Sunday, 7 April 2013

Conflict of Interest

I've been asked why I post stuff from my eBay store on Facebook or mention it here, am I trying to use my social circles to sell things?

Well, yes and no.

If I relied on social circles to make money, I'd go broke. You cannot make a living selling stuff to your friends. And I have no desire to annoy my friends by trying to sell them things. And it IS annoying. People do fall out over stuff like this. Mixing business with social is dodgy.

However, sometimes my friends WANT to buy my stuff, WANT to see new stuff, and even if they aren't buying, they are interested, curious. So for those who WANT to see it, I am providing links.

The point of it all though is that if you LOOK at those links, it increases the placement of those items in the mysterious eBay algorithm. So by looking at the page, and not spending any money at all, you are giving me a leg-up in marketing. If you see something you like, and share it it or pin it, even better. I'd do the same for you.

This is a very fuzzy part of business ethics. The whole "networking" thing is a bit of a grey area in that respect. Ulterior motives and all that. So I'm cautious, because I don't want turn into one of "those" people - you know the ones. I had a Tupperware manager like that once. We went to a Tupperware convention, on a chartered bus. The bloody woman talked the bus driver into hosting a party! People must have been terrified of her - quick, hide, or she'll talk us into a Tupperware party. This if course was why she was a manager. Highly successful, I never want to be like that.

So there's a balance, oh yes, there's that word again! Don't I just love it.

Balance isn't an automatic thing you pluck out of thin air. It has to be arrived at, largely by awareness of the risk of extremes. In other words, it begins with conflict. Conflicts often arise, that's just how life is, in fact if you never notice any, you're not paying attention. Conflict is an inevitable part of awareness. It is how you deal with it that counts.

The same word, conflict, is one we also use when referring to a disagreement with another person, but here the disagreement is going on inside our own conscience. Should I do this or that? I want to do both. As we process it we arrive at balance. I often hear friends talk about balancing career and family, or similar. It is because two important ascepts of their lives conflict, usually with time, but it could be a conflict of other resources, money, perhaps even strength.

When we say we are conflicted about something, we are not dithering. Dithering is negative, like worry. Trying to resolve a conflict is positive, like planning. So there is no shame in admitting to being conflicted. It's a starting point.

If you are never conflicted, then either you are INCREDIBLY lucky, or you are blundering through life, or you are not telling the truth. The latter two are, in my opinion, very unwise, and the first isn't really serving you well anyway.


  1. I hate that people get wound up about promoting ones self via social networks. There is an easy solution, if you see something that doesn't interest you, just pass on by.

    1. True, although in fairness I've only ever actually had one person really make a fuss about it. I see it both ways. There has to be a limit. That's why I'm all about balance:)

  2. If you do, so what? I have enjoyed putting your stuff on my facebook page. You make original, beautiful jewelry that is ridiculously cheap. I noticed one friend expressing an interest. That gives me pleasure.

  3. I appreciate the postings of your products, like the Eye of Horus. I don't go to E Bay all that often so when you have new stuff, this is a real help to me.