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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Johnnyp1987" data-source="post: 102220" data-attributes="member: 4257">Well what a strange few days ive had lol. As some of you may know ive recently decided to start selling Ts, some may have seen my list on here or even my facebook page, ive called my little business venture "tarantula factory". It seemed like the perfect idea, i still have the security of my day job, but i can make a little bit of extra money by doing something i love, being an arachnoholic lol. I dont expect to make a living off it, and im not going to be pulled away from the enjoyment of the hobby and be driven by money. This is a win win situation. Anyway when i first set out on my latest journey i decided that i was going to take on board my experiences as a buyer and use them as a seller. Such as packing and labeling, to a website. I wanted it to look professional in order to hopefully get peoples attention and be seen as a serious seller, and gain a good reputation. So i put some money into it. Not money i was given, or won, or had saved up or lying around. I used my credit card to fund my start up. Some people may think thats abit silly and afew times i thought the same myself. But it was a risk i was willing to take as i wanted to make this work. I bought a domain name, web hosting, boxes, tape, labels, a sticker machine, pots, vials, tubs, a drawer unit, heat packs, and of course lots of spiders. I bought in bulk and also some certain single species that would possibly catch the attention of buyers. These were more expensive but cheap enough that i could make a small profit on them. I have been emailing breeders and suppliers around the world in an effort to build some relationships, most havent replied to me, but i made the effort never the less. As i wasnt on facebook at the time i got my missus to set up a page for me. I had left facebook about 5 years ago due to all the drama that constantly seem to occur on a daily basis. Anyway i had to bite the bullet afew weeks ago and rejoin. I set up my profile and was made admin of the page so i could run it without her having to ring me if she got a message. I joined a for sale group and posted my list on there aswel. I made afew sales in the first couple of weeks, about 5 or 6. When id had conformatin the spiders had arrived ok i asked for a review to be left on my page, all fantastic 5 star reviews i was chuffed to bits and this drove me even more to want this to be successful.Anyway, one day someone asked about the p.metallica juvi females i had for sale. I told them that they were £85 each. Someone replied saying that price was too much and a juvi should be about £60, and an adult about £85??? I said that adults were more likely between £120-£150 and that i paid £120 from a reputable seller who was always fairly priced. Anyway after afew messages he stopped. The guy who origionally asked didnt buy one in the end.Fast forward to last saturday. Someone else asking about p.metallicas on the same page. Same guy pops up with "im always dubious about new sellers, ive never seen you post on any groups before and sll of a sudden you pop up selling spiders, whats your background in the hobby and why are you selling spiders? We have no friends in common apart from lee arden from TSS". Lol i thought i was seeing things, what was his problem with me, why the interigation, was he the tarantula police or something lol? I really wanted to ask him what his background was seen as i did some investigation work <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /> and his only spider photo on his profile was a juvi p.irminia. After id told him my life story he piped down. Later that day i joined another group and posted my list. Low and behold the same guy is there again. This time though hes backed by alot of other members. Questioning a new seller, stating that theres loads of scammers going around, asking me where i get my Ts from, how does a new seller have blondis and p.metallicas for sale, seems like i was selling the same stuff as TSS but abit more expensive. I was losing my patience and it made it worse that i had to bite my tounge for the sake of my new business. I couldnt fight my own corner how i really wanted to. I was nice and polite with replys but got my point across that not all new sellers can be tarred with the same brush as scammers. To be fair afew people stuck up for me but most where rallying together against me. Strangely enough i actually got more custom that one night through that group than i had in the few weeks prior. I sold 11, all paid me and i said ill ship them monday. Then disaster, sunday morning i couldnt get into facebook.I got an email that the admin of the new group had tagged me in a post asking could anyone get hold of me as my profile had dissapeared. Someone had reported me to facebook. This was the last thing i needed, accused of being a scammer, get peoples money then my profile gets suspended. I had to email them a copy of my driving licence to facebook to confirm my identity. When they reactivated my profile i had been blocked from the group. I emailed the admin and explained and sent screenshots of the emails from facebook asking for ID. I asked them to put up a post on my behalf explaining the situation and that could anyone who had bought from me on the saturday please message me so i could explain aswel. I was told that i wasnt allowed back on the group until id built up a reputation as a seller in light of recent allergations towards me!!!!I felt awful on sunday, i could see all my effort just being smashed to pieces. It really depressed me and i considered packing the hobby in all together.Anyway i spoke to everyone who had bought something and i shipped them out as promised on monday.On tuesday i got a message from the guy who had been stalking me round the groups saying he thought he decided that he would put his money where his mouth was and buy from me to see if i was any good, but 3 of his 5 slings were DOA. This struck me as strange. The only person who bought slings on the saturday was a different person altogether. Turns out the sneeky b@$tard had got someone to buy 5 n.chromatus slings from me for him. It really riled me up, why be sneeky, why not come to me and say ok johnny ill give you a try, send me such and such a spider. He sent me a pic of the 3 slings and to be honest i dont think they were dead but i wasnt letting him get a reaction from me and decided id let this slide as i was determined not to let one person ruin it for me. So i said ill post out some replacements, which i did today.The other people who bought from me had all contacted me to say how pleased they were and they would be back for more <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> id sold 3 others yesterday and another 4 today. I think i can learn from this though that you cant please them all. There will be doubters and haters, there will be the occasional DOA. There will be times when people will try to drag me down, but im not letting that happen. TARANTULA FACTORY is here to stay. I will defend myself to the end. I am not a scamner, i have put money into this and its at my own risk, im not going to make that money back by scamming someone because ince your name has been dragged through the mud, thats it!!!The one thing that really hit home though is just how totally different groups of people can be, even though they share the same interests. The group on facebook and everyone on here are miles apart. I have never seen even a slighty negative comment on here towards another member  there is a mutual respect for fellow hobbyists. Everyone is so nice, and when i first joined i was made to feel really welcome by everyone. Its not everyday that happens, but it does on here. If there is a group of people that i know are truly genuine people who love this hobby then its you lot <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> Thats my rant over, thats my story so far. Its a long journey and im only just setting off, ups and downs are inevetable. But im not giving up, i will silence the critics and make them all eat humble pie. Sorry for probably boring you all but i needed to vent lol.</blockquote>

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