posted on November 15, 2007 10:13:06 PM new
Had a customer today that warrants a bit of a rant - so I can consider this some needed therapy, sharing with you, fellow merchants who can relate. The outcome will be a less accomodating nature for the next few customers asking for a discount - that's for sure.
This customer made a low offer on 3 items today, but we finally agreed on a price for each... and she even says "-plus shipping, of course" as part of the negotiation.
I provided a discount on the combined shipping that amounted to about $17.00 off the items and shipping from the individual item prices and individual shipping costs to 3 separate customers
Then - I get an e-mail: "I think the shipping is high - and why do you charge tax..." And, she ended with a comment about coming to make the purchase at our "store" since she only lives about 30 minutes away. I cut another $3.00 off (that would have covered the eBay and PayPal fees). Since she lives in the same state, we just have an obligation to be the tax collector - sorry...
We end up making just a few dollars on this transaction for brand new gift items - packed in a new, large box with new packaging materials. She will no doubt ding us on those damn stars rating for the cost of shipping to her, too.
So, I hope for their sake that the next customer asking for a concession is prepared - or I hope I calm down before that one comes in. It's probably a good thing that eBay only provides for so few characters when responding to Best Offers, huh?
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
posted on November 16, 2007 03:51:56 AM new
Best offer is the worst eBay idea yet. If you have junk you want to sell for next to nothing take it to the local flea market at least you will get cash. If your stuff is not junk why listen to stupid offers.
posted on November 16, 2007 08:53:21 AM new
I love best offers. But you aren't require to take offers - just put in the price you want and let it ride .... and ride and ride.
No seriously I've gotten ridiculous offers followed by great offers in the same day - I love it. Just last night I got a fair offer of $55 for an item and before I could even read it the item sold for the full price of $79 to another buyer.
Wayne I think your customer was unreasonable but I wouldn't worry about it - we all get those customers from time to time. Just think of it as 3 items sold that maybe wouldn't have!
posted on November 16, 2007 09:30:29 AM new
That's exactly the attitude I take, ladyjewels2000.
I've also had the same thing happen where one clown offers something ridiculously low (which I have filtered on most items now so that items below a certain amount get automatically rejected)... and then someone pays full price for it.
I recently had one where I had an offer from a buyer that I was seriously entertaining for about 15 minutes. While I was writing the response - accepting about $150 less than full value (but still a substantial profit) -- that same buyer went and paid full price. He has since purchased other items after I spoke with him... and his rationale was "If I wanted it - I had better get it or someone else could get it..."
It had been in our store for about 60 days already and we hadn't had even a nibble on it yet... He was very happy with it and told me "Is it worth what I paid... I don't know, but I do know I have it and no one else does. That's all that matters to me."
I consider the Best Offers as though they're potential customers who come into our store... and look around. Very few today would think of asking a retail store "Is this the best price?" I wonder if it happened more often when you could identify who the store owner was and you were dealing with the final decision maker? Today, often store managers aren't empowered to make pricing decisions ourside of prescribed rules.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
posted on November 16, 2007 10:54:25 AM new
Makes me wonder how many times you have taken the offer and it would have sold for full price in a few hours.
I guess it would depend on what you are selling. I sell mostly top of the line tools and collectible tools that are hard to replace. If I sold new stuff that could easily be replaced I would probably sell as long as I made money.
posted on November 16, 2007 11:02:39 AM new
toolhound - don't let my husband find you on ebay. He collects old tools too. He wouldn't want a new tool if they gave it to him. Same with stereo stuff. the only problem is he won't let me resale any of his stuff. lol
posted on November 16, 2007 11:56:11 AM new
Tooly,
I don't make it a practice to accept offers on anything running at auction. I completely agree with you. The only offers I accept are for items that are in our store that have been there for more than 30 days.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
posted on November 16, 2007 12:16:08 PM new
I've said this before: Best Offer is an excellent way to reward your repeat customers, as well as do precise segmenting based on their average orders.
We put Best Offer on just about all our fixed price items. Why? Because if Tricia Trustfund, who spends $500 a week with us, wants to make us an offer on something, odds are I will accept her offer happily. It's a Good Customer discount. Tricia Trustfund is a high value customer.
On the other hand, if Patsy Pinchpenny, who wins one 99 cent auction a week every week, makes me an offer on something, I probably won't give her more than a 10% discount. Patsy is a repeat customer but not a high value one.
This is segmenting: Putting your customers in categories and tailoring your offer to each category. Catalogue marketers do it all the time.
