Here’s a quick transcript from a recent conversation I had on twitter.
The moral of the story is… if you find yourself in front of a “consultant” or advice giver who has not taken the time to listen to your actual needs or business layout — well, just walk away. You will not glean one ounce of benefit from their advice.

All advice which applies to YOUR situation should start with an assessment of YOUR situation, and a discussion of YOUR goals and objectives. Everything else is bunk.
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My participant was CashBackatEbay you can find him here.
http://twitter.com/CASHBACKATEBAY
“M.C. Nygard is a former eBay Platinum Powerseller currently helping others make money on eBay, Amazon and Google.” I am always amazed to see how much interest EX-eBay sellers devote to what happens to ebay and it’s sellers. An amusing scenario.

WELL WOULD YOU ACCEPT SERIOUS BUSINESS ADVICE AS TWEETS?

Well that’s the only way CashBackAtEbay seems to want to give it.
have fun reading his “tips” below.
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OK, so, it comes down to this, for me.

Here is an ex ebay seller, touting affiliate incomes.. Basically he lives off advertising from Amazon, Google and other forms of ad/affiliate/commision from sellers on Ebay, amazon etc. I have no problem with that.

But I found it odd that as an EX-Platinum seller, he touts his ex-standing, yet never once will identify where he sells now, if anywhere. In fact never even answered the question when asked directly.

I note one feature of this conversation. It is about eBay sales, MY sales…. and, like many of these “gurus” not once did he ask me exactly how I WISH to conduct my business, but went straight into telling me how I should CHANGE it if I wish to be successful. Kinda misses the boat.

This “advisor” was invited to extend their email to us for a more careful and detailed discussion than allowed on twitter. They were also asked to demonstrate their expertise by labelling, creating titles, categories and prices for a whole page of new arrivals here. They declined on both counts. They preferred to give advice in short 140 character chunks which is ….

WELL WOULD YOU ACCEPT SERIOUS BUSINESS ADVICE AS TWEETS?

—I’ll just let you read the posts….
created_at Tweet ID # text

Wed Jul 14 02:45:04 +0000 2010 18486993675 —————— @GreenSpotting Greenspotting: Cute name. I’m spotting all kinds of green (in my mailbox, in my google box, in my Amazon account).

Wed Jul 14 02:59:01 +0000 2010 18487906131 —————— @GreenSpotting Since closing my eBay business, I have time to write about PASSIVE INCOME because I earn it thru AMAZON, GOOGLE & REAL ESTATE

Wed Jul 14 02:59:54 +0000 2010 18487963695 —————— @GreenSpotting I still love to buy on eBay, but I won’t sell there much (except to keep my PLATINUM POWERSELLER SKILLS now & again).

Wed Jul 14 03:01:02 +0000 2010 18488049305 —————— @GreenSpotting When I sold on eBay I soon realized that I was only an employee of myself. It was a valuable lesson.

Wed Jul 14 03:02:27 +0000 2010 18488145232 —————— @GreenSpotting “explain why you have time to … write about eBay if you’re so busy on the ‘other’ sites?” Passive income gives you freedom.

Wed Jul 14 03:11:14 +0000 2010 18488730699 —————— @GreenSpotting If you’re earning any passive income: GOOD FOR YOU! If not, Ican help. Here’s wishing you residual fortunes. Get some.

Wed Jul 14 14:05:34 +0000 2010 18521619449 —————— @GreenSpotting You’re funny (& broke). I quit eBay & no longer ship boxes for $$$. I earn passive income from AMAZON, GOOGLE & REAL ESTATE.

Wed Jul 14 14:07:10 +0000 2010 18521730330 —————— @GreenSpotting eBay is a great way to learn some business skills, but if you sell there you should look for other sources of income.

Wed Jul 14 14:07:54 +0000 2010 18521780301 —————— @GreenSpotting If you give me an eBay ID I can tell you exactly how much they earned in the last 30-90 days. You can learn to sell like them

Wed Jul 14 14:10:34 +0000 2010 18521967637 —————— @GreenSpotting I was an eBay PLATINUM POWERSELLER: check it out: http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/PowerSeller/requirements.html

Wed Jul 14 14:12:14 +0000 2010 18522086512 —————— @GreenSpotting It was just a fancy way of eBay telling me that I know how to sell. I miss the good old days of eBay that stopped: May 2008.

Wed Jul 14 20:08:57 +0000 2010 18545286313 —————— @GreenSpotting If your eBay ID is “wandcan” I know how much you really earned on eBay in the last month. Do you want me to DM your results?

Wed Jul 14 20:14:03 +0000 2010 18545572505 —————— @GreenSpotting I’m not “too lazy to check you.” If I have the eBay ID correct, you sell 2.91% of what you list, 44 items & $122.64 shipping!

Thu Jul 15 16:43:52 +0000 2010 18615664188 —————— @GreenSpotting My help!? List items how people search! Item #: 360218743225 “1945 VINTAGE RARE” missing in title. It’s cheaper on Amazon!

Thu Jul 15 16:45:09 +0000 2010 18615750774 —————— @GreenSpotting My help!? First edition?! 198 people looked at that book and didn’t buy, so your price is too high.

Thu Jul 15 16:48:15 +0000 2010 18615957569 —————— @GreenSpotting Give ETSY VINTAGE a try: It costs 20 cents to list an item on ETSY for 4 months. Pay a 3.5% transaction fee when it sells.

Thu Jul 15 16:51:06 +0000 2010 18616149130 —————— @greenspotting Sell books on Amazon: .99 cents + referral fee http://tinyurl.com/2a5sesb

Thu Jul 15 16:56:51 +0000 2010 18616529152 —————— @GreenSpotting Make note of antique tupes, brands & colors that have highest sell through rates, then focus your inventory on those items!

Fri Jul 16 02:59:09 +0000 2010 18653032803 —————— @GreenSpotting Your objective is NOT to make money! You make $3000 a month from eBay. Net profit is less than $1500 or ($18,000 annually).

Fri Jul 16 02:59:51 +0000 2010 18653080279 —————— @GreenSpotting Big whoop! You’re not spotting much green from eBay and your objective is not to make friends. I’m helping you for free.

Fri Jul 16 03:01:01 +0000 2010 18653169279 —————— @GreenSpotting Hey, I’d like to help you make money, but I’m losing patience with you. Best of luck packing 44 boxes a month for $1,500.

Fri Jul 16 03:25:48 +0000 2010 18654821527 —————— @greenspotting Don’t speak for all Canadians!

Fri Jul 16 14:25:18 +0000 2010 18689518926 —————— @GreenSpotting You are someone who could be earning $15-18K NET MONTHLY from eBay, but you’ve not opened your universe to get it.

Fri Jul 16 14:26:36 +0000 2010 18689618263 —————— @GreenSpotting I will say this about you, Mr. Canadian, you are earning more than one eBay author who wants to “help” people earn on eBay.

Fri Jul 16 14:28:54 +0000 2010 18689795308 —————— @GreenSpotting BIGGEST TIP, you’re not following: List your items the way a buyer would enter a search in eBay. Vintage, RARE, Antique, etc.

Fri Jul 16 14:53:03 +0000 2010 18691615762 —————— @GreenSpotting You can shop AMAZON.CA… Look for Adam Ginsberg’s books. He was an eBay TITANIUM POWERSELLER.

Fri Jul 16 14:53:09 +0000 2010 18691623078 —————— @GreenSpotting Read “How to Buy, Sell, and Profit on eBay: Kick-Start Your Home-Based business” by Adam Ginsberg http://amzn.to/ck5XnN

Fri Jul 16 15:55:16 +0000 2010 18696320780 —————— @greenspotting Open a U.S. merchant account to accept credit cards on Amazon: http://www.cashbackatebay.com/ebay-business-license.html

Fri Jul 16 15:55:29 +0000 2010 18696336748 —————— @greenspotting Take responsibility! You’re not listening to me: you have 549 items listed for sale and only sold 25 in the last 30 days. SAD

Fri Jul 16 16:10:26 +0000 2010 18697449091 —————— @greenspotting Your pricing strategy is inconsistent: Don’t list something for $9.04 (instead try $8.95). Will .09 cents kill ya?

Fri Jul 16 16:11:01 +0000 2010 18697491778 —————— @GreenSpotting Face it: BEST OFFER just tells people that no one wants what you have or you know your price is high.

Fri Jul 16 16:12:39 +0000 2010 18697612661 —————— @GreenSpotting You need BETTER PHOTOS! You’ll take better pictures with a Photo Soft Box Light Tent Cube: http://amzn.to/c7Nmp2

Fri Jul 16 16:35:51 +0000 2010 18699289082 —————— @GreenSpotting You’re not open to making money. The classic pricing strategy of $8.95 appears a better deal to the consumer than $9.04.

Fri Jul 16 17:14:01 +0000 2010 18701951080 —————— @GreenSpotting Silly you for selling at $9.04! Price at $8.95 or $9.49 if only to get rid of it. Never sell anything without $10 NET PROFIT.

Fri Jul 16 17:24:41 +0000 2010 18702678229 —————— @GreenSpotting You have 724 items that aren’t marketed to their full potential. You sold only 25 items last month.

Fri Jul 16 17:29:04 +0000 2010 18702970301 —————— @GreenSpotting Don’t market items under $10 UNLESS your strategy is to get rid of it. With Paypal & eBay fees, shipping time: not worth time

Sat Jul 17 02:57:47 +0000 2010 18736037148 —————— @GreenSpotting Glad I could help you with your eBay business.

Sat Jul 17 03:00:31 +0000 2010 18736215252 —————— @GreenSpotting So you sold 20 items in one day when previously you sold 25-44 items in a month!? Man, I am good.

Sat Jul 17 03:08:30 +0000 2010 18736729081 —————— @GreenSpotting More eBay tips for you: Don’t bother listing items with “Pickup only” for Ontario. Sell at: http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/

Sat Jul 17 03:19:10 +0000 2010 18737405341 —————— @GreenSpotting List oil paintings together if you MUST sell them on eBay, but know that oil paintings do better at LIVE fine art auctions.

Sat Jul 17 03:34:02 +0000 2010 18738335252 —————— @GreenSpotting Use all characters in your title listings! If you can’t think of anything use both VINTAGE & ANTIQUE in your headings.

Sat Jul 17 13:59:29 +0000 2010 18767603366 —————— @GreenSpotting You could have gem of a painting: sell it on eBay $500 but didn’t know it’s worth $50,000. Make a partnership with a dealer!

Sat Jul 17 14:05:07 +0000 2010 18767947150 —————— @GreenSpotting How’d you come up with the price $23 for vintage license plates? Competitors are selling ‘em for $9.99, no bids at .99-cents.

Sat Jul 17 15:52:52 +0000 2010 18774756695 —————— @GreenSpotting See COMPLETED ITEMS: 1 Vintage Ontario ’20s plate sold for $23.17 the rest sold mostly for $9.99 some not even for .99 cents.

Sat Jul 17 15:54:44 +0000 2010 18774873640 —————— @GreenSpotting Fine, you’re happy being a silver eBay seller! I was PLATINUM studying patterns of successful vendors & modeling after them.

Sat Jul 17 15:56:46 +0000 2010 18775003188 —————— @GreenSpotting Revise your pricing strategy $19.95 instead of $23, see COMPLETED ITEMS before listing, write headings as buyers might search

Sat Jul 17 16:07:26 +0000 2010 18775693077 —————— @GreenSpotting On that eBay for Dummies book… That woman earns more money from her book than from eBay sales. She knows PASSIVE INCOME.

Sat Jul 17 16:28:48 +0000 2010 18777043120 —————— @GreenSpotting Yes, I respect her too (for book sales & residual income).

Sat Jul 17 16:31:40 +0000 2010 18777224878 —————— @greenspotting I advise you NOT to sell low margin items (regardless of “SPECIFIC market or targets).

Sat Jul 17 16:51:58 +0000 2010 18778466257 —————— @GreenSpotting Perhaps NOT SELL “chinese wall masks.” If you look at the completed items function you’d see there’s little interest.

Sat Jul 17 16:55:11 +0000 2010 18778657502 —————— @GreenSpotting Simply: don’t sell low margin items! If you must, cluster them into 1 listing, ‘cuz 1 shipment = less fees, less time, more $

Sat Jul 17 17:04:21 +0000 2010 18779214899 —————— @GreenSpotting Yes, I admire @KnowsEbay. We’ve had our chats.

Sat Jul 17 17:07:33 +0000 2010 18779406819 —————— @GreenSpotting Go ahead Silver, but I didn’t need Terapeak or Worthpoint to make me a Platinum Powerseller. I used COMPLETED ITEM function.

Sun Jul 18 01:47:02 +0000 2010 18805680235 —————— @GreenSpotting Yes, I’m a FORMER eBay Platinum Powerseller who got WISE: now I earn PASSIVE INCOME & waste my time w/ you. No packing boxes.

Sun Jul 18 01:52:08 +0000 2010 18805969947 —————— @GreenSpotting I’m looking at a commission check right now. I pay $15 check processing fee JUST to see the numbers & feel the crispy check.

Sun Jul 18 01:53:19 +0000 2010 18806036281 —————— @GreenSpotting You should read T. Harv Eker: he would tell you instantly about your “financial blueprint” and I’d bet he’d say “YOUR BROKE!”

Sun Jul 18 01:54:29 +0000 2010 18806102068 —————— @GreenSpotting Go ahead and close the universe to more money. You think you have all the answers and yet you’re only a bronze powerseller.

Sun Jul 18 01:58:41 +0000 2010 18806338432 —————— @GreenSpotting Get wise: quit selling low margin items, pick better heads, try .99 cent auctions Sun.6-7 p.m. PST., discover PASSIVE INCOME.
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Would I take advice from this EX-Platinum eBay seller — well, YES, I WOULD if he had taken the time to actually pursue a conversation via email or by proceeding to a demonstration of his worth. Not having taken that step, I pronounce him FLUFF and a waste of time.

It’s too bad, I’m sure deep down below the rhetoric and bombast, there might actually be a tip or two I could learn to help my biz grow.

This entry was posted on July 18, 2010 ... filed under Vinces Blog