Archive for March, 2011

Dear eBay Queen:

My good friend sells on eBay. She complains all the time that buyers do not leave feedback for her first.  I’ve told her that there are many reasons why a buyer may not choose to leave feedback and some of those reasons have little to do with a buyer being a satisfied customer. I am primarily a SELLER on eBay. I do occasionally make personal purchases from my seller IDs.  I don't always want my buyers, or the general public, for that matter, to be privy to personal items I may purchase on eBay. If an eBay seller chooses not to leave me Buyer feedback, without reciprocal feedback, that is their prerogative. My friend and I have discussed this and really just wore out the topic.  What are your thoughts on the subject of asking for feedback?

While we are on the subject of my friend, her listings are full of statements regarding reciprocal feedback. One of her terms is, "don't bid on my items if you don't leave seller feedback." The terms of service in her listing forms are a stage for her to gripe about the workings of DSR's and seller fee discounts.  (Maybe a tutorial on how to ensure sellers get their "DSR" ratings would be a better term.) We’ve discussed her eBay terms before, and I don't deny that DSR's can affect a seller.  I just don’t think her listing form is not the ideal place to rant about matters of business, which a buyer could care less about. I don’t think she realizes it, but she is sending the message to potential customers that she is "doing them a favor conducting business with them, and if they aren't willing to comply with her expectations, to get lost." I guess if it were me, I would completely avoid my friend’s listings if I were a potential buyer.   I’ve tried to tell her to think like a buyer who is unfamiliar with eBay. Once they read all her verbiage, they will bolt.  She just doesn’t seem to care.  There is NO other retail venue where a customer’s patronage is subject on a buyer leaving feedback. Why any eBay seller would want to convey such a message to potential customers is beyond my comprehension, but I'm more than happy to sell to those customers who might by chance, choose to browse MY items after they hit that back button.  I perform regular market research. I KNOW these buyers have a bunch of options to choose from to spend their dollars, and I'm grateful to have them consider my offerings.

The last time a brick and mortar store offended me with some unreasonable expectation to enter their store I made the decision never to shop there again. Customers vote with their feet or with their "back button" as the case may be on the Internet.   What do you think about sellers begging for feedback?

Darlene S. Topeka, KS

Dear Darlene:

In recent years, it seems to be more and more important to receive feedback. I don’t completely understand this obsession with feedback.  As a seller I am a bit nervous to ask for feedback.  Maybe I’m superstitious, but I’m worried if they haven’t left it, and I have to ask for it, then maybe it won’t be a positive one.  I know that some people feel feedback numbers are important, and the higher the better.

I agree with you when it comes to the crazy terms in some sellers listings.  I know where these freaked out sellers are coming from with all the crazy terms, but I don’t think they care or realize how it sounds to someone that doesn’t sell on eBay.  When I read some of the more extreme terms, I tend to believe they have had some kind of wild buyer to make them that way.  It’s been my experience that most people do not even read the listing, let alone the terms.  I know even when I am bidding I tend to look at the photos.  I have to remind myself to read the description.

If your friend still wants to keep asking for feedback and keep her terms let her! It takes all kinds of sellers to make the eBay world go round. 

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item: 300537801556 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page): Everyone needs a good #2 pencil now and then, especially when it comes with a $2277.29 Home Depot gift card. SOLD $1901.05   http://cgi.ebay.com/Pencil-and-Free-Home-Depot-Store-Credit-2-277-29-/300537801556

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

Dear eBay Queen:

I have a couple of questions.  Well, I guess I have a comment and a question.  I was at an auction this last Saturday and was appalled at how rude the people were! I’ve been to plenty of auctions, but it seems lately people are just down right rude.  No one says “excuse me,” they just barge on through.  I was standing at a jewelry table in the rain, and instead of saying “could you hand me that box,” these people practically laid their body across me to get to a box of goods on the table, that I could have easily passed to them.  I had people shove their way between my friend and I while we were standing there bidding!  Recently, I was at another auction house that has “a seat for everyone”.  I was sitting in the third row, and there were people that were standing in front of the seats!  The auctioneer told them to sit down several times and they ignored him! What is wrong with people in 2011? 

I am trying to sell a vintage crystal aurora borealis pin/brooch. I can't figure out what the best title would be for my item.  I listed it on eBay, and when I run a search for the item, I can't find my own listing, by just browsing through crystal brooches, or aurora borealis brooches or Vintage aurora borealis pins! I can find it when I go to “My eBay”—but how can I expect to sell something if it can't be found by someone looking for it?  What suggestions do you have for choosing correct search terms to name one's product?

My title is:   Vintage Aurora Borealis Crystal pin

Here is my description: Vintage AB Crystal brooch from the 40s or 50s, given to me by my grandmother in law. In good condition, 2 of the smallest stones missing (I couldn't tell until I looked very, very closely, a little bit of the gold tone on the back of the brooch is rubbing off. The brooch comes with vintage gift box. It is in bright, sparkling pink tones.

***Vintage—sold as is*** No Returns. I only accept PayPal.

Thanks for your help!

Jewels, Ottawa, KS

Dear Jewels:

Maybe we were at the same auction!  I’ve experienced the same things you have.  I don’t know why auctions have become a place for people to show their true colors.  My only thought about this is maybe people are in such a frenzy to buy stuff that they have forgotten the manners they were taught as a child.  When someone leans across me, I usually say “Would you like for me to hand that to you?”   Sometimes a simple “excuse me,” or “ouch! You just elbowed me!” etc.. will maybe shock these people out of their auction stupor.

When I search for your title: Aurora Borealis Crystal Brooch Pin, I came up with 59 items with the same words in the title. I would suggest using better keywords in your title.  What color is your pin? Is it marked? What year was it made?  When writing a title, make sure you use words that will describe your item.  Buyers search for the stuff they want using keywords. eBay gives us 55 characters to use to describe our items.  Did you know you only used 21 characters? eBay has a title helper, that might assist you in writing better titles.  http://labs.ebay.com/erl/demoto/to A better title might be: Vintage Pink Circle Rhinestone Aurora Borealis Pin.  I would make the following changes to your description: Up for auction is a Vintage Aurora Borealis, Crystal brooch from the 1950s.  This was given to me by my husband’s grandmother

• Rhinestones are a beautiful shade of pink
  
• Gold tone metal
• Pin back is in good working order
  
• Pin is 2.5” across and is circular
  
• 2 of the smallest stones missing (I couldn't tell until I looked very, very closely)
• A bit of the gold tone on the back of the brooch is rubbing off.
  
•     The brooch comes with vintage hinged gift box.

Your description is pretty good.  Make sure you put the positive things about the item first, then anything that might be negative. It’s important to remember to include, size, shape, color, age, and any damage. I would also remove “Vintage Sold as is, No Returns” While your policy is you do not accept returns, if your buyer is unhappy and opens a claim, you will have no choice but to accept a return.

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item: 320662470743 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page): All this talk about rhinestones, I thought I should see what was selling. Check out: Vintage Sherman Pin Brooch Taupe Rhinestone SOLD $411.00 http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-SHERMAN-PIN-BROOCH-Taupe-Rhinestone-Japanned-/200580605405  

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

Dear eBay Queen:

Thank you so much for responding to my question about PayPal and eBay at the beginning of March. I am seeing how the fees on eBay and PayPal work much clearer. 

I do have a couple more questions.  I was thinking about trying to sell things at Fixed Price or a Buy it Now option. You mentioned something about shipping fees.  How does that factor in to the sale?  What if the shipping isn’t free?   How can shipping be free anyway?   Can the shipping affect the PayPal fee, insertion fee, and final value fee?  Forgive me for being slow, but could you give me a breakdown that would include shipping that cost? You gave me a breakdown of an item that sold for $50, but I wasn’t for sure if that included free shipping or shipping cost.  Again, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

Amy

Dear Amy:

Thanks for letting me know my response helped you. Your question about PayPal and eBay fees is one that even long time sellers don’t easily understand.

Fixed price and Buy it Now are great ways to sell your items fast. eBay use to have pretty strict requirements for a seller to use the Fixed Price or Buy it Now option, but they have dropped those requirements.  You can find the requirements and charges for Fixed Price and Buy it Now here: http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/fixed-price.html  . 

It is up to each individual seller to decide what to charge for shipping.  Some sellers offer free shipping, some charge exact shipping and others charge a handling fee with their shipping charges.  eBay has made it easy for shipping charges to be figured.  When you are writing up your listing in the “Sell Your Item Form” you’ll see you can check the box for free shipping, calculated shipping or flat rate shipping.

·         Free shipping is free to the buyer, but the seller is still responsible for the charges.  This means you will need to build the price of the shipping costs in your starting price.  I would suggest before you offer free shipping that you become a little more familiar with shipping and shipping charges. 

·         Flat rate shipping is offering the same rate no matter where it is being shipped. This can be a little tricky also since shipping charges vary all over the US and internationally.  The post office makes it easier to ship in the US with flat rate boxes.  The USPS Flat Rate Boxes range in price from $4.95 to $12.95. You can check out all the USPS Flat Rate Charges here: http://www.usps.com/prices/priority-mail-prices.htm

·         Calculated shipping is the way to go when it comes to new sellers.  All you will need to do is put your zip code in along with the weight of the package and eBay’s calculator does the rest.

When it comes to the fees, eBay has just released their spring update March 15.  Check it out here http://announcements.ebay.com/2011/03/2011-spring-seller-update/ In this update they have announced they are going to apply final value fees to the total amount of the sale.  That means FVF fees will also be applied to shipping costs.  Starting July 6^th, all eBay sellers will be charged 9% final value fee on the total amount of the sale including shipping. 

Here is my original break down:

Let’s say you sold a vintage cookie jar for $50.00 + shipping.  Here’s a breakdown of the fees:

You started the listing at $9.99:  Insertion fee would be:                                     .25 cents
Your item sold for $50.00:  final value fee would be 12% of the sale price:   $6.00
PayPal Fees:  2.9% + .30 cents                                                                          $1.75
                                                                                   TOTAL FEES:                $8.00

After July 6^th your fees on the same cookie jar (that sold for $50.00 + shipping) will be:

You start the listing at $9.99: Insertion fee would be:                                     .00 (free insertion)

Your item sold for $50.00 + 12.85 shipping final value fee would be 9%        $5.65

of the total price (including shipping)

PayPal Fees: 2.9% + .30 cents                                                                    $1.75

                                                                             TOTAL FEES                $7.40

Auctionbytes is an independent online trade magazine for online auctions.  They have a complete breakdown of fees and the new changes.  http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y11/m03/i15/s00 Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item: 320662470743 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page): Do you know someone that looks forward to St Patrick’s Day? They need one of these!  Brand New Guinness Countdown clock St Patrick’s Day. SOLD $395.00 http://cgi.ebay.com/brand-NEW-GUINNESS-Countdown-clock-St-Patricks-Day-/320662470743

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