Then don't bid.
That is exactly the action (or lack of) I take! In a competitive market-place, it is oftentimes the best customer service that wins loyalty, as the products are usually of similar quality.
In the US you can ship the very next day even with very busy schedules using "Carrier Pickup." @ usps.com. I don't have time to drive to post office nor to stand in line. The service is excellent!
Carrier Pickup
Key Features
Free, regardless of the number of packages you’re sending.
Your carrier will pick up your package when your regular mail is delivered.
Schedule a next day or advanced pickup up to 3 months in the future.
Available with Express Mail®, Priority Mail®, and International services.
What You Should Know:
Packages must be ready for shipment before your carrier arrives.
Requests must be received by 2:00 a.m. (CST) on the day your pickup is scheduled.
Maximum weight per package is 70 pounds.
Postage must be applied to each package.
If you are shipping postage-paid items within the United States that have been properly prepared for pickup and left in a safe location for the letter carrier, you do not need to be present. However, if you are shipping to an international destination, due to airline security regulations, you must be present at your pickup location to hand your package to your letter carrier when he arrives.
Where do I leave item(s) for Carrier Pickup?
Answer: When you fill out the online request for a free Carrier Pickup, you will be required to select the Package Location.
Possible locations may include:
In/At Mailbox
Front Door
Back Door
Side Door
Knock on Door/Ring Bell
Mail Room
Office
Reception
Carrier Pickup
Key Features
Free, regardless of the number of packages you’re sending.
Your carrier will pick up your package when your regular mail is delivered.
Schedule a next day or advanced pickup up to 3 months in the future.
Available with Express Mail®, Priority Mail®, and International services.
What You Should Know:
Packages must be ready for shipment before your carrier arrives.
Requests must be received by 2:00 a.m. (CST) on the day your pickup is scheduled.
Maximum weight per package is 70 pounds.
Postage must be applied to each package.
If you are shipping postage-paid items within the United States that have been properly prepared for pickup and left in a safe location for the letter carrier, you do not need to be present. However, if you are shipping to an international destination, due to airline security regulations, you must be present at your pickup location to hand your package to your letter carrier when he arrives.
Where do I leave item(s) for Carrier Pickup?
Answer: When you fill out the online request for a free Carrier Pickup, you will be required to select the Package Location.
Possible locations may include:
In/At Mailbox
Front Door
Back Door
Side Door
Knock on Door/Ring Bell
Mail Room
Office
Reception
If someone is too busy to use that method, they're too busy to be an ebay seller. Period.
Alright, we're good then. Since the post is now... gone... I guess I can help make this like it didn't happen. Cheers.
Sweet! Thank you!
So happy to see this addressed by another seller!
I get occasional demanding, self-righteous letters like this one, usually from males on the East Coast (wound a little too tight?).
I call it The Vending Machine Syndrome.
They punch PAID and expect the item to pop out of the computer immediately.
I sell seeds, so there's no life or death at stake, but four days after one of these characters clicks on his Paypal button, he wants those babies IN HIS MAILBOX saluting!
After writing about a hundred "The mail is slow. All the airports are shut down by blizzards" letter, I changed my ebay page to say
SHIPPING AND HANDLING TAKES 10 DAYS, and added a paragraph explaining I have no control over the postal system, so buy insurance.
I put it nicer than that, but not by much.
Those of you who claim to sell an item and ship it the next day may be offering a dozen items at a time. I've bought clothes, grandma's junk drawer, etc, from vendors who obviously have just a few things to sell at any given time, and they're ready to mail as soon as the payment comes through.
In defense of the rest of us, who have a hundred items listed, and no warehouse, or shipping staff, sometimes it takes a little longer than 20 minutes to get a package in the mail. Congratulations to those who can manage that (most of the time I do), but please don't slam a seller who isn't on alert 24/7 to mail somebody his dang $2 tee shirt.
There are nutcases in every population. On ebay, we have no way (except feedback, which is next to useless most of the time) to screen the loonies until it's too late. I'd like to block every new buyer who doesn't have at least a feedback of 20, so they learn the ropes beating someone else up before they get to me. You can read the feedback of someone you're going to buy from, but there's no system for NUTCASE RATING, and once one of these sad, demanding psychos buys something, you're stuck with them till they're happy.
THEN you can block them from buying again. Too late. Headache already firmly in place.
Hang in there! You're not alone.
I get occasional demanding, self-righteous letters like this one, usually from males on the East Coast (wound a little too tight?).
I call it The Vending Machine Syndrome.
They punch PAID and expect the item to pop out of the computer immediately.
I sell seeds, so there's no life or death at stake, but four days after one of these characters clicks on his Paypal button, he wants those babies IN HIS MAILBOX saluting!
After writing about a hundred "The mail is slow. All the airports are shut down by blizzards" letter, I changed my ebay page to say
SHIPPING AND HANDLING TAKES 10 DAYS, and added a paragraph explaining I have no control over the postal system, so buy insurance.
I put it nicer than that, but not by much.
Those of you who claim to sell an item and ship it the next day may be offering a dozen items at a time. I've bought clothes, grandma's junk drawer, etc, from vendors who obviously have just a few things to sell at any given time, and they're ready to mail as soon as the payment comes through.
In defense of the rest of us, who have a hundred items listed, and no warehouse, or shipping staff, sometimes it takes a little longer than 20 minutes to get a package in the mail. Congratulations to those who can manage that (most of the time I do), but please don't slam a seller who isn't on alert 24/7 to mail somebody his dang $2 tee shirt.
There are nutcases in every population. On ebay, we have no way (except feedback, which is next to useless most of the time) to screen the loonies until it's too late. I'd like to block every new buyer who doesn't have at least a feedback of 20, so they learn the ropes beating someone else up before they get to me. You can read the feedback of someone you're going to buy from, but there's no system for NUTCASE RATING, and once one of these sad, demanding psychos buys something, you're stuck with them till they're happy.
THEN you can block them from buying again. Too late. Headache already firmly in place.
Hang in there! You're not alone.
quote:After writing about a hundred "The mail is slow. All the airports are shut down by blizzards" letter, I changed my ebay page to say
SHIPPING AND HANDLING TAKES 10 DAYS, and added a paragraph explaining I have no control over the postal system, so buy insurance.
Wow... how hard is that? The point is that people expect to be prioritized, and if you can't do that they need to know not to expect it from you before they bid.
If I buy your seeds and they don't show up for two weeks I'm going to be pissed, plain and simple. The more I've paid for shipping the more pissed I'm going to be. Group me in your "East Coast Male Nutcase" stereotype if you want, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. Now on the other hand, if it says clearly right in your listing not to expect it for two weeks (or ten days, and it clearly does), nobody has any excuse to pitch a fit if it doesn't materialize on their doorstep within minutes. If they do, it's their own fault for bidding on an auction they don't accept the shipping terms for.
Anyone who's been buying on ebay long enough has been screwed at least once, and found out just how protected they are. There is a very short amount of time you can report a problem and expect anything to be done about it, and I've had more items than I care to remember never show up after a month of "I'm getting it ready, I haven't been able to ship it yet, my mother died, my car broke," and on and on and on and by the time I realize I've been scammed it's too late to do anything about it. This only has to happen once to turn an otherwise happy, trusting ebay shopper into "nutcase who's wound too tight" who wants to be reassured that it isn't about to happen to them again with you. If you aren't going to be able to ship the next day, say so in the listing and it's their own damn fault if they don't like it and bid anyway. Otherwise, it isn't unreasonable to expect what's mine to be out of your possession the first business day.
quote:Originally posted by Miabead:
Those of you who claim to sell an item and ship it the next day may be offering a dozen items at a time. I've bought clothes, grandma's junk drawer, etc, from vendors who obviously have just a few things to sell at any given time, and they're ready to mail as soon as the payment comes through.
In defense of the rest of us, who have a hundred items listed, and no warehouse, or shipping staff, sometimes it takes a little longer than 20 minutes to get a package in the mail. Congratulations to those who can manage that (most of the time I do), but please don't slam a seller who isn't on alert 24/7 to mail somebody his dang $2 tee shirt.
I have advertised as many as 130 items at one time in the past, worked 40 hours plus, and was able to ship within one to two days. My items were not grandma's junk! My feedback speaks for itself. (sweater32). There were days that I thought I would go crazy trying to package and mail the orders for I too didn’t have a warehouse, etc... If I sold an item and it was paid for then that item is no longer mine.
It is a great idea that you warn people ahead of time that it will take you up to 10 days to mail their paid item. I personally would not purchase from anyone who advertised shipping may take 10 days. The original author of this issue stated their item was purchased on Monday and arrived to her customer on Saturday. I would have absolutely no problem with that time frame for it is a very reasonable time period. If the weather was prohibiting me from mailing an item then I would send a letter of explanation to that buyer stating why ‘their’ item was not mailed. It would be easy for them to check the weather conditions in my area and know I wasn’t delaying mailing on purpose. I would not wait until I received an email questioning why item was not shipped to date. If you can only ship on week-end that is a different story and most post it in the advertisements. However, mailing on certain day or days is not ten days.
Also, it may be a two dollar item to you but it is money out someone’s pocket that paid for it. Rather they paid for a $1000.00 or a $2.00 item they expect the same type of service for all items that were purchased. I don’t think the cost or what an item happens to be should have any bearing, rather it be a T-shirt, seeds or a diamond ring they should all be treated equally.
Yes, there are exceptions to every rule.
A simple "Since I make these items to your specifications after you buy, it may take 3 or 4 days to ship", would save all these troubles.
And a buyers expectation of mail delivery is way too high these days. For instance, if I ship a package to Dallas, (100 miles), it must first travel to the mail package distribution center in El Paso (700 miles) and back to Dallas. It can take up to a week. Good old US Mail.
And a buyers expectation of mail delivery is way too high these days. For instance, if I ship a package to Dallas, (100 miles), it must first travel to the mail package distribution center in El Paso (700 miles) and back to Dallas. It can take up to a week. Good old US Mail.
and, to show how slow the mail is: I once received a check for an item that I sold 1 year and 3 months after it was mailed from Atlanta GA to East Texas. Yep, 15 months. We had long before, canceled that check and I had shipped the item.
In response to the last two posts.....
Both situations you mention are the exception, not the rule.
Expectations are too high from buyers? You're in a market where the competition is very high. More often than not, the person with the best customer service wins.
Unless there are extenuating circumstances, three days lead time is not unreasonable for an item that is already paid for.
Ask yourself this: Would you be okay if all your buyers waited three days to 2 weeks before they paid for an item they won?
Both situations you mention are the exception, not the rule.
Expectations are too high from buyers? You're in a market where the competition is very high. More often than not, the person with the best customer service wins.
Unless there are extenuating circumstances, three days lead time is not unreasonable for an item that is already paid for.
Ask yourself this: Would you be okay if all your buyers waited three days to 2 weeks before they paid for an item they won?
quote:Unless there are extenuating circumstances, three days lead time is not unreasonable for an item that is already paid for.
Not in the days when it takes mail 3 days to go across town! Remember, the posters items had to be made after the order was placed.
By the way, I have 100% all positive feedback on over 1400 transactions so I must be doing something right.
My post referred to most items.
Entenuating circumstances includes:
Items that have to be made
Family emergencies (although some people seem to be plagued by emergencies of this nature)
Inclement weather
In addition, when I say "three days", I mean three days to package it and get it in the mail. I do not expect the item on my porch in three days. I expect it to be shipped in that time.
I understand sellers can't control the mail, but when someone tells me that shipped on the 1st and I see my package marked the 12th, I have to question their honesty and business practices.
Entenuating circumstances includes:
Items that have to be made
Family emergencies (although some people seem to be plagued by emergencies of this nature)
Inclement weather
In addition, when I say "three days", I mean three days to package it and get it in the mail. I do not expect the item on my porch in three days. I expect it to be shipped in that time.
I understand sellers can't control the mail, but when someone tells me that shipped on the 1st and I see my package marked the 12th, I have to question their honesty and business practices.
quote:Entenuating circumstances includes:
Items that have to be made
Then, after all, we are in agreement here. I also am talking about 3 days to ship, and it should be stated in the terms.
I ship the next postal working day after receiving payment, always.
quote:Ask yourself this: Would you be okay if all your buyers waited three days to 2 weeks before they paid for an item they won?
Nicely put.
quote:Ask yourself this: Would you be okay if all your buyers waited three days to 2 weeks before they paid for an item they won?
Yep, it is standard to wait 7-10 days for payment and is usually stated in each sellers terms. It is going to take at least three days for a payment to cross town, at least in Texas. And we are all using the same good old US Postal Service. I sell old postcards and in the early 1900's a card would be postmarked when it left a city, and again postmarked when it arrived in an adjoining state or further on the next day. Sometimes it would be delivered that same day or always the next. That is 2-3 days by steam train mail delivery. All that ended with the progress of zip codes, airplanes and computers. Sadly.
Tex,
While you may allow people to pay you 7-10 days after winning, don't you want to reward those who pay on-the-spot?
I pay with PayPal, as I dislike having to write a check, dig through my desk for a stamp, fill out an envelope, etc. Additionally, I don't want anyone waiting around for payment and wondering if the check is good.
Prompt payment deserves prompt shipping.
While you may allow people to pay you 7-10 days after winning, don't you want to reward those who pay on-the-spot?
I pay with PayPal, as I dislike having to write a check, dig through my desk for a stamp, fill out an envelope, etc. Additionally, I don't want anyone waiting around for payment and wondering if the check is good.
Prompt payment deserves prompt shipping.
Joanna_H. That would be nice but most of my buyers are one time buyers and very few pay by PayPal. Many people do not trust them as you can see by reading their and ebay's boards. Unfortunately, I do not have that luxury and have to accept many personal checks.
I pay by PayPal, but my buyers usually don't .
As I said, I always ship on the next postal working day after payment is received, with personal checks that is after they have cleared my bank. I have not sold in awhile, but when I do, I spell everything out in my terms so there are no surprises to buyers, and it seems to work.
I pay by PayPal, but my buyers usually don't .
As I said, I always ship on the next postal working day after payment is received, with personal checks that is after they have cleared my bank. I have not sold in awhile, but when I do, I spell everything out in my terms so there are no surprises to buyers, and it seems to work.
The problem here is a lack of communication on both sides. Jabbergah should have stated his shipping policy and that his business is part-time. The buyer should have mentioned that he wanted the item immediately. Insufficient communication of expectations leads to dissappointment. Oh and Jabbergah, how can you not know what "ty" means?!!
Sweater32's mention of free "carrier pickup" is quite important. Jabbergah should definately look into this. Most people don't know that a few experienced online auction users have started to document what they've learned on EBay and other sites. This includes ways to easily improve service for your business, like "carrier pickup". Furthermore some have chosen to provide this valuable information to the public for FREE! Well almost free; they do make you pay a $5 shipping fee to prevent scammers from taking advantage of them. I've found the one offered on www.highauctionprofits.info to be very useful, even if you're just using EBay.
Tom Wood
Sweater32's mention of free "carrier pickup" is quite important. Jabbergah should definately look into this. Most people don't know that a few experienced online auction users have started to document what they've learned on EBay and other sites. This includes ways to easily improve service for your business, like "carrier pickup". Furthermore some have chosen to provide this valuable information to the public for FREE! Well almost free; they do make you pay a $5 shipping fee to prevent scammers from taking advantage of them. I've found the one offered on www.highauctionprofits.info to be very useful, even if you're just using EBay.
Tom Wood
quote: Tom Woods
_____________________________________________
[Furthermore some have chosen to provide this valuable information to the public for FREE! Well almost free; they do make you pay a $5 shipping fee to prevent scammers from taking advantage of them. I've found the one offered on www.highauctionprofits.info to be very useful, even if you're just using EBay.]
_____________________________________________
I read your post and checked out 'High Auction Profits' I have a personal fear, due to having Identy theft that has happened in the past.
I am leary that 'High Auction Profits' is free and charges S&H to be paid by credit card, which I totally understand the necessity to charge for S&H.
My question is: "How long ago did you purchase this info and have you had any difficulty with your personal ID afterwards?
I am interested in other auction sites and this may be one way of finding them.
By the way....Great post!
TY TY TY
_____________________________________________
[Furthermore some have chosen to provide this valuable information to the public for FREE! Well almost free; they do make you pay a $5 shipping fee to prevent scammers from taking advantage of them. I've found the one offered on www.highauctionprofits.info to be very useful, even if you're just using EBay.]
_____________________________________________
I read your post and checked out 'High Auction Profits' I have a personal fear, due to having Identy theft that has happened in the past.
I am leary that 'High Auction Profits' is free and charges S&H to be paid by credit card, which I totally understand the necessity to charge for S&H.
My question is: "How long ago did you purchase this info and have you had any difficulty with your personal ID afterwards?
I am interested in other auction sites and this may be one way of finding them.
By the way....Great post!
TY TY TY
If I pay by paypal I expect same day shipping. If you sell something it should be packaged and ready at the end of the auction for immediate delivery to the shipper.
... and then you win two items from the same seller and they have to unwrap them and re-wrap them. If you want shop-style service then buy from a shop!
R2
R2
My thoughts exactly!quote:... and then you win two items from the same seller and they have to unwrap them and re-wrap them. If you want shop-style service then buy from a shop!
At 1 year plus and still being read and posted to, this topic by far has had more popularity and/or longevity than anything else I have ever posted here. Might I even rival "Adhesive Bras"???
What surprises me is that for a substantial percentage of the posters, the answer to the post topic is, "YES!"Brief update regarding the events that inspired this post: buyer is STILL NLRU and I STILL have 100% positive FB.
Agreed!
R2
+44(0)7770 756408 <-- leave a message!
R2
+44(0)7770 756408 <-- leave a message!
As surprising as the percentage that are still posting.quote:What surprises me is that for a substantial percentage of the posters, the answer to the post topic is, "YES!"
I would have to say that waiting 4 days to ship would be grounds for negative feedback.
That is just asinine.
That is just asinine.
So being a seller who isn't a business and taking 4 days to ship due to work/home commitments means that you're devoid of intelligence? I hope you never buy from me matey...
R2
New number: +44 (0)7770 774 914
R2
New number: +44 (0)7770 774 914
This thread will surely go down in AS history.
If you order something Monday evening and receive it Saturday -- you would leave negative feedback???quote:I would have to say that waiting 4 days to ship would be grounds for negative feedback.
That is just asinine.
If someone pays by paypal in the morning I ship out the item that afternoon and if paid in the evening I ship the next day. I only charge the postage it costs and often I lose a few pence or more yet I have 4.7 stars for despatch. I don't know wat else I can do!
I think the new feedback is horrible. Some people need to complain over the dangest things that has no bearing on what really transpired. I feel if you do not give a 100 percent feed back that you should comment why you feel this way. Poossible one solution would be to put in your listing. "If you are not 100 percent satisfied with this transaction, please email me stating why before posting negative ratings. feedback.
On the other how many people would write their complaints and expect a partial refund. The whole process is stupid.
On the other how many people would write their complaints and expect a partial refund. The whole process is stupid.
Um... did you just quote yourself?
<_<
>_>
<_<
>_>
I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer!
As a powerseller in eBay and also as someone who is single handed and disabled I have some perspective on this matter. I am located in the UK but 90% of my buyers are in the USA and my store is on .com. Bearing in mind that I only post twice weekly and have to pay someone to do post office runs as I dont drive I manage my buyers expectations. I tell them air shipping to the USA is 7-10 working days ie 2 weeks whereas most items actually arrive in one week. So if they miss my mailing by a few hours and the package does not go out til a few days later they are still pleasantly surprised by how quickly it gets there. I also keep my buyers well informed by sending them a "payment acknowledgement" when they pay and a "shipping advice" when the item is sent. So far only one or two nuts have complained about slow shipping, and they did not realise it was coming international.
You have to learn to "manage" your buyers and use a bit of psychology on them.
You have to learn to "manage" your buyers and use a bit of psychology on them.
Exactly
How about thank you.
I have to say, I have on occasion been slow to post things out and vice versa.
Although I do think that this was a rather long time for the item to be delivered.
Take my example ....
6.30pm Thursday - paid via paypal for an item in Japan ( I live in the UK)
7.30pm - Thursday item posted in Japan
8.00 am Monday morning - package arrived at my door
I wasnt expecting that quick but now my expectatuions are a lot higher.
Although I do think that this was a rather long time for the item to be delivered.
Take my example ....
6.30pm Thursday - paid via paypal for an item in Japan ( I live in the UK)
7.30pm - Thursday item posted in Japan
8.00 am Monday morning - package arrived at my door
I wasnt expecting that quick but now my expectatuions are a lot higher.