Adjusted Item sold income: $8.38

Not so bad, all things considered. I mean, the Mrs. and I could probably get a meal at Wendy's for that. But wait, there's more!

Insertion fees Not sold items: 3.20 (one of them had a reserve price)
Adjusted week's income: $5.18

Uhm, yeah. Maybe that meal is not an option. Good thing this is just a project and not a career. Actually, let's look at that possibility.

Week's income: $5.18
Standard work week: 40 hours
Hourly wage: $0.1295
State's cut: 0.259
Fed's cut: 1.295
Other fed's cut: 0.3885
Take home: $3.24

It seems I need to ask for a raise...

Singularities

One of the debates I enjoy being party to revolves around whether or not a single effect is the result of a single cause. It is my humble opinion that most effects stem from multiple causes that blend to create the perfect environment for the singular effect. I am who and what I am due to numerous contributions of genetics, environments, intentional thoughts and behaviors, and a slew of random chaotic events. I can drop a bowling ball from the roof of my house and it WILL fall, but it will be influenced by a number of factors on the way down. If there is a person standing on the ground and that person is hit by the ball, the resulting pain is more than just the effect of my dropping the ball. Perhaps I told that person to stand there, evil one that I am, rather than them just happening to be there. Perhaps my intent was just to scare them, as they were trespassing in my yard, but wind speed and temperature and the ever so slight spin I gave the ball blended to deviate the downward course of the ball, thus resulting in the impact upon that person's cranium. I could go on, but I choose instead to go...on.

"One Room At a Time" is more than just a project to get rid of things and get the house cleaned up. There also exists an ulterior motive. You see, I have been known to be awake when the 'Tonight Show' airs, and I have seen the segments where Jay Leno discusses things that he and his staff found on eBay™. He has shown all manner of, uhm, interesting things, and while the intent was to make the audience laugh, one result was to make a new goal for some audience members. Like me, for example:

I currently have about 9 minutes and 37 seconds (plus or minus) of fame remaining, and would love to spend it being part of the 'Tonight Show' segment, or as a guest to explain and promote my project.

Visit stuff currently for sale on eBay™ and you can see part of my efforts to achieve this goal.

Original Sticker Shock

I sold something on eBay™ today. Something newish, or at least nearly new. Something that still had the original box, with the original price sticker attached to it. The original price sticker that was nearly three times greater than the price it obtained when it sold on eBay™. Not that I am complaining all that much, as something did sell and will no longer take up space in my house, and it was something that did not originate from any personal funding source. Still, being human, I have this emo-voice that whines in my head about how bloody sad it is that a new thing didn't get a price closer to new.

OK, we have all heard the stories of things being sold on eBay™ for large amounts of money. Used things, unusual things, just released things. Yet, for all the 'Surprise, it is rare!' or 'Face of...' or 'NextGenGameToy' things that we hear of bringing in large amounts of money, there are exponentially more things that don't. It is, in fact, one of the conundrum factors of the site. How do you get just the right item to the right person for a price that makes everyone happy? I mean, while finding "It" is simple enough, finding the balance between "What I Want For It" and "What I Will Pay For It" can almost take a degree in Marketing. Almost.

Does this mean that I am absolutely bummed about the amount of money I just received? Not really. In fact, there is also this emo-voice in my head that is shouting about how cool it is that someone got a great price for something, and maybe I'll be next. Wonder if I can get world peace for $5?