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78 replies

Are you as demanding as this buyer?

J jabbergahMember
Sold an item on Monday afternoon (Paypal payment made ~ 2 pm). Shipped item on Thursday. The following e-mail was posted to me from the buyer at 1:45pm, Thursday:
quote:
i am very disappointed that is has taken you so long to ship my purchase.i ordered and paid for this item march 27 06 but yet i didnt receive a notice that you had printed a shipping label until today.by my account it took you 4 days to even ship this item .i was under the impression that i would have it in 2 to 3 days from the time i ordered it.i am very unhappy with this type of service.
At first I thought it a joke, but the tone seems serious. Most folks are very pleased with my shipping and mention it in my feedbacks. This is a first for me! I'll probably get bad or neutral FB from this one. Frown You can be sure I'll be adding a comment to it!

Is shipment within a week unreasonable? Can it be considered "prompt"? Are you guys as demanding?

BTW, buyer made no mention in payment e-mail that IMMEDIATE shipping was important. I guess I'll bite my tongue, and send a groveling reply.

Oh well, live & learn! Roll Eyes Another incident to verify my theory that some folks just aren't HAPPY unless they're UPSET about something! Wink
Jabbergah  
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J jabbergahMember
Update! My reply to above e-mail Friday afternoon as follows:
quote:
I'm sorry you find shipment within a week of purchase as unreasonable. There is nothing in the item description that indicates same-day shipping. Priority Mail shipping alone requires 2-3 days. You should have the item by Saturday or Monday. We find it curious you made no mention in your payment & check-out e-mails how important fast shipping was for you???

Thanks for your purchase. We hope you enjoy it.
I received following e-mail less than 1 hour(?!?) later:
quote:
in most cases i think shipment within 2 buiness days is a reasonable expectation and taking 2 - 3 buisness days to reach me after shipment is made acceptable, after all thats what i paid but i also think that 4 buisness days after purchase is made before a shipping label is even printed is poor service.if it takes you that long to prepare a T shirt for shipment then you should state that in your advertisement.
Not sure there is anything more to say to buyer.... Certainly nothing that can make them happy! Roll Eyes

It is ironic, AND may be telling -- the t-shirt purchased? -- Ebay Addict! Eek Maybe more appropriate would be an "Ebay OBSESSED!" t-shirt?!? Wink
M mikefromwestyorkshireMember
It seems that the vendor is suffering from HS. It is becoming of almost epidemic proportions in the last decade or two, and no cure has yet been found. A classic symptom is leaving out punctuation, as can be seen in the quote, or gabbling whilst speaking.
The lower case "i" shows an inferiority complex, as well.

When I sell on eBay, worst case: If the buyer sends me a cheque (2 days to post) I have to clear the funds (7 days) then often I can only post at weekend (6 days) and posting may take 5 days in UK, so it can take 20 days or so.
I usually say this in the description, and have never had a problem.

HS? Hurry Sickness Roll Eyes
J jabbergahMember
Must admit I'm somewhat surprised that some on this board would side with my buyer on this issue, so let me revise & extend my remarks on this deal to see if I change any minds!

Monday --
~8 am. Take Mom to have cataract surgery.
3 pm. Go to work until 12 midnite.
4:55:48 pm. E-mail post time for Paypal payment notification for ebay store item purchase.

Tuesday --
~12:30 am. Check e-mail & discover order & paypal payment notification e-mail.
~7 am. Take Mom to follow-up Doc appointment.
~Noon-3pm. Pick up sister & friend (separate flights) at airport -- returning from vacation.

Wednesday -- Pick up item from storage (remote site).

Thursday --
Before NOON, item packaged, labeled, & shipped via USPS Priority Mail. E-mail auto-generated by USPS & sent to buyer when USPS label generated.
2:45 pm. Go to work until 12 midnite.
4:45 pm. Customer posts first complaining e-mail.

Friday --
~12 noon. Read buyer's first complaining e-mail (see above posts). Spend quite a few minutes incredulous, trying to decide if buyer serious or joking! Decide serious.
1:17 pm. First post in this topic w/buyer's e-mail.
1:39 pm. Replied (see above posts) to buyer's first e-mail.
2:10 pm. Buyer's 2nd e-mail (see above posts).
2:47 pm. 2nd post to this topic with copies of above 2 e-mails.

Saturday --
Did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING with anything ebay!
2:02 pm. Item delivered by USPS to impatient customer!

Don't care what you guys say, even WITHOUT the personal family issues involved, I think an item ordered Monday evening being received by Saturday afternoon WITHOUT paying extra for expedited shipping/handling/processing is QUITE reasonable by any standards! -- especially for someone who is doing this part-time/as a hobby! At this point, I don't intend to change how I do things, EXCEPT I will refrain from posting FB first for THIS particular customer until I see what, if anything, is posted for me by them.

So, in light of the additional details above, who's the unreasonable one? Confused -- The seller (me) or the buyer? Have I changed any minds? Wink

BTW, Mom's surgery went fantastic! Big Grin She thinks her eye may require little or NO correction except for reading! Eek She can see better'n ME now! Roll Eyes
M mikefromwestyorkshireMember
quote:
Originally posted by Shirl:
If someone pays me per paypal, I ship it that day or the next A.M., no exception. Sorry Jabber. I think Monday to Thursday is too long too.

Mike, I don't call it HS, I call it good business.


I know what you are getting at, Shirl, but I always tell people when their goods will be despatched and again when I have done it; this is normal business practice to me.

Quite often there is no way I can get to the nearest post office ( a mile away) during working hours, so it has to be so.

Many goods I buy (not from ebay) will categorically state that the lead time is 10 days, 3 weeks, whatever.

The HS bit is my protest against everyone wanting to speed everything up in life - this causes stress to people if they succumb to it, and actually damages their health. I refuse to join the rat race - nothing can justify it!

I also decry this thing about hurling insults at people when they make one human mistake, like failing to post an item on a particular day - glass houses and stuff?
</soapbox>
mrsmmrsmMember
Sorry, Jabber. You didn't change my mind at all. I care for TW0 Alzheimer's patients and a five year old. I still mail as I said.

Mike, if you state in the auction your mailing practices, that is a totally different issue.

Normally, I don't complain, when I buy, unless I pay for priority mail. Then, yes I get agravated. If you don't want to ship something in a prompt manner, then don't charge extra for priority. What is the point?

Why would you be surprised I gave my opinion? I assumed you wanted an honest answer, not hugs! I still like you, I just take a little kind issue with your statement.Wink
rickrickMember
There’s a problem when asking for opinions – disagreement.

Personally, I don’t get too concern about when the item is shipped, other then when I pay for expedited shipping. Strikes me a bit strange to pay for Priority Mail and not have it shipped for a week. But shipped in 3 days? – hell, that’s prompt. Anyone that would expect it sooner, must not have that much experience with ebay. Now, if you were sending stress medication, OR, organ transplants - perhaps I could understand the seller's concern.
J jabbergahMember
Interesting!! Funny how expectations determine one's attitude on things!

Business day. Noticed Rick picked up on the day thing. By the buyer's "accounting", 4 business days passed. I think the buyer's "accounting" is flawed! Just what constitutes a "business day"??? What are the hours? Aren't business day hours 8 am - 5 pm. Isn't a "day" 24 hours? So the order is placed LATE Monday afternoon (essentially early Monday EVENING!): by my accounting, late Tuesday afternoon would be 1 biz day, late Wed. afternoon would be 2 biz days, & late Thurs. afternoon would constitute 3 biz days. Technically, wouldn't Thursday, forenoon actually be 2 1/2 biz days?

The buyer, and some on here, EXPECT an ebay acquired item to be shipped within 2 business days. Presumably, that would be considered a "good" ebay shipper. It seems to me that they also think a shipper requiring ANY LONGER to ship is a "bad" ebayer! Not much of a range there! I didn't realize the line was so specific and distinct! In my world, there is exceptional, above average, average, below average, and poor. In MY world, when I receive an ebay item within 7-10 days, I think that as rather exceptional, or at the very least above average. Let's see, this case specifically: order Monday evening received Saturday afternoon -- umm, yep: still qualifies as rather exceptional in my book! Definitely would NEVER have even considered e-mailing a whiny e-mail such as I received after only 3 days into the transaction process!?! Especially when expedited shipping/handling was neither requested, nor specifically promised.

Interesting -- by my accounting, it has been nearly 2 DAYS (presumably, by the buyer's "accounting", it is 3 days!) since the buyer has received the item and I STILL don't have any feedback from them! Maybe I should wait until tomorrow before sending the following:
quote:
i am very disappointed that is has taken you so long to leave feedback. USPS delivery confirmation indicates you received the item saturday april 1 06 but yet i have not received feedback from you. by my accounting thats 4 days. i was under the impression that i would have feedback IMMEDIATELY from you.i am very unhappy with this type of service.
Wink I find the irony delicious and rather humorous, but am not sure about risking my here-to-fore 100% positive FB over this silly issue! Maybe I should include a winking smiley with the note? ;-) Razz Still probably wouldn't "get it" and would probably unleash a scathing neg. FB!

BTW, sorry about putting my private machinations on this issue on the board. When I stand back, the whole thing is rather tedious. But then again, all the hot topics on AS software's failings are rather tedious to me, too! Wink Although the one thread wandering into osterich cusine is rather interesting.... Wink
J jabbergahMember
quote:
Well, Jabber, just like my children, you surely don't have to listen to my opinion or take it. But, that is my opinion. And I have done a lot of business on eBay, both selling and buying. It doesn't mean I am 100% right, but it does mean it has worked for me as a seller.
Hey Shirl!

OK, I get it that shipping within 2 days is the way you operate. In my perception of the ebay world, I consider that practice EXCEPTIONAL! -- definitely NOT an average ebay seller. Since you've done alot of ebay buying, too -- what is the "average" shipping time (time for item to be RECEIVED after PayPal payment) for sellers with whom you've dealt? For this question, lets just consider USA sellers. (In case you don't notice, this is a setup! Wink) Along the same lines, have you ever sent a complaining e-mail to a seller just 3 days into the transaction?

The eye-opening thing for me has been the differing expectations thing resulting in differing characterization of the same transaction being "good" or not so good. My expectation/perception is if I ship within 1 week of payment, I'm providing good service (I'm not shooting for exceptional service all the time, just good service a very high percentage of the time. That's not to say EVERYTHING I ship goes out 7 days after order. Often I'll get something out same day or next day (depending when order received and what else I'm doing that day), but not always, nor do I promise that. Usually, I ship in the 1-4 days after order is received. This is just an average order we're talking about. If the buyer specifically requests prompt shipping because the item is to be a gift or needs to arrive by a particular date, sure I make an effort to fulfill the buyer's request.

Prompt shipping isn't EVERYTHING in good service, although it CAN be a major aspect. Let me give you an interesting example. LAST YEAR, I had an auction for a size 2XL t-shirt. The buyer took MORE than a month to pay. I sent several reminders and "what's up" emails, but never turned nasty in them. I was really curious as to the cause, as the buyer had MANY glowing FB about prompt payments. I also noted that the buyer had bought several other t-shirts from other vendors, most of which were size 3XL. So right about the time I received his payment, I sent a note to him pointing out my observations. I informed him that I had no size 3XL in stock but anticipated getting some within a month or so -- would he like to wait and get a 3XL (or even a 4XL) instead of the 2XL he won in the auction at same price? His answer, yes -- no hurry preferred bigger size. As it ended up, restocking took longer than expected (nearly 3 months?!?). There were a few e-mail exchanges ("Did you forget me?" "No, may need another month -- do you want your money back?" "No, I'll wait.") Finally got the shirt he wanted in the SIZE he wanted nearly 4 months after the auction ended! I included a note with the shipment that I would've left positive FB for him had the FB window not closed on us! Was that a "good" transaction? I thought so, but then maybe my expectations are off on this one, too?
J jakedduckMember
Well, speaking from experience (perhaps a little to much) with this seller, he has ALWAYS provided me and other people I know with EXCEPTIONAL service. I classify exceptional service as receiving an item within 5 days and also receiving informative emails.

This guy was a jerk, try and pay him no mind.

So, moving on, are you still dealing with the same style shirt or have you gotten a new design, or are you even contemplating a different design?

mrsmmrsmMember
Sorry, not gonna bite Jabber. I told my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Whether you shipped too slow or not is something for you to judge.

I ship as I said I do. I expect priority to be delivered withing 5 days max, if it is across the country. Normally I get priority in 3 to 4 days from auction close.

Regular mail, that is different.I will give them 8 days before I feel uncomfortable. book rate..whatever.

Anything over those, I don't complain, but I sure do ask. Much over that and I wont buy from them again.

I am not complaining about anything Jake that jabber did. He sent my shirts right out!

He asked a question and I answered it...in general.

Selling on eBay should be conducted like any other business.
J jabbergahMember
quote:
It probably means 'thank you' Jabber. He probably did not have time to write it in full as he needed to check his mailbox to see if any post arrived tomorrow.
Oh wow! Thanks, Mike! I should've figured that out! It does seem a little rude, though -- 80 characters available for FB and ya can't be bothered to spell out "thank you" or even just "thanks". Doesn't seem very authentic to me. I guess my FB for him should be "payment received ,ty". I'd REALLY like to add "you pia", but things like that are usually better left unsaid! Wink

Jake, same design, added shirt color -- ash gray, all still w/pockets.

Rick, I stand prepared to ship your select(s) within 7 days! Wink Your "can I take yours?" design is rather clever! Unfortunately, in our post-9-11 security crazy society that is now USA, wearing such an "implied threat" may very well get you arrested!
M mikefromwestyorkshireMember
quote:
Originally posted by Rick:
If they can’t take a little constructive criticism, Mike, t’hell with ’em! Thanks to your efforts, I can almost remember when to use “loose” or “lose”.

Easy, Rick - just apply the trousers test. Big Grin
If you loose them, not too much of a problem - tighten your belt, braces, bit of string.

If you lose them, you are in real trouble, especially if out of doors!
J jbear427Member
Jabber, I'm with Shirl here, totally. Nothing against anyone else, but I find it hard to believe you found it so surprising. Looking at your "schedule" on p.1, I can see why it took you that long to ship. However, I would also say you're too busy to be an ebay seller with that schedule if you don't want to ruffle any feathers. I have only sold a few things on ebay, I'm primarily a buyer- but I've sold lots of things online, and I always ship the day after I'm paid (I never was paid by check). I do it because my FB on all those sites is important to me, and I go above and beyond to give my buyer no reason to be upset. When I'm buying, I want to buy from someone like Shirl- and in close to 200 transactions I've found most ebayers are. I can be patient with someone like you, but the key is communication. I've been ripped off on ebay, so if you're going to drag your feet for any reason I want to know why ASAP because "here we go again" is always in the back of my mind. Usually, it's because a seller with lots of perfect FB had his account stolen and the goods I bid on don't exist. You only have 30 days to report a problem and get any kind of help, on some sites it's only two weeks. I'm not necessarily siding with your buyer, who sounds about 12, I'm just giving my $.02
J jabbergahMember
quote:
Jabber, I'm with Shirl here,

Interesting that this topic was revived by a recent posting by JBear. My opinion on the subject remains summed up in one of my posts on page one, in which I posted:
quote:
Don't care what you guys say, even WITHOUT the personal family issues involved, I think an item ordered Monday evening being received by Saturday afternoon WITHOUT paying extra for expedited shipping/handling/processing is QUITE reasonable by any standard
...or perhaps I should have said, "...is QUITE reasonable by MY standard."

BTW, an interesting update: Mr. Impatient that inspired this topic went NLRU shortly after my transaction with him!?! Seems he had a disagreement with one of his buyers right around that time -- don't know if the 2 things are related, but the irony is quite satisfying! Razz
J jbear427Member
I do find it interesting from time to time to run back through my feedbacks and see who isn't registered anymore. It can be most, as you said, satisfying.
Looking at your posts, I'm under the impression that after the auction ends you have to make the item that was won? If that was the case, I can see it adding a few days to the process. Otherwise, taking four days to mail it out is just rude. As soon as I am paid for something, it doesn't belong to me anymore and I have no right to sit on it until I get around to shipping it. It only takes 10-15 minutes out of my day to drop it off at a shipper, and there are many shippers that aren't only open during the normal working hours. I've mailed many packages out of my local Staples UPS corner at 9pm. There are many options besides the bankers hours of the local P.O.
T thewelshfoxesMember
The definitive answer..............

'ty' means 'house' in Welsh.

Sooooooooo from that bit of info we learn that 'someone' believes they are playing Bingo and shouting 'house'. I know Americans shout 'Bingo' but the British shout 'House'

As this is an American and Bingo there seems to be for Older people we have another 'clue'.

You were dealing with an 'older' Welsh person who thought they were playing Bingo. Confused

If I'd waited days for my Bingo Prize I'd have complained too - wouldn't you? Roll Eyes

Jon

PS - BTW - It can take over 6 weeks for a cheque to 'bounce' in the UK - please don't argue check with your Bank - if they are honest they may tell you about the upwards of £60 in Bank Charges if a cheque is marked 'RDPR' twice before having the 'PR' crossed out. Mad
A asandersen83Member
Rule 1 - The customer is always right.
Rule 2 - If in doubt see rule one.

Sorry, I have to side witht he customer on this one, even if the complaint may chafe a little. The guy did pay like clockwork on Paypal, so it seems that a little of the same level of urgency is not our of the question once someone has their money. He has a legitimate beef.

The best advice I can offer is that a complaint like this is a favor extended and a window of opportunity on how to perform better order fulfillment and customer service.

Remember, I did agree that it might chafe a bit, but that is probably because the arrow found its mark a little bit.
J joannahMember
Hi, my first post, but had to weigh in.

When I win an auction, I pay within 12-24 hours, no exceptions. To me, this is a business transaction and paying in a timely manner matters very much to me. I know buyers appreciate not having to play "the waiting game".

On the flip-side, I also expect my purchases to ship absolutely no more than 3 days after I have paid. I don't buy from anyone who doesn't accept PayPal, therefore no one has to wait for a check/money order to arrive in the mail or clear the bank.

If I'm able to pay quickly, I think a seller should ship quickly. As I don't give reasons (excuses) why I can't pay up right away, I certainly don't wish to hear why an item couldn't or wasn't shipped in 72 hours.

Am I unreasonable?
J joannahMember
Okay, let me phrase is another way.

What is a reasonable time-frame to ship in YOUR mind? It's not a matter of having a deadline, per se, just a general (and not overly demanding) idea of how long it takes to process a purchase.
Perhaps mentioning that you only ship on weekends in your listings would be a help. I just know that I make extra efforts to pay quickly, keep communication open and judge fairly and I like to see it reciprocated.
Three days from payment isn't demanding. Expecting it the next day is.
J joannahMember
Sure, take their money and leave it up to them to ask about when you ship instead of being proactive (not to mention more professional) by simply stating your policy in your listing. I guess by not saying one way or the other that you can leave your options open and not be held to any specific statements.
It is not demanding to expect most items to ship three days from payment.
My praise and gratitude to all those who strive to give the best customer service possible and are clear about their approach to selling.
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