posted on August 13, 2003 09:57:28 PM new
Why are so many eBay bidders more neurotic about things than you run across in the real (non-internet) world?
I am deluged with e-mails like...
Did you get my Paypal payment? I received confirmation on August 12th and have not heard anything from you!
Let me know when you receive payment, and exact moment you ship.
When did you ship, I haven't received it yet? (An e-mail received usually about two days after they paid, and one day after item was mailed.)
I mailed my payment to you on Monday, have you got it yet?
I sent you my address two hours ago but haven't heard back from you yet!
...You know, if everyone is so detail oriented, and we're supposed to babysit the order every inch of the way, we never get any work done! I'm pretty good at communicating I think & pretty good at taking care of people's orders in a quick manner, but all of this stuff drives you kinda cwazy from time to time!
posted on August 13, 2003 10:11:01 PM new
Or I get e-mails like this, received yesterday less than 7 minutes after the bidder paid with paypal (and this from someone with 281 feedbacks, so they aren't exactly a newbie!). How could this possibly be cause for "concern" in such a short time frame, I mean, folks, bidders, Romans, countrymen, lighten up your load just a bit:
hi i paid with paypal in us funds , let me know when you recieve it, paypal has not sent me an email about it so it is making me concerned
posted on August 13, 2003 11:36:53 PM new
I honestly think I can understand someone's concern about using PayPal. Especially if it's not a $2 item--and the one you just cited sounds like a foreign buyer. It's scary sometimes to send your money "out there" to someone you don't know, especially if it's a substantial amount. I always e-mail my buyers when payment is received, by check or PayPal or pigeon, as quick as I can.
I'm not trying to excuse some of your buyers for their haste in thinking you're just in front of your computer 24 hours a day, though.
But when I started selling, I had to set up some checklists so I'd know where I was with a sale. It's too easy for me to overlook timely communication with the buyer otherwise!
posted on August 14, 2003 01:34:52 PM new
I think the thing of it is because you pay somebody 'instantly' and you really dont know what you are getting or if you will be getting anything at all. The money is gone from you; but its not like the store where you have the product in hand. I've spoke to a few of my buyers that have gotten burnt by sleazy sellers and I am always amazed they even return to buy again.
posted on August 14, 2003 03:58:22 PM new
Neurotic?? My question would be, “Why do some sellers judge their customers instead of keeping them informed?” Granted, some of these questions smack of impatience. But if you’re getting inquiries about a shipment two days after payment then this customer was not promptly notified of its receipt nor of the anticipated shipping date.
Roadsmith is right. Communication is everything and though you claim to be good at it, your mountain of evidence speaks otherwise. Most customers won’t be concerned if you get behind and it takes a day or two more to ship. They just want to be kept informed.
You use the word “babysitting” in a pejorative sense. I’d call it good customer service.
posted on August 14, 2003 04:44:31 PM new
dads,
I am so friendly to my buyers, and at the very least always acknowledge receipt of payment. It kinda jolts me when 'I buy' and the seller never even says "boo" about the transaction.
posted on August 14, 2003 05:30:26 PM new
Well, everyone who buys from me gets a prompt end-of-auction e-mail or as-prompt-as-possible acknowledgement of their paypal payment. And everyone gets an e-mail specifying the ship date for their item.
My feedback is exceptional and lots of comments about good communication and prompt shipping, so that is not a problem.
Still, it just seems to me after doing eBay full-time (100% full time) for 5 years now, that eBay buyers fret more than people generally do in the non-eBay world. I understand there is the invisibility and unknowing of who you are dealing with, and perhaps I'm unaware of the kinds of problems they run into with other sellers.
By the way, I never respond in a sarcastic or nasty way, or ignore their inquiry, I just send a brief informative note and move on.
posted on August 14, 2003 05:42:49 PM new
i am so pretty i win every beauty contest.
-sig file -------They may have ginsu knife,but we have DING KING!!!!
posted on August 14, 2003 07:07:52 PM new
Upriver, I wasn't suggesting you don't communicate. I dont think I answer within 7-10 minutes either, but some sellers are very distant AFTER they get your money and it is troubleing.
posted on August 15, 2003 12:09:59 PM new
coming out of lurk mode...
I have to sound off here. This is entirely a customer service issue. It should be up to the seller to communicate when the auction closes, when they have received payment, and when they have shipped (and repeat how at that time). All of this should cut down on the emails.
When sending a payment to buy I include a note asking the seller to please confirm that they got the money because we all know that web sites can hiccup. I also check the shipping info and ask at that time how they ship. These two little things avoid miscommunication and possible negative feedback.
As far as why people are more "neurotic"--I think that's unfair to sellers. Put yourself in the sellers' shoes. They have just sent money into the ether without having the product in their hot little hands. It's very understandable for them to want to know how the transaction is going to take place.
I realize they don't always read, but remember that customer service boils down to one line: the customer isn't always right, but the customer is always the customer.
I may get flamed for this, but I'll say it anyway. If you don't have the time to treat your customers well, then you are trying to do too much.
posted on August 15, 2003 12:41:18 PM new
Well put, Risasperson, and we're so glad you're out of lurk mode! Smart lad. I happen to know Risa is a dog, and you have two of them. Risasperson, meet Tomwiii, who has a dog that could whup your dogs' butts, I'll bet.
posted on August 15, 2003 01:02:16 PM new
Isn't that what we've been saying all along. The seller should at least acknowledge the payment, a form letter that takes a few seconds to send. Another form email acknowledging when the item is sent would be nice. A lot of the ebay business is repeat or return buyers or buyers diverted to web sites or web stores. How can a seller expect repeat sales if he/she treats the buyers like they do not exist?
-------------- sig file ----------- He who angers you controls you
posted on August 15, 2003 01:23:55 PM new
I acknowledge payments and send an email when their item has been sent. I hate it when I get no communication from a seller at all. No congrats on winning, no acknowlegement that payment as received and no notification that an item has been sent.
Cheryl
Power to the people. Power to the people, right on. - John Lennon
posted on August 15, 2003 10:35:19 PM new
Know what bothers me, when I get a payment three or four weeks after the auction ends & then receive an email stating payment has been sent & have you mailed my item yet.
How I would love to say NO, I was planning on waiting a few weeks before mailing.
And, that is exactly what I would say if it were not for FB.
posted on August 16, 2003 10:01:26 PM new
As a seller I send end of auction emails, payment received email, and email on the day of shipping along with tracking number and what shipping service I used so they can tract there merchandise.
But when I buy .........I not only have to figured out my own shipping, and when I pay I use paypal or bidpay and pay within 5mins of auction end... I never receive an email from the seller saying payment was received, sometimes I do not even get an email about when its shipped.
But I have found that recently buyers are more scared because of all they are hearing about "bad sellers," I myself worry each time I place a bid, I wonder will I receive my item?.....so, I could understand that the buyers what to know exactly what is happening and by doing that you keep them relaxed and you make for a better transaction.
posted on August 17, 2003 12:22:05 PM new
Tom,
Whenever I see that dog I think of Jean Paul Sartre. (hoping to god i remember the spelling!)
He was a Wall-eyed Love Monkey too.
But, not so unconditional, I am sure!
J
~~~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~~
All the monkeys aren't in the zoo,
Every day you meet quite a few,
So you see it's all up to you.
You can be better than you are,
You could be swingin' on a star
