disscussion boards open a buyers eyes.

[belindabargainhunter]

I am finding since I have been on here a lot of sellers complain about buyers. If we ask for combined postage, we are annoying when we ask to pick up an item or if a seller wants to sell it now. I would think this is all part of customer service. I am sure if these ebay sellers went into a local store and were given no service they would complain.

I can't help buy wonder if these are the same sellers complaining about low sales. I have said it before and I will say it again if overseas sellers are giving us good service and answering our questions all nicely then what reason do we have to support our Australian sellers.

One more thing before I stop. I have a few sellers I have used for years, both here and OS and I check there items first even if it costs a little more because the service/communication they give is so good that I feel good shopping with them. I guess sellers are forgetting that we the buyer are also an important part of ebay.

[digital*ghost]

Unfortunately Bargains, it requires no qualifications to buy or sell on eBay, no prior experience etc, no PR skills, so many buyers and sellers are on a steep learning curve, and it is by venting, discussing things and throwing ideas around on the forums etc that many do learn how to improve some things. They learn as they go along,

So, as I said, I just take all the venting as just that - talk around the cyber office cooler with "work mates".

That's pretty much it in a nutshell - when everything is going well, there's little that needs open discussion, and while it's nice when someone posts a good news story, there's not a lot that can be contributed by other posters so they tend to disappear off the front page pretty quick. It's by talking about our frustrations as either buyers or sellers that help us see things from other perspectives and learn more, or just give us a moment to calm down, before actually going back to our job.

There are a lot of buyers here that bring up issues they are having with sellers, and  statements that group all eBay sellers into one big group of unthinking, uncaring, disrespectful greedy scammers is just as common. 

For the record, I love my buyers, they are incredibly awesome and often put a big smile on my face, but I get frustrated with a small percentage of them, too. They'd never know that I'm frustrated (hopefully) but every human being has the capacity to be greatly annoying to someone somewhere, no matter how nice or well-liked they generally are. Even loved ones can tick each other off quite a lot. 😉

[rusty-shed]

Unless an item is too large to post, I definatly don't do pick-ups. Running a business from home I try to keep some separation from work and family life. I also have concerns about security with very high stock values of easily saleable items kept at home.  I don't want to sit at home for hours waiting for a buyer who is held up in traffic when I should be taking the kids to basketball or wants to come around at 6.30 pm. when the family is having dinner.  I note in all listings on my store that my "business is online only, sorry no local pick-ups available"  When buyers enquire about pick ups I give an effective excuse and assure them their item will be mailed within 24 hours of paying. If they need it urgently I provide a free upgrade to express post. This works well and provides a good balance between customer service and respect for my own privacy.

[belindabargainhunter]

Thank you Hubbies your response is what I think makes a great seller. I am not saying u should do pick ups but you work with your buyers so they get the item when needed. I as a buyer would expect to pay the extra cost in express shipping but it's nice that u give that extra service

[2106greencat]

I am a great seller (really). Reply to each and every query, I don't combine post coz my post is free, send within 1 day of payment, refund return postage if an error was mine, I do all I can, yet sales are still slow.

So to answer your question Belinda, no I don't think customer service has anything to do with the down turn in eBay sales.

And in defence of some of the sellers who get upset at some buyers, well, if they were all as good as you Belinda we wouldn't have to complain, but there are some shockers out there.

[syrupsmummy]

My customer service is good. But my sales are down.

Low sales are nothing to do with customer service. It's because of eBay bringing new changes so often and lack of my time and efforts to adjust to the changes.

I don't offer pick-ups. And I say "No" politely when someone asks pick-ups. I don't think not offering pick-ups is a bad customer service.

[i-once-was-bump]

belinda you have to realise you are not the only one asking a seller to end an item early.

I had one book at auction and received about 25 emails from buyers offering me a BIN price to end it early.

Not one of them offered over $60 and the book went on to sell for $135.00 so yes sellers do get fed up with buyers asking for features not offered in the listing by the seller.

I actually had a BIN of $125.00 (which was wiped out within hours of the listing appearing) on the book and had 4 emails telling me I must have made a mistake in the price because it wasn't worth anywhere near that.

Therefore sellers will come here venting about buyers.

I also don't offer pick up over a certain dollar value. I will not have strangers coming to my home and giving me large sums of cash for a book or similar.

[ratman0100]

What on earth is the harm for anyone to simply ask a question? It cost nothing to be polite and a simple "yes I do" or "No I don't" would be more than fine to anyone. As far as getting the same question 25 times from other people well all I can say is not everyone has mental telepathy to know that. As I said, to be polite cost nothing.

[tstore]

RE Pickups

I used to offer this option, until it became a real hassle. Buyers promising to arrive at said given time and never showing up. Then getting in the way of my personal life. It is not worth it for the inconvenience for a few bucks. Especially for the types of items I sell which are not pricey or bulky - and postage is free. 

One person bought a game, picked it up (after several time/date changes) only to return it back and try to swap for another game and then attempt to return it the 3rd time. 

Some of the people who come to pick-up are scary as hell as well. And security wise is a big problem. 

[digital*ghost]

There is no harm in asking a question, generally, but I bet you rude people never think they're being rude and that they should have their requests answered ASAP. It's one of those perception things - eye of the beholder, I guess. 

In other words, what seems like a reasonable question to one person will come across as rude to another, and while a seller can smile and be gracious etc etc, at the very least, perhaps some people should stop to think about the question they're going to ask and / or they way they ask it. It doesn't cost buyers anything to be polite either and at least start a message with some kind of salutation, yet about 70% of the questions I receive are just one lines demanding an answer, and more often than not, the answer is already in the listing. Yes, it actually gets frustrating, but I still answer those questions with appropriate salutations and pleasantries. 

[tropical_scene]

Errm all sellers are actually also buyers.  It's not really an us against them arguement on eBay.

Unfortunately, some people just go about their day not considering others at all, or are just plain dishonest and then throw nasty tanties when they don't get their way.  These type of people upset all of us sellers and buyers the like.

Luckily there are far more nice peopel in the world than nasty. 🙂