posted on September 21, 2000 02:56:01 PM
If I were in your shoes I would just cash the check and move on. Luckily 99.9% of your customers won't do this. There's always one in the bunch, ya know?
posted on September 21, 2000 02:58:51 PM
Well, I think this has been blown out of proportion- the letter wasn't over the top. Just coulda been a bit friendlier in my view.
You're obviously a busy, volume seller, with lots of happy customers. But since you mentioned feedback, you do have 21 negs and 35 neutrals (non-NARU Neutrals)- not bad but an indication that maybe there is room for improvement in the customer service department.
Your buyer is new. His first auction win closed just a few days before your auction closed. Cut him some slack. Cash the check, send the stuff.
posted on September 21, 2000 03:03:17 PM
magazine_guy:
My 21 negs are from when I USED to sell glassware and breakables and ship them through UPS. UPS used to break tons of packages and I would get the NEGS for them. Since I have quit selling breakables you'll notice I have had 0 (ZERO) negatives or neutrals in the past year. Can't improve much more than that!
posted on September 21, 2000 03:19:13 PM
Valerie...you sked why YOU should have to mail the check back when it was his fault?
WHY?..because you want HIS MONEY. You want to SELL YOUR ITEM!
Are you in business to make a profit or are you in business to exercise control over others?
These are your CUSTOMERS...the people that put the bread and butter on your table. Why in heavens name do you want to antagonize them? Is it really so important to let your cutomers know you consider them idiots?
Look, why don't you send that customer over to me. I'll treat him like a king, won't complain when he doesn't follow my TOS to a T, I'll let him know how much I appreciate his business and his money. I'll do everything I can to make the transaction pleasant for him...so he will WANT to come back and buy again and again from me.
And if I have to spend a little time trying to figure out what he bought because he neglected to include the auction number with his payment I'll grumble to myself but I will make sure that he NEVER knows I grumbled.
posted on September 21, 2000 03:22:07 PM
valerie47: Do you mind if I ask what catagory you sell in? Having that many bad checks and that many deadbeats a week would have run me off long ago.
Do you think it is what you sell or the amount you sell?
I sell in what I would consider a 'high risk' area (new toys) and I haven't had near the trouble you've had.
posted on September 21, 2000 03:26:02 PM
lotsafuzz:
I sell clothing... that's where all the bounced checks seem to be! I've even had bounced checks from buyers with over 300+ all positive feedbacks and then it took them over 2 months to repay. That is why I no longer accept checks - but I offer as many other payment options as possible, because I know it's not convenient for everyone to get a money order.
posted on September 21, 2000 03:29:02 PM
Amy, I'd say you hit the nail on the head. Rude, condescending, judgmental, self-righteous --- these are the words that came to mind reading this seller's posts, even beginning from the title of the thread.
There is such a thing perhaps, as having been selling too long -- one becomes burnt-out and rests on ones' laurels. Val, I'd suggest you take a break since you're so "sick to death" of all the yokels who bid on eBay. You've lost some perspective here.
posted on September 21, 2000 03:40:10 PM
Valerie..are you listening to what YOUR saying?
You want the customer to do everything right or you don't want anything to do with them. But what about yourself?
I sell glass and china..lots of it. I rarely have anything break in shipping. Yet you excuse your high negatives by saying the customer blamed you for breakage. You want your customers to accept full responsibility for their behavior, yet you yourself couldn't even figure out how to ship fragile items well enough to get them to the customers home without the item frequently
breaking. It was the post offices fault, not your inadequate packaging.
When I mailed something breakable through the USPS I NEVER had anything break. When I shipped through UPS - TONS of things broke. Were you there when my customers said the packages LITERALLY had tire tracks across the packages? I don't think so. Were you there when my customers said the packages looked like they had been dropped from an airplane in the sky - leaving nothing but tiny little pieces of whatever is left? I didn't think so!
I never ONCE said I blamed the CUSTOMERS for the packages being broken! Get a grip! Unless you KNOW about a situation I was in - don't go making assumptions!
posted on September 21, 2000 04:13:16 PM
Well, I sell glassware (antique) and breakables and I have never had a piece broken in transit (and I have used UPS and USPS - I double box and pack well) and I take checks and I haven't had one bounce yet (I also do not hold checks for clearance). I just read a whole page of WHY should you have to pay for a 33 cent stamp and envelope but not once are you understanding that you expect your customers to travel to purchase and pay for a money order (the cheapest in my area is 79 cents) - why not the same concern for your buyer?? I state in my auctions that I would appreciate payment within 14 days unless other arrangements are made prior to bidding and I usually get my payments very promptly. I have had one deadbeat bidder on a small $$ item of my husbands. No problem for me, I still had the item and ebay refunded my quarter. I would not dream of filing a NPB in 13 days and without even sending a second request. Things can and do go wrong.
I believe in making my customers happy - they afford me the luxury of making excellent money working from home. I understand that once in a while you get the difficult or scatterbrained buyer but that is the wonderful world of sales.
Everytime I read about bids being down, I think of threads like this. I do not mean this to be offensive, I just do not understand why sellers are not going the extra mile to please their bidders instead of making an easy situation more difficult.
I agree with amyon this one and I think she explained how I feel very well!
Valerie, it really does pay to go the extra mile and try and be polite and tolerant with bidders (buyers) - you do want them to be satisfied not only with you as a seller but with the whole online buying experience.
It is just good business sense.
affirmation comes from within ...
not at the expense of another.
posted on September 21, 2000 04:16:51 PM
Hi, Val --
If you had that many problems with bad checks, you definitely need a better class of Buyers. I'm serious.
Every now and then I forget myself in the heat of battle and bid on something for which personal checks aren't accepted. Bummer. Yes, that's right, I try not to even bid on such items because getting a M.O. is such a supreme pain in the neck, but sometiems that fact eludes me. As a Seller myself, I understand your point of view (esp. if you've had all that bad luck) and I'm not suggesting you change your policy. But because of the aggravation, I always feel (correctly or not) that a *no checks* policy reveals a poor customer relations point of view on the part of the Seller -- or someone who's avoiding his/her rightful share of the IRS burden.
If I'd mistakenly sent you a check (and I think I've done that at least once), you'd never hear from me again if you kept it AND asked me to also send a M.O. Yup, I'd willingly and happily take the NPB hit, figuring you're someone to be avoided at all costs, and put you on my "Don't Buy From" list. I might also go to the expense of putting a Stop Payment on that check.
Just another point of view. We all have our war stories, and my likely actions are predicated on mine. Happily, most of my Sellers and all my Buyers so far have been nifty people, but the few that aren't really take the fun out of ebay, don't they?
Every now and then I get it *up to here* and need to take a break from ebay -- a day or so, as a rule. Then a string of good days comes along and I love it all over again.
posted on September 21, 2000 04:20:20 PM
Uh, guys (and gals).....
While we may not all agree on the way Valerie runs her business, it is her business.
I know I come to AW to gripe about my bidders because I can't do it on ebay (never know who is watching, could be the buyer I was bitching about...bad business).
I don't think anyone will be able to change her mind about the checks, just like she won't be able to change anyone who does take checks mind.
Let her rant, we all need a good rant once in awhile!
posted on September 21, 2000 04:23:21 PM
CleverGlrl:
I understand that MO's are not always easy to get - that is why I offer so many other payment options. Paypal, X.com, Bidpay, Billpoint, Payplace - to name a few. Actually, my sales have IMPROVED since my "no check" policy and I plan on sticking with that policy, since checks are such a hassle.
As far as "or someone who's avoiding his/her rightful share of the IRS burden" - I report every dime and I even have an accountant for that part. That has NOTHING to do with why I don't accept checks.
As far as "If I'd mistakenly sent you a check (and I think I've done that at least once), you'd never hear from me again if you kept it AND asked me to also send a M.O. Yup, I'd willingly and happily take the NPB hit, figuring you're someone to be avoided at all costs, and put you on my "Don't Buy From" list." People who send checks after my auctions and EOA emails clearly state NO CHECKS are put on my "don't sell to" list. It works both ways.
posted on September 21, 2000 04:34:40 PM
About UPS --
When I was getting ready to sell on ebay (glassware), I asked my son, who is in management with UPS, if UPS was a good idea for shipping. He advised against it and said if I DID use UPS to be sure and double-box EVERYTHING. Like most people at UPS, he spent some time driving before going into his management position. He told me, "You don't know how often I had to WALK on my packages to get to others in my truck." Further, it's all so automated (this applies to USPS too), and things have to move so fast that these packages just don't get the gentle handling too many Sellers foolishly expect.
Ya gotta know how to pack for the shipper. I've done well so far with the packing my DH does (which is superb) and USPS. I see things arrive HERE, however, packed so poorly I wouldn't carry them acoss the street without expecting breakage. Sometimes I'm amazed that some things have actually survived their journey.
posted on September 21, 2000 04:48:56 PM
The customer didn't follow the terms of the policy..{ late pay ~ plus sent a check without reading or seemingly caring about the sellers terms.}
Why should this seller have to risk cashing a check that could bounce and cost more than the check amount was written for? & this customer has $18,000 in bids with 0 feedback???? You have to be joking to even suggest that this seller take a risk with this customers personal check!
If customers would only READ many of these problems would not happen.
Valerie you are 100% right to stick to your terms.
No way was Val's email offensive!!
RB........Good Posts!!!
abingdoncomputers: "And yes, regardless of your feedback, you should return the check to the buyer before requiring a money order."
I thought this was Valeries auction? Is your way the only right way?
I send the customer their check back along with their packaged item AFTER they send me a Money Order. I've never had a customer complain! It is their fault for not READING!
This particular customer is not complaining about that issue anyway.
"I suppose that after I've been on eBay for 2 1/2 years and reach the 3000 positive mark, then I can send rude emails to customers and rebuff a little friendly advice from a fellow seller too.Hmmm... I can't wait..."
Was that suppose to be a friendly statement? Friendly advice?
This is meant for some ....BUT Certainly not all.... who have posted on this chat:
I think your statements on here show what kind of a person you really are.
Your statements are much more Rude, Condescending, Defamatory, Denigrating then what you are claiming of Valerie's email to her customer.
To bad you could not stick to the issues and state your opinions and FRIENDLY advice, instead of trying to degrade a person. Going back into her neg. feedback..and posting one of them is low!
I thought this board was here to try to help one another.
Is this what you consider a "little friendly advice from a fellow seller" ?
Valerie: The 3000+ POSITIVE feedback you have certainly does say you are doing a GREAT JOB.
posted on September 21, 2000 04:51:48 PM
Here's an example.
I've got one negative, and about 1,600 positives. The negative was a fairly new bidder- I'd sent him the EOA- no reply for 2 weeks. I sent a friendly reminder. No reply. A week later, he negs me, claiming that he never got an end of auction notice from me, and I never answered his email queries.
Well, obviously there was some sort of email disconnect. Probably on his end, but placing blame wasn't the issue. I called the guy, explained the situation, offered to mail the item immediately and let his payment cross in the mail. We did that.
Since then, he's bought from me a half dozen times. Left great feedback each time.
Point is this: I don't think he'd be a customer now if I'd made him feel stupid for leaving an unwarranted neg. As it turns out, it was a win-win, and we both feel good about things. AND, I make more money.
Customer Service, and making my customers feel good about the deal, is just a big deal with me.
posted on September 21, 2000 04:55:25 PM
valerie47,
you attack anyone that has a different opinion than yours, anyone reading your past threads can see the pattern.
posted on September 21, 2000 04:55:38 PMpsalms139: & this customer has $18,000 in bids with 0 feedback
Don't believe every interpretation of the "facts" that you read. The customer has won 5 auctions, for a total of less than $100, and probably doesn't have any feedback yet because the first one ended 3 weeks ago. Valerie's item was apparently this person's third eBay win.
posted on September 21, 2000 04:58:41 PM
barrelracer:
I think you need to look in the mirror. I have not attacked ANYONE. From reading YOUR past posts in threads I've noticed the exact same thing from you.
Glenda:
I never stated who this person was who won this auction.
posted on September 21, 2000 04:59:40 PM
When I see a person with 0 feedback, I am a little more understanding of them being a newbie.
Not everyone lives by ebay, and not everyone understands why a seller has the TOS that they do. But an email in a kinder tone can handle a situation a lot better and faster than one that sounds like it comes from the IRS.
Yes, the seller has 3000 feedback and repeat customers, but one has to wonder how many customers they lost as repeats.
posted on September 21, 2000 05:02:07 PM
barrelracer:
When I see a person with 0 feedback, I am a little more understanding of them being a newbie.
You are a newbie yourself, with only 59 feedbacks, so that would explain why you are more understanding with newbies.
By the way - the only customers I *might* have lost are ones I never wanted to begin with. The ones who can't/don't read and are irresponsible bidders.
Those other *options* may not be true options for everyone. If I weren't a Seller, I wouldn't have a PayPal account (and won't have one much longer in any case) because the last thing in the world I want to do is use plastic for my ebay purchases. And I'm not comfortable letting someone dip into my checking account.
And as I said, Val, I am not interested in trying to talk you out of your *no checks* policy, or in any other way tell you how to run your busines -- well, except that better class of Buyer advice . I was just offering some input from the other side of the transaction, IN CASE you (or someone else) might be interested.
As far as being on your "don't sell to list," I wouldn't find that in the least offensive. BTW, on those occasions where I find I've won a *no checks* auction, I usually write the Seller and ask nicely if they'll make an exception, noting my own high feedback. None has refused me yet.
I also wasn't suggesting YOU were trying to avoid paying taxes (don't take everything quite so personally!!), and I'm sorry if it sounded so. In fact I rather think that's none of my business either. I was just sharing it the fleeting thought that crosses my mind about high volume, no checks Sellers. But really, don't try to tell me NO ONE out there with a no checks policy isn't hiding some if not all their income. Who cares? Not I. I've lived long enough to know that "Time wounds all heals," as I like to put it.
Yes, Fuzz, everyone needs to rant now and then. But if they don't expect (or want) others' input, maybe this isn't the best forum for ranting -- ??
. I was just offering some input from the other side of the transaction, IN CASE you (or someone else) might be interested.