Posts Tagged ‘feedback’

Dear eBay Queen:

I know you have answered a question sometime this year about how to translate words from another language. I’ve looked and looked but can’t find that article.  I received 2 messages from a buyer, and I have no idea what they are saying, or what language it is.  Could you help me?

Here is the first message: 大切な eBay 人、ありがとう良い製品を購入しましょう。ください私と一緒に私の言語はない通信他の知っています。購入し、すべての料金を通信とこれを非常に迅速にお支払いします。くださいこれは速い。

I responded this to the buyer:  “I am very sorry; I do not know how to answer you I will figure it out and let you know as soon as I can.”

I then received this message: 私大切な eBay の人;あなたのメッセージは読み取れません。書くし、私の言語を話す私はすることができますのみ。できるだけ早く私はお金を対応することができますどのくらい請求です教えてください

Please help me with this crazy question.

Tracy

Dear Tracy:

The website you are looking for is http://www.babelfish.com/ .  The Babelfish website has been around quite some time, and one of the best secrets on the internet.  I love that it’s free, and the translation can be used for almost any language.

Here are your translations:

First Message: “Dearest eBay Person, Thank you for let me buy your good product. Please communicate with me in my language as I know no other. I will buy and pay for this very quickly once you communicate all charges. Please do this quicker.”

Second Message: “Dearest eBay Person; I cannot read your message. I can only write and speak my language. Please let me know as soon as possible how much the billing is so I can respond with money.”

In the last few years, my international sales have increased.  I believe it is so important to have good communication with my buyers.  A year or so ago, I received a thank you note from a Chinese buyer thanking me for making the effort and he said that, although he spoke excellent English he appreciates a seller showing “respect” by including the translation.

Dear eBay Queen:

Do you leave feedback after payment, after you receive buyer feedback, or not at all?  Do buyers really care? I’m asking because a friend of mine told me I should leave it immediately after they pay. I leave it when I get around to it; usually a couple of times a month.

In my eBay career I’ve gone from not leaving feedback at all, to now leaving it.  It really seems pointless if they can only get positives. I really feel like the sole purpose of feedback now is to rank/punish sellers and leaving ANY feedback adds legitimacy to the system. If the majority of people did not leave feedback anymore, they’d have to find a new system.

Stash, Olathe, KS

Dear Stash:

So many people debate this.  I don’t believe there is a right answer.  eBay suggests the seller leave feedback once the item has been paid for.  I think you should do whatever makes you feel comfortable.  It’s your business, you should run it the way you want to.

I leave feedback just like you do.  Usually once a week I push a button on my Blackthorne Pro and it leaves positive feedback for each person that bought something from me.  I have had a few buyers complain that I was not fast enough in leaving their feedback. I just apologize and let them know I usually leave feedback on Fridays.

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item: 330588694086 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page) Do you like the Smurfs? Do you like cereal? Check out what this box sold for! Post The Smurfs Pebbles Cereal Box Coco Fruity SOLD $995.99  Check it out HERE

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? Email: questions@asktheebayqueen.com

Dear eBay Queen;

I received an email from eBay saying I need to improve the way I do business on their site. I don’t understand all of the ratings I have received on my feedback page vs. my Seller Dashboard.  My feedback page shows all 4.9 across the categories, but the seller dashboard shows 4.6 in one and 4.8’s in the others.  In this email, eBay made suggestions like offer free shipping. Why would I want to give them more money in Final Value Fees?

Why are they asking the buyers to grade us, when eBay themselves can see when you ship? I post tracking numbers so they can see that and they know how much is being charged for shipping since that is stated.When it comes to communication, they can see this in “My Messages.”  They have all this information why do they want the buyer to give them what they already have themselves?

My Seller Dashboard shows my communication rating is 4.6 between eBay & online shipping automatic emails, how can this be? I answer buyer questions within hours, HOW can I improve this if I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong?

I really believe eBay should make the buyers explain why they are not leaving a 5 star rating. In fact, they shouldn’t be allowed to leave anything less than a 5 star without FIRST giving an explanation. The only thing I am learning from this one-sided message is to resent the buyer.

Tim; Kansas City

Dear Tim;

I really understand your frustration.  This system is full of holes, but it is the one we have to work in if we want to sell on eBay.  I do not think you have to have Free Shipping in order to have good DSR scores. You do need to be up front about your shipping charges.  I like to include this blurb in all of my eBay auctions.  “Item shipped from (your zip code) and weighs XX lbs.”  This way they can easily check out how much shipping is on their own if they believe it is high.

When it comes to the different numbers on your feedback profile, and your Seller Dashboard that can be confusing.  The feedback DSR’s show your lifetime scores and the Seller Dashboard shows your 12 month and 3 month scores.

When it comes to the communication DSR my advice to you is to send emails out when the item ends (an invoice), when you receive payment and when you ship with your delivery confirmation number.   Keep your tone positive and remember to thank them for their purchase.  Keep in mind that automated emails could be going to the buyers SPAM folder.

Dear eBay Queen;

I have never sold on eBay.  I do have a few things that I think are worth some money.  There is a company where I live that will take pictures, post them, handle the auction, and “only” take 30% for their efforts.

1)     Is this a good deal? They act like there are lots of fees associated with the auction and they are covering those.

2)    Is 30% standard, high or low?

Thank you for your help!  I really need it.

Jennifer J; Phoenix

Dear Jennifer;

eBay Drop off stores can be very convenient and easy way to sell your stuff on eBay.  The downside of course is they charge you a percent of your sales.  If you were to sell these items on eBay yourself, you would encounter listing, final value and PayPal fees.  The 30% fee the drop off store is charging you is to cover those fees, and to pay for the work it takes in photographing, listing, answering questions, packing and shipping.

When it comes to commission rates, I have seen any where from 20% to 50%, so I would say 30% is probably a good price.  eBay has a Trading Assistant program http://ebaytradingassistant.com/directory/index.php?page=home , where you can find an individual or company to sell items for you.  Some places do have minimums you need to meet before they will accept an item.  Good luck selling your items!

I don’t agree with how “RadioCraze” water marks his photos.. You can’t see the product!

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item 230460725428 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page): Do you like to listen to the radio?  Check out this Original 1930’s Bakelite FADA Radio SOLD $24,400.00 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230460725428

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;

Once again, I would like to thank you for your site and help.  You answered a question that I had a couple of weeks ago, and I found your response helpful.  I have another question for you now.

I am by far not a big eBay seller, only 175 transactions.  My question is:  Is there an application in the seller tools that would allow me to write up my listings and save them until I want to sell them?  I like to list on Sunday for seven days, and at the first of the month.  Could I type up my listings now and post them next weekend?  I know that you can set the date for your item to list, but it costs more.  Is there a way to do that for free?  Like just save it until I want to post it??  I find myself staying up on Sunday night until 2 a.m. just trying to post 50 items on eBay.

Melissa

Dear Melissa;

There are a couple of programs that could help you.  Because of your current selling numbers, I recommend using Turbo Lister first.  This is an eBay program you download to your computer.  This will allow you to write up items throughout the week, and then list them all on Sunday night.  Here’s some more info on Turbo Lister:

1. Turbo Lister http://pages.ebay.com/turbo_lister/ allows you to:

• Enter all your item information offline, then upload them all at once.
• Change formats or add item specifics of multiple items at one time.
• Duplicate and copy existing listings to create new items in your inventory.
• Easy-to-use design editor allows you to format text with a few clicks of your mouse.
• Make changes to items directly in main grid.
• Sell similar and Relist items directly in application.
• Has Find and Replace tool which makes editing items easier.
• Gain more control over your listings with the Listing Activity view.

eBay has other tools that would be beneficial for your business, but they do have a fee for using them.  They are:

1. Blackthorne Basic $9.95 per month http://pages.ebay.com/blackthorne/basic.html
2. Blackthorne Pro $24.95 per month http://pages.ebay.com/blackthorne/pro.html

eBay also has a pretty cool “Tool Recommendation Calculator”.  This gives you a couple of questions to answer and then will recommend the right tool for you.   Check it out here: http://pages.ebay.com/sell/toolrecommendations.html

Good luck finding the right listing tool for you!

Dear eBay Queen;

I am interested in hearing what you would do with this problem.  I had a buyer purchase a model train via an eBay auction.  He had good feedback, with numbers in the high thousands.  I believe he re-sells the merchandise he has purchased, because I looked at what he buys and sells.

I waited for payment from this guy for 10 days.  When I realized no payment was coming, I sent him an invoice with a nice note every few days.  I finally filed an NPB after 10 days, so I could do a second chance offer.  There was no correspondence from him whatsoever.   I received notice from eBay he’d paid, and the case had been closed.   I shipped the train; he received it, and left positive feedback for me.  I chose not to leave feedback for him because I couldn’t leave a negative, and I have little positive to say about him as a buyer.  It really annoyed me that he has 10 times the feedback I have, and took 18 days to pay me!  Today I received an email from him that said the following: “Hi, Can you leave me feedback?  Thanks!”

I’m thinking he doesn’t want the feedback I want to give him.  Do I just ignore it, and do as originally intended and say nothing?  Do I leave him a neutral (worded) positive, and wait for him to file something (those reversals in PayPal come to mind)?

Oh, and yes, I’ve already blocked him.

Thom K; Dallas, TX

Dear Thom;

This is one of those times that you have to decide what you want your business to be about.  The buyer was wrong for not paying you for 18 days, but he did pay you and leave positive feedback.  I have found most savvy buyers check what kind of feedback I’ve left for others.  What kind of impression do you want to leave on future buyers?

I’ve received quite a few bizarre emails.  I have found it is always best to be nice.  Customer service is another business tool.  It is my opinion that as long as a buyer does their part and completes the transaction (even if they’re slow to pay), I leave nice feedback.  I believe it is a business tool, and it shows prospective customers what kind of person I am.

Strange eBay item of the week: eBay item 330415043274 (enter this number in the eBay search box in the top right corner of the home page): Remember the Cold War? How would you like the keys to end the world? Cold War Doomsday Rocket Keys SOLD $6351.58 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330415043274

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.