posted on April 21, 2002 12:35:30 PM new
Can anyone please help me understand the thought process of eBay buyers???
Shipments:
I just had a buyer submit payment on Thursday and today she emails me wondering where her product is. I just don't understand their logic! Also wanted to know why I have closed the lines of communication and why I didn't confirm receipt of payment (pd by PayPal). Does anyone confirm receipts of payment? (Or am I totally in the wrong, here?) The payments I confirm are checks due to the fact that they are held. I normaly ship 2-3 times a week so upon receipt of payment the products are shipped 1-2 days after receipt of payment. This lady's shipment is going out on Monday. Am I just totally mad, have I gone insane or are the eBay buyers insane?
Feedback:
I wanted to know everyone's opinion on feedback. How important is it to you? To me it is important as the higher my feedbacks get the better it looks for my business right? DOes feedback matter when you are buying something and how would it be best to increase my feedback percentage? Right now I think that I am averaging maybe 40-50% in feedback on my sales.
Thanks so much! I value your opinions. And thanks for letting me vent!!!!
-Lori
[ edited by UmIman on Apr 21, 2002 12:37 PM ]
posted on April 21, 2002 12:55:47 PM new
>>Can anyone please help me understand the thought process of eBay buyers???
Yes. They are no different than customers who walk in the front door: They expect the entire world to stop to service their immediate, all-important need. They are emotionally-driven creatures seeking instant gratification. And, they will often tolerate nothing less than exemplary service from those whom they regard as beneath their contempt, which is to say us. Accept it -- that's what successful merchants do.
>>I just had a buyer submit payment on Thursday and today she emails me wondering where her product is. I just don't understand their logic!
That's because there is no logic. Customers are not logical, they are emotional. Never respond emotionally. Respond politely and specifically to impatient buyers. Inform him/her of the normal, expected transit time for their chosen shipment method (e.g. "USPS claims normal shipping time for Media Mail is 4 to 10 days". Thank them for their message and offer to answer any further questions or concerns. And hope for the best.
>>I wanted to know everyone's opinion on feedback. How important is it to you?
It is critical. I see sellers occasionally advocating getting into negative feedback wars with their customers. Rather a dumb thing to do when you rely on feedback to present your reputation to the rest of the world. Again, put your emotions in a box and do whatever you have to do within reason to protect the reputation you've worked so hard to achieve. If you run into a real idiot, you'll know it. You can then follow any of a number of recourse paths, if needed.
And, I'd say 40%-50% feedback is about normal. A polite request for feedback in your shipment notification message, together with a link the customer can click on, will up the percentage.
posted on April 21, 2002 01:09:00 PM new
Feed back is of no use except for buyers and these days most don;t even Check feed back before they bid and 50 to 60% dont leave feed back after the deal is finished inless it is to give negitive input it is used more as a tool of blackmail then a gauage.
to answer the Question o I send notice that I recieved payment from a buyer if they send payment with paypal or billpoint before I can send out my EOA to them I email and conferm I recived there payment and item will be shipped within 24 to 72 hours.
after that if the seller emails to let me know Item arrived safe a sound I write another thank you note.
if not I leave the thank you in feed back .
Buyers are an Emotional lot and many are starting to question slow delivery if it was to be first class or priority as not only is the post office getting better and faster these days but most sellers are shipping ITem as fast as the same hour payment is recieved.
posted on April 21, 2002 01:13:40 PM new
The problems with eBay are the sellers, not the buyers! Learn to appreciate the people who keep you in business!
posted on April 21, 2002 01:57:15 PM new Does anyone confirm receipts of payment?
I always confirm receipt of payment, no matter how they pay. I also confirm when an item was shipped. This is just good business practice.
I normaly ship 2-3 times a week so upon receipt of payment the products are shipped 1-2 days after receipt of payment.
But you also state that this person's shipment is going to take 4 days for you to send....
I wanted to know everyone's opinion on feedback. How important is it to you?
Only negative feedback is important to me, both as a buyer and a seller. Lots of good feedback really isn't making your business look better, but bad feedback can have an impact (depending upon what it is about).
posted on April 21, 2002 02:05:14 PM new
I Know I ALWAYS Check Feedback whenever I am Ready to spend a Great Deal (Usually over $100) of money. If I even see the "slightest" hint of a minor problem, I try to check it further. I will NOT Bid ,No Matter How Bad I want an item (even if it's a REALLY good deal), if the feedback shows problems with the seller, BUT I am an experienced eBayer, and have learned my lessons the HARD way on eBay.
[ edited by docpjw on Apr 21, 2002 02:06 PM ]
posted on April 21, 2002 02:26:54 PM new
I purchase from online retailers as well as auction sellers (who never miss an opportunity to stress they are a real business)!
When I purchase from a retailer like The Gap, I am sent an automatic email telling me my order has been received and a re-cap of the invoice information and when it will be shipped.
I then receive an automatic email telling me when it shipped and the tracking number.
I can return it for a full refund including shipping!
When I buy from an eBay seller, I like to know when/if they received my payment and when they intend to ship. I don't want to have to worry that a "glitch" occurred somewhere between me and PP or BP or the PO and the seller and they are over here at AW calling me a DEADBEAT!
I expect the same level of service from an eBay seller (that insists they are a business and not just someone trimming down to fighting weight) as I do any business I deal with. YEP, I'M ONE OF THOSE BUYERS!
Actually, all kidding aside, look at it from a buyers point of view. They are sending their hard earned money to a "faceless" person and really can't be sure it's not going to vanish down a black hole of cyberspace or get lost in the mountains of mail shuffelled by the USPS.
I think it's top notch service for a seller to at least let me know my payment has been received and when they will be shipping.
I then give them 10 days and I'm back to being one of those buyers again...
As to FB, I check to see if mention is made of them being a good communicator or fast shipper. If they have any NEGS I like to view them to see if there is a pattern for slow shipping or not as advertised. Then I weigh it against the POS and make my decision. More often than not, I side with the seller. I know they are having to deal with impossible buyers like ME!
edited for typos, please overlook any I may have missed ...
posted on April 21, 2002 09:28:19 PM new
>>I just had a buyer submit payment on Thursday and today she emails me wondering where her product is. I just don't understand their logic!
I would be willing to bet that you did not e-mail this person to tell them that their item is on the way or even letting them know that the payment was received. That way the buyer knows that they sent the payment to the correct person. I am finding with most of the sellers that post here, those steps seems to be missing. E-mailing someone when payment arrives and saying item will be shipped 24-72 hours is not good enough. The buyer has no idea then when an item is shipped so they have no idea when to expect it and they should e-mail questioning that.
What I do is after the item is shipped, I e-mail letting the buyer know they should see the item in about a week. Even if I ship priority which I do about 75% of the time. That way a buyer will give it a week before questioning about a shipment. 99% of the time if you do this, you will never get the "where is my item e-mail." The point. Communicate with your buyers about the transaction and never use automated services.
Good luck in your sales,
bp
posted on April 22, 2002 11:25:08 AM new
Yes, your buyer is insane.
However, you can easily confirm receipt of payment indirectly by using the AW shipment notification email.
dman: Although I have not checked buyer feedback I am going to start checking. Many of my bad experiences have been with sellers that had bad feedback. If a seller has 4 feedbacks and 2 are negative I will put that person on a very short leash. That is, I will be on their case if the payment doesn;t come quick.
posted on April 22, 2002 11:45:26 AM new
I only confirm receipt of payment if they request it, it was a check in the mail, or it was a money order in the mail. (this way they know it wasn't lost). I email when item is shipped throught he AW process.
I find that a little education on my part to the 'anxious' buyer usually helps. (how often I go to the post office and what turnaround from payments can be expected). But then, that is all mentioned in my TOS.
As far as feedback. The actual system is useless. I find, for my own feel good, a number higher than 30, makes me feel good about the sale. A number over 100, and it starts not to matter. The only thing I concern myself with now, is not getting negs. (a neg looks bad no matter how many feeds you have, or how well you handle your reply feedback.)
posted on April 22, 2002 11:46:13 AM new
I also confirm receipt of payment along with their ship date when their payment is received no matter what form of payment it was......paypal and bidpay included. It only takes a second for me to do this as I have a pre-written "Thank-you for payment" letter where all I have to do is fill in the appropriate information and send it .......meaning I fill in their name, ship date and an invite to view my other auctions thru my direct link that is at the bottom of that letter. It only takes me a second to "cut & paste" this letter and send it out.....and to me, it's just another opportunity for me to advertise the new items that I just listed.
I am mainly an ebay seller, but I know when I am a buyer, my attitude is that if I'm not important enough for you to keep me posted on the transaction, then you're not important enough of a seller for me to do repeat business with again and repeat business is what helps sales......
[ edited by NanasTurtles on Apr 22, 2002 11:48 AM ]
posted on April 22, 2002 12:11:50 PM new
eBay is set up more for sellers than buyers.
For example, a seller can start the whine about non-payment almost immediately after the auction closes. Many US sellers don't realize that if their auction ends on a Friday evening and a Canadian wins, for example, payment cannot even be mailed until the following Monday (or Tuesday during most summer months when Mondays are post office holidays. So, the poor buyer is already 3 (or 4) days into the seller's "I must have payment within 10 days" TOS.
If the seller elects to ship only once or twice per week, or elects to not ship at all, there is nothing the buyer can do. The so-called eBay insurance doesn't apply in the majority of eBay purchases.
I think communication is key from both the seller and buyer POV ...
posted on April 22, 2002 12:19:39 PM new think communication is key from both the seller and buyer POV ...
I think that just about says it all. Communication. The only time that communication is not the answer is when one or the other refuses to communicate, and then that is a totally different thread...
posted on April 22, 2002 07:11:27 PM new
I believe that it is the seller's responsibility to send an email when payment is received and when the item is shipped. How else will the buyer know what is going on! My winning bidder's notice also states that the item will be shipped on the next postal business day after receipt of payment, except shipment of items paid by personal check may be delayed until the check clears. I base my decision on whether to hold the check on the buyer's feedback. That way, the buyer knows exactly what to expect. I recently purchased an item on eBay, sent payment on the day of auction close, and waited two weeks. I had to write the seller to see if they had even received my payment. They said "yes, the items would be shipped in a couple of days". Now that's BAD BUSINESS! I realize that everyone can't ship the next day, but my items are small and easy to ship. That's just my 2 cents worth.
posted on April 22, 2002 09:03:44 PM new
intercraft.
First you post, "I only confirm receipt of payment if they request it"
Then you post that communication is the key. Sounds like to me that you better start listening to yourself.
As a buyer, I want a personal e-mail from the buyer when the auction closes detailing where to send payment and payment options. Those automated notices really suck. Almost always there is no explanation on the proper steps to be taken and are extremely confusing.
I also want an e-mail from the buyer when the payment arrives no matter how I pay. That way I know that the seller has it and has not been misdelivered.
Then I also expect an e-mail to notify me when the item ships and with which company the item is coming. That way I know it is on the way and have a rough idea when to expect it.
All sellers should do this. I do not know why they don't. It is so simple to do. You can have a prewritten letter saved on your computer and all you would have to do is copy and paste it into your e-mail and fill in the couple of spaces that pertain to the transaction. And these simple steps would make 99% of the problems go away because the buyer is informed of what is going on.
I have dealt with too many sellers that don't even know when an item has shipped. I got a repsonse one time stating that she shipped two days ago. After two more weeks, I e-mailed and got the same response. Turns out she shipped the item 2 days after as per the post mark. Then in feedback, she didn't even know who I was. Left feedback stating a different name. She even had the nerve to say that buyers like me bring down the enjoyment of selling. And all I had asked is when was the item shipped.
The key, no automated e-mails. Always e-mail when payment is in your hands. Always e-mail when you ship the item. Remember, if you treat me right this time, there is a good chance I will become a repeat customer. If you don't treat me right, no chance I will buy from you again. And if the experience is bad enough, maybe never from any online auction again. Your actions effect all people in the online auction industry, not just yourself.
[ edited by caffeitalia on Apr 22, 2002 09:07 PM ]
posted on April 22, 2002 09:23:51 PM new
Gosh, I guess I'm the lone maverick here.
I can't say I've ever bought anything online from anyone, eBay or otherwise, and been so achingly anxious to monitor every step of the transaction that I demanded up-to-the-moment emails.
I send the money, they send the merchandise. So far sending the money has gotten me the merchandise 100% of the time. You think maybe that's cause and effect?
Oh sure, if I don't get the item after 30 days I check back. But that hardly ever happens. And when it does, it's just a minor annoyance.
You might wonder why I don't get more tightly-wound about these issues. It's simple: for what I buy, there is NOWHERE ELSE to get these things 1) in such quantity and 2) at such a reasonable price.
posted on April 23, 2002 04:50:42 AM new
Spot On fluffy!
My point was in response to the very first post in this thread where someone was having a problem with an "insane" buyer. I just wanted to point out that for every "insane" buyer there is also an "insane" seller.
Everyone needs to relax a bit ... things, especially long-distance things like eBay transactions, take time.
posted on April 23, 2002 01:09:29 PM new
Sulyn, I almost always agree with you...and I do best to keep bidders informed. BUT I am not a business, and if they expect Nordstrom service at eBay prices then I'm afraid my bidders are going to be disappointed.
I let them know up front what to expect. Each of my auctions includes a clear explanation of what my payment policies are, when I ship, what factors can slow their auction down and how to let me know if they need some departure from my normal policies. I do send a payment confirmation, but it's a one-liner with NO personalization: "Thanks for the payment! I expect to get your item in the mail ASAP."
I try to keep everything friendly (or at least polite) but when I get a customer who demands excessive hand-holding, I am always grateful when that transaction is finished. I don't really want them as a repeat customer!
As far as feedback goes, I think it is important ... but I don't grovel for it. As a buyer, I check all negatives and neutrals, but since I know there are crazies out there, I do my best to put them in context. I am far more disturbed by an irate seller's response to a negative than I am to the negative itself...after all, I'm seeing myself in the place of the buyer and wondering what would happen to me if we should have occasion to differ.
edited to add Also, what fluffythewondercat said
[ edited by msincognito on Apr 23, 2002 01:11 PM ]
posted on April 24, 2002 09:43:04 PM new
Even though I do not want to be seen as a shill for the sponsor of these pages, I find that using the post sale management tools put out by AW takes care of almost all problems. Who cares if an email is personalized, as long as it is correct and timely. My feedback routinely mentions friendly communication. I almost always just use the forms.
I usually ship twice a week for items that must go to Post Office, or more if I have 8-10 items to be shipped. I do not put a hold on most checks, but do not think it is a good idea to specify my check holding policy. If buyr knows Iwill not hold, he might be tempted to send a bad check. I hold on all items over a certain number, and on items that look shaky. For example, starter checks, when an address is different on a check than on the shipping address. Or when something just looks fishy. If buyers who get held up think they are being marked, they might feel you are against them.
As long as you ship within a few days, and send shipment notification, that should be enough. I do email if put a hold on. So far, never had a bad check problem.
posted on April 24, 2002 11:46:29 PM new
You absolutely must communicate with your buyers each step of the way, I think, and do it however it works best for you. I think my buying on eBay for a year before beginning to sell taught me how it feels to be a buyer (which I still am, by the way). Sulyn1950, above, was right on the mark. Sending money to a stranger can be scary. When we pay in a retail store, we receive a receipt immediately, don't we?
It isn't that hard, takes a minute or two at the most, to let the buyer know payment has come in, however it comes in. To me, it's just common courtesy.
And, yes, that buyer may never be my buyer again, but still kindness makes the world go round.
About feedback: I look at the total after the buyer or seller's name, and I only check further if I have that "hinky" feeling (like what nurses get sometimes about a patient). Sometimes a strange e-mail from a buyer will send up a red flag and I'll take a look at the feedback. Otherwise, I don't look at the individual comments.
posted on April 25, 2002 12:15:21 AM new
I like it when the seller lets me know they received Paypal payment. I just bought from a new seller who said I could use P.P. but never gave address. (I wanted this auction and took a chance, never been burned here yet)I checked auction and no easy P.P. check out. I sent paymentto email addy on auction, but sure wish she would let me know she got it. It was a @hotmail.com email address. I know ... NEW seller, Hotmail address and than I wonder. I always email seller when package arrives and leave feedback. I pay immediately and get feedback 60% of the time. Like ANYTHING else, there are a LOT of good and a few bad (or lazy) apples in the "Ebay Batch"
posted on April 25, 2002 01:05:31 AM new
It does not matter. It just does not. No matter what you do it is not good enough. So don't worry about it and don't try.
I am one that notifies when payment is received and when it is going to be shipped. I send shipping notices with tracking numbers in them. I send notices when I leave feedback. At each step I tell them that if there is a problem just let us know and we will take care of it.
Spot checking my feedback tonight an someone negged me for "This is the cheapest xxx x xxxxx I have ever seen. Keep away from it !"
My auction states right in it life time warranty. I even do it for them for the first year and pay shipping both ways. Wow, person must of had some type of problem but never contacted me.
And they show up in pairs also. "BAD. NEVER RECEIVED ITEM. HASN'T RESPONDED TO EMAIL. " Wow I only responded to everyone of them,(and there were several) I made a comment they shold get their e-mail fixed. So 2 in one night. Number 14 and 15. Now I only get mad for about 5 seconds and away we go.
. Thank them for their message and offer to answer any further questions or concerns. And hope for the best.
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