posted on November 28, 2000 02:48:12 PM new
I guess I feel like KatyD did in the other thread. I've just about had it and I don't understand what is going on in some seller's heads.
There are 3 auctions in 3 very different categories that I am seriously interested in. None have bids and have fairly hefty starting prices. I have written to all 3 sellers with questions. These are not idiotic, "duh! read the TOS", questions, but things I consider necessary to know, and y'all would tell me "ya shouldda asked before ya bid", if I bid and then had a complaint. One example, seller states one color in description, pic show a different one;I am interested only if it is the color seller stated in description.
Not one of these sellers has bothered to answer my emails and it has been over 2 days in one case and these auctions are ending in the next day or so.
At the hefty opening bids, I'm not going to risk problems.......so looks like I don't bid. But it makes me not want to bother looking, who needs the frustration,because one is an especially unusual find that I'm not likely to see again for a long time; but also has a limited market so seller should be looking for bidders to fight over it; and I would go to the wall on this one if seller answered my questions the way I hope. Even if less than I hoped for, I would have bid something. So you ask, why are sales down??"
cariad.
posted on November 28, 2000 03:53:47 PM new
cariad, I can relate, and it makes me just nutty! I hate writing to sellers and never receiving replies, and it happened to me just last week. I was bidding on my brother's behalf on an item he really wanted. I wrote to the seller for some reassurance that the thing worked, but never heard back from him. Well, I bid anyway, but not nearly as high as I would have if he'd provided more information.
If I walked into a department store and asked a salesperson a question and if she ignored me and stared over my shoulder at the wall, I'd get steamed and walk out. Ditto for online auctions.
posted on November 28, 2000 05:32:22 PM new
I've had sellers not get back to me with answers, but in each case, they wrote afterwards apologizing. In one case, I was detained out of town on business and missed a day's worth of e-mail. Sure enough, I too had missed a potential buyer's question. I thanked him for his inquiry and apologized for not returning e-mail. Sooner or later, it's going to happen.
posted on November 28, 2000 06:11:56 PM newReddeer
I have read your posts for a long time and based on your stated business practices, I wouldn't hesitate to buy anything from you.......but I don't know your ebay id, so I can't tell if you're sellin what I'm buyin
I,too, answer all emails ASAP, the only time it didn't work was when a potential bidder received my reply 2 days after I sent it.
cariad
posted on November 29, 2000 04:10:04 AM new
I am on a rather urgent hunt for an industrial widget. Found one on ebay yesterday - sort of: description reads "Model xxx widget. One owner." Low opening bid. No pic! Can't find the model # listed on any other site, so I email asking about that, also if it comes with frimser AND estimated shipping costs, since the widget is heavy and if it's got a frimser too, it's pretty big.
Answer:
I'm working on getting a picture. Yes, it comes with its original frimser. I think the widget, motor and frimser all may weigh about 200 lbs. This is a guesstimate. I have no clue as to how much shipping would be.
"Working on" getting a picture? It's day 4 in a 7-day auction, for crying out loud! I guess I should be happy she answered at all....
Edited to add: I asked her how she planned to ship widget, frimser and all. One word answer: "UPS". Fine - except UPS's max weight is 150lbs, at least according to its site chart.
Checked this seller's other auctions. NO pictures, same tight-lipped "description". Pretty funny, too - only takes cashier's checks. If I can stand dealing with this character I could get a really good deal on this widget.
[ edited by HartCottageQuilts on Nov 29, 2000 04:42 AM ]
posted on November 29, 2000 09:20:54 AM new
When I ask a question and get no answer or it takes 3 or 4 days I never bid on that auction. There service will not get any better if you win the auction.
As a seller I check my email as often as possible to see if anyone has asked a question. I make sure to be availible the last few hours at the end of the auction too. That seems to be when you recieve the most questions.
posted on November 29, 2000 10:02:13 AM new
I am almost always available to answer questions. However, most of the questions I answer are readily available on the web or they are kinda....well...lame. I do my own research when I buy on eBay, I don't expect the seller to research stuff for me.
One person wanted to know the tracks on a classical CD where I already listed the works performed. I can usually answer such a question, but this was a new sealed CD. If I couldn't locate the info on the web, I'd be hard pressed to answer it.
posted on November 29, 2000 03:11:13 PM new
I've been searching for an old electronic game that was a family member's favorite item that got lost somewhere along the line. I was thrilled to see one up for sale and was going to bid on it to surprise her this Christmas.
The one up for sale now has been up for at least 6 days (it's a 10 day auction). The description says something like: It looks like it is in pretty good shape considering how old it is.
That was just about it for the description. No mention of whether they put a battery in an tested it. This is a small, electronic game that has no moving parts except for the controller.
I e-mailed them a question about 3 days ago asking if thing works and have yet to receive a reply.
posted on November 29, 2000 03:18:43 PM new
Indeed, there are far too many sellers who figure "if this one doesn't buy it, another one will"...
I too have abstained from bidding on things I really, REALLY liked, because seller would not answer very important question, usually having to do with SIZE, and MARKINGS. and stated NO RETURN. It is so, so easy to include a scan of a backstamp! and to measure a piece!
I am with dear red...
Answer right away, already!
******************** Gosh Shosh!
posted on November 29, 2000 09:28:48 PM new
Sometimes I send emails with dumb questions just to see if the seller will respond. I figure if they don't respond now they won't respond after the bid either. a little preview of what type of service you'll get after the bid.
posted on November 30, 2000 02:04:55 AM new
I try answer all questions that are not addressed in my auction description or terms.
I like when bidders ask me questions. I do not like it when someone sends me an email 10 minutes before the auction ends. Chances are I won't be around to answer it.
Sellers that don't reply are not always shady. If a question is addressed in my auction I don't reply. If a bidder can't take the time to read the description or terms, chances are they will be a problem.
I had a bidder 2 weeks ago that wrote me 3 times to ask "what color are the boots in auction #edited"? The color is listed in the title, the description and I had a photo of them in the auction.
Same bidder wrote: "Is the dress in auction #edited a long dress?" "Who is the designer?"
Once again this info was listed in the title, description and there was a photo in the auction. By this time I was hoping she would not bid. She did and won both items.
9 days and no response to my EOA email. She then writes on the 10th day and asked where should she email her AMEX info to. My payment options were listed in my auctions. I don't accept AMEX. I wrote and told her that I did not accept AMEX and listed my payment options again. I file a NPBA on day 12. She writes and tells me that I am "IGNORANT". If I take mastercard and visa I "MUST TAKE AMERICAN EXPRESS!!!!!".
She has 2 negatives and one positive. Both negatives are for not abiding by the seller's auction terms.
posted on November 30, 2000 03:46:04 PM new
I get email from some bidder that I feel are just "I am out there bidding please recognize me".
I try to answer every persons emails. Including when they are just saying they are sending a check or money order. Just to let
them know I received their email.
I try to answer emails as soon a possible. Though some days, I get 3 or 4 hundred emails to go through.
posted on November 30, 2000 04:16:13 PM new
Luckily, most of the emails I get are pretty intelligent ones. I answer all.
The strangest one was asking about shipping charges overseas. I replied that I would have to know the exact item number that she was questioning as I would need to have the weight to give her an estimate. The email back said, Thanks for your answer. I am not interested in bidding right now, but I wanted to see if you were an honest seller. Your reply indicated that you are. I may bid on one of your auctions sometime.
I did email back and say thanks for the compliment - although I did think it very weird.
