Archive for January, 2007
How to Market Your eBay Items & Custom Orders Can be a Pain Sometimes
January 26th, 2007 | 
Author: Dear eBay Queen
I’m interested in learning how to market my eBay business. How can I draw more attention to my auctions and my eBay store?
Wendy
Dear Wendy;
The best and easiest way to draw attention to yourself as a seller, is to use relevant keywords in your store, auction, or website. If you use relevant keywords, you can get free search engine traffic. Google and Yahoo type search engines will pick up your keywords and show your eBay listings when a buyer searches for those items. eBay store owners should make sure their store title, description and category names include keywords that will draw buyers in to their auction, or store listing.
eBay has created several ways to bring attention to auctions and stores. They are:
1. eBay Blogs. An eBay Blog (Web log) gives you an online publishing tool to share your opinions with the rest of the eBay Community. Blogs can be used for a variety of purposes: to enhance an eBay store, share personal experiences, or talk about collectibles you like to win on eBay. http://pages.ebay.com/help/account/blogs-ov.html
2. Store Newsletter: A store newsletter is a way to keep in contact with previous and prospective buyers. By sending out a newsletter you can keep already interested buyers up to date on your specials, new merchandise and current listings. http://pages.ebay.com/help/specialtysites/email-marketing-mailing-lists-subscribers.html
3. eBay Reviews & Guides: Why not share with the rest of the world your area of expertise? Do you sell vintage fishing lures? Write a guide about them, and draw people to your vintage fishing listings. http://pages.ebay.com/help/specialtysites/questions/rev-guide.html
There is always word of mouth or email. Make sure there is a link to your eBay auctions on your business cards, and in your signature line on your email.
Dear eBay Queen;
I make rosaries and sell them on eBay. I had a buyer place a custom order for one from my eBay store about a month ago. She needed it in under a week for a birthday party. I went nuts getting it made and mailed out to her. I had not heard anything from her in over a month. She emailed me a couple of days ago telling me it didn’t work out, and she’s mailing it back to me. I don’t understand why she did this.
When I get the item back, can I put it back on eBay? How do I get my Final Value Fees back? Can I get my original listing fee back? I’m pretty ticked that I worked so hard to make her happy, and she’s sending the item back.
Mary
Dear Mary;
I’d be upset too! I can’t believe she ordered a custom item, demanded it be made and sent in under a week, and then waited 30 days to return it. That is pretty inconsiderate on the buyers part. There are a few ways to protect your business from this in the future. I would consider having a refund policy that has a time limit on returns, and consider not offering returns on custom items.
You will be able to put the item back on eBay, and receive your final value fees back. Your listing fees will not be refunded. Once you receive the rosary, refund your buyer s money and immediately file for your fees back. To file for your Final Value Fees go to: http://rebulk.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?CreateDispute Remember you have only 45 days from the end of the auction to report and file for your fees back.
This time of year it seems people have over spent at the holidays, and have buyers remorse. I’m sure this is what your buyer’s problem is. I looked at your rosaries, and they are beautiful.
Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item 270076897952 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page). Did you ever wonder what your old baseball cards might be worth? Check out this 1968 Topps Mickey Mantle Card. SOLD $9888.90 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270076897952
Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? E-mail: questions@asktheebayqueen.com .
Posted in General eBay Help, Product Help, Shipping, unhappy buyer | 
Tags: blogs, custom orders, hand made rosaries, mad buyer, Marketing eBay business, newsletters, store help | 
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eBay Raising Fees, Buyer Files PayPal Complaint
Dear eBay Queen
I just found out that eBay is raising their fees sometime soon. I really think this is going to impact my business in a negative way. What do you think about it? Is this fee increase going to change the way you sell things?
Mad about Fees
Dear Mad;
Yes, it is true; eBay is raising their fees. It seems every year there is some kind of price increase. The increase goes into effect on January 30, 2007. Last year the store fees took a hit, and this year it affects the “Core” or auction listings. They have raised the price of the following listings:
Fee Type Item Price New Fee Current Fee
Insertion Fee Starting price
1.00- 9.99 0.40 0.35
Final Value Fee Selling Price
25.01- 1000.000 3.25% 3%
Motorcycle & Powersports 40.00 30.00
Cars & Trucks 50.00 40.00
I am not very happy about the fee increase. I really wish they had done something different. I have already started to weed out my questionable merchandise, buy giving more thought to how well something will or will not sell. I also think I will start grouping or loyting things together more, instead of selling them by themselves. Market research says that more than 90% of people on eBay will find your auction through normal keyword search. I am really going to make sure that my titles and descriptions have all the keywords to draw buyers to my auctions.
Dear eBay Queen;
A few weeks ago, I sold a 14K gold and diamond watch. I sold it, as is, all sales final. The buyer received the watch, and did not like the sizing of the watch. I reminded her of my policy but she shipped it back anyway. When it arrived back it was not in the padded box that I shipped it to her in. Needless to say, because of her poor packing, the hands came off of the watch.
I took it to a jewelry store to see if he could repair the watch. He fixed the watch as best as he could, but the hands are still obviously bent, and he said he couldn’t guarantee that they would stay on. I emailed the buyer and let her know what happen.
The buyer is asking for a full refund, and filed a complaint with Paypal. I refused to refund her, and I escalated the Paypal complaint up to a claim. She did purchase insurance on the watch, but it will not cover the damage because of how she packaged it. She ended the claim with Paypal, and now wants me to file an insurance claim. What would you do? How do I end this? I have a 100% positive feedback record, and would like to keep it that way.
Vickey; Ottawa
Dear Vickey;
Since she ended the claim with Paypal, she will not be able to open it again or open a new dispute. She could leave negative feedback for the transaction. If she does, you have the opportunity to respond to the negative. Make sure your response includes something like: “Buyer poorly packaged a return. Item damaged beyond repair, still wanted refund”. Your response is your opportunity to let other buyers and sellers know what happened.
If this were my transaction, I would email her back, through eBay’s email message system. Let her know (again) the watch arrived back to you damaged, because of her packaging. Tell her you will be sending the item back to her. If she would like to file for an insurance claim, she will have the item in her hand to file the claim herself. I would send the watch back, priority mail, with insurance and a delivery confirmation. Make sure the watch is in the original packing she sent it to you in, then in a priority box (small video box).
Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item 200063250258 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page). With all this snow and ice, a spring vase might be just what we need to melt the cold. I sure do wish I had one of these lying around. Daum Nancy Scenic Cameo and Enameled Spring Scene Vase. SOLD $9100.00 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200063250258
Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? E-mail: questions@asktheebayqueen.com .
Posted in General eBay Help, Negative Feedback, PayPal, Product Help, unhappy buyer |
Tags: eBay Fees going up, gold watch, paypal complaint, refused to refund |
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eBay Buyer want’s Partial Refund & to keep the Item.
Dear eBay Queen;
I have a customer that bought a car radio from me a couple of weeks ago. He emailed me yesterday and told me that he installed it into his car, but then it stopped working. I told him that he could return it and I would refund him.
He emailed me back telling me he had altered the radio, by adding a mounting bracket. He tells me that he wants to split the costs and wants me to refund him $17. I’m not sure what to do. I refund him $17, with no proof that it actually doesn’t work and he gets to keep the radio? Something doesn’t seem right to me. What should I do?
Phil
Dear Phil;
What a pain! There is no good answer for this. On one hand you don’t want an unhappy buyer, and on the other, you don’t want to be taken advantage of. The way I see it, you can do a couple of things.
- Do a partial refund of $17.00. You will most likely receive positive feedback and the problem is gone. You won’t have to spend time worrying about it again.
- Offer him a refund IF it is sent back in the condition you sold it in. His recourse with this situation is limited. He could post a negative feedback, or file a “Not As Described” case through eBay or Paypal. Once the case is filed, you and the buyer will be able to hash the problem out on the website. If the buyer chooses to escalate the case, Paypal will require him to send it back in it’s unaltered state. If he can’t do that the case will be closed in your favor. This process can take from 2 weeks to 3 months and will defiantly be a drain on your time.
This is one of those situations where you need to decide what is best for your business and how much time you want to spend dealing with this. If you were leaning towards the 17.00 refund, I would go in and look at his feedback to see if he has a history of doing this.
Dear eBay Queen
I bought a DVD on eBay. When the package arrived the manila envelope it came in, was damaged, and the bubble wrap had been partially popped. I emailed the seller and told them that I wasn’t happy with the way they shipped the DVD to me. It didn’t seem to sustain any damage to the DVD but the envelope didn’t look very good. I simply asked for at least a partial refund of the shipping cost. He emailed me back; "DVD is fine, no refund END OF DISCUSSION!!" I found that to be rude. I thought about it for about a week before deciding to leave negative feedback as they were rude and the packaging was horrible. Once I left negative feedback for him, he left it for me! I paid on time, and did everything I was suppose to do! Is there anything I can do? How can I prevent this from happening again?
Jo
Dear Jo;
I know first hand how frustrating it is to receive an item that was poorly packed. I would guess that 95% of all DVD and CD sellers ship the items in a padded envelope or in an envelope with bubble wrap around the item. This is a common way to ship these media type items. If I were your seller, I would have apologized that the post office was less than gentle with your item and I would have also declined refunding your shipping. Since your item was not damaged, I don’t feel a refund is in order. The seller was incredibly rude to you, and he should have been more considerate.
If you buy lots of DVD’s on eBay make sure you email your seller before hand, and ask if they will ship your item in a box instead of an envelope. The shipping might be a bit more, but your item and the packaging should arrive in the condition it was sent in. As far as the negative feedback, it can be retracted if both of you agree to the retraction. http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MFWRequest
Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item 300064894957 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page). Think playing with clay is for kids? How about fairies? Here’s a fabulous example of a seller with talent and a good following. SE Fire Fairy Sculpture SOLD $3809.00
Suzie Eads is a nationally known eBay marketer and eBay trained Education Specialist. She lives in Rantoul. Do you have a question for the eBay Queen? E-mail: questions@asktheebayqueen.com .
Posted in General eBay Help, Negative Feedback, unhappy buyer |
Tags: dvd seller, dvd shipping, fita fairy, partial refund, refund, rude buyer, rude seller |
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