Ebay Woes

[rynnor]

Hmm how do you politely make it clear to your spouse that selling things that cost her zero and making a few quid on them does not mean that she would be good at buying in things at a cost and selling them for a profit?

She spends hours each day on flogging our worldly posessions on ebay and has convinced herself that its viable. I told her that with the time spent(opportunity cost) and all the hidden costs she would be better off doing a few hours at burgerking but she isnt listening

 

[old.Tohtori]

By divorcing her.

What?!

 

[TdC]

I've just bought your TV for 3 squids!

 

[Mabs]

give her 30 quid
tell her shes got 2 weeks to make 50 or more, or its not worth it

let her fail
?
profit

 

[old.Tohtori]

give her 30 quid
tell her shes got 2 weeks to make 50 or more, or its not worth it

let her fail
?
profit

This is actually the "humane" way to go. Who knows, she might be good at it. Support *gag reflex* and love and all that.

Don't be one of those guys who thinks they know what their spouses can and can't do.

 

[MYstIC G]

give her 30 quid
tell her shes got 2 weeks to make 50 or more, or its not worth it

let her fail
?
profit

Not this. Never this. If she does it then you'll never be fucking rid of it.

Give her 30 quid, tell her she's got 2 weeks to double it or it's not worth it... sabotage everything... ?... profit.

 

[Mabs]

Not this. Never this. If she does it then you'll never be fucking rid of it.

Give her 30 quid, tell her she's got 2 weeks to double it or it's not worth it... sabotage everything... ?... profit.

meh
woman + logic = no no no

"you cant" is a tricky one
"you didnt" much easier

 

[MYstIC G]

meh
woman + logic = no no no

"you cant" is a tricky one
"you didnt" much easier

But you're leaving it to random chance. The "you didn't" I agree with but it's always on fucking nightmare stuff that they get their "lucky break" and then you won't be able to undo what's been done. Sabotage ftw!

 

[rynnor]

give her 30 quid
tell her shes got 2 weeks to make 50 or more, or its not worth it

let her fail
?
profit

The problem is that's probably achievable but if you spend thirty hours doing it the opportunity cost was minimum wage x 30 + all other costs which is something she doesnt grasp - bless her

 

[old.Tohtori]

Is it so unconcievable that she might have a skill in resale?

 

[ECA]

Maybe she does, but the costs of doing business on ebay mean she'd be better off running a lemonade stand.

 

[MYstIC G]

Is it so unconcievable that she might have a skill in resale?

If she does, she should put them to use selling things where you make fuck off massive commissions, not bits of string.

 

[old.Tohtori]

No harm in trying really. If she's given X to do it with and told straight up "that's it, when it's gone it's gone", she can happily dillydally with that knowing that's it if she busts.

Or, as you said, direct her buy/sell interest elsewhere. Don't try to remove the problem, work with it

 

[Mabs]

The problem is that's probably achievable but if you spend thirty hours doing it the opportunity cost was minimum wage x 30 + all other costs which is something she doesnt grasp - bless her

i meant 2 weeks real time for it sell etc, not spend 2 weeks doing it
max "time" = £30/amount-earnable-per-hour

 

[MYstIC G]

Look on the bright side, at least she will fall in the lowest possible tax bracket

 

[rynnor]

The problem is while she messes around on ebay she's not looking for a job - I think she's clinging to it because she's scared of re-joining the job market after a decade out.

 

[Gwadien]

The problem is while she messes around on ebay she's not looking for a job - I think she's clinging to it because she's scared of re-joining the job market after a decade out.

Haz you childrenz?

 

[Keitanz]

You can make a lot of money from ebay buying and selling, much much more than minimum wage anyways..

But there is a risk with it, might pay off though!

 

[Gwadien]

You can make a lot of money from ebay buying and selling, much much more than minimum wage anyways..

But there is a risk with it, might pay off though!

This is my point, if you have kids, and she's making some sort of income, she can just do that whilst looking after the kids/the house! - Think about the advantages!

 

[taB]

Sounds like mining in Eve!

Personally I find it easier to give stuff to a charity shop than fart arse around trying to sell it on ebay.

 

[CorNokZ]

What is it that I don't get here? She is busy selling all your shit(so you don't have to throw it out at some point), she thinks that she is getting a good value for the items, she doesn't bother you therefor you have more free time.. I think you have what is called a win/win situation there rynnor

 

[rynnor]

Sounds like mining in Eve!

There's a thought! Perhaps she can make money generating gold to sell in MMO's

 

[Jiggs]

My brother's GF turns things around on eBay for a living, I've been told she makes about 20k a year from it, did sound to me like a bit of a boast when I heard that figure; but she's probably not far off that.

It's boring work though and you have to have an angle.

 

[Chosen]

I can see the issue here Rynnor. And from what I have experienced myself, is that the only way for them to realize that this is not a good idea. Is to let them fail, and "figure" it out for themself.

But as pointed out earlier in this thread, give her a specific amount and tell her to double it within a time limit. Also give her a time limit she can use everyday(Usual work hours), that way she can see for herself if this really is something that is profitable over time.

 

[Genedril]

If you give her £30 float and two weeks to make some money then be reasonable.

The UK minimum wage is £6.08 an hour (I'm assuming the wife in question is over 21).
Lets say 4 * 4 hour shifts a week at Burger King (?) = £49.28.
2 weeks of that is £98.56

Of course she wants to make it worthwhile so you want to be at least doubling that so lets say she should earn £200 profit (after ebay and paypal have fleeced you) and have the £30 float back as well.

 

[DaGaffer]

Back in the good old days (early 2000s) my brother was making a six-figure profit off eBay; he reckons that ship sailed about five years ago and there's little profit to be made because everyone in the value chain knows how eBay works (he used to buy antiques cheap in mainland Europe and sell them for enormous profit to Americans); you can't buy stock to sell unless you get incredibly lucky (because every two-bit car boot salesman is checking what you offer on their phone), and you can't sell because there's massive oversupply and the customers are far more canny.

One of my staff is ex-eBay and he reckons even eBay know the auction model is on the way out which why they're becoming marketplace-led instead. Auctions are just a pain-in-the-arse heritage for them.

You can tell your missus from me, she's not going to get reach flogging off eBay.

 

[DaGaffer]

You can tell your missus from me, she's not going to get reach flogging off eBay.

Or even rich. (Stupid edit timer).

 

[Bahumat]

Give her £69 and tell her if she can not break £1k in a month, she has to do a dirty sex act every day for a month!
She will make sure she fails don't you worry!

 

[Job]

I sell a lot of things on Ebay when it's a crime to throw them away, they would cost someone 20x as much new from a dealer, I break up old boilers and usually make about 200 quid for each one before their cut.