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How best to handle being away on holiday ?

Normally when my wife and I are away, one of the kids will be available to look for, parcel up and send off any parcels.

Unfortunately though in a few weeks, we'll all be away for 7 days

Is there a way of providing such information to potential eBay customers .. or should I just end all listings ?  (300+)

Comments

  • olgadapolga
    olgadapolga Posts: 2,312 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 6 June 2023 at 2:01PM
    WLM21 said:
    Normally when my wife and I are away, one of the kids will be available to look for, parcel up and send off any parcels.

    Unfortunately though in a few weeks, we'll all be away for 7 days

    Is there a way of providing such information to potential eBay customers .. or should I just end all listings ?  (300+)
    Use the holiday settings: https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/selling-tools/time-away?id=5137
  • WLM21
    WLM21 Posts: 1,560 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    WLM21 said:
    Normally when my wife and I are away, one of the kids will be available to look for, parcel up and send off any parcels.

    Unfortunately though in a few weeks, we'll all be away for 7 days

    Is there a way of providing such information to potential eBay customers .. or should I just end all listings ?  (300+)
    Use the holiday settings: https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/selling-tools/time-away?id=5137
    Wow .. as simple as that .. Many thanks olgadapolga
  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 73,396 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    The holiday settings are amazing, just remember to tick the final box to stop sales, so many sellers put the settings on and forget that final tick box! 
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • vacheron
    vacheron Posts: 1,942 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 8 June 2023 at 9:15AM
    soolin said:
    The holiday settings are amazing, just remember to tick the final box to stop sales, so many sellers put the settings on and forget that final tick box! 
    Is this the "Pause Sales" option? if so, why not just leave the sales running as eBay pushes the delivery estimate out to beyond your return date for any potential buyers.

    I like nothing better than getting back from holiday to a few parcels to package up and get rid of, in fact I seem to shift more stuff while in "away mode" than I do when I'm at home!  :)
    • The rich buy assets.
    • The poor only have expenses.
    • The middle class buy liabilities they think are assets.
    Robert T. Kiyosaki
  • soolin
    soolin Posts: 73,396 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 8 June 2023 at 9:28AM
    vacheron said:
    soolin said:
    The holiday settings are amazing, just remember to tick the final box to stop sales, so many sellers put the settings on and forget that final tick box! 
    Is this the "Pause Sales" option? if so, why not just leave the sales running as eBay pushes the delivery estimate out to beyond your return date for any potential buyers.

    I like nothing better than getting back from holiday to a few parcels to package up and get rid of, in fact I seem to shift more stuff while in "away mode" than I do when I'm at home!  :)
    I don't want the stress of buyers asking where their items are as they haven't bothered to look at the estimated delivery dates. It might be just me, but whenever I have tried leaving my items available for a couple of days I always get the 'can you post this quickly as I need it urgently' and then having to cancel when you explain you are away for another 3 working days.

    I put my holiday settings on and stop sales. Then a couple of days, maybe 3 if I'm feeling brave, I switch off the pause sale option. I won't leave live sales running for a week or more, it's just asking for trouble and I don't need the stress if I am away.


    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales, Boost Your Income, Praise, Vents & Warnings, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning , UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know.. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • vacheron
    vacheron Posts: 1,942 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 8 June 2023 at 9:44AM
    soolin said:
    vacheron said:
    soolin said:
    The holiday settings are amazing, just remember to tick the final box to stop sales, so many sellers put the settings on and forget that final tick box! 
    Is this the "Pause Sales" option? if so, why not just leave the sales running as eBay pushes the delivery estimate out to beyond your return date for any potential buyers.

    I like nothing better than getting back from holiday to a few parcels to package up and get rid of, in fact I seem to shift more stuff while in "away mode" than I do when I'm at home!  :)
    I don't want the stress of buyers asking where their items are as they haven't bothered to look at the estimated delivery dates. It might be just me, but whenever I have tried leaving my items available for a couple of days I always get the 'can you post this quickly as I need it urgently' and then having to cancel when you explain you are away for another 3 working days.

    I put my holiday settings on and stop sales. Then a couple of days, maybe 3 if I'm feeling brave, I switch off the pause sale option. I won't leave live sales running for a week or more, it's just asking for trouble and I don't need the stress if I am away.


    Fair enough, guess it comes down to personal preference. I do reply while away for sales questions, but if I had someone pushing for delivery like that who didn't bother to read the small print I'd probably be inclined to ignore them then reply on my return to say I only use eBay on my home PC or something similar.

    I guess it also depends on the customer profile as well. I am selling a lifetimes worth of used, quite specialist, industrial tools and equipment which I have accumulated over the years, so my buyers tend to be professionals and small specialist businesses who aren't in such a rush and tend to be more understanding.

    Last year I sold something which had to be delivered to the SpaceX laboratory in Palo Alto, California. Still curious what Elon needed my second hand junk for!  :D
    • The rich buy assets.
    • The poor only have expenses.
    • The middle class buy liabilities they think are assets.
    Robert T. Kiyosaki
  • tightauldgit
    tightauldgit Posts: 2,628 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    I'm away at the minute and left my sales running and sold a couple of things that I'll pack and post when I'm back - but I'm only away for 3 days. Don't think I would leave it running for 2 weeks as that's probably just asking for trouble. 
  • Spoonie_Turtle
    Spoonie_Turtle Posts: 9,596 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    vacheron said:
    soolin said:
    vacheron said:
    soolin said:
    The holiday settings are amazing, just remember to tick the final box to stop sales, so many sellers put the settings on and forget that final tick box! 
    Is this the "Pause Sales" option? if so, why not just leave the sales running as eBay pushes the delivery estimate out to beyond your return date for any potential buyers.

    I like nothing better than getting back from holiday to a few parcels to package up and get rid of, in fact I seem to shift more stuff while in "away mode" than I do when I'm at home!  :)
    I don't want the stress of buyers asking where their items are as they haven't bothered to look at the estimated delivery dates. It might be just me, but whenever I have tried leaving my items available for a couple of days I always get the 'can you post this quickly as I need it urgently' and then having to cancel when you explain you are away for another 3 working days.

    I put my holiday settings on and stop sales. Then a couple of days, maybe 3 if I'm feeling brave, I switch off the pause sale option. I won't leave live sales running for a week or more, it's just asking for trouble and I don't need the stress if I am away.


    …, but if I had someone pushing for delivery like that who didn't bother to read the small print I'd probably be inclined to ignore them then reply on my return to say I only use eBay on my home PC or something similar.
    It's not even small print, it's highlighted in a banner across the top of the listing.  Which evidently still isn't enough for some people, demonstrated by soolin's experience!
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