Another styrofoam peanut complaint

[blhcollection]

Most of my sales are antique glassware and pottery which I wrap well in bubble wrap and cushion with peanuts.  I can go for an entire year without breakage during shipment.  I caved to FeeBays extortion and now sell with  shipping included in the price (i.e. free but not to me).  Any I have the audacity to use styrofoam peanuts to keep the shipping weight and packing costs down.  I never received negative FB for the peanuts but I am  getting tired about comments in the feedback received about using them.  I'm honestly ready to put the following in my listings "Please note that we use styrofoam peanuts to protect your merchandise and reduce shipping and packing costs.  If styrofoam peanuts bother you, please shop elsewhere."  Frankly the kind of Ebayer who would be offended by that is probably the kind that I don't need.  The amount of buyer sniveling on Ebay seems to grow every year.  BTW, I also sell on another site that also begins with the letter E and don't receive that same level sniveling.  

[12345jamesstamps]

I have seen a pretend snow day sometimes where I live sometimes...San Francisco.

The buyer does not discard the styrofoam peanuts correctly in the bin or maybe the garbage man(I prefer sanitation worker of course) carelessly empties the bin. Thus, if it is windy, we have a pretend snow day.

Stuff going down the hills in San Francisco. Imagine someone walking your dog and eating some.

Imagine a child thinking it is candy.

[lamber9347]

I agree with the amount of sniveling these past few years. I also use packing peanuts for my fragile items. Where I do a 360 from you is when you feel the need to clap back at your buyer. They actually wrote wonderful feedback to you:

called you a great seller,

said item was exactly in condition promised,

complimented you on your fast shipping,

pointed out it was a fragile item, yet you packaged it well.

Just mentioned they personally don't like the peanuts- that is all. They didn't say you were wrong for using them, just a simple comment. Your snide remark back made me not want to purchase anything from you. Best of luck to you....

[fern*wood]

Do you really get that many complaints about them?  I glanced at your feedback (first page anyway) and saw lots of packing compliments.   I did see one feedback that stood out only because of a snarky follow-up.  I get the annoyance, but I would have typed and deleted that one.   Future buyers may not appreciate the thought.

[12345jamesstamps]

I just saw the snide remark.

[krazzykats]

I dislike styrofoam peanuts too, they are messy.  So I simply reuse them as soon as possible...

but I sure wouldn't post my dislike of them on someone's feedback.

[lakefor94]

I despise packing peanuts. PITA if some/many get away from the box. 

Though, I have never complained to a seller.

It is the one packing material I do not reuse and discard.

[toomuchstuffagain35]

Some sellers use the biodegradable corn starch ones. No harm to pets or kids.

[dhbookds · Accepted solution]

Do you bag them?  I hate peanuts also, though wouldn't make comment........but when we use them, we bag and fit the bags around the item.........never got a complaint about them that way.......

[12345jamesstamps]

Didn't know that. Interesting.

Still, seeing a fake snow day is so funny...especially in my town.

Imagine driving on the way to the Golden Gate Bridge and all of a sudden these white peanuts are crossing thru a red light.

[krazzykats]

I will bag or box my items if stuffing peanuts around them. 

[richard1rst]

---

@12345jamesstamps wrote:

I have seen a pretend snow day sometimes where I live sometimes...San Francisco.

The buyer does not discard the styrofoam peanuts correctly in the bin or maybe the garbage man(I prefer sanitation worker of course) carelessly empties the bin. Thus, if it is windy, we have a pretend snow day.

Stuff going down the hills in San Francisco. Imagine someone walking your dog and eating some.

Imagine a child thinking it is candy.

---

Strikes me that in San Francisco these days you have a lot more worries about what the dog eats off the street than styrofoam peanuts.

[legalbeagle52]

I understand your feelings to some degree.  No one likes to hear anything even slightly "critical". 

I  won't use peanuts because I know many buyers dislike them, but I would never mention it myself in feedback. .... But the feedback your buyer left was basically terrific all the way around.  I would have been very happy with that!   At the end they simply tacked on their preference for not using peanuts. 

A snarky reply only makes the seller look bad.  I hit the back button when I see that.

The reply does indeed make that feedback stand out, not the feedback itself.

I once had someone leave me feedback - it was positive - but simply said COUNTERFEIT!

I had sold thousands of the item, all glowing feedback, it was so ridiculous, I ignored it & left NO reply.

Sometimes you just have to be to like Elsa and "let it go"    🙂

[reallynicestamps]

I'm honestly ready to put the following in my listings "Please note that we use styrofoam peanuts to protect your merchandise and reduce shipping and packing costs. If styrofoam peanuts bother you, please shop elsewhere."

The first sentence is good sense and will reassure sensible customers.

Don't use the second sentence. It is unnecessarily aggressive and negative.

[gloryglorygifts]

Those are great! I've used them in the past.