posted on May 7, 2001 09:12:07 PM new
I had a buyer inform me to tonight that my confirmation was "border-line offensive". I really don't want it to be, but I also want to make sure that everything is thorough and it answers all the questions that will no doubt pop up, and realize that it is somewhat lengthy. I would appreciate feedback and opinions on my confirmation letter...
(Ebay ID),
Congratulations - you were the high bidder for Ebay auction # 1XXXX, (auction title). PLEASE REPLY to this email with your shipping information so we can get your item ready for shipping and we'll know you have received this.
OUTSIDE THE 48 STATES: This total may not be accurate - please send address and phone number (for customs). We will refigure S&H and send you your new total.
Your winning bid was (amount) +(S&H) = (total).
*Insurance and delivery confirmation (when possible) are included - this protects both you and me and is not an option.
We accept personal checks from buyers with an Ebay feedback rating of 50+ (all others will be returned). Checks will be held 10 business days - you are responsible for any fees incurred due to returned checks. We accept money orders, cashier's checks and credit card payments through Billpoint and Paypal (verified address only). PLEASE try to have your payment here in 10 days. If enough time elapses with no communication or payment we will file a NPBA form with Ebay, leave negative feedback and re-list the item. All sales are final unless extreme circumstances exist.
If you need help with Paypal or Billpoint please let us know - we're listed as (my email address) on Paypal.
If paying with a personal check, money order or cashier's check, please send to:
(my address)
If you would like to combine shipping on multiple auctions, please let us know.
We will let you know when we have received payment and when
to expect your item - larger items are shipped out once a week via UPS, smaller items 3 times a week via USPS. If you have any questions please let us know.
*My secondary email address is (my other email address) if you should need to use it - please only use this if you have problems reaching me through (my email address).
Thanks again for your business,
Bill
Whaddaya think? I appreciate the feedback from any of you fine AuctionWatch sellers or buyers.
posted on May 7, 2001 09:20:08 PM new
I don't find it offensive in the least. A little lengthy maybe, but I don't mind having it all spelled out up front. Just my opinion...I'd buy from you!! (50 feedbacks might be a little much to ask for, we all have to start somewhere) I take personal checks, have yet to hold one (even though I say I will) and have had none returned. But I guess it only takes once....But, back to your question, no, not offensive at all. Kathi
posted on May 7, 2001 09:26:59 PM new
Wow......why don’t you try a little different approach
maybe you will not sound like the gestapo..
here is mine...when you win a cd
HELLO EBEE.......
LOOKS LIKE YOU WON A NEW CD...
PLEASE SUPPLY ME WITH ALL EBAY AUCTION
NUMBERS WITH YOUR PAYMENT..WITHOUT THE NUMBER
I GET TO GUESS WHAT CD YOU WON....WHEN I GUESS I ALWAYS
GET IT WRONG...BUT THIS DOES HELP OLD HOPELESS
WITH HIS VERY LARGE PILE OF "Lawrence Welk's Greatest Hits" CDs
I ONLY ACCEPT PERSONAL CHECKS, MONEY ORDERS OR CASH IN
SMALL UNMARKED BILLS...........SORRY NO PAY PAL...
IF I DON'T SEE THE PAYOLA FOR THE AUCTION WITHIN 2 WEEKS
I WILL ASSUME YOU WERE HIT BY A BUS ON THE WAY TO THE
MAIL BOX ....SO I WILL BE FORCED TO RELIST IT...I WILL NOT LEAVE
YOU NEGATIVE OR SLANDEROUS FEEDBACK....THAT'S NOT MY
STYLE....THIS OVER USED EBAY PRACTICE ONLY ADDS MORE HATE TO OUR WORLD!
PLEASE SEND PAYMENT OF $ TO :
NO NEED TO EMAIL ME TO SEE IF I RECEIVED YOUR CHECK...
A POSITIVE FEEDBACK WILL BE LEFT FOR YOU MOMENTS
AFTER YOUR PAYMENT HITS THE HOPELESS COMPOUND....
LOOK AT THE DATE YOUR FEEDBACK WAS POSTED AND
ADD 7 TO 9 POSTAL DAYS FOR DELIVERY...
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE EBEE WHO SENT ME
$8.00 CASH IN THE MAIL WITH NO EBAY ITEM NUMBER,
NO CD DESCRIPTION ,NO RETURN ADDRESS AND NO EMAIL
ADDRESS.....I RE-LISTED THE CD AND BOUGHT SOME BEER WITH THE MONEY...CHEERS !
posted on May 7, 2001 09:30:39 PM new
Way to long !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is mine
HI <email> EAST TO WEST
THANKS YOU
FOR YOUR WINNING EBAY BID
YOUR TOTAL & FORMS OF PAYMENTS WE OFFER R BELOW. INSURANCE IS NOT INCLUDED IN SHIPPING BUT IS OFFERED. WE DO EXPECT PAYMENT IN 10 DAYS. YOUR PRODUCT IS RELISTED IN 10 DAYS UNLESS YOU ARE COMBINING SHIPPING WITH MORE LISTED AUCTIONS. CONTACT US IF YOU PLAN TO WAIT FOR OTHER AUCTIONS TO END. AGAIN THANK YOU , NOW LETS GET YOUR PRODUCT WRAPPED AND HOME TO YOU!!!
____________________________________________________________________
IF YOU HAVE PAID YOU STILL NEED TO CONTACT US
====================================================================
<title>
ITEM# <item>
YOUR BID $<bid>
SHIPPING $<ship> (Insurance add $2.50+1.00 each additional)
TOTAL US$<total> +G.S.T for Canadian's
====================================================================
HOW TO PAY US IS BELOW
_____________________________________________________________________
1)......FREE SHIPPING STATED IN YOUR AUCTION
[email protected].
_____________________________________________________________________
2)....OUR ADRESS FOR ((MONEY ORDERS))...... LINK BELOW
http://www.urbanhouseimports.com/ebayship.html
_____________________________________________________________________
3) ....VISA & MASTERCARD...FAX TO THE OFFICE..LINK BELOW
http://urbanhouseimports.com/cc.html
_____________________________________________________________________
4)..VISA & MASTERCARD WITH BILLPOINT.COM LINK BELOW
<auctionpage>
YOU DO NOT NEED TO SIGN UP TO PAY US WITH YOUR VISA OR MASTERCARD WITH BILLPOINT.COM JUST REQUEST AN INVOICE THREW YOUR CLOSED AUCTION. THE LINK TO YOUR CLOSED AUCTION IS ABOVE OR BELOW YOU CAN PAY AS WELL
https://www.billpoint.com/xn/invoice_lookup/
_____________________________________________________________________
5) http://www.paypal.com email: [email protected]
posted on May 7, 2001 09:32:53 PM new
I don't see anything offensive at all about your notification. I could see where having the phrase "for customs" in the same line as "Outside The 48 States" could raise some eyebrows in Alaska or Hawaii, but I think they would realize what you meant and would not take offense. Have you emailed him and asked him what part he felt was not proper?
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
posted on May 7, 2001 09:34:41 PM new
Thanks for all of your feedback - I'm going to work on shortening it some. I appreciate everyone taking the time out to help.
posted on May 7, 2001 09:45:51 PM new
I don't think it is offensive but a little long. If your TOS says that in your description, do you have to repeat it? My TOS is very short and to the point, it follows.
Thank you for bidding on the XXXXXXXX. The price of the jewelry is $ 7.99 plus $ 2.00 S/H and that includes insurance. I accept Personal checks, which I do not hold, money orders or PayPal. If using PayPal, please use [email protected]. If using a check my mailing address follows this email. I will also need your mailing address. Thanks again and hope to hear back from you within three days.
I have gotten one bad check in all the years I have been doing craft fairs and ebay, but I knew it was coming before I got it as the seller told me. I also don't hold checks because sometimes they take more than 10 days. I didn't get notice of the bad check until 15 days.
[ edited by Libra63 on May 7, 2001 09:58 PM ]
posted on May 7, 2001 09:52:00 PM new
When giving instructions less is better. When I give my wife instructions I have to make sure that I can get the information out before she blinks. If she blinks something was lost. I call it my 'blink flush theory', when she blinked she flushed the information up to the point of that blink.
posted on May 7, 2001 09:56:38 PM new
The only thing that might be offensive is the threat of negative feedback. I don't think it belongs in your first message to the buyer.
posted on May 7, 2001 10:02:07 PM new
Not offensive.
If you want to add a little "warmth" you could add those hug brackets {{{{{ }}}}}
around the guys name!
LOL
Seriously though, I have had to email a seller two and three times to get info out of them, so it's great!
posted on May 7, 2001 10:05:12 PM new
Here's mine:
Congratulations!
You were the winning bidder in my auction #1234567890, (name of item).
Please send a check or money order in the amount of $10.00 ($8.00 + $2.00 U.S. shipping) to my address at the bottom of this letter. Bidders outside the U.S., please e-mail your shipping address and I will calculate your total.
If you would like to pay by credit card through eBay's BillPoint, just let me know and I'll send the payment instructions. Sorry, as mentioned in the auction, I'm no longer using PayPal.
If you have other bids out, I'll send an updated total after those auctions end.
Please reply to this e-mail by sending your name and shipping address so that I'll know you received this letter, and so that I can prepare your package for shipping.
Please be sure to include your e-mail address and/or your eBay ID with your payment.
posted on May 7, 2001 10:06:15 PM new
I would remove the following portion of your email.
.............................................
If enough time elapses with no
communication or payment we will file a NPBA form with Ebay, leave negative feedback and re-list the item.
.............................................
Deadbeats could care less, and the honest bidders may very well find this offensive.
posted on May 7, 2001 10:28:37 PM new
Not offensive. But kinda negative. I'd cut out the stuff that sounds mildly threatening-- you don't need to put that stuff in your EOA notice.
I've reworked it to say the same things, but in MHO, a little clearer, buy breaking it up into paragraphs and putting "like" info. together. It is similar to my EOA which has been successful. Feel free to use all, some or none of my changes! Enjoy! Barb.
Here it is:
Hello (Ebay ID),
Congratulations - you were the high bidder for Ebay auction # 1XXXX, (auction title). Your winning bid was (amount) +(S&H) = (total) (Within the U.S. Only - International S&H will be higher). If you would like to combine shipping on multiple auctions, please let us know.
PLEASE REPLY to this email with your shipping information so we can get your item ready for shipping and we'll know you have received this email.
**INTERNATIONAL WINNERS: Please send your Address AND Phone number; your revised S&H and Total will be sent to you shortly thereafter.**
*Insurance and delivery confirmation (when possible) are included and are not optional as it protects both seller and buyer.
PAYMENTS ACCEPTED:
* PERSONAL CHECK - Buyers must have a min. of 50 positive feedback; all others will be returned. Checks will be held 10 business days for clearing.
* MONEY ORDERS & CASHIER'S CHECKS (mailing address is below)
* BILLPOINT - let me know so that I may send an invoice
* PAYPAL - (sent to verified address only) - pay to (EMAIL ADDRESS).
PLEASE try to have your payment here in 10 days to avoid the risk of having your item relisted.
RETURN POLICY: All sales are final, unless proven to be a misrepresentation or missed damage on our part.
If paying with a mail-in payment, please send to:
(my address)
I will email you as soon as payment is received, and again when your package is shipped. Large items are shipped out once a week via UPS, smaller items 3 times a week via USPS.
If you have any questions please let us know. My secondary email address is (my other email address) if you should need to use it - please only use this if you have problems reaching me through (my email address).
Thanks again for your winning bids, and have a great day!
Bill
(email address)
(ebay id)
(website address)
(telephone number) <---- I believe if you are asking others for their's, you should provide yours as well, in order to foster trust.
posted on May 8, 2001 12:34:07 AM new
I always go for the less is more approach. I personally hate a dozen back and forth emails for auction items so I don't "Invite" email responses but thats just me.
I do have quite a few items that carry a color/flavor choice so I will ask for a response on that. If someone has a question they'll ask it.....no biggy but I won't "Invite" questions lol
So since many others posted their standard email notice i'll share mine
Greetings,
Thank you for your interest in my auctions items. You can pay for them a few different ways I accept paypal ,yahoo paydirect, moneyzap and propay at [email protected]
If you prefer to send a check or money order please send it to
Cynthia Thompson
(my address)
{for color/flavor choice items}... I do need a response on your color choice they are
blue
pink etc etc
Item name $(price)
Shipping $(price)
Total Due $(price)
If you need anything else let me know,
Thanks,
Cynthia
(My auction ID name)
Feel free to stop by my website featuring all kinds of Romantic Gifts and Novelties at http://www.lovepotions.net
(for Yahoo bidders only)
p.s. Just to let you know Yahoo auctions has discontinued the adult category, save the email addresses of any and all sellers you dealt with in this category in case you need something else in the future. All of us still sell at different auction sites, we just can't at yahoo once these items close.
posted on May 8, 2001 01:24:55 AM new
I'd also like to add something that i see in all these other email examples people posted.
Horizontal totals are not attractive in my opinion
Thank you for bidding on the XXXXXXXX. The price of the jewelry is $ 7.99 plus $ 2.00 S/H
(I just grabbed this one as an example)
Not everyone writes the check or gets the money order that minute but to have all instructions bunched in a paragraph is not asthetically pleasing and forces bidders to have to go back and recheck the email more often and read the paragraph than a simpler vertical set-up.
price $2.00
shipping $2.00
Total Due $4.00
It also guarantees a mental note of how much I owe to so-and-so without having to go back and get the totals.
Another thing......for those of you who demand a shipping address response to "Calculate Shipping Costs" Unless you are shipping furniture the postal rates can't be all the different to mail to California or to Montana. Not to mantion all that many more emails to sort through. Ihe address email response sits in your inbox until payment arrives.
Do you all ready package their item and ready to ship so soon? At the rate of dead beats rising I wouldnt want to have a bunch of wrapped packages addressed and ready for a payment that never arrives.
I have an entire room of merchandise and anything with bids on it goes into the "BID ON" Box. If something has been in the Bid on box more than 10 days it gets a follow up email.
I bid on quite a lot of widgets and I have recieved some doozies of militaristic emails loaded with policy and MUST DO's
Nor will I ever fill out anyones ANDALE forms
Nor will I go to your website to fill out shipping info if I pay with paypal/paydirect just because you say I have to. You can get my address off my payment announcement.
If You only accept credit card payment from your site......fine I can do that.
If you accept checks only from 50+ feedback people and only allow me to pay by money order (non paypal people) Then I sure as hell won't run to the post office to go get you a money order for $5 ( I have 50+ but there was a time when I didn't......)
If you only accept money orders and payment MUST BE RECIEVED IN 10 DAYS or be resubmitted.......then by my guest resubmit......what are you gonna do NEG ME??
I'll get your money order next time I mosey down to the post office which is roughly 2 times a week.
But let me tell you this........you don't scare me with your 10 day, must pay policy.
Some of these sellers at ebay and quite a few here at Auction watch would reduce their chances of stroke and heart attack greatly by not being militaristic and laying down the law over their $10 items.
Some sellers forget that I (in bidder mode) are in my stress free life surfing the net casually shopping at ebay or other places. You can stress yourself out all you like over your $10 items.
I sell full time online and don't have another job yet I refused to get all worked up on my bidders nore do I feel the need to be pushy or threatening to get the payments in.
This is not directed any anyone in particular and the examples used are just a quick grab or text without looking at the poster name at the time I copied it. It is just a general view on how I see things as a bidder.......a bidder who also happens to sell.
posted on May 8, 2001 03:15:27 AM new
lovepotions...
I think bild26's letter is just fine - it just needed some "cleaning up", organizing and a little rewording. He sells internationally - so any international questions are answered immediately so there is no guessing on the part of the buyer (I think I am more sensitive to this issue, being in Canada and most folks I buy from are in the U.S.).
Also important for the international seller is the address of the buyer, so that the correct amount may be given. There really is no superfluous information in the EOA I've written for bild26; some may consider the return policy as superfluous, others not. I have a return policy in my own EOA.
The 10 day payment is a request, not a "must"; with the burgeoning number of deadbeats, I don't think that this is out of line. Some may suggest extending it - Bill, I actually would make it 14 for the sake of the international buyer.
There is nothing wrong with the EOA I suggested - it is simply more info. than some sellers prefer to give. It is however, IMHO, clear and easy to read, and pre-answers many of the questions bidders tend to have, especially international ones. Out of 363 sales on Ebay and 50 or so on other sites, I have NEVER had a complaint about a too-wordy, unclear EOA, and very few post-auction questions.
Sure, one can get nitpicky about another's EOA - all of our styles of selling, etc. are very different. But unless there is something glaringly wrong with it, I don't believe it deserves the level of critisism you have given in this thread.
BTW, if a buyer takes 2 weeks just to mosey down to get a Money Order for one of my auctions, they probably shouldn't waste their time, as it will likely be relisted by the time I get it (it normally takes at least 14 days for a mail-in payment to reach me where I live - I re-list by the time a month is up in most cases).
posted on May 8, 2001 03:54:18 AM new
Maybe you took my opinion as directed at a single person.
It was not directed at any one person.
Just my collective opinion on the 2 years of threads on this subject I have read.
As well as my personal experience of what emails sellers have sent me in my "Bidder Mode"
If it was off your post that I copied/pasted a line from......as I said in my post I was just grabbing the first line of text I could find and copy.....again not directed any any one person.
{added} If I had bid on your item I would not be moseying down in 2 weeks time to go get it as I stated I go to the post 2 times a week. But I wouldnt re-arrange my week to guarantee it to you within 10 days.
I pay within a very reasonable time. To insist someone have a mailed in payment in a form that someone has to physically go and purchase from somewhere and have the post guy deliver it within 10 days is unreasonable. If they accepted a check it'd be in the mail the next morning.
Sellers in general who accept USPS Money orders ONLY lol that must be recieved WITHIN 10 DAYS *laughs harder* are gonna die young.
*disclaimer* I do not have a job I am a full time seller but by no means a power seller or a high volume seller.
I used to be an administrator for an online gaming community and have recently resigned. With an EXTRA 10 hours a day to do nothing but surf the web and cruise the auctions I have seen it all. I am online 12-14 hours a day.
But again any opinion expressed by me is never directed at a single poster onless they see their name next to it.
Cynthia
http://www.lovepotions.net
[ edited by lovepotions on May 8, 2001 04:06 AM ]
posted on May 8, 2001 04:31:46 AM new
IMO you should tone down the threat of negative feedback, as I believe it would turn off many honest customers.
The "no checks unless feedback is 50+" policy just might be detrimental to your receiving a lot of bids and/or repeat business, but maybe not. It's certainly your right to state this policy if you wish. But I can tell you that I receive in the neighborhood of 20-30 checks per week and I've never had once bounce in almost 2 years on ebaY. And the vast majority of those checks come from bidders who haven't even earned their first star yet (the items I sell are bought almost exclusively by newbies).
IMO your EOA IS NOT TOO LONG. I'm a firm believer in covering all the bases up front as it prevents many problems down the road. Sure there are bidders who won't read, but regardless of what you read on these boards, most people do.
My EOA is 3 pages long, 2-1/2 of which are offers for upgrades and add-on products. I have never had a complaint about this and with my add-on sales I routinely end up receiving $40-$75 from my $15 auctions. EVERY correspondence and package that you send to a customer is a chance to sell more items. It works for the large mailorder companies and it works for me. You just have to be careful about your wording. Make the customer think you're doing him a favor by offering add-ons that compliment the original purchase. When is the last time you ordered something from a regular mail order company and it arrived without an ad or flyer for other products included in the package? Do be sure to put the offers AFTER the body of your regular EOA. This way the customers who aren't interested in additional purchases can just stop reading after they have all the info pertinent to the transaction at hand. The others will continue reading and send more moolah (always a good thing).
Overall, I think your EOA is fine. Make changes as you feel they may be appropriate. It's YOUR EOA and every post here is an opinion (including mine).
posted on May 8, 2001 04:32:17 AM new
I sell a few things on ebay, but mostly I'm a bidder and I have to say that long and detailed winning bid notices are VERY annoying.
All I want to know is how I can pay (which I should already know from the auction) and where I should send payment to.
The auction itself will have the details (like conditions under which checks are accepted, etc) so there isn't any need to
repeat this information in the WBN.
