posted on June 23, 2001 03:13:08 PM
I have been selling on Ebay for quite a while now, and I have over 600 feedbacks all positive. Just recently, I started lising a few books on Amazon Marketplace and already have two less than perfect feedbacks. The first was from an international order that never arrived. He wrote me, after not getting the book for two weeks, and I asked if we could wait a little while longer, because I've heard that sometimes things can get stuck in customs, or sometimes it just takes longer for international orders. His response was a 1 out of 5. He said he was upset that I charged so much for shipping. Well, you don't have a say in shipping price on Amazon. Plus, I actually paid $13.45 in shipping, which is $1.45 more than Amazon allows, so the book could go airmail instead of surface. After waiting a month and he still hadn't received the book, I gave a full refund including postage. Now, just yesterday, I received a 3 out of 5 saying not that great. I sent this email to the buyer: "I saw, by the feedback you left me, your weren't too happy with your purchase. I'm really sorry to hear that. I try to list things honestly and ship immediately, so I would really appreciate your criticism to keep me from repeating the mistake I made during this transaction. Thanks." Today, I received this answer: "If yours was the book with the book jacket I received first, it was in excellent condition. If your book was the second one I received and had no
jacket--it was not in the condition I had expected. ( I ordered 2 books for
our book club, as some could not find the book other places." Well, mine WAS the first book with the dustjacket that was in excellent condition. I guess my question with this post, other than to vent, is to find out if other sellers on both Ebay and Amazon find that they get worse feedback on Amazon? Thanks!
posted on June 23, 2001 09:02:26 PM
I sell on Amazon, both in auctions, zShops and Marketplace. I send Marketplace items internationaly by economy letter post (cheapest rate), and the domestic USA Marketplace items Media Mail, book rate. That is what they agree to when purchasing and that is what they get. I have had buyers email they'd like to get item quicker, if domestic I have them PayPal the extra amount needed to send it Priority.
For those who haven't tried Amazon's Marketplace,,,,,,,, for all domestic books Amazon charges the customer $3.49 s&h and passes $2.20 to the buyer - NO MATTER WHAT SIZE THE BOOK. For international they charge the customer $13.49 and give the seller $12.00, no matter if it's a coloring book or a backbreaking legal tome. The charges are just a bit different for CD's.
I have had several complaints about shipping fees, they pay about the same to Amazon when purchasing one of Amazon's items and get it sent Priority. I refuse to send Priority as a 'given'. I don't have any freebies, sorry. "Most books ship for $1.75, that leaves me 45 cents...... the boxes I buy to ship books in are 44 cents for the 5 1/2 X 8"......... more for the 8 3/4 X 11". Cuts it real close to the bone. I have to take care to set the purchase price high enough to cover not only trips to the p.o. and tape and the cost of purchasing the books but also gas spent on buying trips, office supplies, rental on the studio, utility costs for the studio. This doesn't even get into the enormous costs setting up my shop in the begining; computer, scanner, used dest & chair, 11 4' W X 8' H bookcases (got CHEAP), 3 cheap lighting fixtures, I'll stop there.
I, too have paid a little over the amount sent by Amazon to mail folks their books. I am fine with that, it averages out. A lot of dinky books mail for $1.30, or if you and/or your postal clerk are on the ball...... even cheaper by first class for the really light ones. Don't forget - they are fully informed of charges and they decide to procede - BECAUSE THEY WANT THE ITEM.
I ALWAYS include a large portion of my sales notice from Amazon in my thank you notice. It clarifys the Item, Address to be sent to, AND spells out amount sent to seller ($2.20) for shipping the item.
I have completed my job when I mail out my items, I only give refunds when an item is not properly described (twice out of 2000+ transactions) and I must have it back FIRST. Oh, wait a minute, I did give a refund recently when checking a book before wrapping I noted a lot of highlighting that was not in description. I refunded completely and also sent them the item, emailing "sorry, hope this will hold you 'till you locate a nicer one."
Yes, you will get totally UNFAIR comments in your feedback. Think hard before putting response on your page. Wait a day or two (if time allows) before leaving feedback for the customer. You can really sound like you have a screw loose by a hasty crabby response.
Mom, crabby? Yeah, she bites, too!
[ edited by immykidsmom on Jun 23, 2001 09:09 PM ]
posted on June 23, 2001 09:35:16 PM
I wouldn't get too wrapped up in the feedback. I have only about 15% feedback rate, since Amazon makes it so painfully hard to leave a feedback.
Also, their star system is bogus, since to a buyer, 4 stars is good, and to a seller 4 stars is awful. I have received plenty of 4 star feedback with words like "FABULOUS DEAL, LOVED THE ITEM, SPEEDY SHIPPING" !!! A
I have also received bad feedback due to the Marketplace postage mark-up issue, as if we could do anything about that.
Amazon auctions is pretty much dead anyway, except for books and CDs. And, if Meg has her way, that portion of it will die too. So this is pretty much a moot point.
