posted on March 10, 2003 05:32:31 AM new
I am going to go on a week vacation to visit my mother and would like input on ways to handle this - i would like to have some auctions run while I am gone but don't think it's a very good idea to advertise to the world that my house will be empty..suggestions?
I should add that I sell postcards and usually people don't mind waiting for them..usually not a gift.
[ edited by neglus on Mar 10, 2003 05:34 AM ]
posted on March 10, 2003 05:35:36 AM new
Put in large letters in your auction when you are going and when you expect to be back. You don't have to say you are on vacation just that for personal reasons you will be unable to answer emails or close auctions until the date you specify. Make it a different color to catch their attention (you know how well people are at thoroughly reading your auctions). Put it at the top before your description and before your picture. Hopefully, they won't miss it! We are entitled to some time off.
How would the world know where your house is?
Cheryl
[ edited by CBlev65252 on Mar 10, 2003 05:37 AM ]
posted on March 10, 2003 05:53:52 AM new
good point..don't think my post card buyers are the sort of people that look for empty houses in auctions anyway...and no one would find anything here anyway except for an e-bay neglected house! thanks - think I will add wording in my PayPal WBN and offer to refund if buyer thinks wait is too long..
posted on March 10, 2003 06:28:08 AM new
Why say anything... just start the auctions the day before you leave.... make them 10 day auctions and that way you will have 3 days to answer emails when you return...
posted on March 10, 2003 09:19:41 AM new
I am sure other ISP's offer this service - but it is one of the MANY reasons I use Earthlink – they offer the auto-response on all of their customer's accounts, and with your account with Earthlink.net,you get 8 e-mail addresses FREE - AND you can have an individual "auto response" written for EACH address.
When we have to be out of town, we just post to the auto responder for each auction, that either we will be out of town on business from such and such to such and such a date - therefore, such absence doesn't get posted publicly, AND I don't have to remember or bother with removing it from the ads when we return - plus the time it would take to place & remove such from hundreds of auctions, when I easily create and delete an auto respond when I go and return.
We also use the Auto response to a number of our auctions, to direct the buyer to a full FYI page, trying to answer any common question asked, because without such we would never get our mail answered - we can get hundreds of e-mails a day and 99% of them are from customers who are simply to lazy to read the post.
It works for us.
Do we worry about being robbed - NO! - When we are out of town, we leave our dogs in the house, we have a doggie door, and naturally a fenced yard, so they can come in and out as they please. We have done this for years, as we believe it is better for our "fur babies" than boarding and upsetting them emotionally - we also believe it is healthier for them. PLUS, I imagine anyone who might consider breaking in, changes their mind when they knock - or sneak around our abode and are greeted by 2 German Shepherds, 2 German Schnauzers, and a large Shepherd/Chow cross! (NO, we don't come home to a torn up house from the "fur babies" being left unattended.)
