mannyl08753
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posted on September 26, 2002 05:36:30 AM
I would like the community's opinion of my TOS for auctions. I'll take all feedback positive and negative
Auction Policies
All shipping is done USPS Priority Mail unless buyer requests a different carrier
Shipping and Handeling-Shipping is the shipping charge to Zone 8 plus 1.50 handling fee per shipping box. If you win mutiple auctions I will combine them.
Shipping rates posted are for US only. Please contact me for shipping rates before bidding if you need to know how much shipping will be.
All items are new in original box unless stated otherwise
All items have full manufacture's warranty unless stated otherwise
All items are guaranteed against DOA unless stated otherwise
Bids are only accepted by people with a positive rating.
Bidding from new E-bay members with a rating of 0 will also be accepted
If you have a negative rating, contact me before bidding or you may find your bid canceled. If you bid again before contacting me, you may find yourself banned from my auctions.
All items are packed with reasonable protection fior damage. If you do not purchase insurance for a fragile item, you agree Seller is not responsible for any damage that may occur.
Payment Policies
I accept the following forms of payment
c2it, Pay-Pal,,Money Orders, Billpoint, and Personal Checks
Pay-Pal, Billpoint and Money Order payments ship out the next business day after I receive payment
Items paid for with Personal Checks will be held until the check clears
In the event a personal check is declined by my bank I will charge the buyer any fees I am charged by my bank
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dadofstickboy
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posted on September 26, 2002 06:33:51 AM
I don't see anything in there about you 3% discount.
Also:
If all S&H Fees are to zone 8 plus $1.50.
Why have the customer contact you for the amount, why not just show the amount plus the $1.50?
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twelvepole
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posted on September 26, 2002 06:41:09 AM
Why are you charging and extra $1.50 for zone 8?
Why not just figure your shipping to zone 8 and state that as a fixed shipping cost, as it appears you will be selling the same thing over and over...
Also, better stay away from that 3% deal, that is against eBay rules and if turned in, you could have your auction canceled.
Ain't Life Grand... 
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on September 26, 2002 06:59:47 AM
Your TOS is boring. Most people won't read it. If the TOS is just to CYA, it probably doesn't matter whether people read it or not.
On the other hand, if you want people to read it, spice it up a bit.
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slabholder
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posted on September 26, 2002 07:13:53 AM
Manny, it's need some minor editing. You're almost there kiddo! 
[ edited by slabholder on Sep 26, 2002 07:45 AM ]
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toolhound
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posted on September 26, 2002 08:02:29 AM
Way to long for me unless you are selling a one of a kind item I would have moved on. Tell them how much shipping and handling is and what payments you take. No one wants to read all the rest and the ones that are not going to pay or send you a bad check don't read them anyway.
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Libra63
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posted on September 26, 2002 08:21:10 AM
I probably would not bid on your auctions because of your S/H to Zone 8. Why would you use that amount if I lived in Zone 2 or if the item I bid on can go Priority Mail Zone 1 because of weight which would only be $3.85. You can Charge your handling charge as long as your don't combine it with your shipping charge. Say Shipping will be ----- and then say Handling charge will be $1.50 more. Don't give them any other way of shipping if you want to use Priority Mail only just use that. Why would you give them a different way to mail a package unless it is very large. You don't need to say all items new in box unless. When you put your discription in put NIB, if not don't put it in. Why would you say positive rating. Everyone that buys on eBay has a positive rating but maybe a few negatives have been thrown in. You don't need to say new ebay bidders.
If you are listing through AW there is a place where you can permanently put in the policies that you list at the bottom.
I don't agree with your statement if you don't purchase insurance. Your packages should be packed so that the USPS should not be able to break it unless it is run over by the truck.
I personally think that I am responsible for this package until it gets into the buyers hands. If it is fragile insurance should be included in your shipping charge. i.e. Shipping will by priority mail for $5.15 and that includes insurance.
Your TOS just needs to be shortened...I would back out if I had to read that much no matter how bad I needed the item, because on eBay another item just like it is probably on. Sorry this is so long but I have a great positive feedback with NO negatives and I have a very short TOS 3 lines, I do have a guarantee which is in my about me page. I guarantee everything.
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Libra63
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posted on September 26, 2002 08:21:11 AM
I probably would not bid on your auctions because of your S/H to Zone 8. Why would you use that amount if I lived in Zone 2 or if the item I bid on can go Priority Mail Zone 1 because of weight which would only be $3.85. You can Charge your handling charge as long as your don't combine it with your shipping charge. Say Shipping will be ----- and then say Handling charge will be $1.50 more. Don't give them any other way of shipping if you want to use Priority Mail only just use that. Why would you give them a different way to mail a package unless it is very large. You don't need to say all items new in box unless. When you put your discription in put NIB, if not don't put it in. Why would you say positive rating. Everyone that buys on eBay has a positive rating but maybe a few negatives have been thrown in. You don't need to say new ebay bidders.
If you are listing through AW there is a place where you can permanently put in the policies that you list at the bottom.
I don't agree with your statement if you don't purchase insurance. Your packages should be packed so that the USPS should not be able to break it unless it is run over by the truck.
I personally think that I am responsible for this package until it gets into the buyers hands. If it is fragile insurance should be included in your shipping charge. i.e. Shipping will by priority mail for $5.15 and that includes insurance.
Your TOS just needs to be shortened...I would back out if I had to read that much no matter how bad I needed the item, because on eBay another item just like it is probably on. Sorry this is so long but I have a great positive feedback with NO negatives and I have a very short TOS 3 lines, I do have a guarantee which is in my about me page. I guarantee everything.
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capotasto
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posted on September 26, 2002 11:04:44 AM
Too many details.
Just say "Shipping is $xx priority mail." Don't mention zone or handling. ("shipping" includes postage, packaging and handling.)
"Bids are only accepted by people with a positive rating.
Bidding from new E-bay members with a rating of 0 will also be accepted
If you have a negative rating, contact me ..."
Revise to say only: "If you have a negative rating, contact me ..."
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RB
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posted on September 26, 2002 11:11:02 AM
Dump the "handling" charge and add whatever you need for "handling" to your starting price.
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sanmar
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posted on September 26, 2002 11:52:56 AM
This is way to long. I would pass on by without taking time to read all of this. I go by the KISS method. Buyers are not going to take time to read all of the details. Heck, half of them don't read any further than the item description. KISS="Keep It Simple Stupid"
[ edited by sanmar on Sep 26, 2002 11:54 AM ]
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horsey88
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posted on September 26, 2002 12:22:30 PM
If your TOS is longer than this sentence it's too long.
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eauctionmgnt
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posted on September 26, 2002 12:49:46 PM
manny:
I think your TOS are pretty good...they just need some fine tuning. I do agree with the majority of the posters that you should try to estimate the s/h before the auction and include the price in your terms. The trick with good TOS is to include all the necessary information while keeping it short enough to retain bidders attention spans.Try this:
This item will be shipped via USPS priority mail for $xx.xx s/h within the U.S. If you are an international customer, please contact me for shipping rates before bidding. Multiple auction lots may be combined together to save on s/h.
All items are new in their original box, guaranteed against DOA and have the full manufacturer's warranty unless stated otherwise.
Bids are only accepted by people with a feedback rating of 0 or greater. If you have a negative rating, contact me before bidding or you may find your bid canceled. If you bid again before contacting me, you may find yourself banned from my auctions.
All items are packed with reasonable protection for damage. If you do not purchase insurance for a fragile item, you agree Seller is not responsible for any damage that may occur.
I accept the following forms of payment
c2it, Pay-Pal,,Money Orders, Billpoint, and Personal Checks
Pay-Pal, Billpoint and Money Order payments ship out the next business day after I receive payment
Items paid for with Personal Checks will be held until the check clears. In the event a personal check is declined by my bank I will charge the buyer any fees I am charged by my bank
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mrbusinessman
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posted on September 26, 2002 12:50:15 PM
Your TOS is fine. Long, yes. But not unreasonable in length.
Your shipping and handling charges are fine but for some buyers (I'm being kind here) they could be a little confusing.
A 3$ cash discount is indeed legal and within ebaY guidelines.
Your statement regarding insurance is right on the money. It is the buyer's responsibility to insure HIS/HER property (it becomes the buyer's property the moment you receive acceptable payment).
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Libra63
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posted on September 26, 2002 05:06:15 PM
Mrbusinessman I disagree with your statement in saying that the buyer is responsible for the insurance. IF the item purchased requires insurance than that should be stated in sellers Shipping Charge. Never depend on a buyer to opt for insurance because they never will, but rest asurred that if the item comes broken or doesn't come at all you will get the Negative. All you have to state is Shipping is $8.88 and that includes insurance. There is no give and take with that sentence. What you state is what you require to mail that package get to the buyer in the shape it was when it left your hands.
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capotasto
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posted on September 26, 2002 07:52:55 PM
"Dump the "handling" charge and add whatever you need for "handling" to your starting price."
This will not work. You can add whatever you want to your starting price but it is your ending price that you collect.
Use fixed price shipping which includes handling and packing supplies.
edited to add: increasing your starting price does not increase your ending price. This is a fallacy that too many inexperienced sellers believe.
[ edited by capotasto on Sep 26, 2002 07:54 PM ]
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twelvepole
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posted on September 26, 2002 08:04:56 PM
agree capotasto 
Ain't Life Grand...
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Libra63
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posted on September 26, 2002 08:39:39 PM
Adding your handling price to your starting price will only give ebay more money and less to you. You want ebay and AW to get only what they deserve and that is the price of your widget. I will pay a handling fee if it is within reason, like yesterday I bought an item and insurance was $2.00. You and I both knew insurance is only $1.30 but I got a good price for my item so I didn't care. Here is an example getting extra money. 70 cents an auction can make you quite a bit of extra cash, that is if the buyer wants to pay it.
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JACKSWEBB
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posted on September 26, 2002 09:18:50 PM
YOU SEND YOUR ADDRESS, I SEND THE POSTAGE, YOU SEND THE PAYMENT, I SEND THE GOODS.
ALL THE OTHER STUFF NEEDS TO GO IN YOUR "ME" PAGE AND TELL THEM TO GO THERE AND LOOK AND I DOUBT IF ANY DO. YOU TOLD THEM,,,,YES....THEY NEVER BOTHERED T.S.
AND THE BEAT GOES ON.......
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mcjane
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posted on September 26, 2002 11:10:12 PM
I have almost no TOS. I run about 10 auctions a day
& in each one I tell what type of payments I take & how much the shipping is.
I still usually have about 4 out of the 10 email me & ask "Do you take checks" & "How much is the postage"
It's all in there with a very short discription & some still don't read it.
As for long TOS, I never read them.
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Japerton
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posted on September 27, 2002 12:54:55 AM
I ad insurance to items that are too expensive for me to self insure.
I have a question for Mr.B...how to you educate the customer on this point? Without losing the sale?
I reread what you posted capotasto...very interesting! And informative. Thanks.
Thanks
Japerton
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stonecold613
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posted on September 28, 2002 09:04:20 PM
What?
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ashtonne
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posted on September 30, 2002 01:06:50 PM
Add a postage calculator (you can edit the code to add in your $1.50 or whatever). Find out from your bank how much they charge for returned checks and specifiy, e.g. "$15.00 for all returned checks"
I have very short TOS and have 200+ transactions with only one NPB, no returned checks, and no payments ever received beyond my 10 day "due date". But I don't deal in fragile items or electronics. The shorter the better, as I think Zen and the Art of eBay says if you expect peopel to be honest and trustworthy and responsible, they tend to be. Call me naive, but seems to work for me.
Ash
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