eBay

lemonragstees · ‎03-22-2021

I sell mostly t-shirt at a fixed price and I do not have the "make offer" feature. This is an almost full proof method about how to spot a buyer that will most likely return the item:

1. A buyer that asks a lot of questions...I list all details in my listings and as soon as I get 2 or 3 messages from a buyer about the item or asks ridiculous questions like "What's The Wash History of The Shirt?" I stop responding and sometimes block them. In my experience, these buyers already have super high expectations and will be disappointed with the item they receive no matter what.

2. I do not have the "make offer" feature on my listings but that doesn't stop people from messaging me to lower the price or give them a discount or free shipping - In my experience, if I give them a deal and they buy the item it's a guaranteed 75% return rate. I thought it was just a trend a few years ago but buyers keep proving me correct.

As a top rated seller I have to pay for returns so I would rather avoid a sale that I think will result in a return.

Hope this helps someone...

Raul

bwarburt · ‎03-22-2021

Very helpful, thank you. Do you think accepting offers on auction style listings might sometimes get an offer higher than the opening bid price (but lower than the BIN would be)?

Love the example of wash history LOL. "It was washed only twice, at exactly 142 degrees Fahrenheit with 4 ml of biodegradable detergent in water gathered from the tears of country music fans..."

bigdeals.etc · ‎03-22-2021

I can confirm these two red flags being a shirt seller myself and have my Best Offers disabled. Numerous times I get offers to lower my shipping so their cost of shipping 6 units to the cost of shipping 1 unit (because they think USPS will only charge shipping for 1 unit for combined items). Some have threatened to report me to ebay because I don't agree to honor their request.

One other scary question I get is when buyers ask something like "is this Medium really a medium or a small"? I have measurements for everything. Most often than not the buyer's size standard will not match any standard familiar to you when they ask this type of question and will blame you for it.

Some people just aren't meant to buy certain things online.

m60driver · ‎03-22-2021

I have posted here several times over the past few years that buyers asking too many questions is, at least statistically for me, a red flag and I often block them.

titipeo · ‎03-22-2021

Thanks for sharing. I also sell some clothing items as well, however, I do have a best offer option. One thing that bothers me a lot is when I get a request for additional pictures of item.

lemonragstees · ‎03-22-2021

I haven't had much success with auction style. There are a lot of metrics when to list and when it ends in order to get top $$$. I just don't have time for it and want to avoid selling something for $1.00.

LOL - It's crazy the messages people send. Sometimes, I feel like people buy things in order to return it. I recently had a buyer that left positive feedback on the shirt he received, then two days later said it had a hole and returned it. The hole was exactly where it would be if you open packages with scissors like an idiot.

I complained to ebay but they refunded him. I have a million other stories but I'm sure we all do.

collectfest · ‎03-22-2021

I buy and sell vintage items, as to asking questions, I ask a lot of questions.

If you check my feedback left for sellers you will see I have never given a negative feedback even if it was deserved.

As a seller, if worried, I would check the buyers profile as it relates to the feedback they have left for sellers.

Its fast and easy. If their profile shows feedback that disturbs me then I would block them, if not worried ask away.... no question bothers me from a buyer with a good track record as it relates to feedback.

Some vintage clothes such as concert T-shirts knowing the history may be important. If seller does' not know the answer, not a problem. If they block or ignore my question, well, not a seller for me.

cottage_beautiful · ‎03-22-2021

Actually you are not as typical as you might think. There are a lot of sellers who fail to enter pertinent information about the item on their listings. I expect all measurements to be on there and if they are not, which is most of the time, I am compelled to have to request them.

lemonragstees · ‎03-22-2021

I always include the measurements in BOLD and in ALL CAPS so they can't miss it. Yet, I still get returns for items that are "too small" or not a real medium, or it runs small for an XL. It is what it is. It's annoying but it happens.

autopartspuller · ‎03-22-2021

Your advice is really specific to the clothing category - likely good advice for clothing. It's a tough category.

I have more than one selling account so between my accounts I sell anything from car parts to craft pieces to vintage/antique items to home decor. Some new - Some used.

With all of these categories, I expect questions. I try to describe everything well but, frankly sometimes I just cant pick every question to answer. I do not block someone for asking questions, even if it's answered in the listing already. I'd rather answer "silly" questions now than to take a return later.

auto_manuals_and_more · ‎03-22-2021

I don't sell clothes, but the tone when people message with an offer will often determine if I'm willing to even consider it. "I'll give you $20 total." vs "Would you consider $20 including shipping?" often seems to indicate a buyer's attitude to me long before I'm in the middle of a sale with them.

bigdeals.etc · ‎03-22-2021

@lemonragstees wrote:

LOL - It's crazy the messages people send. Sometimes, I feel like people buy things in order to return it. I recently had a buyer that left positive feedback on the shirt he received, then two days later said it had a hole and returned it. The hole was exactly where it would be if you open packages with scissors like an idiot.

Yea I get those from time to time too. My packages even have a warning to be careful when using anything sharp to open packages and avoid using it if possible. Some USPS flat rate boxes I use even have pull tabs to open but some people still decide to use box cutters to slice it to pieces instead haha. It’s an unavoidable thing unless you wrap numerous layers or encase each item completely with styrofoam, which would then not make it worth it to sell anymore.

femmefan1946 · ‎03-22-2021

From posts about Unpaid Items, it seems that Auctions are more likely to go unpaid than Fixed Price listings.

I have been unable to persuade DH of this, but he does run a public online philatelic auction house, so he may be predjudiced.

Adding Best Offer to a Fixed Price listing, with your high/low parameters set for automatic acceptance or refusal, allows the customer the thrill of the auction, without the annoyance of a seven day wait to learn he lost.