I agree with you about eBay.  I was always a buyer, not a seller.  But it used to be fun to see what you could find—sort of like an online flea market.  I used to buy all the time—mainly postcards and vintage costume jewelry.  You used to be able to find bargains, too.  Now, because of the high fees that sellers have to pay, bargains are few and far between.  It’s no fun anymore for me to shop on eBay.  I’ve been a member since 1999, but I probably haven’t bought anything from there in over two years.  eBay has gotten too greedy and has priced out the people who just sold as a hobby.  Maybe that was their intention, I don’t know.  Anyway, I just discovered that you can sell stuff on Amazon.com and just from reading about their selling policies, it seems like a much simpler way to go.  I think eBay is going to end up being a site where the only sellers will be professional business people and sellers who are just doing it as a hobby or to get rid of stuff will be a thing of the past.  

Thanks for the information on ebay, MM6.  I too have been a member of ebay for many years.  I was a seller back in 1999 and financed a family cross-country trip solely with my ebay sales.  I have been away from ebay for a few years though and have been planning to return lately but now I’m hesitant.  I knew that ebay had evolved over time and just from glancing at the site it does seem more small business oriented.  Perhaps I’ll take my sales elsewhere, at least initially.  Maybe it’s time for Ebay to evolve again and be more inclusive of those who got them started.

As for the feedback, I’d hoped they’d worked out the bugs on that program by now.  That was one of the reasons I left ebay.  I had a perfect, positive selling record until one person gave me a negative (and wrote a nasty lie about me) simply because I gave him a negative after he cheated me out of a few thousand dollars (following the sale - or non-sale -of a truck).  I didn’t have the thick skin for vindictive behavior that ebay seemed to allow so I quit.  I’m sorry to hear that things haven’t changed.

As for Craigslist, it can also be problematic so seller beware! I’ve sold several items on Craigslist, but may I make a few suggestions?  First - this is local vs. national so keep in mind you are narrowing your market. 

It’s also important to keep in mind that this brings strangers to your door (in the case of large items).  If you are selling small items I suggest meeting someplace other than your home to complete your transaction. 

I’ve received quite a few spam & scam emails in regards to my Craigslist listings.  They seem quite real, but proceed cautiously regarding the information you give out, these scammers are good! Many of them want you to hold the item and they’ll send you a check… On craigslist, deal locally only!!

Also, I’ve had buyers attempt to undercut the price at the last minute (agree to the purchase, wait until the ad has been retracted and then when picking up the item, tell me they thought the price was posted as something else hoping I will drop the price).  Even though it means still getting calls, I keep the ad active until the item is actually gone.  I also keep a copy of the ad with me when conducting the transaction.  I hate to be cynical, but the truth is, not everyone is honest.

It’s absolutely true that you’ll be working more. But for many people, the business becomes their hobby, and the line between work and playtime gets blurred. You’re actually combining your work time with the time you would otherwise have spent on your hobbies.

If you are someone who wants to go to work from 9-6 and not think about work after you go out the door, then you aren’t a candidate for starting your own business anyways.