THE HUSTLE OF THE “SIDE HUSTLE”-SHOW ME THE MONEY?
Are You Guys Making Money from the Videos or the Actual Hustle?
Let’s get real! Are you gangsters on YouTube making money with the Hustle or making money talking about the Hustle?
There are thousands of new people online every week with YouTube and their notoriety has grown exponentially, especially now, with millions of people staying at home, being laid off and trying to figure out what they really want to do with the rest of their lives.
I’m not sure if the actual Hustle can support someone earning a living but I’ve come to believe after watching about 100 YouTube videos at 3 am that it’s probably a good “Side Hustle” at least.
The people making their full time income appear to have a clear business plan with loads of disposable income to buy items and store them, which is the major difference between them and me. I watched a video yesterday with a fellow who is one of the top 10 sellers on Amazon for retail arbitrage and is making millions. He, of course, has a staff of employees and buys bulk items on a regular basis.
Bulk?
When I buy bulk, I’m buying 2–4 items; that’s my definition of “bulk.” When these guys buy “bulk,” they are buying hundreds to thousands of one item and 10–50 skus in one purchase.
Nike shoes. Great seller on Amazon if you can get un-gated and if you can afford to even purchase a few pair. Imagine purchasing 2,000 pairs and your profit margin, even after paying the Amazon fees?
I believe that’s where we separate the big boys and girls from the little boys and girls.
They are selling the used shoes on different platforms like E-bay, Mercari and Poshmark and typically the new shoes on Amazon. E-bay evidently sells new as well but Amazon appears to have taken the lead on “new” sales.
There are businesses within businesses with online selling. You can pay hundreds to thousands of dollars getting “un-gated” in different categories in Amazon. Getting “un-gated” is the name of the game for big sales. There are loads of scammers out there promising sellers to get un-gated for big seller categories like grocery and toys.
Buyer Beware…
You can sell books to start on Amazon but you need to prove yourself with them to get un-gated in other categories. They have tightened their rules for sellers and there is a very detailed process to go through to eventually get acceptance in specific categories.
I actually like the idea of having to go through a little hurdle here and a little hurdle there to prove yourself. As a consumer, I don’t want to buy “crap” and feel like I’ve been scammed. Maybe the waiting and proving yourself on Amazon is a good idea.
Are you trying to get “Un-Gated” in your Side Hustle with Amazon? I think the value right now is in this site:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Alligator4Amazon?ref=search_shop_redirect
You can buy a list for vendors in 3 categories for as low as $9.99 and instructions for getting un-gated. Remember, that you DO need to purchase 10 of one item and it should be something that is selling on Amazon. I think that’s called: “having some skin in the game.”
That’s not a bad investment for newbees.
Mercari, Facebook Marketplace, E-bay, Poshmark Side Hustles
The majority of them for me personally sounds very confusing. One platform you utilize will get you a few likes and then someone will reach out to someone and negotiate a price. Oh My GOD- For a $20 item? And then you calculate shipping and package each item up and send them out.
I’m sure I’m missing several steps and numerous advantages of the other platforms but I am clearly more of a fan of Amazon FBA.
Everything else feels too time consuming and takes away the goal of the Side Hustle!
There are more than 95 million people to date on Amazon FBA, which means you have a built-in audience with their charge cards sitting there and one little click and they buy the product, Amazon ships it and you’re done!
You ship your items ONCE to an Amazon warehouse.
So, the Hustle of the Hustle? Are these people legit?
I believe they are! Most of the entrepreneurs I watch on YouTube also film when they are out buying their products. I haven’t seen them purchase from their wholesalers but I guess that’s proprietary information and the work that is left for us to do, if we go that route.
If you have patience and helpers, I believe the other platforms besides Amazon can be money-makers, but too much of a learning curve and time involved for me personally, so not a match!
Can you retire on the Side-Hustle?
If you DO have a job, I would not recommend quitting it just yet. I would get un-gated in different areas if you are part of the Amazon platform and build up your reputation with them first.
I would purchase smaller programs to get un-gated and stick with it for at least a year to see how you do.
Don’t forget their fees and what your true “net” is going to be.
“Amazon is just too big and too many sellers!”
I’m not sure that is the case. People have said that Amazon is going change their platform of selling but I see new sellers popping up every day. They had a magical year in 2020, partially due to the “lock down” and people ordering everything online and the trend does not appear to be slowing.
I find the “Hustle of the Side Hustle” nothing short of thrilling and while I cannot buy 1,000 pairs of Nike’s today, I can maybe buy 1 book or 100 books at a Thrift Store and see where that takes me.
Are the YouTube people legit? I believe they are!
I know they may be making more money from their YouTube videos than the actual selling on Amazon but that’s the nature of entrepreneurship, after all, right?
Kudos to them and I hope to continue learning from their successes and all the hard work they’ve put in to their personal and professional journeys .
Hurray for the Hustle!
