Your Experiences as a 'Seller' on EBay

[8x10 user]

Most of the time its a pleasure selling items on ebay but I just recently found that it can very rarely you get a buyer that just cannot be pleased no matter how hard you try...

So I was selling a lens recently, it was a good lens in immaculate condition, the price was fair and there was a fair amount of interest in it. I had one person who kept putting in low offers and would get offended when I did not take them. He said there as no market for large format anymore. Anyway I am about to sell the item to this nice ebayer from japan when the fellow buys the lens with BIN (buy it now). There was a three day handling time listed in the auction details and we shipped the lens on the second day via overnight shipping. The buyer paid for priority mail but we upgraded at our cost. The buyer was still upset that it wasn't shipped a day earlier.

I messed up and made a mistake with the listing and put down that lens caps were included when I don't have them. The item was shipped with clean glass that was protected by a sturdy polystyrene board. The buyer informed me of the mistake and I offered to have brand new lens caps shipped to him on monday. I have tried to resolve the issue with the buyer but he wants to return the item. He has that right since I did list the item with a satisfaction guarantee. I told him that refunds are sent after the item is received and inspected and that shipping is not refunded as per details filled out in the return policy section of the auction. Now he started a claim with paypal, he says I am a con man that should be removed from ebay... I guess the new con on ebay is that you sell a really nice lens but try to rip the buyer off on the lens caps

I can see how it could be frustrating if you were planning on using a lenses or couldn't or if the lens was packed in a way where it could get damaged from not having lens caps. I have tried everything to resolve the issue with the buyer. I hate to say it but honestly I am starting to wonder if he purchased the lens with the intent of returning it just to get back at me for not taking his earlier offer. Does it seem strange that someone would return a perfectly good lens because lens caps were not included in the box?

When I sell an item I try my very best to be a "good seller" a look for tiny defects and I feel that I describe, photograph, and pack my items well. People have always seem satisfied with me as a buyer and I never had an issue except for a time a lens was lost in shipping and I replaced it at my own expense (it was a $800 lens).

It is inconvenient but I am ok with the buyer returning the item. I put the satisfaction guarantee on the auction so that buyers can bid with confidence and because customer satisfaction is important to me. I feel that this customer might be taking advantage of my policy to screw with me but if that is the cost of a policy that increases the satisfaction and confidence for every buyer then it is a small price to pay.

For the most part I like the one sided feedback system on ebay because the transaction should be as buyer friendly as possible, and buyers should feel free to voice legitimate complaints. I suppose the chance of an encounter with a unreasonable buyer is just the risk of selling anything. The two-sided feedback system would not have solved this issue either. It can be frustrating to know that in the end you are completely at the mercy of buyer. I'm going to handle the situation in the same way I would with either system, "be nice and accept the return". Its just a little bit sad to be reminded that if your a seller that ebay is never going to be on your side.

I still think its hilarious that he said I was a "con man" because he would have to wait a few days for couple brand new lens caps.

[Frank Petronio]

I think I've sold my last eBay item and rarely look for anything anymore. I rather just buy from KEH, MPEX, etc. and not deal with amateurs. As for selling, I am going to avoid it, I trimmed everything down.

[Jody_S]

I buy at local flea markets for pennies and resell on ebay to finance my LF addiction. Otherwise I simply would not be able to afford LF. Ebay does what it does, yes there are bugs in the system but there's no other way for me to match any given item that I happen to find with a buyer who actually wants it. I do occasionally take a loss, but it's usually my own damn fault for overpaying for something, not bothering to check first what the item is worth or what condition it's in. And the con artists I deal with are the flea market vendors, who swear to me that the item is working, belonged to their grandmother or whatever, when it's obviously a piece of junk they found rummaging through someone's trash can.

The real issue is that selling is an art, it doesn't matter if you're selling Rolex watches or used cars, you need to have the temperament to deal with the public and the passion to sell your wares. Obviously you also need a supply of wares to sell. It also doesn't matter if you're selling from a storefront or ebay, it's a matter of margins and percentages. Treat it like a business and you'll either make money or stop selling. I have the passion but I'm a little short-tempered when dealing with a$$holes.

[Steve Smith]

As a seller, wouldn't it be better to say "US only, Alaska and Hawaii pay actual shipping"?

No. It's better to say "will ship worldwide but buyer pays actual shipping".

and don't expect all users to have a full grasp of English.

Especially if they're American!!


Steve.

[Jody_S]

Quote Originally Posted by mark blackman
and don't expect all users to have a full grasp of English.

Especially if they're American!!


Steve.

In the late 90s, I sold a The Fisher monobloc tube amplifier to someone in Hong Kong for $450 or something. He paid another $275 I think for UPS shipping to HK. He received the package, signed for of course, then wrote me asking when the 2nd monobloc would arrive! Because somewhere in the description I had written that if you had a pair of these, they would make a great stereo system.

Google translate is a lot better than Babelfish in the late 90s. I don't get serious miscommunications these days, but I try to write descriptions in fairly simple English, with short sentences.

[Sal Santamaura]

...As a seller, wouldn't it be better to say "US only, Alaska and Hawaii pay actual shipping"?

No. It's better to say "will ship worldwide but buyer pays actual shipping"...

There is no "better" in this matter. It's entirely seller preference what market(s) an item is offered to. Buyer preference doesn't come into play.

...and don't expect all users to have a full grasp of English.

...Especially if they're American!!...

Residents of the US have no monopoly on communication deficiencies. Those who have a tongue other than English (American or British) as their primary language deserve deference and respect for making the effort. Native speakers on both sides of the pond, including all Commonwealth members, regularly demonstrate a willingness to go along with current Internet fads in fracturing this language. Singling out one group does nothing to advance things and, by building resentment, probably turns off anyone who might want to improve their skills.

I have abandoned all snide comments about and attempts to correct English errors in posts. Instead, my new approach is to ask polite questions if meaning is ambiguous, remaining silent otherwise. It seems more productive so far.

[BrianShaw]

I have abandoned all snide comments about and attempts to correct English errors in posts. Instead, my new approach is to ask polite questions if meaning is ambiguous, remaining silent otherwise. It seems more productive so far.

Too bad we can't get this into the forum "rules". It is funny the first time and appears only arrogant, but the repetitive nature of these comments make it look like bigotry.

[Kuzano]

If you have read every one of these posts, buried in here is good information that would have addressed the problems you say you have encountered so far:

1) You have the ability to reject bids as they are made, like the limited feedback restriction. However, remember that you were a newby and you had to start with zero feedback. Most people start as buyers, so you are not giving people a chance to join in the fun when you reject zero feedback.

I usually, on small sales, take the risk and help a newby out.

2) I do not advertize that I ship internationally, but it turns out that there seems to be more money for photo equipment in other countries, and in most cases bidders from other countries will ask if they can bid before they do. Those that ask, I look at their feedback. When they have some it is usually good. I will quote an international rate. I only ship by the US Postal service.. there are two rates... Priority and International First Class. I use them both. International First Class is the least expensive, often not more than Priority mail in the US. My last four large format cameras went, two to Federation of Russia, one to Thailand, and one to Bulgaria. NOT ONE PROBLEM.

In fact, over the years, and with a good number of my sales International, I have not lost one deal. The worst was a camera to CANADA that was below the radar for 30 days in customs inspection. I suspect that a customs agent took some "hellish" good medium format pictures for a couple of weeks before packing it back up and sending on to it's destination.

3) You have the right to blacklist certain buyer by differing criteria on each auction. Learn these rights.

Now let me say this. I teach eBay buy/sell at our local Community College for 6 years now, twice each quarter.

I have been on eBay about ten years. On my current primary account (I have two, one of which I use to sell for others, or buy for others), I currently have 431 positive feedbacks at 100%. I'm not saying every transaction has been perfect. I am saying that by judicious actions, communication, an occasional buy back (4 times), I have manage not to "PISS" anybody off to the point of giving me a negative feedback. And after doing just one, I don't do partial refunds (that's a scam to reduce price). I only buy back, and when I do I refund shipping and return shipping. It's happened 3 or 4 times also.

Just counting feedback alone, over the past 12 years, I have had 700 buys or sells on the current or previous accounts. Any secret to that. Clarity and communication, and using the tools provided by eBay. If you are not sure about a function on eBay...LOOK IT UP ON YAHOO...that will take you directly to the appropriate pages on eBay. The eBay help system itself is far to convoluted to find help on the site. USE YAHOO!!!

I ask for an usually receive feedback... but perhaps there are another 50 transactions in my history where no feedback was given. I always give it.

It may also be appropriate to say that eBay is no longer the same as it was ten years ago, when there were "stealer" deals on auctions. However, good deals can be found, because there are always newby's who make little effort to learn the sytem.

eBay constantly evolves, and is now more of a sales venue with locks on prices, than it is the Auction site of it's heyday. It's not for everyone, and I know that if I can get 25% of my student's to actually try and continue to use eBay, I am probably doing good.

Otherwise, take your lumps, and the risk of being financially or physically hurt on Craigslist, or pay the ripoff prices for local advertising.

My sales reports from eBay show that I have accumulated approximately $30,000 in NET profits (and I count ALL expenses, including time spent packaging and running packages) over the last five years... VERY part time.

[BrianShaw]

It can be frustrating to know that in the end you are completely at the mercy of buyer. I'm going to handle the situation in the same way I would with either system, "be nice and accept the return". Its just a little bit sad to be reminded that if your a seller that ebay is never going to be on your side.

Has that happened yet? Has ebay ruled in favor of the buyer to your disadvantage?

I understand your frustration. The situation isn't right. The buyer is unrealistically impatient. But is this mostly your frustration speaking or have you really been treated unfairly so far?

[Kuzano]

For all sellers whining about the favoritism shown to buyers, it needs to be said that the Sellers brought this shift in favoritism on themselves.

Just a few years ago, it became obvious to eBay and a lot of buyers that sellers were highly favored. It also became clear that Seller, most often Power Sellers, were using the feedback system in a retaliatory way on buyers. Many were withholding feedback, until they saw the feedback left by buyers. If they did not like what they saw, they responded with feedback they considered appropriate to the level of feedback left by the buyer.

eBay came down on Sellers hard, with the "funds hold" policy and more.

My feeling is that Sellers should have been required for some time prior to that action to leave feedback for the buyer based on receipt of "collected" funds. This would normally have been enough of a change, since shipping is not done until payment is received in any event. I always left feedback as soon as I could access the funds from the buyer.

So Sellers have had to jump through hoops to be on the "right side" of the transaction since that time...And so, the pendulum swings. Sellers cut themselves a new, very harsh deal.

In spite of that, I have only seen two transactions having funds held. As long as you stay active and meet the minimum requirements for no "funds hold" or other "hoops" it won't happen to you.

Yes, buyers are on top now... I suspect it will change.