Then today eBay slammed us all with another "change" that will again
threaten everything.
Coming this fall, eBay will increase their fees again (this is being called
a reduction, it's what they did last time). They'll reduce insertion fees and
then load up on selling fees. This means for every item I sell on eBay, the
greedy folks in corporate eBay will make more money as I struggle to offer
these at a price that the average guy can afford. Hey, I can just increase the
price each time, but I'd rather not, because my goal here is to provide you
with remarkable quality at an affordable price.
But That's Not the Worst of It
In a month or so, eBay will officially force you to use PayPal on every
single transaction.
I've never had problems with PayPal myself... actually, that's not true.
They froze my account once because I had once logged in from a different
computer (was traveling and used one of those internet cafe's) and someone
using that same computer several months later had an issue with their account.
It's tough to do business if they freeze your account... and then not tell you
why.
Other than that one time (which was really one time too many if you think
about it), PayPal has been good to me over the years.
But force it on all of you?
I don't like that. Not one bit.
And actually I was looking to switch over to Google Checkout. In fact, I
already my account there set up and ready to go!
So, here's my deal to you... when eBay makes this change, I'll do whatever I
can to handle their new and "improved" fee structure, and if you happen to want
to pay with something other than PP, just let me know!
You will still be able to pay via credit card through Google Checkout, or
use traditional checks and money orders... but you'll have to email or call me
before using Buy it Now (Buy it Now will force you to use PayPal).
In the meantime, carry on and read on... I'm working to get the store back
up and running! Labor Day was the goal.
Oh yeah... you might want to know how I handled that PayPal problem (this
happened over a year ago, so it was nearly long forgotten)
Don't ever log into your paypal account from a computer that does not belong
to you. After hours on the phone, someone finally told me what was going on...
I told them just take money from my account to cover that other person's bad
business. They took nearly a THOUSAND dollars from my account, but I was happy
because I could continue doing business here....
Your average person would not be willing nor perhaps have the funds to just
tell PayPal, "oh, just take the money to cover for some stranger..."
July 30, 2008,
A month ago I had to face the
inevitable decision to close the doors here on eBay. My goal here was to
provide people like you with top quality sessions that the average person pays
several hundred dollars for, and to provide those session for pennies on the
dollar. That meant, to me at least, that the typical person would have the
chance to do something special that only the very elite are privy to.
When I
say elite, I mean it. I work with all types of people, and that includes some
phenomenally wealthy individuals (think 9 figures of net worth)...
Bringing the level of excellence I've grown accustomed to providing for the
elite to a place like eBay was a bit of a tall order from the beginning. It's
barely profitable to pay for the overhead (stocking inventory, customer
support, shipping and receiving, etc), but I felt good because I'd get
messages every now and then from someone telling me how a session or group of
sessions totally changed their life.
That makes me think it's worth it.
Then eBay decided to turn up the heat and cook all of the "small" (items under
$50) sellers to death. I'm not a lobster, and I can't stand what's happened to
this eBay site.
A month ago it was clear that I had to shut down and rethink
this venue or explore other venues. I've been doing that for the last month. In
the meantime, YOU have stepped up in a way that I hadn't imagined.
The performance metrics for the past month were really good. The star
ratings hit the 4.9 threshold (this is now the new standard that eBay makes us
hit) on all four metrics, and we got a lot of emails supporting the effort
here.
I still have to shut this down because of some changes coming in the
next month on eBay. I have to come up with a solution to these changes before I
can open back up.
Based on July, I've grown a
lot more optimistic.
Right now I'm planning on opening
the store by labor day. In fact, I'll do my best to make these sessions
available as soon as possible.
Construction has began on a new
recording studio. That should tell you that I'm planning on continuing the
efforts, even if it means opening things up a bit to other sites and venues.
Spending as much as I am on construction, I want to make sure that things are
viable for a long time; it's pretty tough to recoup a capital investment of
several thousand dollars simply by selling a low margin item on eBay (where
they fee me to death).
Still, I think I can make it work out
here, and so I'll give it a shot.
Here's why you should check back in 2 or 3
weeks...
A while back I recorded a handful of
sessions that have yet to be released. I've got some great titles coming your
way, and just in time for today's rougher than normal economic times.
I'm also involved in a huge project called Life Plan for Love... I will tell
you all about it when I get this thing open again!
In the
meantime, you can catch up on what's happened by scrolling down and reading the
letter I wrote to you a month ago.
Thanks!
Lavish Life will be closing its Doors
by the End of JULY!
If You Want a Session, Hurry and
Get it While You Still Can!
Special Message from Alex Armani
Friday June 27, 2008
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I'm absolutely serious when I say that we're closing our doors by the end
of this next month. You will not be able to obtain any of the sessions
currently listed (or any of the ones that aren't listed but are in
inventory).
I'm sorry to have to do this. I truly am.
There's several reasons for this abrupt and most disappointing news. It
basically boils down to two words: eBay Changes.
I encourage you to read through the rest of this page to learn more on
what has happened. I can sum it up for you if you like: eBay increased our
fees a few months ago by 66%. Then they forced all of our loyal customers to
purchase their sessions on compact disc as downloads are no longer permitted
on the eBay site. Then they hit us again by destroying the search mechanism.
It's really tough to find things you're looking for anymore. Then they hit us
with a star rating that caused us to pay even more fees, and even though we
do everything we can to earn 5 stars, people still occasionally give us a 4.
The problem is, a 4 means we pay 20% higher fees and we lose our
powerseller status. There's nothing special about being a powerseller except
that it means we've agreed to abide by the powerseller "rules" which equates
to a higher standard for service. To add insult to injury, postage rates went
up again and I ate those costs again... yet I get 4s meaning that I have to
pay eBay more money.
I just got word that eBay is going to make yet another change that will
adversely affect us, and I think this pretty much sealed the deal for me.
Look, I want to provide you with quality sessions at an affordable price,
but there's no way I can continue to offer these sessions on eBay at these
bottom of the barrel prices while also lining the pockets of eBay and PayPal
to the tune of (literally, I'm not kidding here) 50% of the sale price in
some cases!
Yes, you saw that correctly.
The good news is that I do not need eBay to make money; I never did. I've
made so much money in my lifetime that I'm fortunate enough to never have to
worry about it, but that doesn't mean I'm going to spend needless time,
energy, and effort on a losing proposition.
Unless something changes, July will be your last chance to obtain these
sessions at the price listed. Once we close down our store, I PROMISE to do
everything I can to re-open, but please realize that it may not be possible
under the current eBay structure.
Something is going to have to give.
I appreciate your time and your patronage. I'm excited for you because
YOU HAVE A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY in front
of you.
You can chose to keep the status quo...
or you can CHOOSE A BREAKTHROUGH.
Either way, make the decision and never look back.
Run with the wind my friend.
Sincerely,
P.S. It's not just me that's shutting down. Sellers all over the
site are having to shut down for the EXACT same problems. Here's an eBay seller
from last week's eBay Live! in Chicago. This video caught the attention of many
in the financial markets and he pretty much speaks for a majority of sellers
still trying to sell on this once wonderful venue.
Angry Seller Loses it and "Goes Off" on eBay Executive in the Middle of His Lecture!
When we say design a perfect life, we mean it. You can literally start to design the elements that you would
like to see enter your life. Let's talk candidly for a moment... the life you experience now was designed some time ago, in fact,
it took you the span of your entire life up to this moment to create the life you now see around you.
Whether the life you're living this moment is the one you intended is a different story. There are many elements, your
natural abilities and talents, the skills you've improved upon, the people in your life, and the predominant factor
in creating your life and the elements that influence your life - Your Subconscious Mind.
That's right, your very own mind is a goal getting machine. If you plug nothing in, or it has been programmed by others, then
you get all the limitations that come inherent with life in this society. Ultimately there are factors that can be changed,
and that's where the responsibility lies with you...
You can make a difference.
You can make a choice.
Whatever you do, make up your mind to take positive steps to influence your environment and ultimately dictate the outcome of
your one and only life!
Moments are precious, so whatever you do... do it right now.
The articles above will give you more information related to products that
we provide. We get a lot of questions about validity of our items, such as you learning how to perform telekinesis.
This healthy skepticism fades once a person witnesses the phenomenon first hand (which is what the CD teaches you how to do).
The movie "Close Your Eyes"
features a main character loosely based on Alex Armani and received two thumbs up from Ebert & Roeper. The movie is about an
international hypnotist from Seattle who has a special gift of ESP (Does
this sound like anyone you know?) Because of his ESP ability, he relocated
to London where the movie takes place, however, soon his skill in hypnosis
and his psychic ability bring him in the middle of an unsolved crime spree.
A police detective who was cured of smoking in a fifteen minute hypnosis
session recruits the hypnotist to help solve a series of child homicides.
It does get a little out there, but it's fun. It's quite a thriller, and what impressed us was that the
Armani character
portrayed in the movie uses similar inductions chalk full of vivid imagery.
He's actually pretty good. I don't know what's eerier, the thrilling movie
with fascinating twists, or the highly coincidental hypnotist. You be the
judge, and either way, you'll enjoy it.
Since 1998, we've completed in excess of 10,000 transactions on our various accounts. We quickly
learned that only a fraction of the people use the feedback system. As a result, we developed a policy of
reciprocating feedback. That means we follow up on any feedback that is left for us. If you do not like this
policy, then just send us a question and ask us to leave feedback first.
Even when a buyer rips us off, we generally are kind in our feedback. The reason is because there's a lot more
riding on feedback today than there used to be. eBay users who have less than perfect feedback ratings can actually go out
of business... and not for the reasons you'd think.
You see, eBay recently linked their fees to a user's feedback scores. The
threshold for having fees increased on someone is extremely low. For example, if
a eBay user has a "star" rating that falls under 4.8, they pay more money. If
that same eBay user has a rating that falls below 4.6, they get another rate
increase. Consequently, feedback is no longer the measure of customer service and cordial
dealings that it used to be.
The irony is that a "4" on the star rating is supposedly
considered "good"...
yet it's so low that it will drive people out of business and get them kicked off eBay.
This is one reason why we almost always leave positive comments for buyers (and
the sellers we use). If you feel like we deserve a "4"
rating for something, please contact us first to see if there's anything we can do
to make you feel better. You would be surprised at what a little communication
can do!
A: Yes. When you order a CD, any additional CD that you add to that order (same payment) will only be $1 additional
to the shipping. In addition, when you order a whole bunch of CDs, we can cut the shipping even more.
Q: How long does it take to ship out my order?
A: It depends on what day you order. The rule of thumb is within 48 hours, but we try to get them out in less than a day's time.
Q: When will my order arrive?
A: It depends on where you live. Orders in the continental USA will take between 3-5 business days after we ship it out. Therefore, we
typically will say around a week's time. If you live outside of the USA, the time will vary depending on your country's customs. It's usually less than
10 days total from the time you order until the time you get your items.
Q: Can you mark "gift" on the customs form?
A: We will do better. You will never get an unexpected excise tax from our shipments. Let me repeat that, NEVER.
Q: Can you send me a tracking order when you ship out?
A: Yes. Unless you're outside of the USA (they don't give us tracking for that). You will get an email notifying you of the shipment.
Inside the email, you will find some tracking information. The email will go to your primary paypal email address.
Q: Do you accept money orders, international money orders, and bank checks?
A: We'll even take cash, though we don't recommend it just in case the payment gets lost in the mail. We've never lost a payment in the mail (knock on wood),
but we have seen shipments disappear before. Often times you don't even have to convert the currency, although we appreciate it if you do.
Q: Where's my order? I paid ____ number of days ago!
A: If you haven't received a tracking number or a shipping email within 48 hours of your payment, contact us right away!
Q: How often should I listen to a hypnosis or subliminal session?
A: Each user is slightly different in how they respond. Frequency, time of day, and duration of use are all factors that you will have to
determine for yourself in the long run through trial and error and from what feels naturally good to you. We also include some standard
recommended instructions with your sessions.
Q: Do you offer package deals?
A: Yes. There's a section in our store for package deals. If you're interested in a package deal bigger than those listed, just contact us.
Q: Can I obtain _____ session on mp3 download?
A: Yes. All hypnosis sessions have been uploaded to our site and are ready for downloading. We're working on the subliminal sessions, but if you ask us
ahead of time, we will make sure we have it ready to go before you order. In addition, please visit the download section below for more
information on obtaining mp3 downloads.
No problem! Well, that's not entirely true.
As of April 1, 2008, eBay does not allow downloadable content to be sold
in listings. We're still allowed to sell you downloadable content, we just cannot
advertise it in a typical listing. If you'd like to download a session, any session at all,
please contact us.
Generally, we set up special listings for downloads. These listings never mention downloads or
the actual item(s) you're purchasing, because the item(s) are arranged and
agreed upon before hand. There's also a
way to obtain downloads outside of eBay, but you'd have to visit our website for that.
When we digitally deliver, we will send you a link that you can use to
download. There are typically additional tips and information regarding the
particular session that we give you along with the file. The files are in mp3
format and are in a 192 kbps bit rate.
If you would like us to set up a special listing so that you can download the sessions instead of
having them delivered traditionally, please
contact us.
We've been on eBay a very long time. It's nothing new to hear of aggravated users. Every year we see and hear it, and we've continued to conduct
our business in the best way we can while minding our own business. In so many ways, mindset creates reality. However, that does not mean avoiding action. This section is about taking action.
I'm not here to bash eBay. The company has come a long ways since its inception. The reason we choose eBay is because of the wonderful people we come into contact with
all around the world. We offer rock bottom prices on eBay because that's what you deserve
and expect. Most professionals avoid eBay like the plague for that exact reason, but I feel it's important to offer
the everyday person the same services the privileged get all the time. That's why we're here.
Having said that, I feel it's important to inform you that eBay has become progressively hostile towards its customers. When they forced our international clients to
purchase regular CDs instead of downloads, it became clear that eBay could,
quite literally, care less about their customers. They also made drastic changes to their feedback system. While
change was needed, the ramifications they've attached to feedback put its value
out of context and consequently went too far. Unless you have "perfect" feedback (a 5 star rating), you're close to getting pushed off the eBay
platform. In addition, eBay's gouging fee structure has made it near impossible to offer buyers a decent price on low ticket items. Over the last three years,
other sellers have shifted their cost increases onto
buyers. That includes both the additional fees and postage hikes. Well, I'm not going to stand for that.
In early 2007, eBay bumped their fees 30% and postage went up over 100%! Meanwhile, I ate those costs myself. This eBay venture isn't about giving
me the Lavish Life, it's about giving
you the Lavish Life! Now that we're part way through 2008, the fee
increases are beginning to mount up like bad credit card debt.
I will not raise the prices until I absolutely have to. In the meantime, when it becomes necessary to create a special listing for you (downloadable or big package deal), we will structure
our listings to minimize FeeBay, also known as the eBay rake. In this way, we will be able to continue to provide you with excellent sessions and products at bottom
of the barrel prices.
Stepping off my soapbox now, I will remain on eBay until they literally make it impossible to conduct business. I personally think the stockholders and board of directors will change management
before it gets that dire, but it is getting perilously close at the moment. I'm optimistic that the pendulum will swing back to where it was earlier this decade; when eBay was a fun place where you could
literally get whatever "it" was that you wanted.
Update 6-21-2008
The eBay Exodus Continues!
I wrote about eBay waging war on its own customers (above) four months ago. Just this weekend, eBay had
their 7th eBay Live! conference where eBay members gather along with eBay staff. Normally this is a celebrated event.
This year, however, it was a different story.
The attendance was cut in half. The convention goers also wanted answers. At the conference, eBay
executives announced further changes that will negatively affect what I'm trying to accomplish here on the eBay site.
Frankly, I don't see how I will be here much longer. I'll do my best to hang in there, but the Lavish-Life store could
very well close at any time. You will always be able to find me through our homepage & also we will be opening up
stores at other venues similar to eBay.
Do you think I'm blowing smoke?
The following video contains some
language not suitable for kids, but it's VERY funny, especially if you know a
thing or two about eBay and what has happened.
