7 ms·

I guess this is one way to make a living. Is it sustainable? Is it gratifying? Is it scalable? The guy is a hustler, I can appreciate that. He works for himsel

I guess this is one way to make a living. Is it sustainable? Is it gratifying? Is it scalable? The guy is a hustler, I can appreciate that. He works for himself, I can appreciate that. However if lots of other people try to do the same thing then does all the competition create a situation where lots of people are squabbling over a few crumbs? It looks like its a niche. And its only a matter of time others try to muscle in on his turf.

ikeboy 8y ago
Yup it's gotten harder and harder as more people enter the industry and Amazon makes it tougher to sell and raises fees
neaden 8y ago
I remember when the PS3 came out. There were a lot of people who were convinced it was going to be in real short supply so bought multiple at midnight launch to sell them on ebay. Unfortunately the demand wasn't really there and a lot of them ended up selling for below cost.
- colonelxc 8y ago
  Do you mean PS4? PS3s were very hard to get at the start. 3 PS3s guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sjhjFOw4Ok https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sjhjFOw4Ok
  - neaden 8y ago
    No, it was PS3s. Here is an article about it from the time: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2006/12/6406/ https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2006/12/6406/ the Wii unexpectedly ended up being the real in demand system that Christmas.
    - zeroname 8y ago
      > No, it was PS3s. Here is an article about it from the time: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2006/12/6406/ https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2006/12/6406/ It doesn't say they had to sell at a loss, just that they didn't get the ridiculous markup they hoped for. The PS3 really was in short supply and prices did remain elevated. The article mentions that.
fullshark 8y ago
The really stupid move was bragging about it online, now he's going to get competition.
- crooked-v 8y ago
  Ah, but now he can get into the business of selling how-to guides on the subject.
  - chrisjack 8y ago
    Which make even more money. We are going to see(hear) him on all those business podcast.
  - TeMPOraL 8y ago
    Yup. A good pivot if the profits in original activity dry out. Mine out all the gold, tell people there still may be some, and sell shovels to suckers.
  - jordache 8y ago
    Ha.. another none scalable business idea
    - loldot_ 8y ago
      I'd say selling stuff to idiots is a pretty scalable business idea.
- grecy 8y ago
  Although his video does have 130k views and I'm sure he picked up a ton of subscribers too...... So he's making money there too.
  - pavel_lishin 8y ago
    How much money does YouTube pay out to someone per 100k views? I'm betting the answer is much lower than we suspect.
grecy 8y ago
> Is it sustainable? Is it gratifying? Is it scalable? Why does Western Society have a fixation on only doing things that make sense for the rest of your life? Who cares how long it will last. Who cares about The rest of your life. Do something that's interesting NOW. Let him enjoy it for however long he wants. When he doesn't enjoy it, or it doesn't work anymore, he'll find something else to do that he finds interesting. That's great for him! Maybe it's not the life you want, but that's not what we're talking about.
- ohithereyou 8y ago
  Theory on why western society has a fixation on only doing things that make sense for the rest of your life: There is no longer a strong generational support system for people such that they can be assured that they have a roof over their head and food to eat after retirement age. If you have a strong generational support system then I think the focus can shift onto what you want to do now versus what you need to do for later.
  - bdamm 8y ago
    No longer? When was there ever? What was the system providing a roof over your head in the 30's or 40's? Or for that matter 1830's? Religion? No, what's changed is expectation. In the 1830's a lot of people just got old and died, were impoverished and angry about it, but what were they going to do? Now we have widespread literacy and a middle class that doesn't expect poverty until you die as a retirement plan.
    - TeMPOraL 8y ago
      Yes, there was before XX century. It was called "family". Most people used to live with their extended family, multiple generations in the same area.
    - wahern 8y ago
      > No longer? When was there ever? What was the system providing a roof over your head in the 30's or 40's? Or for that matter 1830's? Religion? Yes, family and religion. I don't think American society was ever as multi-generational as in Asia or Europe. But, yes, AFAIU back then it was much more common for immediate and even distant families to live under the same roof, long-term or temporarily. Grandpa or Uncle Charlie too old to live alone after being widowed? Move him into your guest room. No hand-wringing negotiation required; no serious disruption to lifestyle. My grandfather rented his basement to his best friend for years until the friend married, and then the two couples were best friends. It wasn't that the friend had fell on hard times or was wanting for anything; it was just because people back then demanded less personal space and were more comfortable living near or with each other. These days moving into your friends basement is practically a moral failing. I guess maybe because as society has become more diverse we have fewer signals to different in-group people from out-group people; we've been reduced to relying on independence and wealth as the most important markers of people's character.
pavel_lishin 8y ago
> I guess this is one way to make a living. Is it sustainable? Is it gratifying? Is it scalable? Is being a waiter, or a checkout clerk, or a fast food employee, or a Chili's line cook?

ikeboy 8y ago

Yup it's gotten harder and harder as more people enter the industry and Amazon makes it tougher to sell and raises fees

neaden 8y ago

I remember when the PS3 came out. There were a lot of people who were convinced it was going to be in real short supply so bought multiple at midnight launch to sell them on ebay. Unfortunately the demand wasn't really there and a lot of them ended up selling for below cost.

colonelxc 8y ago
Do you mean PS4? PS3s were very hard to get at the start. 3 PS3s guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sjhjFOw4Ok https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sjhjFOw4Ok
- neaden 8y ago
  No, it was PS3s. Here is an article about it from the time: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2006/12/6406/ https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2006/12/6406/ the Wii unexpectedly ended up being the real in demand system that Christmas.
  - zeroname 8y ago
    > No, it was PS3s. Here is an article about it from the time: https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2006/12/6406/ https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2006/12/6406/ It doesn't say they had to sell at a loss, just that they didn't get the ridiculous markup they hoped for. The PS3 really was in short supply and prices did remain elevated. The article mentions that.

fullshark 8y ago

The really stupid move was bragging about it online, now he's going to get competition.

crooked-v 8y ago
Ah, but now he can get into the business of selling how-to guides on the subject.
- chrisjack 8y ago
  Which make even more money. We are going to see(hear) him on all those business podcast.
- TeMPOraL 8y ago
  Yup. A good pivot if the profits in original activity dry out. Mine out all the gold, tell people there still may be some, and sell shovels to suckers.
- jordache 8y ago
  Ha.. another none scalable business idea
  - loldot_ 8y ago
    I'd say selling stuff to idiots is a pretty scalable business idea.
grecy 8y ago
Although his video does have 130k views and I'm sure he picked up a ton of subscribers too...... So he's making money there too.
- pavel_lishin 8y ago
  How much money does YouTube pay out to someone per 100k views? I'm betting the answer is much lower than we suspect.

grecy 8y ago

> Is it sustainable? Is it gratifying? Is it scalable? Why does Western Society have a fixation on only doing things that make sense for the rest of your life? Who cares how long it will last. Who cares about The rest of your life. Do something that's interesting NOW. Let him enjoy it for however long he wants. When he doesn't enjoy it, or it doesn't work anymore, he'll find something else to do that he finds interesting. That's great for him! Maybe it's not the life you want, but that's not what we're talking about.

ohithereyou 8y ago
Theory on why western society has a fixation on only doing things that make sense for the rest of your life: There is no longer a strong generational support system for people such that they can be assured that they have a roof over their head and food to eat after retirement age. If you have a strong generational support system then I think the focus can shift onto what you want to do now versus what you need to do for later.
- bdamm 8y ago
  No longer? When was there ever? What was the system providing a roof over your head in the 30's or 40's? Or for that matter 1830's? Religion? No, what's changed is expectation. In the 1830's a lot of people just got old and died, were impoverished and angry about it, but what were they going to do? Now we have widespread literacy and a middle class that doesn't expect poverty until you die as a retirement plan.
  - TeMPOraL 8y ago
    Yes, there was before XX century. It was called "family". Most people used to live with their extended family, multiple generations in the same area.
  - wahern 8y ago
    > No longer? When was there ever? What was the system providing a roof over your head in the 30's or 40's? Or for that matter 1830's? Religion? Yes, family and religion. I don't think American society was ever as multi-generational as in Asia or Europe. But, yes, AFAIU back then it was much more common for immediate and even distant families to live under the same roof, long-term or temporarily. Grandpa or Uncle Charlie too old to live alone after being widowed? Move him into your guest room. No hand-wringing negotiation required; no serious disruption to lifestyle. My grandfather rented his basement to his best friend for years until the friend married, and then the two couples were best friends. It wasn't that the friend had fell on hard times or was wanting for anything; it was just because people back then demanded less personal space and were more comfortable living near or with each other. These days moving into your friends basement is practically a moral failing. I guess maybe because as society has become more diverse we have fewer signals to different in-group people from out-group people; we've been reduced to relying on independence and wealth as the most important markers of people's character.

pavel_lishin 8y ago

> I guess this is one way to make a living. Is it sustainable? Is it gratifying? Is it scalable? Is being a waiter, or a checkout clerk, or a fast food employee, or a Chili's line cook?