posted on February 4, 2004 09:50:13 AM new
I have emailed Vendio twice about this problem and they have not answered me! I am very, very upset. I have had to pay close to $75 (no exageration), because the buyer was unable to enter a shipping amount, or the invoice stated it was zero shipping charge. So of course, when I tried to explain, they mostly balk, so I don't want to get a negative feedback, so I tell them since it was not their problem, I would go ahead and ship for free.
I am ready to quit Vendio. Can someone help me please.
The buyer's state that they are either unable to enter the shipping or the invoice completes and tell them the shipping charge is zero.!!!
posted on February 4, 2004 04:50:51 PM new
Hi Deidrewoody,
Can you tell us when you emailed us, and what email address you used so we can locate your message?
Vendio checkout does not allow the buyers to edit the shipping upon checkout. You have your default shipping preferences set to zero. If you are only filling out the Payment Details and Payment Instructions portion of the create listing page, please keep in mind that applies to eBay/PayPal's checkout and NOT Vendio Checkout. You must also fill out the shipping and handling section further down the listing, rather than leaving it zero -- that is likely what your customer saw during checkout. If you want us to look at the actual item please let us know the item ID number and we will double check all this information for you.
posted on February 4, 2004 05:02:45 PM new
Hi, Sonya:
Seeing your message made me think of a question I've had for many months, and just haven't taken the time to ask. What good does the box that says "Allow buyer to edit or enter total payment amount in Checkout"? None of my buyers can change any of the figures. I have it checked in my default listings, but what exactly does it allow the buyer to do? I've never understood it. Please explain.
posted on February 4, 2004 05:05:51 PM new
Hi Toyspast,
That is a feature of eBay/Paypal checkout. If you check that box, and your customers go through eBay's checkout, they'll have the ability to enter in the payment amount. That option does not pertain to Vendio Checkout.
posted on February 5, 2004 08:24:59 AM new
One transaction did not allow the user to go to the screen to enter credit card information. It gave the order confirmation and the only option was to continue shopping.
Others complained that the form requested a user email and their normal ebay email was not accepted. I'm getting more complaints about this checkout! Someone please explain how this checkout is superior to say, ebay or paypal?
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Some have written that they tried 5 and 6 times to checkout the way the WBN told them to before they gave up. I DO NOT want my customers DISTRESSED when they are trying to PAY ME!
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PLEASE, PLEASE HELP!!!
Please post your thoughts on the most fluid checkout system.
PS: I used to just send emails and people would go to paypal and pay. Never had a problem.
Regarding the transaction where the user was not taken to a screen to enter credit card in formation -- if you are not signed up with Verisign, you do not get a page that allows customers to enter in a credit card and complete the transaction. Your direct offline processing box says what credit cards are accepted but no further instructions are provided on how to get the card information to you. We recommend that you put more instructions there -- such as, instructing the customer to enter in the credit card in the 'message to seller' box so you can process it (our checkout is secure), or call you with the number so you can process it, etc.
Regarding the email problem -- two things need to happen here, one is the auction must be in Closed Listings and two is that the customer is entering in their email address as it is stored on eBay into the form. If your buyer is complaining that they are entering the correct email address into the checkout field but they are receiving an error that indicates the email address is incorrect, please have them contact eBay to find out what email address is stored in their account. We believe that there was a bug on eBay that reverted email addresses to previously stored email addresses in some accounts. Your buyer may have been affected by this bug.
Regarding those who said they tried 5 or 6 times to checkout and then gave up -- did they give you any more information as to why they couldn't check out? Was there an error during checkout, or are they just not keen on filling out forms?
posted on February 5, 2004 10:52:16 AM new
Ive been Complaining about Vendio/auctionwatch checkout for years and this is starting to cost us business. here are 2 complaints from the notes column from people who were able to access the checkout
#1I tried to purchase this directly with PayPal, which is usually very easy and convenient. However, your info did not automatically transfer to the PayPal system. What a pain in the neck. So, I had to use this "Vendio" system, which still required that I provide info that should have been automatic. I would suggest that you fix this problem. I would not have made this purchase if I had known it would be such a hassle.
#2Just a note to let you know I don't care for your special check-out. What's wrong with the normal Pay-Pal checkout?
we also have about 4 other people complaining that they cannot access the checkout which is more than usual usually we only get a a couple a day complaining it seems everyone is complaining now is there something wrong at vendio's end. while New Valentine Templates are great for sales we need a new checkout system that works so that we may complete the sale. vendio needs to rethink its priorities regarding product upgrades.
posted on February 5, 2004 11:25:54 AM new
I run over 1000 auctions a month, and have my buyers go thru my check-out with little problem or complaint. Every once in a while, there is someone that is used to doing it one particular way that seems to balk at asking to do something a little different, but they are few and far between. And I also get the occasional positive remark such as a buyer who had many, many feedback remarks, who said something like "I was pleasantly delighted on how easy the check-out went. I thought it would be more difficult." Some of the problems I see above appear to be on the fault of the seller; it doesn't look like certain fields are being filled in properly. I also am very instructive on my automatic email and the letter they read when they enter the check-out. As a problem has arisen, I've done measures to eliminate complications. A few months ago, many of my customers were emailing saying they were getting messages about entering an insecure site, so I made a note in the highlighted area they see after the auction ends about not being afraid of seeing that message. I have specific messages about how to do the sales tax, because many of my buyers would try to figure out the sales tax and then enter that amount into the boxes. So as a problem comes up, I just make sure I try and head them off at the pass. You also have to be patient and know that not all buyers will go thru the check-out. I see some comments from sellers that say they are frustrated because all buyers are not going thru the check-out. If a buyer emails me with all the info I need to process their transaction, I just return their email with the needed information. If they email and say "please send total", I ask them to go thru my check-out or send me the needed information. If a buyer has not gone thru the check-out within 2 days, I send another WBN, and if they haven't gone thru by the 3rd day, I send a personal email asking them to go thru the check-out or send the needed information, so the contact portion of the transaction can be completed. It works well, and I have little complaint in this area. eBay and Paypal check-out may work for lots of sellers, but I prefer the structure of Vendio's management service where I can store information and refer back to that information at a later date if needed. I am a very happy Vendio seller, because I think Vendio does listen. I have had almost every question I've asked answered in a timely matter. And when there is something really wrong, they address the issue as quickly as they can. Yes, I've been frustrated at times, but it usually has not lasted long. As far as I'm concerned, you're doing a great job, Vendio!!
posted on February 5, 2004 01:25:14 PM new
Hi Sonya!
Thanks for the prompt reply to my post! So someone really is out there!!
I used this link to contact Vendio's help:
http://www.vendio.com/contactus.html
I clinked on the help link at the top and it took me to this form, and I filled it out.
Again, I am not exagerating about how many times this has happend. If you want I can email you all the auctions that ended this way. I save all my auction listings!
posted on February 5, 2004 02:04:18 PM new
There will always be those who hate seller checkouts and won't use them. We can't fix that. But it is disturbing when those who are willing to do the checkout can't figure out how to make it work. I've had complaints this week from 2 out of my first 5 auction winners--that's too high a percentage.
The first complaint was a post checkout email saying that they wanted to pay by paypal but couldn't figure out how to do it in the vendio checkout, so would send a check instead. The second sent me a post checkout email that they were paying by check, not Bidpay, and the vendio checkout saying they were paying by Bidpay was wrong (delivered in all big caps with many exclamation points).
I have tuned up my WBN as much as possible for instructions, and when they arrive at my checkout they now also get a detailed description of the series of checkout screens they will encounter, how to make changes, and howit all is supposed to work. The laborious instructions for these people just to make it work are getting wearisome even for me, and should really be very unnecessary. Even with all the extra instructions the vendio checkout is still not intuitive enough for many of them to be able to complete it easily and correctly.
Those who get through it okay say--Great! Really smooth! And those who don't, muddle around forever. They neither perceive how it is supposed to work, nor can they make it work, so they can't explain what the problem was--all they know is they tried their best and couldn't make it happen.
A major point of difficulty seems to be the transition to the order confirmation screen. In general, internet ecommerce "Confirmed Order" means both that it is finalized and that it has been paid. When that is not the case it breeds several misunderstandings: They are afraid to click the Confirm Order button because they don't know for sure where their money will be charged to, or they do click the Confirm Order screen and leave because they think they have paid, or they see mistakes in their order but they don't go back and change them because Confirm Order screens are usually final and don't allow going back. Hence the panic emails that they did the checkout but the checkout data is all wrong.
The idea that they are confirming their order only for vendio paperwork purposes but no electronic payment has been made is a totally foreign concept to the way the internet usually works for online purchases (especially for electronic payments). It seems to work better for those who select check or money order, assuming they can get what they want checked off correctly.
What makes it worse is that the sentence saying the dropdown menu selection is not enough for the seller to get paid is in small/normal type located on the page in a very logical place (by the drop down menu), but it's not in an intuitive place because the page is designed with big fill-in tables and graphics that draw the eye away--even the drop down menu below it draws the eye away. They don't see it, and don't know they have missed it, and didn't know to look for it.
Consider these 2 or 3 easy tweaks:
Leave the first screen the same, and on the second screen remove the sentence about the seller not getting paid even if they fill out the form (That's bad buyer's psychology anyway--why fill out the form if the seller won't get paid! It also makes the most onerous thing about a checkout--filling out forms--seem worthless).
Insert a new confirmation screen triggered from the internal link of their dropown menu choice that says "You have selected to pay by...(wheatever)", and some control buttons presenting the choices "Yes, Pay by (Whatever)" along with a "Next" button, or a "No, Pay another Way" button along with a "Go Back" button.
When they finish toggling around with their payment choices and finally hit "Next", give them one of 2 screens: if they have checked paypal or bidpay or credit cards, present them a knock-your-socks-off obvious way/link/graphic to complete their chosen item. If they have selected a mail-in payment, give them a thank you screen with a "Next" button to receive the sellers contact info for mailing.
ONLY THEN give them a "Confirm Order" choice that summarizes all transactions and information that has taken place, including payment.
If the problem is that there is no way to get them to paypal and get them back to the vendio site, then ditch the "confirm(ed) order" verbiage and issue them a "Summary" or "Order Information" or a preliminary summary under some other terminology before they leave.
The American populace is entering the largest % influx of older and elderly Americans ever seen. Many of them are just learning computers for the first time and are both distrustful of electronic methods and intimidated by them (and not everyone has to be older for that, either!). Many are discovering auctions as a non-elective source of continued income as health costs and retirement costs rise. We cannot expect them to tolerate the auction environment as radically different than other online ecommerce just because we have the right to write programs any way we want and think we have a corner on the market.
Perhaps there are better tweaks than these, but something big needs to be done really soon, or sellers will start going elsewhere just to retain their customer relations.
It isn't just a matter of vendio being better than its other auction software competitors. More and more website hosting programs are offering ebay merchandising options. Your auction software competitors are not the main threat to your product desirability features any more. Fewer and fewer people will be staying with vendio just because another auction program's checkout is worse. There are too many other options beyond just being the best among the awful. Flurries of emails from customers with chckout troubles are awful, too.
posted on February 8, 2004 10:36:33 AM new
I have never understood all the complaints about the checkout. 99% of my customers love it. There are a few who think they have paid with PayPal when they click on the confirm button, but then pay when they get a reminder without any complaints.
The only real problems I have are with the few that refuse to use any checkout. That can hardly be the fault of Vendio. I just tell them that the purpose of the checkout is to insure that I have their correct mailing info. If they still refuse, I fill it out for them. Just cut and paste from their e-mail.
I don't want to use the PayPal checkout. I like Vendio much better.
posted on February 8, 2004 03:58:47 PM new
OKay, I get it! Duh! I have to fill out an amount in the shipping for priority and 1st class, blah, blah, blah. How do I do that if I don't know the shipping charges? Do I estimate it? And then if it's more they will still have a problem with that. Ebay buyers, (gotta love 'em) are a fickle group, they will not pay for what they don't want to pay, period.
So how do they calculate shipping based on their zip code, my zip code and the weight of the package?
posted on February 9, 2004 06:41:58 PM new
Choose calculated Priority instead of fixed. Then add the weight and measurements of the box. When the customer goes through checkout, the postage is figured for you.
You can go to the USPS web site for the first class rates. You will still have to know the weight.
posted on February 9, 2004 09:49:30 PM new
I tried to use Vendio checkout tonight as a buyer and found that when I clicked on the checkout, the item that was shown was not the auction I was viewing. I stopped and emailed the seller. Then I went to pay for the next item and it all became clear - I purchased two items from the same seller and the purchases had been combined (which is good)...I consider myself an ebay "veteran" but for the life of me I can't understand why all auctions being combined can't appear on the first page! Reinforces my decision to not use VD checkout on my sales!! PayPal/eBay checkout is MUCH easier for the buyer - I don't blame them for complaining!
