posted on October 22, 2001 06:55:51 AM
Just curious - will you be placing a "reason" in your auctions for not using Checkout? I am reading at other places that people will be putting a "disclaimer" in their auctions to explain to their buyers why they aren't using Checkout, and why the buyers should wait for seller contact after the auction ends.
If you're planning on doing this, got any good ideas on how to phrase it? I don't want to put in anything too wordy, but I want my customers to understand why I won't be using this feature right now.
posted on October 22, 2001 07:10:41 AM
I don't plan on making ANY changes to my auctions. I removed Billpoint as an option right around the time I heard about checkout. Not only that, but my sales on ebay for the past three months are/will be approximately:
August: $3000.00
September: $2200.00
October: $300.00
Not because sales are slow, I just haven't bothered listing anything for the past couple weeks, and don't plan on listing anything for the next few weeks either. My attitude is shifting more and more to the 'why bother' category. Sales at my website are up over 125% this month.
posted on October 22, 2001 07:47:05 AM
I don't plan to offer a reason because, IMHO, "reasons" can tend to look (to me)disgruntled. I always disliked those "I don't accept PayPal because they are money grubbing capitalists" or "I don't accept BillPoint because they are the spawn of Satan" reasons in auctions that popped up when everyone was aggravated.
I don't feel the need to "explain" my business decision to the world. If a customer inquires, I'll gladly explain it to them individually why I do or do not choose a particular course of action.
Not sure why anyone would need to place a reason in there in any event. But if someone has a really good one, I'm open to listen to it.
posted on October 22, 2001 07:52:33 AM
LOL on the spawn of Satan.
That makes sense, Eventer. I like to keep my auctions as uncluttered as possible, so maybe it's best just to leave any comment on the situation out of there...
Peterdavis - congrats on your website sales! That's great!
posted on October 22, 2001 08:35:26 AM
I'll be using something along the lines of this:
Please ignore the Checkout feature below, as I prefer to deal with you personally. I will email you as soon as possible after the auction ends with details. Thanks!
Why?
Because IMO there will be "some" new users that won't understand why "some" sellers aren't using the feature.
Well it's better than "Checkout can result in Hair Loss & Sterility ".
Because IMO there will be "some" new users that won't understand why "some" sellers aren't using the feature.
Again, I'm curious why this would matter. To me, it's like PayPal or offering 420 mailing options..there will always be "some" new (or old) users who won't understand why "some" sellers don't offer the options others do.
I just never felt the need to globally explain to the world why I chose the business terms I did.
posted on October 22, 2001 08:58:32 AM
I put a brief disclaimer in my auctions today . I don't think people will object to it, if it is worded in the right manner. I weathered all these changes four 4 years and will overcomr this one too.
posted on October 22, 2001 08:59:24 AM
Eventer, because in this case it's eBay that's pushing the feature on my auction page.
I don't think you can compare this with offering PayPal, or 420 other mailing options. In this situation there's no option to opt out, so I decided to add a small, non digruntled, non offensive, disclaimer.
If eBay had a great big honking BILLPOINT logo with a big honking BILLPOINT spiel under it at the end of all my auction pages I'd do the same thing.
posted on October 22, 2001 09:08:26 AM
Not in the auction itself, but if there's a place to put one if the winning bidder clicks the checkout option after the auction, probably something along the lines: Thank you for your winning bid! I'm not currently using eBay's checkout feature. I'll contact you by end of business tomorrow - Thank you!
I don't end any of my auctions on Fri or Sat, so that should be ok and unoffensive.
I think it sounds better than reality: I'm currently not using this new eBay feature because eBay has been giving me many pains in my ample a$$ in recent months. While I still depend on them for some of my sales, I'll be dipped in s*** if I'll promote yet another of their little trips to dip their fingers (eventually) in my profits.
posted on October 24, 2001 03:55:59 PM
There are many reasons for not listing mailing fees- most of which are in the buyers favor- If they are in a reasonable proximity to the seller Parcel Post is much cheaper than Priority Mail- If seller is going to use UPS etc then the buyer has to supply a zip code- Could make a big difference in shipping cost-
posted on October 24, 2001 04:19:28 PM
Yes...not to mention insurance costs. I just sold an item I'd reserved for $200 something. It went for almost $600. How the heck could I have charged in advance for insurance? If we were all guessing in that fashion, pretty soon we'd have to be choosing the costliest scenario...just to cover ourselves.
Most buyers would end up paying more than necessary. As it is, I charge ACTUAL postage and insurance...no handling. I'd have to pad big time, simply to use this very poorly thought out Checkout promotion.
I hate all this automation. I have no desire to emulate Walmart. And if I do...it's the buyer that loses, and ends up paying too much.
I wish ebay would get rid of all of the crap they've continually added to their auctions and listing page. We were able to sell just fine with a simple auction description, now the page is cluttered with billpoint (no), checkout (no), etc.
posted on October 24, 2001 04:44:36 PM
Well I just got an email from Ebay and they said that the only way to not have checkout is to not use "buy it now".
posted on October 24, 2001 04:58:11 PM
Well, it sure as heck is confusing buyers as well. Had one already email me & ask what the shipping cost is since it's not in the checkout.
Told them I don't use checkout & the shipping cost is the same amount that's written in the TOS in BIG letters (said it nicely, of course).
But you guys were right, it's already confusing the buyers and being dumped in the lap of the sellers to explain it.
Yuck!
But I'm not sure even a disclaimer is going to work...when the auction ends, the checkout covers the entire top of the auction page & many buyers aren't going to look past that. What a mess.
posted on October 24, 2001 05:01:50 PMthe checkout covers the entire top of the auction page & many buyers aren't going to look past that.
Absolutely right! It is smack on top. All newbies will click the "checkout" button - wouldn't you if you were new and clueless?? The placement on the page is meant to force buyers into it.
Also, what a thinly veiled attempt this is to force Billpoint down seller's throats...
posted on October 24, 2001 05:23:41 PM
I like the idea of a checkout feature. It has the potential of saving a great deal of time, HOWEVER I do not appreciate the manner in which eBay has created the form.
While it's perfectly understandable that eBay would PREFER we use the service of eBay Payments, it is completely unfair to ignore the fact that many of us sellers also use Paypal as a method of payment. eBay has intentionally excluded any feature on the checkout that allows specific mention of Paypal as a method of payment acceptance other than a small box that says "other". A total Bull*hit powerplay in my estimation. While I am perfectly comfortable and willing to accept payment via eBay Online Payment Service, I do not appreciate the damn service being mandated to me and my customers to use. If it's my business I'm operating, let me make my own decisions on the Payment methods I choose to accept. Same goes for my sellers. Are they not entitled to make their own decisions on how they are to pay. Shouldn't they be given appropriate options so we may serve them better?
As I sit at my keyboard, I must now ponder HOW I will relist my auctions in bulk. In addition to enraging me this evening, the checkout feature has rendered my listing software useless as a result of the listing page changes. It's mandated to both myself and my customers how the users of the website will pay and be paid. It's taken away conveniences that myself and my buyers should have a right to use.
The intentions of our provider are perfectly clear. They want us sellers to list all our products and services at our expense and liablilty, using their website, their listing sofware, their managenment tools, their payment service with communication done entirely via their system, so thy may have a complete monopoly so they can increase their market share and profits.
posted on October 24, 2001 08:02:20 PM
Well if one way to get out of the checkout and dictation of using billpoint (yuk eek) is to not use the buy it now option. Then I will simply not use the buy it now option. I would rather go to the dentist everyday of the rest of my life than deal with billpoint again. And it makes me angry that they still put their dang logo on my auction pages and I'm paypal preferred and that creates more problems with losing the paypal preferred status. Hmmmmmmmmm maybe ebay was asleep the day Microsoft got slammed with their lawsuit.
If I were an uninformed buyer who didn't see anything but good (convenience, ease of use)in the Checkout feature, I would find your preference for keeping the transaction "personal" a turn off. This may not change your mind about your explanation, but I wanted to offer it anyway.
In fact, my attitude would be, "So what? I prefer checkout!!!"
And to answer another poster's comment, I don't think a carefully worded explanation to the effect that the Checkout feature doesn't have enough flexibility -- or whatever -- for some sellers would sound disgruntled enough to be a turnoff to potential bidders.
I think sellers are going to have to play an educator role for buyers if they choose not to use it because buyers are likely to like it. After all, many of them are used to shopping carts and check outs on retail online sites -- this is something many are already comfortable with.
posted on October 25, 2001 01:16:32 AM
When you have a customer who clicks on the checkout button and sends you the email with their mailing address and a note that says "Hi. i'm so excited to have won this item. As soon as I hear from you as to the shipping amount and how to make my payment I will get your money to you. Thanks ever so much for offering this fabulous widget for sale"... are you going to ignore their checkout note?. Or will you cut and paste the end of auction notice you were going to send them anyway into the checkout email form, along with your personal comment about how happy you are that you were able to offer something they had been looking for for so long?
Computerboy...just enter into the checkout summary/refund policy box that you accept paypal. since the box moves to the top of the page at the end of the auction so will your payment preferences....and the customer will see it when he goes to the ended auction page.
I just ammended my AA options to include in the checkout proceedures box 1) my refund policy 2) the fact that insurance is included in the shipping quote 3) At auction end I will adjust the shipping for multiple purchases and 4) I accept billpoint, checks, money order and paypal. No holds on checks...so my customers will know what my TOS and payment preferences are when they look at the ended auction page.
For those who still want to email their customers personally put a nice comment in that box to the effect that you will be emailing them with payment instructions. But if you need their address to figure shipping then maybe you could say..."please use the checkout button to send me your address so I can calulate your shipping. Shortly after getting your address I will send you an email from me personally with your total due and payment options. Looking forward to working with you"
It could work
[ edited by amy on Oct 25, 2001 01:28 AM ]
posted on October 25, 2001 03:14:14 AM
I want to put something in the Refund Policy box, but is the only way to do it manually at EACH of my auctions? Is there a way to just enter my wording in one time? I use ChannelAdvisor and they aren't compatible yet.
Also, I'm considering wording to the effect of "You can expect an email from me within hours of auction close with all of the details. No need to click the Checkout button, Ebay has not accurately updated those figures." This makes Ebay look inept instead of me, I am concerned that the newbie customer is going to think I forgot to the put the shipping, etc. in. Is this pushing it too far?
posted on October 25, 2001 03:28:21 AM
amy: while what you write is well and good ... and will certainly work in a perfect world ... we all know Ebay ain't no perfect world!
For example, I had auctions end last night. I have already invoiced all my buyers last night. I never received any Ebay end of auction emails until this morning. I'm sure those Checkout emails are NOT going to be any faster than the current Ebay end of auction emails. What we are going to have here are emails flying back and forth and becoming more confusing: buyer checks out but his email doesn't get delivered for a day (heck, maybe longer than that; I'm still waiting for an Ebay EOA from Monday night!). In the meantime I've already sent him his invoice. Then he gets an EOA email from Ebay telling him to check out, but he's already done that.
Also there is so much confusion right now with this program! Billpoint logos on auctions of sellers who don't even take it or never signed up for it, $0.00 showing up as shipping cost because sellers were never even given the opportunity to put anything in that box. Why I even saw one seller who had 4 auctions that you actually could go into and edit all the auction information as part of the Sell Your Item page was her auction. I even saw one seller comment that a buyer was refusing to pay for the auction because there was a Billpoint logo on the auction but the seller didn't take Billpoint.
This was poorly planned and poorly tested and now sellers are being Ebay's lab rats.
posted on October 25, 2001 03:55:13 AM
I emailed powerseller support again with some suggestions for making the Checkout less confusing and mandatory, of course prefacing it with the first suggestion to get rid of Checkout altogether. Here are my suggestions:
"I understand that Ebay is saying it is not mandatory to use it. But right now, to the newbie buyer, it does not look like the seller has an option, it looks like the seller isn't doing his job, when in fact the seller has just chosen a more effective way of communicating to the buyer (personal emails!). The parts I specifically have a problem with are:
1. The size and prominence of the checkout: it currently doesn't look like an option, it looks like "here's the next step..." Please make it smaller and towards the bottom. Or at least it to the bottom of the CHECKOUT area, where the buyer would click it AFTER they read the rest of the checkout details, not before it.
2. The wording "Buyer SHOULD click here": Again, that certainly doesn't sound like an option. Please just eliminate that wording altogether.
3. I think you should, in all fairness and to keep from confusing your customers/buyers, make it clear and prominent in the checkout area that this is an OPTION. My suggestion is to have a Seller Instruction Box be the FIRST thing the buyer sees in the Checkout form. That would TRULY make it easier and reassure buyers on how to proceed after the auction ends. Sellers that love your new checkout system (are there any?) could put in the box "Click the Checkout button below to complete your transaction" Then Sellers that don't use it could put their own instructions.
4. It would be IMPERATIVE that this Seller Instruction box be a Profile that the Seller could fill out one time, and not with every listing. "
What do you think about those ideas? Would that make a difference?
By the way, this mornign my auctions no longer have the Billpoint logo, and also the shipping/handling options are now just a ----- instead of the zeros. So they are making some changes/fixes already. Hopefully they'll make some more.
posted on October 25, 2001 05:57:03 AM
Paintpower...the auctions you saw that you say could be changed on the auction page, they couldn't be changed. Oh, you could write things in the boxes but it didn't change the auction. I tried. I erased the entry in the location box then pressed the back button...and the auction was the same. I erased it again and closed the auction and then reentered the auction...the location showing at the top of the auction was the still the same. Yes, it was a really big bug, but it was harmless.
I realize you don't like checkout, you have been very vocal about it on the checkout board...but then you tell me my suggestions "will work in a perfect world", and you go on to say that ebay isn't a perfect world and use as proof the fact that you got an EOA notice from ebay this morning for an auction that ended last night. I had auctions ending last night too...heres when I got my EOA notices...auction ended 11:41-notice 11:50, auction end 11:27-notice 11:37, auction end 10:23-notice 10:59, auction end 8:53-notice 10:05, auction end 6:15-notice 7:10, auction end 6:12-notice 6:53, auction end 6:48-notice 6:52, etc. The timing wasn't out of line.
I have never used any type of automatic emailer for my end of auction notices, always have done it personally...and still have had emails that didn't get to the customer (and didn't bounce back to me)...its not just ebay's emails that get delayed or never arrive.
Putting up strawmen and striking them down isn't productive. All the complaints, except for the fact that checkout isn't truely optional, are strawmen...worse case scenarios that we don't know will be true once this is up and running.
A better approach, IMO, is to see how it actually works by trying it and then deciding if it is appropiate for our individual situations. Some of us may find it doesn't work at all, others will find that parts of it can be used to our advantage, and others will find it is totally usable. But I think we need to give it a little time before we condemn it out of hand...at least until the bugs get worked out. Once we use it then we have more credibility when we critique it.
