posted on February 15, 2001 10:30:44 PM new
TaPatti and hahahaha
If your are selling beanies and mass merch, then of course you can "turn em and burn 'em" - as they say in the restaurant trade.
But truth be told, if you buy and sell in a specialized market then you can not be so cavalier with customers.
One area I buy and sell in is a higher end niche area where collectors tend to be on the same email lists etc. I sell esp. when I find an item that's choice, or want to move up. My feedback is lower than yours, but each sale involves a lot more trust. I have no desire to make a sale to someone who has a bad taste in their mouth from any kind of overpriced shipping, handling, etc. It's always a challenge to ship fairly without spending a fortune. Overnighting an item recently cost $29 through USPS. Ouch. The customer only paid $15. BUT they paid $300 more than the average resale on this item. Okay, moral dilema: DO I be Ms. Picayune? NO. I be MS. DO the Right Thing.
MY competition isn't a cast of thousands, it's a cast of dozens, maybe even hundreds. So I may be selling to someone who I buy from.
You can't generalize.
It's sad to see how you all are wailing about how all of us are "moralists" and then go on to insult a lot of wise heads, who I have learned a LOT from. Little do you realize that you are just as "moral," it's just that your morality is of a different stripe.
Besides, if I had any kids, damn right they'd be hackers...freakin' hackers driving freakin' mercedes! (wink)
Calling people basically stupid because they disagree with you only shows the weakness of your argument.
posted on February 15, 2001 11:00:04 PM new
Capriole:
My comments are general in nature. You are right...if you have a small specialized customer base...do what you can to mollify them. My angst is directed at what appears to be the general ignorance of the business climate we're in today. My opinions are all inspired and formulated based on real world experiance and what I absorb from dozens of trade journals, news reports and current business books. Overall I try to treat all customers like I would like to be treated. Unfortunately though I rarely get 'warm & fuzzy' service in exchange for MY dollars.
When I do get a good experiance I'm shocked and try to incorporate that quality into my own business dealings.
Now about the hacker comment...if I read it correctly you'd be proud if your kids were 'hackers'? I won't get into the semantics of the word 'hacker' but in my usage of the word I meant "CRIMINALS". As in FELONS committing FELONIES by illegally gaining access to private computer networks and equipment for the purpose of pursuing criminal and felonious acts such as malicious destruction and theft of credit cards. Nothing I'd be proud of. Unless one likes having a squad of Federal Agents with their white vans parked all over your front yard and storming your front door.
posted on February 15, 2001 11:18:39 PM new
Tapatti,
Hacking, to be exact, is the ability to break code. If you can do it professionally, you can make some filthy lucre.
I have a German friend who does nicely, an understatement, as a professional "hackologist," if you want to coin that one.
posted on February 16, 2001 07:59:45 AM new
Well All,
The thread is about a Bidder as most of these threads are and AW is overweight with Sellers always making complaints about the buyers, PayPal, e-bay, the post office, UPS, fees, and on and on. The buyers are always being Slammed on AW and now many call it this board "Auction Whiner's". I did not make the name up, but they seem to be right.
I only asked ONE Seller to prove her claim, and to date it has not been done. She started the thread!! I did not single her out, she did by puting herself on the board. The seller has a flip attitude, has no integrity, hides behind a different ID than what she sells under and makes claims of nasty buyers that she enjoys giving a Neg to and thousands of transactions and we are expected to just take her word for it without anything to back it up.
At the end of 2000, the number one reported crime across the country is now "Rip Offs on Auctions". No its not the buyers that are sending funny money to the seller, its the seller not sending the item, the seller not giving a accurate description of what they are selling to the buyer. Taking the money and telling the buyer that it must have been lost in the mail.
Yes there are bad buyers that don't pay and try to send back a different item when they do. If they don't pay, you still have the item to sell. And Yes not all sellers are looking to rip off the buyers, but some are.
As for sticking to the thread, you people sure slammed that guy that was selling computers a lot worse than me just asking for the ID so she could prove her claim. I Did Not Call Her any Names. I was not disrespectful, I asked her to prove what she was saying. The way I see it, I did stick to the thread. I asked the person that wrote it to back up her claim and to date she can't, so how can I belive anything she said in the thread. If you are going to complain about anything, have the proof to back it up.
posted on February 16, 2001 09:08:42 AM new
BB5365
Your comments "The seller has a flip attitude, has no integrity, hides behind a different ID than what she sells under and makes claims of nasty buyers that she enjoys giving a Neg to and thousands of transactions and we are expected to just take her word for it without anything to back it up." have come very close to crossing the line. I suggest you acquaint yourself with the AW Community Guidelines, particularly concerning basic etiquette, before posting again. To continue in this manner may jeopardize your posting privileges.
posted on February 16, 2001 09:27:01 AM new
Linda,
If you want to take me off this board because I have hit back at a seller that likes to slam the bidders, its your choice. As I stated, she made the statements, all I ask is for her to back it up and prove it. I have not crossed the line as you have stated, but that I might have come close, but as others have said, this board is 90 percent sellers that do nothing but complain about Bidders and a host of other people. If anyone says anything about a seller (unless those sellers have been burned by another seller for not getting their cheap computer) you get told that you can't post messages like that. Well, its your right to throw me off if you like, but it will only show that at AW a Seller can make any claims they desire, true or false and the bidder is the one that gets bad mouthed almost every day.
Do you think this thread is about ripping off buyers? We're not talking about fraud at all. The thread is about giving what people paid for and nothing else (unless they are willing to pay extra for it).
Capriole,
The term "moralists" wasn't used, it was "Moral Authority." Sellers who don't want to provide extra service for naught shouldn't be refered to like a criminal. Businesses choose the level of service they want based on profit and customer return. Hahahaha has said that since buyers aren't going to return anyway, then might as well concentrate on profits. That is plain and simple logical. If customers want sellers to compete for their return business, then go back to them and buy from them. Hahahaha said that she provided a high level of service many times and the customers still didn't return, so the conclusion she made was what's the incentive to go out of our way to please someone that isn't going to return anyway?
Not only that but cross selling is very difficult on ebay. I don't have laundrey detergent to go along with that doll. In other words, I can't make up the profits that were lost on making a return on one item.
This is a discussion board, not a court of law. No one is required to "prove" anything to you or anyone else. If you don't want to accept at face value or beleive what a poster claims, that's your right...just move on and decline to participate further in the discussion. This particular thread seems to have attracted a lot of sellers who are taking the opportunity to vent akin to the school teacher's lounge. I have no reason to not assume that people are speaking the truth here. It's the adult thing to do.
Go check the new thread, "Secret #1, Secret #2 etc for some very real and valid reasons for not revealing one's eBay ID while posting here.
posted on February 16, 2001 11:01:29 AM new
Dear LindaAW moderator,
Thanks for your friendly reminder about the Guidelines. Posters here may benefit from knowing how to "Ignore all Message Center posts by XXXXX." ... Just clicked on their user ID and on their profile page is a option to "ignore" them.
pcalton
Perry Calton [email protected]
http://www.pcalton.com
posted on February 16, 2001 11:02:41 AM new
Quickdraw,
Yes your right, its not a thread on riping off people, but the attitude of, I will take my money anyway I can get it and I could care less if the buyer likes it or not or comes back or not is just plain wrong. With a attitude towards the buyer like this, I see why there are so many complaints about being ripped off, bad service, no service, bad packing and what have you. Now don't get me wrong, there are far more good sellers than bad, but I take offense when a seller posts a message and says "Most Bidders" not some bidders, not a few bidders, but "MOST" do this, want this , don't read the TOS and on and on. Well, my track record is perfect so far and I will keep it that way. If the terms are not clear, I will ask. If the seller has a bad record, I will not bid. Any business is only as good as you make it. Now this seller made some claims, and I asked for that person to prove them. Its a Simple request that any good business person would provide to show that they are on the up and up, but it looks like they can't provide the proof, so what more can I say. You want to slam the bidder all the time, lets show some proof, and if you want us to belive what you say, show some proof when asked.
Again I will say, with out the bidder, the sellers have nothing. You want to tell us what the Bidder who is now the buyer at the end of the auction did, be willing to show the proof.
posted on February 16, 2001 11:13:56 AM new
tapatti,
Your right, its not a court of law but that seems to be the problem here as it is expected that we should all just belive what is said. With that in mind, if I am high bidder on your item and have a good feedback, no negs, will you ship me the item before I send you the money??? I say I will send it and with your statement that we should belive what we see here, will you ship it??? My word is good, my checks are good, my feedback says so.
We take to much in this world on face value and those that do, get burned all the time. Take a day off some time and visit a small claims court and see for your self about face value
posted on February 16, 2001 11:24:55 AM new
Dear Linda AW moderator,
It seem's that one of the sellers who has a problem with what I write for what ever reason has taken another slam at a buyer by telling all how my posts can be ignored. I feel that I have been attacked and would like you to remind that person that I do have a right to reply to this thread.
Again I say, it seems OK to slam the bidders and buyers here, but don't dare say anything against a seller.
posted on February 16, 2001 11:45:57 AM new
once again BB...this is NOT eBay.
It's a discussion board ABOUT eBay.
It's the electronic eqivalent of a cocktail party conversation or an office water cooler gossip ring.
Your eBay comparison scenario has no relevence here. Of course I wouldn't normally ship without being paid. Although I do ship without holding checks if the buyer has more than 25 feedbacks.
posted on February 16, 2001 11:48:55 AM new
BB5365,
You have a right to state your opinion provided it is on topic and you do not violate the Community Guidelines.
Remember, the CG's require conduct to be guided at all times by basic etiquette. You are to address the subject at hand, not the individual.
AW members are often reminded to utilize the "Ignore" button if they do not wish to read the remarks of one or more people posting in the thread. Stating that the feature is available is not a "slam".
posted on February 16, 2001 12:01:24 PM new
Tapatti,
Its not eBay, but has to do with eBay, the sellers the buyers, the postoffice, the UPS service, you name it. Your point then is to take what is written here as the truth and nothing more, or just story telling ???
Linda AW,
This person has not been part of this thread and to me does not like what I write and I feel it is directed at me, not the topic.
posted on February 16, 2001 12:20:35 PM newthe fact is that this is supposed to be an auction and most people don't expect to pay inflated "shipping" or "Handling" fees
Go check out Sothebys online auction and come back and tell us what a "real" auction house charges for shipping and handling. Here is the link:
For those of you that don't want to bother, here is what I paid for shipping and handling on two lots that were shipped together and weighed less than 2 pounds:
Lot One: $37.20
Lot Two: $35.20
Total: $72.40
Shipped Fedex Economy from New York to Baltimore. Actual Cost less than $15.00.
That is what it costs to have an auction house pack and ship items.
