Today's nonsense

soolin

Just a nonsense post really but today I had a (luckily) positive feedback saying they were a bit disappointed in size of item and mentioned 'clever photo ' . The item was fully described with all sizes stated in both cms and inches - this just shows how little buyers actually read.

Then earlier I had the dreaded 'if I buy this now will I definitely have it for Saturday as it's no good to me if it arrives later' . All very well and reasonable except that I am currently showing a 3 day dispatch and due to using 2nd class item clearly shows as estimated for next Wednesday.

in the past week I've had a French buyer ask if they could have an item guaranteed for 2 day delivery if they rounded up the £12 cost including airmail postage and sent me 15€ . I was worried by that one as I wondered if eBay might consider it an offer to sell off eBay , so I didn't respond and just blocked the buyer.

I'm leaving my 3 day dispatch on now even though I send in 1 day and hope that's enough to cover me against late defects due to the Christmas post.

Dox

I couldn't agree more about buyers not reading information relating to size. You see reviews (especially on Amazon) time and time again saying things like 'smaller than expected' when the seller has given comprehensive measurements and really can't do more, given Amazon's regular use of stock photos.

I've taken to including both a ruler and a 50p coin in photos and expressly saying it is to help people gauge size (and spelling out it isn't part of the item being sold!) - even though I always include measurements where I can, people just don't seem able to visualise them and certainly don't go to the trouble of getting out a ruler. Do people even own rulers these days...?

forgotmyname

How is the 3 day dispatch affecting your sales?

Personally when buying from the UK i look for sellers that show quick delivery times. But i am impatient for stuff sometimes.
(Soolin probably thinking 1 less annoying customer to deal with)

Do you think it puts buyers off with long estimates?

Dox, if the ruler and 50p coin is in the photo i want them both included

soolin

forgotmyname wrote: »

How is the 3 day dispatch affecting your sales?

Personally when buying from the UK i look for sellers that show quick delivery times. But i am impatient for stuff sometimes.
(Soolin probably thinking 1 less annoying customer to deal with)

Do you think it puts buyers off with long estimates?

Dox, if the ruler and 50p coin is in the photo i want them both included

I've been affected by the glitch of ebay deciding I'm not in the UK, so that affects my sales more than my dispatch times. However, I think not showing the 'fast and free' logo does affect sales, but I can't risk defects for late items and stuff certainly seems to be slower arriving at the moment.

This has been my best sales month since I started though, I could barely cope with wrapping stuff some days- I'm up 3 or 4 times my usual sales at this time of year. On a few occasions I have sold more in one day than previously sold in 2 weeks, it's gone completely barmy.

I do regret having to go to a 3 day dispatch, but really won't risk the late defects, after Christmas I'll switch back to 1 day again.

RFW

Dox wrote: »

I couldn't agree more about buyers not reading information relating to size. You see reviews (especially on Amazon) time and time again saying things like 'smaller than expected' when the seller has given comprehensive measurements and really can't do more, given Amazon's regular use of stock photos.

I often get both smaller and larger than expected on the same item.

My favourite feedback is "just what I wanted" as though I miraculously sent them something rather than them picking it out and buying it!

I sorted a problem with Amazon for customer, she was extremely grateful in messages and then left negative feedback saying I wasn't helpful, bizarre.

The main problem with customers is that they're human beings, dogs would be less fussy!

forgotmyname

Do you sell irons and kettles by any chance?

Its really heavy... empty the water out?

its really light... put some water in it?

But the same item gets reviews stating its light yet another person says its really heavy? which is it???

soolin

And now I have a European buyer who bought Sunday and their item was sent on Monday 11th and they want to know where it is as they had expected it before now.

Must stay calm

ballisticbrian

I have a guy in Spain that's asked for the tracking number that wasn't offered on his £3.99 item. There's a common one.

soolin

ballisticbrian wrote: »

I have a guy in Spain that's asked for the tracking number that wasn't offered on his £3.99 item. There's a common one.

My European one has got narky now, I really don't like the tone of her messages. She is insistent that RM do give tracking and is surprised that I am selling and don't know this and she expects that number by return . I suspect this is going to end badly and all for a sub £6 item.

Dox

soolin wrote: »

My European one has got narky now, I really don't like the tone of her messages. She is insistent that RM do give tracking and is surprised that I am selling and don't know this and she expects that number by return . I suspect this is going to end badly and all for a sub £6 item.

Perhaps give her the link to the RM page showing they don't give tracking for the service you used to send her item?

soolin

Dox wrote: »

Perhaps give her the link to the RM page showing they don't give tracking for the service you used to send her item?

She will not be convinced, I've ended up actually going through my business manifest and saving a copy of the label I used and have sent her that.

She is becoming exceedingly rude so whilst I need to make sure I am fair to her, I will only do the basics and after this I will just tell her to open an INR and leave it at that.

Although I am a generally optimistic person, when it comes to eBay I tend towards pessimism and as such have worked out what this will cost me, and both in terms of money and feedback the outcome cannot really do me a great deal of harm. It was a low cost item which cost me pennies and I can take some poor feedback if it comes to that.