Good News selling stories

[dithommo]

There has been so much doom and gloom with stories from sellers on eBay lately and I have been guilty myself of crying upon everyones shoulder with various posts here (mainly the 21 day hold and related issues).

Well I appear to have jumped through all the various eBay hoops and all my monies have been released.

Just finished a great weekend of selling many of my old bits and pieces cluttering up draws and shelves (I am a non-professional seller).

One of my sales completed and just finished packing ready for post and the buyer asks to change address details and has sent me more than required additional postage via PayPal to cover Express post. (I had original item with postage free). Hey all seems fine to me, I think the buyer needed item sent to a private address he was travelling to. Got great feedback from buyer and then he sent me some more dollars for my efforts. I won't give specifics but needless to say this was beyond my expectations.  Should be a few more buyers like this one. I will be sending a little gift in the post.

It does bring me to something I have noticed missing from some (not all) sellers who scrooge every cent they can. As a buyer I always look at the end price including postage,  recently I bought a small item with a $13.40 postage charge which I knew was way too much for specific item but total cost was in my biding budget so no drama when a $7.20 envelope arrives. When I make mistakes like this I always refund the difference as I am just that sort of person. Like I said I knew what I was paying so no overal problem. It just appears to me that a whole personal touch is missing with some people.

I often make very little on an item but it is more about giving someone else something they want/need/desire, I get a great deal of personal satisfaction from many transactions and have exchanged many stories and tales with buyers about their new items often adding some history. Also I have made some friends which have morphed into further sales off line (sorry eBay, not sure if you have a policy to stop that yet).

Does anyone else have "good news" selling stories.

[horizon1907]

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@dithommo wrote:

There has been so much doom and gloom with stories from sellers on eBay lately and I have been guilty myself of crying upon everyones shoulder with various posts here (mainly the 21 day hold and related issues).

Well I appear to have jumped through all the various eBay hoops and all my monies have been released.

Just finished a great weekend of selling many of my old bits and pieces cluttering up draws and shelves (I am a non-professional seller).

One of my sales completed and just finished packing ready for post and the buyer asks to change address details and has sent me more than required additional postage via PayPal to cover Express post. (I had original item with postage free). Hey all seems fine to me, I think the buyer needed item sent to a private address he was travelling to. Got great feedback from buyer and then he sent me some more dollars for my efforts. I won't give specifics but needless to say this was beyond my expectations.  Should be a few more buyers like this one. I will be sending a little gift in the post.

It does bring me to something I have noticed missing from some (not all) sellers who scrooge every cent they can. As a buyer I always look at the end price including postage,  recently I bought a small item with a $13.40 postage charge which I knew was way too much for specific item but total cost was in my biding budget so no drama when a $7.20 envelope arrives. When I make mistakes like this I always refund the difference as I am just that sort of person. Like I said I knew what I was paying so no overal problem. It just appears to me that a whole personal touch is missing with some people.

I often make very little on an item but it is more about giving someone else something they want/need/desire, I get a great deal of personal satisfaction from many transactions and have exchanged many stories and tales with buyers about their new items often adding some history. Also I have made some friends which have morphed into further sales off line (sorry eBay, not sure if you have a policy to stop that yet).

Does anyone else have "good news" selling stories.

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Great to hear that dithom. It's stories like that, puts a smile on your face.  Keep up the great work. 

[038forellie]

Hi,

I too have had some "good news" stories.  I sold a suit to a lady who was attending her sons' wedding in Glasgow, she sent me a photo of herself, wearing the suit, and her son and new daughter in law. That made my day.  I have been sent a photo from another young woman who wore a vintage bright pink silk coat I sold her on eBay. She was wearing it at the Caulfield Cup, I sent it to her immediately and paid a bit extra just to make sure she received it in time.

I have sold bits and pieces of furniture and people have been delighted. One couple keep in touch and I often sell to them.  When I saw one of my "vintage" pieces in the front window of their well known shop I nearly had kittens.

It is not always about the money, although it helps, it's knowing that somewhere out there someone appreciates the time and effort you have gone too to find that "one off" item that you and they might love, but then others may think is **bleep**...It is always in the eye of the beholder.

Thanks and as long as you/we are enjoying what we are doing then I/you should keep on doing it.

[evil_akuma_2002]

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@038forellie wrote:

Hi,

I too have had some "good news" stories.  I sold a suit to a lady who was attending her sons' wedding in Glasgow, she sent me a photo of herself, wearing the suit, and her son and new daughter in law. That made my day.  I have been sent a photo from another young woman who wore a vintage bright pink silk coat I sold her on eBay. She was wearing it at the Caulfield Cup, I sent it to her immediately and paid a bit extra just to make sure she received it in time.

I have sold bits and pieces of furniture and people have been delighted. One couple keep in touch and I often sell to them.  When I saw one of my "vintage" pieces in the front window of their well known shop I nearly had kittens.

It is not always about the money, although it helps, it's knowing that somewhere out there someone appreciates the time and effort you have gone too to find that "one off" item that you and they might love, but then others may think is **bleep**...It is always in the eye of the beholder.

Thanks and as long as you/we are enjoying what we are doing then I/you should keep on doing it.

Glad to see you made it thru that withholding period - touch wood, I haven't had the pleasure of ebay's benificence!

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As a long time, small seller, myself, I feel that we are the ones who tend to go out of our way for our customers.

I've been into fishing tackle for many years, and often will spend time with a prospective buyer who wants information on how best to use the purchase.

It's above and beyond expectations, but when I recieve a photo of their catch, or an email of thanks, their smile says it was worth all the extra effort!

Little things do make a buying experience worthwhile, and makes us feel pretty good, too.

[aps1080]

Agree on a number of points - the personal touch, modifying postage if it is less.

And I think I have had some successes in the last month, selling off USED DVD's or sets of DVD's.

I haven't set the price cheap but neither are they pricey but people are buying them even when brand new sets are available

of the same DVD's at 1 or 4/5 dollars more.

In one instance I had a set of DVD's go for more than a brand new set cost - I had listed that as an auction.

Anyway, it's nice to get some sales and have happy buyers !

[i-love-my-sheep]

I've got too many good stories to list here, but here's a few of them. One buyer in Tassie bought a few things from me and was over the moon with them, so bought some more. There were a few messages back and forth which revealed we have similar interests and are even in the same profession. One thing lead to another and ever since, there have been a lot of emails going back and forth. He has sent me a few things he created himself. He has bought a few more things from me offline and I have sent some things just for the hell of it. He even rang me for Christmas! Sadly, I got called into work, so missed his call, but it made my day.

Another buyer in Qld, similar story. Loved what he bought, so bought some more. A few weeks later I got an email with a heap of photos of everything that he'd made out of the gemstones he bought from me. I never thought those rough bits of rock could turn into something so lovely. We are also still in regular contact. He sent me a Christmas card. Today a nice little surprise arrived in the mail for me. He also bought a few more things off me in the last 2 weeks (on eBay)

The last few weeks I've had a couple of unhappy buyers. I bent over backwards to rectify the issue and I ended up with glowing feedback and 5 stars for everything. I believe going that extra mile makes a big difference. 

I've had other buyers who have sent me a message when their item arrives thanking me profusely and going on about how over the moon they are with what they bought. Those messages give me that warm fuzzy feeling and puts a smile on my face.

I think we all have the odd bad buyer, but the good far outweighs the bad.

[aps1080]

i lovemysheep

I reckon I have made a couple of sellers happy.

I often contact a seller and ask for a buy it now, most oblige and they don't have to wait.

Also bought a heap of batteries from one seller, she was very happy.

It works well when you communicate

[i-love-my-sheep]

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@aps1080 wrote:

i lovemysheep

I reckon I have made a couple of sellers happy.

I often contact a seller and ask for a buy it now, most oblige and they don't have to wait.

Also bought a heap of batteries from one seller, she was very happy.

It works well when you communicate

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Your couldn't be more right with that statement. When I send invoices to buyers, I tell them that if there are any issues whatsoever, please don't hesitate to contact me prior to leaving feedback. The few issues that I've had, they have ALL contacted me before taking any action. 

I will usually send interstate buyers a message giving them MY rough estimate on when their item might arrive. Never had an issue with buyers saying it's taken too long.

I always reply to messages as soon as I possibly can. If I'm at home I reply straight away. If I'm at work I reply when I can find a spot that has a small amount of mobile coverage. Communication is everything!

[aps1080]

I love

You missed the "wink" smiley !

Yes, communication is the key, also, buyer expectations and making sure they are not too high.

Like you, I send messages with an expectation and normally add a day (at least, depending on where they are).

Better it turns up earlier than later !

I have also noticed an increased number of items listed on both ebay and gumtree which works well.