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I’m looking for input on this venture I’m undertaking.
I have been saving for the past 6 years working a job, renting, and doing eBay full-time. My plan was to either buy a commercial property with an owner’s quarters, a residential property with space or to travel full-time and source. Due to the current real estate prices, waning availability of quality inventory, and lack of real estate where I am, I’m leaning toward traveling. I’d ramp up the business and save even more for when real estate prices drop (or I find someplace when out on the road.) I have a few places around the country I can stay for when the weather gets extreme. I know of a few people locally who do eBay. I’d see if one of them would want to contract to do the shipping once I hash out the details. I’m trying to do up a budget to see if this would be feasible, what sounds like a reasonable rate per sale to pay? What are you thinking hearing of this venture, possible pitfalls, etc?
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rescuedrelics,
Your question is a hard one to answer without knowing the specifics.
I think you are asking how much should you pay someone to do your shipping while you are on the road. I think there are 2 main ways to do this:
1. Pay a set price per item, say $3 for each item shipped.
2. Pay by the hour.
The first option has some drawbacks if your inventory is very diverse. For example, one item may take 5 minutes to ship, another may take 30 minutes. The more similar your items are, the better that would work. Or, you could just say $3 an item, sometimes they don’t have much work to ship, other times they do. Then there is also the question of accessibility. How easily can they access your inventory (how far do they have to drive). Also, how easy\hard is it to get to your items once they are in your “Warehouse” area? Are you supplying all of the packing materials? Do you pay them to drive to the post office or will they do all USPS pickup? Or will they just do the same thing they do for their own items?
The second option has a major drawback. If you pay by the hour, you don’t know how fast they are going to work. Also, you can’t observe their speed because you will probably never see them packing your items.
For me, I would pick option 1. Set a per item price and you both take the easy with the hard. Pay them 1099 as a contract worker. I would make your inventory as accessible as possible and easy to find items. I would also ask how they pack and see if their process meets your expectations. Maybe do a trial run before you hit the road.
Mark
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The biggest obstacle is finding someone you can trust since once you’re across the country, it’d be difficult/expensive to get back home and save the business.
I would find someone and begin working with them now. I’d spend six months having them ship items and learn how you like to do business. Make sure they are stable and actually interested in the work. You’re basically training a partner,
And like Mark S said, I’d pay them by the item. Dont nickel and dime them either. The pay has to be good enough where they’ll get out of bed to do this every day.
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To be honest, as an eBay seller, what incentive would I have to ship YOUR stuff instead of my own? What you’re saying is you want the best work (the sourcing) and someone else gets the grunge work. And the more shipping I do for you, the less listing I do for me, because it’s a time sink. I don’t think you want an eBay seller to do this for you. Plus, I’m guessing you would need whomever it is to store the stuff for you as well, if you’re traveling. That’s a big ask for another seller!
I’d suggest you have an employee, someone you actually hire. You set up a storage unit, with shelves and an inventory system, something with barcodes, perhaps? That way you can barcode what you buy and send to your employee, they scan it into inventory when they receive it, and scan it when it ships. There are online inventory systems that you can get which would use this option. That way, you have an online track of what’s going on with your stuff. Then you rent a drop box, somewhere that will take big stuff for you and track it. UPS has these boxes, you post items to them and they put it into the box, like a mailbox, but more secure. You ensure your employee is set up with a printer and internet.
THEN you can pay them a weekly wage or a monthly salary. Make it their job to update item specifics, check on the business, share on social media, etc. etc. They will need to pick up your inventory from your drop box, scan it into the system and put it into storage. Then, when it sells, they will collect the ordered items from storage, take it back home/office, pack it, print labels, and send it out, within your shipping deadline.
This is the only way I can see it working for both of you, but wow! You’re operating on a lot of trust! At least with the barcode system, you will have a good handle of what’s missing if they ever do a bunk with your inventory!
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