Comments on: Are Any eBay Drop-Off Franchises Successful?

By: Brian C.

Brian C. — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:14:30 +0000

marc.. we have become a UPS drop-off site (not a franchise) and we are packing and shipping packages, as well as selling boxes. I think there are two other keys to this business.. 1) specialize in at least one large item, we do pretty good on campers. 2) Try to find a wholesale product you can move on your own, I have a large retail golf store chain that sells me their high-end trade-in clubs. I can usually mark them up at least 30%.

The problem is… none of this reduces the labor involved. To me.. this business is best for couples who are close to retirement and enjoy the treasure hunting part…

By: marc s

marc s — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:23:32 +0000

I have had a drop off store for 2 years and it is a good thing I had money put aside. I can’t figure out how to make a living doing this. I had my own buiseness for 30 years before I opened this, so I am no rookie to running a business. I would love to share marketing ideas with any remaining people in this biz.
Please contact me
Marc

By: deedee

deedee — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 06:26:30 +0000

BAd idea. Don’t open one. Expensive operating costs and people will bring in too much time consuming junk.

By: Brian C.

Brian C. — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 06:19:03 +0000

A follow-up to my previous posting… If you open one of these stores without a franchise you can be more flexible with customers and fees. For example.. we have an Air Plane listed right now… the frachises would have made us list this at a price the customer could not afford or would have made the starting price so high it would not sell. And the listing is almost to it’s reserve with 180 watchers 3918 hits. So with a franchise we would have lost the customer, without the franchise we are going to clear over $1,100. Which would you rather have? You can email me at brian_c_91066@yahoo.com if you want both the good and bad of this business. There is a lot of both.

By: Brian C.

Brian C. — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 05:08:32 +0000

Well, my wife and I looked at franchises (ISoldit, etc).. but after looking at both the start-up and long term cost we decided to go it alone. And there is NO way would could have stayed in business if we were paying franchise fees. We have been open a little over a year and have been pretty much just breaking even.. our gross sales range from $20,000 to $35,000 per month. But we do see an increase and expect to make it.

The big problem with this business is… IT IS 24/7. There isn’t a second of the day there isn’t something that MUST be done. Between shipping, packing, listing, answering emails, etc.

By: Franchise Pick’s Most Volatile Posts of 2007: A Wrap-Up

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[...] Are Any eBay Drop-Off Franchises Successful? April 10th, 2007 – 11 Comments [...]

By: bad deal, not easy

bad deal, not easy — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:48:04 +0000

Hello,

Drop Off Store franchisors develop in France the same economic model to get franchisees money.

ebay france has difficulties to develop ebay.fr because average selling prices have dropped too. There are a lot of scam and cheap items too.

In West Europe, “PriceMinister” and “2xmoinscher” are good rivals to eBay. Many sellers in France stop to do business on eBay and there are more and more illegal commercial sellers on the territory.

eBay Drop Off Stores open month after month here and there is no future for them, there’s so many items that not sells or sells at ridiculous prices.

It’s sad..

By: unsnapped

unsnapped — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 21:15:26 +0000

Snappy doesn’t work, iSold-it doesn’t work. None of them work. The ONLY reason these stores are still open is people are working for free and going further into debt. I got out before it consumed me.

Please read the posting on this site and get out while you still can. You’re just delaying the inevitable.

eBay is changing and more and more people are going to other options like Craig’s List.

By: sean

sean — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 13:12:58 +0000

Incidentally, some franchisepick.com readers requested a list of closed and/or failed eBay dropoff franchised stores. I began compiling a list of reader-submitted locations at the link below. I’d appreciate any clarifications, dates, additions to this list.

Franchise Graveyard: eBay Dropoff Stores

If anyone wants to contribute lists for iSold It and others it would be appreciated. To contribute in private, email info@ideafarm.net. Thanks to those who contributed.

By: Ben Scrood

Ben Scrood — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 23:10:23 +0000

Well according to this web site there were 64 Snappy Auctions:

http://aol.entrepreneur.com/aol/franchises/snappyauctions/315758-0.html

If you count the stores on the Snappy Auctions site there are 48 stores. That’s 25% attrition rate to date and several more in the works.