Review of A Part Time Plan for Massive Success Using eBay and the Internet
An inside look at a guide that claims to help you make more money with less work—is it for real?
I won't deny it. Anytime I review anything by Jim Cockrum, I'm going to start with a positive outlook. I've reviewed two other ebooks of his. I consider both of them to be some of the most creative books on eBay marketing. Go ahead and check out my reviews:
That doesn't automatically mean, though, that anything he writes will be as good. With all the killer strategies he reveals in his first two ebooks, it would be easier for him simply to rehash those strategies than to come up with even more. So my two main question in approaching his latest ebook, "Part Time Plan for Massive Success Using eBay and the Internet" are:
- Does it give us anything new?
- Are the strategies it reveals worth using?
Does Part Time Plan for Massive Success offer anything new?
All of Cockrum's books approach eBay in a slightly different way than most how-to-sell-on-eBay books do. Most eBay books focus on selling the way that eBay encourages you to sell. Cockrum's books, though, have always focused on finding creative ways to give yourself an edge.
All of his books take a critical look at the vast majority of eBay sellers who blend into each other because they stick too closely to "the eBay way" of doing things. A Part Time Plan for Massive Success, like Cockrum's other books, makes an appeal for using new and creative approaches that help you stand out (without breaking eBay's rules).
That doesn't mean, though, that it merely rehashes the other books. It definitely covers a lot of new ground. The best way I can explain the difference between the three books is this:
- Silent Sales Machine shows you a ton of creative ways that you can find products and increase your repeat customers
- Turn Auction Traffic Into Cash details perhaps the most powerful of his ideas for increasing your repeat customers. It takes you step by step through everything you need to know to carry this strategy out
- Part Time Plan for Massive Success gives you all the details you need to find niches that other sellers aren't serving. It takes you step-by-step through how to create and sell products for which you have little to no competition
So what exactly does Part Time Plan for Massive Success give us?
After a lengthy introduction (more on that later), Cockrum describes the different types of eBay sellers. He points out that, yes, you can potentially make a lot of money as any one of these types, but he points out that the the most common types are highly dependent on eBay and do massive amounts of work to earn that money.
In contrast to that, he highlights eBay sellers who have found creative ways to offer totally unique products on eBay. And he shows how these kind of products both:
- Reduce the possibility of competition
- Let those sellers set up businesses that thrive on eBay while not being totally dependent on eBay
Shows exactly how to tap into these creative approaches
This is not just a useless list, though, that says, "Here's what other people are doing to succeed. Good luck figuring out how to duplicate it." Cockrum shows you ways to use your imagination to help you find creative products that match your experiences and interests.
It reveals ingenious ideas, such as Jim's process for testing product ideas to see if they'll sell before that product even exists. It takes you off of eBay, too, with ideas such as how to use free tools on Amazon to funnel traffic to your business.
And if you already have products that you are firmly established in selling, it describes how you can still combine these techniques with your established products to boost those products' sales.
Step-by-step guide
Cockrum takes all the guesswork out of how to use these creative approaches in your own eBay selling. He breaks every step down into three possible ways you can complete them:
- Doing it entirely by your own effort at no cost
- Doing it with a medium amount of effort and some cost
- Doing it with a minimum amount of effort by outsourcing it to someone else
And he lays it out so you can examine your options for each step. You can examine his chart and decide which steps you want to put more effort into and which you want to pay to have done.
What I don't like about Part Time Plan for Massive Success
I wasn't real pleased with the introduction. Cockrum seemed to go on and on giving evidence of his success on eBay. All right, already! I already know he's one of the most successful sellers and one of the most creative minds on eBay.
But, then again, he's not writing the book just for me. There are plenty of people just starting out on eBay who have never heard of Jim Cockrum and who need proof to accept that this guy knows what he's talking about. So I guess I can give him a pass for going overboard on the introductions.
If you already know everything you need to know about him, you can safely skip the introduction. If you're not sure about him, read the introduction and get a better feel for his ability and his background.
So, is Part Time Plan for Massive Success right for you
I always find Jim's books easy to read and a real creative boost to my thinking. Part Time Plan for Massive Success Using eBay and the Internet is no exception. I found it well worth it.
If you want the security of blending into crowded marketplaces on eBay and working hard to earn a little money by doing everything the eBay way, Part Time Plan for Massive Success has nothing to offer you except a small list of resources.
I recommend Part Time Plan for Massive Success only if you're open to exploring creative ways to:
- Reduce your competition by offering products that are unique to you
- Make your business less dependent on the sheer hours you put into listing product after product on eBay
It's a real eye-opener about what it is possible to do on eBay.
I rate it a 10 out of 10
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