posted on June 3, 2004 09:50:44 PM new
When I ship a package, I send an email stating that's it's been sent. Here's a copy of one I just sent today and the buyer's reply:
"Hi Mike,
Just a quick note to let you know I rec'd your payment and sent the package off today by media mail. Please remember that media rate mail can take up to 3 weeks to arrive.
I'll be happy to exchange feedback after you've received the package.
Thanks again.
Sharon Johnson
General Funds
Sharon, where the sun never shines.
Sharon, Which one of the Dream Worlds do you call home? Your email is the second I've received
this month with the under tones of extorsion. Your statement, "I'll be happy to exchange feedback
after you've received the package". I won't. On the ebay page listing the afore mentioned item, there
now is pasted Your PayPal payment has been sent. Thank you. The auction ended 2 June at 18:01:46
and my paypal records show payment was sent by me at 18:25:51. A whopping delay of 24 minutes.
..................Not a whopping delay of # 3 weeks Ms. Scrooge!..............
I'm ungodly sorry for the delay and inconvenience you apparently suffered. Now, I will have no problem
leaving feedback as to you being marginal, close to at best adequate or less than a deal to write home
about. If your were a person of any character what-so-ever, you would have already left praise in my
name. You suck. Mike"
I've learned not to leave feedback first from this message board....generally, good advice I think. I've learned that a transaction is not complete until the buyer is satisfied from many of you folks. I also enclose a note in the package which reads:
"Thank you for your purchase. If you are pleased with this transaction, please take a minute to leave feedback at eBay. If you're unhappy for any reason, please let me know direct so I can make any necessary adjustments. Thanks again." I give my email address and the item #.
Sheez....I suppose it's the old "can't please all the people...". My auction clearly stated item (book) would be shipped via Media Rate mail. Needless to say, I've blocked this bidder and will just wait the coming negative. Thought some of you (Jack?)might get a chuckle from this.
posted on June 3, 2004 10:04:22 PM new
If he thinks he's entitled to feedback because he sent a Paypal payment that is essentially worthless until you have cash in hand, then leave it for him. A big fat neg that describes his attitude and questions his parental lineage. Then send him an email apologizing for shipping the wrong book and that you will be happy to send the correct one as soon as you receive the wrong one back, shipped at his expense. He won't be able to sleep until he receives the book, but you will
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
Obviously this buyer has been nipping at the Two-Buck-Chuck instead of reading your email which simply stated it might be 3 weeks before they received their package.
Don't worry about it. They'll probably come to their senses in a bit.
posted on June 3, 2004 10:12:41 PM new
As a seller and buyer on ebay, I can understand why this person is upset. They did everything on their end to pay promptly and take care of everything on their end. They hope to receive their item promptly as well. I understand that you sent this via Media Mail and it can take quite awhile, but perhaps you should consider that most media mail takes no more than 7 days to ship. If you even wait 2 or 3 days to ship, it should arrive within 10. 3 weeks is a long time to wait for something by todays standards.
Do you use Delivery Confirmation? I would recommend shipping items with Delivery Confirmation, so that you can provide them with the info to check on it. That pulls the rug from their distrust in your 3 weeks. I would also tell future bidders that the item is shipped media mail and it can take up to 7 days from shipping date, and perhaps even longer depending on the speed of the post office.
I have sold on ebay for 5 years, and leave feedback after I ship it, not when they receive it and leave feedback for me. Yes, the transaction isn't complete until they are satisfied, but people should put some faith in bidders. It isn't a perfect system, and holding feedback hostage isn't fair to the bidder either. It's not their fault some sellers can't trust the system. I have over 3800 positives, with just over 20 negs. A majority of those were from bidders who retaliated for getting a neg for nonpayment. Other bidders can tell the difference between an honest seller and a dishonest bidder. It isn't very hard to tell who is honest and who isn't.
[ edited by rustygumbo on Jun 3, 2004 10:17 PM ]
posted on June 3, 2004 10:15:33 PM new
I don't think so Lucy - I think he isn't worried at all about how long the package takes to arrive. It's the three week delay in leaving feedback that bothers him.
**********************************
Sig files are too much trouble! http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards
posted on June 3, 2004 10:15:44 PM new
Yeah, that would be on my blocked bidder list too! I just blocked someone, and am expecting a negative as well. I shipped with delivery confirmation, the item shows delivered, and they claim they don't have it. I believe them, but since they live in an apartment complex, one of their neighbors probably does have it! She wanted a refund, hahaha...That is why I use delivery confirmation. It isn't my problem anymore, and if she gives me a neg, she will get one right back because I don't leave feedback first either.
Friends don't let Friends say stupid things like Friends don't let friends vote Republican!
The way I read the buyer's email is they misread the seller's email and thought the seller was saying they took 3 weeks to send payment. Their response is they aren't going to leave feedback.
Might be a good idea if Sharon wrote them an email pointing out she is very happy with their speedy payment and just wants them to know there might be a delay in receiving their package.
posted on June 3, 2004 10:36:42 PM new
I would agree as well. Sometimes our rules and communication as a seller makes sense to us, but can be easily misunderstood by a bidder. If I had a dollar for each time a bidder misunderstood me, I wouldn't need to sell on ebay any longer.
posted on June 3, 2004 10:44:20 PM new
Situations like this is why I never mention feedback when I sell and hardly anyone ever mentions it to me, most just leave it when the package arrives.
You never know what someone else is going to read into or how they will interpret even the simplest message.
posted on June 4, 2004 12:10:36 AM new
The email from the seller could have been just a little clearer by stasting that MEDIA MAIL can take up to 3 weeks for delivery. I am not sure what the buyer was griping about, but it seemed that he was PO'd that the seller would not give fdbck until the pkg was received & notice was given to the seller. Oh, Hezz sometimes you can't please a buyer.
posted on June 4, 2004 12:57:53 AM new
GeneralFunds,,,,,,,,,,,I am Truly flattered,[redfaced],,,,,,hahahahaha, A sellers Soul is Saved........Amen,,,,,,
posted on June 4, 2004 02:17:18 AM new
Sharon, explain your Terms/Policies in more detail. Judging from this buyer's misspellings and convoluted way of expression, it doesn't sound as though English is their native language. Don't worry about repeating your terms or being a little verbose. Being understood is more important than brevity. I'm dealing with the "Winning Bidder From Hell" right now so I appreciate your frustration! Regarding Feedback. I have accepted the fact that 10% of my bidders won't leave positive feedback even though my Terms say, "I don't charge extra for Handling because I'd much prefer your positive feedback - provided you are pleased with the item and our transaction. Please notice that I've already left you GREAT feedback." I send 3 receipt request and feedback notices after shipping. If I don't get it after 3, I move on. Guess What? One of those ungrateful bidders won a second auction. Obviously, I didn't leave them feedback in advance! Small Victory!
[ edited by selectiblecollectables on Jun 4, 2004 02:25 AM ]
posted on June 4, 2004 02:37:57 AM new
telling them how long it takes for media mail was a mistake. it usually arrives within a week and in the off chance they get worried, you could deal with it then. i just inform them that the package has been shipped and most of my feedback says something about fast shipping.
posted on June 4, 2004 08:53:26 AM new
"Situations like this is why I never mention feedback when I sell and hardly anyone ever mentions it to me, most just leave it when the package arrives."
Couldn't of said it better. When I was selling I focused on the MONEY as the feedback will take care of it's self.
posted on June 4, 2004 09:07:37 AM new
"Dear Mike,
Thank you for your purchase. We certainly appreciate your business.
I am sorry for any miscommunication I may have caused. While Media Mail packages *can* take three weeks or longer to arrive, the vast majority of them do not, and I should have mentioned that. Your treasure should be arriving soon.
In reference to feedback: We have adopted a return-all-positive-feedback policy as a means of ensuring customer satisfaction. If you contact us first with any problem, we can resolve it quickly. Unfortunately in the past too many people have simply left feedback instead of giving us a chance to make it right.
Since, as you pointed out, you paid very promptly, I have gone ahead and left glowing feedback for you.
posted on June 4, 2004 09:23:34 AM new
Sharon, does this buyer have very little feedback? (Trying to figure out why the immediate fb would be so important to him?)I had a buyer who went on and on abt fb. Seems its some kind of odd affirmation or maybe instant acknowledgement to some people. (Kinda like that Thankyou on the store receipt nobody pays any attention to. lol.)
You're right: "cant please all the people all the time." But if you think about this buyer youre dealing with, you are either going to get a negative(or neutral)anyway because the perceived customer service isnt there from the get go. Dont you think?
You could take a gamble and leave the schlomo a positive and see what that does. If it were me, I think I might risk the neg on this (which sure sounds like its coming anyway) just to see what would happen. :-0
posted on June 4, 2004 09:32:20 AM new
Feedback when the transaction is COMPLETE only. When they get it and inform me (and I send a follow-up), then I will post feedback.
I don't know where the "post feedback upon payment" nonsense got started, but hopefully it will die out as more ebayers wise up.
------ "Bend over backward for the customer. Don't bend forward."
posted on June 4, 2004 09:45:56 AM newI don't know where the "post feedback upon payment" nonsense got started, but hopefully it will die out as more ebayers wise up.
EBay started it...this is at the top of a closed auction:
Leave feedback for ******** if you have already received payment for this item.
posted on June 4, 2004 10:07:41 AM new
On the otherhand, all this crap about when the paypal payment posted doesnt sound like a newbie to me. (I never paid attention to that stuff as a buyer - still really dont - just know I made my payment. Could be some seller' or 'esperienced' buyer is riding your tail on this for fun. :0 But you probably will never know which, so best to stay perfessional'
hahaha.
posted on June 4, 2004 12:08:27 PM new
Have you checked the feedback he usually gets and GIVES? Might give you a better idea about his standard operating procedure.
I buy and sell a lot of books. These days, Media Mail rarely takes more than 7 - 8 days, and that's on packages going from NYC to California and other parts of the West Coast.
My packages to Texas and Florida arrive in 3 - 4 days. I'm not sure if attaching a delivery confirmation to a Media Mail package expedites it - I think it might.
But what you can do if you want to give your buyer an estimated delivery time is to use that "calculate postage" calculator on the USPS.com Web site. If you plug in your zip and the buyer's zip, it will give you an "estimated delivery time" - 3-5 days, 5-7 days. Then you can tell the buyer "according to the calculator on the USPS Web site, a package going from my zip of XXXXX to your zip of YYYYY should take 5 to 7 days to arrive, though that's just an estimate, and it might take a little longer."
I never say anything about feedback, but when I email people with their D/C numbers, I ask
them to let me know when their package arrives, and most do. Usually, when they send me the "it's arrived" email, they've already left feedback.
When I buy books, a lot of times the sellers will say something like what you said about Media Mail taking up to two or three weeks. Because it's a discount service, I think people are concerned about "erring on the side of caution" - letting the buyer know that because Media Mail is a discount service, it could take a while.
But the books I get as a buyer seem to be arriving within a week, too. Some get here in 2 days.
So, having tested it both ways, I would say that the PO's estimated delivery times seem to be pretty accurate. If anything, in a lot of instances, the books seem to arrive faster.
