Every so often I’ll start thinking about getting rid of just about everything in my apartment that I don’t really need and that wouldn’t be a hassle to unload.  Essentially, I only need a computer with an Internet connection, and a place to keep food fresh.  Maybe a few other things, but not the point.

Thompology suggested I sell all my DVDs on Amazon.com.  When he sold his this way, it was a quick and painless process which resulted in some extra cash.  Sounds great.  I want the easy process with very little effort, and I could use the extra money to further expand the research of my vice.  (Whatever that may be.)

I grab a few DVDs from my shelf, figuring I’d try it with a few before bothering with the entire collection.  No point in listing these things if no one is going to respond, right?  The first was The Matrix, which, if I was willing to, I could sell for $0.46 plus $2.98 shipping and handling.  Wow!  Not going to buy too much with that.  So I skip that one figuring it isn’t worth my time for $0.46.  I list Dumb and Dumber, which I can sell for $2.50 + $2.98 S&H.  I figure this amount is worth my time to start clearing the shelf.  I start entering all the information to set up my account and post the listing, when Amazon tells me their commission fee for this sale is $2.17.  Are you kidding me?  A joke and a half, surely.  But no, it’s not a joke, this is what they will take from my sale.  Fine, I’ll take the $0.33 difference since I’ve started the process.

The listing posts.

An order is placed within a few hours.

I make my way to the post office the following day to package and ship the order.  After spending $3.41 on an envelope and postage, it tuns out I am $0.10 in the hole on this transaction.  All I could do was laugh as I paid the fee, I’d come too far to turn back.  Not to mention, I’d already written on the envelope.   I say, “screw you, amazon dot com.”

Maybe this is just their way of teaching me I don’t know how to make money.  I suppose that’s not a bad lesson for the cost of a dime.

For The Cost Of A Dime was first posted to justinll.com on June 2, 2008.