Reply to "How to start selling"

The reality is this: sellers can sell to whomever they please. BUT, what really bothers me is when the seller rudely threatens ALL his/her potential customers in the item listing, e.g.: "ONLY BID IF YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY!!!", or "IF YOUR FEEDBACK IS LESS THAN 10, DON'T EVEN BOTHER BIDDING, IT WILL BE CANCELED", or "DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT MY S/H FEES AS THEY ARE DETERMINED BY THE POST OFFICE..." or "INT'L BIDDERS NOT WELCOME".

These statements are the equivalent of walking into a store and the manager running up and saying, "WE DON'T TAKE CHECKS!" or "HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A SHOPPER? OH, A MONTH? GET OUT!"

I do understand that there are issues with NPBs and such. They are the equivalent of the bad-check writers in brick and mortar stores (except we can't charge them $25 . These "warnings" should be included but there is such a thing as being POLITE. It is called "tact". For example, one could state, "Due to the extremely high cost of shipping this item internationally, I cannot accept int'l bids" or " Due to high bank fees, I cannot accept personal checks."

Better yet, and this goes to all sellers: set up a separate page with ALL your terms and conditions and put a link to that page in your listing. Then put a disclaimer in that says, "By bidding on this auction, you acknowledge that you have read my page of terms and conditions.

Simple. Polite. And no one has to "yell" at anyone.