Do you fear checking your messages everyday?

[goldrushfinds]

With reduced profit margins and slower sales, it's getting really hard to make a decent profit. I now live in fear of checking my messages everyday, that there might be another return or sale cancellation, that essentially nullifies any profit I make on this site. Do any of you also live in fear?

[stackers_xag]

“Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”

FDR, 1932

That would be, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, for those who missed history class that day,... or the other  

[rlsauctions]

Why dont we talk about Why there are so many returns, Such as people dont read the descriptions, or look at the pictures. On cell phones you have to click a link to see the description, and have to search to find additional photos. which is no help to us sellers who try so hard to get the proper description and pound it into there head before they purchase. and the best is when they lie and say you sent the wrong item. and eBay is like hey you sent the wrong item.

[18704d]

No.

I don't feel fear when a buyer contacts me.

Actually, if you put yourself in the proper frame of mind...

such communications can be an opportunity... to get a repeat customer.

(and yes, I know that may sound corny to some)

That means more $$$$

As a buyer, if a seller who I contact.. eagerly and professionally resolves a problem I've described...

it make me want to buy from them First, for any future purchases.

Lynn

[yuzuha]

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@duncanvr wrote:

Nope, I never had any return ever period and have been selling for years, I message with every buyer and they keep coming back for more.

---

I've never had a return either and I get lots of repeat buyers.  I just describe my items accurately and honestly, take good, clear photos, and answer any questions a buyer might have.

[duncanvr]

Exactly like what I do. I've had repeat buyers for 15 years. Some buying every week. Exactly as yuzuha mentions if you run your business like that you'll have less problems. A message to a new buyer can win them back into your shop.

[shinwell_johnson]

Many years ago, I made a bad judgement call, and I lost everything. EVERY TIME the phone rang for 2 YEARS, it was catastrophically bad news. I understand your pain. I eventually disconnected my phone - not because I couldn't pay for it financially, but because I couldn't pay for it mentally/emotionally.

Eventually I learned to separate financial risk from emotion. Everything's been just fine since then. That's not to say that I don't stress over the **bleep** here and there, but the truth is, I know I'll find a way through when things get impossibly tough - because that's what I do. It's a required trait to survive this kind of self-employment.

Sometimes fear is the tool required to temper one's edge. Learn from it - use the fear as a motivation to research and discover what you need to change in your business model in order to succeed.

You CAN do it.

[stackers_xag]

@duncanvr  I hear ya, it irks me too. I don't like garbage, or so eloquently described as ("re-purposing shipping material") as if a smashed order makes that better. 

basically, it's one person dumping their garbage on you to save a buck in packaging material. Then I get to haul it to the recycle center/bins, because I care for the next generation.

I saw a guy on these boards bragging about how he could re-purpose boxes and even had pictures. Turn this side in and out, cut here, cut there, tape this, tape that. It made my stomach turn! I couldn't help myself, I had to comment. I can't go any further than that because I upset the starlet who obviously had his feelings hurt and reported me so as to bring a 30 day suspension from these boards down on me, but hey, I was just being truthful. No harm intended. 

Did I mention, They were Cereal Boxes, LOL..... imagine that.

[yuzuha]

I have a repeat buyer from the Netherlands who has bought about $80 worth of stuff from me in just the past two months, which is impressive when you consider how much it has cost in shipping and customs fees.  I included a little note on his last invoice thanking him for his purchases and telling him to feel free to let me know if he's looking for any items in particular, because I would be happy to list them for him if I have them.

[duncanvr]

I use all new packaging for my buyers like they were buying from a brick and motor shop. I hate receiving stuff in cut down dirty cereal boxes. I even had something wrapped in Korean noodle packging  But don't get me strated on sellers who don't actually send anything, then you complain they say they resend but still noting arrives. I avoid sellers with high negatives like the plague. If you try and find older dvds for example its hard to find a seller with 100% feedback. But I've seen some with over 80 negatives and although they had the dvd I wanted I would not buy from them. To scared of a bad experience so only those with good feedback get my $$ if I am buying.  As for fearing checking messages the only reason for that would be that someone might be offering a below standard service. I often feel a lot of returns could be avoided by simple communication with buyers before the item is shipped. It might cut down item not as described if one were to check with buyer they were clear on what they were receving. As many shop by photos and don't read descriptions or even titles these days. Reaching out to your buyers is key.

[duncanvr]

Since they are buying from you treat them like they are your best friend and watch how they come back for more. One guy in UK been buying from me every week since 2004 even sends me Xmas cards. Another one sends my birthday cards and so on. There are some times when I can't keep up when I get piles of messages in one morning. I give priority to messages. As a result of answering questions I get sales. I got 40 items sold to India recently and 65 items to Israel both over $1000 spent. A lady in some remote part of South America started buying to, someone in South Africa, several in China, Japan etc. A diplomat in Korea, a lord in Scotland. In fact repeat buyers from all over the globe. Kind messages to buyers go a long way. 

[mypostingid15]

Not really, I look from the side of one eye first.

[turquoisetulips]

 Its not luck its striving for perfection duncanvr 

Ditto  🙂   tulips

[turquoisetulips]

Many years ago, I made a bad judgement call, and I lost everything. EVERY TIME the phone rang for 2 YEARS, it was catastrophically bad news. I understand your pain. I eventually disconnected my phone - not because I couldn't pay for it financially, but because I couldn't pay for it mentally/emotionally. shinwell johnson 

I've been there as well  what you went through . Back in the year  2000 I was working only  part time for the school district  but I was married and my husband had a good income so we did okay.  Then he got kidney cancer and it killed him ten months later . Not only did I lose my husband I also lost 3/4 of my income . His health insurance only covered 80 % of his medical bills  and I was stuck trying to pay the rest . I was harrassed nearly every day with phone calls demanding money . I had made an arrangement with one creditor  to make payments of 25 dollars a month  because truthfully  I was struggling just to buy bread . Then one day a spokeswoman for them called me to say they could no longer accept 25 dollars a month and now they needed 50 a month . I explained my situation  but she was terribly rude and cruel . She just said sorry  but you must send 50 a month. I told her I could only send 25 as previously agreed upon   and if that wasn't enough they could take me to court  and I hung up on her . The following month I sent them my usual 25 dollar check  but she returned it [ mind you this was a collection agency ]  . I put the returned check in my drawer and I never sent them another dime . Tulips 

[femmefan1946]

About repurposed packing material.

I use repurposed cardboard as stiffeners in some of my shipments. I find the card used in boxed wines are both light and sturdy plus I have an excuse to buy more wine.

But I use new poly envelopes and poly bubble envelopes, which as a Store seller I get free from eBay.

And I also use postcard slips.

In my field waterproofing is a bigger necessity than bendproofing.

But if some of those repurposers actually worked out how much time they spend sourcing and preparing their 'free' materials..... well, here in British Columbia the minimum wage is 18 cents a minute so if I took even five minutes to find a clean box, drive to and from the dumpster, then another five minutes with boxcutter and tape to make the package..... that's over $1.80 that 'free' box cost me.

And I didn't even get a glass of Shiraz for my trouble.

[mr_lincoln]

@goldrushfinds   No ... what I fear is ongoing stupid decisions like GTC ... and more

page layouts

          that waste precious

                      space on my

Computer screen .... errrrnt.