eBay

macman4623 · ‎06-01-2017

First of all, I hate the request system. It seems to really force the sellers hand. Even if you are making progress with an issue, as soon as the time is up, the buyer can escalate it, and more than likely the seller will lose.

Like this one. I shipped a buyer a cheap item, untracked. a month later without warning, they open a request. I replied back what the envelope looked like, where it came from and when it should have arrived.

Well, maybe the buyer found the item, I haven't heard from them in a couple days, but if they don't reply, I still have to refund because if at *any* time after tomorrow they decide to escalate it, I WILL LOSE AND GET A MARK ON MY ACCOUNT.

It seems to me that as a buyer "open a case, never reply to messages, then escalate, you'll get a free item" Is there any way to get out of that trap once its opened?

Similar issue for defective items. Say I want to sent a replacement item or part. Due to the way the request system is setup, I either have to pay to have the item I don't want sent back to me or just give a full refund. Everything else is pretty much off the table becase of the deadlines it imposes.

phcd1 · ‎06-01-2017

@macman4623 wrote:
...Or we can just communicate like adults without getting the "request" system involved and getting forced into a less than idea resolution.

Those days on eBay are LONG gone.

macman4623 · ‎06-01-2017

>Ship with tracking. When the case is opened, upload the tracking info into the showing it's "delivered".

That actually works? I thought I had a time where it said delivered, they claimed it wasn't, and I still lost.

d-k_treasures · ‎06-01-2017

@emerald40 wrote:
@macman4623 wrote:
>Simple "return for full refund"

And what do I do with the item when I get it back? I sell used electronics. Most things returned aren't worth the hassle of retesting & reselling.

Lets say I have a $50 item that I paid $10 for and costs $10 to ship.

I ship it to a buyer, they complain a knob is bent and open a return request. I have to pay $10 to ship it back, relist it for $40 with a bent knob and pay $10 to ship it the 3rd time. Right now, I'm in the hole $5 (fees).

What was the point of even getting it back? (was the extra work worth it to be less in the hole? $-25 vs $-5 ... no, I could have used my time to sell something more valuable)
You sell used electronics which often have problems. And because they are often heavy, have to pay high shipping costs.

That may be your problem right there.

Which is why all vintage electronics I have that a LOT of people search for on here are sitting in the shop and never to be listed here anymore. And I sell every one. The current one waiting to be purchased is the Bose receiver/amp for the old 901 speakers. Selling here for 300.00. In the shop for 150.00, working. Let some other trout buy it and ~~sell it~~ give it away here.

A shame, actually. This isn't the go-to place anymore for better or unique stuff you want because of the restrictions and punishments put on sellers - with no proof of any problem required in any claim.

_____________________________
"Nothing is obvious to the oblivious"

phcd1 · ‎06-01-2017

@macman4623 wrote:
>Ship with tracking. When the case is opened, upload the tracking info into the showing it's "delivered".

That actually works? I thought I had a time where it said delivered, they claimed it wasn't, and I still lost.

The only time you would lose that is if you didn't upload the tracking BEFORE the case times out OR if the case was not a INR case but rather a SNAD case. A INR case is one of the few things a seller can win close to 100% of the time (if they follow the rules, provide tracking that shows delivered before the case times out)

goodluckselling · ‎06-01-2017

@macman4623 wrote:
>Simple "return for full refund"

And what do I do with the item when I get it back? I sell used electronics. Most things returned aren't worth the hassle of retesting & reselling.

Lets say I have a $50 item that I paid $10 for and costs $10 to ship.

I ship it to a buyer, they complain a knob is bent and open a return request. I have to pay $10 to ship it back, relist it for $40 with a bent knob and pay $10 to ship it the 3rd time. Right now, I'm in the hole $5 (fees).

What was the point of even getting it back? (was the extra work worth it to be less in the hole? $-25 vs $-5 ... no, I could have used my time to sell something more valuable)

If the item not worth having sent back then do not pay for return shipping. You also have an option to just refund at the beginning.

Selling used electronics is a very high risk / high reward category, so sometimes you just take the hit and move on. As you become better at sourcng your items you will be able to lower the occurence of this happening.

I understand you want the cake and eat it too, but you have to be able to see the bigger picture and that is the buyer can not touch, see in person, see it operate before they buy your used electronics and that is why you just suck it up and move on to your next transaction.

Do not let these things get in your way of moving forward. It really is just part of doing business online.

Good Luck Selling!

macman4623 · ‎06-01-2017

>Which is why all vintage electronics I have that a LOT of people search for on here are sitting in the shop and never to be listed here anymore. And I sell every one.

My supplier has a shelf at his shop with maybe 60 vintage stereo receivers - Marantz, Pioneer, Sansui...etc. Been sitting there for years...

I think there might even be a Marantz 4400 or two in there. Says he'll sell me the whole works for $5,000. I keep putting it off. Too many "Big N Heavy's" in there.

I don't really have a local shop, but the way online seem to be heading, I opened a store with a friend and already have a lot of my own money stuck into it, and a month and a half in, still needs more money to keep it going. Its mostly a craft store, but I'm getting a section to sell Desktops/laptops/printers/monitors. Thing is, all this stuff seems to be worthless locally. I can go to 50 garage sales tomorrow, even some late in the day and pick up things for $2-$5 that I can sell for $30 to $50. Its like theres not even competition to buy the stuff. I have a 24" flat panel monitor in the store for $50 and no one is buying it.

rolenboy01 · ‎06-02-2017

There is a reason for that, a lot of sellers do not want to take the risks involved, the same problems you are complaining about is the reason they leave such items behind.

plumbingspecials · ‎06-02-2017

"That actually works? I thought I had a time where it said delivered, they claimed it wasn't, and I still lost."
Then learn how to fight it (tracking is KEY).... As a seller, it seems there may be some very important points that you are not knowing.

plumbingspecials · ‎06-02-2017

Reading through this thread, it appears a lot of sellers do not know how some of the most important functions on ebay works in their favor. And certain buyers are crawling ebay to find those particular sellers!