Things that bother me

[ap-trader]

Hi All, I've lurked long enough. Collecting for just a few years averaging about 100 purchases a month. Many from some of you folks. There's a few things I just want to get off my chest speaking from a buyers perspective. - Receiving unidentified packages - I make it a point to ask for the sellers ebay name to be included, and still I receive mystery packages. - Too much Tape - As if the package or mailer were not enough some folks just love tape. So much that it's hard to get the card unpacked sometimes. - Tape that won't come off - The kind that leaves adhesive residue on the nice hard and soft plastic sleeves included with some deliveries. - Soft mailers - Just asking for trouble, they bend, crumple. Sometimes go through the mail sorting machines even though the should not and get mangled. - Envelopes that are too small - so small that I end up cutting the soft sleeve or damaging the card just trying to get it open. Well it's turning out to be a great historical reaserch tool for me. No offense intended toward anyone in particular. I just thought I'd raise a few topics from the buyers view. Best Regards, Werner

[dmhcollectibles]

It's been posted on a number of reputable blogs. I don't doubt that it's possible that postcard listings have increased, at least in the UK. I don't think that's the case with US listings, however. US postcard sellers are leaving ebay in droves. The sell-through rate is just too low and the fees are just too high. I'm one example. So is Joyce (Riverboatqueen). We both sold a TON of postcards on ebay but neither of us lists here anymore. It just doesn't make economic sense, for me at least, when other venues are available. Diane --

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[allotment]

re "The sell-through rate is just too low and the fees are just too high. " I agree about the fees (I'd always vote for reduced cost) but disagree about the sell through rate. You have to pay for traffic and eBay still delivers quite a lot of traffic. I can think of only one competitor who comes close for traffic but when I ask other sellers about sell through rates on that site the answer in usually in the 20%'s. My first time through sell through rate on eBay is around 50% (it fluctuates by +/- 5%) which is slightly up on previous years. If I were selling topographic postcards then I'd certainly not be lingering on eBay, but other categories still seem to be doing very well. Whatever, I wish you well with your sales... Linda

[dmhcollectibles]

Linda, Here is my perspective on sell-through rates. When I first started selling postcards on ebay, my first-listing sell through rate averaged about 85%. Obviously that means only 15% didn't sell the first time I listed them. And out of that 15%, most of them would sell the second time around, without any reduction in the minimum bid amount I set. I'm sure you remember those times. It's a hard nut to swallow to see sell-through rates of even 50% now. All those fees just keep building, and the percentage of consummated sales just keep going down. You may be happy with a 50% sell through rate, but I am not, and in my opinion (humble as it is) no seller should be happy with it. That is WAY too much time and money wasted. I don't mean to offend and I apologize if I have. I'm just trying to look at this from a business perspective. And to me the prospects on ebay are dim. You're correct, ebay gets more traffic than anywhere else. To some degree that justifies their higher fees, but when a seller pays $500 per month in fees to make $400 in sales, it doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense to pay $500 in fees to make $1000 in sales. And when you take into account the cost of the postcards bought for resale, it doesn't make sense to pay $500 in fees for $2000 in sales. etc. I could deal with the low sell through rates if ebay's fees were much lower as well. For example, Delcampe's sell through rates aren't great either. But the difference is, you can make a living there because their fees are only a tiny (infintesimal actually) percentage of ebay's. In other words, their fees, unlike ebay's, are not disproportionate to the income that is possible. I'm not touting Delcampe, just using it as one of several examples I could name. --

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[allotment]

Our different views are coloured by our experiences of eBay versus elsewhere, & no two sellers are the same. For me ebay is still working out OK. It's very far from perfect. Yes the fees are stupidly high, I'd love them to charge me less, BUT eBay reliably and repeatedly attracts more customers of quality than the other sites seem able to. If you are doing well on the other site then I applaud you, I really do. I've no axe to grind, not an eBay groupie, if a credible alternative arrived tomorrow I'd welcome its arrival. I think ebay get an unfair press (sometimes they seem to invite it) when their competitors are actually doing far worse. I'd love to see some real comparison figures. My ebay sell through rates are there for all to see, an average 50% of auctions selling first time through for several years, higher at this time of year and a bit lower in the summer months. I don't make a fortune but I operate at a profit. I've looked at sales rates versus selling costs on the other site and, for me, they don't make a lot of sense. It's seems like the old argument of would you rather have a large slice of close to nothing versus a small slice of something. If you could point me in the direction of some sellers getting good sales returns on the other site then I'd be really interested to find out how they are achieving it. I wish you well with your sales and all the very best for 2010. Linda

[papel1]

I am using social networking for listing, referring my Ebay auctions. I have found that my hits are really up by using twitter and facebook. I have had no luck selling on Bonanzle. Also keeping active with my blog has helped. I decided to become an amazon affiliate and link their books to the blog. Then I get a little commission. I linked some books about postcards. As this is a hobby for me I really enjoy the social networking. Happy New Year http://judyspostcardsplus.blogspot.com/ -- ***...***Judy***...***

[riverboatqueen51]

BRRRRR its Cold here in Texas! I think sales are crummy everywhere but I have noticed some big and well known sellers moving some stock to Ecrater. From what I have observed their main store is Delcampe but Ecrater does a great job getting items into Google Shopping. Now off to warm up my hands, our houses are not made for cold weather and I'm freezing. Joyce -- Postcards of all ages For all ages!

[dmhcollectibles]

I agree, Joyce. And they're predicting SNOW here in central Florida tomorrow! A very rare event that might happen once every hundred years or so! I'm getting out hubby's camera if it does. (then we'll sell the pictures!) Diane --

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[riverboatqueen51]

Stay warm Diane, I know Florida houses are not made for cold weather either! My shawl is my friend :^O I look like I'm 100 years old but I don't care. Joyce -- Postcards of all ages For all ages!

[dmhcollectibles]

shawl hmph. I'm wearing two sweatshirts, two pairs of socks and two pairs of sweatpants, and I'm covered up from head to toe by a comforter. And I'm still cold. Stay safe and warm, Joyce. Me, I'm not even playing golf, and you KNOW that's saying something! D --

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[riverboatqueen51]

thanks for the fashion tips Diane LOL, I'll give it a try as it is only 23 degrees here tonight. Joyce -- Postcards of all ages For all ages!

[dmhcollectibles]

Our low temperature at night hasn't even gotten UP to 23 for almost a week now! --

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[ap-trader]

Hi All - I have a strange situation that I would appreciate some collective wisdom on. This past week I received 4 envelopes from different sellers that were flagged as "postage due" by my post office. I paid up (about $2 total) and didn't think much of it until I examined he packages. They were all posted with meter strips directly from the originating PO. They are not, as one would think, incorrectly 'stamped' by the sender. So it looks like the PO is saying they are double dipping - they bill the sender and then hold the package hostage until the recipient forks over more money. Has anyone encountered this or have a rational explanation? Wb

[daveypn]

Need to see 'em really. Before you throw the contents check the total weights. Maybe your local PO just had an audit of weight/sizes and charged all the underpaid items they found? Paul

[ap-trader]

I don t see underpayment as the issue - t was the Postal Service itself that determined the postage in the first place. That to me is a service contract with the sender. It was paid for and they are responsible for delivering it at the price they determined. No reason why I should have to pay additional at the receiving end or have the package held hostage. Wb

[daveypn]

If you really think it's incorrect, complain to whatever the US equivalent to the UK Customer Service Department is. Explain the problem with copies of the "evidence" and see what they say. In the UK they are quite fair in my experience Paul