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After the Auction: Sending End-of-Auction Emails

Once an auction closes with a winning bid, don't breathe that sigh of relief for too long. The next step is the end-of-auction (EOA) email. Sending out timely and comprehensive end-of-auction emails is an important part of the post-auction process. But many sellers, especially newbies, might be wondering what's appropriate and what should be included in this important correspondence--which, after all, can really set the tone for the entire transaction and the seller-buyer relationship. Here, we offer advice on sending your EOA emails.

The Basics
When an auction ends, the auction site will send out an email announcing an auction's completion. If it has been a successful auction (i.e., a winning bid has been placed), both the seller and the buyer will be contacted. The next step is the end-of-auction email.

In short, an end-of-auction email is a message sent from the seller to the buyer imparting information so that the post-auction process can proceed. Auction sites generally recommend that contact between the seller and buyer should occur within three business days of the auction's close. But don't wait that long; send out your EOA notice as soon as possible. This way, you alert your buyer that you're a seller who's on top of things and who cares about customer service. Obviously, if you're a high-volume seller it becomes increasingly difficult and challenging to be timely with your post-auction emails. Still, try to get them out as soon as you can. And remember, good customer service isn't the only incentive: The sooner you get out your EOA notices, the sooner you'll get paid.

What to Include
First, start with an appropriate salutation or greeting, such as thanking and congratulating your winning bidder (i.e., "Thanks for your bid and congratulations on winning my edeal auction for a Citizen Kane laserdisc"). Then it's time to get down to business. More specifically, here are some other bits of information that you should consider including:

Transaction Number and More: Saying "Thanks for winning my auction" isn't enough, nor is "Thanks for winning my CD auction." Buyers might have recently placed multiple winning bids, perhaps even on different auction sites. Don't make them guess which auction is yours. Be sure to include the venue, specific item name, and the transaction number: "Thanks for winning my Auctions.com auction for Neil Young's 'After the Gold Rush' CD (Item # 145917376)." Also, request that the buyer include the item number with his or her payment or ask that the buyer print out the EOA and include it with his or her payment. Either way, the point is to help ensure that you'll be able to immediately match a buyer's payment with the appropriate item.

Cost: You'll want to inform your buyer exactly how much he or she owes. Declare not only the total amount due, but also provide a breakdown of the various charges: "Your total amount due is $13.50 ($10 for the item + $2.50 shipping + $1 insurance").

Shipping: If you offer different shipping options for your customers (book rate, Priority Mail, First Class, and so on), specify what those options are and what the additional cost will be. In cases where the shipping amount is dependent upon where the buyer lives, ask for the buyer's address. Once you have received that information, go ahead and calculate the shipping costs, and send a follow-up email with the total amount due.

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