tonimar1
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posted on May 30, 2003 07:57:08 PM new
Purchasing from Sellers that do everything automated!................From my experience they never respond to an email that you send to them...................they send emails that don't make any sense, the shipping CO is doing the sending of the emails to let you know your items were shipped, but it is so confusing.
I purchased 10 items from one Seller and 7 items from all different Sellers, the 10 items Seller send automated emails that was wrong, also when I asked the total the response never came so I had to figure it out myself. At least when you buy from a large store that also uses automated emails they always personally respond after the first automated email.....but not on ebay I am finding out.
Personally I will only buy from sellers that write there own emails and respond, this automated is good for saving themselves time but the Buyer I feel is left hanging not knowing what is going on.
I'm also feeling that if there is a problem with them sending the wrong item I will not get any results when I write to them and this unsure feeling is not how I like doing business.
I usually just sell but lately Ebay has been slow so I went shopping on Ebay and I'm glad I did because that is an area I don't usually get to check out and from what I see it tells me why lots of buyers are leaving Ebay
Years ago Ebay was more personalized with contact between the buyer and seller but too many sellers don't have the time for that anymore and I feel that is a big reason we are loosing lots of buyers lately.
If your a buyer I would like to know how you feel.
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inot
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posted on May 30, 2003 08:21:22 PM new
Hi Tonimar...I have also been buying alot here lately, so I've seen alot of different ways that other sellers handle post sale notification. After purchasing something through "buy it now", I received 5 different post auction notices. None included any dollar amount in the shipping column. Every notice stated that insurance was not available, although in the description it stated the shipping and insurance amounts. I had to email the seller after 2 days to confirm my total as I never received one from him. I purchased a few items from another seller and asked before bidding if they would combine shipping costs. She said yes, but after the auctions ended, sent me multiple post sale totals for each item without combined shipping, so again, I ended up just emailing her directly. What is the point of all of these notices? Does the seller get a copy of each of them? Ugghhh! I am trying to keep my emails to a minimum, but also like to keep it simple and personal. I do personally email everyone after the auction ends ( with a revised form letter) and then just "reply" back and forth...it's easy and uncomplicated and I can pretend I have some control... hehe!
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auctionace
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posted on May 30, 2003 09:56:51 PM new
Recently I bought an item from a seller ( BIN of a map reproduction ) that made the buyers go through a system of pages to complete the sale. ( I used PP ) I then noticed that the seller had another map that I wanted and emailed the seller about buying the second map and having it sent with the first map. The seller said great and no extra s/h was needed. This time I forwent the eleaborate system of pages as it insisted on a s/h and I merely paid by PP. Both maps arrived a few days later. A week or so later a second map of the last map I purchased arrived. Their system was so elaborate that they sent the same item twice because their PayPal and system records didn't jive. What a tangled web they weaved. I gave the second map away as a gift.
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neonmania
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posted on May 30, 2003 10:49:42 PM new
If you use a service uch as Vendio, Andale, AWorks or others then emails are automatically sent out to the winner of each auction at the end - the computer does not know that some people win more than one auction. I have three accounts I sell on weekly with a total of 100-150 auctions a week - There is no way I could do that by hand and I'm not that big of a seller, there are others that selller 4 or 5 times what I do. The Vendio system allows buyers to automatically combine their auctions, if I remember correctly, so does Andale. I use Works, which does do this but I'll be damned if I can figure out where ( FLUFFY - HELP!!) I put in my descriptions what the shipping is on the first item an additional items purchased, I include this for US customers, Canadian and International. It is part of my whopping 3 sentance TOS and in the EOA letter. Do you have any idea how many people write and ask what the total is for their two auctions? Does it take me a couple days to get back to these people sometimes? Yes - I admit it - I wait and come back the next day when I am less likely to call them an illiterate idiot.
As a buyer, I would much rather deal with someone that is automated. Any questions I have are asked prior to my bid so when the auction ends I would rather just send the payment and be done. If my questions are not answered before end of auction then I consider myself lucky to not be dealing with this inefficient person.
I admit that I hate waiting for responses but the time you wait is often a telltale and helpful sign. I am trying to find a trading/bidding assistant in Japan. I emailed the people on Tuesday. No responses. This tells me all I need to know. These are not the type of people I want to entrust with bidding on items for me or shipping items they may be selling for me.
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Twelvepole
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posted on May 31, 2003 01:55:46 AM new
I have only had one seller try to get me to go through all of their checkout pages... I just didn't do it and emailed them that I need a reply to my email with mailing information to confirm thier address, they emailed the info about a week later and I sent payment that way.
I don't do long checkouts with eBay sellers, they want my money... they can email me directly.
AIN'T LIFE GRAND... 
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rarriffle
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posted on May 31, 2003 02:45:29 AM new
As a seller I use the Vendio automated system. I check shortly after the auctions close for combinable items and send them an email regarding combining shipping etc.
If a buyer emails me that the checkout is a problem then I will handle it the old way....no problem here. But I am a part time seller with 20-30 sales at one time....I think the larger full time sellers would never get away from the computer if they did it all the old way....
As a buyer I have used the Vendio checkout and found it very easy and simple to use.
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neglus
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posted on May 31, 2003 06:02:20 AM new
I use PayPal Winning Bidder Notification for my sales end contact....I include my name and address, clearly state my acceptable payment methods (underscoring that PP is not required) and the s/h fee. I figure that most people want instructions as soon as the auction ends and the best way to insure that is to have the WBN delivered automatically. I also state in my auction that my address can be obtained through eBay checkout. During peak season (I have pretty much decided that this coincides with the school year in my sales category)I run about 350 active auctions with an average of 50 closing/day and there is no way I can be on the PC when all the auctions end! I still get several emails/week requesting my addy etc and I answer those personally (though if I could find a way to auto answer those I'd do it). I don't respond to all of the post-sale emails I get from buyers telling me that they are paying by check or paypal and sending their address, though if I see a question or a comment about why the purchase is special to them I answer personally.
When I ship the item I use Vendio's shipment notification (edited to seem more personal) acknowledging payment and stating that the item has been shipped, thanks for the biz, posting feedback hope you'll do the same etc etc....I think the buyers think that this notification is personally sent though all I do is click the send button....system works pretty well....
My question to buyers who don't like automated notifications: do you really want hand holding or an efficient transaction?? I feel I have done all I can to insure a smooth transaction and why should it matter if the WBN is automated or personally delivered?
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Twelvepole
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posted on May 31, 2003 06:58:25 AM new
You're right neglus, guess it is too much to ask for a personal email from a seller for winning their auction...
AIN'T LIFE GRAND...
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neglus
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posted on May 31, 2003 07:12:40 AM new
I agree with you on the automated multi-page checkouts...THEY STINK!!
I should add..if you pay $50+ for one of my postcards, you DO get a personal touch! Ditto if you email me that that you are the little boy in the swimming pool pictured in the postcard or that that is the church you were married in etc etc...
..do you expect Colonel Saunders (may he rest in peace) to jump over the counter to personally thank you for ordering some of his chicken?? Sam Walton (or whatever his name is)to shake your hand when you buy lightbulbs at Walmart?
You want best friends, check out the "personals" ... you want business transacted in a professional manner, then accept automated notices! As long as you have all the information you need to complete the transaction, what should it matter?? You pays your money, you gets your item, you gets a thank you and your feedback..what more do you want??
edited by me: You are welcome to my first-born (she comes complete with college tuition statement)! 
[ edited by neglus on May 31, 2003 07:16 AM ]
[ edited by neglus on May 31, 2003 07:18 AM ]
[ edited by neglus on May 31, 2003 07:21 AM ]
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Twelvepole
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posted on May 31, 2003 07:18:48 AM new
..do you expect Colonel Saunders (may he rest in peace) to jump over the counter to personally thank you for ordering some of his chicken?? Sam Walton (or whatever his name is)to shake your hand when you buy lightbulbs at Walmart?
Thanks for reenforcing the reasons I very very seldom buy on eBay any longer and shop at those places online and B&M...
Some of us have been on eBay for a long time and enjoyed the personal touch...
So how come when eBay sellers get treated like those places... returns, chargebacks, complaints... it is "Oh why didn't they contact me first?" Now you know...
AIN'T LIFE GRAND...
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neglus
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posted on May 31, 2003 07:27:25 AM new
Seriously Twelvepole..I am a full-time seller but I have a family and a life! I cannot be around when every auction ends..especially those designed to end during ultimate Hawaiian pc time...it really is better for all of us to have the automated WBN's (not the checkout pages)so you can complete the transaction when you want to ...if you take the time to email me a chatty note, I respond...now, if you really want my first born too, send me your address.....
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Twelvepole
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posted on May 31, 2003 07:54:06 AM new
I have no problem with an automated email stating "pay this amount and send it here or my paypal address is"
But when sellers send a link and you go there and now there is a multitude of pages to wade through, that is what gets me...
AIN'T LIFE GRAND...
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neglus
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posted on May 31, 2003 08:18:47 AM new
Then we are in agreement! I have opted to not use Vendio's checkout for this very reason! I hate it as a buyer and wouldn't want to force it on my buyers! I thought you were taking exception to all automated notices....if the seller takes the time to write a decent WBN explaining post sale procedures then the transaction should be seamless...it's easy for me because I know my s/h ..I can see how it could be more problematic for items where s/h is determined by zip codes etc but not impossible!
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Twelvepole
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posted on May 31, 2003 08:53:28 AM new
Nope sorry, not all automated ones... just the automated ones that send you to another automated site...
AIN'T LIFE GRAND...
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tonimar1
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posted on May 31, 2003 09:24:03 AM new
The problem I found with emails automated is that for each auction you purchase from the seller you get an email, but you never get a combined email with all the auctions you purchased. Then they refer you back to there auction so you can figure out how much you owe them, its just too time consuming and complicated ........my opinion.........for example......if I received one email with all my purchases plus my shipping then all I do is go into bidpay and I'm done. But after buying 10 items from one seller for me just to check out and pay took me longer then it took me to place bids on these items and that was very discouraging.
Now, this is a week later from the day the auctions ended and I paid for all the items and I still don't know what is happening.
The only email I got from the seller was one that listed my 10 items and someone else's 10 items saying I bought all 20 items.......??.......so now I spent more time emailing them the list of the items that was not mine and that I didn't buy.
Why should I be doing there work?..........then I never received an email saying that they know the correct items I bought ..........just hoping that when they do arrive that they are the items I purchased and not someone else's items........Automated emails are good if done correctly, I do understand how much work is involved when a seller sells lots of items but yet if the service is good and they can't handle all that they are selling then its time for them to reorganiz there business because they may be loosing just as much as they sell due to poor correspondence
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stonecold613
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posted on May 31, 2003 02:27:07 PM new
..do you expect Colonel Saunders (may he rest in peace) to jump over the counter to personally thank you for ordering some of his chicken?? Sam Walton (or whatever his name is)to shake your hand when you buy lightbulbs at Walmart?
You must be kidding. At these stores ect., they have hired help to thank you and give you personalized service. So if there is a question or concern, you ask and they help you on the spot. With the automated crap, you never get helped. And if you are going to be a lazy seller and don't give customer service (Yes, hand holding), expect to receive many negatives in return. Personally, if I bid on something and I get an automated e-mail from the seller, I always e-mail the seller after about 3 days to ask them when they are going to send me the purchase info. If they do not respond, a neg is forthcoming and is also reported to ebay as a non-responsive seller.
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neonmania
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posted on May 31, 2003 02:42:52 PM new
Stone - and you get to play Mr Hard A&* alll of three times before your account goes BYE BYE thanks to non payment.
You seem to be ignoring that ebay does not require a seller to send a personalized letter. They only have to provide you with the information you need to fulfill the comittment you made when you placed your bid.
Your actions on the otherhand
1) You perpetrate a blatant lie when you notify ebay that your seller is unresponsive... that is a falsehood, they simply are not bothering to cower to your will. They are doing business, you are playing games.
2) You leave false feedback
3) You fail to fulfill your obligations as a bidder.
At the end of the day, you are sitting in a ditch trying to claim the highground.
[ edited by neonmania on May 31, 2003 03:02 PM ]
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neglus
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posted on May 31, 2003 05:44:37 PM new
I have to agree with Neon - the seller sending an automatic WBN with ALL the information you need to complete the transaction has performed his/her duties (especially PayPal WBN's and eBay Sales Manager WBN's HAVE to meet eBay's criteria for adequate notification)- you have no basis for your negs! If I get a request for payment information after the WBN i do send a personalized email (i sometimes also send an eBay invoice under separate cover) just to make sure ALL the necessary information is conveyed.
Multiple wins can be a little more difficult because I often am not aware that the same person is buying several items - especially when they are spread over a couple of days. I wait to hear from the buyer requesting combined shipping information and then tell them to contact me when they are done shopping and I will send a total so that they can pay all at one time. I expect the buyer to take the initiative in contacting me here in order to take advantage of my combined shipping.
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stonecold613
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posted on May 31, 2003 08:32:16 PM new
Neonmoron,
Time for you to wake up and cater to your customers. It is people like you that are driving good bidders away with sour tastes in their mouths because of your poor service. Do you actually think that I am as low as you are to use my selling ID to bid with. No way. There are way too many sellers that do exactly what you do. Give no service what so ever. If I lose a bidder ID, I will simply comeback with another. So before you think a NPB hurts my bidding ID, My negatives towards your lousy service will hurt much more.
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neonmania
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posted on May 31, 2003 09:05:21 PM new
::Time for you to wake up and cater to your customers. It is people like you that are driving good bidders away with sour tastes in their mouths because of your poor service.::
Yes, my service is SO BAD that my actual feedback is DOUBLE my official feedback. It is SO BAD that I have customers that return week after week buying multiple items and on average have a 95% sell thru rate.
Why am I not shocked that once again you sprew forth on that which you know NOTHING.
Most bidders on ebay are not prima donna children that that expect to be held be the hand. They are mature adults that know what they want, know quality and know how to deal with forms.
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auctionace
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posted on May 31, 2003 09:35:24 PM new
Yeah! What neonmania said!
[ edited by auctionace on May 31, 2003 09:35 PM ]
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tonimar1
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posted on June 1, 2003 06:05:17 AM new
neonmania..........from what I'm reading here you are much more organized then the few sellers I bought from, and as it stands today.............still no email saying ........
received your bidpay payment........
your correct order is being shipped..........not even to acknowledge my emails that I sent asking questions..........this is what I am against when it comes to sellers doing more then they can handle, there is no correspondence as to me buying from them and not letting me know what is happening.
I as a seller for many years work extra hard to keep my customers informed every step of the way, which is what keeps a buyer feeling relaxed and confident in there Seller.
This is what I had expected to happen and it was not even close to what I expected.......
neonmania you seem to have your business well organized and from what you say you also have your buyers relaxed and happy so then all I can say is..............not all volume seller are like you. And as a part time buyer I will stay clear of volume sellers since most of them are not organized like you are................
I also feel the same way in a brick and motor store.......I go to the local shops because of the great customer service and the one on one connection which makes my buying trip a pleasure.............Sale prices are not like in a large dept store but the service is GREAT!, .........I find the same problem on Ebay,.....the volume seller gives great prices.......but the service is awful.........and the smaller volume seller the prices are a bit higher but the service is Great!..........for me as a buyer I would rather have the GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.......then a Better price.........just how I feel.....
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marcn
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posted on June 1, 2003 06:39:51 AM new
Tonimar1:
If you see a seller witha high feedback number, do you take the time to look at the feedback to see what kind of customer service is provided?
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tonimar1
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posted on June 1, 2003 06:53:24 AM new
goodmorning marcn.........yes I do take a look and like anything else most of the feedback is automated also so it doesnt really tell the true picture..............this is something I have been finding out lately because all this time I've been too busy Selling and I never spent time buying and seeing what has been changeing on Ebay..............and like anything else..........Big changes have taken place right before my eyes and I just noticed it now,.......
Years ago a buyer would give the seller a positive and they really deserved the positive........but today a positive means...........just get it over with and this way I dont get a neg in return..........
So what im saying is I dont rely on feedback to say the whole picture when its an autiomated feedback, and you can check that out by seeing the whole picture of what type of feedback a buyer or seller leaves and you will see that they say the same feedback for each transaction and for each seller or buyer that they deal with.......eveyone gets the same automated feedback...........lol....
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vvalhalla
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posted on June 1, 2003 06:56:21 AM new
My daughter has had a heck of a time with the last two auctions she won. Both with automated sellers, delayed shipping and p_-_ poor communication.
One excuse was ooops it was at the bottom of the box and damaged so we'll need to wait for the next shipment. It was a BIN purchase, the seller had at least a dozen identicals listed. That means 12 more bidders will get the same BS story.
The other auction (paid immediately with PP) ended three weeks before the item alledgedly shipped. Their sorry excuse was we're moving and everything is disorganized.
Bottom line is my daughter will be less likely to buy anything again on ebaY.
dd
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neonmania
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posted on June 1, 2003 10:43:13 AM new
Toni - I am generally about as disorganized as they come - that is why I turned to the automated system that I use. I have my system programed to send notification when payment is recieved and again when I actually ship. I have personalized the notices so that they are not so cold and impersonal and also set up to automatically leave feedback when feedback is left (Which has left one customer thinking I am some type of possibly evil wizzard  )
I figure if someone has gone out of their way to make my life easier, I'm going to take advantage of every aspect of it that I can. I know that there are people who shy away from auction services due to cost but when I compare the fees I pay each month to the time and aggrevation I have saved myself - It's well worth the cost.
I used to be leary of high feedback sellers for some of the same reasons you mention but lately I am regaining my faith in them. Friday I made a first time purchase of widgets from as high volume seller. They have their own merchant account so I gave them all of my credit card info, a contact phone number, selected a 2nd day air because I needed the item quickly, and then went back to work. 15 minutes later I got a call from the seller. Seems that they have found that ground service to my location takes the same amount of time as second day air and they wanted to know if I wanted to save on the shipping. Now THAT is customer service from an automated company
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marcn
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posted on June 1, 2003 11:07:28 AM new
Toni,
I am a high volume Powerseller and I do use some automated tools to help me out. Leaving feedback is one of those tools. But if you look at the feedback I receive, you will see most of it is manually entered from the buyers. I take the time to answer each and every email as well as personally sign each and every packing slip. I send an EOA, a Payment Received and an Item Shipped email all of which are manually launched and personalized if need be.
And yes, I do have a few negatives of which they are all but one in retaliation for feedback I left for non-paying bidders.
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tonimar1
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posted on June 1, 2003 11:30:07 AM new
Well if I was as lucky to get a seller such as you.....neonmania & Marcn I might feel different then I do about automated emails.
I have a program also that I have used for many years and it also offers me automated emails,& form letters and I was afaird to use it because I was thinking that I would offend my buyers and also I felt if I dont personally do it myself I would loose track of what is happening.
I guess with high volume you have to find ways to save time and yet stay in contact with your buyers and automated emails I guess is the way to do it.
Now, just for my own information can you tell me how you know when a buyer has emailed you asking a question if the program automatially sends the emails?
Right now I havnt been listing many auctions but I usually list from 75 to 100 a week under one selling name and also I use another selling name at the same time, I spend many hours at the computer and it would be nice to be able to give more time to my family, but I worry that I will over look a buyer if the emails are automated.
Can you or someone explain to me how you don't miss emails with questions when they are sent to you............after hearing all the good reasons for automation.........you may have won me over.........
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neonmania
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posted on June 1, 2003 12:13:40 PM new
Personalization - I use AWorks... you can use their form mail or write your letter which will be sent out. You can also choose to automatically send a thank you note to your customer when the entire transaction is completed.
Loosing Track - As long as you take a minute to go thru the quick steps you are actuall much less likely to loose track. After I grab my mail, I go to PayPal and print out th page for any new payments I have received. Once I print out the page, I store the payment to avoid confusion. I then take all of my payments, go to my Successful Auction - UnPaid page and click on the little box for payments recieved on all appropriate auction - press go and presto! They are all marked paid and no longer appear on the unpaid page and the buyer has been sent a notice thanking them for their payment. Now it's time to start packing.... Go to Successful Auctions - Unshipped - Pack the orders - click the boxes - orders disappear and customer is notified of shipment. SInce I don't use online postage yet (Mac user issues) When I return from the post office I tape the DC receipt to the actual customer invoice and file in an alphabetical according file I keep on my desk. At the end of each month - I transfer the contents of this file to a single folder for the month in my filing cabinet and I'm done. If a customer writes asking where their package is I can quickly grab their invoice, check the DC on the USPS site and let them know (I actually copy the text from the site and post it into the email - it gives them their tracking number and current status in one fell swoop). Things do occasionally get missed but it's much easier to see where you screwed up using this system than trying to go by memory.
EMAILS - All of my customers emails come to me - the fact that my listing service sends notification does not effect where emails to me go.
BTW - You can also do "Unpaid" sorts by date and with two clicks file all of your NBPA when needed - at the end of the 10 days if the item is still unpaid, there is a little icon that flashes - again - two clicks and you have filed your FVCs
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tonimar1
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posted on June 1, 2003 12:45:05 PM new
neonmania.........thank you for your explaination............it sounds like you have a great system.
I'm not familar with AWorks.............is this a program that is purchased?
I use Auctiva poster & it comes with other auction tools that I am just not farmilar with but I will check it out and see if I might do similar to how you do because as long as I can see all the emails that come in then I will not miss questions from buyers.
It would be nice to do things quicker, but still be able to give the personal service that I am use to giving.
Thank you again for taking time to explain to me and at the same time show me that its time to move with the times.....
I have opened an account with UPS and by doing this it has saved me time since I have daily pick up service and I print my postage lables and UPS bills me once a week but still I need to go to the post office for certain shipping and cashing Postal money orders, but my stay is shorter. I have tried in many ways to save myself time but I never thought that the automated system would work out for me but I am willing to try it and see.
Now hoping I can figure out the program..........lol.....I will let you know how I make out........
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