Question
I've found less and less sellers acting in a professional manner.
Examples: less information on listings-shipping method, shipping costs-extras, less photographs, less detailed descriptions.
I'm also finding more and more "keyword spamming" on listings, incorrect (due to ignorance or outright scamming) information about an item, etc.
Less and less feedback being left by sellers, more "automated" written feedback, and more "emotional" feedback - usually as negatives.
Many sellers are more abrupt and their responses come across as being "don't bother me".
And crappy packing!!! Don't even get me started. Add that to waiting two or more weeks just to ship an item which was paid for (cc) immediately!
Is this the general trend of eBay, or am I just running into a batch of what I personally deem, bad sellers?
http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_frown.gif
Answer
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> am I just running into a batch of what I personally deem, bad sellers? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
If you are, then I must be shopping the same sellers. I'm getting the same things, and it seems to be across the board. In the last 2-3 weeks I've bought stuff as varied as concert tickets, a carnival glass compote, children's clothing, ladies shoes, a Velvet Revolver CD, some DVDs, men's and ladies' clothing, children's books, camping equipment, Fiesta flatware, and a memory stick.
I've received: two shoes stuck in a Priority envelope with no inner wrapping, a memory stick taped to a 3x5 card in a kraft envelope, clothing shoved (not folded) into a priority box with no other packing, and packages postmarked more than a week after payment.
I don't expect the Taj Mahal, and I don't need Martha Stewart to wrap my purchases, but I kind of did expect better - especially for a pair of shoes that cost $60, when I paid $9 for shipping.
OTOH, the carnival compote brought back much of the excitement I used to get back in the "good old days". It was very much under-identified, with bad pictures, and I got a fantastic bargain! Unwrapping that one was wonderful, seeing that I really did see what I thought I saw! I'm now the proud owner of an Alaskan carnival piece.
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Well, its probably the sellers you buy from, or browse with. Sorry, that's the way I see it.
I think the good outweigh the bad.
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I have bought mostly fragile items recently and I have been pleasantly surprised. All arrived intact and were exactly (or better) than promised, except for one piece. I bought it with a flaw and the flaw was underdescribed (by a longshot). The seller has sent me a refund with shipping both ways and I have shipped his item back to him.
I think some sellers get tired. At one time my listings would include 5-6 photos of each item and describe it inch by inch. When I would cruise around the listings of the same items, however, I would see sellers (with comparable feedback, etc.) who only had one photo with short descriptions getting better prices than I was. It made me wonder why I was working so hard and they were getting the better prices. I haven't resorted to the one photo and the description of "see photo for details" yet, but I have been tempted. http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_smile.gif Well, no, not really but it would be nice sometimes wouldn't it?
The "sting" of negative feedback doesn't carry much weight any longer as more and more sellers just create a new ID and start all over again. I know that even a neutral still hurts me personally.
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kathleen maybe you should turn into a metalhead.
here at <A HREF="http://www.imosh.com" TARGET=_blank>www.imosh.com we are perfectionist, no mistakes will be made or lame products be sold.</A>http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_smile.gif
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by www.imosh.com:
kathleen maybe you should turn into a metalhead.
http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_smile.gif <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
There's days that it's tempting, believe me!
http://community.here.com/infopop/em...icon_smile.gif
Not ALL sellers are "lame-o's", but a larger percentage than the last 2 years seems to be deriger. Again, I'm shopping in a wide variety of categories, from clothing to furniture, inexpensive to expensive, new to antique.
I was thinking "laziness", too. Perhaps coupled with the "bloom is off the rose".
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Well, let's see, recently I've purchased concert tickets, an electric toothbrush, an antique book, a CD and a VHS tape and have been happy with all the items and all the sellers.
There isn't as much, if any, "chatting" between buyers and sellers any more but if everything goes smoothly I don't miss it.
As a seller, I've been using almost automated feedback for years (that's one reason I have ebud).
Maryanne
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I don't think it is worse and I don't think it is better...
All of the things you describe have always been there - quality of service varies from seller to seller, and always will - but people do seem to encounter "waves" of problems, and waves of good results. A friend last year had some shocking experiences with innappropriate packing, and being gouged for the privilege. (Including a hard plastic doll shipped in a stiff paper BAG, and charged $24.00 for the $7.00 shipping cost, and no extra packing). I was amazed that she continued to buy on Ebay. Recently she went into a fairly heavy buying frenzy for her shop, and was absolutely delighted with what she bought, had no packing problems, and the only item delayed was delayed (substantially) by the post and from a seller they knew and trusted. Her experience suggests a vast improvement of recent times.
My own experiences have been about average all the way. The only blatant rip offs were very early on on Ebay, I have had very varied service and packing quality since, but it is not getting worse (or better) - some sellers are excellent, some can be a PITA.....
I would love it if all sellers were excellent for quality, descriptions and service, but unfortunately the nature of the market makes the range of sellers so broad that that will never happen. It unfortunately tars those of us who do take the time to do the job "properly" with a broad brush, but I can also find the service in different branches of the same bank (which should have a more consistant training) to be highly eratic, and have learned to stick with good branches for the best experiences.
Kind Regards, Kevin
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which should have a more consistant training
Only people who hang out in chat rooms has ANY "training". http://community.here.com/infopop/em.../icon_wink.gif
Everyone else is learning from the "school of hard knocks".
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It's my impression that there are many more lowlives on eBay now than when I first started out. I've had so many bad experiences in the past two years that if I began to tell you about them I'd be here all afternoon writing.