posted on March 3, 2003 08:17:51 AM new
I finally came to the breaking point with pointless, redundant e-mails, from customers who are too lazy to read the post/ad, and write asking what is clearly stated in the ad.
FORTUNATELY, we are on an e-mail system which allows multi, personalized, auto-responses to e-mails. I have eBay and other auctions individually set up with their own auto-responders – and- I simply don’t respond to mail asking questions which are answered in the ad. The auto responder is nice, polite, gives all possible information regarding how to pay, return policies, the fact that feedback is left when payment made, that we notify them when we ship, and such most often asked questions.
This has GREATLY cut down on my having to respond to pointless questions from lazy buyers. On specific questions, which aren’t covered in the auto respond letter, or the ad, I can quickly go through those, and to date 99% of customers are happy. I am sure there are those who simply want to talk, a bit unhappy, but handling 4 web sites, and 2 active auction sites, we literally get hundred of e-mails every day, and most of them amount to: “when are you shipping, how do I pay, what is your return policy, do you take PayPal, etc.,” and the auto-responder this has eliminated 100’s of responses and time.
I decided on this after an endless session answering stupid questions. I noticed the major firms I deal with use PAT e-mail response answers, so I decided to also, and it has worked well for us.
posted on March 3, 2003 08:59:16 AM new
A) So what happens when a customer has a legitimate question?
B) Is this your address registered with eBay? If it is, what happens when some jerk turns you in for an invalid email address... If you don't respond or eBay doesn't like your resons they can NARU you.
My provider allows auto-responders as well, but I've always been afraid to use them for something like this.
posted on March 3, 2003 09:00:29 AM new
While I've no doubt answering endless redunant emails has to be a royal pain in the backside for you, I think that answering them anyway is simply a matter of good customer service. I get a lot of the same and most of the time these people don't even bid on my items anyway. However, I do it in the hopes that they will remember how they were treated and will come back another time. Actually, I've had some email conversations with some pretty darn nice people. If I was spending a fair amount on an item, I would email you, too, regardless of what may or may not be stated in your ad. There's something about getting an actual email with the information that puts you more at ease.
posted on March 3, 2003 09:40:57 AM new
With what you have posted, it would appear that you have some experience setting up web pages... why not just set up a FAQ page and see if that cuts down on your emails.
replay is right, I myself have turned in sellers for "no contact" because they have used an auto repsonse.
Guess what... I got an email from them after that...
posted on March 3, 2003 10:47:12 AM new
interesting post: I too get tons of redundant emails a day.. last week we averaged 77 a day. I don't have an auto respond email. But what I have done, is set up a nice little file from notepad that I keep up all day while I am working. I have most of the questions answered in it and just copy and paste the answers. Usually adding a little quip that personalizes it. Much easier for me, it specifically answers their question, it is timely and the customers have never complained.
But I can certainly understand, sometimes I just cringe with the silly questions like: do you accept paypal.... sometimes I would love to say " Yes, at I said 3 times in the auction page" but that is rude. Seems some buyers just like to test large sellers to see if they will answer emails. I guess feedback is useless, since it tells the ultimate tale of how good their customer service is.
Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care!
posted on March 3, 2003 10:54:05 AM new
I agree with you alwaysfun, I put in my listing that I am happy to answer questions, and I do that. I have some answeres on file to paste and copy, and I always add a personal note. I realize that as a small seller, I don't get that many questions, it must be very time consuming to get 77 a day. I figure that if someone has taken the trouble to ask a question, I need to take the trouble to reply. One of my teachers many years ago used to say "there are no stupid questions". Not sure if I can completly agree with that, but obviously if people have a question, even though the answer is right there on the listing, they want a reply.
posted on March 3, 2003 11:34:03 AM newreplay is right, I myself have turned in sellers for "no contact" because they have used an auto repsonse.
Guess what... I got an email from them after that...
Guess what...ebay does not care if sellers use autoresponse. It proves their email is working. About 2 years ago safeharbor emailed me about a bidder. They got an autoreponse. I called up the powerseller rep and she asked me if the autoresponse worked well for me. YES IT DOES! If someone turns me in to safeharbor for no "no contact" They still won't get an email if their question is answered in the autoresponse.
I have used auto reponses on and off since I have been on ebay. I only use auto response when I have a very hot item. I put all the FAQ about the auction in it and tell them if the autoresponse doesn't contain an answer to their question, I will reply soon.
I have some boots listed right now. There are 7 photos, the size is listed in the title and in the description, so is the color. The fact that they are new with the box is also listed twice in the auction.
On Saturday and Sunday ALONE, I got 117 emails about those boots. Out of those 8 people asked something that was not in the auction. They got prompt responses.
A WHOPPING 83 either asked what color they were or what size they were. Some even asked both. 12 asked if they were new. 4 asked if I could get them some cases at wholesale. 10 asked if I shipped outside the U.S. 8 had questions that I answered.
posted on March 3, 2003 11:42:42 AM newI am glad that I have been fortunate to only have one seller in 5+ years of buying that used autoresponse
It is very common in the apparel categories escpecially with large sellers. As has been discussed here before, clothing and shoes bring out the strangest customers.
posted on March 3, 2003 11:50:45 AM new
They must shop4 - I run about 350 auctions and maybe get 1 question for seller/day..IF i can find it in my email box among all the eBay, PayPal, Viagra, P*N*S enlargement(and im a woman!), look at my web cam, refinance your mortgage, credit problem, virus carrying (subj:"here is a fun game you might like"- virus in the download)emails my mailbox is flooded with daily! Do I get all this crap because I'm on eBay?? I don't remember getting anything like this before - especially the attempts to pass on a virus!
posted on March 3, 2003 04:27:57 PM new
I just refer them right to my "Me" page. Simply,,,,See my *me* page. Pretty much clears everything RIGHT up. Most never respond back. Saves me tons af wasted typing. Cause that was just way too much for them. If they really talk stupid I block them out as they have prooved to be problems later.
LOL, Just got one!!!!! Can you mail me the total? The TOTAL is RIGHT in the Auction!!!!!Just add two simple numbers together!!
Yesterday, Are these mens boots? (listen in the MENS section.) Are they sz 11? Right in the VERY brief description. And how much to 91234. Reply, yes, yes, See my me page. Where the First thing out of my mouth says, SEND A COMPLETE ADDRESS. Printable.
I answer all questions from bidders, but I only have 1 or 2 a day if that and it takes 5 minutes to type a response, so I can guess at the time saved using auto response for the hundreds other seller get.
Over half of the questions that are asked the answer is already there on auction site.
posted on March 4, 2003 09:37:23 AM new
I just ignore stupid questions in email. If they can't read, hopefully they won't bid, and I won't have to waste a lot of time on them later when they don't pay or drag payment out forever. (Yeah, there's a high correlation there.)
The smart-but-didn't-see-it-in-the-auction ones invariably write back later to say, "Never mind, I found the answer in your auction!"
A problem that solves itself.
--
Because of their courage and daring and idealism, we will miss them all the more. --George W. Bush, 02/01/03
posted on March 4, 2003 01:50:36 PM new
Yeah, shortpole. Whatever you say.
Just noticed the other day that while my main seller account has 2154 unique positives, the total number of positives is 6396.
Normally I don't pay much attention to feedback but that's close to three positives per customer on average. That's a lot of repeat business.
Since my customers are folks who actually send money and not bitter vengeful message board trolls, I think I'll pay more attention to what they're saying.
--
Because of their courage and daring and idealism, we will miss them all the more. --George W. Bush, 02/01/03
I fliggered it out. Go to your account. Go to "Personal Information", then to "Extended Profile". Paste this into your signature file box, but remove the dollar signs:
[ edited by fetish128 on Mar 5, 2003 02:31 PM ]