Also to my knowledge Ebay occassionally emails sellers annonomously (spelling again ugh!) to see if sellers will entertain this type of offer on items listed with them on auction.
Surely you jest. Right? It seems that the people at Ebay have too much time on their hands. Do you mean to say that they pick sellers at random, tempt them to violate the rules and then chastise them for it? This sounds a bit far fetched to me.
posted on October 13, 2000 11:06:06 PM new
onsale, yes it can work your last nerve. Grit your teeth, type them up a polite email, then come over to this message board to let it all out!
posted on October 14, 2000 12:13:17 AM new
Customer Service is one of the least satisfying professions...unless you've had a lobotomy. Never ending churning of unhappy customers. Trust me, I have done it from retail to pharmaceuticals. I only found it remotely satisfying when I was working for myself.
Take a walk with your dog, hug your lovely s/o, watch the sunset, read a good book.
Indulge yourself and remember what you do this for. Then remember that this may turn out to be your best customer. Just educate her as to your rules and regs, don't offer explanations because you don't owe her any.
The biggest companies have the nicest and blandest customer service.
Bland means people aren't insulted and may buy from you. Concept.
Why make yourself nuts?
I kind of run garage sale auctions. I don't have a niche or a line of product. Some auctions sit as hitless wonders despite my valient attempts. Some stun me with bidding wars.
Honestly though, as a newbie bidder I wouldn't have had nerve enough to ask a seller something like that.
As a seller though, I can't afford to be insulted.
posted on October 14, 2000 07:38:56 AM new
Heres what i have learned to do when I'm loaded for bear towards a particular e-mailer; Type out the full letter, load it with your frustration or anger. Then take a deep breath, start at the top, and backspace out all the negativity and sections that might offend, THEN send the letter. You still got to formulate your vent, you just didn't SEND it !
posted on October 14, 2000 08:15:32 AM new
"Selling an item while it is on Ebay, off auction by email to another person is illegal to Ebay's policies. It can get me suspended and kicked off Ebay... Also to my knowledge Ebay occassionally emails sellers annonomously (spelling again ugh!) to see if sellers will entertain this type of offer on items listed with them on auction. So I would not have anyway of knowing who you are...(Not sure this is true lol but it lets the bidder or non bidder in this case to know I am not trying to be mean) "
Not trying to be mean...? Gee I wouldn't spread lies and rumors like that. And if the other fellow knows the truth, he will think you're either a liar or an idiot.
posted on October 14, 2000 09:25:01 AM new
capotasto
I am not an idiot, and to the fact I had heard the Ebay does do this, although I doubt they do. But in order to get my point to the person trying to get me to do something that goes against Ebay policy...I would rather not have them think I am an unreasonable seller, just someone trying to play honestly by Ebay rules. Telling them this does not make me an Idiot. It puts the email in a friendly gender and lets them know I am not doing it to be rude. Calling me an Idiot over something this small tells a lot about you
posted on October 14, 2000 10:47:21 AM new
Onsale I believe you did the right thing. When I get those emails they go straight to the trash bin. If a person is willing to haggle, then they should be made a fool of. The worse thing you can do is make a thread about it on a message board, because all you will get is insincere replys by people that have very little if any real auction experience, and post out of boredom. If a person wants to haggle most likely they arent interested in the item anyway. So dont feel bad that people here said you were rude, because as a powerseller myself I can tell you your response to her was justified.
I just saw that you mentioned in another thread that this is your Ebay ID. After how you called me RUDE, etc and saying how "customer service" is so important I decided to check you out.
Out of 537 feedback you have 14 negatives and 6 neutrals. Your customers seem to be saying they aren't getting their items from you? Some say it is "junk" they bought from you. Most of the feedbacks you didn't even try to defend yourself. Is that because you couldn't?
You were very quick to call me rude, and saying how important customer service is - but it doesn't seem like you are Mr. Customer Service friendly either.
Can I ask why you didn't say something before this? *I* was the one getting bashed by everyone and now I defend myself and you tell me that *my* post is close to the line?
posted on October 14, 2000 02:13:21 PM new
14 negative out of almost 600 feedbacks is hardly a bad thing! You are almost guaranteed to have that much negative feedback in that much dealing if you deal in certain kinds of items. Sure, some people bend over backwards for buyers and allow themselves to be screwed over, but you don't have to! I thought the person at the beginning of this thread was right to be rude to the buyer. Just how much time should the buyer be allowed to waste? I believe there are too many people on here who don't really sell on Ebay and so can hand out all this good two shoes info. Many buyers are not simple folks just bidding on items they want because they hold them dear to their heart. At least half of the buyers are SHARKS!
posted on October 14, 2000 02:23:10 PM new
Onsale,
If you have a moderation question, please post it in the Moderator's Corner. Arguing a moderation call in the thread where it took place is a violation of the Community Guidelines.
posted on October 14, 2000 03:39:19 PM new
Sheesh, people! If you're so awfully offended by an email asking if you'd be willing to take a lower price (even what you consider to be a REALLY too low price), maybe you need to take a vacation from selling. You can ignore the mail, or you can simply write, "No, I'm afraid the best I can do is my opening bid (or reserve, as the case may be)." End of story.
I've had my share of kooky or irritating emails, and dumb buyers, but if I can't answer politely, I just don't answer at all. Preferably, I walk away from the computer and clear my mind and THEN compose a pleasant (or at least civil) response.
posted on October 14, 2000 09:08:03 PM new
my two cents
The way I look at it is the issue is "customer service." Was the customer "rude" and so on? Even if the customer was, the person selling the merchandise is to use proper customer service with a smile.
Today it might only be a $15 dollar sell tomorrow it might be into the hundreds or thousands. In other words, today one might only sell a $7 hammer but the customer will remember the quality of service and item to come back for the $300 chainsaw or maybe the $1,400 refriderator or stereo.
I have walked out of stores that treated me badly and never returned. Physical stores that treat customers poorly soon have "Going Out of Business" signs in their store front.
One time a clerk was badmouthing a certain ethnic group which I countered her stereotypes. It was a long time before I went back in there. And she no longer worked there. I take my money elsewhere. BTW that is not the only bad experience with that particular store. And they do not do very well.
I try, as humanly possible, to treat my valued customers the way I want to be treated.
posted on October 14, 2000 09:36:50 PM new
bobbysoxer-I think the title of this thread says it all. Some people like me think of it as an auction, some don't. I know that any real-life auction I've been to had reverse customer service, I mean like they acted like you were priveleged just to be there so don't ask them for s***! I know Ebay is heading away from the auction format, though. Few buyers seem to understand the "as-is" concept and the idea that you pay the bid amount is lost on them and apparently on some sellers, too, who are offering warm cuddly discounts to buuers who bid too much. Oh well.
posted on October 14, 2000 10:26:15 PM new
skyscout
I appreciate your opinion but I respectively disagree. My viewpoint as a seller and as a buyer is that it is the seller's privilege that buyers purchase from them.
I know I appreciate my valued customers purchasing my items.
At a "real" auction there is not competition. You and I "theorically speaking" may have same/similar items up for sale on eBay and the buyers have the option of buying from me or from you. Which one of us does the better job of selling ourselves and our products?
As a buyer if seller A is overall "better" than seller B, including emails to my inquiry I will choose seller A. Sometimes I have to pay more for the seller that has demonstrated better customer service, but at least I know that if anything goes wrong seller A will use proper customer service to handle the problem.
If the sell goes bad and it is my fault I am counting on the seller to be professional. One time in a local store, I was wrong but I appreciated the way I was treated. They earned my loyalty.
Anyways the bottom line is that from my prospective eBay is not just an auction site, but a combination of both with customer service.
posted on October 15, 2000 10:03:56 PM new
More often than Not, E-Bay is a YARDSALE/AUCTION. In that I would wager a MAJORITY of items for sale Came from a yardsale. Yes there are sellers who offer "NEW", "MINT", "SEALED", "UNUSED" items. However the Bidding public has to take your word that the item is NEW. How many sellers shrink wrap items to list them as Sealed? How Many "NEW" Items were worn once, and then sold?
Sadly, in Todays world, the word of a On-Line seller has little weight. Even with High Feedback Numbers (which can be inflated through friends) Bidders on E-Bay ARE looking for deals.
I can understand your frustration with such E-mails, however perhaps you should re-think the market you are selling in. The genesis of E-Bay was the trading of Pez dispensers (more than likely USED) Even Pierre Omidyar(E-Bay's Father) discovered he was "on to something" when he listed a Broken Laser Pointer (Obvioulsy used). E-bay is seen more as a place to sell used, Pre-loved Items that can still be of use to a person, or To sell collectables (also Used). Sellers who run Shops in small towns, or remote locations hoping to Broaden their Marketplace, should not be so offended if their wares are not attracting Top Dollar bids. They are in fact trying to get around setting up an expensive Web-Site, and sell their wares at a Bargin Fee.
Regardless of what Bill Clinton tells us: The economy is such that Everyone is looking for a deal, Buyers and sellers alike.
