The 1.3 million people earning a living on Ebay myth:

"Certain numbers have an iconic status in America's business culture. One of them is the number of people who derive income selling goods on eBay: 1.3 million. The figure has been cited by eBay executives such as former CEO Meg Whitman, speaking on 60 Minutes in March; by companies that are part of the eBay economic ecosystem; and, in late April, by presidential candidate John McCain. "Today, for example, 1.3 million people in the world make a living off eBay," he proclaimed. "Most of those are in the United States of America".

<snip>

The number can be traced to a 2006 study conducted by ACNielsen on behalf of eBay. The company surveyed eBay sellers around the globe, including 2,000 in the United States. And it concluded that "approximately 1.3 million sellers around the world use eBay as their primary or secondary source of income," with an esti­mated 630,239 in the United States. Take careful note of the phrasing, however: primary or secondary. That could mean 50,000 use eBay as a primary source and 1.25 million as a secondary source. Or it could mean the split is closer to 650,000-650,000.

EBay doesn't break out the numbers, but it's a safe bet the reality is closer to the former. Even the minority of sellers who meet the company's "power seller" re­quirements aren't coming close to "mak­ing a living" selling on eBay. To reach the lowest level, bronze sellers must rack up $12,000 in sales (sales, not profits), or move 1,200 items over the course of a year. "A bronze-level power seller isn't making a full-time living on eBay," says Cindy Shebley, who began selling on eBay in 1999. "They have to really crank it up and get into higher tiers, like titanium." Levels rise from silver ($3,000 or 300 items per month) to Titanium ($150,000 or 1,500 items per month). Shebley is a silver-level seller (mostly photography and lighting equipment) but says most her income comes "from supporting sellers as a consultant and a teacher." Shebley teaches classes and is working on a new book, How To Market an eBay Business.

<snip>

Of course, there's a big difference be­tween making a buck and making a living, between a sometime-thing and a steady gig. The notion that 630,000 Ameri­cans—a number roughly equal to the population of North Dakota—are making something approaching a living wage selling on eBay is a little rich. I've been paid a few times to play the piano—it doesn't make me a professional musician."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/138221

When I was able to find it, I was selling 80 percent of what I listed, at very good money. Probably a 90 percent profit on most items. It was like a money tree ten years ago. The stock I sell is not so easy to find now. The bids are still excellent for those who do find better items to sell in my niche.

This is a country who considers you "employed" if you work 15 hours a week at Orange Julius.

to stay home with their kids. The income wasn't a living wage, but when child care costs were considered, it was break even with a paid job.

Unfortunately, things started to slow down some time ago. They're still selling overseas, but not domestically. One has gone back to a job. The other one is still plugging away, hoping things improve.

McLame is just parroting his memtor.

I have a few things that I do (all legal) that do not require the government's involvement and do not seek the government's sanction. As more and more are forced out of "traditional 9-5 jobs" there will be more of us in the fringes.

which suits me better than eBay. I'm selling off part of a 40+ year accumulation of books - I make about enough for lunch once a month. Hardly a living, but I'd probably count if they did a similar survey.

My specialized skills do me fairly well..

Mostly buy on Craigslist and sell on Ebay.. But sometimes it works the other way..

As someone who fixes the unfixable I've always done better in tight economic times.. When things are going great people just buy new, when it's tough they fix the old.

I also do a great deal of bartering my skills on Craigslist, most of the time I can come out better trading than I can with a straight sale. I fix one, you give me one to keep sort of thing.

I'm old enough now where almost no one will hire me anyway and I'm cantankerous enough that not many would keep me around if they did hire me. :evilgrin:

If you look at the eBay Motors section, you'll see a lot of used-car dealers listing vehicles there. Same with anyone else selling a lot of product: they've either got an e-commerce site outside eBay, or they're brick-and-mortar shopkeepers using eBay for global reach.

I saw a really strange and sad listing on there once: a guy was selling his Beechcraft Baron airplane (a new one costs over a million dollars) for $75,000. He went on and on about how you'll never see a Baron as nice as his for only $75,000, how any pilot should just snap this plane up in a second, how this offer wouldn't last until the end of the auction period. Oh, and he ran it off the end of the runway doing 80mph and tore the whole bottom off during a really bad landing, you might want to know that. Sooooooo...for my million-plus I can buy YOUR fucked-up airplane and put a shitload of parts in it, and still have an airplane that's got "bottom torn off during bad landing" in its logbook, or I can call any Beechcraft dealer and get a new one. Decisions, decisions...

Aircraft parts are expensive, a single radio can run multiple thousands of dollars easily..

The radios and some of the instruments might be good as replacement parts for people whose planes are that old--there are a lot of old planes, so the market's there--but the very expensive engines and landing gear were all on the "must replace" list. And I think I'd worry about relying on a mechanical gauge that had been in an impact that severe.

Even older planes have often had the avionics upgraded.

...it would have been a living, but it wasn't always $50 and it wasn't every week. We sold books and sollectable stuff on eBay several years ago, once made $450 in a 10 day period, but ususally very little.

I love flea markets, etc, and have a house full if junk that I plan on selling mainly for extra pocket money. If I do better than break even I will be happy.

You do understand that McCain is full of shit?

mark

I've known my share of E-Bay'rs from collectors to addicts...the place truly draws a wide array of emotions by its supporters and/or detractors. Several of the people I know who are real active probably spend as much as they make on the thing. For example, one friend got into collectable plates...soon his apartment was loaded with all sorts of Hummel stuff that he turned around and sold...but then started collecting vinyl recordings. Last year he came with us on a vacation to Arizona and we had to make regular "pit stops" to a Starbucks or some other place where he could get online to see how his deals were doing. I don't think he makes any money with what he does, but he sure is addicted to it.

Now everybody and their brother puts their stuff on and almost nothing is rare anymore. Not a week goes by that I find what I think is a valuable book or trinket and look it up on ebay to find 20 of the same and one that sold for 99 cents.