posted on May 15, 2002 11:14:58 AM
I tried to find out via ebay, but can find it addressed specifically.
Can I contact the losing bidder in one of my auctions to let them know that I have a similar item up for auction again? I don't want to violate any rules.
posted on May 15, 2002 11:29:19 AM
I never e-mail losing customers when I list another of the same thing. eBay considers this spam and for me it's just not worth getting smacked over.
I also figure that if someone wants the item bad enough they know how to search for it.
I have had customers ask that I let them know if I get another one of what they lost and I'm happy to do that. But I don't e-mail losing customers unless they ask.
We have signs from God because some of us are too stupid to figure things out for ourselves.
posted on May 15, 2002 11:45:51 AM
FYI on this, because I didn't know. I went to the ebay Q & A chat room, and there's a feature called "Personal Offer" whereby I can offer to sell the same item for the amount of the loser's max bid. ebay charges no insertion fee, just final value fee. I *did not know that** and so that's what I'll do. Evidently also, you can set it up in ebay preferences if you wish not to receive personal offers. Sounds like a good deal all around.
here's the link for personal offer info (copy and paste I think):
posted on May 15, 2002 11:49:56 AM
What you can do if you have the losing bidder's E-address.
Use the Email auction to a friend option.
That will give them a heads up on the second of a kind you have.
posted on May 15, 2002 12:11:21 PM
dadofstickboy - that is considered spam in eBay's eye since you are including a link to a specific auction of yours. If the potential buyer reports your seller ID your selling priviledges could be revoked.
posted on May 15, 2002 06:23:59 PM
Where a feature resides (on eBay or off eBay) is not the issue -- it is how the recipient responds to unwanted e-mail. Using an eBay feature does not give you immunity.
If you have a concrete example, we can discuss it. Why bother with a what-if? If your friend reports you, he or she is not really your "friend".
posted on May 15, 2002 08:16:36 PM
I've never used the "tell a friend" option, but I assume it works like the other links on the auction page; eBay generates the message and sends it to the potential buyer. Is that right or does that feature work differently?
If you take it upon yourself to send an e-mail outside eBay's system, through your personal e-mail, then that's spam.
I've had buyers add me to their mailing lists without my permission, then it's up to me to go to their website and unsubscribe. What the...
This ticks me off. I have a huge problem with spam and I'm tired of blocking domains and names because people just can't get it into their heads that I don't want the porn, the eBay stuff, the free mortgage consultation, whatever!
What ifs? If I get spam, I forward it to my servers abuse e-mails, then I forward the e-mail to the sender's domain abuse mailbox.
Didn't ask for it, don't want, am tired of being bombarded by it. I do believe that 80+ spam mails a day will try anyone's patience.
And let's face it, people who really really want what you are selling and lose the bid on the item, they'll contact you and ask if you have another one. I know they do because it happens to me all the time.
We have signs from God because some of us are too stupid to figure things out for ourselves.
posted on May 15, 2002 08:18:32 PM
I've never used the "tell a friend" option, but I assume it works like the other links on the auction page; eBay generates the message and sends it to the potential buyer. Is that right or does that feature work differently?
If you take it upon yourself to send an e-mail outside eBay's system, through your personal e-mail, then that's spam.
I've had buyers add me to their mailing lists without my permission, then it's up to me to go to their website and unsubscribe. What the...
This ticks me off. I have a huge problem with spam and I'm tired of blocking domains and names because people just can't get it into their heads that I don't want the porn, the eBay stuff, the free mortgage consultation, whatever!
What ifs? If I get spam, I forward it to my servers abuse e-mails, then I forward the e-mail to the sender's domain abuse mailbox.
Didn't ask for it, don't want, am tired of being bombarded by it. I do believe that 80+ spam mails a day will try anyone's patience.
And let's face it, people who really really want what you are selling and lose the bid on the item, they'll contact you and ask if you have another one. I know they do because it happens to me all the time.
We have signs from God because some of us are too stupid to figure things out for ourselves.
posted on May 15, 2002 09:16:25 PM
Because this person had bid upon the same auction before, it is NOT spam if you send the e-mail from the "e-mail this auction to a friend" link on the auction page. It is only spam if you are sending it to anyone that has not bid or won any auctions of yours. Once a person has bid on any auction, they are now your customer and can be sent a friendly reminder of auctions you are running. By bidding, they open the door to the occasional reminder e-mail of auctions you are running. However, they can also request that you do not send them any more e-mails and you must honor that request if received. One thing to keep in mind however even if they do not request not to be contacted is to not send e-mails too often, even with good intentions. The person receiving them might get upset if you e-mail too often.
posted on May 15, 2002 11:45:53 PM
Bidding on an auction item does not mean you agree to be signed up to the seller's mailing list. And if you send me unsolicited e-mail (aka spam) I will report you ass. I have enough noise to filter through already -- I don't need a seller asking me to view their auctions.
posted on May 16, 2002 01:29:53 AM
Of course it's spam, no matter where you send it from. Use "Make a personal offer." The link is right on every closed auction page right next to "Relist item."
posted on May 16, 2002 09:00:54 AM
Bidding on someone's auction does not give them permission to spam me with information about their other auctions, about another item like the one I bid and lost out on, or to add me to their mailing list after I win an auction.
If I get spam from a website that I visit for doing nothing more than visiting, I forward that spam to every appropriate abuse mailbox.
Either use eBay's system for contacting bidders or run the risk of getting reported for spam.
We have signs from God because some of us are too stupid to figure things out for ourselves.
posted on May 16, 2002 01:21:44 PM
When I lose a auction that I have been bidding on, ebay sends me "spam" about similar auctions. In every message from ebay, regardless of what it is about, is unwanted spam. It is not that eBay doesn't like spam, they just want the exclusive right to spam their own peasants.
There are only 10 types of people in the world
Those who understand binary and those who don't
posted on May 16, 2002 01:45:08 PM
mlecher -- Except for EOA e-mails, you can "unsubscribe" from eBay e-mails. I believe they are in your preferences. I don't like the similar items e-mail either so I unsubscribed.
