posted on March 6, 2003 05:27:19 PM new
A couple of weeks ago, a woman wins a low-value auction. Price: $2.37 for a pair of earrings. In her email she mentions that she wants me to ship the package to her niece and include a note expressing birthday wishes from Auntie This and Uncle That.
I assumed that meant she would include a handwritten note with her payment which I could then slip into the box with the earrings. Other customers have done this from time to time and of course, it's no trouble.
No. It turns out she wants me to write a Happy Birthday note ("a card would be nice if you have one" and sign it myself with her and her husband's names.
I think this woman has me confused with amzn.com, who will happily do this for you...for a fee.
As it is, I'm going with my original assumption and if she protests, I'm going to say "I didn't see a personal note included with your shipment."
Would you fulfill her request?
--
Because of their courage and daring and idealism, we will miss them all the more. --George W. Bush, 02/01/03
posted on March 6, 2003 05:52:32 PM new
Fluffy you are so funny.
If it was me I would do that, but not in a card. I would make up a letter and put it in microsoft word to use whenever someone asks me. I write a personal note with my items all the time and it gets good reviews.
It is the same note I use for all my auctions and I have it in the microsoft word, change a few words and print. Takes about 2 minutes. I don't send an invoice.
posted on March 6, 2003 05:52:45 PM new
I've done it before - I don't get a lot of requests for something like that, though. Once the post office noticed that I wrote "Happy Birthday Stephanie" on a priority box so they put some stickers on the box to make it more colorful. I thought that was nice of them.
posted on March 6, 2003 05:58:58 PM new
Really, Marc? You'd want more future business from someone who spends pennies and wants dollars in value?
I don't, sorry. It just plain doesn't make business sense.
I just blocked a CA bidder who had bought five things from me. She would make bottomfeeders look like mad spenders. The first four items she paid for, no problem. Then the special requests started coming in. "I paid you too much in sales tax!" Well, gosh, we send you two totals: one including CA sales tax and one without. It's really hard to overpay if you just pay what we invoice you. So I pulled her invoices, and yes, she had paid a couple of pennies too much here and there. FIVE friggin' emails from her on this topic. "Have you checked this yet, huh? Have you?"
Then, one of her packages didn't arrive. It has eDC on it and it hasn't been delivered yet. "I want a refund." (You knew that was coming.) Nope, hon, that's what insurance is for and you've never paid it.
I hauled out the bidder block , dusted it off, and engraved it with her name.
Marc, if you want a small-potatoes customer like my earrings lady, you're welcome to her. I have been selling jewelry and other nice things on eBay over five years now. These buyers DO NOT convert to big spenders. In fact, their fondest wet dream is that one day you will announce you're accepting credit cards so they can charge their $2.37 purchase.
I accept bottomfeeders as a price to pay for starting auctions at one cent. Yeah, very occasionally something goes for a song. But I don't see any reason to chase bad money with good.
I looked at your debbie auctions yesterday and noticed there were, what, 65 or so. I have 460 auctions running and hope to hit 600 by weekend.
--
"I find myself having to apologize for being an American." --Belinda Carlisle, ex-Go-Go
posted on March 6, 2003 06:09:53 PM new
Meeeooowww! Fluffy is BACK in her old form!
I agree about not putting in the card for an item that cheap. There are limits.
I've stopped printing invoices and doing the handwritten note. I have pretty business cards with my seller name, e-mail and address. I do handwrite "Thanks!". After a while the cost of paper and ink starts to add up. Not to mention time. I also think that a satisfied buyer is more likely to keep my card for future reference than to hang on to a big piece of paper.
To each their own.
Kathy - who can't spell for cr*p tonight
[ edited by jensmome on Mar 6, 2003 06:10 PM ]
[ edited by jensmome on Mar 6, 2003 06:12 PM ]
posted on March 6, 2003 06:11:35 PM new
Do you realize it took 3 times longer to write your "noblesse non oblige" post than it would have to insert a small note as the customer asked.
Please don't do anything nice for someone unless you expect something in return.
posted on March 6, 2003 07:05:51 PM new
I have provided gift wrapping and cards for buyers. I provide them for free on purchases over $25.00 IF THEY ASK. It's not in my TOS. The card is not Hallmark or other expensive card. You can get partial boxes of cards at Goodwill very cheaply or print something very simple on your computer. I do not do it for free on smaller purchases.
For a sale for such a small amount, I only enclose a hand written or computer printed note. Or the buyer can pay me $3.50 for wrapping and a card.
Whenever they email me that it is going to be a gift, I give them options. If they just send a money order, with a request for a card be enclosed (for a small sale), I include a note only if more was not paid for.
I usually take a light touch/approach in communicating about the additional fees, and have had no problems. I have sent about 6 gifts for buyers.
posted on March 6, 2003 07:18:59 PM new
Maybe fluffy needs a time out. And I don't know why she is comparing someone elses auctions to her's. If Marc only wants to run 65 auctions and give good customer service that is his preference. If you want to run 600 auctions and give no special service that is okay also. It's all in what a seller wants to do to make an auction pleasant.
This little bikereing is over a small gift card. I wonder what we would do if they would have wanted gift wrap. Heaven forbid.
My letters are written on plain colored paper, Pink, Yellow, blue and green. This paper is forsale right now at Office Mac buy two rheams for $11.00 and get the third one free. Seems cheap to me.
I guess it comes down to what we as sellers want to do for our buyers. It's a good think everyone is different. Each to his own.
posted on March 6, 2003 08:11:21 PM new
If they would ask i'd do it...nice friendly thing to do...but I get my cards for free and along with boxes because I help my aunt out 2 times a week (greeting cards)...I could see charging a small amount to print one out on a computer or if you buy them out of pocket...but to tell them no...would never happen even if it was a cheap item...they may tell they're friends or family about how great of a seller you are ...word of mouth makes great sells also
posted on March 6, 2003 08:24:09 PM new
I mention the number of auctions because many of you are casual sellers as opposed to full-time high-volume and yes, it does make a huge difference.
Business practices that don't matter because you sell 20 things a week suddenly become very important when you boost it to 500.
If you're selling on eBay to have fun and make friends, that's great. I'm sure there are many people who will oblige you (and others who will cheerfully take advantage of you). But whatever. It's your lookout.
--
"I find myself having to apologize for being an American." --Belinda Carlisle, ex-Go-Go
posted on March 6, 2003 10:11:35 PM new
[i]This little bikereing is over a small gift card. I wonder what we would do if they would have wanted gift wrap. Heaven forbid.
[/i]
I wouldn't do it either. My customers get fast shipping and products as described. That is what they paid for...not cards.
I hate giftwrap and cards. Waste of money. I won't inflict them on others.
posted on March 6, 2003 10:17:58 PM new
I can relate. Some of the customers that pay the least always want those extra touches and most times they are female. A couple of times on my website I have gift-wrapped for men but they always spend enough to make it worthwhile. Same thing in my shop.
Yes, I would probably do it. But if they kind of irritated me I would drop a receipt for the $2.37 in the package with the earrings. Just that extra touch.
posted on March 6, 2003 10:31:30 PM newBut if they kind of irritated me I would drop a receipt for the $2.37 in the package with the earrings. Just that extra touch.
posted on March 6, 2003 10:55:53 PM newBut if they kind of irritated me I would drop a receipt for the $2.37 in the package with the earrings. Just that extra touch.
No, no, I don't believe for a minute you would do that.
posted on March 7, 2003 01:19:44 AM new
I would if I was irritated enough. Once a lady came into my shop out of her fancy motor home and she was dripping jewels. She picked out a $3.95 dish and tried to deal down the price because she said the gas for the motor home was so expensive. I refused and then she demanded gift-wrapping.
I was nicer back then so I relented. She was overbearing and looked me over and talked to me like I was mere trailer trash. She took one of my business cards and told me to write on the back of it that the dish was a valuable antique and to include it in the package.
She said that the gift was for a neighbor that looked after her house while she was on vacation for a couple of months. While she was yakking to me about her fancy lifestyle I wrapped up the parcel really pretty. I never put the card in and I left the $3.95 sticker on the dish. I even smiled and waved as she walked out of the store.
Some of the richest old bags are the cheapest when it comes to buying gifts for "loved ones" and you learn this fast when you work retail. Heck, I bet some of you even have the joy of having one of them as a relative.
posted on March 7, 2003 02:25:40 AM new
Fluffy - I normally enjoy and look forward to your postings here, but I guess I don't understand this one. You posted this topic, asking for peoples' opinions. Obviously, there are going to be both people for and against including a personal note with the shipment. And obviously, you have your opinion about this matter.
Why ask the question, then get confrontational with people who don't agree with you? To convert them to your way of thinking? Won't happen. To make yourself feel better about your stance? Perhaps. Just to have the opportunity to put someone down and be, basically, mean? I would think you'd be bigger than that.
"Who's tending the bar? Sniping works up a thirst"
posted on March 7, 2003 04:56:31 AM new
No, I don't run 600 auctions a week, but I do have a full-time and a part-time job AND the Ebay thing. So, although all my time is not concentrated on Ebay, I am busy. I would include the note for the woman. Just makes good business sense. Irritated is not having to spend two minutes writing out a small note. If I can work 70 hours per week at two jobs, do the Ebay thing and still write a note, I guess I don't see why someone else cannot.
I recently bought from a couple of on-line shops selling vintage jewelry. One sent me my items nicely packaged with a beautiful gold ribbon and a small bag of chocolates. Another, sent me nicely packaged jewelry and a pen with her shop's name on it. The other just sent me the pacakage. Now, I remember the name of the first two shops, but cannot remember the name of the third even though they were the cheaper of the three.
Irritated is when you have a shop and your customers expect you to allow them to buy the jewelry, take it home to try it out for a couple of months and then bring it back because it just doesn't feel comfortable. Yes, you heard what I said. My brother faces this in his shop all the time. He's not selling Ebay quality items. He's selling $5,000+ rings and other very fine antiques. Top of the line Platinum, etc. And, what does he do? He takes it back. To him that makes good business sense because these have become loyal customers and who have spent thousands in his store. Writing a small note in a customer's package? I'm sure he'd welcome that compared to some of the stuff he's done for his customers.
You are entitled to your opinion. For me customer satisfaction is of the highest concern. If you are going to whine about this post, maybe you should not offer your items at a starting price you are not happy with.
I would like to see some of your auctions and feedback to see what kind of comments your customers give you. Seems like you don't much care about your bidders.
posted on March 7, 2003 08:59:51 AM new
marc: Who's whining?
"Seems like you don't much care about your bidders"
I care about the ones who are good customers. Do I care about them personally? With a few exceptions, no. But I care about keeping them satisfied and having fun and feeling like they are getting the world's best deal (which they are, let's face it).
It's called BUSINESS.
Too many of you people here want your customers to love you. If I'm to believe what I read, some of you are going bizarrely out of your way to earn their love. And that's why you get so honked off about feedback: you see even a friggin' NEUTRAL as a slap in the face. You even get off on reading your own positive feedbacks, as if they actually meant something. (How much time do you imagine Marie and Jay spend reading their own feedback?) If someone keeps buying, they're happy. That's the only measure that counts as far as I'm concerned.
As I posted recently elsewhere, our ratio of total feedbacks to unique is nearly 3:1.
That indicates a high rate of customer satisfaction in my book.
The name of the game is selling, not love.
Yes, I asked for comments about the situation. As usual I got a ton of other snarky sh*t as well from the usual willfully uninformed sh*t generators. Most of the time I let it pass. This time I didn't feel like it.
"I would like to see some of your auctions and feedback to see what kind of comments your customers give you. "
You have more than enough information to do precisely that. Have fun!
--
"I find myself having to apologize for being an American." --Belinda Carlisle, ex-Go-Go
posted on March 7, 2003 09:38:43 AM new
Catering to customers that are buying $5000+ jewelry is not the same as catering to one who buys $2.37 worth.
And before someone says that maybe that's all they can afford to buy, experience has taught me that the ones who can't afford very much are some of the nicer ones and they don't expect the frills or extras.
Fluffy makes a good point about wanting your customers to love you. I used to be that way but after all the abuse some of them reaped on me I changed my thinking. I'm not in this for the love, I'm in it for the money.
It doesn't mean that I don't treat them with respect but there is only so far that I will bend and it very much depends on how much they spend and how they treat me in return. The more you do for some of them, the less they appreciate it.
Why would I want to waste my time wrapping a gift that is under $5 for someone who is looking down their nose at me when I could spend that time catering to another customer who is spending more?
Fluffy's customer should have included her own card for a $2.37 purchase.
posted on March 7, 2003 10:18:34 AM new
Whew!!!...Is there any Anger Management classes starting up next week by chance?...I think we have a candidate...
"As a child I had a quicksand box in my yard...I was an only child, eventually...
and sign it myself with her and her husband's names.
[ edited by Twelvepole on Mar 6, 2003 05:49 PM ]
Sniping works up a thirst"
