topic Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays? in Selling

How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

pinga707077 — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 01:13:21 GMT

I'm going away and my auctions will end when I'm away. I do not want to cancell my active listings. How can I notify bidders that the items will be posted later.

Thank you 🙂

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

*sparklz* — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 01:16:11 GMT

You need to add it into the listings or change your handling postage times to the amount of time you will be away.

But you would be better to end the listings till you can be there to post as this time of year buyer will not want to wait and many will not read postage delay messages in the listing.

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

twyngwyn — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 01:16:16 GMT

if you don't have a store, the only thing that might help you is to extend your handling time

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 01:22:16 GMT

With bids, very little can be revised in listings.

If most of your items only attract one bid anyway, better to end the listings now to the highest bidder and post them before you go.

(only 2 listings with bids, then change handling time on others)

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

padi*0409 — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 01:50:38 GMT

As others have said, better to end your listings or you could end up with negs on your account, or worse some very low DSRs which could easily limit/curtail your selling on eBay.

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

curraone — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 02:24:57 GMT

@pinga707077 wrote:
I'm going away and my auctions will end when I'm away. I do not want to cancell my active listings. How can I notify bidders that the items will be posted later.

Thank you 🙂

If you do not want to cancel your listings, there are a few things you can do

On the two items where you have active bids - you can revise the items and add a paragraph at the end in HUGE writing - telling the buyers what days you will be away.e.g.

Please note the seller will be away from 12 Dec to 24 Dec and will be unable to post your item during that time

On the listings which have no bids, you can bulk edit and add the same paragraph but at the top of the description - and also change the handling time to the maximum allowed.

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

englishrosegardens — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 03:37:41 GMT

Unless you extend your handling time to cover the time you'll be away, you could end up with a heap of postage defects and then have your selling restricted. Is it really worth risking your selling privileges by selling a few cheap items while you're away?

You could reduce the duration on the items without bids so that the auctions end before you go away.

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

ford12ford — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 03:59:49 GMT

I added similar 11 months ago, and even put in no need to pay till I am back in big bold letters too. Needless to say I was paid straight away for a few items that week, and no one minded waiting but I did get those bad marks from ebay for late posing that I still have today as not yet 12 months up. I am STILL near 5 and incurred a warning from ebay. All items ebay considered I did not post soon enough, those 11 months or so ago, none from customers as I usually post same or next day anyway, and had emailed each buyer at the time. Next time I will add onto the posting time which I did not do, and did not think of, so thanks too for the advice.

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

curraone — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 05:34:53 GMT

@pinga707077 wrote:
I'm going away and my auctions will end when I'm away. I do not want to cancell my active listings. How can I notify bidders that the items will be posted later.

Thank you 🙂

I should add that for any of your listings that do not have bids, I would definitely end them at least two days before you leave.

It doesn't cost you anything to list - and they will be in your unsold listings ready to re-list when you get back.

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

padi*0409 — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 06:03:15 GMT

curraone, the problem there as I see it is that eBay, in effect, gives the buyer 8 days to pay (if the OP has to go down the UPI track or an echeque is utilised) obviously the OP won't want to post until payment is cleared, so there woudn't be time in that 2 day window to sort out payment and post off the items to the buyer.

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

*tippy*toes* — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 12:09:14 GMT

Will you have access to eBay while you are away (e.g phone app, tablet)? If so, I'd still put the large letter suggestions into your listing, but if some do sell, send the buyer a message as soon as they've bought/won and let them know there will be a delay on posting. Sending a note along the lines of:

Dear <Buyers name>.

Thank you for your recent purchase. As per the notice in the listing, I'm just reminding you that there will be a delay in posting your "insert item name here". I am currently away visiting family for Christmas and will post as soon as I get home. I thank you for your patience and understanding.

Kind regards,

As already suggested, I would defintely blow your handling time out to 30 days to cover yourself. I had to go away for a few weeks in July. I ended all my listings 5 days before I had to leave. I had enough to think about without having to worry about eBay too. I haven't looked at your listings, but if you're selling lower priced items, is it worth risking losing your selling account forever? Once eBay boot you, they'll never let you back. The punishment if way more than what you'd get for murder!

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

pinga707077 — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 00:28:53 GMT

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

pinga707077 — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 00:28:05 GMT

Thank you for all your tips guys!! I will end all listing, not worth a worry.

All best

🙂

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

lane-ends — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 00:55:07 GMT

@englishrosegardens wrote:

You could reduce the duration on the items without bids so that the auctions end before you go away.

TDH I would be careful doing this also in case you get tardy payers. Unless you want to prepack any unpaid items, take them with you and post while away.

Tardy payers are common over the hols too as people set snipe bids while they are absent

Re: How to let bidders know that the items will be posted later due to holidays?

englishrosegardens — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 06:40:39 GMT

I usually have no live listings for two weeks before I go away - it's just not worth the hassle. I think it's unfair on buyers to have listings running if you can't post them.