Ebay and Tarot

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 17 Aug 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

queenofcups333	17 Aug 2004
I was looking in Ebay the other day and saw all these warnings about psychic Tarot readings. Does anyone have an opinion on this? Have your experiences been positive when you have bought Tarot related items?

VGimlet	18 Aug 2004
I probably wouldn't buy a psychic tarot reading on Ebay unless it was someone I knew. I have had the experience of having a "psychic" try to scam me - not on EBay, though. :rolleyes: I actually got to use the line "Do I look stupid to you?" LOL. I have had good luck with buying tarot cards and bags, etc. on Ebay :) Just like anything you buy online, you have to check how reliable the seller is. As the old adage goes, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Teranar	18 Aug 2004
Buy... A... Reading... On... Ebay... ... (Cradles his head in his hands) ...And I'm sure in a year that same person will be on tv with a fake jamacian accent telling you call me now!

Alta	18 Aug 2004
I too would never consider buying a reading from eBay. IMHO the free computer readings from tarot.com would be more reliable.

LadyMedusa	18 Aug 2004
I wouldn't buy a reading off ebay, it just doesn't seem necessary. If I feel like I need someone else to read for me, I either swap readings with a friend, or go to a reader at one of the shop's in my area. Now decks are different. I have bought quite a few, both new and used. I read peoples feedback profile before bidding. You can tell what sort of a seller you will be dealing with easily that way. You can also look up the feedback of those who have left negatives and see more comments about the transaction, or find out if they are a chronic complainer. LadyMedusa

queenofcups333	18 Aug 2004
Thank you. I get your drift. I advertised on Ebay to do readings for people but no-one wanted one. Now I know why. I won't waste any more money. I live in a small coastal town and don't get heaps of clients. Sometimes I feel like I am bursting with energy with no outlet. And if I could make money doing what I truly love doing and believe I'm good at I will have fulfilled a dream. Meanwhile, I will go to work because it's not my time yet. And at least now, I can talk to people like you.

Majecot	19 Aug 2004
Never a reading on Ebay but I have bought decks and books with success.. I have learned the hard way over the years to check feedback and shipping first before I bid.

ferrous	19 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by queenofcups333 Thank you. I get your drift. I advertised on Ebay to do readings for people but no-one wanted one. Now I know why. I won't waste any more money. I live in a small coastal town and don't get heaps of clients. Sometimes I feel like I am bursting with energy with no outlet. And if I could make money doing what I truly love doing and believe I'm good at I will have fulfilled a dream. Meanwhile, I will go to work because it's not my time yet. And at least now, I can talk to people like you. I know what you mean, queen of cups. I've also advertised because I'm keen to get more experience as a reader, but I've had not a single bite. I've seen heaps of others advertising there for readings, so I figured that there must be a market for it, but I guess not. As well as wanting to get more experience reading, there was also the fact that I really need to earn some money, so I was hoping to combine the two. *shrugs* Oh well.

tabbycat	19 Aug 2004
Some people use an eBay listing as a cheap form of advertising - it doesn't cost much, it gets a very large audience and you can put a link to your web-page in the 'about me' section. Maybe that would get you a few clients. Jilly

ferrous	19 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by tabbycat Some people use an eBay listing as a cheap form of advertising - it doesn't cost much, it gets a very large audience and you can put a link to your web-page in the 'about me' section. Maybe that would get you a few clients. Jilly Hmm .. that's a good point, Jilly. Thanks. :)

LittleWing	19 Aug 2004
There was a time when I was unable to work and had to be 'creative' in thinking up ways to make money. I advertised my tarot readings (by post) in a mind body spirit mag and got a few customers. I charged very little .... and so with the price of the ad - i broke even. But I enjoyed this. I dont see anything wrong with selling readings on ebay. But ....... as all things .... is the source reliable? It is a gamble

ferrous	19 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by LittleWing There was a time when I was unable to work and had to be 'creative' in thinking up ways to make money. I advertised my tarot readings (by post) in a mind body spirit mag and got a few customers. I charged very little .... and so with the price of the ad - i broke even. But I enjoyed this. I dont see anything wrong with selling readings on ebay. But ....... as all things .... is the source reliable? It is a gamble You mean it's a gamble for the person purchasing a reading? This is why I also listed mine very cheaply. I figure if I built up a bit of a decent rep as a good reader, then I could put the price up. I'm where you were. Really need the money & trying to figure out ways to make some.

LittleWing	19 Aug 2004
Yes I meant it is a gamble for the purchaser - whether the reader is a good one or not. Think back to the old days when a farmer would buy some machinery parts with meat or other produce - or a gypsy would ask to 'cross the palm with silver'. We all need money to eat and live and we should not worry about gaining this exchange from reading tarot - everyone has something they can do. I charged only £5 a reading cos I figured more people would be willing to part with this. I appreciate there is alot of time goes into a reading, but £20+ is steep - although I would prob. pay this if going to someone i trusted - and face to face. Good luck with it all ferrous!

ferrous	19 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by LittleWing Good luck with it all ferrous! Thanks, LittleWing. You must have been reading the thoughts I've been having about offering readings. Are you offering psychic readings anywhere? ;) lol! :D

LittleWing	19 Aug 2004
Keep doing what you love .... and it will reward you

isthmus nekoi	21 Aug 2004
Actually, I have done a quick tarot reading before purchasing stuff on eBay. Each time it's like the cards are telling me I'm needlessly worrying lol. I guess I'm like LittleWing - charging extra cheap for astro readings.... When it's eBay, you have to be really really cheap!... That's what ppl are going there for.

yve	21 Aug 2004
When I was in a desperate period of my life, and looking for some spiritual guidance, I found a psychic/tarot reader (she also claimed to have spirits advising her) on e-bay charging only $9.95....It took about 3-4 days, but I got the most indepth, detailed, and touching reading....it was very sincere and honest and the details she provided were too accurate, personal and indepth to be a hoax...About a month or 2 later, I let my significant other read it (since some of it pertained to him and us)...and he got the most shocked look on his face and tears came to his eyes....a stranger who he had never met, was able to look into his soul and make the most amazing, accurate statements...I guess I got lucky and found a reliable and honest person, so I don't have anything bad to say about e-bay readings....I just consider them e-mail readings...and why would e-mail readings from another source be any less reliable? I think the key is to look at the feedback of the person and you can get a great deal of information by the numbers and types of feedback...sometimes gifted people try to use the easiest most accessible way to reach those who otherwise couldn't be reached...

ferrous	21 Aug 2004
Nicely said, yve. :)

sassygirl3124	21 Aug 2004
I say don't give up and it will come eventually. I too also have the dream of one day doing readings for people but I feel that I have so much to learn yet. Thats why I love the reading exchange forum so that I can practice here and get feedback on what I need to work on. And I hope that one day with enough practice my dream will come true. Julie

queenofcups333	21 Aug 2004
It's a bit sad. The one bad apple thing. Having heard your views I see people with honesty, integrity and a solid belief system. If others only realised that we would be the last people on this earth to rip someone off. We'd be calling all the powers of darkness straight down upon us and our right to read would be trashed. I find myself saying, more and more, ''I can't do that - it's not right", or "Don't even have that thought because your putting it out there and not living in love". Tarot is such a wonderful journey of self knowledge and I am only better with everything I learn from it.

isthmus nekoi	22 Aug 2004
I agree w/yve - feedback is central to the eBay system.

blackroseivy	22 Aug 2004
I attempted to put up an Ogham reading a couple of times & unfortunately was unsuccessful. I guess you have to be awfully cheap, & unfortunately I can't afford to go *that* cheap! Well, I'm going to have my own website one of these days (my sister is working on it), & then we'll see...!

ferrous	22 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by danubhe I attempted to put up an Ogham reading a couple of times & unfortunately was unsuccessful. I guess you have to be awfully cheap, & unfortunately I can't afford to go *that* cheap! Well, I'm going to have my own website one of these days (my sister is working on it), & then we'll see...! As was mentioned above, at least ebay is very cheap advertising for your own site when it gets there. May I show my ignorance & ask what an Ogham reading is? Is it a type of deck?

miss_apples	23 Aug 2004
You take risks when purchasing a reading ANYWHERE! I usually get readings done at a metaphysical shop here in Minnesota. They are about $45 for a half an hour, and Ive gotten some really good readings and really bad ones. Ive never bought one on ebay, Id do it though if it was under $10. Also I have called a psychic phone line once and it was actually a really good reading. So I really dont think you can choose a reader by the media they use to advertise themselves.

Ace	23 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by danubhe I attempted to put up an Ogham reading a couple of times & unfortunately was unsuccessful. I guess you have to be awfully cheap, & unfortunately I can't afford to go *that* cheap! Well, I'm going to have my own website one of these days (my sister is working on it), & then we'll see...! You guys have it wrong: don't go cheap, go HIGH. Not everyone can afford you but if they want it, they will pay. Value yourself, and stop trying to price yourself lower than the rest, it will just backfire on you. When I was doing street fairs at $5 a reading, I had people say, "How come your readings are so HIGH!" Go figure.

The Ebay and Tarot thread was originally posted on 17 Aug 2004 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.