eBay

urdi27 · ‎11-20-2015

This is a rant, aka politically incorrect string of words. Now you've been warned.

I am selling out my clothing. As mentioned in another thread, it's a part of the process of becoming minimalist.

Most of worn garments have already been donated, selling only name brands, new or like new.

I try to get all the measurements in the listing, also describe as best I can.

Each piece of clothing is put out on my screened porch overnight to air out and make sure there are no smells of my closet on it.

Also, when packaging, I always stick a drier sheet in the garment, with fresh ocean breeze smell.

I pack in brand new silk paper, which I purchase at a local store, and ship Priority even when stated Standard.

I add a "Thank you" card, also purchased retail price.

Selling relatively cheap, always cheapest among same items listed, probably annoying other Sellers, because I dont have a profit margin at this point, just a margin of how little I am willing to get paid for inspecting, preparing for shipping, packing, investing in bubble wrap, silk paper, gas and my time. Basically, do I want to sell for a lollipop worth net or not.

I have also sold some art and other designer no clothing items, never any problems, only happy Buyers.

On the contrary, selling clothes has already got me to a point of wanting to stuff everything in a bag, donate all together and sleep in peace.

How do you manage selling clothes? I must say I am stunned over the experience, and greatly respectfull to Sellers who sells clothing on eBay on regular basis.

So, I have already had 2 INAD returns of Free People dresses, mind you: never worn, which I know for sure since these are my own clothes.

The reasons for returns are what I find so stunning:

- A distressed, mineral washed Free People dress, NWOT, never worn. INAD reason: "Looks washed." Hello?!

Not a good reason? "Oh, then it smells bad and has pet hair on it." (What pet? What smell?)

- A cut out, NWOT, never worn Free People dress.

Return reason: "Doesn't feet like on the model."

Doesn't fit like on the model, Sweetheart? Do you have a mirror at home...visited your bathroom scale lately?

Not a good reason? "Oh, then it is not as pictured, the back part is shorter than pictured" Checkmate.

Now getting ridiculous offers on a listing WITHOUT Best Offer of $400.00 Ivan Grundahl jacket.

Asking $55 plus shipping (previously 65 and free shipping), getting offers of $50 with free shipping.

Are people out of their minds? Is this a Flea Market? Are Sellers viewed as a bunch of desperados?

I used to run a cosmetic store for many years, so I am used to "Find me a lipstick that will change my life" expectations, but I had at least the option of not taking returns once something had been used, and accepting returns on unopened items didn't cost me a load of money. This situation here on eBay is like taken straight out of a Kafka novel.

I have now started listing the clothes as worn and in need of cleaning, even taking the tags off.

I will remove all the model photos on NWT clothes, also understate every clothing item in the listing, feel even tempted to write: "May smell, may look worn and dirty, may have pet hair, beer stains and what not" in an attempt to protect myself from bottom feeders scammers, though surely there would still be something to complaint about no matter what.

But really, at this point I don't care anymore about not receiving negs, will just sell as much as I can before my feedback gets ruined, no more bending forward and backward for no brain no pain reasons so that the remorsed Buyer can save his precious 5 bucks in return shipping without ethical remorses.

Just wonder, where other Sellers find the patience and the professionalism to sell clothes in the long run and to deal with this kind???

End of rant.

nhfd4976 · ‎11-23-2015

90% of my sales are clothing I get at Goodwill and thrift stores and my feedback rating is 100% and a TRS. I had a few customers say the clothing does not fit even though the tag says what the size is and they retun it as does not fit so I do not get dinged. I put in my lsiting if there is anything wrong with the items.

hollytreasurehunter · ‎11-23-2015

urdi27 - I'd forgotten about an incident until reading your skirt/consignment issue. I used to take things to a local consigment shop. My daughter worked for a high-end boutique at that time. They sold very unique & pricey items but she got a great discount and the items were high quality. This particular shop would donate your items if they hadn't sold after a certain amount of time but you could opt out if you wanted to come go through the store to find you items.

I opted out & would rather give what didn't sell to who I wanted so I would go in & find my things. There were a few times I went in & couldn't find the things they said didn't sell - they said they couldn't find the either. I would take in a large amount at a time so I'd just let it go.

One day I stopped in for a pay-out & to find my things before the time was up. What happened - there's hardly words to describe. I was on very friendly terms with the owner, who was behind the counter. I ask to see the book that lists what hadn't sold so I could find my stuff. She gives it to me but seems nervous. I'd earlier brought in some very expensive jeans, retailed for hundreds that I didn't want "disappearing".

I see in the book that they aren't marked sold. I turn to go find my stuff, she comes out from behind the counter. She's wearing a pair of the jeans..........that are marked as unsold................................She knows I know............these are VERY unique jeans......................there wouldn't be another pair in the area................she's soooo busted 😉 I'm laughing now thinking of it but I was dumbstruck at the time.

She's stammering, it was just awkward. She'd meant to mark them/call me/would I take 'x' amount for them/ etc. Thankfully I was dumbstruck & held my tongue.

I let her buy them. I haven't been back since.

It reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where the owners of the dry cleaning store are wearing their customers clothes 🙂

expaik · ‎11-23-2015

@hollytreasurehunter wrote:
@urdi27 - I'd forgotten about an incident until reading your skirt/consignment issue. I used to take things to a local consigment shop. My daughter worked for a high-end boutique at that time. They sold very unique & pricey items but she got a great discount and the items were high quality. This particular shop would donate your items if they hadn't sold after a certain amount of time but you could opt out if you wanted to come go through the store to find you items.

I opted out & would rather give what didn't sell to who I wanted so I would go in & find my things. There were a few times I went in & couldn't find the things they said didn't sell - they said they couldn't find the either. I would take in a large amount at a time so I'd just let it go.

One day I stopped in for a pay-out & to find my things before the time was up. What happened - there's hardly words to describe. I was on very friendly terms with the owner, who was behind the counter. I ask to see the book that lists what hadn't sold so I could find my stuff. She gives it to me but seems nervous. I'd earlier brought in some very expensive jeans, retailed for hundreds that I didn't want "disappearing".

I see in the book that they aren't marked sold. I turn to go find my stuff, she comes out from behind the counter. She's wearing a pair of the jeans..........that are marked as unsold................................She knows I know............these are VERY unique jeans......................there wouldn't be another pair in the area................she's soooo busted 😉 I'm laughing now thinking of it but I was dumbstruck at the time.

She's stammering, it was just awkward. She'd meant to mark them/call me/would I take 'x' amount for them/ etc. Thankfully I was dumbstruck & held my tongue.

I let her buy them. I haven't been back since.

It reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where the owners of the dry cleaning store are wearing their customers clothes 🙂

I would have done the community a favor by filing a report to the BBB and posting reviews on Yelp and NextDoor warning people away from the shop.

gentle_offers · ‎11-23-2015

@hollytreasurehunter wrote:
@urdi27 - I'd forgotten about an incident until reading your skirt/consignment issue. I used to take things to a local consigment shop. My daughter worked for a high-end boutique at that time. They sold very unique & pricey items but she got a great discount and the items were high quality. This particular shop would donate your items if they hadn't sold after a certain amount of time but you could opt out if you wanted to come go through the store to find you items.

I opted out & would rather give what didn't sell to who I wanted so I would go in & find my things. There were a few times I went in & couldn't find the things they said didn't sell - they said they couldn't find the either. I would take in a large amount at a time so I'd just let it go.

One day I stopped in for a pay-out & to find my things before the time was up. What happened - there's hardly words to describe. I was on very friendly terms with the owner, who was behind the counter. I ask to see the book that lists what hadn't sold so I could find my stuff. She gives it to me but seems nervous. I'd earlier brought in some very expensive jeans, retailed for hundreds that I didn't want "disappearing".

I see in the book that they aren't marked sold. I turn to go find my stuff, she comes out from behind the counter. She's wearing a pair of the jeans..........that are marked as unsold................................She knows I know............these are VERY unique jeans......................there wouldn't be another pair in the area................she's soooo busted 😉 I'm laughing now thinking of it but I was dumbstruck at the time.

She's stammering, it was just awkward. She'd meant to mark them/call me/would I take 'x' amount for them/ etc. Thankfully I was dumbstruck & held my tongue.

I let her buy them. I haven't been back since.

It reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where the owners of the dry cleaning store are wearing their customers clothes 🙂

wow. That story is awful. Reminds me of when I was a kid and I put a pink silk raincoat on layaway. (Makes me laugh just thinking I ever wore a pink silk raincoat.) Anway, I came into the store - saw the raincoats on a sale rack and then was distracted by a friend and exited. When I came back in all the raincoats had disappeared. The reason? Layaway at that store honored dscounts whel you were on layaway so they didnt want me to know when I came in to pay. They could have had a good customer in me as I have aways been clothes mad. Frankly, they blew it and so did your store owner lady. Oh yeah, I got the discount and they got their last sale from me.. So sad. ;-( Not.

hollytreasurehunter · ‎11-23-2015

expaik - I wouldn't have thought to do that re: Yelp etc. I just looked them up on Yelp after reading your post. I seldom go in their direction anymore so I wasn't sure if they were even still in business. The reviews that they have are not favorable.

gentle_offers - I'm sure your pink coat was beautiful! Layaway, hadn't thought of that in ages. It used to be so common - I think credit cards helped to end it's popularity. Why wait when you can have it now. When my dad passed the attorney handling the estate was astonished that my dad didn't & had never had a credit card. Dad was a firm believer that if you didn't have the money for whatever, you save until you do. Layaway was a good alternative. Another jean story but re: layaway 😉

I came from a large family, 7 kids. If we wanted extras, we had to pay for them so I always had a job even in my early teens. I'd put a pair of jeans on layaway & was excited when I had the money for my last payment. My mom let my older sister use her Volvo to take me to pick them up. I only include the car make because thankfully we were in it - I recall something said w/their frames being extra durable. We picked the jeans up but ended up getting into a terrible accident. We rolled over many times & I was thrown out the window. We were banged/cut up but no major injury. A week or so after the accident we went to the salvage yard to see the car & retrieve belongings. Lucky to be alive so this is so miniscule, someone had stole the pair of jeans I'd worked so hard to get & made payments on for so long.

Oh well & I was just happy to be alive after seeing the car. I came across a pic of it the other day. I remember someone saying the frame of that car saved our lives & given how many times it rolled over we should have been crushed.

expaik · ‎11-23-2015

Goodness. I can see why you have developed that admirable temperament of not sweating the small stuff.

gentle_offers · ‎11-23-2015

@hollytreasurehunter wrote:
@expaik - I wouldn't have thought to do that re: Yelp etc. I just looked them up on Yelp after reading your post. I seldom go in their direction anymore so I wasn't sure if they were even still in business. The reviews that they have are not favorable.

@gentle_offers - I'm sure your pink coat was beautiful! Layaway, hadn't thought of that in ages. It used to be so common - I think credit cards helped to end it's popularity. Why wait when you can have it now. When my dad passed the attorney handling the estate was astonished that my dad didn't & had never had a credit card. Dad was a firm believer that if you didn't have the money for whatever, you save until you do. Layaway was a good alternative. Another jean story but re: layaway 😉

I came from a large family, 7 kids. If we wanted extras, we had to pay for them so I always had a job even in my early teens. I'd put a pair of jeans on layaway & was excited when I had the money for my last payment. My mom let my older sister use her Volvo to take me to pick them up. I only include the car make because thankfully we were in it - I recall something said w/their frames being extra durable. We picked the jeans up but ended up getting into a terrible accident. We rolled over many times & I was thrown out the window. We were banged/cut up but no major injury. A week or so after the accident we went to the salvage yard to see the car & retrieve belongings. Lucky to be alive so this is so miniscule, someone had stole the pair of jeans I'd worked so hard to get & made payments on for so long.

Oh well & I was just happy to be alive after seeing the car. I came across a pic of it the other day. I remember someone saying the frame of that car saved our lives & given how many times it rolled over we should have been crushed.

I see it still advertised. Tthe raincoat wasnt exaclty top drawer stuff nor was it a top drawer store - more like Macy's is today. eBay and a lot of other places have some kind of payments offer that seems similar. But it was beyond my purse at the time and I WANTED IT. Lol.

Volvos are great solid cars so your parents put their money where it mattered. Smart!

myalyas · ‎11-23-2015

I'm not a regular seller but I've had 2 Junior jackets listed for several weeks and finally decided to accept best offers. What a joke! I was asking $20 for BIN and have gotten the most ridiculous offers imaginable! I finally decided to just end both listings. Ebay used to be a decent place to sell and buy, but now it just seems like one big scam. Who can scam who first.

princessfashionstudio · ‎11-30-2015

Try selling on other venues.

There have been many items sitting in my ebay store for five to six years. In fact, I stop buying clothes to sell on ebay. The only clothes I get now are items from relatives, since I can't afford to buy anyting if my current items aren't selling. I call these items dead inventory.

They sold within a few days to a few months on a few other venues. I was so shocked!

From that point on, I've been registering with more venues. That's how I get more exposure.

princessfashionstudio · ‎11-30-2015

Sorry about that typo -- "anyting" means anything.

Spell check didn't catch that at first.

amxjewel · ‎12-04-2015

I saw in your descriptions that you do not ship to PO Box addresses. May I ask why not? I live in one of those small town areas where the local Post Office does not have home delivery. It is even a problem with home delivery by UPS and FedEx. A PO Box address is very secure and very safe.

urdi27 · ‎12-04-2015

Honestly, I guess the paranoia of having the shipping closed as "Delivered" just in case, rather than "Available for pickup" has got me.

Thanks for making me aware there are places without USPS delivery. Does "Available for pickup" count same as "Delivered" in case of INR?

hautechic · ‎12-12-2015

Hi urdi27, I feel you on all the stupid stuff people do.

I just had a scammer start in on one of the vince dresses they bought from me that didn't have any tags in it but I had others of the same exact style with tags, they started out okay in their messages saying how they weren't sure it was real because it didn't have tags or washing instructions and might return it because it's not real and they knew how important feedback is to seller. I reminded the buyer that the listing states that some items have all tag removed, ebay has a record of my purchase invoice because of another person questioning the authenticity and sent pictures of tags from the exact dress in a different color for reference of care. When that didn't work the messages got more idiotic, I knew where this buyer was going from the very first "nice" message by the wording of it. It all boils down to they were trying to blackmail me into giving them 20% back to keep the dress and not leave negative feedback. I only responded twice through the whole thing, the first time with the pictures and the last with return policy listed. Nothing personal or emotional, that's how they suck you in is to get you to say something they can use against you. They are scammers and they do this with a lot of sellers who give in, just the same as the low balling. Ignore them, you could even block them if you want, they aren't going to buy anything anyway if you don't give in to their demand for you to bow down to their pricing.

You will always have those people lurking around, I say people-not buyers because they won't ever buy anything for real, so don't put anything like the "might smell or have wear" in your listing if it doesn't actually have a smell or wear as that might deter true buyers. Plus if you list that, you will always have someone who find something beyond what you have listed. They are seasoned veterans at the ebay and real life scamming game and will always know how to one up you here and elsewhere. If it smells-list that, if it doesn't-then don't list it. Don't let these numbskull's dictate how you run your business. I sometimes use the "send an offer directly to buyer" if they message me with a sound offer, but the others I just ignore or send a generic, almost clinical, pre-typed message saying there is no best offer on this item. I am absolutely not the seller I was when I started on ebay, I don't care about ebay as a company anymore, I don't care what they think, I'm not scared of negative feedback because I'm not doing anything wrong. It's about giving my buyers and myself an easy purchase experience, getting my items sold at a price I'm okay with and not stressing about what "they" think or threaten to do. I have ocd and am always changing stuff around but not nearly as much as I use to because I stopped caring about ebay as a company as they weren't recipricating. Point is, do your thing honestly and you can hold your head up, even when the creeps come around and ebay gives in to the scam.

End of my own personnal rant

hautechic · ‎12-12-2015

I agree. With p.o. boxes you know the package is right were it should be or the p.o. staff have to be responsible. No worrying if a neighbor or stranger picked it up off the porch or lobby.

tx_tornado · ‎12-13-2015

Have you ever tried Tradesy? I use them now for designer items and since I started, I haven't had one return. The volume is less than ebay's and it's not an auction site, but I think you would find it more user friendly for your type of items.