Well i think that we can ask everyone in here what got them started.

What made you start with storage auctions, what made you jump in the car and go to your first auction?  For the one of us who started this before the TV show's, it can be interesting to see how and why people started with this.

For the ones who started after November last year, it is easy, you saw the show and wanted to do it. LOL

So this is more towards us oldtimers.

I can see the benefits having this. But there is also a downfall. How do you prevent people from ripping you off?
I mean you hear all the time about chargebacks thru credit cards, so if you sell something at a yardsale, let's say a bedroom suit for 300 bucks, then the next day the customer does a chargeback on the card. How are you going to get your bedroom suit back?

I will try to stay away from this as long as possible. CASH is the king.

I am maybe one of the few in here that will say that i like the new fee system from Ebay.

I have never liked the insert fee pluss a end fee.
Now i can list 50 auctions a month without an insert fee, just sales fee at the end.
I like this much better.

I have to say that ebay have never been my number one selling place, and it never will be. But the change is for the better in my eyes.

Good work Drew.

I find knock off's all the time in my lockers. When i find them they go right in the trash bin.
I do not want to sell knock off's or fake products what so ever. I do NOT support that business.

Another thing with selling knock off's over state lines are a federal offense i think. And that carry's stiff penalties.
You don't want the FBI knocking on your door for a 40 dollar knock off purse.

REAL purses i sell, but it is not something that sells fast, purses are a hard sell.

Not to mention possible law suits from the trademark owners. And trust me, they will sue you for everything you got.

I have done it once.

In one of my lockers i got a leather jacket for a female, i put it on CL for sale. Then this guy emailed me and asked if i wanted to trade the jacket for a men's Seiko watch, as he wanted to give his wife a leather jacket.

So i met up with the guy, and had the watch checked out by a friend of mine who owns his own store selling watches.
It was a real 190 dollar seiko watch so i traded the jacket for the watch.

Only reason i did that is because clothing are hard to sell, watches are easier. But i decided to keep it for my self. And i use it as my auction watch, that way i don't have to wear my other ones that cost more. After all i live in Memphis, and some area's are tuff down here. lol.  No need to stand out with a fancy 2000 dollar watch.

Gas prices do not stop me at all.
Right now i am paying $3.50 a gallon.
Is it higher then earlier, of course, i used to pay 2.64 for a gallon.
But 3.50 is not a reason to back down, if you can't handle the price of gas, then you are not in the right business.

It just means that you have to charge $25.00-$40.00 more in total sales from a unit. Not a big jump. That again is maybe 10 cents more per item you sell from a unit. 

This is nothing more then business math one on one. (raised cost, coverd buy raised sales price)