Is it ok to Beg people to buy an item, just for FeedBack???

How many feedback do you feel you need? A lot of feedback doesn't necessarily mean a lot of sales.

Begging would be horribly unprofessional...

I dont feel I need any, but I want many. Just to feel comfortable when selling a item.

Hi winkel - My feeling is that, when you are starting out with not much feedback, you'll be fine as long as you maintain your positives. As long as you have 100% (or close) people will be likely to buy from you, particularly less expensive items. I don't ask for feedback if it has not been voluntarily given, not only does it seem tacky and unprofessional, but may result in a negative response (you don't know for sure what that customer is thinking). Just let it go, the feedback will come. Don't expect it from every buyer, or seller. And definitely don't beg!

PS _ Even though I don't pester a buyer (or seller) for feedback, I do however try to encourage it by leaving a note on my packing slips that reads:

on feedback. (big blue font here to match the blue on paypals packing slip)

If your item has arrived safely and you are happy with it, please consider leaving positive feedback to let me know and I will gladly do the same for you.

If there is a problem with your order, please email me before you leave any neutral or negative feedback and I will do my best to correct it.

thanks again.(somewhat smaller blue font here, followed by handwritten first name signature for that "personal" touch)


I print the packing slip first, and then print the note from Word onto it, positioned on the bottom half of the page. I prefer this method rather than discussing feedback on my listing as some sellers do. At first I tried that and it didn't seem to set a very good professional tone, and cluttered up the listing with too much to read.

I looked at someones store the other day that has some ebooks. They were selling them for 10cents. I looked at the list of stuff one would get and it was impressive. However I thought the person was cheap, like selling really cheap. I really thought if their ebook has some stuff, then it would surely be worth say 9.99. How can you think you are going to pay bills at 2cents a hit. If you sell just 5 a month, then you made 50$ instead of 10cents. If you are selling the same ebook that everyone else is and they are selling for 5cents, then you all are in a loosing situation. You need a new ebook that is different and worth 9.99.

I sell typical type items and people undersell me all the time. I sell for a certain price and am a bronze seller. I am about to tweek my prices up with a fixed handling on everything and a minor tweek on ship to just get that edge. I suspect my sales count will go down some, but my gross will go up and I can work less to make just a bit more. Many people find ebay products outside ebay and land on your page an buy without making any comparison except to what you offer. Sometimes cheap is way toooooooooo cheeeaaaapppppppp to get a sale.

Also keep in mind with the new feedback display your items and their prices all show. It would be quite easy to spot a pattern of "low price sales" on your earlier auctions followed by higher prices sales once you reach your "self determined quota".

Feedback doesn't mean that much. If you have good items to sell, they will sell.

Good Point Daddyo, I should've put myself in the shoes of a buyer, and realized how they would think a 0.02 item was worth nothing, Im thinking the eBooks that did sell cost more from other sellers. So I better go back and do a little research. And tell my customers eBook Sale over.

My 2 Golden rules

1) never pressure for feedback because no feedback is better than feedback from an agitated buyer saying you are a pest.

2) Always wait for buyer feedback first, I have seen one buyer who had received over 1000 and only posted 2 reds in return. Do not encourage them.

After selling over 1,000 items over 95% of my buyers have left me glowing feedback with only one negative, (can't please everyone ).

By the way as a buyer I always aim to leave feedback first.

In all of the advice I've read in establishing a feedback rating...the best way to do this is to obtain feedback ratings as a BUYER.

People give advice to BUY those ebooks because they are inexpensive, and can quickly build your feedback numbers. (I think you might have reversed this advice.) My opinion is...there are lots of other inexpensive items to purchase on eBay, that you might actually get some use out of. A used handbag or clothing, batteries, shipping materials, or HOW-TO books on eBay, which are invaluable to any new seller.

There are items that you would be buying anyway, so you may as well buy them on eBay, to get your feedback numbers up.

I too am looking to become a seller, and am in the process of educating myself before I make that launch. I purchased a library of books at Half.com. And I can attest, some reading can go far, in preventing costly mistakes.

My mentor had commented that I had enough inventory, and asked why I didn't just go ahead and start posting my listings. I told her, I wasn't ready yet. And in my reading, I learned that this was instinctually wise. You can avoid many errors by spending time as a buyer, and also learning from those who have gone before you, and taken the time to author books to share their knowledge and experience. It takes effort and time to engage in such study, but I do believe, these efforts will pay off in the long run, by avoiding being "too green" to be successful as a seller.

As to the comment about begging for feedback being unprofessional, I can attest to this, by a comment I heard from an eBay outsider, who had only once made an eBay purchase. She said the seller had hounded her about leaving him feedback, and she thought this MOST peculiar. And admittedly, it is...if you are unfamiliar with the eBay concept. She gave the seller money for his item, and was offended that he treated her like she had done something "wrong" by failing to leave him feedback. A Big NO NO in customer service.

And Daddyo, I can absolutely relate to the idea that sometimes items are just TOO cheap. I've recently began listing books on Half.com, and was most disheartened to learn that many books were listed for as little as .75 cents. Hardly worth the effort to list it. (At least there are no listing fees at Half.com, and your inventory can stay listed forever.) Just because that is the "going rate" does not mean I am willing to part with the item for that price. It's been said before...We are in business, and if there is no profit margin, then we are not smart business people. (I gotta say...I love Half.com as a BUYER though.)

LDCdesigns

Shakespeare said: Neither a beggar or borrower be!

I used to sell G-mail account on ebay just for a feedback before i open my store.At that time it was frustrated and wanted to open a store quickly,i sold 100 GMAIL for 10 cent each and i did not make any money beside getting the feedback.After recieving 100 postive feedback then i decided to open a store.the first week i made only $ 50 profit and after few months later i had closed my ebay store because of the fees.So i again tried to sell at normal listing without a store and made pretty money on that.Remeber,Im not trying to tell you that don't open a store on ebay.But i myself just think that comparing to normal listing and store listing is a huge different.
1.Paying monthly store
2.i guess 10% of final value.
But one thing is good when you open a store, is you save alot on your 30 days listing.This is cool.
What i recommand you to get more feedback is selling an Ebook at a low price and tell them on your listing to please leave you a positive feedback.Then once they read it,They will leave you a postive feedback.If you have a chance to get one of gmail please get it and start selling it in private listing.Just follow my step and you will be on your way!
Thanks and good luck Winklelstore !

quote:

I used to sell G-mail account on ebay just for a feedback

Wow!

I only started selling after clocking up a 100+ on my profile by buying, then I then started selling cheaper items to establish myself as a seller worth buying from.

Finally as repeat buyers materialised, out with the more expensive goods . . .