Selling question

[DutchMuch]

This dispute has covered all the answers, except this one so I will answer this *even though I'd answer any question anyway*
I personally (imo) consider a business to be a licensed seller of a specific (or multiple) products, and have that position as a career. Aka a owner of a flower shop or something. Google says the definition of business is: "the practice of making one's living by engaging in commerce." I am not making a living from this I think that's obvious by my age. And as I said im making no profit from this. Another way I could describe it, is someone who makes an amount of income from a certain production (so to say) and can (as google said) make a living from that amount of money he or she earns.

 

[Lisak1]

"Making a living" at 16 is different than it is at, say, 26. But even at 16 if you had enough customers, you could definitely make "a living" selling plants online... just google "buy pond plants" and see how many people do it. Saying "hey, I divided my lilies and I have a few extras to sell" is not the same as "I do this on a regular basis and will routinely have plants available to sell". One is on a one time basis; the other is on an ongoing basis.

And you ARE making a profit... you are simply RE-INVESTING your profit into your enterprise. As the scale of your business grows, you will reach a point where you have more profit than you need to re-invest. Then you would use your profit to pay your bills or buy a house or a car or... well, for your "living".

 

[DutchMuch]

"Making a living" at 16 is different than it is at, say, 26. But even at 16 if you had enough customers, you could definitely make "a living" selling plants online...

Simple answer to your entire paragraph.
I don't have a lot of customers, not many people are in this hobby, maybe a few thousand.

 

[DutchMuch]

And you ARE making a profit... you are simply RE-INVESTING your profit into your enterprise

Didn't you say this? and I answered and responded. multiple times...
But for real, its your opinion, I guess I and some others just don't think of it that way.

One is on a one time basis; the other is on an ongoing basis.

Plants Grow and mine happen to need weekly trimming (for reasons I have said already)..
According to you that isn't considered a business then.

 

[DeepWater]

Dutch, I think you may be onto something. It's time to get incorporated and expand your hobby into an operation to make some coin. "Certified organic" I highly doubt at this point, as I believe certification is 1 to 2 grand to do, and would most certainly mean you are *already* a business. Once you get this business going, go for it, certify it organic, and you may have a great business plan ahead of you! Many of us here have already hinted at liking the idea of buying local, reef-protecting, pond friendly, aquaculture products. Not many 16-year-olds have something in their sights this early. Good luck!

 

[DutchMuch]

@DeepWater thanks so much!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Didn't you say this? and I answered and responded. multiple times...
But for real, its your opinion, I guess I and some others just don't think of it that way.

Plants Grow and mine happen to need weekly trimming (for reasons I have said already)..
According to you that isn't considered a business then.

Continued discussion on this topic is pointless. @Becky as Forum administrator removed the post in question and has explained the Forum's reason(s) for doing so. Since administration formulates the rules, they are also the ones that give final interpretation. Whether or not one agrees with this is moot.
I administer several Forums on LinkedIn and some of the rules in these forums differ from the rules in this Forum, but I am on this Forum and will abide by the rules. If I have a question concerning these rules, I will ask and have done so in the past, but once the rule(s) is explained to me, whether I agree or not, I have two (2) options......Stay as a member and respect and follow these rules or....pick up my marbles and go home.
I chose to stay.
So stop grousing and be a contributing Forum member or ......your marble bag is over there.

 

[Becky]

Are you saying (on the bottom) that I would have to be a sponsor? IMO that's a bad idea...

You don't get something for nothing; if you want to make money on a site you don't run to fund your hobby then you should expect to pay for the privilege.

@MitchM thank you for your suggestions. The reason I am hesitant to open the Classifieds forum section up to businesses (whether small or large) is that it opens the floodgates. I've had this on other forums and it was time consuming and difficult to manage. However, if members would like to see more items for sale, then I could think about having a section for small businesses where they pay a monthly fee to list their sales - we could call it something like 'Support local traders'.

However this would have to be something I look at when I'm not laid up with my back - it's looking like I'll need a spinal fusion at some point this year so I don't have the time to commit to such an undertaking at present.

Continued discussion on this topic is pointless.

I tend to agree, so for now the rules stay as they are.