I'm done buying from small-time sellers on eBay

[uzumakey]

What is UP with small-time sellers these days? Pretty livid right now. I just received a package I've been eagerly awaiting all week, from a smaller seller with 100% feedback. Their photos were good and well-lit, item description was on point. Tracking showed delivered today so I went to retrieve my package and...

The seller shipped in a used Little Debbie's box wrapped in a plastic shopping bag. They stuck the label on the bag and somehow USPS delivered this mess. I was hoping the items inside would be fine, but they're covered in cat hair and dust and one of the bottles is only 90% full even though the lot was described as "new." 

What a disgusting way to send a package - I have a cat myself and now I'm grossed out about transferring some strange animal's germs onto her. I'm a seller myself and none of my items go out with a single cat hair on them. They're always neatly wrapped in new bubble wrap and sent out in a new poly bubble mailer or a clean box. 

This isn't even the first time this has happened - the last time I purchased from a smaller seller, I received the item in a used Pringles can, covered in salt and crumbs. Seriously what is WRONG with sellers on here? I normally buy in several categories - clothing, books, cosmetics - and I've had bad experiences in all three when I buy from domestic sellers with smaller inventories. Most of the time what I get is either gross and unsanitary like this recent purchase, or it's merely adequate. The only times I've been happy with my purchases in the past couple years has been when I've bought from Korean or Japanese sellers - these items are sent boxed, new and neatly wrapped. 

I'm just so sick of this happening with US sellers, and done buying anything domestically, new or used. With experiences like this it's NO WONDER the good buyers on here are leaving in droves and we're left with scammers and cheapskates with lowball offers.

[7606dennis]

It appears from your feedback page that you were once a seller but are now just a buyer.  I'm not sure how big a seller you were, but it appears that you're complaining about people that are roughly similar to yourself.

Of course, I do agree that no matter how small of a seller one is, they should present a professional image in their packaging and shipping procedures.  That is one of the reasons that I could never embrace the whole recycling of shipping supplies mindset.  Alas!  Too many have taken things to extreme. 

[uzumakey]

I have four selling accounts that I use to sell different types of items. I started this one in particular to sell items that showed visible use - it was basically a throwaway account since you never know how a buyer is going to respond to an item that is very visibly pre-owned, no matter how well you describe it. I learned early on with this account that pre-owned items that aren't in great condition are better off donated to Goodwill than hoarded in the hopes they'll sell "someday" on eBay.

I sell primarily on two accounts - one with 800+ positive feedback, and another more active account with a couple hundred feedback where I made TRS. I would never think to post on these forums on my selling accounts because as you've proven, posters on here are quick to run through all your feedback and your inventory. You never know who you're going to run into on these boards, so I use my throwaway account to post. Obviously it's not good for much else. 

[mysalonsavings]

Wow I find it hard to believe anyone would actually ship an item in a little Debbie's box or a pringles can. I would never even consider, or even think of such a thing! I don't think shipping supplies should be reused. I mean a seller can buy really nice shipping supplies on here for very little. I get most of mine from Ebay. Come on sellers be professional. Buy decent supplies. Make you buyers feel loved. 😁

[7606dennis]

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@uzumakey wrote:

I have four selling accounts that I use to sell different types of items. I started this one in particular to sell items that showed visible use - it was basically a throwaway account since you never know how a buyer is going to respond to an item that is very visibly pre-owned, no matter how well you describe it. I learned early on with this account that pre-owned items that aren't in great condition are better off donated to Goodwill than hoarded in the hopes they'll sell "someday" on eBay.

I sell primarily on two accounts - one with 800+ positive feedback, and another more active account with a couple hundred feedback where I made TRS. I would never think to post on these forums on my selling accounts because as you've proven, posters on here are quick to run through all your feedback and your inventory. You never know who you're going to run into on these boards, so I use my throwaway account to post. Obviously it's not good for much else. 

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I agree that posting with an active selling account is somewhat unwise.

[7606dennis]

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@mysalonsavings wrote:
Wow I find it hard to believe anyone would actually ship an item in a little Debbie's box or a pringles can. I would never even consider, or even think of such a thing! I don't think shipping supplies should be reused. I mean a seller can buy really nice shipping supplies on here for very little. I get most of mine from Ebay. Come on sellers be professional. Buy decent supplies. Make you buyers feel loved. 😁

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I've heard horror stories over the years like used pizza boxes to ship an LP.    I agree that sellers need to be professional in their business dealings.  Alas!  Not all are.

[divwido]

I got a $ 200 plate wrapped between two fast food cup holders.   My recycling trash can gets filled every time I get a package.

[mysalonsavings]

😳

[repair1techj]

Your lucky to receive your packages.

Who pays for the shipping supplies? Does ____?

Please recycle but don't use food boxes for items.

What is wrong with reusing bubble wrap, bubble mailers and boxes that are in good shape?

Good luck paying for all the shipping supplies that gets trashed any way.

[uzumakey]

If the bar on eBay is set so low that I should be grateful just because items I bought and paid for were delivered, I'd rather shop elsewhere.

And who pays for shipping supplies? The buyer. You fold that fee into your item price or what you charge them to ship. What's funny is that in this particular instance (and the Pringles can fiasco), I was charged full-price shipping.

Personally I don't recycle shipping supplies unless they're boxes, and they're clean and show no signs of use. If I were a buyer spending my hard-earned money on something, I don't want to get it in a dingy box covered in layers of old packing tape then padded with tired, twice-used bubble wrap. Most of the items I sell are brand new, and I want buyers to have the same experience opening my packages as they do when they buy something from a larger online retailer. I certainly don't want to give off the vibe that I'm a thrift store or, in the case of my seller, than I use items from my trash can to wrap their purchases.

[mysalonsavings]

I really don't think mailer should be reused. You can purchase bubble mailer and boxes extremely cheap her on ebay. For priority you can get all sizes of boxes free from the post office. If you are going to be a seller that is just the cost of doing business. Include the cost in your prices.

[repair1techj]

I can see your point. But you came on here complaining about all of us small time sellers as being bad. I spend my hard earn money and time on packaging supplies.

You get the gold and I get the cast iron. Time to raise my prices no sales.

[gew6463]

I have purchased from sellers whose items were acceptable, but the packaging/protection was not. I know there are those who will say if it arrives undamaged, that should be enough. Personally, it's not enough for me. If I have to clean off grime, animal hair, questionable human hair (not going into detail), or bugs...that's not acceptable. I may not return the item, but they definitely won't get a return customer. 

During some slow times of the year, return customers have literally kept my head above water sales-wise. Buyers  want their item as described, but also packed carefully and in a sanitary manner (do we really need to state the last point?...yes, some sellers seem to think an item arriving clean is purely optional ). And many buyers reward that with coming back for more. Some sellers don't seem to give any thought to that. At least it would appear that way by how poorly they pack their item.

OP, this is a case where it seems leaving feedback that reflects packaging/cleanliness would be appropriate. Occasionally I will consider bidding on an auction, only to see (while checking seller's feedback) that another buyer mentioned "smoke odor" or "arrived dirty", causing me to move along (odor not having been mentioned elsewhere by the seller). I'm not saying to leave them a negative, but I would at least leave a neutral mentioning the lack of proper packaging & animal hair (some people are highly allergic to this) as a help to future buyers.

I don't want to harm the business of a smaller seller, but they really are harming it themselves by not taking more care. So this can help bring to their attention that buyers expect more, and may help them to improve their methods. I would show a little grace by leaving a neutral, but it will still make a point. **Revision: I just noticed that you mentioned the bottle not being full, which is another issue additionally..regardless, the choice is yours on feedback/return, but just adding my 2cents otherwise **

[gew6463]

Just one more thing...to be fair, as the member right before my comment mentioned, there are many small sellers that do take great care with packing their items. I've had not-so-great experiences with both big & small sellers, and great experiences with both as well. It really comes down to the individual seller, responsible for their own choices & actions. No offense meant to any particular class of seller, or the OP.

[myangelandmyprincess]

I’m a small seller.  I put clothes in a clear bag tape it closed with pretty tape and then right now I have yellow polymailers with daisies on them.   We aren’t all bad.   I don’t think I’ll have to buy more mailers before I quit hoping not