marvey
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posted on September 6, 2000 07:19:39 AM
I am planning on listing a ton of Franciscan desert rose on ebay this fall. I am concerned about unscrupulous buyers trying to switch my perfect items for ones that have chips and claiming my merchandise was defective.
Does anyone have any ideas of how to mark my items, in a non destructive way? After all every pefect Franciscan plate looks like another.
Happy to hear from all.
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abacaxi
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posted on September 6, 2000 07:35:02 AM
For china and glassware, you can do several things. First of all, state in the auction TOS that items may be marked to ensure that you get the same item back in case of a return for misdescription.
"Items may be marked before shipment, in a manner that does not damage the item. To get a refund, you have to return the item I shipped, in the condition that it was in when I shipped it."
1. Paint a swatch of white tempera paint on the bottom of the piece and put your initials in it. Can be washed off, but not moved.
2. Put a blob of beeswax on the bottom and stamp or thumbprint it. Easy to remove, hard to move to another piece.
3. For cups, put a bit of thread or string through the handle and do the sealing wax bit over the knot of the thread. Can't be moved or cut without extreme difficulty.
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pickersangel
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posted on September 6, 2000 07:41:58 AM
One seller of such items has posted on the Ebay boards numerous times that she has found an invisible ink product which fluoresces under black light. It's available in either pen or stamp pad form. She marks each piece of pottery or glass in an inconspicuous place and checks any returned item with a black light. I suppose you could do the same with a Sharpie pen (it will wash off eventually or nail polish remover or alcohol will immediately remove it without damaging the glaze--unless it's crazed), but chances are good that someone would notice this.
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reston_ray
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posted on September 6, 2000 07:47:32 AM
Any refund request for a preowned item is answered promptly with an email assuring the customer that their satisfaction is my goal, a full refund of the bid amount plus postage both ways will be made by check or PayPal within four hours of receiving the the item and verification of damage and the invisable mark we place on all items.
Marks can be placed on items using special pens and read with black lights. The combination of pens and light reader are available thru numerous eBay sellers for under $10.00. Search on "Black light"
Requests have been few, I don't mention the marks when I feel OK about the buyer, the one time I actually included mention in an email the item was not returned and I have yet to actually mark any item although I have purchased a kit (pen and light).
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preacher4u
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posted on September 6, 2000 09:17:49 AM
All sales final.
------------------------------------------------------------
I'm breathing so I guess I'm still alive
Even the signs seemed to tell me otherwise
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/preacher4u/
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timetosell
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posted on September 6, 2000 09:32:03 AM
CAVEAT EMPTOR - LET THE BUYER BEWARE!
Every business has their own return policy.
Some will give back money without a receipt.
Some only exchange. Some will not refund after a certain time at all. Their policy will determine if we patronize that store. If policy is clearly stated, we don't insist on their changing it. We live with it. Perhaps we don't go back if we're not happy. Why as sellers on ebay do we feel the need to please each & every buyer? If we sold the product as stated, have photo with condition & the buyer has checked our feedback rating, why should we allow a buyer to "scam" us?
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mcjane
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posted on September 6, 2000 09:44:36 AM
timetosell....
Very well put & exactly right.
[ edited by mcjane on Sep 6, 2000 09:45 AM ]
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brookesmom
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posted on September 6, 2000 08:48:43 PM
Somthing you might try is a wax seal with a unique imprint (class ring? somthing personal). Just drip wax from a candle and emboss while warm...easy to remove for them and not returnable if removed or deformed.
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kellyb1
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posted on September 6, 2000 10:23:08 PM
Broken items fall under the area of shipping damage. This shouldn't be returned to the seller, they should have to go to the post office and file for a refund.
In doing so, you are off the hook for shitches.
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macandjan
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posted on September 6, 2000 10:40:48 PM
I would not hide the fact you mark things.
Tell them right up front - no apologies needed. If you have someone switch it is much more difficult for them to back down after making a claim and you pull the aha - got ya!
Easier for them to know ahead of time not to try it. Several strips of overlapping masking tape in the middle of a plate or other piece with a big flat area burnished down where there is no defect
signed with a felt marker " no return after removal" over the seams is impossible to remove and put back. Take a pic before you send it also, and put it in a zip seal bag so the chip will be there if damaged in transit.
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breezeb
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posted on September 7, 2000 02:09:59 AM
I agree with macandjan. There is no need to hide your marking as long as it is easily removed and does not damage your merchandise. I already posted about this in another thread, but here it is again:
I ordered a bowl from a china replacements company a while back to replace a broken piece in my mothers set. The company I ordered from placed a stamp of their logo on the back of the bowl, and stated that IF I wanted to return the bowl it needed to be returned WITH the stamped marking still in place. The stamped marking came right off when the dish was washed.
To protect yourself I think any unique stamp would work, but not sure if they used a special ink.
If you are selling China it may be a good idea to state in your auctions that you mark your merchandise and all returns must be returned with the original markings - this would hopefully deter those lowly beings trying to do the swithcheroo from bidding on your auctions in the first place.
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marvey
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posted on September 7, 2000 05:45:04 AM
Thanks for all the great suggestions. I am thinking about just using a small unique printed address label. Would not due any more damage than having to remove a price sticker if it had been purchased at an antique show.
If feel these might be hard for a merchandise switcher to duplicate and not worth the effort or cost.
Just my two cents worth on NO RETURNS. I certainly do not go out of my way to accept returns from customers who have buyers remorse and do say "no returns" on the vintage clothing that I sell or else it becomes a "free rental" for a special event. BUT when selling in a category where most of the dealers offer returns it makes you look like your trying to pawn off poor quality merchandise. Even though I have a feedback rating that I am proud off that doesn't always protect the buyer. Which in turn scares off bidders and nets me, the seller a poor price on my item.
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abacaxi
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posted on September 7, 2000 06:25:30 AM
"I am thinking about just using a small unique printed address label. Would not due any more damage than having to remove a price sticker if it had been purchased at an antique show."
Check to make sure it can't be removed and transferred to another piece wiothout showing signs of tampering. Some people are VERY persistent ...
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fudd
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posted on September 7, 2000 06:53:37 AM
Hi All
After refunding on an expensive, switched piece of heisey I added this to my TOS.
We stamp all glass and pottery Refunds will be null without the stamp intact.
I use a dab of tempera and a unique stamp, simple to use easy to remove, But putting it in the tos stops scammers from bidding in the first place.
Fudd
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