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Ironchick brought this link to my attention:
http://www.otwa.com/community/showthread.php?t=39770

Everybody take the time to read this!

My Best,
Donna
eCommerce Sellers Motivators "We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? But actually, who are you NOT to be?" Marianne Williamson
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*sigh* what in the E-bay hell have I gotten my self into?

This will warp my ratings. I ship within 2 business days, and my books go media mail. I dont charge a HUGE handling fee, but its enough to cover my shipping materials (and I recycle what I can) Who's to say that the buyer isnt gonna slam me b/c it the "accual" charge on a shipment was 2.00 and they were charged 3.50 (that includes my handling fees).

And what about those snotty, "you couldnt please them with a new rope" folks? I had one guy get snotty b/c I asked for a conformation on his address. *rolls eyes*
My concern is that many buyers aren't aware of the normal costs of shipping items. Especially oversized or heavy items. I am often surprised myself at how much an item costs to ship. My concern is that people will see the expensive shipping and then be under the impression that the seller is jacking up the rates with handling fees, which happened to me once.

And besides that, it looks like a lot more work!
Yeah, and what's worse about Roxi's scenario is that they should should see the shipping info before the bid -- yet many buyers don't check that out and then they feel ripped off.

Ugh. The whole feedback system makes me feel a little paranoid anyway. I've got one neg and it's a little unsettling to realize that a few more from some unreasonable customer could practically do me in. Fingers crossed...

In theory, of course, the feedback system is a great idea. But it's only a theory.
I just think it'll be confusing, to say the least. No one will be able to decipher feedback--let alone leave it. Oh yeah, buyers are going to return to Ebay a couple weeks after they receive their item and go through four ratings??? Uh huh...that's going to happen.

I mean Overstock has all this other garbage in their feedback and it's difficult to just look at the numbers. It's difficult to leave feedback, as well. I can never tell if I'm giving one or two thumbs up!! (What's the difference anyway?) And they have this personal network feedback system. (Okay, I'll get all my buddies to say nice things about me.)

And I gotta say--feedback really doesn't mean that much. I'm afraid I'm one of those sellers who hold my buyers hostage until I receive feedback. Just protecting my own. So what does feedback really mean? We're all basically saying "I'll leave you positive feedback if you leave me positive feedback."

And with everyone always switching I.D.'s all the time on Ebay...Mess up one I.D. with negative feedback? Just move on to another. The whole system is flawed--but at the same time...it works up to a point. It's better than having no feedback system.

I do look at feedback before I buy--because I've gotten burned, a little. As a newbie I bought from a Power Seller with a really decent feedback score. And I waited and waited for my item. Went into the feedback--this seller had like 30 negative feedbacks w/in a month. And I don't believe it's all volume. I buy regularly from a couple of power sellers, and they're not racking up that kind of negative feedback.

You need to go into a sellers feedback to see what's really going on. Power sellers can have 96 to 98 percent positive feedback--even if they've had 25 negative feedbacks in the last month. A few negatives aren't going to make a dent in all the transactions they've done. Whereas, those same negatives would ruin me.

And now Ebay wants to add to the complication, hey??? Can we rate the buyers on speedy payment? Or how they email us with questions that are CLEARLY posted in each of our listings? Or how about the person who emails you asking when his/her item is going to arrive--AND YOU JUST SENT THEM AN EMAIL A DAY AGO SAYING YOU SHIPPED. Or what about the buyer who receives her item w/in 5 days, and still comments in feedback, "item finally arrived." What? Do they want us to personally deliver items?

Oh, and how about the buyer who pays 3 times via PayPal and still wants the shipping discount!! (I now charge them the .30 transaction fee.)

Do I get to rate these annoying buyers??? (SELLER BEWARE!! IT'S NOT WORTH IT!! THIS ONE WILL DRIVE YOU NUTS!!!) Is Ebay going to have a little extra area for me to rate on the annoyance factor???

By the way?? Where do I go to rate Ebay?? Smile
quote:
Power sellers can have 96 to 98 percent positive feedback--even if they've had 25 negative feedbacks in the last month. A few negatives aren't going to make a dent in all the transactions they've done. Whereas, those same negatives would ruin me.


This is something I've been meaning to ask. A general rule of thumb on eBay seems to be to avoid sellers whose percentage is below -- what? -- 99.6% or something?

I've been wondering if people apply the same standards to sellers whose transactions number in the thousands (sometimes tens of thousands).

And it's true, the feedback system will never work no matter how it's designed. It's like an honor system -- and we all know how well that works. It's only a good idea if everyone is responsible and honest about their feedback.

On the other hand, we'd be screwed without it as well. What can you do?
quote:
On the other hand, we'd be screwed without it as well. What can you do?


I totally agree. Generally, if a seller is a real...uh humm...well, it does show up in the feedback. If you take the time to go in and look--and not just look at the number.

What I've found to be a bit scary is buyers who have little or no feedback, but have been a member of Ebay for years. You know you're not going to get feedback, but sometimes these people are immensely slow to pay, as well.

Today I received an email from a buyer--super polite throughout the whole transaction--which was actually quite long because she paid with a personal check. She tells me the doll (her item) is lovely, etc. But she left no feedback!! Ah well, if I had feedback for every buyer--well, I'd have a lot of feedback!!
Here's a thought/suggestion from the stores board in regards to the "new" feedback standards if they go through.

Buying ID - So negs don't hurt you as a seller
Selling ID - So negs don't hurt you as a buyer
Feedback ID - so you can look at your own seller's ID feedback
Posting ID - For Posting on the eBay Boards

<sigh>
Too many changes going on right now.

The above is worth thinking about and implementing.

I know I have four eBay IDs and if you don't have more than one you might consider getting more for the above reasons.

Take care, Donna
quote:
Originally posted by cavaleriesoldaat:
Meanwhile, our eCrater sales continue to rise, almost $600 last month.

Hey Jeff,
Suthrnjewl<---stealing thread

I'm so glad that my suggestion to open an ecrater worked out for the best. I have the highest of hopes that Auctiva brings on their own version of eCrater soon. I sell out of mine but not near the amount you do.

Take care Whiz,
Donna
quote:
Originally posted by cakethings:
quote:
Originally posted by Suthrnjewl:
Buying ID - So negs don't hurt you as a seller
Selling ID - So negs don't hurt you as a buyer
Feedback ID - so you can look at your own seller's ID feedback
Posting ID - For Posting on the eBay Boards

Donna, can you explain the Feedback ID concept to me?

Gracias,
Roxi

Still working on that myself.
<wink>
Lemme get some calm to my life. Veddy Veddy busy time of the day in this household and I'll put my nose to the grindstone on this issue.

Back at cha,
Donna

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