Question
Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon? I've been selling on Ebay for about 5 years, and always in the spring I know when it's time to take a break because the cranky, crabby buyers start coming out. This year it actually seems a bit early, usually doesn't happen til later in April. I really enjoy dealing with most of my buyers, but suddenly I am into a real spate of rude and annoying bidders and auction winners. Nothing I can't deal with, just the kind where you have to walk away from the computer and compose yourself to be able to send a professional reply. Last year I mentioned this on another board, and one of the posters said that I should "look inside myself". Nothing has changed in my business practices, so what seems to please people most of the year just never cuts it right now. Would also be interested to hear if anyone else experiences this same thing, but at a different time of year?
Answer
I had one bitching over shipping just the other day.I dropped it from 6 bucks to 4 bucks and that did the trick.My shipping is in the terms but it was a sale very close to my location.It was worth the money just to rid myself of the greif!
I think it is maybe just that we are all in need of a bit of a break from winter and are all anticipating better weather.I hope things improve for you soon.4 more weeks for me and I am back selling outdoors..........yippee..........I think?
Answer
This is tax time, when the bottom feeders come out expecting to get everything for nothing, and will fight tooth and nail on shipping.
I keep things simple since I hate the Post Office more than ebay for the way they LIED to *CONGRESS* to get their massive rate hike. I send things cheap as possible and *enjoy* passing the savings off on the customers. I simply list the weight in the auction. I have a flat rate for books but its cheap enough ($2.50) that nobody ever complains.
But this is March madness, so expect the kooks. Advice: DOnt list CHEAP stuff. List only what is likely to sell at a reasonable price over $10, to hopefully attract some of the few customer not on meds. Or should I say, not PRESCRIBED anti-psychotics.
In fact, too many are off their meds....
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I have noticed an increase in rude and annoying bidders lately and many of my items are ending with low or no bids. http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_frown.gif There were enough of them to make it noticable. My best month always seems to be May so I will wait with anticipation for things to pick up. Thrift store finds have been almost nonexistant and have limited my inventory.
I have been doing a lot of buying lately and many of the sellers also have attitudes and unreasonable demands and expectations. Maybe the bidders are becoming acustomed to fighting for what they feel they deserve, even if unreasonable. e my pictures and descriptions are accurate.
Michelle
Answer
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I keep things simple since I hate the Post Office more than ebay for the way they LIED to *CONGRESS* to get their massive rate hike. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Snake, for a real eye opener...just look at how the P.O. is buying new equipment for the local offices. Dumping their budgets quick aren't they?
Sucks.
Reminds me of school taxes, and school boards raising wages. No need to vote, the votes are already in.. http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_frown.gif
Answer
jayally,
Fortunately I very rarely get rude buyers. The last one I had, I simply cancelled the transaction and gave him a neg on the very first abusive email.
The main problem I have is with the apparent refusal of buyers AND sellers to even communicate. No response to emails, and I dont think its spam filters. Though I ever requested it, once upon a time about 10-20% of buyers would let me know when an item arrived. Now its down to like 3-5%.
I dont get hassled for shipping because I give them the boxed shipping weight in the ad and automatically come down to parcel post when the savings is more than a buck or two. And they simply have no room whatever to argue with the price I quote.
When the Post Office screwed us over, being on the East Coast I noticed that my normal majority of West Coast buyers became only a trickle, and *suddenly* I had a FLOOD of local buyers. Some nearly neighbors.
I think many buyers are searching regionally and getting upset at flat rate vendors charging zone 8 prices, when they are hoping to see an adjustment for a zone 1 order. This is one reason whenever I purchase a heavier item I always look at location, and always try to buy offsite - I will rarely dicker about the price, but I WILL aim for realistic shipping.
empires,
Isnt LYING to congress a felony? If they could impeach and nearly toss out of office a chowderhead for lying to them about a BJ, doesnt that make the Post Office a CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION??? Jeez. We've been dealing with the mob all along.
As far as upgrades, my Post Office went from a vegetable scale to a Pitney Bowes. Still has hand written receipts. No deliveries either. But at least the pickup/delivery truck is gasoline powered. And not horse and buggy. And they are making the part-time guy work full time hours. He hates it because he is after all, retired.
The money is going somewhere. Probably drugs and prostitution. After all, they are a bunch of outlaws.
Answer
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>The money is going somewhere. Probably drugs and prostitution. After all, they are a bunch of outlaws.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
But then I wouldn't mind... http://community.here.com/infopop/em...on_biggrin.gif