eBay

Anonymous · ‎07-20-2021

I have a buyer who refuses to speak English to me though I live in the United States and English is the only language I'm willing to speak. The issue is over a package that the incompetent US post office has temporarily lost. Ebay's policy obviously is that this is my fault, as I didn't go to the post office and supervise the job they were doing the entire way from my house to the customers. It is also my fault because I don't speak the customers language.

There is a tracking # is 9400108205497395142210 and it shows that it stopped moving about 3 - 4 days ago because the post office can never do their job properly. It also shows I mailed it well within my 1 business day handling time.

The problem now is the self entitled buyer who thinks I should learn 16 languages to sell $8 items on Ebay is demanding to know where their package is. I keep telling them I can't answer that question because I'm not the post office, and that it appears the package is stuck and it might move again, give it a few days and if it doesn't move I'll refund you. The buyer doesn't understand that, because they don't speak english.

Do I have to go learn 16 new languages to avoid negative feedback though I only sell to people in my country which should speak my language if they are trying to buy items off me? I know that's where this is going, it's going to be another unwarranted negative feedback received on ebay which will probably result in my taking my inventory to amazon. People say negative feedback doesn't effect you, it certainly does, when I get -'s my impressions drop drastically until my feedback % comes back up, i am absolutely tired of getting unwarranted negative feedback for issues that aren't my fault. I've also compared similar sellers and I can definitely see how people with higher feedback get more sales.

What on earth should I do, I refuse to learn a 2nd language to sell on Ebay!

cordell1 · ‎07-21-2021

You can go to the usps site look at top right click help and click on "find my mail" fill out the form, submit and the usps will find the package and move it on down the line. they will inform you of what they found and when it will arrive. I have used this many times and it is a great help getting mail to move when stuck in transit.

north40sales · ‎07-21-2021

If people want to conduct business in a country who's official language is English, they will make an effort to learn to communicate effectively in that language.

north40sales · ‎07-21-2021

Keep in mind it is not the easiest thing in the world to learn a second language....but it would certainly be to their advantage to take some basic English classes to get the ability to have some level of effective communication when living in a English speaking country.

donsdetour · ‎07-21-2021

@north40sales wrote:
If people want to conduct business in a country who's official language is English, they will make an effort to learn to communicate effectively in that language.

Of course such would benefit the person greatly but is not expected any more.

Some just can not think in multiple languages or be able to learn such well enough to use it..

So not any more;

Pay attention to the instructions and labels on goods you get today and your see the results of such.

Any large bushiness will cater to the languages used not just on in today's market..

As for eBay: well one does not get such problems as the OP often: and there are translation systems that do allow such to be dealt with..

maxine*j · ‎07-21-2021

@north40sales wrote:
If people want to conduct business in a country who's official language is English, they will make an effort to learn to communicate effectively in that language.

As others have pointed out, though, the U.S. does not have an official language. Most countries do but a few, such as ours, do not. Of the ones with an official language, many recognize more than one language as official. The last time I checked, the only countries without an official language were Australia, Mexico, and the U.S.A.

It's fair to describe English as the common language, or the predominant language, or the language in which most official and business functions are conducted in the US. But an official language, it is not.

And, by the way, "who's" is the contraction of "who is," so I know you meant to use the pronoun "whose."

=

ktur2101 · ‎08-04-2024

We need to adopt English as the official language of commerce in the USA when conducting business within the Country. Of course, if a seller wishes to do business outside the USA, they would be responsible for the ability to communicate to the seller.