eBay - A Way Out Of Consumerism, Or Still Feeding It?
January 20, 2008 | In Making A Diff. Lifestyle |
As I continue to read Your Money or Your Life, I’ve been mentally scanning all the areas of my home. Although I have yet to write down any of my thoughts, I’ve realized I have a lot of extra stuff. More than just the books I’d already thought of. And a lot of anxiety about going through it and possibly getting rid of it. To be honest, most of the anxiety comes from realizing just how much money I spent on it to begin with. Previously, I thought about selling on eBay and dismissed it as too difficult to learn how to do. But now, I wonder if selling on eBay is a great way to turn the consumerism back on itself?
Photo by jenn_jenn
When eBay first started, I remember it as a great way to find anything you might be looking for. Everything I can remember buying on the site was to add to one of my collections. Therefore, it was older stuff that I could no longer find in the stores. Now, a lot of the listings are from dealers and the site has become a way to shop for new stuff, similar to purchasing from Amazon. Back when eBay was mostly older stuff, it was a good way to get a bargain. Now, the new stuff from dealers may not even be as cheap as Amazon.
However, eBay is still a way to find older things that can’t be bought in the store anymore. And, I’ve recently read that the site is undergoing renovations to make navigation easier for the buyer, thereby moving away from the emphasis on the seller. It seems to me that this can only be a good thing - taking us back to the day of the online yard sale instead of the modern online mall.
As Your Money or Your Life is about changing your relationship with money and simplifying your life, it’s bringing the consumerism mindset into even higher magnification for me. I liken it to a microscope - I was looking at 10x power last summer. Christmas brought it up to 20x power and now, I’m getting up to 50x power. Our “modern society” is about buy, buy, buy. We buy offline at malls, convenience stores, and discount stores. We buy online at Amazon.com, Overstock.com, and eBay.
I own several pairs of fancy shoes, books, CDs, and knick knacks that are “mint” or “like new” condition. Getting these items out of my life simplifies my life and helps me repent for being on the consumerism treadmill. I could donate these items, and some I may. Others items (like an old laptop) are so old that I will be forced to trash/recycle them. But, the rest I would really like to recoup some of the cost I’ve sunk into them. eBay sounds like a great place to do this. In a way, it’s taking advantage of the system. But, in another way, it’s helping someone else to live a lifestyle similar to mine. The person who purchases my shoes on eBay won’t buy them directly from a catalog (like I did.) They save money, the shoes are repurposed, and a little less trash ends up in the landfill.
Do you think I’m twisting the issue? Or, is this a good strategy? Do you have any experience with selling items on eBay and can offer advice? Please leave me your comments below.
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Hi Cathy,
I don’t think you’re twisting the issue - just exploring it’s ins and outs.
Ebay also replaces the old mail order catalogues for those who live in more remote locations. It also probably assists the environment a little by reducing the space devoted to retail. Trying to make these judgements gets very complicated.
I’ve been doing a little more research on eBay and to be honest, I’m still of split decision as to whether I should go forward. There are so many variables, but it comes down to: I don’t want to just give stuff away because I need any money they could bring. On the other hand, I don’t necessarily have a ton of time, nor do I have a digital camera. I suspect that in the end I will find it worth it, but there seems to be a steep learning curve.
Of course, there is also Craigslist, Amazon, and others that may work for me. Probably the overriding emotion here is the guilt I feel for spending all the money on the item in the first place. Or maybe it’s guilt that I don’t want it anymore? Or guilt that I haven’t used it?
Cathy -
I’m in the same boat as you, and while I have a ton of stuff and not a whole lot of extra time I do have the digital camera. Maybe you can borrow a friend’s. I’ve sold on eBay and the learning curve isn’t too steep. The hardest thing for me is figuring the shipping. For clothing I always go the consignment shop route. It’s easier than eBay and you still make a bit of money — usually around 40% of what the shop sells it for.
My plan is to take 15 minutes a day to tackle my “stuff.” And, since it’s hard to figure out where to start sometimes, I’m making a jar with slips of paper in it like “spring clothes,” “books on bedroom shelf,” etc. I figure I’ll pull one out at random, give it 15 minutes a day until it’s done, then pull out another…
Good luck!
Kim
Kim,
Thanks for stopping by! I really like the idea of the random slips of paper - I will have to look into that for myself. I know that I will definitely be moving in May, so I can’t keep ignoring all the stuff. This might just be the trick I need to not feel overwhelmed.
And, I could borrow a camera, so I’ll look into that. First, I have to figure out exactly how much I want to get rid of and get it together so I can take pictures all at once. Food for thought…
Thanks again for the tip!