Just Became an Ebay Powerseller

Excuse me? I have a right to, just like you do. Not saying I'm going to be a full blown educator right NOW, but I would like to someday. I like knowing things and sharing that knowledge with others. There is nothing wrong with that! The world needs more educators, not takers!

 

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Well here is the deal - is he going to be selling to make a profit, or to keep his PowerSeller icon? If it is the icon, then that is easy....I could do that. But if it is to make a proffit, then he is going to have a very hard time.

Speedy

 

True - but the educators, MUST be educated before educating others.

Speedy

 

True and I absolutely agree with that!

bnb

 

Let's see what happens in time..

bnb

 

What will you educate us about, BNB? You have barely learned anything since your came here, and now you think it is okay to educate people here? You can learn all you want, then use what you learned to educate... But from your posts, it seems that all you do is use those quick little typing fingers of yours, and you don't bother to read right is in front of you.
BNB, if you really believe what Speedy just said, then I would say you need to clamp up, and educate yourself, before you teach others.

I think it is more about the icon for him than the profit. Others may think what they want though.

 

The OP said in post #1 that it was all about keeping the PoserSeller, I mean, PowerSeller status:

That statement in the OPs own words does not indicate an intention to make a profit.

 

That's a part of it and yes at the time that was my main focus but now that I had a day to think things over more carefully, I would also like to add the intention of making a profit. I mean, who doesn't want to make a profit if they know how to? I think I do, so that's not the first thing I'm thinking of, correct, but it surely is a factor nonetheless and surely I would have mentioned it later on through my ventures with this!

bnb

 

I feel compelled to point out that everyone should be careful about the predictions they make regarding BNB. Like it or not, he sees the world with a different perspective than most. He is someone who constantly thinks of ideas and rarely considers the reasons why his ideas can't work. It is precisely this attitude that will one day likely make him very successful in life. He will most likely be one of those guys that the rest of us mopes say "how the hell did that guy become successful?" Well, he has energy, charisma, positivity, and confidence (with a touch of ego). Once he applies himself and adds education and emotional control to the mix, he will be destined for success.

He is not the most knowledgeable coin collector that is true, but he certainly has a greater knowledge of coins than many of the people who visit this forum and are not part of the inner core of regular posters like us. Furthermore, I will venture to say that he has learned more in three months than most of us knew at the same point of our coin collecting lives. Despite the constant abuse that he has taken in response to his unabashed style since joining this forum, he has made sincere attempts to conform and control himself. From time to time, he takes a step back and posts something that makes him look like a neophyte, but that is to be expected given his experience level.

I think BNB would do well to accept this as a challenge, formulate a plan, and execute. If he is successful, he can come here an brag if he wants. Or he can show some maturity and simply write a well thought out thread that chronicles his Powerselling experience and perhaps, educate a few along the way. Either way, I will have my popcorn ready because anything that my friend BNB does is guaranteed to be entertaining.

 

Hmm... Paul, I get what you are getting at, but the verdict is still out on this one. It is decent of us to stop, step back and reassess. I concur with that much. It's fair and calming and good to do.

However, anyone can run across a mine field, some will make it, yet many won't. That you survive doesn't measure success. Even with a conservative plan there are risks to getting across successfully.

BNB's success remains to be proved, which is what I keep saying. BNB, DO Go attempt success THEN come here and collect your praise or 'educate' others on the pitfalls and positive aspects YOU learned from YOUR experiences, which is A-OKAY! That then is your bragging right(s).

BNB is shooting blindfolded at his target(s). That he eventually hits one because he has enough bullets (re: money for his coin venture) will not mark success. In fact, his lack of understanding, reading/studying a subject before leaping in and his blatant disregard for sound advice might bring down a lot of people around him who are also new and eager in this, and he might contribute to bringing down attitudes in collecting, public opinion towards auction houses and dealers, et al. based on his actions and lack of humility in the process of gaining success for himself.

 

He is no more reckless in his attempts to educate others than many of the members on these forums. You have guys who spout Weimar White's lunacy that toning is tantamount to damage. A guy on BNB's 3-legged Buffalo thread just called the 3-legged Buffalo the second biggest scam in coin collecting! Countless members think gold doesn't tone etc. The fact is that every member of this forum is responsible for determining who is knowledgeable and who is not. With the attention that BNB's posts attract, I don't see how anyone could brought down by his actions. The term BNB Police has entered my mind a few times.

I agree that he is shooting blindfolded and that he needs education and emotional control. But consider this. When you go to a bar, there are basically two types of guys and each shares a common goal. I call these guys the 12-gauge and sniper. The 12 gauge is the guy who starts at one end of the bar and talks to every chick until he scores. It ain't pretty, and sometimes neither is she, but it is very effective. The sniper is the guy who studies every chick in the bar, speaks to only one, and either picks up the hottie or goes home alone. Now think about which group of guys is more successful with regards to the goal and which group BNB falls in.

BNB is not afraid to try and fail. I have come to believe that he has accepted that as a way of learning. Everyone is so determined to prevent him from learning the hard way they have ignored the fact that he has made it very clear, that is precisely the way he learns. I have faith that he will learn as long as we let him. Now be a powerseller BNB, be determined, and don't accept failure.

 

BNB, you contradict yourself and turn a blind eye to advice. Doing your own thing is good, but it helps to be more knowledgeable than you are in coins.

By the way, buy low and sell high works for me (and it won't for you BNB because you have the wrong tactics). I go to my local coin shop, pick out solid raw coins I know are priced low or are described poorly, and sell them on ebay with good photos and descriptions. I also buy bullion products from a local mint and sell them on ebay and make a nice profit. I've made 2K in profit in a fairly short amount of time. It's amazing how much of your sales eBay and PayPal will take from you (I believe around 15% which is from PayPal fees, eBay final value fees, and listing fees) I wonder how long it would take you to make 2K, if you even make 2K that is (which I doubt).

BNB, here's an example of your flawed reasoning. In order to make money on eBay you'd have to buy a $200 coin (plus $10 shipping for example which is your cost) off of Heritage. You then have to sell this coin for $240 (15% of $210 is approx. $30 so $210+$30=coin price of $240) on ebay (plus buyer pays $10 shipping) just to break even!! Buyers aren't stupid and won't pay $250+ for a coin they can get for $200. Your ideas are flawed, BNB.

 

The problem with your logic is that I have seen lots of people pay $300+ for those coins. I see it happen every day. I have also done fairly well picking of bargains on eBay. IF he can figure out how to do the former but avoid the latter, he can do well. I have done pretty well buying the bargains, but not so well avoiding selling the bargains, but it can be done. Just look at nancye913 (eBay) . Be sure to look at both what he buys as well as what he sells. You will find more than one thread about him here and in CU forum. I am not condoning his practices, just saying that they work.

BTW, both his success and mine limited luck have been with Lincolns only. With all the other comments stating how this can't be done, maybe it can only be done with Lincolns, but somehow I doubt that.

 

I like his spirit and his determination. How do we know he won't take the advice given here that suits his style? I read once that the guy called a "nerd" in high school is usually called "sir" a few years after college age. I'm certainly not calling BNB a nerd, but agreeing at least in part with Lehigh we all may be thinking someday why we didn't come up with something BNB did.

I say give it a try, maybe tweak some as you go along, have some fun, and see how it goes. I have no doubt BNB will know whether to continue or strike off in a new direction somewhere. At this point I expect anytime to read he is off to Alaska to make a fortune in gold prospecting.

His threads always enjoy a tremendous amount of response that I enjoy reading and learning from. I say Go For It!!!!

 

I always find his threads entertaining and I really do wish him the best of luck. And I do agree with the advice Paul has given - very good indeed. I just do not think it is possible to routinely buy off heritage and sell on ebay for a profit. I check both heritage and ebay to see if I can find the coins to compare prices. Then again - I tip my hat to him for trying.

 

read: I am not good at taking direction, and I don't tend to listen.

You don't get offered leader positions from the word go, you prove that you can handle the "grunt" job and that you're better at it than the rest, and then you get offered the leader position, not the other way around. Leaders are generally those who have proven that they can show others how to do the job because they have a proven talent for it.

BNB, I know you think that personally I don't like you, which flatly isn't true, but I wish you'd listen to the advice of so many people here who have tried to sincerely help you. My signature has a lesson for you, and my popcorn awaits as well.

 

Gee, it's getting hot in this room, eh? ;-)

A few of us, if I maybe so bold, might want to lighten up. If we're so certain that some 24-year old is going to lose money, that's nothing to get angry about -- rather, it will be simply be an expensive lesson.

A note about powersellers:

As I noted before, for a short while, I was a powerseller myself (in fact, I'm still listed as one, but I don't understand how I still qualify). This wasn't because I treat customers as a "number" -- in fact I really go out of my way to make my customers happy. It was simply that I "struck gold" one month (if anyone wants details I can discuss here), made $2000 in sales in two weeks, and that, combined with other routine sales, "propelled" me to powerseller status.

A number of folks here have claimed they avoid them, and then asserted a stereotype about them. No need to stereotype. In fact, the powerseller might have high sales because he's good at what he does.

Others have criticized anyone selling simply for the sake of maintaining powerseller status. My response: "hey, from a buyer's point of view, what's wrong with that?!" He may be selling a bunch of items at cost just to pad sales figures -- therefore, there might be some good bargains there.

One note of caution to the OP: "if I can buy at spot for bullion..."

I'm not sure how well that works. I was following an auction over the weekend. It was for four (4) walking liberty halves -- worn enough that the dates were even missing on two of them. At bullion prices, that should go for about $25, right? It sold for $25 + approx $2 postage (if I recall).

What I've learned is that the buyers of "junk silver" usually don't pay very much more than buillion prices.

I'm rambling, but, hey, in the spirit of the season, let's cut everyone some slack. No sense in getting angry or snippy at anyone (it's bad for one's own blood pressure). Young folks sometimes have a lot to learn, but they have great passion. Us older folks may be fairly knowledgeable or experienced, but it'd be nice to have the energy and passion that the young 'uns have. Good thing that the world needs both to function well!

 

...Yawns... lol

 

BNB is 24...who of you listened to anyone when you were that age?
Live and learn.
That energy, drive and ambition will help.

BNB you'll mess up plenty of times but who didnt....G/L with your venture and make sure you learn from it and let us know how it goes.