Accessory items at additional cost?

[brecs]

(Brand new seller)

I ran across a listing in which the Item Description included, "For an additional cost, we can also supply [types of accessories to listed item]."

That would be useful for an item I expect to list soon. Some buyers may already have certain accessories, and some may not. A conditional offer as exemplified by the quote above would be useful. Is it really doable? If so, how would it work?

[hartungcards]

The accessories would have to be available as separate listings, which the buyer could choose to include with their order.

[brecs]

I figured it would have to be something like that. In the instance which motivated my question, the seller -- a long-time 100%-positive seller with listings all in the $three-to-four-digits -- has no such separate listings for the types of accessories mentioned. I have no reason to believe the seller is attempting anything underhanded, but rather is just unaware that their generic offer is not doable. Maybe that text was pasted after copying from the seller's non-eBay sales material.

Would it be eBay-legal for the buyer to request such an accessory, and then for the seller to create the listing pursuant to the request?

[hartungcards · Accepted solution]

Yes, it happens all the time.  Why not just list the accessories anyway, somebody might just buy the accessories.  Then you don't have to create new listings if your buyer wants them, they're already done, and your buyer can see them right away.

[bashort]

For items that I sell a lot of I will put a link in the description that says " More this widget parts and accessories" or something like that, then link it to the appropriate ebay store category 

[brecs]

(I accidentally clicked "Best Answer" on this reply, rather than on your first reply; don't see a way to change it.)

The answer to "why not" is...

--I am not in the business of selling; this will my first (and possibly last) listing;

--I will be listing an item of equipment, for ~$2,500, that is surplus to my needs;

--The most significant accessory is available only from the item's manufacturer, at $500+; I don't have one that is surplus to my needs. To offer it either as included with the primary item, or as a separate listing, I'd have to buy it.

I'm thinking I'd like to start by listing only the primary item, with info in the listing as to source(s) of the accessories, such as the primary item's manufacturer for the most significant one, and, e.g., Amazon for a couple of others. Can I do that?

[duffy4444]

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@hartungcards wrote:

Yes, it happens all the time.  Why not just list the accessories anyway, somebody might just buy the accessories.  Then you don't have to create new listings if your buyer wants them, they're already done, and your buyer can see them right away.

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   What @hartungcards  says is correct, and is worth pursuing!

   I'll go a step further and add that in the listing, the OP may want to include a blurb about the accessories and put in an HTML link to those eBay accessories listings, that the buyer can simply click on, purchase, and add to their order. They even save a bit on postage by combining them (easiest when the buyer uses eBay's shopping cart). I do this with a majority of my listings to encourage my customers to find related items and purchase in one shipment.... I've been doing this quite successfully for years. I often even give my customers a surprise rebate on non-free shipping costs by combining the orders. Good customers don't forget what you do for them, and often become repeat customers.

   A clickable link to other eBay items in one's listings is a simple HTML creation that takes only a few moments to produce, and can later be copied and modified for inclusion into fixed-price  listings. There are simple HTML tutorials and examples for those who don't know how to do it.  I'm not sure if such links are successfully used on auction-style listings, as I haven't used auctions here in over 22 years. Maybe someone else here knows.

Cheers, Duffy

[toomuchstuffagain35]

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@brecs wrote:

(I accidentally clicked "Best Answer" on this reply, rather than on your first reply; don't see a way to change it.)

The answer to "why not" is...

--I am not in the business of selling; this will my first (and possibly last) listing;

--I will be listing an item of equipment, for ~$2,500, that is surplus to my needs;

--The most significant accessory is available only from the item's manufacturer, at $500+; I don't have one that is surplus to my needs. To offer it either as included with the primary item, or as a separate listing, I'd have to buy it.

I'm thinking I'd like to start by listing only the primary item, with info in the listing as to source(s) of the accessories, such as the primary item's manufacturer for the most significant one, and, e.g., Amazon for a couple of others. Can I do that?

---

No, you won't be able to do that as ebay would see that (rightly so) as sending buyers off site purchase the accessories YOU don't have on hand.

[hartungcards]

You can do that, but.....why?  Are you getting a finder's fee from the primary manufacturer and /or Amazon for the accessories?  If not, let them advertise their own stuff, and let the buyer figure that one out for themselves.  Sounds to me like once you've sold the primary item, your work is done.

[duffy4444]

   Stating this is a one-time deal kind of negates my previous statement about adding HTML links. But it's also a good comment for others that may see this thread and be interested in improving their listings by cross-referencing.

   Be careful of listing a $2500 item! eBay is NEVER  a place to take that kind of risk!

   With such a low feedback number, you will have a target on your back for all the scammers to see. You may run the risk of losing the item in addition to your payment for it on a shipping/return/credit card chargeback scam that eBay caves into all the time.

   Read down a few hundred posts on this forum to see the heartbreak and fury over becoming a scam victim by listing such higher-value items online here. Ebay would probably not have your back if you were to fall to one of the many very intelligent and devious scams designed to get a freebie at your expense.

Cheers, Duffy

[brecs]

The buyer may be a first-time user of this type of equipment, so I'm trying to be helpful instead of letting them "figure that one out for themselves" -- that this info might inspire trust in a first-time seller and help sell the item.

Can I merely list the categories of required accessories without mentioning (a) source(s)? Maybe a list of what is not included with the listed item?

[hartungcards]

A list of what is not included with the listed item is a great idea, and may well head off an Item Not as Described claim which you're likely to get anyway as a new seller with an expensive item.  Anything else is a complete waste of your time, and only detracts from what you are selling.  Don't confuse your buyers with irrelevant information, most buyers have a hard enough time understanding what it is you are selling.  Never overestimate buyers' reading comprehension skills and/or attention spans.  Keep it simple.

[brecs]

Sigh. I don't -- after diligent search -- know of any venue other than eBay for selling this item. It's a specialized piece of medical testing equipment for which there are few sources of new items and none that I've discovered for used not-latest-model ones like mine. I'd list it as working, but not accepting returns, although I understand that a buyer/scammer could lodge a "not as described" complaint.

(Back story: I am upgrading to a later model -- that I have bought on eBay. The prospective sale is of my currently in-use older model -- that I also bought on eBay.)

[duffy4444]

   Not accepting returns does not translate into not being forced to refund. Especially to a scammer who probably knows the eBay system and how to get around it and obtaining your item for free.

    Before you get yourself into a bind that many others have, it is obvious that you need to read down a few hundred posts here to see what you could be setting yourself up for and potentially joining their heartbreaking club.

    By reading down here on this forum, you will see there are also other replies on how you can safely sell your item. But if you are in a great rush to list a ~$2500 item here as a new seller, scammers worldwide will also be in a rush to relieve you of your item AND your money. Ebay has a history of NOT having your back if you fall into one of the many scams.

    Please heed this warning from not just me, but from a lot of other seasoned sellers over the years. Scamming is getting more intelligent and pervasive, not less.

Cheers, Duffy

[brecs]

(And also @hartungcards) Why is it particularly new sellers who are targeted? The only reason I can think of offhand is that eBay is more likely to distrust them and accede to a buyer's demand.  Would it help that I am an "old" buyer, a member since 1999 who has a (buyer) rating of 100% (53)?

Meanwhile, I will attempt to "read down a few hundred [!] posts" to find how to sell my item (more) safely.