posted on March 10, 2003 09:06:32 AM new
I can't believe how some buyers expect us to do everything but write their checks for them. I sell a lot of very very low $ items. They are cheap but many people buy a lot of items. I have a checkout and it links to paypal. I can't get over how some buyers who don't want to go thru the checkout (fine with me) but still expect me to go to paypal and request money so they don't have to do any extra work. Now, give me a break. I go thru hoops to get them all the information (usually twice because the either loose the first email or can't read it fully) and there is no way I am going to login to paypal to request $1.99 ( I don't accept paypal less than $5.00.)
I had a lady this morning that typed a very long email stating she wants a link like all the other sellers provide and that she can't be bothered to spend all that time at paypal entering all the information needed. Funny thing was... I don't accept paypal for less than $5.00 so I told her that was fine, she needed to send a check anyhow.
I just can't get over how the lower the $ they spend it seems they need the most hand holding. Which I am happy to provide, when they are friendly and it is necessary. I don't mind helping them use paypal the first time or teach them how a dutch auction works etc. But some of these buyers are getting a little more spoiled then I would like.
I had one gal the other day that wanted me to bid on several of my auctions for her because she didn't have time. Sure, no problem... yeah right. Had to explain to her that I can't bid for others.
Just keeps getting more and more ridiculous.
Ok, just had to vent..thanks for letting me do that once in a while.
posted on March 10, 2003 09:19:57 AM new
AS the whole "note" thread reminded me, it's not the little extra tasks that bug me. It's the buyers that nickel-and-dime us to death then demand extra stuff. I get a warm fuzzy from throwing in an extra "thingy" or writing a note, but I get downright testy when someone acts as if I'm not keeping my promises if I don't do all that and more.
Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be better to just stop doing extras altogether ... the ironic thing is that when I'm moved to do something nice for a nice buyer, dang if they don't go and mention that in the feedback they leave and then the next 25 buyers expect extra too!
posted on March 10, 2003 09:40:09 AM new
Well, you two can expect to be roasted by the indignant few, what with their self-serving notions of "customer service" that have no relationship to reality.
Obviously I agree with you.
alwaysfun: I have come to the conclusion that, as easy as PayPal is to use, it is still much too complicated for most people. I received 11 credit card payments yesterday, and I have a personal account. I wrote to all 11 people informing them that their payment was denied, but experience shows me that 80% of them will not complete the transaction and that 50% of them will claim they paid. They usually send me the "PayPal receipt" as proof! They don't understand that a payment can (and in this case, must) be denied.
--
"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than the French Army behind me." --(uh, no, wait, that's not quite right)
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Mar 10, 2003 09:40 AM ]
posted on March 10, 2003 09:55:02 AM new
So far I'm not that tempted to stop doing extras .. though I have seriously considered saying "I'm sending you a few extra whatevers because you're special, but let's keep it between us!" (AKA pls. don't mention it in feedback.)
Fortunately, the categories I'm in are not that heavily populated with idiots (Though I do occasionally sell clothing and Oh Lord.) I have a lot of repeat buyers and most of them seem to be responsible, fairly intelligent adults.
posted on March 10, 2003 10:22:34 AM new
I agree with what has been said by msincognito and fluffy... I want to do extras and love them but I can't be expected to make their payments and bid on the auctions for them. It is so funny. I spend hours and hours in front of the computer and would rather do this then stand behind a register and have to see these goofballs face to face. I just remind myself that everyday. At least most of my bigger buyers don't ever have a problem. But I guess maybe these little problem buyers will turn into bigger buyers and by then 'caught on' how it is done.
One point is that the people who sell larger items should thank those of us who sell the small items. We are the ones 'training' the buyers how to use paypal, dutch auctions, etc. (That was said in jest!)
posted on March 10, 2003 10:25:48 AM new
fluffythewondercat I too just have personal Paypal account, and I do get the occasional credit card payment. My son who recently started selling on eBay also with just a personal account told me he had so many people sending credit card payments, and when I looked at his auctions, I saw that he had the Paypal logo on them, and they have all the credit cards under them. I don't put the logo up, I just say in my description that I can take Paypal payments but NOT with a credit card, and that really helps, about 35% pay by direct transfer just fine.
posted on March 10, 2003 11:51:49 AM new
About twice a week I have people emailing me asking for a list of dvd's or videos I sell. I have them catagorized with clickable links on my "me" page so I link them to that, but none ever buy or email me back - I don't have time to type out a list - inventory changes too fast.
Then yesterday I had a buyer who bought 3 videos from me and paid with 3 seperate paypal payments - I let it go, but then she emails me and says she overpaid and wanted $1.00 refund or she'd give me 3 negs. I emailed her back and asked how she figured she overpaid - she paid $2.00 for postage on the first, 80 cents on the second and 80 cents on the third, just as the auctions say. I get a email today that says - "I'm new to ebay and you better give me my $1.00 or I'll report you - I overpaid on the first video shipping and I thought you would have been nice enough to include it in the package". I still can't figure it out but I refunded her the dollar and blocked her from bidding again. Just wasn't in the mood to go into an email war on a Monday morning. I felt like telling her that she actually owed me 60 cents for putting through 3 paypal transactions (and that she should take reading and math lessons).
(That was said in jest!)