posted on February 26, 2001 07:56:05 PM new
OK, I've noticed something. And by mentioning it, I am NOT trying to flame anyone. I'm just pointing out some commonalities I've been noting from posts here over the past months.
Certain posters here have a great deal of trouble with buyers who are:
--Sending Paypal even when sellers clearly say they don't take Paypal in their auctions
--Sending short amounts in payment even after being told the correct total by sellers
--Sending cash and asking for change
--Sending moneyorders or other payment with no names or other identifiers on the payment even when specifically asked to put identifying info on payment
--Frequent unreasonable buyer complaints regarding fake "flaws" and/or asking for money back apparently due to remorse, when seller has a clearly stated no refunds for remorse policy
--Buyers wigging out and getting
weird on them for no apparent reason.
....and other complaints that have nothing to do with the seller, but are entirely buyer-created problems.
Some of the sellers who have mentioned these problems frequently in past weeks include ExecutiveGirl who I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) sells clothing; Digitalmaster who sells videos among other things, and the gentleman who sells skates and paintball equipment who had the problem with the poster named Peppermint (I can't recall his nick). I know there are others with these same recurring problems. I'm sure that they have many, many satisfied buyers who DON'T cause problems, but my point is specifically regarding the "bad" encounters they have.
I have to say I think that the categories that these sellers sell in must be contributing to the problems somehow. Day after day I see their very valid and legitimate complaints and wonder why I rarely have the same ones. In the past I've sold mainly nonfiction books and vintage items of every description. These days I am primarily selling my own handmade art-to-wear with some vintage widgets when I find something that I think will sell well. Over the past 18 months I've sold about 450-500 items (I would guess). Here are rough estimates of my experience:
--Been shorted a total of 2 times out of 500 when customer forgot to add in shipping. Requested the remainder politely and immediately got it along with many apologies from both buyers.
--Had about 20 out of 500 people send me cash (almost always for items under 10.00.) About 15 out of the 20 said "keep the change" in their enclosed message to me. I did. The other 5 failed to mention that i should keep the change and thus got their change sent back, and/or upgraded shipping/delivery confirmation, whatever was closer to the total they sent.
---Out of hundreds of mailed-in transactions I have not once out of 500 had any payment that I could not figure out who it belonged to. I have had a few buyers not print a return address pm the envelope and a few who did not sign or fill out their money orders, but 100% of them put their address and name *somewhere* on the payment, be it envelope, check, note, etc.
--I have never had a check bounce out of about 200 checks. I have never had a chargeback from Paypal or Billpoint while on Ebay. (I used to have them when I had a brick and mortar flea market business,but that's another story.)
---I have never had someone leave negative feedback before contacting me. In fact, I've never had a negative feedback, period. One neutral from a person who was unhappy when I sold to the next highest bidder when he did not contact me for a month.
---I have never had someone ask for a partial refund or try to send back a different item than they bought. I have had two returns, which I dealt with by sending full refunds when I received the items back. Both were resolved peacefully with no negative feedback on either side.
My own biggest problem has been buyers who simply do not return emails and never make contact. They seem to disappear off the face of the earth after winning my item and never respond or pay. I've had about 20 people out of 500 who did this. That is my only repeated problem. I have had one bid retraction. I have never seen any signs of shilling on my auctions.
I think I'm a good seller, but that's probably not the main reason I have so few problems. I am convinced that the *primary* reason I have so few problems is because I sell in categories that:
a) don't attract kids
b) aren't trendy (i.e. Beanies 2 years ago, Playstations last Christmas season)
c) don't involve current fashion, sports, electronics, toys or breakables
d) are not generally known to have a lot of fakes or impostors
Selling in one of these categories seems to increase your risk of problems/hassles. Selling something that falls into more than one of these categories is really risky.
For instance if you sell Kate Spade bags, you fall into three negative categories: trendy, fashion, and potential for impostors, leading me to believe that that would be a VERY risky category for "trouble" from buyers.
Similarly, playstation 2 is going to attract kids, is trendy, involves electronics, and is thus another bad risk. (Please note I'm not talking about potential to make money here. I'm sure there's tons of money in many things I've mentioned. I'm strictly talking about risk for hassle.)
Selling quilts (a category that our dearly departed HCQ was very successful in, with very few deadbeats/problems, it seemed) involves none of those categories. (Possibly fakes, but that's a stretch). Low risk.
Selling skates involves kids and sports. High(er) risk.
Selling nonfiction, non-college-textbook type books: no categories, low risk.
Selling sports cards: kids, trendy, sports, fakes. High risk.
Anyone care to discuss? I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule, and those exceptions are always sure to pipe up first, but does anyone see any common ground in what I'm saying?
posted on February 26, 2001 08:22:16 PM new
brighid868 - I agree with you totally. I sell books, almost exclusively, and have had very few problems; a handful of deadbeats, no bad checks, but lots of wonderful, positive transactions. Makes me SO glad that the main thing I know a little about is books!
mzalez - I think she just meant that hcq hasn't been posting here. She is definitely alive, and I believe she is fine.
posted on February 26, 2001 08:38:59 PM new
i just meant dearly departed in that she hasn't been posting and I miss the gal!!
lord, let's not start any rumors or people will say she hooked up with the fake Van Gogh seller and was last seen shopping for rugs in Marrakesh with a parrot on her arm.
posted on February 26, 2001 08:54:03 PM new
Brighid,
I think you are 'right on' in explaining why you have basically had no problems aside from a few disappearing acts. I believe your category of selling draws the type of people that are like yourself.
Don't shortchange yourself, I can tell you are a conscientous seller who communicates well and takes care of problems before they are blown way out of proportion.
I do not wish to slam any sellers who post here but I do read and cringe quite often when I hear the negativity that festers among certain people. It's like they are too stubborn to take care of a customers problem simply because it wasn't their fault! To me, that's just foolish. Thanks for your input, it was very well put.
posted on February 26, 2001 09:28:12 PM new
Brighid,
I have to totally agree with you. I mainly sell about 95% books (although mine are fiction - but mostly of the colllectible type), and I don't seem to have the problems the others have.
I have had only one complaint about an item - and although I believe the bidder was wrong, it was small dollar, I refunded and let her keep the item.
I have had only 2 deadbeat bidders. (Oops - make that three - I've got one now who just emailed me on the last day of the 10 days past the warning - checked ber bid history - she's naru'd and has purchased over 10 pages of items in the last 30 days - feedback of close to 400 - looks like she went on a buying spree and it bit her!)
I've been thinking of branching out, but my expertise is books! And after the horror stories, I think I'll stay where I am and just venture out for things I can't pass up!
