A Case is Closed on eBay and AGAIN Opened on PayPal

Sometimes I feel like a buyer maybe trying to get something free.  It doesn’t happen very often.  Maybe once every 200 items.

This week I received a message from a buyer saying their item smelled and had deodorant on it.  I apologized, and told them I would be happy to refund once the item was sent back.

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Read from the bottom up.

I sent this message:

Hi, I’m so sorry I don’t give partial refunds. I do give full refunds for an item that is returned in the condition sent with the tags attached. If it is hot and the bag that the item is shipped in sits in the heat/sun the bag makes a funny chemical smell. Once again I am so sorry the item is not what you expected.

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I contacted eBay customer support and they recommended that I ask her to open a return request.

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She opened the request, and  I called eBay.

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eBay closed the request because the buyer had altered the item by washing it and removing the tags.  Guess what she did?  She opened a PayPal claim.

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Now I’m waiting for PayPal to handle the claim.  How do you think it will end?

Dear eBay Queen: Should I Hire Someone to Help Me eBay?

Dear eBay Queen:

I have been selling consignment items on eBay for the last 5 years.  I live in an area that the population is 67,000 and median income is $43,000.  I do not require minimum values for the items that I sell because I believe that some commission is better than none, but that could change if the business expands.

It is time for me to expand my business and have “helpers”. Right now, I do all of the listings, photos, etc and my husband does the shipping at nights after he works his full time job.  I am not getting things listed as fast as I can just due to the number of items that I have to list.  I have one customer who brings me between 100 and 150 antique items every week.

Anyway, my question is about adding helpers.  I live in a college town and have read that students are good prospects for what I am looking for.  I don’t really want to have employees, just don’t want to deal with that right now.  So how do I go about and do this?

Pay on commission or flat rate per item?
Do helpers do everything (list, photo, ship)?
Do I approve everything before it gets listed?
Anything else, I have forgotten?

A couple things you should know:  I’m a control freak!  I have over 14,000 in feedback and am a top rated seller with 100% rating.  Because I am a consignment shop, I list with Auctiva, to keep track of all of the different consignors that I have.  Did I say I was a control freak? – I am concerned about losing my ratings if I give someone permission to list under my eBay id.

Anyway, if you could help me with some of the questions I have – or suggest anyone that you know of that could maybe help me, I would really appreciate it.

Deb Peterson

 

Dear Deb:

Congratulations on your fantastic feedback numbers and ratings! I know firsthand that is hard to maintain those numbers. I also know how hard it is to sell for others; I’m impressed with your success!

I wonder if you put an ad up at your local college and said you were looking for a paid intern you can train, or if they already were familiar with selling on eBay, a contractor. If they help you with listing, I would probably pay them per item, and check each of their listings until you feel confident in their work. If they are taking pictures or shipping, I might just pay them by the hour.

I would be uncomfortable giving out any of my login information. I think it might be a safer idea if you supplied the computer in your work space for them to work. Is there some aspect of eBaying that you don’t like to do? I’m not crazy about shipping or photographing things. I have people help me with that, but if you really need help listing, then I think working side by side with them on listing items might be the best answer.

 

Dear eBay Queen;

I sold a really cute Express top that was new with tags. I received a return request saying the item didn’t fit. I approved the request, and the item was sent back. The only problem is that it does not have the correct tag attached. It’s a totally different tag. What should I do?

Cinder

Dear Cinder:

I would contact eBay immediately. I think I would mention in the return request that the item came back, but the tag that is attached, is not for the item you sent. Could she have possibly bought 2 and mixed up the item? I would also go look at her buying history at www.watchcount.com. If she has purchased the same shirt from another seller, I would make sure that eBay knows this.

I hope your buyer is honest and tells you what happened with your tags/or item. I hope it’s a small mix up and can be easily remedied.

 ebaystrawberry

Strange eBay item of the Week: Item #:291521358831. Felting offers a unique way to “sculpt” wool fibers into a strongly woven fabric. I love this adorable purse! Handmade Felted Purse Shoulder large Bag Merino Wool Strawberry Red Green White SOLD: $93.27.

A Rant about Walmart & Customer Service

Friday I went to our local Wal-mart to buy a few things.. mostly a brisket to make THIS.  My trip was uneventful.. I bought some groceries… and what I thought were 3 short sleeve T-shirts for myself.  The T-shirts were all stacked on the same little kiosk thing in the same place.  What I didn’t know until I got home was I mistakenly bought 2 tank tops and 1 T-shirt.  If you’ve ever seen my arms you’d know I am not Michelle Obama. 😉  So I put them back in the sack to return them.

Here is my Walmart receipt… Do you see anything wrong with it?

This part is missing…

Remember how I said my trip was uneventful?  Apparently I was wrong.  It was my cashier’s first day.  She mistakenly ripped my receipt..  So today when I went to return the shirts… my torn receipt became a “not valid” receipt.

I explain to the people in customer service that I have a receipt.. they tell me it’s not valid.  I point at the receipt and say.. “Look here are the 2 tank tops!”  I get the “I’m sorry it’s not valid.”  Then she explains to me she can give me a gift card.  Over and over in my head I’m thinking I have a receipt.  I finally get a “customer service manager” to explain to me that I am missing  apart of the receipt. (why the 1st chick didn’t do that I have no idea)

I told CSM what happened on Friday.  She tells me that they don’t know if I bought those tank tops in the last 90 days or not (even though I just said I bought them Friday).  I remind her that this is Kansas.. and we’ve had 22 inches of snow this last 90 days alone.. and perhaps Wal-mart in KANSAS doesn’t sell tank tops year round.   While we were discussing Kansas and year round tank tops, I dug through my purse and found the torn end… they gave me my WHOLE $12.00 back.. and I left ticked off.

In case you wondered… Here’s Wal-Mart’s Return Policy