I agree with the last dozen or so posts. Sorry to pick on you geekline, but auction terms like that turn me off faster than bad photos do. I don't expect sellers to let me dictate terms or to "put up with my bull", but I do expect them to be polite, and to respect their customers. I understand that sellers deal with a lot of trolls, but assuming from the start that your customer is a troll is just setting yourself up for it. "The best defense is a good offense"? Not in Customer Service. Sorry.
Of course, on the other hand, it's your auction, your terms, your right to write them however you like. My right to disagree, and my right NOT to bid. I'd be curious, though, to see if your average sales price or bids-per-view went down after you added those terms.
I for one prefer Pay Pal. Good example. I won an auction the other day for an gizmo where they only accept money orders type. Well, we immeditatly got snowed in. I can not get to the post office to get the @#$%* money order. Now the seller is upset, I am upset. I refuse to walk a mile in 0 to-12 degree weather with a wind chill factor below that, in deep snow. If that seller would take Pay Pal, they would have long since got their $$$$.
I am on the verge of only buying from sellers that take Pay Pal...
"Shop" and My Snipes
I am on the verge of only buying from sellers that take Pay Pal...
"Shop" and My Snipes
I have found that while the terms might turn some people off - the people that DO bid always follow through and they dont play games. I guess I intentionally scare some of my bidders off. But I do have a very high percentage of repeat business or multiple auction winners which is nice because you get to send all thier goodies in one box.
Dealing with non-paying bidders is a pain anymore since eBay makes you go through all kinds of crap to get your fees back from them. Half the time I forget to go back and request the return of the fees and the sometimes when I do go back and do it I have wait first send them a reminder, wait 3 days, then send a warning, wait another 10 days and then finally I can get my money back.
To whomeever said something about bad pictures, I thought my pictures were pretty good, actually. What could I do better? There are only so many angles to take a picture of a book...
Dealing with non-paying bidders is a pain anymore since eBay makes you go through all kinds of crap to get your fees back from them. Half the time I forget to go back and request the return of the fees and the sometimes when I do go back and do it I have wait first send them a reminder, wait 3 days, then send a warning, wait another 10 days and then finally I can get my money back.
To whomeever said something about bad pictures, I thought my pictures were pretty good, actually. What could I do better? There are only so many angles to take a picture of a book...
Hi geekline, You're right about the pain in the back side for account credit, but I find the 'Stuck in Limbo' much more annoying.
Looking at your feedback tells me you're an easy to get along with person, but the auction listing is what people see first. You make a bad first impression. (just my opinion)
Best of Luck to ya.
quote:I didn't read that the same way you did. She didn't mean YOU have bad pics.
Shirley:
but auction terms like that turn me off faster than bad photos do.
Looking at your feedback tells me you're an easy to get along with person, but the auction listing is what people see first. You make a bad first impression. (just my opinion)
Best of Luck to ya.
No, I wasn't commenting on YOUR pictures. I only looked at one of your auctions, and the picture was fine. But I'm constantly amazed at OTHER people's auctions -- like when they zoom in for a closeup to catch the detail, but the picture is so blurry you can't make it out. Or when the picture is so dark, or so small, that you almost can't SEE the item you're supposed to be bidding on. Why bother? Of course, IMHO, even a bad picture is worse than NO picture at all... most of the time...
And if you're happy with scaring off bidders by your auction terms, then obviously you're more interested in selling at YOUR terms than in getting the highest bid possible. Nothing wrong with that -- I can respect that!
And if you're happy with scaring off bidders by your auction terms, then obviously you're more interested in selling at YOUR terms than in getting the highest bid possible. Nothing wrong with that -- I can respect that!
quote:
Originally posted by Puppy Raiser:
Also I toss in free shipping (or very low) for the big bucks. You might be amazed how people will bid $20 extra to save $10 in shipping. That's especially true if there are several auctions from different sellers. Most of my items are small and the cost is insurance.
Very true. Most buyers on eBay allow themselves to be sucked in by that. Its like the store that advertises a buy one get one free sale in Sunday paper but has employees stay all night Saturday marking everything up by exactly 100%.
Most of my items are small as well. Thats why I like to ship with Airborne Ground - they are cheaper than both UPS and FedEx (much less of a pain in the ass than UPS too, I might add) and they include $100 of insurance for free on every package. So I turn around and tell all of my customers that packages are insured at my expense. That makes them think they are getting a freebie.
On larger items, I either self insure or buy the extra coverage out of my own pocket (come on, its only $0.60 per $100 or something like that).
A friend of mine owns a MBE-type store. It was an MBE but when UPS took over he severed his francise and went out on his own. Anyway, a customer once shipped some ancient vase worth several thousand dollars to an eBay buyer.
Well, being the cheap ass that he was, he only put five hundred bucks of insurance on it instead of insuring it for the replacement value (which was like 10 grand or something - I dont know exactly). But anyway, the carrier lost the vase and this guy was really mad about it.
So the lesson is don't be a cheapskate because sooner or later it will backfire on you.
quote:
Originally posted by Shirley:
No, I wasn't commenting on YOUR pictures. I only looked at one of your auctions, and the picture was fine. But I'm constantly amazed at OTHER people's auctions -- like when they zoom in for a closeup to catch the detail, but the picture is so blurry you can't make it out. Or when the picture is so dark, or so small, that you almost can't SEE the item you're supposed to be bidding on. Why bother? Of course, IMHO, even a bad picture is worse than NO picture at all... most of the time...
And if you're happy with scaring off bidders by your auction terms, then obviously you're more interested in selling at YOUR terms than in getting the highest bid possible. Nothing wrong with that -- I can respect that!
My bad, looks like I misunderstood you. Oh yes, I see bad pictures all the time. I espically like the ones taken with cheap cameras that are meant to be used as webcams. The ones that have the colors all out of whack - i.e. everything has a red or green tint to it. LOL.
Most of my items are small and the bidding goes in $0.50 or $0.25 incriments. The way I see it, getting an extra $0.50 on the ending bid price really inst worth it if I have to extract the payment out of people. If I was selling cars or something where another couple bids might mean several hundred additional bucks, I would probably be much more of a suckup.
I guess everyone has thier own selling style - some people are after the all mighty dollar and are willing to work for it. Call me lazy - I just wanna cash the checks and be done with it.
And PLEASE sellers - whenever you have a tracking #, email it to the buyer (me).
Hi Rick, Yes if you send the tracking number, Pleaseeeeeeeeeeee
(with sugar on it) include the item and number. Your item is not always the only on the buyer just bought at auction. Keep in mind also, that your email name/address may not be anything like your ebay sales name.
"Shop" and My Snipes
(with sugar on it) include the item and number. Your item is not always the only on the buyer just bought at auction. Keep in mind also, that your email name/address may not be anything like your ebay sales name.
"Shop" and My Snipes
Hiya Shop
Such a good point, I never thought of it until you mentioned it previously
Lexie
"If you read - you will judge!"
Such a good point, I never thought of it until you mentioned it previously
Lexie
"If you read - you will judge!"
quote:
Originally posted by ShoptillIdrop:
Hi Rick, Yes if you send the tracking number, Pleaseeeeeeeeeeee
(with sugar on it) include the item and number. Your item is not always the only on the buyer just bought at auction. Keep in mind also, that your email name/address may not be anything like your ebay sales name.
http://www.cpl.net/assets/images/buzzard.gif http://ladish.wz.cz/AN041.GIF "Shop" and My Snipes
Is another reason why I like 2CheckOut so much. When you ship the item, you have to sign into the admin panel and mark it as shipped in order to be paid for the item. (You cannot bill a CC before the item is shipped or will be shipped within 24 hours according to Visa/MC regs).
There is a spot to record the carrier, the tracking number and a check box if you want to notify the buyer that thier order has shipped - the system will send the customer a form mail telling them that it has been shipped, the carrier used and the tracking number and that e-mail includes the auction number.
But what is really nice is how they record it forever in the order history database - which is nice when the customer comes back in 3 months with a chargeback stating they never got it - all you have to do is sign in and research the order and pull the tracking number up. This way you dont have to keep track of hundreds or even thousands of little delivery/signature confirmation reciepts from the post office, or pour over your UPS/Airborne/FedEx statements, because all of those companies purge your shipping history after several weeks.
Sellers,
One more small, tiny, little favor - on the shipping boxes/envelopes that have that strip that can be pulled to open the box/envelope; please don't cover that strip with shipping tape.
One more small, tiny, little favor - on the shipping boxes/envelopes that have that strip that can be pulled to open the box/envelope; please don't cover that strip with shipping tape.
quote:
Originally posted by Rick:
Sellers,
One more small, tiny, little favor - on the shipping boxes/envelopes that have that strip that can be pulled to open the box/envelope; please don't cover that strip with shipping tape.
I cover those strips with tamper proof tape all the time. Not only does it prevent dirt or mosisture from getting into the box on the sides and it keeps those strips from breaking open but it also discourages people from tampering with the package.
I do mine too! I won't ship without taping over these. I understand where rick is coming from as a buyer, but safety first!
quote:
Originally posted by geekline:
but it also discourages people from tampering with the package.
It definitely discourages me from even opening it.
I ship mostly in very large bubble envelopes. I tape over the self seal because I think it is not secure and could be easily opened in route and sealed back down.
..
Yippee!
This is me 50 mil years ago!! 
...Rick!
I tape over the pull strips, too!
For all the reasons already mentioned.
Jabbergah
I tape over the pull strips, too!
For all the reasons already mentioned. Jabbergah