Ask Me Anything about selling on eBay

[toml3030]

So all is going well been selling for like 2 weeks and getting alot of buys all positive reviews and not a single negative one and then suddenly today ebay remove my products because they're counterfeit.

well, ARE they counterfeit?

It doesn't make sense how exactly would they know if its counterfeit when I've had no complaints at all.

Doesn't really matter if they're counterfeit or not, as VERO program gives right holders pretty much absolute control over who sells on eBay other than the "first sale" doctrine.

I think different sellers have flagged my items to get them removed is there any way to avoid this? like would an account with high rep and has a shop get away with this?

Possible, but as I said above, it might be the rights holders themselves. For example all apple has to do is to point out that you're not authorized reseller of apple product to shut you down. Some brands have employees taking down ebay listing all day.

 

[MAROSS]

well, ARE they counterfeit?



Doesn't really matter if they're counterfeit or not, as VERO program gives right holders pretty much absolute control over who sells on eBay other than the "first sale" doctrine.



Possible, but as I said above, it might be the rights holders themselves. For example all apple has to do is to point out that you're not authorized reseller of apple product to shut you down. Some brands have employees taking down ebay listing all day.

Yes they are however I actually got the idea from a seller who is selling his items right now but he never gets flagged down... You can tell they're fake just like mine but his items stay up there which I don't understand.

 

[toml3030]

Yes they are however I actually got the idea from a seller who is selling his items right now but he never gets flagged down...

Never, ever assume that because someone else is getting away with selling counterfeit goods that you can get away with it also.

 

[JB2302]

OP very Nice Thread .

 

[philly guy]

hey i want to ask you op toml3030 when you Import from China, Philippines, Vietnam, and Korea. like you said how are you going about paying your suppliers?

if you are using western union or money gram they will blacklist you for sending so much money. i have even gotten questionable calls for sending funds to other countries like you but i send way less as of now so how are you going about paying your suppliers?

Because if you have 600k in sales with 55% gross margin you have to be sending 200k plus a year.

 

[toml3030]

hey i want to ask you op toml3030 when you Import from China, Philippines, Vietnam, and Korea. like you said how are you going about paying your suppliers?

It's usually bank wire 30-60 days after I receive the merchandise, but let's just say I don't have to pay by sending money to them if it suits my purposes.

if you are using western union or money gram they will blacklist you for sending so much money. i have even gotten questionable calls for sending funds to other countries like you but i send way less as of now so how are you going about paying your suppliers?

I'm doing everything 100% legit on paper and there is no need to resort to western union or moneygram. Before they started giving me credit (because it suits their purposes) the way it was done by using D/A (document against acceptance). That's where they send customs documents to my bank, I sign it, and I pay my bank 60 days after I sign. The shipper is guaranteed by my bank that they'll be paid.

Because if you have 600k in sales with 55% gross margin you have to be sending 200k plus a year.

The e commerce thing is much smaller $ than the wholesale thing I do, where I take a much much smaller profit.

 

[PapyrusMan]

Hi Tom, Great stuff!
So, I get the stealth and multiple accounts logic.
Can I ask what you mean when you say you manufacture? Are we talking all sorts of equipment and a large facility?

 

[lagger]

Tom, ive been selling stuff I buy from china for the last couple months. Ive been trying to crack the eBay ranking algo. Ive got most of it down, but I do have one question.

Does signing up for an eBay store give you a little bit more weight in the rankings?

Where im at I would rather just pay the listing fees than worry of 1% in fees. But if it helps my rankings by one or two points then it would defiantly help.

Thanks

Lagger

 

[philly guy]

It's usually bank wire 30-60 days after I receive the merchandise, but let's just say I don't have to pay by sending money to them if it suits my purposes.



I'm doing everything 100% legit on paper and there is no need to resort to western union or moneygram. Before they started giving me credit (because it suits their purposes) the way it was done by using D/A (document against acceptance). That's where they send customs documents to my bank, I sign it, and I pay my bank 60 days after I sign. The shipper is guaranteed by my bank that they'll be paid.



The e commerce thing is much smaller $ than the wholesale thing I do, where I take a much much smaller profit.

oh ok so you use mainly use bank wire transfers. i want to ask you does any of the banks ever want to deny you or say anything to you for sending so much money in 1 transaction to someone or for sending so much money in the span of 1 month?

and do you use 1 bank or multiple banks?

also can bank wire transfers lead into any problems with the IRS?

 

[PapyrusMan]

From what I gather, Tom is upfront with his taxes. Personally the largest wire transfer I have done was upwards of 20k, and my bank didn't bat an eye.

 

[toml3030]

Can I ask what you mean when you say you manufacture? Are we talking all sorts of equipment and a large facility?

I have a small place where I have about 6-8 employees making stuff.

 

[toml3030]

Does signing up for an eBay store give you a little bit more weight in the rankings?

My guess is that it doesn't.

 

[toml3030]

does any of the banks ever want to deny you or say anything to you for sending so much money in 1 transaction to someone or for sending so much money in the span of 1 month?

no. I have never had any financial institution hassle me over the amount of $ I send. As I said, I run a legit import/export business and have been doing this for years.

and do you use 1 bank or multiple banks?

for importing stuff one bank

also can bank wire transfers lead into any problems with the IRS?

since each wire transfer is for exact amount of invoice, my records are very clean

 

[toml3030]

From what I gather, Tom is upfront with his taxes. Personally the largest wire transfer I have done was upwards of 20k, and my bank didn't bat an eye.

The key is not to be greedy. You can do some tax avoidance but you can not run tons of money and not report any of it. I have sent as much as 1/2 mil in a short period of time and no one bothered me.

 

[PapyrusMan]

I personally am not looking to avoid taxes, I'm looking for information on how to grow.

Tom,
Are we talking like CNC machines and things of that nature? Or am I thinking too large.
I'm assuming the manufacturing is on relatively simple products.

 

[toml3030]

I personally am not looking to avoid taxes, I'm looking for information on how to grow.

Frankly, our tax system is retarded and there is no money in many areas unless you do some (legal) creative accounting.

Are we talking like CNC machines and things of that nature? Or am I thinking too large.
I'm assuming the manufacturing is on relatively simple products.

Yes, CNC machine type stuff is a small part of it, but most of it is low tech....As in you cay buy steel for $0.25/lb but once you pull it to wire and make it into coat hangers, you sell them for $5/lb. The key is to make stuff that there is enough demand for you to make some $$$ but not enough demand that someone with $30/mil in capital comes in and crushes you.

 

[PapyrusMan]

That sounds awesome.

 

[eBay Stealth]

This is an awesome thread and great read for everyone!

 

[backstreet boys]

do you rent a storage shed to help store your products that you import? if you do what about realy cold and hot climates how can you stop items such as electronics or or freshly new sealed items from getting damaged from the hot heat? needing to know the answer to this because it is a big problem for me i have so little space and storage can ruin your items. what else could i do for space?

the other question i have 4 you is how can i get a 100% anonymous bank account to attach to my paypal account? please do not say payoneer because that shit does not work anymore with paypal at least 4 me.

 

[toml3030]

do you rent a storage shed to help store your products that you import? if you do what about realy cold and hot climates how can you stop items such as electronics or or freshly new sealed items from getting damaged from the hot heat? needing to know the answer to this because it is a big problem for me i have so little space and storage can ruin your items. what else could i do for space?

I have a nice air conditioned office space where all my stuff fits so this is not an issue for me.

the other question i have 4 you is how can i get a 100% anonymous bank account to attach to my paypal account? please do not say payoneer because that shit does not work anymore with paypal at least 4 me.

since anon bank accounts are highly illegal and can land you jail time, I don't recommend going that way at all