OT: What do you guys think?

Frost
Frost Posts: 312 Member
I've been trying to come up with a home business that can go with me wherever we may move. I have been thinking of teaching folks to use ebay. People ask me about it a lot since I'm an ebay seller. It's something I can walk them through over the phone so my customers could be in any state. It isn't very time consuming so the fee could be fairly low. Since there is such a diverse group of peeps on this site I thought I may get a better feel for if this is something that sounds feesible and marketable to the general public.

What do you think about the ebay idea? Anyone out there have a home business with tips for beginners?

Replies

  • Frost
    Frost Posts: 312 Member
    I've been trying to come up with a home business that can go with me wherever we may move. I have been thinking of teaching folks to use ebay. People ask me about it a lot since I'm an ebay seller. It's something I can walk them through over the phone so my customers could be in any state. It isn't very time consuming so the fee could be fairly low. Since there is such a diverse group of peeps on this site I thought I may get a better feel for if this is something that sounds feesible and marketable to the general public.

    What do you think about the ebay idea? Anyone out there have a home business with tips for beginners?
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
    Hmmm, not sure how you would advertise that? How would people find you? I hate to be a bubble buster, but I'm not sure how lucrative that would be. I mean, for anyone who has never used it, most computer savvy people can easily be walked through it on the site, and I would suspect that most people who ask you about it probably wouldn't ever use it themselves, but are just curious. But I definitely wouldn't see myself calling somebody and paying to get instructions....I would also be wary that it's some sort of scam and would charge me some crazy long distance bill or something.

    Do you strictly want to do your own business, or would you be cool with anything you can do from home? If it is possible for me to stay home with my kids when that day comes, I am really interested in doing medical transcription. I really can't tell you much about it since I don't know myself....my boyfriend's aunt has done it since her kids were small and they are now in their 20's, but I've yet to sit down with her and find out what all you need to do to get started. You won't make a fortune, but you can set your own hours and work as much or as little as you like and I am quite sure it is a decent second income if enough hours are worked.

    Hmm, other ideas....I love to design things so I would love to have my own print company someday, like doing stationary and invitation orders and such. Unfortunately vistaprint.com does awesome work and is very cheap, so that may have popped my future dreams about that, lol. Good luck in whatever you figure out!
  • Frost
    Frost Posts: 312 Member
    You make some really good points. I decided to try a post on Craigslist. Beleive it or not people tell me often that they don't use ebay because they don't know how to get started. In the posting I state it is initial walk through plus seller's tips on shipping, starting bids, fees, etc. There's a lot to it starting out that can be quite confusing. Especially international shipping.

    I like the medical transcription idea.
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    Would you first have to walk them through how to pay you on PayPal? :wink:
  • Frost
    Frost Posts: 312 Member
    Would you first have to walk them through how to pay you on PayPal? :wink:

    :laugh: I also thought of that! I recently helped my sister-in-law get all this set up over the phone. It's part of what gave me the idea. I was able to do it without any of her information being passed onto me.