posted on October 11, 2006 06:22:37 AM
This from a seller! No vacation notice, nothing. I won and paid on 10/9 and get this response the next day:
Thankyou for your Paypal payment your package will be mailed on Monday Oct.16 as we are currently on vacation enjoying the fall colors.sincerely, Bob XXXXXX
posted on October 11, 2006 08:00:42 AM
Since I don't do that, I don't see how this gives me a bad name.
Home Depot sent some installers out to put in our new hot water heater. They insisted the existing installation was not up to code (it was -- our house was built by a plumber) and they would have to charge us extra. We told them to stick it where the sun don't shine.
Does this incident give all home improvement stores a bad name or is it just an example of how crappy Home Depot is?
I understand your annoyance, but I'm not responsible for what "Bob" (most likely an amateur seller) does.
fLufF
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Edited to add: Looks like you should have sent "Bob" an envelope full of punctuation along with the PayPal payment. He needs it.
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Oct 11, 2006 08:02 AM ]
You don't need anyone's help to get a bad name or two, do you? JK
The actions of one seller can influence the customer's perception of others.
Are all used car salesmen crooks? No, but because some are, used car salesmen have the worst trust factor in the US. (Professors have the highest).
If the actions of one member of the community do not effect the others, then why is it so important for franchises that all follow the same rules? Because the franchisor knows that having a bad hamburger at Wendy's in Dallas will deter you from have a hamburger at Wendy's in Detroit. Or at least that is what Dave Thomas wrote.
As for your example, maybe your experience does not effect ALL home improvement but didn't it effect your perception of that company and its stores? Given a choice in the future would you call them again?
Bob is a jerk and doesn't how he treats customers because he is a part-timer. This is not a business for him. It would been just as easy to buy the item on Amazon and that is what his customers may do next time, rather then waste time on eBay. Since Bob and I are in this together, any customer he alienates is one that might not shop on eBay again. Also, research shows that word of mouth on bad shopping experiences can influence 10 other people. It seems we most often share our bad shopping experiences, not our good ones. So bob can cost us all.
But mostly, Bob pissed me off because I pay within 24 hours and I ship within 24 hours and I want my book.
posted on October 11, 2006 12:36:52 PM
I could write a book about sorry eBay sellers…
Here are just two of my recent situations-
1) Won and paid for a college textbook on Aug 5th. Classes start last week of Aug. Seller waits SEVEN DAYS before taking it to the post office to ship media mail. No mention in the description there would be a delay. When I emailed to find out when it was shipped, she responded that she shipped it the day after I paid. (Another stupid seller thinking that I won’t look at the post mark). Received 4 days before classes started.
2) Won and paid for a brand-new stainless steel sink about 3 weeks ago. This is a small, odd-size sink that sells for $100 at Home Depot. Got it for $34, including shipping. Sink arrived creased. By that I mean when the sink is turned upside down, the side & front edges of the sink are flush to the floor but the back edge forms a “V” leaving a 1.5” between the middle edge of the sink and the floor. Since the crease occurs at the back of the sink (where the holes are for the faucet), my husband thinks he can bend it back with a torch or whatever and wouldn't be noticable. So I take a picture of the sink, email it to the seller and ask for a $10 refund, which I believed to be generous on my part, especially considering we’re not even sure if the sink can bend back. No word from the seller so I dispute it with PayPal. Amazing how that brings them out of the woodwork. He emails saying it had to be DHL’s fault, how they can’t do refunds via PayPal (sure), blah, blah, blah. He then had the gall to request that I email him in the morning to remind him to look into this as he was busy that day. So I upped my PayPal dispute to a claim, this time asking for a $20.00 refund simply because this guy’s an idiot. A few days later, PayPal sends me an email saying I have a $20 refund.
I buy a lot of items on eBay for both my business and personal use, and I guarantee you that I deal with at least one crappy seller each month. Another purchase that comes to mind was a couple of months ago I purchased a new blood pressure monitor and spent a nice sum for it. The seller shipped it in its original box, like you would purchase off the shelf at Walgreens. No shipping box whatsoever. They just taped a label with my name on it and shipped it that way. The seller did manage to stuff exactly 6 styrofoam peanuts inside it.
I’m to the point now that I ALWAYS leave negative feedback in situations such as this as I don’t give a rip anymore when they neg me, which they always do. Their response is usually along the lines like “She’s so rude/nasty/mean/hateful/evil!!! (you take your pick) Beware!!!”. Which I always respond with “Retaliatory Feedback”.
BTW, I used to be a full-time seller on eBay a few years ago, so I’ve been in their shoes. It’s just that some of the sellers I’m buying from these days are irresponsible and beyond rude.
posted on October 11, 2006 12:50:21 PMI buy a lot of items on eBay for both my business and personal use
So do I. Know why?
Because usually the best deals are to be found on eBay.
I flatter myself that that riposte answers both Beth and dixielou.
Beth, people return to eBay because of the deals, even if they've had a dodgy experience. Even my mother has, and she swore she never would. Even my husband, who still refuses to patronize Wienerschnitzel because they shorted him a chili cheeseburger on an order 7 years ago. eBay is where the stuff is, and it's where the deals are on the stuff.
dixielou, sure, it's fun to let off some steam, but let's be frank here: Real-life businesses suck, too. Netflix has my ire this week because without asking me, they shipped a disc in my queue from Duluth, GA. Shipping time: 5 days. If I paid by the disc, I wouldn't mind that but I'm paying by the month. They shoulda asked first. I turn around DVDs quickly, so their idiocy cost me two rental cycles.
On eBay, I think it's unrealistic to consistently expect perfection *and* a good deal from a part-timer.
posted on October 11, 2006 01:30:47 PM
my pet pieve this week is the same. I just came home to an email about an item I purchased 9/29. I paid with PayPal as soon as the auction closed. Shipping-Priority Mail
She was kind enough to notify me today that my package has been shipped Priority Mail on 10/10.
She will find a nice big NEG in her feedback as soon as I receive the item. It really ticks me off to pay for Priority Mail and then have the seller sit on the purchase for over a week.
posted on October 11, 2006 01:50:17 PM
LtRay, sweetie, that just doesn't make sense.
She did ship it via Priority Mail. She just didn't ship it very quickly. I don't think putting "Priority Mail" in your shipping method means you're guaranteeing quick shipping. Anyone?
Priority Mail was invented by a marketing genius. Basically the same transit time as First Class Mail and absolutely no service guarantee whatsoever, but they get to charge at least $4.05 for it. Brilliant.
fLufF
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Edited to add:
Michael, if you're reading this: my emails to you are bouncing.
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Oct 11, 2006 02:08 PM ]
The seller gets 7 days to ship when paid via PayPal. I assume that in this case you could file a complaint (at the very least).
I've never had one filed, but there have been times when I've probably come close (usually multi-box shipments of china, where invariably the packer tells you after 2 days that they ran out of some essential packing item and that they'll have to order it, it's back ordered, etc.). So far, an email explaining that the delay was due to wanting to pack with the best possible packing materials for the job has kept the wolf away.
It is just plain wrong to sit on an "easy to pack" item for a week.
As long as it is prominently displayed in the listing, what's wrong with shipping 1X/week? Or 2X/week? Or only on Irving R. Feldman's birthday, for that matter?
One of the few nice tings about feeBay is the seller's right to create a TOS that meets his needs in relation to daily family obligations, such as taking Ralphie to his play-dates or oboe lessons!
What AIN'T OK is to spring surprises on one's buyers...
posted on October 11, 2006 06:12:29 PM
I hate it when a buyer takes 7 or more days to pay but 2 days after they pay they want a tracking number. I love to reply in my best Southern voice "Why Honey I didn't think you were in a rush for it as it took you 10 days to pay"!!
Of course if they tell me they will be paying on xx date, I don't mind at all.
Guess it works both ways.
posted on October 11, 2006 06:53:36 PM
I'm not prominent but I ship once a week and say it in my listings. I buy often on eBay and am generally patient - if I need something ASAP (like the trumpet I got for my son's band lessons), I compare vendors' shipping terms and buy from a vendor that can fill my order in my timeline without special handling. 'Get it Fast' option is one of the few enhancements that really IS an enhancement and I've shopped with it a few times. I have gone out of my way and have shipped overnight at my expense in the few cases where a postcard was urgently needed and late arrival would have caused major heartache. Few of us have 100% positive feedback. At 99.8% positive feedback, most of my negs are unearned but I admit I probably have earned more than were posted (eBay buyers can be very charitable). Delaying shipment without notice due to beautiful fall foliage is hard to accept if they have a store. It just takes 30 seconds to put a notice in every listing.
posted on October 11, 2006 07:28:17 PM
Yes I agree that a good lie would have been better but the item would not have arrived any faster. So we have to assume that the seller didn't think anything of shipping in 7 days.
Maybe instead of leaving and getting a negative in return Vintage should send an "educational" email stating that she feels that she should have been told in the listing that they "were enjoying the fall colors" and when shipping could be expected.
She could ask for the difference between priority and 1st class if that was an option. Sometimes priority is the only option due to weight
posted on October 11, 2006 07:32:04 PM
I thought 7 days was acceptable under eBay's and PayPal's guidelines. If shipping terms are not stated, why would anyone assume next day shipping or shipping any time sooner than the allowable guidelines?
posted on October 11, 2006 07:51:51 PM
Sorry Vintage it wasn't you that stated they would leave a negative! But you should still email the seller and let them know that a time line would have been nice.
This has been educational for me as well due to pixie stating her desire to shop using the the "Get it Fast" Option when she needed it. I felt it was just locking me in to a time period that I may not be able to met. I always ship as soon as I can but don't want to be a slave to it.
posted on October 11, 2006 08:05:28 PM
I think maybe Fluffy is referring to me - I state in every listing that I ship once a week:
"I USUALLY SHIP ONCE A WEEK ON SATURDAYS. PAYMENTS RECEIVED AFTER 10 PM CST FRIDAY WILL BE PROCESSED THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU WILL REQUIRE EXCEPTION HANDLING AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO MEET YOUR TIME-FRAME."
My "payment received" notice restates my shipping policy and invites people to contact me if they would like their card earlier.
I tried shipping daily, bi-weekly, etc and Saturday shipping is the best for me and my business. My husband is able to help me and together we can ship out over 100 postcard orders in the morning. I spend several hours on Friday night getting prepared for shipping - printing my shipping list/packing slip, updating Vendio and printing my envelopes. Fortunately, postcard buyers usually don't need or expect their cards at any specific time and are very understanding. I would happily cancel a transaction if a buyer is not happy with my shipping policy. I can see that with other types of merchandise, particularly ones purchased as a gift, buyers would want immediate shipping.
I am going on vacation at the end of the month (ALOHA!) and I will leave my store open and post notices everywhere I can think of to let buyers know about delayed shipping.
I ship my postcard sleeves by priority mail because it's the cheapest way to ship them (flat rate)- I don't charge a handling fee. They are shipped on Saturday too unless someone says they need them earlier.
posted on October 12, 2006 05:32:33 AM
My seller's auction stated that she shipped within 2 business days.
If she had notified me that there would be a delay in shipping, I would have cut her some slack but for her to ignore me for 10 days and then expect a pat on the back? I don't think so.
posted on October 12, 2006 06:45:30 AM
I did email back that they should have a vacation notice as a courtesy to customers.
Having bought from Neglus (truly wonderful itmes), I was aware of her shipping terms and had no problem with it. She is up front and gives options.
Personally, I ship within two days of payment, sometimes less. My items are easy to ship, tho and I can drop them in any postal mail box. I understand that some items are more difficult. This was a book.
posted on October 15, 2006 12:27:10 AM
1) Won and paid for a college textbook on Aug 5th. Classes start last week of Aug. Seller waits SEVEN DAYS before taking it to the post office to ship media mail. No mention in the description there would be a delay. When I emailed to find out when it was shipped, she responded that she shipped it the day after I paid. (Another stupid seller thinking that I won’t look at the post mark). Received 4 days before classes started.
This made me laugh because it shows that you trust our postal system way too much. They are just as capable as the rest of us in making mistakes. The reason I say this is a couple of years ago, I shipped a package to a relative for X-mas which contained their gifts. I shipped by the post office deadline to get it there by evening christmas eve. Not only didn't it arrive till Dec 27th but unbelievably it was postmarked Dec 28th! Figure that one out!
I do tend to agree that there is no real excuse for delaying shipping once you have the buyer's money and a notice should always be posted if you are going to be away.I almost always shipped within 24 hours of reciept of payment. Notice I said almost always? Sometimes things happen that can delay for which the seller can't send off an email for. I had it happen the first week of this month. My mother had a heart attack at 2:30 in the morning(late Monday night, early Tuesday) and I spent the next 24 hours at the hospital ER. My buyer on an item had paid on Monday morning and his item would normally have been shipped first thing on Tuesday. Of course, that didn't happen and it was shipped on Wednesday morning and I explained to him why when I sent the shipping notification. He still gave me a positive but stated in it that shipping was slow! I'd like to show the guy what slow is! He only paid for UPS ground so it wasn't like he needed it real quick. I guess he just didn't like the idea that by shipping Wednesday it addes 2 days (the weekend) to transit time. Can't win!
posted on October 15, 2006 10:16:09 AMAnd, two words to Fluffy: Cognitive bias
I was referring to Claude's statement, not yours. I even quoted what he said.
Lots of people seem to get confused about that, here and over on that OTher WAckjob place.
If I'm responding to someone, I quote their comment. If I'm addressing the universe at large, I don't.
Don't blame me if you take amiss a comment not aimed at you specifically.
(Hmmm, who was I addressing that to, I wonder?)
Anyway, I can't think of anything easier to ship than postcards, and if you pay Neglus late Friday night, your item will not ship for a week. Actually, eight days, since it won't ship until the following Saturday. That does not mean she's a bad seller.
posted on October 15, 2006 10:38:06 AM
It would be much easier to ship postcards if eBay has a downloadable field for lot # and we could file numerically. (The only possible space now is in title and all of the title characters are needed for searchable key words). Since each postcard is unique it takes some time to locate exactly the right card to ship. Every time I pull cards, it causes wear on my inventory, so I try to keep my shipping to once a week, as stated in my listings, within eBay's and Paypal's guidelines. It takes me a day and a half each week to ship. If I shipped daily, it would take about 4 hours per day and I would have less time to list cards. Some of the cards I buy on eBay are shipped immediately, usually by low volume sellers or seller who do not specialize in postcards.
posted on October 15, 2006 11:10:51 AMSince each postcard is unique it takes some time to locate exactly the right card to ship.
That's more a function of you having a Store, than of your inventory being postcards, right?
I treat each piece of jewelry as unique even if I have three others like it. I sure don't have a bin full of each SKU. The difference is that I run auctions only, so I can go through each sequential box and either ship or relist.
I'd go nuts if I had to hunt down each piece. Don't envy you that.
posted on October 15, 2006 11:30:26 AM
I can have three of the same postcard view (I try not to but it happens with common cards), but each one varies in condition and postal history. I need seperate scans of each and have to be careful that I ship the one that was purchased. I have many similar cards. Yesterday I sold 4 cards of the redwoods and 3 cards of angels with lutes. It will take some time to pick out the right cards since the descriptions fit so many in my inventory.
posted on October 15, 2006 11:39:09 AM
pixiamom - do you keep them in the clear sleeves? If so - why not put a little sticker on each with the item number to save time searching.
posted on October 15, 2006 12:11:49 PM
If you self-host your images, using the image name as the filing sequence, the item that matches the image should be easily to find. When I'm not sure baesd on the image alone, I right click in netscape and select view image. It pulls up the exact name of the picture of the item on the hosted site, and I can go directly to the sequence in my inventory.
posted on October 15, 2006 12:33:23 PM
Ebay changes the item # when I move it to my store. Filing by image name/number is a great idea and I thought it would work when eBay added a downloadable notes field. I put the scan batch # in every listing for a week but found that when they sold, the note field disappeared. Filing by topic or city/state/country still works best for me but I'm very open to ways of making my life easier!
posted on October 15, 2006 12:59:01 PM
SKU's are great but a hassle to keep track of. I found that I need to be able to see whatever identifying information I need to find the card right on the packing slip. I don't have time to check the computer when shipping a hundred and some postcards at a time. I file by auction end date until the item is placed in my store and then I file in batches (items placed in the store at the same time) by ebay numbers. I just need to know the ebay number to find the batch and find the card. I nearly had a heart attack when they announced the new numbering system and said that numbers would be assigned randomly and not in sequence. As it turns out, the numbers are sequential. It works great for me but I just started this system about a year ago and have lots of cards filed in various other systems before that. SOMEDAY I will take the time to get it uniform...
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