posted on December 31, 2000 09:00:02 AM new
I was thinking about adding this to my auctions. This came about because of all the problems and such we sellers have with some buyers. I wanted to make my terms crystal clear.
<hr><font size = 2>The FINE PRINT:</font><br>
<font size =1>I really am a nice person and want to give the best customer service possible so I want my terms to be crystal clear.
<ul><li>Contact with seller, me, must be made within 3 days. I will attempt twice to contact you.
<li>Payment must be made to me within 10 days, unless other arrangements with me have been made. If payment is not made within the 10 days and no arrangements have been made with me, I will file a NPB with Ebay.
<li>I leave positive feedback upon receipt of electronic payments and after checks have cleared banks, but I always leave it.
<li>If you are a returning customer or have a feedback rating of 15+, I usually ship items the day payment is received or the day after payment is received. If you pay by check and have a feedback of 14 or less, I will hold checks for 7 business days so it may clear bank. If you by money order or electronically, I will ship same day or next day.
<li>Shipping charge stated in auction text is for US bidders. I do ship internationally, but shipping will need to be quoted after auction ends and will depend on where winner lives. Shipping price is also for USPS First Class mail, if you want priority mail or insurance that will be extra.
<li>Please ask me any questions about item before you bid. I check my email througout the day and always try to answer promptly (unless it is 2 am, then you won't get an answer until the morning, I have to sleep sometime or I am doing something outside my house).</ul></font><p>
For payment, I accept: PayPal, Billpoint, YahooPaydirect, ProPay, checks or money orders.<br>
posted on December 31, 2000 09:09:46 AM new
Please don't take offense, this is just my personal policy. I do not stay long enough for pictures to load when the TOS is longer than the description. The ones I do bother to read just make me feel guilty and threatened. And how many deadbeats do you think this will scare? If they cared, they wouldn't be deadbeats.
posted on December 31, 2000 09:11:27 AM new
I don't have any problem with the content [well, I think I'd skip the threat about filing a NPB if it were me], but you might want to rethink using the <font size=1>. That is REALLY tiny print, and if you want people to actually pay attention to what you've written you want to emphasize it and not make it hard to read.
Just my 2 cents...
Barry
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The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
posted on December 31, 2000 09:21:09 AM new
I agree with Rarriffle. It sounds way too long. I never list a time limit for payment and have never had any problems. The people that really want the stuff usually pay for it promptly. I may need to send a reminder occasionally, but again, the payment always arrives shortly after. Ebay's rules, i.e. three day contact are shown on Ebay's EOA notice to both buyer and seller, so I never bother with that and again, have never had a problem. Most people are pleasantly surprised when you ship the same day or next day after receiving electronic payment. I wouldn't go into that in your TOS. (You can always mention it in your EOA contact, if you want). As for checks, you might just put "allow 7 business days for personal check," rather than going into their feedback rating, etc. The shorter your TOS, the better. I always look for Sellers with simple and easy TOS.
posted on December 31, 2000 09:25:08 AM new "Shipping price is also for USPS First Class mail, if you want priority mail or insurance that will be extra"
you should add shipping will be frist class or parcel post priority or insurance will be extra.
I'll tell you why everything over 13oz sent frist class is sent priority and charged the priority rate.
So to make this crystal clear buyers need to pay extra for priority you need to add parcel post to your shipping price includes.
I lost loads of money over the last year because of this I would charge $2.65 shipping reqeust frist class and post office would weight it at 13.5 oz the charge would be $3.20 and they would put priority tape on the package leaveing me witha loss on shipping and some time a loss on the sale.
posted on December 31, 2000 09:53:06 AM new
The question I have is why this> [b]If you are a returning customer or have a feedback rating of 15+, I usually ship items the day
payment is received or the day after payment is received.[/b] I ship the same day or the next day when any payment is received. People do not have to be a return customer or have any feedback to get the same good service I afford everyone else. Might want to look at that statement a bit.
posted on December 31, 2000 10:00:39 AM new
Thanks to everyone for all their feedback. I have never had this in an auction, but after hearing all the complaints here I thought this might be a way of stating my terms clearly. But obviously, this isn't it.
If we state it, the text is too long.
If we don't state it, we are being dishonest.
Where is the happy medium for we honest sellers?
I really have never had a real problem with deadbeat bidders. I have had only three since I have been selling. So I think I will keep my auctions the way they are: fun, happy and beautiful. The way beading should be.
posted on December 31, 2000 10:01:44 AM new
Just an opinion, OK? not mean criticism.. I am not too fond of your TOS myself.
First Class Mail cost ONLY a nickel less than Priority, and takes 6 to 8 days to arrive.
So, when you mention charging EXTRA for Priority, (a nickel) how much extra are you going to charge ?
Also, you mention payment to be made to you within 10 days, or you file NPB. Do you mean on the 11th day you will file if funds have not arrived? What if bidder takes it literally, and MAILS payment on the 10th day, which is their right, according to your TOS?
Regular mail takes 3 to 6 days. What you imply is that you want funds mailed immediately in order to beat your deadline. Perhaps mentioning that funds should be mailed with xxx amount of days of EOA might be less threatening, and will allow for mail delays due to bad weather, grounded planes, etc.
Your holding cheques for 14 if low feedback is a little unrealistic, as many seller can tell you that bad cheques come low AND high feedback, often the latter, and you do not get notified by your banque for about 30 days or more...So, 14 days does...nothing.
There is more, but I'll stop
Thanks for letting me express an opinion.
posted on December 31, 2000 11:16:53 AM new
eagerbeader,
I applaud you for your efforts on the TOS. yes, it seems like we either have to make them short (and possibley misunderstood) or lengthy and preachy.
I try to get the important things (or at least what I feel is important to the buyers and me) in the TOS, and the rest in the EOA e mail. The exact shipping price is always important, but a time demand is not, at least to me.
You get the payments either in 4 days from the people that mail immediately, or 7-10 days from the ones that wait till they go to the bank or PO, up to 3 weeks from some, and others you will never hear from no matter waht you do.
I find that even after 3 years I am still tinkering with my TOS and EOA, and find a lot of ideas from these boards and reading others in the auctions.
posted on December 31, 2000 11:40:43 AM new
I have to agree with the 10 day limit on getting payments then fileing EOA I add in my EOA not my auction
what buyer should do is in the next three days send a reply with there shipping address and how they will be paying.
I like to receive payment within 10 day of the end of auction.(no Threat of NPB or of any Kind).....
I Dont file an actual NPB till after serveral notices over 14 days I file NPB on the 17th or 18th day to cover my self its only been nessary once.
my listing offers a Fixed rate shipping at the bottom of my listing I have a note.
" fixed rate is for USPS shipping inside the USA frist class or parcel post, Additional postal services will be extra."
And no Priority isnt only a nickle extra as my fix rate is higher then actual postage by 8% to 10%.
Our Prices are low so we can compete our profits are small and we know from a little over year of trail and error much error that shipping costs are more then postage.
There is time and cost of materals for low volume sellers bulk buying the cost is out of line.we found for much of what we sell the free PO boxes are not strong enough or alway the wrong size.
We havent had many damage complants but the ones we did have all items were shipping in free priority boxes .
We now make our own custom fitted boxes and packaging for safe packageing From me to the buyer I charge from .50 cents up depending package weight this covers time and cost of material we start with just flat uncut coragated sheets or very large boxes and tare them apart foam sheets bubble wrap and news print and build packages to fit items not start with items and stuff boxes to fit.
We also make our own flat mailers.
Better fit packages rather then free floating item in a sea of peanuts makes for safer shipping and in the last two and a half months are feed back and sales are showing evidence of this.
posted on December 31, 2000 11:43:34 AM new
I think it is a little threatening. Some people bid from work and might be out of the office for a holiday 3 or 4 days
posted on December 31, 2000 11:51:54 AM newmajesticman, I agree with your statement. Bidder needs to wait for Seller's notification: many wait for the third business day. Then, assuming that bid was placed from office, which is closed on week-ends, there go 5 days already. Now, allowing for bidder to MAIL payment within a couple days of Seller's EOA, that's now 7 days...How can it arrive in ten days?
posted on December 31, 2000 11:55:27 AM new
On the face of it, it sounds great to have your policy up front. However, with auctions, in reality, most people apparantely don't read it. I've tried variations at times and find it attracts cynical people to my auctions. In other words, the type that says to themselves, "this seller is really going to have their hands full if they try to pull anything on me, like leaving me a neg if I don't pay withn ten days." They are ready to step up to a challenge.
If you want to speed up your deals, file a FVF refund after ten days, and the buyer will receive a notice to pay up now or possibly get suspended. It works great, and less conflict because te seller is only filing for a refund, not reporting the buyer per se.
posted on December 31, 2000 12:01:43 PM new
dman3, what a good idea, making your own boxes. I have a lot of large boxes that I know I probably won't use & are taking up lots of space. Instead of tossing them I will now cut them up, save the panels & make boxes as needed.
As for TOS on an auction, I don't use any other than what kind of payment I accept & how much the postage is because I don't think most buyers read them. I am really turned off by TOS that are 10 times longer that the discription & these usually don't even include the postage !!! Which is all I want to know.
posted on December 31, 2000 12:24:18 PM new
It is a good Idea for sure it it take a bit more time makes for better packed items.
I have had no damage this way every refund I most payout for damage means I must list and sell serveral items of the same value before I make up the loss for time and inventory to break even before profits move forword again.
Even if the seller paid for insurance this requires extra time for this sales and loss of the buyers confidence in buying from me.
Also damage my fault or not can lead to a negtive feed back or a postive feed back with a negtive comment about poor packing or no feed back at all on the sale.
the Extra percentage I charge percentage I charge is well worth the extra service and safty.
posted on December 31, 2000 12:33:25 PM new
If you want to use these terms, then how about stating them this way, which is a bit more organized and half as long (174 words)?
The FINE PRINT:
Please ask questions BEFORE you bid. I check my email regularly and will respond promptly.
Please respond promptly to my end-of-auction notice. If I don't hear from you within 3 days of end of auction, I may relist your item!
PayPal, Billpoint, YahooPaydirect, ProPay, checks or money orders gladly accepted.
Payments made by MO or electronically, and checks from returning customers and bidders with 15+ FB, ship next day. Checks from bidders with less than 15+FB may delay shipping.
Please do your best to get payment to me within 10 days of end of auction. If I don't hear from you within that time, I'll have to contact ebay to get a refund on my fees, which may affect your ability to bid in the future.
Shipping charge stated is for First Class mail US destinations only. Priority or insured shipping, and shipping to outside-US addresses, will be higher.
I always leave feedback, generally when I receive your electronic payment or MO, or when your check has cleared.
[ edited by HartCottageQuilts on Dec 31, 2000 12:35 PM ]
posted on December 31, 2000 12:47:15 PM newShoshanah
[i]First Class Mail cost ONLY a nickel less than Priority, and takes 6 to 8 days to arrive.
So, when you mention charging EXTRA for Priority, (a nickel) how much extra are you going to charge ? [/i]
Depends on what you are shipping. Most of my items are less than 5 ounces (including packaging) - If I shipped by Priority only, I would be charging $3.50 (new rate) for something that could be sent for under $1 in most cases. I charge a flat rate of $1 for "shipping and handling", saving my customers over $2 - that little bit of a price savings helps me sell more than my competitors with the same merchandise charging Priority rates (and I assume they at least use Priority shipping...) But I've never had a customer complain that it was sent first class (it's stated in the auction it will be shipped that way).
Due to new postal rates, my shipping is not changing at all - in fact, the new rates are actually going down for me...
posted on December 31, 2000 12:48:41 PM new
I have to agree with the majority of others--that draft is too long and sends too many negative vibes to be included in your listings. I'd suggest using the Reader's Digest Condensed Version in your listings (forms of payment accepted, shipping info, international shipment, etc.), with an invitation to view the complete details on your "About Me" page.
posted on December 31, 2000 01:18:49 PM new
Excellent advice..pickersangel.
I never thought of using an about me page. Have never set one up..but I could list all the particulars there and whover feels the need to read the small print could go there.
I will keep it as always:
Shipping costs, what kind of payments I accept, etc.
as for shipping and priority costing only a nickel more..not on my stuff. I sell Beads, usually Delicas in 10 grams and charge a flat rate of $1.00. I ship in small crushproof boxes (that ain't cheap), plus I wrap the beads in bubblewrap. Don't want any broken beads. My shipping costs barely cover what I charge..but you have to remain competitive so you charge a small amount. But I am not doing this to become rich..just to get a good stash of beads of my own to play with.
I thought it sounded too negative..but I wanted some opinions on it and boy did I get them. Thank you all for taking the time to read and share. This is what makes the posting boards great!!!
posted on December 31, 2000 04:03:11 PM new
Hi Eagerbeader!
I'm not really going to comment on your statement since I think you already made up your mind what you're going to do.
One of the posts though did strike a thought in me about personal checks and clearing.
I used to do road shows to sell my stuff. Before I became a Visa/MC merchant, most of my payments were checks. I got burned a couple of times so I never have been too keen on personal checks - still aren't.
On eBay, I get mostly money orders or PayPal and deal very little in checks (yeah!). One thing that still bothers me about checks though is that if you deposit one and it bounces, you are still out $10-$20 for nothing.
So, I started looking up the issuing bank's phone no. (on the internet) and called on the check even before depositing it into my account. This way, I can initially verify it is, in fact, an open account, if funds are there, etc.
I know by the time the issuing bank gets the check, there could be nsf but at least I tried. Also, you can call the bank a few days after the check is deposited in your account and verify that that particular check # has cleared. I've found most banks now have an automated check verification phone no.
I am not too fond of your TOS myself.