eBay

[balhanapi]

I bought 2 books from eBay for the first time.

1. 'Honey bee biology and beekeeping' - on 25th Feb 07 - (after 6 days received a mail saying that it will be shipped by 5th. now after 3 emails no response whatsoever from the seller.
2. 'American honey plants' purchased on 1st march after 3 emails and a request for sellers phone number, finally shipped on 10th march.

This is my first experience with Ebay don't know what to expect. What has been your experience?

Shouldn't the response from the sellers be more timely when I paid for the item instantly?

[shawnwri]

Depends on the seller. You can check their feedback and see what others say. My wife ships at least twice every week, but won't ship things paid for with personal check until it clears.

[balhanapi]

Waiting for the personal check to clear is understanable, but I paid by paypal and that too instantly.

One seller had 100% positive rating (second one) the first one did not have any feedback. May be I was careless....

[Jeffzhear]

Books are typically sent via book rate and sometimes take a long time to get. I think they say it will be about 10 days. It took three weeks for the last book I ordered on ebay, and was not the Sellers fault. If the seller has primariliy postive feedbacks the odds are in your favor. Good luck

[Michael Bush]

>This is my first experience with Ebay don't know what to expect. What has been your experience?

Some rig the feedback. They will stall until it's too late for you to give any feedback and then they will stop responding at all. Don't wait too long to give your feedback.

[Sundance]

Started selling and buying on ebay in 1997 and I have
had very few problems and most all were resolved.

Watch the feedback and the date the seller started on
ebay. Warning signs are low feedback and recently
registered sellers.

[JohnK and Sheri]

Even if you paid by paypal, if your account is linked to a checking account, as many new paypal users are, it will have to clear like a regular check, usually in about 5 days, but sometimes longer. A label cannot even be printed on Ebay without this echeck being cleared.

Some sellers say what their shipping timeframe is. I advertise that I ship next day after cleared payment, and do so religiously. If a seller says shipping within a certain time and they do not ship by then, they have broken their own terms of sale.

Always read the feedback, while it CAN be rigged, good feedback gives you better odds. And even positive feedback might give a clue, for instance "Recieved item as advertised but it took 2 months to get here" :)

If you are convinced too much time has elapsed, considering the above, open a dispute asap on the seller that doesn't answer emails. That will get their attention. I would hold back feedback as a last resort. There MIGHT be a good reason for delays, death in the family etc but it is unlikely.

NEVER give feedback for a seller until you have the item in hand and are 100% satisfied. I am amazed at the newbees that will leave me positive feedback before I even mail their package. This is sometimes the only leverage a buyer has against a bad seller.
Sheri

[nsmith1957]

This is my first experience with Ebay don't know what to expect. What has been your experience?
My feedback on Ebay is a little over 100, buying and selling. Only had one bad transaction. Paid for the item, never heard from the seller and never saw the item, $50 down the drain. Checking feedback of the seller is VERY important.

[JohnK and Sheri]

I have been doing business with Ebay for a long time, both buying and selling. In my experience most problems come from inexperience, carelessness and/or flakiness, in both buyers or sellers. A buyer can expect something different than the discription stipulates, or sends a money order in the wrong amount. A seller sends the wrong item or takes his/her buyer for granted with poor communications and customer service. While there ARE definitely crooks, they usually concentrate on the large ticket items, where their crookedness pays off better before they get kicked off. There are some small item sellers that make a habit of misrepresenting an item, then refunding the ones that complain. They know lots of folks won't bother and they hold your feedback as hostage against your giving them poor feedback. Their longevity and feedback IS your best defense.
Most disagreements are a nuisance but not usually a crime.
Sheri

[balhanapi]

Thanks for the input guys, it helps a lot.
I paid through credit card into my paypal account.
The second seller has sent a notification through half.eBay.com that the item "honey bee biology and beekeeping' has been shipped today i.e 12th march.(for which I paid on 25th Feb.) Now hoping it gets here in a shape as promised "brand new - looked at it a few times".

The other seller has already provided me with a tracking number. it shows 'in transit.' hope it turns out well.

[Sundance]

Here's a good example......

I sold an Ice Auger to a fellow in New York State. It was
shipped on Tuesday via Parcel Post to save the fellow
money.

He started asking "Where is it???" on Friday!! Many have
no concept of delivery times. Faster and more expensive
shipping was an option but not elected. Again today he's
wondering. And this is after telling him that Parcel Post
may very well take 10 days or more.

Gut feeling...... He'll lay negative feedback on me.:eek:

[JohnK and Sheri]

Bruce, do you get delivery confirmation? I've found that giving buyers the tracking number usually helps, but not always. When the number is entered on the PO site, the notice says something like "The USPS was notified to expect this item for shipping but we don't have any record of it yet, check back later.",so a nontrusting buyer might take that as indication that the label was printed but the package not sent. For buyers who are antsy I tell them that if parcel post items aren't there within about 2 weeks, it is time to send out the mounties, but not before.
I use priority as much as possible but occassionally parcel post, and it can take forever, and sometimes gets there by the most out of the way routes imaginable, as you no doubt know. But I've never had a package lost yet, knock on wood.

I had one buyer that had bought an item from me and an item from someone else close to the same time. Somehow he got us mixed up and started sending me emails concerning his unhappiness with this other widget he'd bought. Talk about mass confusion. I didn't have a clue what he was talking about and he kept saying I had promised to take it back so why was I acting like I didn't understand what he was talking about. Cheesh! Finally got that straightened out.:D
So far I have dodged a couple bullets and managed to keep my 100% positive feedback, but I know one of these days it will fall, probably to some silly misunderstanding like that.
Sheri

[Sundance]

Yes I always use Delivery Confirmation but the USPS
tracking is worthless.

I am going to go exclusively Priority Mail.

I sure wish our little burg had a Fed Ex Ground drop
off or better yet, DHL.

Feedback has become kind of a game. All to many sellers
will not leave feedback until you the buyer does. Kind of
like feedback extortion. If they send you a bad product and
you let folks know they give you negative. Consequentially,
all to many "false" positives are being registered to avoid
retaliatory feedback.

I tell it like it is and have been blasted by sellers. I'm not
talking about the sellers that take care of problems but
the ones that don't even respond. But they sure respond
when you drop the bomb.....

[JohnK and Sheri]

Bruce, I disagree with you on who should leave the first feedback, here's why.
Feedback extortion works both ways. There are buyers that play that game as well. example: I had a buyer email me that I should give them free shipping because they "thought shipping was too high" and if I wouldn't they would give me a neg. My shipping rates are on the listing, and aren't inflated, it was pure blackmail. I refused, they paid the shipping and we exchanged positives, no problema. Nice try! Glad I hadn't given them a positive first.

I do not leave feedback until my buyer has recieved their item and has indicated their satisfaction by leaving me feedback. I explain to any who might inquire about it, that I am not satisfied until I know my customer is, and the best way to indicate this is with feedback.
My reputation is too important to me to risk.
I, as a seller, have little recourse against bad buyers if I leave feedback before I know they are happy. I have heard too many horror stories about sellers that leave the first feedback being held hostage by buyers. Sellers are much more vulnerable to feedback extortion, they have much more to lose, their seller's reputation is at stake. A buyer can just change his name.
I have never had a customer that had a problem with this once I explained it to him or her, and assured them I would leave feedback once they did.

I agree that false positives are a problem, and it irks me because Ebay could alleviate this problem if they truly wanted too. For instance, if a seller cannot produce a delivery confirm, they should not be allowed to give retaliatory feedback to a customer that claims they didn't recieve a package. Likewise, a buyer that doesn't pay should not be able to give feedback when they get their nonpaying buyer strike and neg from the seller. These two conditions account for much of the retaliatory action that takes place.

There have been several times I have let nonpaying buyers off the hook because it just isn't worth a retaliatory neg. Shouldn't have to happen. They deserve the neg and don't get it.

Feedback isn't perfect by a long shot and could stand improvement, but it is still a good tool, if only people would take the trouble to read it.
Sheri

[balhanapi]

I received both the books after a loooong wait(one today and one on 16th march). They are in the condition promised though.

[Sundance]

"I had a buyer email me that I should give them free shipping because they "thought shipping was too high" and if I wouldn't they would give me a neg."

I hear you Sheri and agree. If a buyer did that to me I would
forward it to ebays trust and safety department immediately, no room for morons like that.

As a seller I will generally leave feedback as soon as they
acknowledge receipt and satisfaction. It's worked for me. I have had a couple of sellers who would not make it right and then I don't hesitate to leave negative, even if I get it back.

But whatever works is good.

Glad you got your books...... Media mail can crawl to be
sure.

[Jerry C]

One thing I found out about e bay is always find out what the shipping is going to be before you bid. I bought a booklet that cost less than $3.00 and was charged $10.95 shipping. It was shipped in a recycled envelope with less than $1.00 postage on it

[carbide]

As a buyer only, I refuse to do business with sellers that won't give feedback until they've received yours. If I win a bid and the seller sends me confirmation that I've won the bid and describes how to pay for it but includes in the confirmation that feedback won't be sent until I send feedback for them, I cross that seller off of my acceptable seller list and never do business with them again

After winning a bid, I either pay immediately with paypal or I send a USPS money order the same day if the seller doesn't accept paypal (provided I have their address). When the seller receives my payment (either immediately by paypal, or within a couple of days with the money order) they should issue positive feedback since I have fulfilled my obligation to them for fast trouble free payment.

If the seller should send me an item that is not what they described in their listing, or they take an inordinate amount of time to get it into the mail, then they deserve to have negative feedback against them.

BTW, my feedback is still at 100% and I've only once issued a neutral feedback against a seller for taking 11 days to send out an item that I had won.

[Sundance]

One thing I found out about e bay is always find out what the shipping is going to be before you bid. I bought a booklet that cost less than $3.00 and was charged $10.95 shipping. It was shipped in a recycled envelope with less than $1.00 postage on it

I always list the shipping and handling. I know people get upset when
a seller charges more than the actual shipping. But it is unreasonable
to expect someone to package the product (which costs $$ in tape,
boxes, time) and travel to the Post Office (mine is 15 miles away) for
nothing......

On the other hand...... Charging $10.95 on a 99 cent item that ships
for a dollar is BS. I only tack on a dollar (less or more) to the shipping.
Several times I've shipped for less than the actual cost of shipping.:mad:

A couple times I've listed an item with "Free Shipping" and that worked
fairly well. Buyers will adjust their bid in step with shipping costs.

But....... List your shipping charge up front!! It saves you time in getting
countless emails, and saves the buyer time not having to send them.

Excuse me while I rant......... But....... How about those Reserve Price
Auctions???? They suck!! List your starting selling price at what you need
to get and don't waste buyers time. I have yet to hear a logical reason
for having a reserve auction. If you have to get $1,000 for your car, then
start the bidding at $1000......

[power napper]

ebay--I enjoy using it. Caution as the above posts help with not getting burnt (burned). I always ask questions before bidding, luckily all experiences have been positive so far. If I do not feel comfortable with the communications and rating as well as what the positive and negative feedbacks say--I will not bid. Some sellers price themselves out of my bidding because of inflated shipping and handling.

[JohnK and Sheri]

If the seller should send me an item that is not what they described in their listing, or they take an inordinate amount of time to get it into the mail, then they deserve to have negative feedback against them.
We can certainly agree on this.

it is unreasonable to expect someone to package the product (which costs $$ in tape,
boxes, time) and travel to the Post Office (mine is 15 miles away) for
nothing......List your shipping charge up front!! It saves you time in getting countless emails, and saves the buyer time not having to send them.

YES! I ship almost everything in the flat rate priority boxes. The boxes are free, but the bubblepack and tape are not. The shipping costs me $8.10, I charge $8.25, I am collecting .15 extra, (I am not getting rich on the shipping thats for sure). The USPS picks them up in the shop so no driving to ship. When I use purchased boxes for larger orders I charge an additional dollar or so to cover the cost of the box.
Shipping is posted on my Ebay site so folks know BEFORE bidding.

Excuse me while I SIZE=4]rant[/SIZE]......... But....... How about those Reserve Price
Auctions???? They suck!! ..
I will join in on this rant!!!
The only reason I can see for anyone to use a reserve is if they think they can get a bidder emotionally invested in their auction, and bid more than they intend. Reserve auctions are an insult to buyers. If there is a reserve auction I am interested in I will email the seller and ask them what the reserve is, if they won't tell me I won't bid, why waste my time? Most WILL tell you. It is especially dumb to sell used cars with a reserve. I wouldn't bid on a car, or any other used big ticket item unless I can send someone out to look. I am not going to invest the inspection money on a rediculously overpriced vehicle.

I typically start my auctions at the minimum I am willing to sell, with a buy-it-now price at about the maximum I feel it is worth.
Sheri

[Hobie]

I have found people that will list a book really cheap, but "hide" the $12 shipping in fine print. I cross them off my list promptly.

My personal favorite was a seller from whom I bought a die-cast model airplane. He sent a book on catfishing. After many emails, he said his garage was broken into and the model airplanes stolen, so he sent a "substitute." :confused: Eventually got reimbursed, but criminey!

[carbide]

Hey Hobie,

Why'd you return that book on catfishing? I thought it was well worth the price I paid for it last week. :)

[Ross]

I don't charge handling except in rare cases, if I have to build a wooden crate for instance (I ship alot of cast iron tools). I figure that day to day packing should be in my cost of doing business, i.e. raise the price if you need to to cover it. I charge actual shipping cost from Fedex Ground website. I have 100% feedback at something over 400 buying and selling. I'm not religious about feedback anymore so it should probably be over 1000. I have had one dispute go to PayPal arbitration as a seller and I won that one. I had one case of an old tool dealer shipping a tool that was broken in transit and refusing to make it good. He had a change of heart after the negative feedback and rebuttal after he left me negative feedback in retaliation. Both were withdrawn after he received a number of emails from the old tool community about the retribution. The very few other cases of disappointment have largely been refunded no questions asked. Likewise if someone has a legitimate gripe about something I ship, I either ship a replacement if available or send the money back. I only got burned once doing that and the guy lived in a multi-million dollar neighborhood in Carmel, CA.

[Grant]

I've bought and sold for several years. 98% of the time I've had good luck and positive responses.

The one bad apple that I gave negative feedback to simply signed up as a new member with a perfectly clean slate. She wouldn't pay or respond to e-mails. When I gave negative feedback (and I wasn't the first) she has not used her former member name.

I also check on bidders (see the advanced search). Some sellers sign up under a different member name then bid on their own merchandise to run up the price. You can find out who their bidding on (but never buying) if you follow up on their names.

The system works when everyone is honest, but therein lies the real problem.

Grant
Jackson, MO

[Limey]

I used to like Ebay a few years ago when it was mostly hobbists and people getting rid of old stuff. What amazes me is the people who bid stupid amounts for items they can get cheaper elsewhere. A while back I was looking for a sewing machine for my wife, people were bidding 140+ plus 25 shippings for the item which was available via Amazon for 135 with free shipping.