posted on February 15, 2001 07:50:08 AM new
Seems to me that if you state in your auction that shipping will be $4, then the buyer can pay it or not bid. Their choice.
But some of the FB was about poor packaging. If it's true that some of the items were poorly or inadequately packed for shipping, then it's not a profit issue anymore. There is an expectation when you buy online that the seller will ship the item so it will arrive in as-described condition. If not, they deserve a neutral or negative, IMO.
posted on February 15, 2001 08:13:24 AM new
With the attitude of the seller, I don't really think you can expect good packaging and speedy delivery!!!!
posted on February 15, 2001 10:36:18 AM new
"With the attitude of the seller, I don't really think you can expect good packaging and speedy delivery!!!!"
Truth speaks louder than fiction. Here's one recent Pos FB of mine:
"great items,fast delivery,well packaged,what more can you say but thanks!AA++"
posted on February 15, 2001 11:17:34 AM new
The s/h fee charged to that customer was $3.15, NOT $3.95. He was either lying or didn't remember what I charged.
posted on February 15, 2001 12:07:54 PM new
I sell lots of the same types of items and pride myself on customer service.
To me, that isn't a matter of handling returns and refunds. I don't do those - because I've never been asked to.
I get it right the first time. I process payments in a timely manner, email confirmation of online payments, email confirmation of snail mail payments (if my server will co-operate), fast turnaround and shipment of the item, item well packaged, clearly addressed, and on its way ASAP.
These factors provide excellent customer service, and by making sure its right the first time, I know my buyer will have a happy experience dealing with me and my auctions.
posted on February 15, 2001 01:53:38 PM new
That's another thing you see a lot on these boards. "Work your expenses and profit into the opening bid, and not into your shipping charge!" Well, I tried that. I examined my results very closely, and I found that I got fewer bids and I made less money. There's just something special about s/h costs, many people don't even think twice about paying them. They just figure s/h is something that has to be paid. You can list some junk for a buck or two and no one will bid, but if you drop the opening bid to a penny and up the s/h fee, bidders just can't resist it. They see only the penny opening bid, the s/h fee doesn't register as clearly in their brain.
posted on February 15, 2001 02:13:32 PM new
Even if you offer money back guarantee with you paying for return shipping, how many buyers will bite? Of the 500+ transactions I have conducted, only a handful (less than five) have returned their product for refund. Of course, most of my items weight under 2 lbs. so it does not cost much to return ship.
Its not a big investment to make your buyers feel at ease.
posted on February 15, 2001 02:24:15 PM new
I agree that refusing to submit to the eccentric demands of 1 out of 1000 bidders is appropriate. [I have 7 negs about it and am proud of every one]
I charge a flat $3.75 S/H regardless. My postage is $0.55 on most items. I have EXACTY ZERO FB comments about it out of ~ 2000 positive. I have many many positive feedback comments about my packageing. I'll keep secret about what I do that makes everybody so happy, but at most it costs me ~ $0.10 extra per package. That still gives me over 3 bucks profit on Shipping and NO COMPLAINTS! out of 10,000+ transactions
[ edited by unknown on Feb 15, 2001 03:23 PM ]
posted on February 15, 2001 03:28:56 PM new
Wellllll....
I guess I don't really disagree with the intent of the original post in this thread. As long as the seller is honest and willing to make good on the things that are his fault, I can understand why he might not feel inclined to bend over backwards to make each and every cusomer feel "special", especially when he is selling low ticket items with no repeat business.
The only thing I have a problem with is the philosphy that it's OK to use shipping and handling charges as the main source of profit. Yes, I am fully aware that mail order catalogs and on-line retail business do this. But this is supposed to be an auction, NOT a mail order catalog or an on-line retail business!!! And that's why this sort of practice is so deceptive. It doesn't matter WHAT you state in your auction description -- the fact is that this is supposed to be an auction and most people don't expect to pay inflated "shipping" or "Handling" fees. And it's even worse when some unscrupulous sellers quote a "shipping" fee that just happens [my, what an amazing coincidence!] to be the exact same as the Priority Mail fee that many bidders EXPECT to see at an auction.
Gee -- can you imagine ordering a book from Amazon.com, only to be notified that somebody offered more for the book and that you'll have to pay even more if you still want it? Of course not, and that's because Amazon.com is a retail store and not an auction. So what makes you think it's perfectly all right to try and run an auction like it were a retail store?
You want to act like a retail store or a mail-order business? Well, then go run a retail store or a mail-order business. If you want to run an AUCTION, on the other hand, forget about the deceptive and inflated "handling" charges.
Barry
---
The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
[ edited by godzillatemple on Feb 15, 2001 03:31 PM ]
posted on February 15, 2001 03:50:46 PM new
Huh?
Your comment: But this is supposed to be an auction, NOT a mail order catalog or an on-line retail business
Wake up and smell the friggen coffee!
It went from little friendly people to people auction to mega on-line retail operation about 2 years ago.
posted on February 15, 2001 03:58:34 PM newIt went from little friendly people to people auction to mega on-line retail operation about 2 years ago.
Not as long as there are still hoards of people selling individual items with multiple bidders instead of just mass-produced garbage sold in a dutch auctions for a fixed price.
Yes, the trend is leading toward fixed price retail sales. And it's people like you that are pushing it in that direction. But the last time I checked it was still an auction site where multiple bidders could compete against each other. If your merchandise is so crappy that nobody wants to compete for it, then you shouldn't be selling it at an auction.
Just because YOU have decided to abuse the system and try to use an auction site to run a retail business doesn't automatically mean the site is no longer SUPPOSED to be an auction. Or that other people aren't still using it correctly as an auction site.
I can pee in my neighbor's pool, but that doesn't mean it's now a toilet....
Barry
---
The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
posted on February 15, 2001 04:24:15 PM new
Double huh?
"But this is supposed to be an auction, NOT a mail order catalog or an on-line retail business! ...most people don't expect to pay inflated "shipping" or "Handling" fees."
Merchandise being sold by sellers and delivered via various shipping carriers to buyers is called B-U-S-I-N-E-S-S. Not much difference what it's called..auction, mail-order, retail, online or offline. People don't expect to have to pay for anything on eBay anymore. Pay it or go elsewhere.
What's your point? Why should I work for sub-minimum wage as a shipping clerk just because it's an auction?
Here's a quote about my glass packaging:
"box was damaged but thanks to your great packing every thing was fine." Do you think that customer cared how many pennys I might have made over the postage? Actually I made less since the packaging materials cost MONEY. Air Pillows, Peanuts, foam plate wraps, clean newsprint, the proper commercial box, bubble wrap, tape etc.
Now if you're one of the sellers I've bought from and charge me a higher S/H and send me my item wrapped in smelly plastic grocery bags that you hauled your pork hocks home in, in a tape-mummifed baby food box from the local Piggly-Wiggly and void filled with the filthy crumpled Sunday edition of the Lick Skillet AL Community Rag-Paper then yeah I get a little peeved.
If major companies can get away with this type of crap I most certaintly will try to recoup my cost and make a buck on s/h:
Here's a recent example:
5 books from a major 'ethical' Book Club:
4 books for a buck a piece (how ebay like)
1 book at half price for $8.48
Total Merchandise: $12.48
Total S/H: $15.45
Shipping in a box, no interior packaging protection.
Package weight: 8lbs
Media rate to mail: $4.30 (they actually paid less due to 'Packet' rate)
posted on February 15, 2001 04:39:28 PM new
I usually sell "satisfaction guaranteed." I've never had a return. Why do some sellers seem to have returns? I'll tell you why: because they misrepresent. Your hit and run philosophy is one of the things that hurts the rest of us and it displays a serious lack of character. And the fact that you get a charge out of negging people after screwing them reveals the depth of your sickness. Get well soon.
posted on February 15, 2001 05:12:45 PM new
After reading some of the posts to this topic, I can see why there are thousands of complaints to the federal trade comission and law inforcement agencies around the country. It is said that "On line Auction's" are now the number one rip off. Sellers take the money and run or sell junk, take the money and then say, take me to court knowing that its not really going to happen. Most sellers are honest, hard working people trying to make some money, but the ones like we have seen here are the ones that the complaints are about. One day their time will come, and what goes around, will come around and we can sit back and watch as they get punished!!!!
posted on February 15, 2001 05:21:19 PM new
I don't get many complaints for misrepresentation of merchandise. Out of literally thousands of transactions, maybe one or two where people claimed the merchandise wasn't as described. The problem I have is with people who don't bother to read my terms of service and afterwards are angry about the fact that I made money on the transaction.
posted on February 15, 2001 06:43:47 PM new
hahahaha,
How many thousands of sales???? Im still waiting for that e-bay ID so I can see it for my self???? Well !!!!!!!!
posted on February 15, 2001 06:55:58 PM new
"Consumers are like cattle."
Consumers may not want to hear it but it's getting mainstream press even...
"I scoff at the consumerism of my mall-going acquaintances: "What utter cows these people be. Nay, they are mere aphids, queuing up so to be milked by the industrious ants of commerce."
posted on February 15, 2001 07:18:27 PM new
I estimate somewhere over 2 thousand successful transaction over the past 7 months. I've made about 13 thousand dollars so far. Not a lot, but I've earned every penny. That's why I get miffed when customers are so angry when I make a buck or two on a transaction.
posted on February 15, 2001 07:55:09 PM new
hahahaha,
Well its like this, you make all these claims, but can't back them up. I really think your all talk and not what you say you are. You started the topic and all im asking is for you to prove it and you keep brushing it off, still talking, but not proving a thing. So if you have 700, I would like to see them. If you can't show them, well lets just say you have a problem.
posted on February 15, 2001 07:55:55 PM new
About the "handling" charges...I DO CHARGE THEM on most items, especially items that require excessive packaging, are a heavy weight, that need a lot of packing supplies...my fees are not a set price, they depend on individual situations...they reange usually from 25 cents to 5.00..I miscalculated once on shipping a large oversize item by 15.00! I paypaled a return of 10.00 (without being asked to) and kept 5.00 for handling, a fair price for the item! See what UPS charges!...I charge handling fees mostly because of the cost of tape, bubblewrap and popcorn...AND FEES to sell...not so much for the hours of actually listing the auction (Purchasing, preparing, photo taking, uploading, authoring the auction, numerous emails to bidders, etc..Overtime for late hours and no sleep, 1/2 of my house like a big warehouse with not an inch of space left to put anything..long waits in line at the PO and gas to get there..weighing packages and then figuring postage & insurance...on & on..basically no life except ebay..HAHA! If I included that, handling would be outrageous! Seems to me anyone charging "actual" shipping charges don't got much biz "cents"..Gee, after reading my own comments, I wonder why I do it at all! LOL ...Do ya think ebay is just hard core addiction for both bidders and sellers?????
posted on February 15, 2001 08:04:22 PM new
Uh BB..your repeated posts demanding an Ebay ID are bordering on harrassement. No one needs to reveal anything to you or anyone else if they don't want to. If you're so hot on revealing eBay ID's then what's yours?
To hahahaha...thanks for starting this thread...it has been very revealing and shows that the majority of the eBay 'Moral Majority competition' won't be around that much longer since they don't run their auctions like a real business. As soon as the weather gets better the bulk of them will back in the driveway doing their biweekly garage sales.
posted on February 15, 2001 08:16:01 PM new
tapatti,
Im not the one making the outrageous claims so I don't have to show anything. How can I belive anything she says if she will not respond to my question. I have seen posts here that are harrassment and this is not even close. What is wrong with asking to see some proof to her claim?????? I can see that you could be a friend, but if I make a claim, I will have the proof to back it up and not rely on my friends to come to my defense. That seems to be the problem with some sellers, we are expected to take everything they say as the truth and a lot of times its not even close. She can put me right down with the e_bay ID, but I bet it will never be posted!!!!!!
