susanfromar
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posted on February 19, 2001 10:55:25 AM
I see many different types of TOS on the auctions and I was wondering what was easier for everyone to look at? Bulleted lists? Just a paragraph? Lots of info? Little info? I would like to include as much info for the customer as I can but I'm afraid mine might get to long. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
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"Nothing is so complicated that
it cannot be explained simply"
- Albert Einstein
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digitalmaster
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posted on February 19, 2001 10:58:34 AM
Don't do one too long. Bidders hate my TOS. Check them out at http://www.digitalrecording.com/digitalmaster/index.html and you will see what I'm talking about.
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digitalmaster
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posted on February 19, 2001 11:00:42 AM
Then again, when anyone actually reads them they tend to like what I had to say. The only people who said they did not like it are the ones who said they did not feel like reading it. That is why I have links at the top so they can chose what they want to read. If they want to read about my shipping policy, they can click that. Or, if they want to read about etc. etc. etc. I think its long, but detailed and I prefer it to be detailed then a short list.
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dropover
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posted on February 19, 2001 11:03:30 AM
Hi, a good rule of thumb is to keep the TOS short and simple. Mine are listed here. Shipping info is change as needed, simple to do, as I cut and paste. I list using <p> to paragraph.
Successful bidders please add $1.00 for shipping to US and Canada.
International bidders please add $1.60 for shipping.
Insurance -if desired- is additional at actual cost.
Successful bids may be combined to reduce shipping.
Refund if not pleased upon your e-mail notification and subsequent return
of the complete lot to me within five days of receipt.
Pay by credit card through BidPay or BillPoint, cash, check or money order in US funds.
Just one of many methods.
Cliff
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susanfromar
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posted on February 19, 2001 11:05:23 AM
Wow! You get the award for the longest terms of service I have ever seen!  Thanks for showing me your link!
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"Nothing is so complicated that
it cannot be explained simply"
- Albert Einstein
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dinapal
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posted on February 19, 2001 11:19:13 AM
Hi,
I also use a seperate page for TOS, like digitalmaster. Here's mine:
http://dinaebayinfo.homestead.com/index.html
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digitalmaster
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posted on February 19, 2001 11:31:03 AM
I like the way yours is layed out dinapal.
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dinapal
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posted on February 19, 2001 11:38:08 AM
digitalmaster -- Thank you! I take that as a real compliment coming from you because I really liked yours as well.
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cdnbooks
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posted on February 19, 2001 11:53:28 AM
My TOS is 65 words long including 3 "please's" and 1 "thanks".
Bill
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BlondeSense
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posted on February 19, 2001 12:50:18 PM
I prefer to do one paragraph of description followed by one paragraph of TOS.
This was cut and pasted from one of my auctions:
Buyer pays $5.50 S/H in the US for priority mail with DC. USA bidders only please. I also recommend insurance. Although I pack very well I cannot be responsible for items lost or damaged by the post office. I accept money orders and PayPal. Personal checks are OK but may delay shipping depending on your feedback. Please ask any questions before bidding and thanks for looking.
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digitalmaster
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posted on February 19, 2001 02:18:23 PM
BlondeSence makes the most seense because TOS should be short. No one wants to read a long TOS. However, it also depends on how long you have been on eBay. My TOS was not even a full paragraph and I just kept adding and adding over the course of 2 years until it became really long. My solution is having a short TOS and a long TOS. You can refer people who have more questions to visit your Long TOS.
I write too much! I was the only one in school who did not get angry when I was told to write a 10 page essay or 50 page thesis...
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violetta
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posted on February 19, 2001 03:04:13 PM
Susan - I think that long TOS are distracting from what you want to sell, and also make potential customers decide to go elsewhere. I think short and simple is best. As for format, the ones which are really bothersome to me are those which have sentences separated by............................. or some similar string, and those in all capital letters. I would rather they either be a paragraph or be individual lines (either bulleted or not, I don't care).
My own TOS is similar to Cliff's, but formatted into one or two paragraphs, to keep it compact. I figure the less time/distance the bidder has to go from the description to the bid field, the better.  (I also prefer to have the description be the largest portion of my page.)
Violetta
(Not known by this nickname anywhere but here.)
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