Deposit on custom items

[my-auction-now]

I get a lot of request for custom items that I make. We agree on price and how to make it.

After I make it buyer says can I get a better price, or You know I really do not need it after all. This has happend to me 2 times this week alone. Ebay policy doe not allow me to charge a blank sale because I have to ship it with in one day. Takes me at least one to 2 days to make item. I cannot have customer send me a deposit because I have not sold the item yet, so no way to get a deposit. I would think that Ebay could set up a deposit system on a listing and apply the deposit to the item when sold.

If buyer changes their mind they forfit the deposit and I get it less Ebay fees. Is their any way to get a deposit on items before making them. maybe I missed this .

[mam98031]

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@my-auction-now wrote:

In order to keep my top rated seller , I am required to ship 1 day. Also hard to pre list a knife sheath that is custom before I can take pictures of it. So they can say not as described since no pictures. 

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@my-auction-now 

That is not correct.  TRS does not require that.  You can have whatever handling time you need.

However if you want the TRS discount of FVFs, then the listing must be 1 day handling and free returns.   

If you have concern about losing this discount, then you just need to decide which is more important.  The ability to change your handling time to accommodate your customized stuff which allows you to get payment before you create the items.  Or the 10% FVF discount.

You only need to change your handling time on the Customized listings, so you could leave all the others   to qualify for the TRS discount.

[my-auction-now]

I make knife sheaths. I make it custom to fit a special knife. It is made to fit that knife only.

It is not just changing a sheath that is made already. Shipping back and forth just subtracts from any profits. I need a contract provided by Ebay to collect a deposit, then I make the sheath once the buyer agrees. 

[my-auction-now]

not my problem. customer wants me to make a leather sheath for his special knife. we agree on price and he says make it. After I make it for his one of a kind knife, he says well thank you for your time but after thinking about it I really do not need it. Good luck selling it.

I need Ebay to allow me to get a deposit non refundable. 

[jonathanbrightlight]

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@my-auction-now wrote:

I need Ebay to allow me to get a deposit non refundable. 

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That's not going to happen.  eBay does not offer such an option nor are they going to change things for you.

So what you need to do is consider some of the other solutions offered here, or find another approach.

[dhbookds]

I think I misunderstood the question.........  No way (on any item, customized or not) is there a guarantee buyer can't/won't get their money back.  Even if they were to pay "deposit"...if they claim not as described.....they could get their money back even after you made the item. 

[chevymontecarlo88]

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@my-auction-now wrote:

In order to keep my top rated seller , I am required to ship 1 day. Also hard to pre list a knife sheath that is custom before I can take pictures of it. So they can say not as described since no pictures. 

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I get it but instead of having a similar picture with the knife, just show one without it first. 

[chevymontecarlo88]

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@my-auction-now wrote:

not my problem. customer wants me to make a leather sheath for his special knife. we agree on price and he says make it. After I make it for his one of a kind knife, he says well thank you for your time but after thinking about it I really do not need it. Good luck selling it.

I need Ebay to allow me to get a deposit non refundable. 

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Not going to happen and i understand what you are trying to do. Everything is returnable on ebay if the buyer knows how to manipulate/use the eBay MBG. 

[worldcoinauctions]

Frankly I think you would be better off at another 4 letter site beginning in E, that is already set up to handle custom orders. I don't think this site really is able to handle this. Ebay started as a place to sell your old  junk. I was selling here back in the day when a broken calculator was the thing you might list. It's never been an easy place for custom work.

I have a friend who does manage it, but he sells non-customized items to start, then encloses a flyer on custom work in the package.

[bandrhome]

Others may have a knife that fits too. List it. 500 other people could have the same knife.

When I did made to order/custom(on other selling venues) it was always paid up front.

[mtgraves7984]

Others may have a knife that fits too. List it. 500 other people could have the same knife.

Good advice ^^^ from @bandrhome. Consider it a way of sourcing, @my-auction-now. You've got one in stock now.

[pickapaper]

@my-auction-now 

Thank you for clarifying that.  I did not realize that they were "special sizes"; I thought they were customized in appearance, not size.   

[gurlcat]

You may be a Top Rated Seller but you are not getting any of the TRS benefits anyway because your listings are 'No Returns' (you have to ship in one day AND have FREE returns to get the 10% fee discount and to have the TRS badge shown on your listings, also to get full Seller Protections). 

So if you're going to skip the real benefits of being TRS, you might as well extend your handling time for customizations. 

[my-auction-now]

Great except for one thing  I still have to make the item before I can list it. And I have no deposit till item is done. This solves nothing. 

They still back out and I am still out the sale and left with the custom item I do not need. 

I guess from all the responses I am getting, it is best to just forget custom sales on Ebay. 

[my-auction-now]

Yes I know that. But the time it took to make a custom sheath. that now sits on Ebay for months till 1 of those 500 decides he wants it  I could have made several more common sheaths where many thousands of buyers have the knife that fits the sheath. Again best just to stop doing custom work on Ebay till they allow for it, with a deposit system. Been on Ebay 25 years and just wanted to make sure I did not miss something like that. Guess from all the replies I got, I did not miss it. 

[pastimpressions]

@my-auction-now 

Your work is so solid & so reasonably priced it is most unfortunate you are experiencing this issue.

Might I recommend straight sales on this venue for finished works and perhaps locating an alternative platform for special order/commission work?

There are platforms that permit shop policies to include an x% non-refundable deposit on custom work.

If a potential client is going to part with, let us say, 50% of the final cost even if they cancel...they tend not to cancel.

This also separates the certain clients from the uncertain.

This also gives you actual working capital for the supplies needed to fulfill the commission.

This also leaves you more than whole in the case of a cancellation.

Whatever you decide, Best of Luck with Shop & Sales 👍