posted on March 8, 2003 11:26:40 AM newDo you get personalized thank you notes from Lands End?
Oh here we go... once again an eBay seller trying to comapare themselves to a major Retailer...
I also don't see Land's End coming here posting threads such as this...
posted on March 8, 2003 11:41:00 AM new
I would not do it. Not that it would take too long or cost too much, I just think it is tacky to send a note written by a complete stranger.
If I got a gift from someone I'd hope that person would take the two seconds it takes to sign a card. If they can't even sign their own card, how much did they care about the gift anyway?
I do about 100-200 auctions weekly, a note would take no time and cost next to nothing so that is not an issue. The issue to me is a personal one.
But I'd be happy to send along a note or card written by the buyer to the person the gift was for.
posted on March 8, 2003 12:07:41 PM new
kyms, you nailed it. It is tacky. This bidder had plenty of opportunity to write out her own card or note and send it along with the payment.
How much did they care about the gift anyway? Most likely all $2.37 worth.
This discussion is very much like the feedback ones. Each person chooses to run their own business as they see fit but others don't see it that way. They seem to think just because they do things a certain way that it has to be the right way.
posted on March 8, 2003 12:30:27 PM new
[i]Oh here we go... once again an eBay seller trying to comapare themselves to a major Retailer...
I also don't see Land's End coming here posting threads such as this...[/i]
Here we go again...assuming we know who REALLY posts on these boards....
posted on March 8, 2003 03:13:33 PM new
Well I'm a little seller,meaning I'm not A PowerSeller and I hope I will never be. I've done this request may times but I don't sell items for $1.00 and I'm doing extremely well at the moment,thank you new E-Bayers! I will treat you as a human.And my repeat customers that are flooding my auctions,I thank you as well! This cat will scratch off now.....
posted on March 8, 2003 03:33:51 PM new
"I really don't see why anyone should expect a thank you note."
I have a couple of books written by a consultant who suggests that every now and again, you send a simple thank-you note to your best customers. (I talked about segmenting the customer base earlier, as you'll recall.)
Just a simple note, hand-signed, sent First Class with a big beautiful commemorative stamp attached.
No metering, no bulk or presorted...you're going for the personal touch here. Apparently some professional fundraisers tried this for their clients (Sm*ths*n**n was one) and it boosted their revenues 22%.
--
"I find myself having to apologize for being an American." --Belinda Carlisle, ex-Go-Go
posted on March 8, 2003 03:41:53 PM newI just think it is tacky to send a note written by a complete stranger
I suppose you personally know the florist when you have flowers sent to someone and have them include a written card?
No, I don't want my bidders to "love" me, just to think me the nice person I am. I respect your not wanting to write a note for someone as I expect you to respect my wanting to. Simple as that.
It's the sellers choice and I don't think he or she should be ridiculed for not wanting to. IMO it just makes good business sense to do these things.
posted on March 8, 2003 04:43:53 PM new
Yes, it may be good business sense to do this and that's why many of us do.
I do these things in my shop also, thinking that it will generate more sales or perhaps get the customer to spend more next time or shop more often because of the service.
But 2, 3, 5 or even 10 years later I find that the majority that are cheap to begin with just seem to stay that way. Now I steer them towards pre-wrapped ring boxes with a bow on top or a gift bag. Both cost under $1.00. They don't even want to spend that. So I no longer provide a box or spend time wrapping for them.
As for cheap costume jewelry, I get the customers that only want to spend $5.00 on a ring but they want guarantees that the gold plate will stay on it forever and the stone will stay in if they wear it 24/7 doing dishes, gardening, swimming and sports.
Anyone that sells this online will get complaints about the same thing and their feedback will reflect it. Don't blame the seller, blame the silly buyer for their unreal expectations.
posted on March 8, 2003 05:45:28 PM new
"As for cheap costume jewelry, I get the customers that only want to spend $5.00 on a ring but they want guarantees that the gold plate will stay on it forever and the stone will stay in if they wear it 24/7 doing dishes, gardening, swimming and sports. "
Hey kiara, you must be reading my incoming mail.
The first time I wore that (omitted) bracelet three stones fell out. I am very unhappy.
My response was that unfortunately inexpensive jewelry does not always feature prong-set stones. We warrant that the piece will be perfect when it arrives. What happens after that is due to your usage of it, which we can't be responsible for.
I have jewelry information readily available with a link to it in all my auctions but it seems that few read it. I always advise people not to wear jewelry while bathing, swimming, being out in the rain, exercising, etc.
--
"I find myself having to apologize for being an American." --Belinda Carlisle, ex-Go-Go
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Mar 8, 2003 05:46 PM ]
posted on March 8, 2003 06:11:57 PM new
I advise the same thing in my shop but I am amazed what some people can do to even good jewelry in such a small period of time.
And then there are the customers that gaze at a ring clearly marked $5.00 and ask if it is real gold or if the stones are real.
I had a lady whine to me because I didn't sell fashion pins for $5.00 and she suggested I get some in. I told her I wouldn't because they look too cheap and the clasps break. She said "Oh, it's not for me, it's a gift for my friend."
They love to buy cheap jewelry and present it in a nicely wrapped velvet box with a fancy note and try to give the impression that they are big spenders. If the jewelry breaks then they can blame the retailer and make up a story about how they were taken when they shopped there, never admitting what it cost to begin with.
The solution to the complaints on inexpensive jewelry coming apart would be to include a NOTE (Oh no, the dreaded note!) in the package with guidelines for care, as in not wearing while bathing, swimming, etc.
You can preprint them, 5 or more to a page of paper, have a stack cut apart, and just slip one in each package. There it is, right in front of their face when their merchandise arrives, and "you told them so"!
I used to sell plastic jewelry that would melt in a hot car on a sunny day, and included a small preprinted note with a warning.
You could avoid some negative feedback that way. Up to you.
Patty
[ edited by meadowlark on Mar 8, 2003 06:19 PM ]
posted on March 8, 2003 06:54:01 PM newThe solution to the complaints oninexpensive jewelry coming apart would be to include a NOTE (Oh no, the dreaded note!) in the package with guidelines for care,
Whats the point? They do not read your mepage or anything else to start with. It always comes back to "what have you got under $2.00 and does it have a fifty year warranty" LOL
I used to sell plastic jewelry that would melt in a hot car on a sunny day, andincluded a small preprinted note with a warning.
This come with a bag of icecubes?
I just love this one, thanks for the laugh.
posted on March 8, 2003 08:32:58 PM new
meadowlark: You're right, I have considered doing that. One of those "it's a good idea I'll implement someday" things.
--
"I'd rather have the German Army in front of me than the French Army behind me." --General George S. Patton
posted on March 8, 2003 09:39:05 PM new
wHOAAAAAA!!!! I Learned alot here. I have Now added a Thank you Very Much,,,,, on the bottom of my Address. Right in plain sight.
__________________________________
FROM:
Joe Schmuk
123 N. Central St.
Evenadale, New York.
56743
Thank You Very Much.
fetish on E bay.
____________________________________
Print it,,,,,,,snip it,,,,,paste or tape it and Send it!!!!!
They have been Personally AND Publicly Thanked.
Snap! snap! snap!,,,,,,Whiiiiiip it, Whiiiiip it GOOD! OOOOuch!
posted on March 8, 2003 09:39:33 PM newThere maybe people who work for them... but it is not the people who make the decisions.
Unless you are psychic or have an inside track that no one else does, you don't know that.
edited to add:
I do not offer gift wrap in my stores. However my bags are beautiful and many people come in and ask to buy a bag to put items in from other stores. The bags are distinctive and everyone reconizes them. Good advertisement and with a little tissue paper the bags look great to give a gift in.
[ edited by shop4shoes on Mar 8, 2003 09:43 PM ]
posted on March 8, 2003 09:44:19 PM new
Prove me wrong... NO ONE FROM A MAJOR RETAILER REPRESENTING THAT RETAILER POSTS HERE, IT IS REALLY THAT SIMPLE.
...or you can keep your little eBay dream world alive, really makes no difference, but please stop making comparisons to real retail outlets, not even close to being the same.
posted on March 8, 2003 09:46:18 PM new
The note in the package with guidelines for jewelry care is a good idea because it will take care of a few of the whiners. Some of the jewelry I sell comes with instructions on how to care for it.
But be prepared to hear from the ones who will insist that no note was ever in the package. There will be others who will insist that they didn't do anything wrong to the jewelry, that it fell apart while in their jewelry box. These are the same people who don't follow care instructions on clothing and then blame the seller after they ruin it.
posted on March 8, 2003 09:59:29 PM new
"They love to buy cheap jewelry and present it in a nicely wrapped velvet box with a fancy note and try to give the impression that they are big spenders."
Did I ever tell you about my virtual mother-in-law, the queen of cheap and the curator of the Food Museum?
She does volunteer work for a huge regional meta-foodbank, the kind of place that dispatches shipments to other foodbanks. The volunteers are allowed to take home large quantities of "stuff", which can be anything from paperback novels to canned peaches to deodorant to week-old bakery goods. (Despite the foodbank moniker, they get tons of nonfood items.)
We call her pantry the Food Museum because the stuff is already old when it arrives and some of it has been sitting on her shelves for five years and more. You don't accept an offer of refreshment in her home without checking the "use by" date! Trust me! Coca-cola does NOT improve with age!
Anyway, one Christmas she gave out foodbank gifts. One of us got a plastic camera that said TIME on it (a subscription freebie); I got a battered box of teabags. It *was* beautifully wrapped, though.
I still laugh.
No, she's not hurting for cash, it's just the result of a lifetime of frugality.
--
"I'd rather have the German Army in front of me than the French Army behind me." --General George S. Patton
posted on March 9, 2003 04:25:08 AM new
well, 'knowing' fluffy, I'm sure the kitty won't be offended by this post
I care not one iota what seller ID fluffy uses nor do I wish to take the time to research it.
fluffy is as fluffy does.
why people choose to take a thread OT in attempt to be cruel or judgemental is beyond me.
ON TOPIC:
I average about 75 auctions per week.
I have, on occasion, 'wrapped' items when a bidder informed me that the item was being sent as a gift.
I sell mostly clothing and simply use a pretty color tissue before bagging it.
No biggie.
I did this *on my own* for a few friendly bidders who let me know the item was purchased as a present.
HOWEVER,
I take offense when bidders request items that cost me time & money.
(IMHO, falls into the same category as Canadians that expect me to lie about value and gift status when I complete a customs form).
No biggie to include a note that was sent with payment or if the $2.37 buyer wants a cut & paste 'personal' note from Aunt & Uncle Cheapskate but I find it incredibly disrespectful to ask a seller to go write a note for them. Is my time worth nothing? Let them write their own friggin note!
The amount of customer service I give is up to me, NOT up to a $2.37 bidder.
I sell quality items packed neatly at a great price, I ship fast and I don't charge handling.
I won't lie, cheat or steal for an International bidder & I don't write personal notes for other people.
My sell through rate is higher than my competitors, as are my closing bids.
I have a 25% repeat customer base and 99.5% positive feedback.
I also do NOT sell costume jewelry (and never will after hearing about fluffy's escapades!)
posted on March 9, 2003 04:34:32 AM newThe smartest eBay sellers maximize profits with the least amount of listings, which minimizes costs
maybe...
BUT
The smartest eBay sellers minimize profits with the most amount of deductions, which minimizes taxes
Operating a business at a loss is a smart move ~ many are able to write off portions of their rent/mortgage, car, electric, telephone, office equipment, etc. in the process.
This does NOT mean they are working for free, it means they get good financial advice.
posted on March 9, 2003 07:42:36 AM new
Lots to agree with in zoomin's post, just a minor nit:
"I also do NOT sell costume jewelry (and never will after hearing about fluffy's escapades!)"
I don't sell costume jewelry either. Never touch the stuff, save for a very occasional vintage piece from my own collection. I do sell precious-metal jewelry with and without stones.
There's a reason why so many liquidators have huge lots of costume jewelry available. It's crap. Maybe it moves at flea markets, I don't know.
--
"I'd rather have the German Army in front of me than the French Army behind me." --General George S. Patton
posted on March 9, 2003 08:35:36 AM newProve me wrong... NO ONE FROM A MAJOR RETAILER REPRESENTING THAT RETAILER POSTS HERE, IT IS REALLY THAT SIMPLE
You have poven yourself WRONG...until you can state unequivocally, without a doubt, that you know, no one representing a "MAJOR RETAILER" posts on these or any other similar boards. Bottom line you do not know who posts on these boards. IT IS REALLY THAT SIMPLE.
...or you can keep your little eBay dream world alive, really makes no difference, but please stop making comparisons to real retail outlets, not even close to being the same.
If people want to have their ebay dreams that is fine. They can compare to who they want. Unless you own retail outlets, as many of us do, you have no basis to know how similar or disimilar they are.
A guy came by my store a few years ago and he had cases of jewelry with tags still attached, ranging from $15-$100. I did not sell jewelry, but he offered it for $2.50-$5.00 per piece, so I got around 50 pieces. Mainly rings, some bracelets and a few earrings.
One of my employees jazzed up a display case and put it in. We sold nearly all of it over the weekend at 50% off the tagged prices.
My friend who owns a resale store purchased some of the same items. He was selling his for $5, $10 and $15 a piece. He sold almost nothing and as of a month ago he still had some of the items.
Many times value is in the perception of quality. I have upscale boutiques so, people did not mind paying more for the same jewelry that could be found at a thrift store.
posted on March 9, 2003 08:56:32 AM new
I can remember a few years back a thread about big retailers posting to these boards for research and such. I am pretty sure it was this board.
The thread was closed. Before it was, some people had posted the names and ids of some of the retailers.
posted on March 9, 2003 10:32:20 AM new
Shop4shoes put up or shut up... You seem to want to believe that a people representing major retailers do post here... and I am not talking your "I own my store" crap but some of these WELL KNOWN retailers that are in busniess Nation wide... Let's see several family memebers working for Nationwide retailers for many years... hearing how things are done... yeah I just don't know.
It boggles my mind why a good eBay seller would want to be compared to their cold and listless customer service...
But then again I guess some eBay sellers want that excuse to use... "Well So and So doesn't do this."
OK but So and So has a better reputation than you do, so will take my busniess there.
If I want to buy retail it damn sure won't be from eBay.
