posted on August 31, 2008 06:29:31 PM new
Would you do this ,i think it is sad we are being held hostage just to get 5 stars!!!
but here is what one seller does.....
Stephanie Inge of stephintexas admits her approach may not be for everyone, but she notes that it has served her well for years, and given her a competitive advantage as she goes about keeping a 5-star DSR. "I'm a firm believer in giving customers more than they expect," she notes. "Some may call it overkill, but my customers notice it, appreciate it, and hopefully think long and hard before they give me a bad shipping DSR."
Inge addresses all of her customers by name. Her goal is to make sure they feel that they are not simply another transaction, but actually an individual customer whom she is eager to serve. At the bottom of every invoice she adds a handwritten note that includes her trademark "big smiley face" and her personal signature.
Her shipping practices aim to please in every sense. In the cool-weather months, she includes a fun-size Snickers bar with each packing slip. When the Texas weather is too hot to safely ship chocolate, she will include a colorful note card with a favorite Texas recipe printed on it. She wraps her bundles in generic vanilla scented trash bags, tied with a colorful curled ribbon, and a colorful smiley sticker. She refers to this as her "service with a smile."
“Adopt an attitude that's bound to keep DSRs high and increase buyer satisfaction overall”
She also has a sticker that reads: "5-star Service is our Goal! We strive to earn 100 percent '5 Star' scores from you. The star-scores are very important to us, because eBay uses them to determine our fees and our visibility in the eBay search results. Our future success depends on it!—Thank you! Stephanie—See you again
posted on August 31, 2008 06:50:54 PM new
While I don't send candy or other "goodies", I do include a note with all packages telling my customers I'm glad they won the auction and hope they're pleased. I also include a statement that if they're not pleased, they should contact me. I've updated it with a statement that I hope that I've earned 5 star ratings. This strategy has served me well over the years...and it's a tip I learned from another seller on this board about 5 years ago.
posted on August 31, 2008 07:10:13 PM new
agmay, I think it's a nice touch and it does help to make people feel good when they open there package.
There are a few web sites I buy from and they add a hand written card with the customers name and a little message and some even send you a sample which you didn't expect.
I like her approach but I don't care for the candy idea but adding a note along with maybe something real small as an extra is a great thought and i'm sure it is appreciated by the buyers
You gave me an idea, I bought a large case of Twin Towers World Trade Center Pewter Pins, all on cards and in see through packages. I have them for a few years so maybe this is one way for me to get rid of them.
posted on August 31, 2008 08:09:36 PM new
Recently I received a personal thank you note with my purchase. I was so pleased & left glowing FB. Also one time a bag of microwave popcorn, very nice & from a high volume seller. I appreciated it, but not as much as the personal note.
I think the Stephanie is doing everything right.
[ edited by mcjane on Aug 31, 2008 09:01 PM ]
posted on August 31, 2008 09:00:54 PM new
Just 10 minutes ago (11:30 pm)I emailed stephintexas about the size of a multi color handbag, her description was not showing up. She answered within 5 minutes!
That's a first for me. I'm impressed.
posted on September 1, 2008 05:58:24 AM new
In flat packages I include magnet with my store name, address and off e-bay website(vintageads4u.com in a texas design) and in tubes I enclose a pencil with www.vintageads4u.com on it.
I had sign each invoice thank you, Beth. And I have a version of the fluffy star chart/neglus star description at the bottom of each page.
posted on September 1, 2008 07:48:42 AM new
vintage ads, I'd love to see what the fluffy and neglus chart and descriptions are. Can you guide me to the threads please? I've searched back through the 100 day list and don't seem to come up with anything. Thanks in advance for any help.
posted on September 1, 2008 10:11:05 AM new
I write a thank you on all the invoices which are enclosed with the order.
Further, the only other enclosure is my Return Policy, which briefly mentions that customer service is our top priority, that the order was shipped insured, and that by purchase, they agreed to assist in insurance claims, if any. My Return Policy is printed on the back of the invoice.
It is more important to enclose a copy of your Return Policy, as both a reminder to the buyer, and to assure the buyer that the item can be returned if necessary, or replaced if damaged.
I firmly believe that any direct mention of "five star service" is nothing more than pandering, and only enhances ebay's attempt to resurrect it's image.
posted on September 1, 2008 11:33:35 AM new
Bill: I too have a full refund policy on my packing list that I highlight.
objects:
Fluffy's thread was about an experiment she did put a little graphic of a five star chart with the words in red:
help keep us in business
give us a 5-star rating
neglus posted either on the PowerSellers board or here the verbage she uses in her shipping emails. I stole some of it (mea culpa Mary Ann) and append it below the little chart:
EBay has introduced a seller rating system based on stars (Detailed Seller Rating). You award 1 to 5 stars in each of four categories. What eBay is not telling you, however, is that a 4, considered a "Good" or "Very Good" rating in the real world, is a failing grade! Sellers who receive any scores less than 4.6 are effectively being charged higher fees to list on eBay. Also, their items appear lower in search results, decreasing the likelihood of a sale and making it harder for you to find what you're looking for. Please consider leaving 5 stars.
I closed my ebay store because I can no longer deal with all of this. I'm taking a little vacation from eBay, about a month.
Then I will do some fixed price/core listings in October and November.
Beth
posted on September 1, 2008 12:02:32 PM new
I include my DSR diatribe at the bottom of my shipping status email (I use Vendio to send this message) and posted it on my "ME" page. I don't plan on using it forever but I will say that my DSR's have improved significantly since I started using it. I got the 5% discount when I started using it and now qualify for the 20% discount.
Here it is:
Dear %%Winner%%,
I have shipped your postcard, item %%Title%% , eBay %%AuctionId%% by USPS ; you should be receiving it shortly.
I hope you enjoy your postcard. It has been a pleasure doing business with you.
Please take the time to read my "More than a few words about Feedback and Detailed Seller Ratings" below. I hope you will contact me with any problems you have with this transaction.
You can visit my listings by clicking on the "Store Door" below or by visiting www.moodymommy.com :
I appreciate your business!
Regards,
Mary Ann Kolb
Seller Name: Neglus
More than a few words about Feedback and Detailed Seller Ratings
Effective mid-May 2008, Sellers will only be able to leave positive Feedback for buyers. Many sellers have elected not to participate in the Feedback process at all. I will continue to leave positive Feedback because I believe that Feedback is useful in determining buyer experience level.
EBay has introduced a seller rating system based on stars (Detailed Seller Rating). You award 1 to 5 stars in each of four categories. What eBay is not telling you, however, is that a 4, considered a "Good" or "Very Good" rating in the real world, is a failing grade! Sellers who receive any scores less than 4.6 are effectively being charged higher fees to list on eBay. Also, their items appear lower in search results, decreasing the likelihood of a sale and making it harder for you to find what you're looking for.
Please use care when completing the survey knowing that your rating can have a big impact on the seller’s ability to continue to sell on EBay. If you are not happy with a transaction, the best course of action is to contact the seller and not use an anonymous star rating system to vent your dissatisfaction. If you are happy with the transaction, please take the time to complete the survey and be generous with the “5” star ratings!
I am happy to work with you towards resolution of any problems that may have arisen in the course of our transaction. I offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee return policy. I am basically a one person shop (unless I can persuade my husband and 20-something daughters to lend a hand on shipping) and do make mistakes from time to time. I accept responsibility for those mistakes and appreciate the opportunity to “make it right” for you. If there is anything I can do to improve your buying experience, I hope you'll contact me with your comments and suggestions. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
I have also gotten quite a few nice emails thanking me for the education - no negative emails.
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posted on September 1, 2008 01:09:49 PM new
I too have personalized my messages for the full time I've sold on eBay. My customers regularly praise my courtesy and kindness--both on eBay and in Amazon.
That said, I'm a small seller; were I one of the big ones, I'm not sure at all that there'd be time or incentive to personalize things.
I just had an idea: what if I had bookmarks made with my user name and other data, and included them with all books sold? Hmmm. I believe I'll look into that; I don't send gifts--yet. I'd just need someone to design the bookmarks so I could print them out on cardstock or such.
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posted on September 1, 2008 01:23:18 PM new
roadsmith, what a great idea. I would begin planning the bookmarks as soon as possible. Your name would be in front of your customers all the time, and I am sure the bookmark would be appreciated.
My wife and stepson are avid readers. Each and every book they are reading has a bookmark in it.
Which also makes this a fine time to mention that the UPS truck stops almost daily at our home, delivering purchases from Amazon. My wife has never, ever ordered a book, or for that matter, anything from half.com, or ebay.
posted on September 1, 2008 01:25:38 PM new
Roadsmith, you can design your own online. The images will be stock as opposed to custom but there are lots to choose from.
Search for "free printable bookmark" or start here at the Creativity Portal.
posted on September 1, 2008 04:56:00 PM new
Well, thanks for the encouragement, people. I'll see what I can rustle up.
(I've been using small -- 2x3 -- photos of my various grandsons as bookmarks; keeps them in the forefront of my mind. Great little guys.)
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posted on September 1, 2008 05:01:27 PM new
roadsmith - There is a seller on eBay that makes nice bookmarks relatively cheaply. He made a bunch for me using my logo and they're laminated. I can't remember what the seller's name was though. He did have an eBay store. You might want to search there.
Cheryl
Whitman said she and McCain share a philosophy of scaling back the role of government. a point of view partly shaped by her EBay experience. "The EBay model is very Republican in its essence -- it's about making a small number of rules and getting out of the way while not overtaxing the community," she said.
posted on September 1, 2008 05:07:05 PM new
--"it's about making a small number of rules and getting out of the way while not overtaxing the community," she said.--
Cheryl, WHAT? What?!!!! I'd have replied sooner, but I can't stop laughing.
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