Do most of you have some sort of automated systems that send winning notices at once, or do you do it yourself? I used to send notices almost as soon as my auctions end, but, frankly, I have a life, especially on weekends, and it might actually take me a few hours. So it puzzles me why people fire off email to me as soon as auctions end, as if they think I will never email them.
I got another one of these today, and the next email in my in-box was from someone who won an auction 9/1 and never responded. Now she says she bids so much and rarely wins that she didn't stop to think she won anything. Apparently my previous email was deleted as junk mail. Ye gods.
Most people use the "I have a life" reason as why they email, respond to email, pay for their auction, or ship their merchandise on a schedule that suits them.
For bidders, I make modest allowances. For sellers who are amateurs and have no interest beyond some pocket money, I can understand. For professionals, this attitude just doesn't cut it as you are in direct competition with every other seller on the Internet. I check my email several times a day and make sure I close my auctions or confirm my sales promptly. It's manual, with some template forms I use. It's never more than a few hours. People really appreciate this. It shows that you are paying attention to them and that you want their business.
Responsiveness is the lifeblood of Internet business. 24 hours is an eternity for a buyer.
posted on September 30, 2001 07:04:04 PM
Actually when bidders beat me to the email, I am delighted because that shows they really want the item. Payment is almost guaranteed. Yippee!
Most buyers don't expect instant notices, but I believe doing them asap sure helps make buyers feel like they are dealing with a person who is on top of things. I want to put the bill in front of them before the enthusiasm cools.
It is the one thing we sellers can do that doesn't cost a penny. Service. And it can make all the difference in repeat sales. It does for me.
posted on September 30, 2001 07:07:31 PM
As a seller, I try to send out my EOA letters within a couple hours, and always within 24 (if the auction ends late in the day). Only during the WTC attack did I not send emails out for a couple of days. 98% of the time my emails go out within 4 hours of auction end.
As a buyer, I usually give the seller a couple of days and appreciate the really fast emails. I like getting payment right out.
posted on September 30, 2001 07:17:21 PM
I always schedule my auctions to end between 7 and 8 PM. Normally I contact buyers the next morning - I usually have a couple buyers e-mail me within minutes of having won the auction. I try to reply the same night if I can.
I have yet to have anyone complain about how long it took to get to them, but I have had lots of positive comments about how nice it was to get an e-mail that was written by a human.
I paste my standard stuff from Word, but always include a personal line or two - it
isn't much and it only takes a minute, but my buyers seem to like it. I can sure understand high volume sellers needing to use automated EOAs, but I'm only listing 40 auctions a week at the most right now.
Argh
posted on September 30, 2001 08:00:52 PM
Most of my auctions end around 7-8 pm. My WBN's go out around 4-5am the next morning. I check my email before I send them out so that if someone's contacted me (or even paid me), I can thank them for their quick response or turn the WBN into a thank you for payment. I haven't had any complaints and much of my feedback includes both words "friendly" and "professional."
I don't expect sellers to sit at their computer waiting for their auctions to end anymore than I expect a b&m merchant to be open 24/7. I sure don't mind if my winning bidders contact me before I contact them. Snipers in particular are often hyped after the win and fire off an email immediately. On Sunday nights, by the time my auctions end, I'm happily snuggled in bed watching xfiles.
Isn't one of the great things about running your own biz? Each of us does things a little differently.
posted on October 1, 2001 05:44:16 AM
I use AuctionTamer, but I have it set up to NOT automatically send out the notices. I do it myself as soon as I can, which may be immediately if I'm sitting at my computer when the auctions end, or it may be later on that day if I'm otherwise occupied during that time.
I think most buyers understand that sellers also "have a life", as you put it. Just because you may have been able to launch auctions on the previous Sunday (for example) at 6:00 PM, doesn't mean that you're not busy the following Sunday at 6:00 PM. Unexpected things do come up that you can't anticipate before you put up the auctions: in-laws invite you to their house that Sunday for dinner, one of your children gets sick and needs the extra attention and hand-holding at that particular time, etc. etc.
I've also gotten the immediate emails from buyers and I don't worry about it. When I send out their EOA notice, I insert their name in the notice if they've given it in their email. At least then they know I read their email before I sent the notice.
posted on October 1, 2001 06:14:25 AMSo it puzzles me why people fire off email to me as soon as auctions end, as if they think I will never email them. I got another one of these today
Do I detect a hint of disappoval that your winning buyer would contact you quickly??
If you consider this a problem, you DO need to get more of a life....
posted on October 1, 2001 06:37:06 AM
HI all - yeah, maybe there was a bit too much edginess in my post!
I might look into the automated system, though I do like the "personal touch" better. I don't think a lag of a few hours is bad customer service, but I've been seeing a lot more email from people the minute they win the auction and it made me wonder if the overall selling culture has changed and people start to worry if they don't hear something instantly.
It just seems different than even several months ago, so I was looking for a trend.
posted on October 1, 2001 07:15:48 AM
Selling is my a part of my life! Customer service is a hugh part of selling. I write simple e-mails to the winners as soon as the auction ends as I plan my life around the end of these auctions. Yea, life happens too. But just as people get in their cars and drive to work, I get off my butt and move myself in to my aution room and do my job. Like everyone else who works outside the home, I do have a life outside my job. I homeschool 3 kids, college coach another, and am planning the wedding for another kid. I am expecting a baby, taking care of 3 abandon doves, 2 dogs, and 1 fish. I manage the house affairs, bills, yardwork, garden and I like to catch a movie on the Lifetime network for women. I see friends, garage sale, have had people I love pass away or need surgery, I take trips, take care of foster kids on emergency basis, and I manage to sleep, spend time with my husband alone, and my PACKAGES STILL GET MAILED WITHIN 24 HOURS OF RECEIVING PAYMENT (except on Saturday after 1:00 PM). I hire someone else to do it if I am not home. Selling is a responsibility I don't take lightly.
A Krazy but sucessful Keri- just not Krazy Keri on ebay or anywhere else
posted on October 1, 2001 08:47:38 AM
I offer both priority and media mail. Is there a way for these automated approaches to come up with 2 different shipping charges?Thanks.
posted on October 1, 2001 08:54:58 AM
AuctionTamer will only pick up 1 shipping charge right now, at least as far as what I've found in my year+ use of the software. But I have my template set up to allow me to input the second shipping option and I simply add up the 2 numbers with a calculator, input the total for the second shipping option, and send out the email.
AuctionWatch used to allow for 2 shipping charges, probably still do although I can't say for certain since I'm not using their PSM anymore.
posted on October 1, 2001 09:25:33 AM
I also use Auction Tamer and like BJGrolle have it set to not automatically send out the notice--I do this so I can insert a few personalized words if I've had contact with the buyer before the end of the auction, or in those cases where the buyer contacts me right away and so I know their name instead of just their id/email.
I created four AT templates for my EOAs--one for fixed-price shipping if it's an item that lends itself to that; one for zone shipping for larger packages that advises the customer to get back to me with zipcode info; one for books/media shipments that give the buyer a total for media mail shipment plus an add-on amount if they would prefer priority mail (the customer would have to add this him/herself to the total); and one for multiple auction winners so I can adjust the shipping for them. These four seem to meet all my needs, though any number of templates can be easily created to suit any number of situations.
I can send out these EOAs within seconds--did more than 10 auctions in under a minute the other day. The way my templates are set up, it's kind of hard to for a customer to tell they are virtually automated. I get many positive feedbacks and emails commenting on my personal attention.
Sometimes I'm at the computer at auction-end or within a short time, and I will do those emails right away because it's so easy. But there are plenty of times when I'm not at the computer until the next morning. Most bidders don't seem to mind, but there's always the odd duck for whom nothing you do is fast enough or thorough enough--I tend to ignore what they have to say and just do business in my usual manner.
posted on October 5, 2001 08:26:41 AM
As a frequent buyer who has been ripped off by unsrupulous sellers at least 3 times in the past, I want confirmation ASAP. It's bad enough that Ebay protects sellers with no morals. If I don't hear from a seller to confirm my winning bid within 24 hours I really start to cringe. As a lot of the others sellers have stated "Service" doesn't cost you a cent.
posted on October 5, 2001 08:41:44 AM
arent some buyers just get emailed to death with notices coming from ebay,paypal and seller??
if seller is a paypal premier user with debit card activated,paypal sends out payment request faster than you can say AUCTION ENDED??
sometimes there is confusion as buyer pays via billpoint,then pay again via paypal ,then send seller a money order??
posted on October 5, 2001 08:46:49 AM
I use AuctionTamer also and now with automatic EOA notices. It takes care of 90-95% of everything. It currently does not lend its self well for mutiple auction winners but getting there.
Well my buyers love it, I have a long message with highlighted sections on how to pay when we ship etc. No problems what so ever in this area.
Now here comes the problem. I sell small items that ship by First Class usually in a bubble bag. I send shipping notices out when they go in the mail. If they do not arrive in 3 days people start writing back asking where their item(s) are.
Even now I got a buyer all in a huff. I stated I normally ship within 2 business days and he is taking it that it should be there is 2 business days.
I suppose this is another topic but right now my packages from the midwest to either coast are taking 14-17 days by first class. So far I ahve not been negged but I had someone mention it.
posted on October 5, 2001 09:08:29 AM
Not instant, but prompt. Many sellers have all types of annoying rules such as you must send address within 3 days, you must send payment within 10 days... yadda yadda yadda. This is intimidating to some, annoying to others. On the buyers side, I know I am very excited when I manage to win and item. I am on line and at the item in question, why sign off and come back later to send my info?? So when I am buying, I send an immediate e-mail, and ask the seller to send their address asap. I expect a reply within 12 hours. When I am selling, if I am not watching the auction end, I try to check up on the results as soon as possible. Usually within one hour of auctions end. I acknowledge the buyers win, and give all of the required details needed to close the transaction. I also ask that they return their address so I can pack the item in advance. This is also to ensure that my message got thru to them, and they are not waiting to see if I contact them first. Its always worked out very well, although some do not forward their address in advance, but they at least acknowledge the mail. If personal schedules are going to interfere with prompt business dealings then the seller should schedule the auction to end when this will not happen or schedule their personal time so it does not interfere with business. Simple solution....
