Ever given freebies when selling on eBay? How did it go?

RussJK

Just wondering if people have put in extras when selling on ebay, and if people acknowledged it?

Here's my little story, if anyone cares enough to read it

Before I left Australia, I sold a load of my belongings. I offered the lowest postage cost with multiple options based on postcode, and promised to send things in the cheapest way for multiple winnings. Often this was either the prepaid satchel of 500g for $6.00, or the 3kg $10.30. Since it's a fair distance from Sydney to the other side of Australia, sometimes a single book would be just over the 500g mark so you'd need a 3kg satchel anyway as it was far more expensive to send regular post due to distance.

I remember one particular person had bid on quite a number of my books, obviously wanting to take full advantage of the satchel since he was in Western Australia. He pushed the bid price up on so many, and also raised the visibility of my auctions so that others joined in (since people seem to miss auctions that don't have any bids for some reason? you see bidding wars on one item, yet an identical item running concurrently from that seller often finishes without a single bid). When the dust settled it turned out he'd only won a single book, poor guy!

I felt sorry for him, particularly since he now had to pay twice the cost of the book just for the postage, so put in lots of extra books that I hadn't listed as a thank you. No acknowledgement at all! haha not to worry, he didn't owe me anything for it.

Anyone else had experiences where it was more worthwhile doing anything extra?

HannahIOW

I once received a top from ebay which had loads of sequins etc chucked in the parcel... that was weird...

skint-student-nurse

I used to,but dont bother anymore! I always give a freebie to my folksy customers and it always gets appriciated!

Myyrrddyn

A friend of mine used to give a murray mint with all his orders and still does.
I honestly don't think it is worth it, but a good idea all the same.

annie-c

I find it a bit odd to get freebies and have no wish for them really.

I particularly dislike getting sweets or chocolates which a lot of crafters seem to enclose with fabric and craft items. I like things to be as described and cleanly packaged and so random bits of choolate make me feel a bit icky

My last 'freebie' really annoyed me. I bought a set of 3 crystal wine glasses. Originally it had been a set of 4 and the numpty included the fourth, broken glass in the packaging 'in case I could fix it'. The broken glass was loose in the box and smashed against the others, breaking a further glass in transit. And the buyer had the cheek to offer a token £1 partial refund, saying I had got a bargain and he had tried to be nice in sending the extra!

Going back to the OP, I'd be a bit alarmed if someone sent me a random selection of unwanted books along with my purchase....and if it made the difference between a single book fitting through my letterbox and a big bagful waiting for collection at the depot, I'd probably be a bit annoyed.

hermum

HannahIOW wrote: »

I once received a top from ebay which had loads of sequins etc chucked in the parcel... that was weird...

I had that once too, it was like the shiny table confetti, they went everywhere. I was most unimpressed as I was looking after a friends crawling baby who was covered in the stuff & kept finding bits that I hadn't vaccuumed up & eating.

terra_ferma

Had thought about freebies too.
Sounds like they are not a good idea, as you don't know if they'll be appreciated.
To me if it's something I don't use it would feel like a waste that could have been avoided...

mandragora_2

We had a spate of selling teasmades and now and again I'd put in a couple of teabags (nice brand, individually wrapped), with the line 'Have a drink on me'. Sometimes people commented and appreciated it, sometimes they didn't. The thanks were always nice - it was a whim on my part, nothing more, as I think it would have made me smile if I'd opened the parcel and got that. The thanks were nice when they came, but I didn't really think about it beyond that.




When my mum was a bit low after my dad died, I bid on some old smellies in a scent that has long gone, but which her favourite aunt used to wear, and which my mum longed to smell again. I won the item, and in the email correspondence I explained the reason I'd bought it and why I wanted it posted to a different address. The seller then told me the story behind the smellies - they'd belonged to her grandmother, and the back-story was lovely - too long to describe her but ultimately one with a very happy ending. I then explained my mum's loss and how I was hoping the scent and other bits would cheer her up. All I asked was that the seller didn't include an invoice in the parcel, as I didn't want my mum to know how much I'd spent.

When the parcel arrived, it had been beautifully wrapped, as a gift, really nicely presented and very thoughtfully done, with a very simple but lovely card attached to it. It was a lovely gesture, and one that I still appreciate for the pleasure that just receiving and opening it gave my mum at the time.

porto_bello

I included some aircraft related promotional items (postcards, pens, stickers) when I sold aircraft related items. They went down very well with overseas buyers and although some UK buyers were grateful, I found most just gave the standard feedback. Frankly, I was clearing out anyway so it cost me nothing.

jasmineswhiskers

I remember a thread on here ages ago similar to this and some buyers ended up complaining about the freebies! (eg, the person who put free tea bags in would get a buyer complaining they don't like earl grey and would have preferred assam) - so probably just keep things simple. The more people have to complain about the more they will.

Sharon87

When I bought a t-shirt for a band they included a little badge too. I thought that was a nice gesture. Never done any myself though. Well I just sold a camera and put the case (which I thought was lost) with it, mostly for extra protection lol.