Raggie33 and others, lend me your ear

cobb

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Sep 26, 2004
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Raggie33, I read a while back that some of the members said you could start selling pieces of wire or cr123 batteries to make some extra money.

You want to seriously entertain that idea? I too and disabled and work part time and could use some extra money. I am currently on a verbal warning at my job at a call center and was denied a transfer to a better department cause of my southern accent. So, off to find another job before I am fired and am appealing that call as it occured right after I applied for another position.

I am out half the day, but have the bus to go to the post office and i believe a paypal account, if not those are easy to get. You think you could manage being the contact for folks, assuming you are home most of the time and relay the orders to me to ship out by email or something? Then we split the profit after expenses?

Is there a high markup for batteries, wire and or drop in led modules? Would shipping by regular mail appeal to others or accepting credit cards for over seas orders?

Anything we can do to get an advantage so I or we do not end up with a box of batteries or hundreds of feet of wire in my bedroom after a miserible failure?

Thanks for any ideas, help or suggestions. I have no bus service on the weekends and just picured my table in what use to be my bedroom full of cr123 chargers precharging batteries before i shipped them out. I am assuming precharging them is a good thing, I hate getting new toys that need to be charged before use. As for grinding out legend xl flashlights to accept a 3w led module, that is way too much work and time. I rather glue together a light out of pvc pipe or trash with a design that accepts the module.
 

raggie33

*the raggedier*
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Aug 11, 2003
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id like to be able to buy a bunch a small lights like the key chain types and sell em i figure they wont weigh much to send.but i a course have to be able to come up with the funds to buy em.i decided i better wait would be a scary invesment
 

PhotonWrangler

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Hmm... you could buy the $1.00 keychain lights from CountyComm and mod them with the new 26,000mcd LEDs. That wouldn't cost terribly much and they'd still be cheap to mail. And I'd buy some from ya! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

Lebkuecher

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Nashville TN
Count me in, I'll buy from both of you /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/takeit.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/paypal.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sold.gif
 

raggie33

*the raggedier*
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Aug 11, 2003
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sounds cool thats a easy mode to do to.i used to have a bunch of the county comm lights but lost em in move.there nice lights would even be cooler if the new nichia leds that are in the fredom came out
 

IsaacHayes

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Missouri
Or even the cheap over-seas .70/.30 whatever keychain lights. Buy in bulk, & then mod them...
 

cobb

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Sep 26, 2004
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Hey, I can solder and own a few irons and guns. I have some credit and if we can get preorders before hand, we can pull this off.

I have such a crazy day between waiting for paratransit public transportation and my job working anywhere from 4-9.5 hours, I am not always around or have time to visit this site. I doubt this would be something to do full time than work, but something for the weekends when I just workout, clean, ride down the street in my wheelchair to do my laundry and nap.

If I understand correctly, this is how everyone does business. THey jsut find a supplier and resell stuff at a profit. Like bugout does his 3w led modules and the other vendors here and stores like walmart, etc. We just need something we or I can afford and work with, with a one bedroom apartment for storage.

What else could we or I sell? Are there things that do not require any work? I mean like the wire thing or batteries? What about flashlights? Are those things dirt cheap in quanity? I would hate to be another online store with prices next to the next guy. I would want a deal or steal to lure current and non members to buy.
 

PhotonWrangler

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I think they key is to sell things that are truly unique. The modded keychain lights is a good start. Maybe even get some little round CPF stickers printed up to place on them when they're done. Start small and then branch into modding some of the other 5mm LED flashlights with the new LEDs.
 

cy

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Dec 20, 2003
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USA
I think key to selling a butt load of stuff to cpf members is:

1. something everyone needs, but can't seem to find. like nyogel 959 and teflon wire
2. deluxe hassle to buy due to only small quantities needed, but everyone wants to only sell in bulk.
3. of highest quality in small quantities
4. must be willing make small amount per shipment and put up with hassles of packaging and labeling to earn small amount. like $3-$10 per order.
5. setup a system where all supplies can be order/delivered without leaving home. USPS will pickup for free on their regular schedule.

You don't need any capital. simply find/locate all necessary items to purchase. Setup a Paypal account, then post a prepay thread. Folks will line up and throw money at your PP acount and them patiently wait for their order to come in.

The catch to all this is. Your goodwill only works once! YOU MUST DELIVER WHAT EVER IS PROMISED!

It's OK to make a LARGE markup by percentage for your handling. for actual amount earned is small.

example purchase li-ion cell for $2 and sell for $6. Several cpf'er are already doing this.

A certain chinese batt mfg has been dying for orders. their prices are unreal. aprox $5 for a protected 18650 cell/ if you accept their packaging the 1,000 quantity is not needed. I don't see anything wrong with buying for $5ea and selling for $12ea. several cpf'er are already doing this.

teflon wire may one cost you $2, but it's OK to charge $6 to cut to small quantities and ship for $.55.

glow powder can be purchase in one lb quantities, then broken down to 1/4 oz amounts. incredible markups are tolarated. who needs one lb of glowpowder?

I'm sure cpf'er can come up with more items needed.

My paypal is ready to order. I'm willing to wait one+ month for my order to show up. I've given my $$$ several time to other cpf'ers and waited for months to get my goodies.

In fact I've got $500+ dollars paid months in advance for items yet to be received.

don't think it's a problem to trust you with a $25 dollar order /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif IMHO I think you can deliver! PP ready
 

Ken_McE

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Jun 16, 2003
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Can You Guys Cut Plastic & Solder LEDs?

There is more to having a business than just "buy low and sell high". There is also the whole "value added" concept where what you are selling is not so much the parts as it is what you have done with the parts. For example stop over at:

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=3

and browse around in the LED forum. They are a bunch of car enthusiasts and a number of them want to swap their stock running light/turn signal/brakes lights for LED units, but are maybe a little vague on the details of the LED parts or don't want to spend a weekend buying and soldering stuff.

You might be able to make deals where you pick up the necessary light housings used at a junk yard, mod them over to LED at your place, and then send them out as a ready to plug in replacement. All of the work is light and easy and everything but getting the light housings can be done while you are sitting in a wheelchair at the kitchen table.
 

cobb

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Sep 26, 2004
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Re: Can You Guys Cut Plastic & Solder LEDs?

Thanks, I dont know but raggie doesnt seem that interested. My concern of doing something like this was being away almost 12 hours a day and 8 or so of that asleep during the week. Although I do not visit here daily, I do read at least my email.
 

LightChucker

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Jun 5, 2003
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Raytown, Missouri USA
Be careful with reselling "new" commodities, like batteries, etc. There are already thousands of people out there that will be competing with you. You will be competing with people and companies that can by hundreds of thousands of batteries at a time - or, whatever it is you are trying to resell. Those people can sell them far cheaper than you can. So, your risk is VERY high. You have to have LOTs of money to buy your initial inventory, and you will need LOTs of sales - FAST - to get that money coming back in the door.

On the other hand, there is a way to buy-resell that has very little up front demands. You can find niche markets like the lady I know of that goes to garage sales, buys a whole box of old, old dress-making patterns for $1, and then auctions them on eBay for a huge profit - simply because they are collector's items.

Another guy found his niche in reselling neck ties. He knows what brands to look for and which ones are unique collectables: NASCAR, Elvis Presley, baseball, football, political, etc. He got his start by selling police and military patches, and stumbled onto the neck tie collectors.

Doing what these people are doing requires very little risk. The lady spends $1 for 20 dress patterns. The guy spends $1 for a box of old ties. Even if all they sell is one item for $30, that is GOOD MONEY!

In both cases, these people took the time to discover what their market wanted, and how much they were willing to pay. The best part is that it takes virtually NO upfront investment. And raggie, you already have a digital camera!

The down-side is that it takes transportation and knowledge of your niche. If there is a will, there is a way.

Good luck!

Chuck
 

cobb

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Sep 26, 2004
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2,957
I got a second part time job Friday. No money problems till I quit or get fired from one. This was going to be the first month I would spend more than make in bills alone, not counting food.
 

raggie33

*the raggedier*
Joined
Aug 11, 2003
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13,451
im still thinking a doing mods simple ones but i got to find cheap easy to buy parts that are still quality made
 
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