posted on February 26, 2001 06:20:36 PM new
In my RL job I've been asked to create a course on how to ebay for the public. I've decided to do about an hour and a half on buying and then if the interest is there, another session on selling. I know the kinds of things that I want to cover, but I'd also like input from all of you. What do you think they should be taught to participate in this community? Here's your chance before I corrupt them!
posted on February 27, 2001 02:13:47 AM new
As a buyer the first three things I check are;
1)Price/reserve.
2) Feedback -but take it with a grain of salt.
3)Location. Is it in the USA (or Canada)? Personally, I think buying overseas is like lending money; don't give out anything you can't afford to lose.
posted on February 27, 2001 05:04:39 AM new
1. Explain the PROPER use of retractions.
2. Explain how to communicate properly with a seller - when asking questions, which item, etc. Promptly answer EOA notices when requested.
3. Explain that this is just like REAL WORLD auctions, you MUST pay afterwords. Explain to them that they should only bid what they can afford.
4. Going back to Number 1 - explain to them what happens when they become underbidder after a bid retraction.
5. Teach them to bid, instead of WATCH - LOL.
6. When making payments, teach them to include important info, such as name, address, item they bought, etc.
7. Teach them also how to work Billpoint, Paypal or even reply to Andale sellers. Make sure they understand how to cut and past when necessary to reply to an EOA notice. If you don't teach that, teach them how to obtain contact info on the Seller, so they can reach them and advise why they are confused about making an online payment.
8. Teach them to bookmark their favorite sellers.
I find this to be a curious topic, as I have often thought about conducting a class on selling on eBay. I never thought much about teaching a class on buying. Maybe we need more people educating the buyers. I wish you luck.
posted on February 27, 2001 06:53:13 AM new
Ebay is giving a class here this weekend. I'd go, just out of curiosity, but I'll be in another state. Can't miss the grand daughters b'day, even for Ebay.
posted on February 27, 2001 07:01:51 AM new
Is this class going to include:
-registering under multiple IDs so you are free to deadbeat
-bidding under multiple IDs so you can retract your high bids and leave the low one in place
-making a list of all your relatives who will suddenly become sick or die when you win the auction
-sending a paypal payment when the seller says "no paypal"
-paying half the shipping rate because you know that the seller doesnt really pay $4 and you don't really need insurance
-telling the seller that the item didn't show up and even though you didnt pay for insurance, you demand a refund or you''l neg
-doing a charge back because after all, it's been 20 days since the auction and even though you only sent payment yesterday, you still dont have the item
-neglecting to inform the seller or your CC company when the item does show up, so you keep the charge back, the seller's refund and the item
You could title this course, "Bidding on Ebay for fun and profit"
posted on February 27, 2001 08:17:18 AM new
berkeley,
My mom does this as a second job in the evenings. (She mostly teaches selling as opposed to buying...) She's gotten quite a few one-on-one students out of it too, as well as some local news publicity. Anyway, I don't have a lot of advice on teaching bidding...I mean, if I were telling a friend, I'd tell them to always snipe: no point in driving the price up. If I were teaching a group? Well, I guess I'd just tell them to place their max bid, and if it goes higher than that, find a new auction to bid on. It's kinda funny that my mom teaches selling, since although she tries really hard, she doesn't sell an awful lot! (She uses my selling "finds" as fodder for her lessons!)
Good luck, and have fun with it!
~trinchgirl~
http://www.pipelineusa.com/eileen/discoverytoys
posted on February 27, 2001 09:31:04 AM new
Some hardnosed bidder facts....
Watch several auctions to get a feel for what is out there.
Email sellers. (Before the sale, obviously)
Tell them don't be shy.
Ask as many questions as they need to feel comfortable with the item. Measurements, more photos, etc.
Some sellers don't know what to show on an item, because they don't sell them on a regular basis.
If you miss out on an auction, ask the seller if they have more. Explain that they have to be very careful. Email seller directly. Also, too, that they will not have the same "ebay" protection as in an auction.
Know what you are bidding on. That little flaw may render it a "user" but not at the "collectible" price it's going for.
Get return policy in writing. (It's either in the TOS or not)
Save copy of the auction, including photos. Some seller's whip them down so fast you may have no ammo if there is a problem.
Try not to expect the worse about a seller. Do expect the worse about shipping times, uninsured packages etc.
Having said that....
Explain about the new email system and how it prevents consumer protection from
Shilling
Shielding
Explain those to your class or you are doing them a disservice.
Aside from what all the sellers say, and I am one, too, do encourage them to use the watch function.
Why?
Because NOTHING IS WORSE than newbie bidders scattershot bidding. If they win auctions they don't want to win because they think they have a better deal on the horizon, it's a disservice to ebay and the seller.
And other bidders want to ring their flippin' necks...hehehe
Get shipping method in writing. Priority? Media Rate? UPS? FedEx?
This does not mean that they should dictate, but enables them to understand when the package should arrive.
(Hidden Clue...if they see a $5 shipping charge and the item will be send media rate then they will understand that there is handling involved so bid accordingly - yeah I know, 8000 threads later and no one can agree on this one! - Love it or leave the auction)
If you are purchasing a big ticket item, consider escrow. Some sellers don't like it, but it can give you peace of mind. Explain how it works, advantages and disadvantages.
Read "feedback left" by a seller as well as feedback. Very enlightening.
See what else a seller has to offer. Can learn a lot about how much they know about the item(s) they sell. Is it a one off estate widget? Or a collector selling out of his collection? Or a dealer?
In all but very inexpensive items, opt for insurance...or decide on the level which you will "self insure."
Read the TOS, READ the TOS, READ THE TOS, will ya?
Don't bid on any auction that doesn't have a photo. How lazy can a seller be? I have seen some folks with decent feedback run photoless auctions, so maybe this one is just my own personal bias.
All negotiations of shipping costs, packaging, etc should happen before the bidding...why? Cuz the guy might be a Dubya and tell you "too damn bad." Then throw your baseball card in an unpadded envelope!
Also, don't be intimidated by the mega-feedbacker...and don't think he's the only one who'll do right by you. Sometimes it's the little feedbacker that will bend over backwards to pack it like it's going to mongolia. I had cigarette ash in a package from a "super" triple digit feedbacker.
Alright, that's all for me. I would also add that certainly you should explain that auction fraud is alive and well. That there's no such thing as something for nothing, so that $200 Nikon coolpix "brand new in box" might just be too good to be....real.
typo edito
[ edited by Capriole on Feb 27, 2001 09:35 AM ]
posted on February 27, 2001 09:44:32 AM new
Well, you're welcome to grab whatever you want from my New User's Guide to Bidding on eBay. The section explaining reserve auctions and why they can actually be to the bidders' benefit has become mostly moot, however, due to the introduction of the "Watch" feature and eBay's new policies agsinst contacting other users.
Regards,
Barry
---
The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
posted on February 27, 2001 04:04:46 PM new
Wow, I thought I had it covered but thanks to everyone as you brought up some things that I hadn't considered! I think this will likely be a two hour session by the time I'm done. The reason for this one is that many people talk about buying on Ebay but don't know the first thing about it. I'm trying to get them to wait a month for the selling course so I can get an outline together on that one too. I'm sure I'll be asking for input then! Thanks Barry for the offer of the materials. I'll give them the link for future reference. Any other links of this nature would also be appreciated.
----------------------------------- Yoda of Borg are we: Futile is resistance. Assimilate you, we will.
