posted on December 16, 2003 05:50:29 AM new
As a small time seller, I experience things a little slower than high volume sellers. Well, it has finally hit! Even for me! The Feeding frenzy or shall we politely call the holiday rush has finally hit little ole' me
I just received this email:
"I am interested in these bowls, but I would need them for christmas Do you have any interest in posting a "Buy it Now" price?"
The bowls in question are due to end dec 22nd. HUMMMMM What to do . . . . .
posted on December 16, 2003 06:24:18 AM new
Hi Paloma - I'm a small seller too. I quit selling a week ago and won't start back until the second week in January. I sell mostly estate jewelry. Post office and UPS are sooooo busy, I am a'feared they would either lose or delay my shipments. However, my take on whether to post a BIN on your auction - only if the bowls are expensive and you are making a bunch on them. Actually, I didn't know you could pop a BIN in an ongoing auction - how do you do that? Good luck with your auction. BTW, every time I see your name on the boards, I think of that beautiful meloday "La Paloma." The dove, I think.
posted on December 16, 2003 07:30:47 AM new
Paloma...I don't think this is an unusual question for some buyers to ask this time of year. I've actually done it myself. They may be feeling you out to see if you'll just end the auction now (instead of doing a BIN) and just sell it outright to them at a set price. But am I wrong in thinking that you can go in and change an auction to a BIN? Of course that leaves it wide open for the next person to BIN and he/she could miss the opportunity altogether. Or if that isn't possible, I suppose you could end the auction, start it up again and change it to a BIN - but that sounds like a real hassle - not to mention the additional listing fees. And who knows if he would even follow through with it?
I stopped listing a week ago because I was finding too many buyers were getting very demanding and wanted items sent the very moment they sent payment. Christmas is crazy enough for me...I don't need those extra demands from those rude and stressed out customers. So I'll start back up after the holidays.
posted on December 16, 2003 08:04:23 AM new
You could also set it to only allow approved bidders.
------ "Bend over backward for the customer. Don't bend forward."
posted on December 16, 2003 08:35:13 AM new
I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when teo of the sellers I bought from emailed me to warn me that the items probably would not arrive by Christmas with standard shipping and to ask if I needed the item expedited. I didn't but I was pleasantly surprised by the effort and can guarantee that that will influence their feedback
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on December 16, 2003 09:54:39 AM new
The procrastinators and flakes are coming out in full force today. I'm astonished by how much mail I'm getting (just today) from people who:
1) want to know if they can pick up the item in person if they win, or
2) state that a mailed payment would only take one or at most two days to reach me, so if they mail it today I must ship their item before our vacation starts Dec 18.
The answers are 1) no and 2) count on it taking a week to arrive.
Of course, most of the things we sell are instantly available at many local department stores...at 10x what you might pay me.
Flaky and cheapskate: not a winning social combination. I wonder that these people actually have friends to give gifts to.
posted on December 16, 2003 10:31:54 AM new
The cheapstakes that want to pickup grow in ratio to the size of your metroplitan area and cost of mailing. A six million person metropolitan area and a $5 s/h with insurace extra for a tiny jewelery item will get a lot of requests from the cheapo set. Plus the added factor of Christmas coming soon.
Maybe a "no home pickups" and "item sent only when payment arrives" clauses should be in every auction of every seller. It doesn't matter as most buyers won't read it anyway.
-------------- sig file ----------- *There is no conclusive evidence that life is serious*
posted on December 16, 2003 11:18:11 AM new
what rush??
i have been rushing to cancel my amzn buy orders as soon as they come in as i dont have any in stock.
-sig file -------the lobster in the boiling pot of water who tries to prevent the others from climbing out.
posted on December 16, 2003 12:50:28 PM new
if an ongoing auction has no bids, you can revise it. set up the BIN while doing the revision, ebay will charge you the extra nickel.
if you have a price you are hoping or willing to get for the bowls, go ahead and set the BIN with that price. of course they may still not get them for Christmas, and would blame you, of course.
posted on December 18, 2003 12:52:39 PM new
<begin rant>
It's not just ebay customers--it's website customers, too. You would think that when I put notes all over my website stating "Last day to order for guaranteed Christmas delivery is ...." they could understand that, but I'm still getting calls from people who want to be the "exception." I bet I'll be getting calls on Dec. 24 wanting to know if they can have their widget for Christmas.
The other flakes are the ones who think that UPS just uses their nifty Star Trek transporters to ship packages instead of actually having to load them on the trucks and drive them all the way across the country. Got a call today about not being clear enough about allowing for transit time on my website. Gee, isn't "ships from manufacturer in 3-5 days, then transit time" and a note that UPS takes 3-7 business days transit time not clear??
Most of my web customers are great, but the few idiots sure make me grateful that the holiday shopping season is ENDING SOON!
<end rant>
I feel better now
