posted on September 1, 2000 04:58:16 PM
Wow do we need to clear the air on how to be a good internet buyer!
We are all new on buying on the internet! Some folks may have purchased for 5 or more years, however, compared to buying from store fronts, mail order, ect. A short time frame.
As a buyer on the internet you should know the type of seller you are dealing with. Even if it takes a phone call. So you can adjust you expectations, and your reactions accordingly.
There are 3 basic types of sellers.
1: One shot deal. Seller wants to sell something, has no knowedge how, puts an ad up on the internet, keeps his fingers crossed and prays someone will buy. Post sale service other than getting you the information on how to send them the money, slow or non exsistant, item may be of a lower quality than expected, as seller did not know it mattered, shipping time varies to how the seller pays his bills. Item damaged or lost by carrier.
The normal responce is "Insurance? What is insurance?" Oh one other thing insult this guy all you want. He understands the value of the delete key, and mail block, neg him all you want as it was his brothers account anyway. Do not let the shipping materials used scare you.
2: Buyer/Seller: Buys things they want, sells things they do not want. Very pro buyer, as selling is a side line. Bends over backwards. Post sale service varies according to how buyer approches seller, question this ones honesty and watch out.
Shipping follows TOS. So If you pay via paypal on Sunday, and TOS says I ship Saturdays only, please act accordingly. Never neg this one. Unless you change your name, move out of town, and grow a beard. They are still trashing thier first neg on this board from 3 years ago, and no end in sight. Item s are shipped triple boxed and double wrapped, cost the seller $5.00 extra to ship. And raised your trash bill $20 to get the shipping materials out of the house.
3: Business: Here is the product. Here are my terms. Buy accordingly. or do not bother me. Will always work with you if seller is at fault. Corrects his mistakes to his satisfaction, will take all of your mean comments with a grain of salt. Negs someone for fraud only. Feels that filling a NPB report is a waste of time. Uses the arrow key, hits the mutually agrees not to complete transaction button, gets refund of FVF now. relists item. Will not argue with you if you are unhappy about shipping fees,( Will not refund if placed in his ad).If your item is damaged by a carrier, lost in shippment. No refund, not his fault, but is very fair and fast to send you the insurance claim forms, with all paper work attached, so you can get your money refunded by the right party. When you get the item it will be undamage, but you will wonder why.
Thats it, no other kind, just degrees of movement, as folks will move up or down the chain. Crooks are excluded, as the are found every where. So with a that in mind on to the Cost of buying on the internet enjoy
Ed
edhdsn
[ edited by edhdsn on Sep 1, 2000 06:56 PM ]
posted on September 1, 2000 07:35:56 PM
You have to balance the price of dealing on the internet, with the cost savings of dealing face to face, using want/need as your balance beam.
I needed a postage scale, I did not want to pay the cost of driving to a store, parking the car, fighting to find some in the store that might direct me to the proper isle, find the otem then stand in another line and purchased it.
I went into ebay, found a business that sold postage scales, found a scale up for auction,
emailed the seller, told him I would just like to buy one, could he send me the price for a strait sale including shipping, with in the hour I paid for my new scale, and it came as agreed in 3 days, quoted shipping $6.00, his cost $1.77, was I upset, no, ask for a refund no. I paid his price to save on my cost of shopping, and glad for it. I paid the same shipping cost that was advertised in the auction, I got the item at the opening bid price, and I had the item 3 days before the auction closed.
