Kenners

[]

I calculate things like this

 

How much I bought - How much I sold = Profit

 

I just include losses for myself to see how well I'm doing and yes every fee is already calculated into this.

 

Where in the hell did you learn that Expenses - Revenue = Profit???

 

It's the other way around!!. Otherwise if your expense is $100 and your revenue is $150, then your profit will be a NEGATIVE number (i.e. a loss).

 

Come one man, this is BASIC BASIC accounting! Stop everything and start LEARNING.

 

 

 

And like I posted a page or so ago.....

 

Why the heck do you use a different tallying system for "Little books" compared to your "Big books"???

 

What's with all the extra additional numbers in the Little Books rows?

 

Little Books

Bought $2455.12+247.01+699.53=$3401.68

Sold $4007.43+1679.24=$5686.67

Losses $1079.43+637.19= $1716.62

Profit $568.37

 

Big Books

Bought $5329.03

Sold $2340

Losses $2989.03

 

Where do all those extra numbers come from???

 

I don't have my business books on me anymore but I was always taught this

 

Amount paid - Amount sold = Profit

 

If that's not how it goes then I can fix that so basically I do the opposite of what I've been doing? Those numbers aren't extra at all it was calculated the max number my calculator count count at that time so I wrote do each one then added them.

 

the correct way to calculate profit it is: GO TAKE A BASIC BUSINESS CLASS. If you can't pass it, business is not for you.

 

its like you're trying to be a pro soccer player because you are physically capable of running and kicking a ball, but don't even know the rules of the game. And yes occasionally you can kick the ball in the right direction, but mostly its wrong and occasionally you get run over. Yes I guess you could keep running around the field and pick up some of the rules if you're an observant person and people are trying to tell to yell at you from the sidelines, but no rational person can possibly think that's the best way to become a pro soccer player. Why not take some time to understand some of the rules? Or if its apparent that your kicking isn't strong and you don't run very fast, why not work on those first before you get onto the field? If you never bother to learn the rules or learn to kick accurately, you will never be a pro soccer player.

 

for the Canadians or other internationals, soccer = football (non-American) = futbol = footie

 

I need to get better at the calculations and formulas I know that much

 

Calculations and formulas??? It addition and subtraction not something you have to go to school for unless you're five years old. Seriously, for a person your age to be so lost is just pathetic. I know you want to be a success in life but the reality is you're probably going to be a lifer as a dish washer unless something worse comes up. I really sympathize for your parents.

 

brutally harsh, but brings up a great point.

 

Not everyone can be good at everything, whether it be math, reading, music, art, fighting, running, listening, etc., though all of those things can be worked on and improved over time, with a LOT of effort. More valuable than understanding of math is a self awareness of one's strengths, weaknesses, capabilities, and limitations.

 

The OP doesn't appear to recognize his failings as a result of his limitations, but rather a lack of repetitions from which to learn from. Some things are like that, some things are not. Since you don't appear to have the sense to see that, please talk to someone you know, love, trust and think is genuinely smart to help you see those things.

 

You might think the business math we're throwing around is tough, or requires a math wiz, but honestly most people find that math painfully simple and intuitively understand it without ever being taught. I'm not sure if that's ever been made clear to you. IT IS BRUTALLY SIMPLE, and if you never master it you will never be a success at selling comics or any type of sell owned/self run business

 

BUT now knowing that (assuming you accept that), there's only three rational outcomes.

 

1. You honestly, genuinely want to be successful so bad, that you are willing to work 5x harder to LEARN THE MATH, whether its going to school, getting a tutor, going to the library and starting from the beginning of grade school math, asking your family for help, anything and everything. I was being sarcastic when I said you could just keep buying and selling and you'd magically learn math. You won't, especially you.

 

2. You decide there's too much math and decide to pursue any other job/career that doesn't involve math: telemarketing, customer service, uber driver, dishwasher, delivery person, chef (some math maybe), janitor, gardener, farm hand (don't knock this, can be a super lucrative job), truck driver, door-to-door sales, etc. With hard work, these can all be very lucrative.

 

2a. You've stated before you wanted to be a voice actor. Did you even do everything you could to do that? Make recordings of yourself reading things day in and day out (and then listen of course)? Practice inflections? Mimic recordings of other actors? Read scripts along with muted televisions? Read out loud in church or school? Star in school plays? Practice accents? Did you have lessons or coaching?

 

3. You can continue to ignore it. And your life will never get better. Which is fine, if you're satisfied with it. You've gotta roof over your head, I assume you don't starve, you've got enough $$ to play video games, surf the net, and lose a couple hundred here and there selling comics. Its not a terrible life, you've got farmworkers in California picking fruit in the sun for 12hrs per day for less than minimum wage who have to clothe and feed their kids and sleep in 1 bedroom shacks. You've got an ok life, nothing wrong with being satisfied there.

 

Its just that you claim to want more...

 

Again, I/we don't need answers to any of these, would strongly prefer silent action to vociferous inaction.

 

I'm tired of my limitations holding me back, I'm tired of my learning disability getting in the way, I'm tired of people looking down on me, I'm tired of people take their abilities for granted, I'm tired of the state I'm in, I'm tired of people thinking I'm being lazy, making this up or being plain stupid. I have stated many time that "What you find obvious and simple to do" isn't the case for me.

 

I'm going with the 1st option you gave me and guess what? I asked a teacher for basic math she laughed and refused it. I'm willing to work hard on math to make this work, I want to be smart, I want to be as smart as my friends in math.

 

2 a) When I was doing voice acting I just did my best to copy what they did. Inflections were hard for me because at times I didn't know the context of the grammar I was reading. I used to print out -script and read them. I had no lessons or coaching nor did I star in any plays.

 

I did however do a couple demo's to get a evaluation and they said I have a clear voice with no problem but it's very rough and take a lot of work to become top game, that's not even speaking about learning grammar and the dozens of other things that they do.

So, what are you going to do .. accept what she said .. ask another teacher .. or give-up?

You seriously need to get the skills in order for you to be able to do what you want to do: sell/flip comics .. and I, as well as many, many others urge you to do the following .. just for now: Better your educational and personal/social skills etc. Seriously, Gabe. We know how much you love comics, but right now .. this seriously is not what you should be concentrating on. Comics will never go away, but you have zero chance of accomplishing what you want to achieve if you do not stop now .. and take care of your basic skills. Come back to it in a few years time, when you have a few life-skills under your belt. I can't emphasise this enough. It's your life and your decision-making, of course; but if you can see things from our side of the keyboard .. you're just going your own way .. and it's not a good way. Feel free to ignore the advice, but .. if I was you .. I'd take it.

What makes you feel like you deserve a job that you love and pays well?

 

Why do you deserve it more than the person working full time and going to school full time? Or the person working 2 jobs to take care of his family?

 

Why do you deserve it more than the soldier fighting for his country?

 

Why do you deserve it more than the soccer player born with innate skills and crazy work ethic?

 

Why do you deserve it more than the PHD student who has done 15 years of schooling AFTER high school including research that might actually HELP someone someday?

 

Why do you deserve it more than every other person who finished college? or trade school? Or served in the military? OR doesn't have emotional issues?

 

Do you deserve it more than every single person with more business experience, sense, education, or experience than you?

 

Do you even deserve it more than the son who's dad buys him a comic book store? Why or why not?

 

 

Why on earth would you be entitled to a job you enjoy AND pays well? What if you had a passion for something but it didn't pay well? Or what if you had a valuable talent, but you didn't enjoy it?

 

You can find joy, honor (more than you'll ever have), and respect in ANY honest job, done diligently and with pride.

 

And if you want to find something you enjoy but pays well, why the eff are you even remotely interested in comics? How many full time comic dealers on the planet do you think pull down six figures? And how many are in Canada? Do you have any idea? You probably have a better shot at joining the CFL or being a rodeo clown.

 

 

You are currently a million miles away from even THINKING about a job that pays well that you enjoy. You can work towards one, but your level of entitlement (especially when coupled with your political views) is absurdly disheartening and frustrating. You're not operating in a reality that actually exists. You're operating in an addicts spiral, exacerbated by mental, emotional, and learning issues, mixed with healthy doses of questionable (at best) entitlement world views.

 

I never said I should get one immediately and without any effort but everyone deserves something career wise that makes them happy. I'm not responsible and shouldn't be responsible for the actions of others like all those examples you mentioned, I never forced their choices upon them. I'm interested in comics because I can make money with them and I read some of them as well. Again you're saying it like I want a amazing job now and that's not right it's something to work towards. I don't talk politics on here for more then one reason.

 

WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!

 

 

 

You deserve what you earn in life.

 

Anything else are gifts, gravy and icing on the cake.

 

 

 

 

Why do you keep thinking I'm talking about the present?

 

Past, present, or future, the statement "everyone deserves something career-wise that makes them happy" is never true. Believing it is true is why many people here have said you have an entitled attitude.

 

You don't deserve a career that makes you happy simply by existing no matter how old you are. People who have careers that make them happy have earned their position in life through hard work and patience.

 

This is what jcjames is trying to convey to you.

 

Finally, it seems there are some here that are here simply to poke fun at or just flat out insult Gabe. If it's not constructive or at least funny (Gabe seems to have thick skin and a decent sense of humor), maybe try not to post here. And leave the election talk at the door lest this thread get scrubbed.

 

Thanks for explaining that I always wondered why no matter what I said James would say I was entitled, having a sense of humor is needed in this world you can't be serious all the time or people won't want to be around you.

 

Not even lip service to the main point this time?

 

Acknowledge the fact that you (or me, or anyone) don't inherently deserve a career that makes you happy...such a situation is earned. This acknowledgement is typically the first step on the road to success. It seems like you're not even prepared to start down that road yet.

 

I will admit it. No one deserves a career that makes them happy unless they earned it.

Do you also admit that there are millions of people who hate their job but do it because they need to keep a roof over their head, pay for bills, etc??? Welcome to the real world, Gabe. That is what most people do.

Wait, nobody else picked up on the fact that by his own accounting he has $1,448 in inventory that he expects to sell for between $500-750?

 

I'm still trying to figure out why he's using a different accounting for his little books than he is for his big books.

 

Little Books

Bought $2455.12+247.01+699.53=$3401.68

Sold $4007.43+1679.24=$5686.67

Losses $1079.43+637.19= $1716.62

Profit $568.37

 

Big Books

Bought $5329.03

Sold $2340

Losses $2989.03

 

What are all the colored figures in the Little Books section for?

 

 

Nevermind.

 

 

I'm not sure why the others are colored but the red is for losses and the green is profit

 

Wait, what? If the red is for a loss, how can you add it to two positive numbers to get a total number that's the sum of the absolute values of the three?

 

And if the red is for losses, what's the line 'losses'?

 

Seriously, I have no faith that you even know what your current situation is.

 

Please do an introductory book keeping course, or at the very least buy 'book keeping for dummies'. And if you really don't want to invest any money there's always this.

 

If you are ever successful at this, you'll have to pay taxes and might get audited. In that case you need books that can be scrutinised - which means they have to be understandable by people other than yourself.

 

Sorry I didn't pay attention to what the color coded numbers were and I'm not sure why it turned out that way but put simple this it what I used to calculate it

 

How much I spent - How much I sold it for - Losses = Profit made

 

Nope - not how that equation works. Your losses are factored into the amount you sold them for.

 

How much you sold it for minus all fees minus how much you spent then gives you profits.

 

If Gabe sells a book for $30 shipped and it cost him $7 to ship and $4 in fees and cost him $20 to buy it then how much has he made in profits?

 

I would be losing a dollar

You're thinking this WRONG! .. it's not just "losing a dollar" .. it's NOT MAKING PROFIT/MONEY.

Inventory Update

 

Total Comics Bought $11,048.55

Total Comics sold $10,424.16

Inventory $1448

Loss $624.39

 

Just joining in here so I don't know specifics but it seems you would have been better off dropping 11k into a Hulk 1 and flipping it.

 

I was told that or a AF15 but I wouldn't have made all the mistakes that I have.

 

.. but that would be a GOOD thing, Gabe.

 

Maybe but then I wouldn't have all this advice

.. all this advice is basically telling you how not to make mistakes (advice which you ignore) .. hence you still make mistakes. If you'd have just bought an AF15 and flipped it, you'd have "more-than-likely" made a profit. The fact that you've had 3 years of not getting into positive equity should really be making you think at this point if this whole comic lark is for you, but so obviously it's not.

Inventory Update

 

Total Comics Bought $11,048.55

Total Comics sold $10,424.16

Inventory $1448

Loss $624.39

 

Just joining in here so I don't know specifics but it seems you would have been better off dropping 11k into a Hulk 1 and flipping it.

 

I was told that or a AF15 but I wouldn't have made all the mistakes that I have.

.. but that would be a GOOD thing, Gabe.

I've read every post in Gabe's Journal. There's probably been just a handful that make me think: " .. I sincerely hope Gabe takes stock of this great, very well written, concerned advice and acts on it .. "

 

Revat's 1st most recent post above is one of those posts.

 

Gabe, please take note.

 

Revat makes great posts I agree and he always loads them with lots of questions too.

.. but does what Revat write really sink-in? He asks those questions to make you think about your life, decision-making and emotions. He questions you, so you hopefully question yourself.

I've read every post in Gabe's Journal. There's probably been just a handful that make me think: " .. I sincerely hope Gabe takes stock of this great, very well written, concerned advice and acts on it .. "

Revat's 1st most recent post above is one of those posts.

Gabe, please take note.

Inventory Update

 

Total Comics Bought $11,048.55

Total Comics sold $10,424.16

Inventory $1448

Loss $624.39

Not yet sold: 27

Comics Lost on: 28

 

 

 

 

Big Comics VS Little Comics Comparison

 

 

Little Books

Bought $2455.12+247.01+699.53=$3401.68

Sold $4007.43+1679.24=$5686.67

Losses $1079.43+637.19= $1716.62

Profit $568.37

 

Big Books

Bought $5329.03

Sold $2340

Losses $2989.03

 

 

Dear God - your basic book keeping skills are heart breaking. Please explain your math on the little books section. $3,401.68 bought and $5,686.67 sold but you had $1,716.62 in loss but $568.37 in profits???

 

This is what really matters:

 

Total Comics Bought $11,048.55

Total Comics sold $10,424.16

Inventory $1448

 

If your numbers are correct then it looks like you will be up $823.61 when you sell the rest of your inventory. This is assuming your sold number has subtracted fees and all cost to sell the books.

 

I'm assuming the inventory number is what he paid for it...who knows what it'll actually sell for.

 

I think most reasonable people would come to the conclusion that after 3 years and being in the red, that it might not be the best business for them.

 

 

 

But even if he gets half he will still be up compared the loss he keeps talking about. But I do agree being up a couple hundred dollars after 3 years and $11,000 in sold books is so low I'd have not thought possible.

 

Don't mix the big and little books and my inventory I just did that because someone asked for it. Go by the inventory list that's what you should focus on. [/quot

 

Are you actually telling others what THEY should focus on? That's like Stevie Wonder offering to give driving lessons.

 

Yes I am because people are adding the losses of both of my updates when that's all been calculated already and that's my inventory update

 

Taking all that into account .. you're still in the shitter .. 3 years and you haven't made a profit.

 

It doesn't matter that you think you're moving forward and you'll make the occasional mistake in the future .. the crux of it is: You're not making any profit.

What was your purchase price for the two?

 

With shipping included it cost me 12 dollars

 

Betty and me 16 $4.50

NYX 4 $4

Shipping $3.50

 

Did you do ANY due diligence on shipping? How do you expect them to ship 2 comics for $3.50 INTERNATIONALLY

.. it's going to be packed inbetween two sheets of newspaper and couriered by donkey .. expected delivery: April 2017 (if at all).

.. don't forget: it's them that are paying for the shipping options .. not you .. which is why that thought crossed my mind, as you worded it as what the shipping would cost you (which isn't correct at all).

Shipping has more then one option but using a box is more expensive then shipping it in a bubble mailer.

Gabe .... the different amounts for shipping shouldn't matter. You are giving options for your potential buyer, and they will appreciate the time you are taking to do that for them. I always look to see what packaging options a seller provides. It's not a deal-breaker, but it's good to have that extra packaging option. Other buyers mileage may vary on that one .. and anyway .. it's the buyer who will be picking up the tab for shipping.

A thought just crossed my mind: Heaven forbid you're "adding a little bit more" on the shipping price to make that little bit more on the thing that you're selling? Doing that is rightly-so frowned upon

 

Three sentences? I only see two at most and what does my grammar have to do with how seriously people take me? Because of being professional? I know I'm not the best but I have improved if you haven't noticed. There's more the one reason for sure but the big one was boardies didn't like me saying nice comics.

 

I think the way people see you is not only through how you conduct yourself but also how you represent yourself. You do not appear to be someone that knows what you're doing. The way you describe yourself and the way you conduct your business is sloppy. You won't be taken seriously unless you clean up your act.

 

I see so what can I do immediately to make people want to buy more?

 

Lower prices

Good pics and descriptions

 

YES! ... doesn't that seem like common-sense to you?

 

That's what I did with some of my listing but they were hit and miss tbh

 

Gabe, you're not seeing it ... if you lower your prices: You'll make your books far more liable to be purchased. If you provide good pics and descriptions: you're giving your potential buyers confidence that what you're offering is what they'll receive if they DO buy from you.

 

I always (but ALWAYS) walk away from listings that have poor pictures. To me, it shows that the seller is either potentially hiding defects, or that they're lazy. Either way, it doesn't inspire confidence for me to bid or buy it now.

 

Ok pricing is one thing I need to change and which listing are you saying has poor pictures? The DD257 or Tec 359?

Strong truth from me: I've not bothered looking at either listings, as too many people have said the pics are poor. .. and talk like that doesn't inspire confidence in me to look at them (plus I'm not a Bats fan, so I wouldn't naturally hunt them out anyway).

what does my grammar have to do with how seriously people take me?

 

 

Let me rephrase that. I'm selling comics and I know may grammar isn't perfect but they can understand me.

.. have you heard of the saying: You are what you write?

If people see lots of grammatical errors, they will pre-judge you as a simpleton. Yeah, sure .. the odd one-or-two ... everyone's human afterall ... but when whole sentences are strung together with no punctuation, well .. you are what you write.

 

Three sentences? I only see two at most and what does my grammar have to do with how seriously people take me? Because of being professional? I know I'm not the best but I have improved if you haven't noticed. There's more the one reason for sure but the big one was boardies didn't like me saying nice comics.

 

I think the way people see you is not only through how you conduct yourself but also how you represent yourself. You do not appear to be someone that knows what you're doing. The way you describe yourself and the way you conduct your business is sloppy. You won't be taken seriously unless you clean up your act.

 

I see so what can I do immediately to make people want to buy more?

 

Lower prices

Good pics and descriptions

 

YES! ... doesn't that seem like common-sense to you?

 

That's what I did with some of my listing but they were hit and miss tbh

Gabe, you're not seeing it ... if you lower your prices: You'll make your books far more liable to be purchased. If you provide good pics and descriptions: you're giving your potential buyers confidence that what you're offering is what they'll receive if they DO buy from you.

I always (but ALWAYS) walk away from listings that have poor pictures. To me, it shows that the seller is either potentially hiding defects, or that they're lazy. Either way, it doesn't inspire confidence for me to bid or buy it now.

 

Three sentences? I only see two at most and what does my grammar have to do with how seriously people take me? Because of being professional? I know I'm not the best but I have improved if you haven't noticed. There's more the one reason for sure but the big one was boardies didn't like me saying nice comics.

 

I think the way people see you is not only through how you conduct yourself but also how you represent yourself. You do not appear to be someone that knows what you're doing. The way you describe yourself and the way you conduct your business is sloppy. You won't be taken seriously unless you clean up your act.

 

I see so what can I do immediately to make people want to buy more?

 

Lower prices

Good pics and descriptions

YES! ... doesn't that seem like common-sense to you?

The thing with eBay is this: .. every Seller (whether they actually are or not) needs to be seen to be as Professional as possible and make their listings also look as Professional as possible.

 

I'm pointing out the obvious to many on here, but Gabe might not see the pitfalls for successful selling on the 'bay.

 

Gabe, If you put blurry pics and hardly any notes in the listing .. potential buyers will just walk away. I see it all the time, people are fickle: if it doesn't look good (nevermind if the price is good or not) they will move on to the next listing.

 

A typical example is if you have your own website: if it doesn't grab the first-time visitor within 10-15 seconds .. they're gone.

 

Make your listings as good as you possibly can .. and also investigate eBay's Templates (they frame the main description). Looks are pretty much everything.

 

 

I didn't think people make judgement calls that quickly if they want to buy something or not I was going to take better pics and I didn't even expect to get as many offers as I did before the listing got taken down.

They do .. it's called experience that makes me impart that info to you

Offers from here, or eBay? .. and no-wonder the list got taken down (as others have posted already)

The thing with eBay is this: .. every Seller (whether they actually are or not) needs to be seen to be as Professional as possible and make their listings also look as Professional as possible.

I'm pointing out the obvious to many on here, but Gabe might not see the pitfalls for successful selling on the 'bay.

Gabe, If you put blurry pics and hardly any notes in the listing .. potential buyers will just walk away. I see it all the time, people are fickle: if it doesn't look good (nevermind if the price is good or not) they will move on to the next listing.

A typical example is if you have your own website: if it doesn't grab the first-time visitor within 10-15 seconds .. they're gone.

Make your listings as good as you possibly can .. and also investigate eBay's Templates (they frame the main description). Looks are pretty much everything.

.. if we can say PGX .. we can say CBCS. I get so f'kin tired of 'Voldemort'.

I totally agree with chrisco37 .. get several of these types of deals under your belt (and ONLY do these types of deals for a looooooong time) and hopefully you'll start seeing profit.

 

That makes it sound like forever and maybe hopefully making a profit. I realize I'm not starting in the best of ways but I don't ignore a good deal if it's small if I think I can make money on it I buy it.

 

It will take a long time, but .. so what? .. you WILL make money. Please don't let this be more sound advice, which you'll choose to ignore.

 

If that's true why did you make it sound like I "might" make money on it?

.. because the way you handle sales, who can tell? Sorry if it sounded hard, but .. what can I say? .. Your track-record hasn't had a trail-blazing success rate.

You need to stop thinking that you can do better than seasoned-Professionals who have been doing this for decades (please don't tell me that you don't think that, otherwise over 3 years (if you had followed advice) you would be hugely in-profit by now.

I totally agree with chrisco37 .. get several of these types of deals under your belt (and ONLY do these types of deals for a looooooong time) and hopefully you'll start seeing profit.

 

That makes it sound like forever and maybe hopefully making a profit. I realize I'm not starting in the best of ways but I don't ignore a good deal if it's small if I think I can make money on it I buy it.

It will take a long time, but .. so what? .. you WILL make money. Please don't let this be more sound advice, which you'll choose to ignore.

I totally agree with chrisco37 .. get several of these types of deals under your belt (and ONLY do these types of deals for a looooooong time) and hopefully you'll start seeing profit.

Oh that I have but their schedules are busy and I always get cut short because I talk too much. I do have both a life coach and a psychiatrist that I work with.

Gabe, I've noticed you bring this up several times in your journal, so I feel intrigued (and able) to ask you about it. Obviously, this is a sensitive issue for anyone to discuss .. if you don't want to answer it on a public forum, I'll completely understand and I apologise for asking, but ...

.. you have a learning disability, I'm sure that having a psychiatrist is not needed to help you with that, so .. what is it? What else are you holding back-on that you need a psyche?? If you do answer the question as to why, it may give us a clearer picture why you make the decisions that you do.

fanny

As a U.K. boardie, well-versed in U.K. slang, I find your above comment hilarious, Sir!

.. please may we have some more?

I think if he's going to continue to flip the first thing he needs to do is make a realistic budget...some of the best advice yet. Set a aside a percentage of what you make at your job strictly for comics and have enough discipline to not exceed it. ....

 

And it has to be a very small amount. The point is to train his self-control, not indulge his impulses as much as he can afford.

 

 

A small amount like what?

See my Step 1 again:

1. Stop all comic-buying that costs more than you make in one-hour of work a week. Whatever you make per hour, that is your weekly budget for games/comics etc. for the rest of the year. This is the start of training your self-control which you already admit is the core of your problems.

Will you like it? No.

Will it feel good? No.

Is it necessary? Absolutely.

Will you do this? If your answer is "No", then say so and everyone will know that you refuse to restrain your emotions and impulses. "

 

 

What is your answer?

 

 

No because I don't understand it. My budget can't be anything over what I make in a hour so what I am allowed to spend?

Gabe, I know I said I was just going to be reading your journal, but like your comic buying .. I just can't help myself.

If you make $7.00c an hour (just a random figure I made up) .. $7.00c is the amount that you spend on comics a week.

Hopefully you'll understand that and be able to post 'Yes' or 'No' to the question.

Great! I love your idea.