Collect Plus shops don't exist

johnnyboyrebel

soolin wrote: »

Firstly I ought to reassure regular users of Collect plus that I haven't tried to use them to ship glass- I noted that is specifically excluded by Collect plus.

Johnnyboyrebel - I sell whatever I can lay my hands on- my family call me del boy - although I see myself of more of a Lovejoy (the one on the TV not the original character in the books who was a crook and a murderer). I am always watching the market, doing multiple browses on ebay, seeing what is selling and what I can source.

I noticed that vintage glass sells well to non UK buyers- probably because very few sellers will risk shipping it- so I kept a look out for house clearances and general auctions. I often buy mixed lots at auction as well (I use several different B and M houses ) and sort the stuff to sell in my retail presence , on ebay and also what I can't sell which goes straight to a charity shop. Sometiems the prices go too high for me too buy or else I get too many competitors so I also have other lines- some I source on ebay, add 'value' and resell in an entirely different market.

I do occasionally find something in the High Street that I can turn a profit on, but basically it is anything that will sell. I always try and run several lines at the same time rather than rely on only one sort of thing. As soon as a market starts to die I get out and move on.

I tend to avoid clothing and electricals and have never drop shipped- all my stuff is in hand and ready to go which gives me an edge over some other sellers.

I do also sell in a couple of very niche markets with high profit margins which I would prefer not to talk about on here due to competition.

Thanks for the info, i wouldn't expect you to go into detail. Just wondered as you appear to do well with eBay.

soolin

johnnyboyrebel wrote: »

Thanks for the info, i wouldn't expect you to go into detail. Just wondered as you appear to do well with eBay.

Ebay is like any other market though for me, if I stop doing well I shall probably move on. Up until a year ago Amazon was huge for me and then it just collapsed almost overnight- so I struggled for a few months and then basically pulled out. I don't have the energy to fuss aorund in a market that stops working for me. The only market I have continued to work at is ebid, and that is because I paid out money upfront for a lifetime membership and have never even covered that outlay so feel almost obliged to keep trying.

I think I also do quite well, problem wise on ebay as I don't sell in the difficult categories. For instance on the rare occasions I sell clothes they seem to attract more problems than other categories- and likewise electricals are something i know very little about so I tend to avoid them.(although I do sell the occasional phone)

Atomic_guy

soolin wrote: »

It just shows that it was received at Llandudno Depot (which is near the buyer) on Friday, nothing since. Tracking shows it arrived at, and left my local depot on Thursday.

This is the first courier I have used for years, the first ever for an ebay item so I am understandably nervous especially as parcels sent next day via RM have already arrived.

If you have done everything right then nothing to be nervous about.
The parcel should be delivered to its destination with out any problem.

Check status and if nothing is happening then get in touch with
collectplus.

soolin

Atomic_guy wrote: »

If you have done everything right then nothing to be nervous about.
The parcel should be delivered to its destination with out any problem.

Check status and if nothing is happening then get in touch with
collectplus.

Still at depot 5 full days after sending. I have called them and they say that it has been scanned as still at depot each day and delivery has never bene attmepted and they have no idea why.

Told me they will contact depot and ask that is be delivered tomorrow. I am really not impressed by this. Tomorrow will be a full 7 days after buyer paid and if I were the buyer i would be getting seriously worried by now especially as I confirmed dispatch early on Thursday morning.

MyOnlyPost

soolin wrote: »

Still at depot 5 full days after sending. I have called them and they say that it has been scanned as still at depot each day and delivery has never bene attmepted and they have no idea why.

Told me they will contact depot and ask that is be delivered tomorrow. I am really not impressed by this. Tomorrow will be a full 7 days after buyer paid and if I were the buyer i would be getting seriously worried by now especially as I confirmed dispatch early on Thursday morning.

It's not always the right thing to do but on a couple of occasions when I have had trouble with suppliers / delivery companies in the past I have copied in the customer on communications. It shows at least that you are being open and honest, and also passes the blame. Only to be used sparingly but worth remembering

Obviously_the_best

Llandudno Depot's phone number is 01492 593 554, I've had problems with that depot before, that's why I have the number

Atomic_guy

Obviously_the_best wrote: »

Llandudno Depot's phone number is 01492 593 554, I've had problems with that depot before, that's why I have the number

I was going to suggest that. Soolin, call the depot and find out whats going on with your parcel.
In the past, I sent a parcel and a attempted delivery so the parcel
went back to the depot.

The buyer then went to the depot to pick it up but on the tracking
system it still says at the depot.

But to be at the depot for that long is odd.

soolin

Thank you all, I will phone the depot tomorrow if tracking doesn't show any difference after around 9am.

I was so excited about finally deciding to opt for a courier and have listed a whole batch of items in the 2kg+ bracket in anticipation of a wonderful new service.

Keep your fingers crossed for me tomorrow.

Obviously_the_best

Collect+ are normally very good, so don't give up on them yet

graspthenettle

I used Collect+, once! I 'tried them out' first with a catalogue return, that was fine so I used it for a huge parcel of books from ebay. I took it to the same shop as before and they had no idea what I was talking about (it was the same people, it hadn't been taken over) they carried out the whole conversation whilst on the phone to someone else.

After about 10 days the parcel hadn't been delivered so I went back and asked what had happened they said there had been a bank holiday - there hadn't - and that the 5 day delivery promise only applied to being picked up - it didn't.

I rang collect+ they told me that the delivery van had been round that morning and the parcel hadn't been given to them. The driver went back specially and they routed around in the back and found it. Someone had stuck another label on top of mine.

It then made it's way to my buyer's local store where it was rejected as 'no-one of that name works here'.

All in all it took nearly 3 weeks for my buyer to get her books. Luckily she was very good humoured about it and didn't mark me down.

I've never used them since!