After one failed attempt at buying a very desirable vintage coat from one of the largest, most recognized franchise outlets (I couldn’t get my question answered or additional photos to document the coat’s condition, nor was it mentioned in the auction content and with vintage condition is everything) and after checking on the veracity of $25, $40, $60 shipping charges (I’m located in an area without UPS ground rates but USPS is just fine) on clothing items or costume jewelry from the various franchisees on other auctions, over time I learned that they can’t be dealt with reasonably or taken seriously as a source for goods. I took my cash elsewhere and so did many other professional buyers.

And folks with items to sell? After getting pennies on the dollar for their items, they just quit coming by with their stuff. That lovely vintage coat that I wanted? It sold for less than half of what other similar vintage coats sold for on ebay in that time frame, yet for me with those extreme shipping fees and lack of substantive information on the item, I could not with good judgement buy that seriously underpriced item. Sad really for everyone. So I could have told anyone and did a few years ago on the ebay seller central community that this business model was heading the way of the dinosaurs because they entirely neglected the other half of their business relationship and that was the buying client.

BTW, I see that recently, several franchisees have gotten the flick or ebay has cracked down on those excessive shipping and handling (gouging) fees, but an ingrained habit of moving on when I see the franchise logos is a hard one to break. Likely spreading some of the unnecessary and excessive business costs foisted upon them by the terms of their franchise to the buyer is the very genesis of the sky high shipping charges that soured so many business buyers on the franchisees. The chain reaction of poor auction results only hastened their demise.

Good article and a cautionary tale for those that attempt to get into business without fully understanding what it is that they are embarking upon. One cannot just buy into a business, throw some money at a space, hang up a shingle, be spoon fed partial information in a week and then stand behind a counter or sit in an office and hope to rake money into the till. It simply does not work that way for the majority of us in business.

Aggressive and well thought out cost containment measures from the very outset of the business plan, to leasing, to set up costs, to deciding whether to acquire staff (among other costs) and then subsequently providing great customer service to both suppliers and buyers are the two cornerstones of avoiding business failure and of course, timing and adaptation to the current business climate is everything.

Unfortunately the franchise name ultimately became an anchor for those businesses that paid so dearly to acquire it.

Again good article from a different and inside view.

I quit to go make as much selling 2 items/day on ebay in 1 hour. Sadly, the owner wasnt interested in buying products outright from an electronic off-lease company down the street.

She should of taken my advice. Now im selling 400-500/day (20K daily) and her store flopped 5 months after I quit.

Breaking off from there was the best thing that happened to me as it got me to where I am now.

If your interested in a franchise, go with subway. They seem very successful in the right area. Everyone these days wants cheap, healthy food.

Check out our latest article above about Zippi Networks Consignment opportunity.

Thanks for reading!