posted on January 26, 2001 09:20:24 AM
I was pretty bothered earlier this month when I got the first flaming negative of my career, on half.com. The buyer was mad that she didn't get her book and half.com didn't respond to her requests for a refund [so neg me, right? ]. The book was ordered in mid-November.
I emailed and called half.com and got them to implement their supposed policy of verifying with the seller that the item was shipped. I wrote back verifying this. Later, I got an email saying my account is being debited. When I howled about that, they made vague promised to "look at it again."
Then in today's mail...the book returns. The ship date on the PO sticker is 11/13. The address is wrong, though, to judge from all the other stickers plastered on the box.
So now I"ve emailed to find out if I need to re-ship, and if so, to what address? And will I get another shipping credit? Or do I just walk away [and list on Amazon]?
BTW, this went out in a box and it was clearly stomped on by a whole HERD of baby elephants. This is one sorry box, gaping open on one side. But the book is still in brand-new shape. It's an oversize paperback. I wrap in plain paper and again in newspaper, with more paper for stuffing, and it seems to have worked fine.
posted on January 26, 2001 10:04:27 AM
UGH!!! Beat feet OUTTA there and RUN to Amazon Marketplace, where (as you already know) you can actually EMAIL your customer directly and EXPLAIN what happened....(and vice versa).
posted on January 26, 2001 12:34:15 PM
I took a look at halfbaked.com a few weeks ago and decided it wasn't for me as either a buyer or a seller. As a buyer, I could not find out the precise condition of the book I was interested in. If I don't know the condition, I don't buy. As a seller, I couldn't accept the shipping reimbursement rip-off policy.
Thank you for confirming my opinion of them. With all due respect to those of you who are pleased with the service, I think I'll pass.
posted on January 26, 2001 04:24:47 PM
misscandle, you might want to try Amazon's Marketplace. While I am not thrilled by their taking part of the shipping fee paid by the consumer, as does half.com, I have made many more sales on Amazon than at half, at far greater prices and profits. I've also had some pleasant emails exchanged with Amazon customers - an impossibility on half, which insists on keeping our emails a secret.
posted on January 26, 2001 04:32:19 PM
I found it pretty shady that they'll charge a customer $2.95 for shipping then send me $1.58....then take another 15% cut off of that.
I listed all of my books BEFORE the amazon section came up.
When I signed up for half.com in late october there were only 4 million items. I was getting sales faster than I could package and ship in addition to my normal auction stuff.
Now with over 10 million items for $1.00 lol all claiming to be "like new" I'll have to take my stuff elsewhere. I'll get a buyer once a week now.
http://www.lovepotions.net
posted on January 26, 2001 05:06:41 PM
Although I obviously do not have the figures to prove the same, and no time to conduct any research, I did recently see that PowellsBooks.com added their inventory to the Half.com database. AND, who knows how many thousands or tens of thousands that an outfit like Hamiltons may be adding every week.
I suspect that the majority of this mammouth increase represent book listings from large bookstores and large corporations. AND I have not noticed that any of them are listing dollar books, not ever!
There are, however, MANY MANY MANY titles of books which are so ubiquitous, that they justifiably really aren't worth more than 99-cents, regardless of their condition.
I am having a brisk business at Half, brisk enuff that I turned off my account, as I can't keep up with the postage costs, currently, LOL, and besides, my middle name is s-l-0-t-h.
posted on January 26, 2001 05:08:38 PM
keziak: have you tried taking a digital photo of the returned damaged box, and instructing Half.com to remove that neg from your feedback?
It is UNJUSTIFIABLE fb to have the fault of the USPS reflect upon YOU.
posted on January 26, 2001 05:51:07 PMbirdwatcher: I would have answered you earlier, but I was over at Amazon trying to fight off a sniper. He won in the end, but paid more than the book sells for at Borders. Ah, well. It was a fine auction!
Yes, I've sold a small amount at Amazon. I'm not a big enough fish to swim in their Marketplace. Can't really keep playing in their Auctions either since they imposed more fees and restrictions.
Do you know of any other good sites for books? I'm asking as both a buyer and a (casual) seller. Thanks for the help!
posted on January 26, 2001 05:59:15 PM
I don't see why anyone would get worked up about any feedback left on half.com. It is meaningless and I doubt that it affects sales in any way. Most people who have bought and sold on half.com for any period of time realize this.
posted on January 27, 2001 09:13:49 AM
jema: I see great wisdom in your opinion - indeed, EVERY time I check out a new fb left, I actually c-r-i-n-g-e, as I am awaiting the gawd awful 1.0 FB, as I've read that same is common for NO FAULT of the seller.
I believe that every single quarter, that Half.com should ELIMINATE the one lowest FB on every seller's total feedback, AND I also believe that once a quarter, they should also delete the one LONGEST TIME taken to confirm an order -- so that these blips on the radar do not continue to UNJUSTLY describe their sellers.
However, I have not suggested same to Half.com, and do not foresee myself doing so -- as, frankly, I do NOT wish to receive ANY further email replies from ANYONE who works there.
I suspect that they are seriously understaffed and overworked, and probably for all I know, since they are a dot.com: UNDERPAID.
I have been """spoiled""" by the expertise of eBay Customer Service, and indeed, EXPECT the same expertise from ALL dot.coms.
Keziak: If you send Half.com a digital photo of the returned parcel and instruct them to remove that STUPID negative, and they do NOT do so --- then I'd tried telephoning them ONCE, and if they still don't see the light, just give the digital photo and all the details of the transaction to your lawyer. The letterhead of your lawyer should get some appropriate action taken.
