Frustrating things I see as a buyer

[steelernation2007]

There's a lot of posts lately about how sales are down or very slow so far this year. So I'm going to offer some personal insight into the problems that bother me most, when I have bought an item or am considering buying something. I am mostly experienced with buying and selling collectibles, so my advice  pertains to that category. These are the things you want to avoid as a seller, in my opinion:

1. Vague open-ended descriptions of only one sentence, that say little about the item or the condition of it.   If it is a used collectible you need to be transparent about any defects or issues it may have. This prevents you from getting a SNAD later.

2. Using only one photo, a stock photo, or blurry poor quality cell phone photos. Also dark photos. It makes you look lazy as a seller and gives the look that you really don't care if your item sells or not. Ebay gives you 12 spots for photos, so make the most of them!

3. Charging ridiculously high shipping fees that are way higher than it actually costs to ship the item. This will turn off a LOT of buyers.

4. Copying and stealing the ad of another seller, word for word. Again, this is a lazy look, and also against Ebay rules.

5. When you sell an item, mark it as shipped, and then it sits at your house for 2-3 days. It satisfies the Ebay service metrics but drives your buyer crazy!

6. When you ship an item and don't include any tracking info at all. It's very annoying when I have to beg for the tracking from a seller. Then one time I find out my package ended up taking a long detour to Florida on it's way from NJ to PA. I had no idea what was going on until I was finally given the tracking after 4 days. 

7.  When you don't leave the buyer feedback after purchasing. It's a show of goodwill and starts the transaction off on the right foot. If you don't leave feedback how can you possibly expect to get it back?

8. When you pack a condition-sensitive item inside a flimsy plastic bag or mailing envelope. It's  a cheap-out on the shipping fee but sets you up to get a damaged item complaint.

9. Offering info that is inaccurate or poorly researched. An example- calling a vintage bottle Pre-Prohibition when it's actually post-1933. This can also set you up for a SNAD case. Some sellers intentionally call an item older than it is to get more money from it.

This is all I can think of at the moment. If others have more to add to this, feel free. I hope this helps.

[city*satins]

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@writertypes wrote:

City*Satins replied: "no reason to withhold positive feedback?

That's c'mon baby I bought ya dinner - get in the back seat  talk."

Ha-ha! I appreciate your reply, City, and am tickled by your illustration. But what exactly are you saying or thinking with that statement? Inquiring minds gotta know.

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It's all about quid pro quo vs pro bono (if you'll pardon the pun)  Either way, the terms should be established up front about what it vs is not included in the transaction.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

I really have no idea what you’re talking about. I went back through the thread and cannot see anywhere I addressed you. I said nothing about private messages?

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

You’re entitled to your opinion as I am to mine 

I wasn’t referring to you about the passive aggressive thing about not leaving feedback. I wrote a comment to a different poster then you questioned me on it so explained what I meant.

It was not intended to be about YOU. You asked about something I wrote, I answered your question and you jumped down my throat and got all defensive. I don’t get it. If you don’t want an explanation of something a poster says, why ask about it?

[steelernation2007]

I'm not sure what your problem is with me, or why you are choosing to do this. I'm not going to  go into deep detail about the transaction with said buyer because it got personal. Buyer was exhibiting extremely toxic narcissistic behavior to the point that I didn't even feel safe after mailing his package to him. Since he had my address. You've twisted this entire thread into something it wasn't even about. You are way out of line to go and cherry pick one anomaly that happened last fall and use TROLLISH behavior to stir up these bad memories again. Learn to not judge what you don't know!

[steelernation2007]

Sorry for the confusion and misunderstanding on that. It happens sometimes and I apologize to you.

[reallyhardtofind]

I never use ebay for the purchase of new products the big A is the only way to go.😉

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

That’s ok, I hadn’t had my coffee yet and was confused.

[penguins_dont_fly]

5. When you sell an item, mark it as shipped, and then it sits at your house for 2-3 days. It satisfies the Ebay service metrics but drives your buyer crazy!

I just wanted to comment on the underlined part ^^up there^^

The Seller Standards metric for shipping is based on "Uploaded and validated within the sellers handling time"

Simply printing the label does not satisfy the service metric.

The label must be scanned by the carrier within the sellers handling time.

If it is not scanned within the sellers handling time AND it is delivered late, the seller gets a late shipping ding. (The reason for the AND is to cover when a package is not scanned by the PO when accepted).

The reason behind the change from just "uploaded" to "uploaded and validated" was to discourage the practice of 'label hanging' that you are complaining about.

eBay no longer shows handling times on listings (unless the HT is 5 days or more), so buyers should not be worried so much about when an Item shipped (label printed) as when it will be delivered.

[city*satins]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

You’re entitled to your opinion as I am to mine 

I wasn’t referring to you about the passive aggressive thing about not leaving feedback. I wrote a comment to a different poster then you questioned me on it so explained what I meant.

It was not intended to be about YOU. You asked about something I wrote, I answered your question and you jumped down my throat and got all defensive. I don’t get it. If you don’t want an explanation of something a poster says, why ask about it?

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I thought I was being argumentative. I'm surprised that you thought I was jumping down your throat and being all defensive.  Please forgive me if I offended you.

I'm sorry if I made you think that.  As you know, I like to argue.  I didn't realize that you saw it as something more than that. 

[city*satins]

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@steelernation2007 wrote:

I'm not sure what your problem is with me, or why you are choosing to do this. I'm not going to  go into deep detail about the transaction with said buyer because it got personal. Buyer was exhibiting extremely toxic narcissistic behavior to the point that I didn't even feel safe after mailing his package to him. Since he had my address. You've twisted this entire thread into something it wasn't even about. You are way out of line to go and cherry pick one anomaly that happened last fall and use TROLLISH behavior to stir up these bad memories again. Learn to not judge what you don't know!

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Notwithstanding all that, you might want to phone eBay customer service and ask them to remove the feedback comment that you left for the buyer.  It's better for the seller to do that as eBay treats it as a no-harm-no-foul than for the buyer to request it, in which case eBay attaches a policy violation to the seller's account.

That's not a judgment. That's a fact.  You can read the policy here:

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/membertomember-contact-policy?id=4262

Text of note:

These types of feedback comments may be removed:

...

Negative feedback comments that directly contradict a positive rating. (When the comment is posted by the seller. This type of contradictory comment is not removable when left by the buyer.)

[ifyouloveit]

Great thread, sorry to see it got derailed with bickering, (just a suggestion, we all have to read the arguing, it's not very fun for others) so I have one more to add to the list 🙂

Sellers who have multiple items drop down listings with a very cheap product included, photos show the higher priced products, click their links and the low priced item is a paper clip at .99c. These clearly dishonest listing practices make me hit the back button and I still do not know why eBay allows them. I will also never shop with that seller. Others despise this practice too, it's trickery, I still believe it falls under bait and switch, the product shown is NOT the .99c one. It wastes buyers time, and puts them in a defensive mood and many get angry.

[turquoisetulips]

I agree with you. Back in the day there were plenty of buyers to go around. Now that the buyers seem to be more scarce, sellers need to be more mindful of the quality of their listings and behavior. the dog ate my tablecloth 

  And  if they  don't  they   need to remember   there are a zillion other sellers who will  .  I  wanted  to purchase  a tiny charm  just a few days ago  for instance . However in the photo  there were  two  charms  side by side that were  very  much alike in theme   but  obviously different   from each other  . There was no way to tell which one   would be sent.  I inquired  but never received a reply ,,, not good.  Tulips 

[turquoisetulips]

A buyer has one job -- Pay. If they've done that, there's no reason to withhold positive feedback for even a minute. The opportunity to demonstrate generosity of spirit should never be missed. It comes back multi-fold. writertypes 

I've always tried to hold tight to those kind of sentiments   because you're right    in saying  that most of the time  we   are rewarded by them.  However  in a rare moment  you'll run into a psychopath  where no amount of kindness and generosity  will come to your aid .   I was  harassed to death   by a buyer who had actually  left stellar feedback  when they received their purchase  but  then proceeded to send message after message of irrational complaints    for months . I had given them great feedback at the onset ,, but you know the saying '' hindsight is always 20/20 .  Tulips

[writertypes]

Boy, do I get what you're saying, Tulips. I don't want to knock the gloss off this generous, high-minded approach; but I've found that extending trust and magnanimity -- that is, crediting your trading partner maturity, honesty, earnestness -- just smooths everything going forward. You get what you give. And people take ownership of high character ascribed them... if only for this transaction. It's just a better way to live and do business, and costs nothing.

[drkenb]

Your logic escapes me: leave feedback for positive buyers, don't leave anything for negative buyers.  Like communism, it sounds good on paper.  But the bottom line is that a buyer with 100 positives and no negatives (how can they get a negative?) still has a 100% rating.  A good buyer with 200 positives and no negatives (how can they get a negative?) still has a 100% rating.  So how is that differentiating between good and bad buyer?  That is how the feedback system has become meaningless.

My customers get immediate shipping, a return of excess S&H fees if the actual S&H is less than charged (eBay nor PayPal refund their fees when I give a partial refund), and excellent customer service in terms of the item accurately described and prompt attention if there is a problem.  That is what keeps my customers coming back, not some meaningless feedback.

I wish eBay would never had changed the feedback policies so that buyers AND sellers could leave appropriate feedback (positive or negative).  But as it stands now, feedback is meaningless and I refuse to participate in the scheme.  If you wish to continue to participate, that's fine and dandy, but I don't wish to contribute to a fradulent system (an adjective not used without considerable consideration).