Kidson Talks | The E-commerce Chemist

eBay is my worst addiction, something I have to actively prevent myself from using. I average a £200 per month spend on eBay – according to my buying totals. Recently I decided to manage this addiction and restrict myself to a £100 per month spend. I decided instead of buying, I would watch and if after watching for a while I still wanted the item I would buy it.

But my frugal (for me) nature had me thinking about my decisions. Is my behaviour indicative to the general eBay buying public? I got to thinking why I feel I need to be more careful with my spending, we are out of recession right?

WRONG! Buyers are not a statistic or a line on a graph. Not long ago I had a spare £300 to flitter away on eBay each month, but what has changed? I have found my cost of normal living has risen from £895 per month to £1075 per month over the last 12 months. We don’t eat any more than we did, rent has not increased but the cost of living has steadily risen – council tax up £5 a month….electricity/gas risen £40 per month….petrol risen £60 a month (I am driving a bit more) so as it is harder to increase ones earnings to mimic the speed of ‘inflation’ you have to cut out the frivolity. (In fact I decided to put an end to weekend working, and work 9-5 so I could have a work/life balance)

eBay for me is pure frivolity – rarely do I *need* anything I buy – but my buying puts a little push to the spin of the global economy and occasionally I give back by selling. I have my yearly spring clear out looming.

So I have £100 per month to spend on eBay/online on stuff I don’t need, so how am I persuaded to buy?

1. By email – once a month, show me the new items you have if I have brought from you before. I am a creature of habit – I love your stuff, remind me you exist Pander to my obsession, for example an eBay seller I buy from reminded me that April is cherry blossom season in Japan and to be a part of that beauty I could purchase Cherry Blossom tea. I brought some, plus a cherry blossom scent – they were not on my watch list and I had not planned to buy.

2. Give me something free – free shipping or a free gift. Many Japanese sellers do this, a simple hair clip or phone charm – something relevant.

3. Be consistent – I like to think, look and study what I buy. I have a set of saved sellers that I constantly bid on items they have, raising the price and hopefully winning at some point. I know these sellers always to have a good selection of the item I want (be it one off unique items or consistent stock) I am wary of ‘junk stores’ that don’t specialise in an area (or a set of areas) as I want these sellers to know about their products and be knowledgeable – I can’t see/touch the physical item so I like to think the seller has already verified the goods and wouldn’t knowingly sell me rubbish. Hopefully their feedback tells me this.

4. Get to me at the beginning of the month – I am rich then and still have the £100 to spend and its burning a hole in my pocket.

5. Help me find you – eBay tries to hide you from me but use the most glaringly obvious keywords for the item and don’t lie to me. I am an exact shopper, I don’t want it if it is ‘like’ something else. I use Google to help me find real names for things (especially when buying traditional Japanese stuff)

6. Explain to me quickly about the item and don’t make me ask you a question – I rarely buy after a question is answered as I have usually found the answer in another sellers listing. Even if they are not as cheap as you – I am a busy girl and short of time

So that’s how I spend my £100 a month on stuff I don’t need. My eBay addiction and the addiction of others keeps our community thriving, keeps third party providers with clients and small businesses keep our economy going.