Just wondering what my fellow sellers' experience has been with going on vacation. I realize I can set up auto-responses in my e-mails, put my eBay store on vacation settings, etc., but how will buyers responded to this?
I'm worried, since I often experience buyers who are so impatient they'll write me an e-mail at 10:30pm on a Sunday night, then if I haven't responded in an hour and a half, they write a frantic follow-up message asking if there is a problem with their situation since they haven't received a response yet! Even if I end all my auctions 7 days before I leave for vacation (allowing time for buyers to pay, and items to be shipped), are crazies like this likely to neg. me before I come back and respond to any problems/questions they may have had?
I'm tempted to lie and say I've had a family emergency within my e-mail auto-responders in hopes of gaining sympathy. Seriously, buyers don't think sellers have lives. I've had complaints before when a buyer RECEIVED their item within 4 days...Sorry if I went away for ONE weekend!
posted on February 22, 2005 01:15:38 PM new
stop listing a week or so before you are ready to leave. When last item is shipped, shut off computer, lock up ebay store, lock up house, put suitcase in car drive away. Have a good time! Its only money you can make more.
posted on February 22, 2005 01:37:40 PM new
In my end of auction emails to the winning bidder I put a message saying I'll be leaving on vacation and if payment is not recieved by such and such a date shipping will be delayed until my return on ____. I usually give them 10 days to make payment...a week may be pushing it. Haven't had any problems yet. If the payment didn't make it by the 10th day it's usually there upon my return. No complaints.
posted on February 22, 2005 01:38:03 PM new
I have been on two vactions in the last thirty days. One 12 day and one 6 day. I inserted a message in my auctions that payment needs to be received with seven days or item will be shipped when I return. I closed about 200 auctions and when I left for vacation I only had three items unpaid. All payments came in by the time I returned and were shipped the day I came back. No problems so far.
posted on February 22, 2005 02:14:00 PM new
I take my laptop along & follow my auctions. I try to time endings to the time I am home for shipping. With Vendio it is easy program the start & ending of auctions. I was gone for a week over Xnas & set my auctions to go on the day I left & was home before they ended. Will do the same in March & again in May.
Life Is Too Short To Drink Bad Wine
[ edited by sanmar on Feb 22, 2005 02:14 PM ]
posted on February 22, 2005 04:37:07 PM new
I just came back from a 2 week plus vacation. I kept my store open because someone told me they wanted to buy HUNDREDS of items from it and needed time to look (they only bought a handful so far LOL). I stopped running auctions about 5 days before I left, posted notices wherever I could - even changed my store logo as follows so the vacation notice appeared prominently on every listing .
I set my WBN and payment received notices to tell people my vacation dates again.
Then ebay ran a FP sale on the 2nd of Feb (date I was leaving) and I couldn't resist - I put up a few items. I told people in huge letters in those listings not to bid if they needed their postcard before my return.
Before I left, I shipped all items sold in the past two weeks - paid or not. I sent a note with the unpaid items and told people why I was shipping early (This was my grand experiment - of course I just sell postcards and not high ticket items) - looks like most people paid while I was gone.
I sold about 150 items while I was gone - just about paying my bar bill on the cruise
When I got back, I emailed all the buyers and told them I was back and was working over the long weekend to ship their items today.
SO FAR there have been no problems - no emails asking where their item is etc..the responses to "I am back and working" email were favorable. I am keeping my fingers crossed! Of course there usually is no rush in receiving postcards and postcard buyers tend to be very mature, patient and reasonable folks.
I shipped out over 120 items today and the rest will go out tomorrow (ran out of stamps). I am about done in! Now I need to get my listings back up!
**********************************
"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "...holy sh@#...what a ride!"
posted on February 22, 2005 07:29:46 PM new
I take 2 long vacations a year, I've gotten good at this.
1) The last auction should end 2 weeks before you leave, that way anyone who is that late deserves to wait to get their item
2) The winning bid notices on that auction state when I will be on vacation, and that payment must reach me by a certain date otherwise the item will be shipped when I return
3) Both recent trips I've left my ebay store open. Actually, the first trip I just started my store and I could not close it, but I did not have much up for sale. I still sold 50 items though. I had email access (even though I was on an Alaskan cruise) and would email buyers in port at an internet cafe. It worked well. My last trip lasted 18 days, and I had pretty good email access. I could have shut down my store, but decided to leave it open. I did sell about 600 items, and I didn't get any negs. I did get a neutral though. It was worth it, most people were understanding and since it was over Christmas, I don't think they were in a rush. My next trip is this summer, and I will run the same strategy.
posted on February 22, 2005 07:44:24 PM new
Tell your significant other you are going to the store.
After a couple of days call home and mumble something about your memory and not remembering where the car is, and hang up suddenly.
When you are changing vacation venues, locate a minimum security psychiatric facility near you and use their phone to call home and complain no one knows who you are, hang up suddenly.
When your cash runs out, start using your plastic for a free ride home.
Piece of cake.
__________
The Islamofascist fig-puckers are fighting to spread their culture and religion, and to destroy ours
posted on February 22, 2005 08:59:58 PM newHow do I go on vacation?
First, decide where you are going to go. If you are flying, purchase your plane tickets. Pack your bags, remember the camera. Bring an empty suit case so you can bring back your ebay treasures.
posted on February 23, 2005 11:27:49 AM new
Thanks so much for the feedback. I especially enjoyed the incorporation of some humor. All right. I'll chill out, and not worry so much...I need to work on that.
.
