Job Q&A
Douglas Garn, Second Career - Selling on eBay
by Kendra Lott
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Douglas Garn currently has a full-time career in social work, but to keep busy during a layoff in the summer of 1998 he began selling items from his enormous collection of rock-and-roll memorabilia on eBay. When Garn's first child was born in early 1999, he stepped up his eBay activity to provide the family with extra income. Currently Garn sells in excess of $2,000 in merchandise on eBay each month, and was featured in the November 11, 1999 issue of Rolling Stone.

Monster.com: When did you start collecting?

Douglas Garn: Even as a kid I was a real pack rat. I have souvenirs of everything I ever did, ticket stubs from every concert I ever went to. When promoters passed out freebies, some people just took one of everything -- I always took a handful.

Mc: Describe your early days with eBay.

DG: My first foray into eBay was actually as a buyer looking for stuff for my collection, but at one point I thought that it would be much cooler to start making money instead of sending it away. I started without scans [of my merchandise] on an old IBM 486, but I kept getting knocked off America OnLine because it was so slow.

Mc: Was it difficult to sell without scans?

DG: You can do it if people are real collectors and know what they're buying, but I also want to reach the people who don't know as much about it. If I've got a rare poster of the Grateful Dead in Alaska, I need to show it to buyers.

Mc: How have you increased your technological capabilities?

DG: Now I have an IBM 233 and I got an Acer scanner for my own still photos. The first few were fuzzy so I called Acer tech support and they helped me get started. The books that come with the equipment are just terrible and there aren't many stores who have real pros selling, so I just practice and ask friends for advice. Now I know what I'm doing.

Mc: What do you have to take into account for the photographs?

DG: Size and resolution are very important in print photography, but on the Internet quality is terrible so you don't have to be that sophisticated. If you make your photo too big it takes too long download, and people get frustrated and click elsewhere.

Mc: What's your next step in equipment?

DG: An IBM 500 computer and a digital camera, so I don't have to bother with the scans.

Mc: What do you like most about selling on eBay?

DG: I don't need a store, I'm the boss and I have fun with it. I also really enjoy getting to know the people in the eBay community. You spend a lot of time with them, and they really trust you -- that's an incredible feeling. Recently someone sent something back to me, and instead asking for a refund he told me just to hold on to his money for a future purchase. One buyer even sent me a baby gift.

Mc: How do you arrange your selling schedule?

DG: I do my work at night and on weekends, and sometimes I check in the morning. I usually do seven-day auctions or 10-day for big items. I try to have weekend exposure and to end late enough for California time.

Mc: What's the least appealing aspect?

DG: I hate the shipping. On Friday nights my living room looks like Christmas.

Mc: What advice would you offer someone looking to make serious money on eBay?

DG: Check out the market first to see what items like yours are commanding, because you may be way off [in your estimates]. Once you decide that you want to sell, put out your least precious thing and see what happens.