posted on September 13, 2004 08:07:49 AM
When we started eBaying years ago, we (like many others) were offering items at a start price that we felt was fair.
Unfortunately it took only a short time for it to become blindingly obvious that that is the road to 25% sellthrough or less. eBay fees eat you alive.
So we switched to the low-start no-reserve model, and inevitably attracted a coterie of bottomfeeders along with some other wonderful people who actually were willing to open their wallets and pay fair prices.
The issue is that the BFs, especially recently, believe all the "Customer Is Always Right" nonsense promulgated by consumer advocates and because they are cheap by nature, take it to a new level, demanding the maximum value from a transaction.
This means lots of "where is it" and "have you shipped yet" email and heaven help you if there's a hair or a speck of dust inadvertently trapped in their package.
I hit my patience limit (which is always low anyway) this week when a long-time BF (six purchases this year, all for less than $1.99) kept demanding I look up the Delivery Confirmation record on her last shipment because it had been a few days and she hadn't gotten it yet. Purchase price: $1.01.
I refunded her money and promptly blocked her, which of course generated an emailed scream of agony.
I won't kid you: I enjoyed it hugely. I did write back and explain succinctly that she was costing me more than she was worth. Will she get the message? Doubt it. But at least she's someone else's problem now.
So this morning in the mailbox there's a whiny-ass complaint from another long-time BF about how her last package took soooo long and she felt that I lied to her about when I shipped it and she was such a good customer and she really wants to keep bidding on my stuff so she hopes I clean up my act real soon now.
What gall. Into the blocked bidder file with you, too, Missy!
I'll bring this stuff out at my next garage sale rather than sell it to high-maintenance twinks.
posted on September 13, 2004 09:54:44 AM
I was going to post a message on the same subject. I receive a few "positive negative" feedbacks. One person claims I am unfriendly, another one didn't like the way I packaged his books, another person said I do not "communicate" well.
The person who said I was unfriendly kept pestering me with emails. He felt the item he received wasn't as advertised. I told him over four times to return the item if he was not happy. He kept writing to me asking what I was going to do about it. Then he kept demanding I leave him positive feedback. I finally told him I didn't have to leave him feedback period.
The person who said I didn't package his books well.... I do not know what to say about that one. every book I send out is in a plastic sleeve and wrapped in bubble. In this case I didn't have a shiny new brand new box to ship it in. The box was used but not falling apart by any means.
The person who said I didn't communicate well. He asked me for the tracking number. I told him I would get it for him but it might take more than a day to get in touch with the drop shipper (it was during the holiday weekend).
I am on vacation right now. I made sure before I left that all items were shipped and all fires were put out. My email has been nothing but complaints. This summer I had over two grand in NPB. I think I am burned out.
posted on September 13, 2004 12:34:34 PM
Sorry teach, but when you fish at the bottom, you are going to catch mostly bottom feeders! It's the price you pay for 100% sell-through.
I expect you are offering this thread for our amusement and not our sympathy.
We all make our choices. I've caught a lot of bullheads (a very gross bottom feeder) in my time. After struggling to avoid the stingers when extricating the hook, I learned to cut the line. Now I set the bobber a little higher and am thinking about taking up fly fishing.
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Sig files are too much trouble! http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards
posted on September 13, 2004 12:51:09 PM
Nah, don't need sympathy. I just enjoy shocking the crap out of these smug little vixen who are sitting at home thinking they've got a lock on a bargain source.
It's truly unfortunate that there is no education in America to teach consumers that their treatment at the hands of merchants is commensurate with the value of their custom.
Or, put another way, Mrs. Spendalot is going to get the red-carpet deluxe treatment, goodies and express delivery, while Ms. Pennypincher gets just what she ordered and that sent as cheaply as possible. Sometimes Joe Merchant decides to trim a few layers off the bottom of the customer list and whoops! There goes unprofitable Ms. P.
This shouldn't have come as a surprise to Ms. P. This is after all a capitalist society. But Ms. P is longing after a bit of socialism. She doesn't want others to be equal to her but she wants to be equal to whomever she chooses. Merchants? Dust beneath her feet.
Well, the dust just fought back.
Yes, it's true that how I sell appeals to the worst non-criminal element on eBay. However, I think some techniques, such as blocking as I've described or ending an auction on the sixth day if it has no bids, are going to be making some BFs feel a bit less smug.
posted on September 13, 2004 01:08:54 PM
teacher: I find myself agreeing with you. I have now stopped selling on eBay, but I continue to read here. I read your post about stopping an auction on the 6th day if it had no bids and thought, Hmmmm. The last two auctions that I had on eBay had several lookers but no buyers. They were listed at bargain prices. I closed these two and moved them to my dealers site at higher prices. I had eMail on both ads wanting to know what happened to them. I referred them to my dealers site, and they both bought them at the higher price than they were listed on eBay. I don't know what these buyers are waiting for on eBay. Makes no sense to me.
posted on September 13, 2004 01:35:43 PM
It's actually a good business decision to weed out problem people. I've done it before in my consulting business. I can think of two examples where I fired my clients. When 1 client out of 100 starts to take up 20% of my time, time for them to go! They were shocked as hell when I told them I would no longer do business with them! They tried to actually get me back, but I stood my ground. Another one I fired called me, paged me, called on my cel phone, faxed me, emailed me. Heck, they may have even sent a telegram, I don't know. What was so urgent? They wanted to know I was there so if they had a question for me later that day, I could answer it! Ebay makes it easy, let's you block. Had a question from one yesterday where they actually were cursing in the question because they needed info that they thought was not in the description, but it was there! Like I am going to answer that message! Checked to make sure they were not bidding on anything, and immediately into the blocked file!
Friends don't let Friends say stupid things like Friends don't let friends vote Republican!
posted on September 13, 2004 03:04:25 PM
Did anyone read the news story a few months ago about BestBuy? The company has decided that the customer is NOT always right. They say 80% of their complaints come from less than 20% of their customer and of that group, the majority of customers were not even repeat buyers.
BB has decided to provide x level of service with no exceptions to the whiners.
**Oops, spelling***
[ edited by ltray on Sep 13, 2004 03:30 PM ]
posted on September 13, 2004 07:52:41 PM
My thought was simply this. How about sending these bottom feeders their items. My guess is you wait for weeks on end before sending out the item(s). Even if it is only for next to nothing. You chose to sell it that cheap. That doesn't give you the right to give poor customer service.
posted on September 13, 2004 07:56:18 PM
If you list at a higher price with less % that sell, how is that any worse than lower price with higher % sell? I've found its better to sell less at higher $ than more at lower $. The moneys the same in the end, just less stuff to pack and ship. And you don't attract the bottom-feeders.
I could cut my prices in half and sell twice as many, but the moneys still the same. And I would have twice as much work to do on the shipping end.
