posted on September 11, 2000 03:35:07 AM new
I've started questioning holding some shipments till payment. If the customer is a repeat buyer, or the buyer has feedback that you'd expect to find on Mother Teresa's account do you have any qualms about shipping based on the email saying "the check's in the mail?"
In the past I've only shipped before payment if the buyer is a 3rd time customer, but I'm thinking that might be a bit overkill.
posted on September 11, 2000 03:52:13 AM new
I have only done so twice. I had two separate auctions running for girls clothing sold in lots. I had that the shipping would be the EXACT amount. I had two separate bidders who won. I dreaded the idea of dragging two large boxes to the post office to get a shipping quote then drag them back home. So I asked if the bidders would be willing to pay by Paypal and if so, that I would ship the clothes first and then send them their total w/exact shipping. Both bidders had over 100 positive feedbacks so I wasn't worried. Both liked the idea and the deals went smoothly. I am not sure I would do so on a regular basis. It was much more convenient to do it with those auctions.
posted on September 11, 2000 04:14:15 AM new
It depends on the bidder. If they have been great, easy to work with and we've had good communications - then I will ship early sometimes. Especially if the item is packed and I'm on my way to the Post Office.
I have many great customers that I feel comfortable doing this with. But I don't have a set rule, because everyone is different. I have some repeat customers I would not ship out to until paid, and others I would gladly do it for.
Never been wrong yet - I guess it's just a gut feeling about them. Good Luck!
catryan
_
Potential just means you haven't done it yet!
posted on September 11, 2000 05:13:17 AM new
My worst deadbeat had 3-digit pristine feedback before, starting with MY auction, she went crazy and racked up several thousands of $ high bids on needlepoint yarn. (Do you know how much yarn you can get for a thousand bucks??) She then burned some 2 dozen sellers, either stringing them along for weeks (as she did with me) or saying outright at EOA that her "husband was mad" so she couldn't complete the deal. She racked up 27 negs in less than a week and, thanks to request to SafeHarbor from sellers, was mercifully NARU'd shortly thereafter.
If I'd shipped based solely on her fabulous FB at the time my auction ended, I would've never seen payment.
However, I DO regularly ship to a few long-time repeat customers with whom I've developed a strong relationship, which IMHO is a whole 'nother story, because I have personal experience of how these folks pay their bills.
[ edited by HartCottageQuilts on Sep 11, 2000 05:14 AM ]
posted on September 11, 2000 06:08:58 AM new
Yeah, ditto what HCQ said. One of my two worst bidders were high feedback folk. One eventually paid, but just had such an apathetic attitude and took her *sweet* time doing it with lots of "reminding" involved. The other was a user with 2 eBay ID's, one a high FB seller ID (over three or four hundred with no negs) whose SECOND "buying" ID was recently NARU'd with tons of negs for non-payment! If I'd gone solely by their FB I would have been out the money entirely.
Other repeat customers have gained my trust the first time around so I've shipped prior to payment. Again, it's a "gut instinct" thing. Trust your gut and you'll probably be fine with whatever you choose.
posted on September 11, 2000 07:19:07 AM new
uaru - I've shipped the day of and the day after the auction has closed (pre PayPal). Mostly on items under $20.00 and after reviewing their feedback. The only one's I've held are for low feedback buyers, which I don't know (can't see) their past payment history.
I would never consider holding an item that was purchased from a repeat buyer. If they did right by me the first time, they have earned my trust.
posted on September 11, 2000 10:21:28 AM new
I have only done this once as a favor--the guy was local and I got my payment in two days. If you are willing to make an exception and can't afford to lose the money don't do it.
posted on September 11, 2000 12:04:19 PM new
For once, I totally agree w/sg52 .
I have a pretty nice percentage of repeat customers. Most of their purchases go in the next mail out because they always come through.
In a few instances, I've had customers who needed the item for a gift or because they were leaving on a trip & wanted to take it with them, so I ship it on out. Knock on wood, so far, they've all paid.
But I agree, feedback rating really isn't the key we'd all like it to be. I've had 4 digit feedbackers stiff me & a -2 pay me within minutes of an auction end.
BTW, for some of my repeat customers, I bill them once a month. They just buy along as they like, then I combine everything & send one invoice. But, I feel very fortunate to have a pretty darn good customer base.
It may work in the area in which you sell, it may not. But you'll never know until you try it once or twice!
posted on September 11, 2000 12:09:32 PM new
I shipped before payment a few times when I was going out of town for a long period just after the auctions.
On one of those auctions, the cash got lost in the mail but the buyer sent a duplicate payment when I told him I hadn't received it (he was from the UK). About 3 months later the first payment arrived - he had forgotten to indicate "USA" in the address, and the British Postal service probably spent 3 months trying to find Virginia in the UK.
Another auction, I hadn't received the payment after a month, and asked the buyer if she had received the items. She said yes, she had received them and they were really nice -- but she just had forgotten to send a check. The check arrived two weeks later.
Also before this same 3-week trip, I received a check for an item as I was going out the door, and mailed the item and deposited the check on my way out of town. When I got back, I discovered the check had bounced. It took another 6 weeks to get a replacement check plus bank fees.
So, I like the idea of shipping prior to payment for some customers, but I haven't had good luck with it myself.
El
"The customer may not always be right, but she is always the customer."
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