Hi Everyone
I thought I would contribute to the great eBay scandal that has caused such outrage to everyone!
There is a company on eBay (won't tell you the name as I'll probably get into trouble) that were exhibiting at the last Excel show! I know they were there as I saw their name on the floor plan! Now considering this show was organised by a trade mag or something equally great, I thought they might have stepped in and stopped them as they are from the dreaded eBay, obviously not as I suppose one person's money is as good as the next when these things are being organised.
The same said company was even featured in one of the nail mags as website of the month, encouraging all of us to shop with them!
Now unless you are a seller or a regular shopper with eBay, you won't have realised they are an eBay company and a lot of you may well have bought items from them as they are quite cheap and have a lot of variety etc.
I don't know anything about this company but I was just wondering on a few things.
1. How do we know this person(s) is selling crap just because they sell on eBay?
Let me back up the arguement!
99.9% of sellers (I should imagine) are nail technicians, maybe not very good, maybe very good. What's to say they haven't worked for a nail company and just got addresses of manufacturers and bought products from them? In fairness it's happening a lot of where people want more than their lot, eg I'm mobile but I would give my left arm, (Not the right as I need it!) to have a salon. Whats to say this isn't the same said thing? Manufacturers are not fussy who they sell to as long as they have the money, they have targets to meet as well and probably don't care if the business is run from the bedroom.
2. They might be using eBay by way of making money until the business grows.
Let me back up the arguement!
What's to say that when they have made enough money, they come up with a new brand that has absolutely no connection with eBay and we all go out and merrily buy it as it's the best thing since slice bread! We just don't know until somebody twigs on.
3. What lay person is really going to do a set of nails as good as us?
Let me back up the arguement!
I'm a teacher and 50% of the people I teach have bought stuff from eBay or Argos and realise it's harder than it looks. When I demonstate to my students how to do a nail, I make it look dead easy and when you all do nails it looks easily. The controversal bit - sorry if I offend! Now are we really worried if they hurt themselves or whether they hurt us? I reckon it's a 50/50 mix. Another controversal bit - sorry! I don't care if they hurt themselves as they will come to me or you for us to sort it out, (a bit like a dodgy haircut at home) which equals more money in our pockets as they realise it's a skill and not something that can be learned in an evening while watching Ant & Dec! Surely if the silly blighters hurt themselves that just benefits us in a roundabout sort of way? I suspect a lot of people, myself included, are concerned that if they get too good and don't need us anymore, we'll have to find new careers! Just one more thing, should we stop selling scissors in case someone cuts their hair wrong!? This doesn't go on in the hairdressing business why should it be happening in ours?
4. Next time you're in Boots or Superdrug or wherever, take a little time to look at the labels and check the addresses of these companies who sell nail kits in there. You won't believe your eyes when you've done a bit of research!
5. Primark v Prada! Some people are happy shopping in Primark as it suits their budget and lifestyle and some people have a better lifestyle and budget and can afford to shop in Prada, a bit like nails. Loads of people go to these substandard salons and loads go to "proper" salons and some want to do it themselves. Fine if they like the idea of horse hoofs on the ends of their fingers! Just remember, when it all goes wrong, it's us they come crying to.
6. I once worked for a company where the owners knew next to nothing about nails but sold nail products on my say so! They are cracking business people but know now't about nails but yet they are a really successful company in this country and are very well respected.
Q.Would you all buy nail products from me as I've been in nails for 7 years, taught for 5 of them, I'm a NVQ assessor, I've taken exams in all aspects of nails to NVQ and ITEC standard, I've been soley responsible for a whole acrylic line being launched in this country including product testing and sourcing and I've worked for 4 international nail companies, 2 of which were for product development and 2 of them were in teaching positions.
A. Probably not as I my finances would only allow me to grow by starting off selling on eBay.
7. It's worth checking to see who owns the major nail companies, as most of them are business people and not nail technicians, the very few that are nail techncians are usually not very good in my opinion and are certainly not up to my standard. Personally speaking, I would rather buy from another techncian who has experience in using the products rather than a good sales/business person who knows how to design a nice label to stick on a tub of crap. And before you ask, a few of them do and we buy them as they look nice! Just like handbags!
8. So I'm clear in my head. What is a dodgy eBay seller so I know what to avoid! Is it someone who sells acrylic, gel etc or can it be someone who just sells nail files or nail art? I always shop on eBay for nail files, buffers etc as someone sells 50 banana files for £18.00 including delivery and no VAT. Sounds great to me as I'm not VAT registered and the files are brilliant. (Yet again won't say the name just in case!) I'm in a business to save money and make money. They sell me what I want and I mega pleased with what they sell and won't shop anywhere else. Now do I stop shopping with them if they bring out an acrylic, gel or fibreglass line considering how happy I've been with the nail files and buffers or what? Personally, I would probably carry on shopping with them as I've always been more than happy with what they've sold me and I would trust them to carry on selling decent stuff as I'm buying from another nail techncian who offers on line advice. I'm sure if I phoned the MD of most other nail companies and asked them techncial questions they probably wouldn't be able to help me, maybe we should all try it to see where we stand!
Last point to be made. If we're in any doubt why not ask for MSDS before we buy and not just from eBayers from everybody. Don't always think that just because you've spent £40.00 on a powder its any better than a powder that costs £10.00, believe me, I worked for a company who done this, yet again it's all down to labelling and packaging. Lets also encourage the lay people to do the same when they have their nails done so they know what is safe and what's not.
Sorry, one last one thing (honest!) These nail companies that we love and adore so much make a huge amount of profit from us every year, if you don't beleive me, you can check at companies house. Why can't they employ someone stop these repeated offenders selling on eBay, eBid, eAuction etc. The reason why is that the products have been sold and they too have made their money and you know what they say, "Even bad money is good!"
I hope none of this is sensored. I'm not having a dig at companies, individuals etc. These are just points that I have not seen made anywhere else. I welcome all comments and will gladly reply to any of them.
NVQ Trainer