How to sell plants online
Life of a Facebook Plant Seller | Buying & Selling Houseplants Online | Jumanji P1 | Ep 78
hello playing friends so today I am
driving to visit Jumanji John Jumanji
John is a collector and seller he mostly
sells on Facebook I think I would
consider him an up-and-coming seller or
maybe he's like up and recently arrived
seller on Facebook if you guys are
already on the Facebook purge groups and
you know some of the plant groups I'm
sure you've seen his name he's a very
very energetic very social super nice
guy yeah he's he's I think he's on
social media quite up quite often
because every time I iMessage he seems
to respond back really really quickly so
I'm pretty excited to hang out with him
today and I hope you guys enjoy this
series I really don't know what to call
it yet so
you know but I figure it out you guys
well we'll see how the titles and stuff
alright so I'll see you guys when I hang
out with them alright alright a little
plant friends I'm here with Jumanji John
and yeah say hi
I guess hello everyone nice to meet you
all so do my junk you want to tell them
a little bit about yourself I'm just a
plant nut I love all plants growing up
doing this with my grandma honestly I
think that's where it started maybe when
I was just a kid four or five years old
or need the basics you know breaking up
root balls whatever other than that I'm
a building inspector by living I have
you know two beautiful daughters a
beautiful fiancee so I am a busy man but
honestly still the plants take up 90% of
my time
I love plants it's all good so John you
you're you sell plants yes right yes and
I think that's that's fairly sort of a
new thing
yes it's only really started in the past
three four months and it honestly came
from Jimmy uh just my love of plants I
realize like hey if I bought three of
these I might get one for myself for
free or hey if I bought ten of these I
could get two or three for my friends
even you know so that's kind of where it
started from and it just spiraled out of
control I guess in a fun way
yeah I think for people who are thinking
about selling it's it's a lot harder
than it seems
oh yes it's yes yeah definitely I mean
if you want to sell a handful of plants
you know that's easy but I think once
you step beyond that even just trying to
keep inventory alive trying to track
everything trying to pack everything
it's very time consuming it's a
full-time job yeah yeah it'sit's really
time consuming and so you you mostly
sell on Facebook
correct right yes I think
that when you're selling on Facebook
there are additional challenges right
usually for me when I was selling on
Facebook it was like the communication
yeah it takes a lot of time yes I would
say that's probably the number one thing
like I said I spend 95% of my time on
plants and 50% of that is just
communicating trying to track everything
and recently you know my fiance's been
helping out a lot and we you know not
only have log sheets on the computer and
actual physical paper invoices but it's
still something slips at the crack here
there and or a busy family so it's
really hard you know and other people in
different time zones might be why isn't
he replying what's going on you know but
really or just making dinner over here
yeah there's there's just so much
communication involved and I think a lot
of it it's just kind of like you're
you're getting inquiries right people
are asking you you know not in was like
trying to waste your time right no no
there's no curious yeah
and it's it's just like you know I get
ten messages and only one sale yeah all
right and it just it's a lot it's a lot
of work and I don't mind I'm a people
person I like talking to everyone I like
talking about plants I wish I could do
it all day you know it's just
responsibility gets in the way so it is
a little hard and people want to know
well what plants do you have for sale
well it'd be easier for you to tell me
what plants here looking yeah you know
yeah send me a picture if you don't know
the name send me a picture what you like
you know yeah I think everyone does it a
little differently some people on
Facebook I know that they they actually
have like a list of plants that they
have on sale we know with the prices and
stuff other people who are sort of like
you or it's kind of like you have so
many that it's a little bit harder and
it's still more of a hobby for me you
know it's more just of a hobby that
happened to turn into a side business
and just my love for plants you know
maybe one day will turn into something
bigger I never know you know I honestly
Jimmy I know you're from Los Angeles -
I'm tired of driving around in the
traffic so I could hang out my family my
plants all day it would be great I think
it's a lot more work than people think
it is yeah you're trying to like resale
planets it's you know it's a lot of
driving around a lot of dis
communication with people yeah that's it
just takes a lot a lot of time equally
shipping there's been numerous and I
I'm over here waiting for my family to
go to sleep so I could start packing
plants early in the morning or something
like that you know and it's a lot it's
time to say I don't even I I feel like I
don't sell mostly because of the
shipping the shipping it's really really
time-consuming yes I'm the one who
mainly takes care of all the plants
unpacks the plants everything but you
know maybe that's just me need to let go
a little control but everyone else I
love the plant so much don't want to
hurt them so everyone else is starting
to help out with it you know I'm packing
them up and it's hard to find someone
else who loves the plants and as much
dedication is needed to be my sidekick
and help me though so let know let's
talk about some about Facebook Facebook
has has really become a very very
popular platform too so I by itself yeah
fine cell plants as well as you know
talk about things right but you mean but
you know we're talking about the the
buying and selling part there's a lot of
Facebook groups now and I know that you
do a lot of selling on Facebook correct
you know for those who are not doing the
Facebook thing can you tell you know
those people that like explain what like
purges are planned purges planned purges
are mainly you know it's on Facebook and
it would be a group generated on there
someone created and it could be named
whatever it wants but there's a lot of
people that join these groups and
occasionally sellers like myself or
other people will post on there and
we'll list our plants on there and
various different methods with a bunch
of pictures and you know have at it
sometimes their auction Styles sometimes
their prices out there but you know
another good thing about the Facebook is
you can search and you can find reviews
on people and see who else is known and
who else is done it before and make sure
no offence is someone trying to start
out but sometimes beginners might not
have the packing skills down or might
not have everything down so Facebook
platform is really good for sellers and
buyers to get research and information
on you know ya know I think it's a it's
a great community even if you're not
buying or selling you just want to talk
to other people who love plan
it's yeah it's a great community I've
met a lot of friends through Facebook
already that I ate it didn't even know
you know and people that same boat as me
people come over here with their kids
you know we have a pond in the backyard
kids will be feeding the fish whatever
we hang out it's fun it's open we've met
a lot of friends to the basement plane
commander yeah yeah I think the plant
purges have have really become really
really popular on Facebook
basically they think you know people
just like list tons of plants with their
prices and then it's kind of like a
first-come first-serve auction a day yep
rockers first type first type and it's
it's lightning fast sometimes particular
plants can sell out in minutes you know
I I think I've I think I've tried try to
participate in one months and months ago
but but I never I was never fast enough
to do buy any and then so now like
occasionally I will
quite honestly why I've only ever bought
and bought three plants in a purge maybe
um it was just a plant that was so
beautiful I couldn't have I couldn't
help it I had to have it you know and I
rolled the dice but I I'm still nervous
every time I get one two in the mail but
do your research and you can usually see
who's done it before and find something
good on Facebook you know I love
Facebook it's fun it's it's kind of
entertaining for us to post something
and I might turn around for two minutes
and turn around there's 20 comments on
my home over well videos yeah you I
think it's very easy to get overwhelmed
yes screenshot me screenshot me or sold
comment please oh my god I think I had a
few Francie's like tried and they sold
like five plans on a purse and they said
it was just like it totally tired it
totally tired it it's a four I say a
purge for me start you know I'll start
posting and I'll take pictures of stuff
and I'll get prices ready I'll start
posting so from the minute I type of
purge to the end of the day you know
finally like okay I'm done I've gone
through most of the comments did I send
most people an invoice that didn't have
a question I bet it's a four to five
hour deal oh yeah yeah you know that's
not even that's not even packaging the
plan no that's not even I'm ordering the
plans or thinking about what plans
you're purging that's purely just like
the purge
and the communication invoices and
that's only probably 80% or so the
communication because there's still
people hey did you need a heat pack
what's your zip code always like what
else do you got can I add this on and
you're just like well you're gonna get
lost in the mix wait till I send 50
people tracking numbers and then you're
a message where we were just talking is
50 people down yeah it gets overwhelming
yeah I think that yeah you know I think
that for people who are just just
collectors just buyers just you know I
just want you guys understand that
there's there's a lot of stuff behind
that happens you know on the seller side
yes you know and we're not even talking
about like growers and then sellers
right there's there's a reason why there
are a lot of resellers in plants because
a lot of growers they just have basic
need to unload tons and tons of plants
at a time from their facility they're
not going to like they don't bother with
the people who just lie it's like one
plant Riley if they if a grower has
hundreds or thousands of plants they're
not gonna like care about you wanting
one or five maybe even or even a ten
just because they need to move hundreds
if not thousands of them yep they need
yeah exactly they need to move it so
that they can grow yeah they can grow
more and then us that's where our you
know my position comes in you know and
then we could sell them and not to say
that I don't grow my own but I just
can't keep up with yeah there's no way
you know what with like the
corporation's are there's no no way no
way you can get but we could try it's
fun but uh no it's hard to compete with
a big corporation yeah yeah see the ones
that so these are the ones that have
sold yes this is the shipping lane um
you know we start with the boxes over
there we have the paper grab a paper
yeah we have the bubble wrap over there
Jimmy
well this is yeah this is uh yeah we
make sure we have stickers you know
people can be rarely be aware that
there's a live plant a huge role of a
saran wrap this is just the lane rubber
band you know different masking tapes
it's a yeah it's a it's a thing turn all
of you
you know which Amazon's been slacking
sorry everyone they're coming oh wow
yeah you even have a yes yeah just it's
just a it's just a bunch of it uh it's
it's real it's a yes it's a thing it's a
thing yeah I mean like there's an
Arsenal Arsenal a variegated sidonians
right here waiting to go out all sold
these are popular these are popular
popular I think well rated yeah I think
super fun very classy easy to grow easy
to grow yeah but you do gotta pay right
some people they cost some money they do
cost some money it's weird how they cuss
considering how fast and how easy they
are to grow then the price is a little
yeah the price it's a little bit
overpriced but I think the hype is worth
it me too beautiful overrated plan Jimmy
the more anta I just don't like it it's
very difficult it likes a lot of
humidity the lease will get crispy I'm
not I'm not afraid to tell people to not
get it I may not be the best salesman
but I am yeah
I don't I don't know I don't even know
how popular it is it's a very calm it's
I would say it's cooler on the common
one so it looks cool it's very common
yeah just very picky these two people
seem to like these a lot
it's a little polka dot plan I just like
to have a little something for everyone
I just like the color yeah but this is
shipping Ali go down the road okay so
you have cheese Jay you really you
really went serious on this you have a
scale yep cuz you need to do that
there's a printer over there any
shipping this is just you know twine
well you have the bobby pins only pin
stuff down you know the 99-cent store we
got our stickers tags labels here's all
the cloning stuff everyone I mean number
one number eight number sixteen cloning
gel the cake a pace or however you
pronounce it uh Kiki or a KKK I don't
know I mean either I don't know either
oh yeah this is like a serious like work
bench jacketing
yes it's a lot we probably fill up that
container full of soil every week yeah
we have enough taking all the plants out
of the pots oh I see it yeah I mean
yeah this is this is nuts we make our
own soil - Jimmy you have the chunky
mitts over here oh yeah
do you sell soil the people I will
locally if I just started making it
mainly for myself cuz I got tired of ya
mixing it up so we have the chunky I
just have like your basic soil down
there's like a fluffy mix Orca Lydians
and calla cages and stuff but yeah I
will sell it as people coming out yeah
as this you know buying seasons coming
but people who are thinking about hey
I'm gonna try Facebook what are your
recommendations if you want to try face
but the only thing I could say is you
know I'm not the most tech-savvy with
the social media either I'm getting into
it more um all I can say is use that
search bar research stuff type in the
name of your plant that you want see
what other people are selling it for you
know make sure you're getting a fair
price you know and yeah maybe yours is a
little expensive but maybe it's a nicer
plant just because one person selling it
for twenty another person selling it for
sixty doesn't mean they all have to be
twenty necessarily yes more vice versa
you know so just do your research and
compare them so I think that you know
especially like new collectors sometimes
they you know they see like you know one
plant the same plant buy one for 20
bucks and one for 60 bucks and then
they're like they get really mad at the
person that's selling it yeah I think
for sixty dollars but you know you don't
you don't really know what's what's
behind that sixty right like did they
grow it from seed yeah is it like a
really funky version yeah larger is it
more unique like you just don't you know
it's really hard to compare yes there
are some people that are selling the
twenty dollar plant and they want 64 yes
that happens there is really yes alright
but I think that it's it's not a good
thing for us to automatically assume the
worst
yeah it's a situation very well I have a
lot of rare plants and then you know
some some unique ones here there and
people will be like oh how much for that
and then I'll tell them a price you know
and it also has my emotional value
attached yeah you know exactly usually
doubles that but you know and they're
like well no way I saw it over here for
that
watch your crazy our hey did you know
you can get that the 99-cent store I'm
at all really have fun over there I have
to say that like when I sell like my
personal plants the plants that have
been in my collection it's pretty hard
no like they're more expensive it's just
like that motion right you're surprised
my double yeah yeah the prices are I
would say yeah they are higher and I
don't know I can't let a percentage on
it but I don't think oh I don't think
it's conscious 200 it's really I don't
mean one my ring the fire over here you
know maybe we'll see it later but I love
this particular one and I see him going
for you know whatever 75 100 dollars all
day but no way yeah exactly know what I
don't think it's conscious on our part I
think it's just like automatically you
kind of think about it as being more
special yeah how you both so anyway it's
just as a you know if you're looking
around and yours you know you're
thinking about buying if you know
there's a plan out there that you think
is overpriced or whatever just let it be
like you don't have to come you know
don't be mean about this P+ about it
yeah move on yeah exactly
just move on just ignore it you know go
find him get a laugh out of it yeah yeah
all right sometimes I see prices and as
I go wow look at this yeah I think yeah
I think like let it go take a laugh out
of it also you know you may try to
figure out why it is true as expensive
truth yeah maybe you could dig deeper
and educate yourself like you said it
was something rare is something unique
oh look it I didn't know that only one
out of ten look like this you know one
out of whatever that's like you know so
it is special that's why I got not my
cup of tea
yeah but you know I see why exactly yeah
so I think like for me when I when I
when people ask me about Facebook or
social media you know Facebook and
social media you know Facebook and
Instagram yeah a lot of people are
selling and buying plants on those
mm-hmm
they don't have a rating system right
like when you sell on like eBay or if
you have a storefront with yellow yes
exactly right like Facebook sellers and
sellers yeah and growers and it's the
grand people they they don't have like a
rating attached
them I think you kind of have to be a
little bit more patient and give it a
little bit more time like for you right
like like you said like if they spend a
week or two weeks on Facebook already
those book groups they're gonna see your
name yeah like yeah you are pretty
prolific pops up a lot it amazes me yeah
my mind - they don't like you comment
you have things for sale people interact
with you you yeah other people right
like what's fun for you and yes exactly
and you you enjoy it and other people
you know other people enjoy active
members in the community yeah so so yeah
really realistically all they need is
like a week or two to sort of
familiarize yeah you know what it
wouldn't take very much you're right I
mean with two weeks have seen all right
I want to see in this person post one
time and then offer one plant but I've
seen this name ten times so you might
tend to lead toward the ten you know or
whoever's yeah it's a way to see who's
who's more professional with it or who's
done it more often yeah you know so yeah
so yeah guys if you if you're thinking
about buying on Facebook this season
just give it a little bit more time ray
legate's just don't just go in and buy
them join some groups yeah joins join
all the groups and then you can you can
get rid of them later but uh enjoy some
groups and uh
so many and let it fill your newsfeed up
and you'll see like who's the good one
who's not yeah no all right John so you
have a family mm-hmm you have a job yes
a full-time non plant related jobs
sixteen years in it uh-huh and this
whole plant thing sort of went from
maybe not zero but maybe like 10 mm-hmm
to like 150 yeah 200 yeah you yeah you
went from probably a small collection to
much rarer plants much bigger
collections and then much more
maintenance much more time-consuming
yeah and then now you're selling so you
have to keep an inventory yeah I plants
that are initially alive no ants that
are in addition to your regular
selection yes
how has your your family taking it or
how have you fitted in to your busy
schedule I would say the most the only
way I've done it is just completely blow
off 95% of them I
regular responsibilities okay honestly
I'm completely overwhelmed over here it
is insane Jim ignore the family yeah the
job yeah I just don't go to the zoo no
part trips regular regular nine-to-five
just show up late you know two or three
hours late to your job if your boss is
cool with that luckily I'm the boss but
uh yeah Jimmy it's been a lot I'm still
so transitional hey excellent advice
there done okay you're welcome
know that everybody see all that goes
for ya your boss will love it but no it
is um just trying to get more organized
Jimmy that's one thing I could say I try
to get more organized try to stay clean
my family's been helping out a lot yeah
so that's it just don't be afraid to
invest in things too if you're a seller
try it don't be afraid to invest it or
gonna make things easier for you it
seems like your family has really
pitched in and they kind of really
embraced this this hobby
yeah gig career thing my fiancee
definitely helps out a lot and she helps
me keep my head straight because if not
I would oh my gosh I'd be all over the
place you guys are beginning the wrong
plan sent to the different address and
who knows you know I'm very good at
talking and being personable and all
that I'm also very organized but
sometimes it's a lot that my fiance
helps out a lot my kids help out a lot
whether it's cleaning or moving plants
and it's kind of fun as a family though
you know you could ask my kids about per
lights or Toyota's or whatever and they
know all about it you know what a
drainage layer in there you know so it's
it's fun it's been good well maybe one
day it will turn into something bigger
you know yeah so I guess you guys split
the responsibility of watering potty
that kind of I think that like you guys
Jimmy I think I know I think I'm such a
no but the Jimmy that I do it all right
ooh let go some responsibility but uh as
far as planning I'm and stuff yeah I my
fiancee she helps out she does some of
them but I think it's me I need to learn
to let go Jimmy it's pretty oh don't
break that how about leave don't touch
that ha ha so she everyone tries to help
out but I I need to learn to let go a
little bit I think it's part of it so I
think I think you're gonna get to that
point where you sort of have to yeah I'm
there else yeah I'm there I'm like if
yeah I'm there for sure there's no way I
can maintain all this without my family
like it's insane my personal collection
is so big that that's it right there
that's even hard for me to take care of
yeah so to add in the business no way I
could do it I and if it gets any busier
anyone know any friends locally they
need a job man it is it is busy it's
crazy so but it's fun I enjoy it I'm
excited
hope you guys enjoyed this episode and
tell next time happy planting
