Would it be daft to approach seller

soolin

I wish there was a 'nice' way of approaching ebay sellers and suggesting they perhaps consider how they sell. I am often clumsy with words and wouldn't dare reach out to a seller, but I'm very tempted to.

For background, I was researching sold prices on ebay for an idea of end prices for some new stock I could source and saw some really poor pricing, checked out current listings and found a number of sellers with poor titles and bad ending times (4am on a Saturday morning for instance) and using the 99p suggested start price that ebay insist can get sales.

I spent a couple of days buying up 99p lots across a couple of categories. In all cases my proxy bid was higher than the 99p start, and I either won at 99p or else the bidding went mad at the last moment and went out of my price limit (as I'm buying to resell) . Over the past few days I've had 2 packages arrive from the same seller , won at 99p, paid £4.45 postage and turned up 1st class small parcel with £4.45 postage showing. One of these lots was easily an under 100g large letter and the other could easily have been sent 2nd class large letter at 150g and saved the seller fees on postage. The buyer made just pence on both these sales .

The second seller did charge £4.50 and it turned up with £4.45 postage , so didn't even cover the box they used (it looks unused rather than recycled). . Both sellers would benefit from clearer photos (I knew what I was buying ) better end times (no need to end 3 days after you list something when a start time can be scheduled) , better start price and better use of parcel size. Titles also need to be clear, I was not buying books, but for instance one seller has all their lots with titles like 'books in box 1'

Neither of the sellers were new and both had feedback for other 99p items so I can only assume they don't appreciate the fees being charged. I'm still awaiting one more lot from a third seller but it shows as dispatched and this time I paid £2.85 2nd class postage.

EDIT, I just realised that one seller was using 3 day listings, which almost certainly meant they weren't even listing on a special FVF offer day

BethRobinson

Why do you care how much other people are making?

soolin

BethRobinson said:

Why do you care how much other people are making?

Because they might be unaware of how ebay works. We have in the past had threads on here with people completely misunderstanding fees and postage and very often it ends up with remarks like 'why didn't someone tell me?'

Also whilst I am primarily a seller, if another seller gets disillusioned and gives up selling on ebay due to not understanding how it works, then that is potentially a buyer lost to ebay- and ultimately too many people leaving ebay could affect my own sales. 

It wasn't on ebay but at a car boot sale many many years ago. I sold an unframed picture I'd got in a mixed lot, buyer paid something stupid like 50p for it. After he paid he then explained I'd sold an original old signed oil, he cleaned a small corner to show me how vibrant the oils were beneath the grime, showed me how to read the marks on the back and note the stretching - and told me he's done me a favour as I would never make the same mistake again. He said he could get £25-£30 that day if he didn't touch it, but if he had it professionally cleaned and the artist checked, he could potentially make a great deal more. I've never forgotten that nor have i made that same mistake again.

MalMonroe

Hi, I just think that, as with your experience with the painting and the knowledgeable buyer, we are all living and learning all the time in life. If that buyer hadn't told you, you'd have obviously been none the wiser but he chose to share his knowledge. You were happy on the day that you'd sold that painting until he decided to let you know that you hadn't been as alert as you could have been. 

With eBay, it's definitely a learning curve. Those sellers you speak of will definitely learn that they've made mistakes and they will hopefully learn how to better use eBay. There's so much guidance on eBay about selling and buying that I think there's too much and many people just can't be bothered to read it all.

When I first started selling things on eBay - I don't do much now as it has seemed to become more of a faff than I can be bothered with - I wasn't charging enough postage. For example, I sold a nearly new coat but made hardly any profit because I'd not factored in the cost of postage for a heavy item. The only saving grace there was the buyer was delighted with it and left me a lovely glowing review. Which did make up for my faux pas, I have to say.

I think the determined sellers will learn from their mistakes and they will go on to flourish. Sellers who leave eBay will probably be replaced by other people who want to use eBay to sell.

Your intentions are good but you can't make people stay and there's really no way to educate others about the use of any marketing site. They have the information, if they want to use it. And they have to learn for themselves.

I really don't think you are clumsy with words at all. I just think that there are too many sellers who are not making the most of selling opportunities for you to contact. It's perhaps just better to leave them to find things out for themselves. You can't save everyone. But you are really very kind for thinking about it. 

As always, these are just my own thoughts and opinions. 

ballisticbrian

I do think with eBay that some people see it as a recycling / save the planet thing and other people see it as a kind of liberate the mind through clearing clutter , clear the mind type thing. Regardless of expense. And on the other hand, I've even sent a very heavy item to the wrong buyer and he insisted on sending it on to the correct buyer at their expense and ignored repeated reminders that I wanted to reimburse him.

Brie

Some people will take comments on board and others will think you're insulting them.  

I worked in a large company that needed to replace all its stationery due to a change in title.  Thousands and thousands of boxes of letterhead and envelops to be used or destroyed up to X date and new ones ordered by Y date.  The person in charge of ensuring it all went properly kept sending out emails about stationAry.  When I pointed this error out to her (very politely, in a private email, not cc'ing anyone) I never got a reply.  I also got cut out of the distribution list for some time so wasn't kept up to date with what was happening when.  She obviously didn't like being corrected.  

tightauldgit

If you really want to and consider a good use of your time then I don't think anyone reasonable would be offended if you contacted them to give them some pointers. I know I wouldnt be annoyed if someone did it for me. Of course not everyone cares if they get good money for their stuff.

If you really wanted to then maybe rather than launch into a big stream of advice upfront just ping the seller a note with something like 'Hi there, just wanted to say thanks for the item. I really feel like I got a bargain and probably paid less than it's worth. I've been selling on Ebay for a long time and noticed a few things about your ads that could be improved if you would like some pointers. No charge - I just like to help out other Ebayers. If not then just wanted to say thanks again' 

That way they can 'opt-in' to the good stuff.

forgotmyname

Have you got their details or would the message be within ebay?   If inside ebay i would probably give it a miss but if
you can contact them outside ebay then dropping them a quick message stating you bought recently and feel bad
they got so little for the item and then list a few tips and trick which may help them.

I know someone that tinkers in many fields and does not do the figures beforehand. These sell for £10 on ebay...
But that bits £4 each with about 10% faulty unsaleable then the process materials will cost you £2.75 each then add in
£2 for packing and padding and then add in £4 postage with another 10% losses breakages and non delivery or not
as described cases.

Now add in time and electricity and your selling them for about half what you need to make.  All he will see is he had some
money from a job and instead of an in/out item these will be a months/year project so he will not see the losses.

martindow

I imagine there are large numbers of sellers who are making a loss or very little.  Unless you tot the numbers up and compare the postage costs and fees with the sold price it is not obvious.

Some people treat it as a pastime rather than an income generating enterprise so are not concerned, but I'm sure that some think they are making a lot more than they are.  It is easy to focus on the total of the sales you are making and foget the rest.

As for contacting people, that is a minefield and any advice will be received in a variety of ways I suspect!

soolin

Another parcel came this morning, £3.35 postage showing on label , I paid £2.50 postage and 99p for the item. 

Belenus

soolin said:

Another parcel came this morning, £3.35 postage showing on label , I paid £2.50 postage and 99p for the item. 

Could the seller be using his/her employers postage?