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ScrantonStrangler

Losing Motivation

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Hello everyone, 

I want to apologize up front for the negative/whiny post. I just have nobody to discuss this sort of stuff with so here is where I come for help and to vent.

I have recently been having serious doubts about whether or not I can make a living with my vinyl cutter. My first few months went really well but now I have stalled hard. I think I am doing something wrong. I started out by doing orders for things such as tattoo shops (100 smaller decals) and though it makes ok money, it burns you out. I have advertised on facebook looking to do more rear window/business decals but haven't gotten any interest. I just today listed my first ebay listing (hope that does ok) and I would like to do some custom work or store fronts.

I have been seeing a lot of people saying they do signs and am wondering if this is something I should expand to as well. I am not sure how to market myself the best with that sort of thing or even hat materials and stuff to use.

I know I have to sell to more than local businesses but I can't see myself competing with the larger online shops. Not at least for business stuff. So maybe ebay is the best option? 

 

Just feeling really stuck and hating my day job doesn't help. Any suggestions or a nod in the right direction is greatly appreciated. Sorry again for the rant and thank you for all the info already on this forum!

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No matter where you sell, it takes a special product.  1 ad on Ebay will do nothing.. You need at least 300-1000 ads, to keep people in  your website. And you need items for impulse buyers.  And that does not ensure a sale.  There is tons of competition out there.  More so with all the Chinese cutters being sold. You have to be creative.  I started back in 2006,  and have a following.  I provide fast service, quality items,  with unique designs.  And I don't sell cheap.  I make a very good profit.   It takes you selling and someone else seeing it, and wanting it also.  Some of my items never sold,  so those ads get replaced with something else to try out.  I don't just stop posting new ads.  I am always posting and replacing ads.  I will be spending months posting new products. Already started. Any place that sells, has to come up with new products to keep customers. I continued with a full time job for about 14 months, until my business supported me. At which time. I purchased a new Graphtec FC7000MK2-75 (30") which made my business much better, than fighting a value cutter.  I had that cutter paid off in 5-6 weeks.  I still own that cutter and it just keeps making me great money. 

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19 minutes ago, MZ SKEETER said:

No matter where you sell, it takes a special product.  1 ad on Ebay will do nothing.. You need at least 300-1000 ads, to keep people in  your website.  And that does not ensure a sale.  There is tons of competition out there.  More so with all the Chinese cutters being sold. You have to be creative.  I started back in 2006,  and have a following.  I provide fast service, quality items,  with unique designs.  And I don't sell cheap.  I make a very good profit.   It takes you selling and someone else seeing it, and wanting it also.  Some of my items never sold,  so those ads get replaced with something else to try out.  I don't just stop posting new ads.  I am always posting and replacing ads.  I will be spending months posting new products. Already started. Any place that sells, has to come up with new products to keep customers. I continued with a full time job for about 14 months, until my business supported me. At which time. I purchased a new Graphtec FC7000MK2-75 (30") which made my business much better, than fighting a value cutter.  I had that cutter paid off in 5-6 weeks.  I still own that cutter and it just keeps making me great money. 

I can always count on a reply from you haha. I understand you need a lot of postings on ebay but they only let me post 10 items for the month and I did a few different sizes so I am stuck there for now. I'm not trying to live rich, quite the opposite actually ($2500/month) which seemed doable but Ive been losing hope. gotta keep grinding I guess.

 

Thank you!

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You need a store,  even a basic store to start out.  I am not living rich,, but I don't owe anyone, except utilities.  I work from home.  And still have plenty of freedom to live my life.  I will take those big $100 plus orders that only take 1- 1.5 hours to make  over  100 $1 decals that take 2-3 hours or more. I could do so much more than what I do,  I have turned down alot.  But I am happy with what I do.  I already had a 30 year career. I am 69, female, from a small town.. 

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1 hour ago, MZ SKEETER said:

You need a store,  even a basic store to start out.  I am not living rich,, but I don't owe anyone, except utilities.  I work from home.  And still have plenty of freedom to live my life.  I will take those big $100 plus orders that only take 1- 1.5 hours to make  over  100 $1 decals that take 2-3 hours or more. I could do so much more than what I do,  I have turned down alot.  But I am happy with what I do.  I already had a 30 year career. I am 69, female, from a small town.. 

I love your story and attitude about everything! do you mean ebay store? I am unaware of those and will do some reading. Thank you!

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 Ebay has stores starting at $4.95 a month for 100 ads,  as long as your allowed.  It depends on your Ebay limits.  If new you have to work up your limits.   Thanks

Do a search online for Ebay store subscriptions.  

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6 minutes ago, MZ SKEETER said:

 Ebay has stores starting at $4.95 a month for 100 ads,  as long as your allowed.  It depends on your Ebay limits.  If new you have to work up your limits.   Thanks

Do a search online for Ebay store subscriptions.  

Shows what I know! haha thank you!!

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