Do you answer every email?

[amberwoodottawa]

I answer 98% of my emails. Once in a while when I seem to get 200 in a day and a couple of them seem like they were authored by 2 year olds, I may skip one but for the most part I answer almost all,all the time.

Selling musical instruments, I often get people who have no interest in bidding let alone buying. You can tell by their emails as they start throwing out all sorts of technical terms, showing what they know, or how little.

I received one of those the other day in relation to an intermediate violin I was selling. I took the time to answer the person, not their questions so much as reply to them that perhaps what they were interested in, as suggested by what they were looking for in the violin per their questions, would be best found in something else I carried and not the violin listed on eBay.

I was polite but I stated that it seemed they were looking for a more superior instrument which would of course command a higher price.

I received a 300 word essay on how they (husband and wife team) were professional violinists and teachers and well-established eBay buyers and how they did not intend to insult my instrument but they felt insulted in my response in that I did not answer any of their questions and that is how they judge a good eBay seller and one they would trust.

I responded and said had they indicated their professional background and that they were looking for instruments to recommend for their students, I would have been more than happy to make some suggestions however they should know (as professional violinists) that the price of the instrument they were looking at could not have some of the features they asked about for the price I was selling on eBay.

You know its like someone looking at a stock Chevy Malibu for sale and asking if it can go 0-100 mph in 1.3 seconds, if it has GPS, 12 speaker surround sound, plasma TVs with DVD player etc,

Do you answer their questions by saying NO to everything or do you try to accomodate them with something that meets their expectations.

In other words, I have what those people wanted in another model but they werent satisfied, they wanted me to tell them that the instrument I was selling on eBay didnt have what they wanted.

They havent responded and it has been 2 days.

Am I nuts or are they nuts, or is the whole world nuts?

Malcolm

[firedept10]

Malcolm,

We're just crazy, not our potential buyers. I do try to answer all my emails (99%) but some are just to ridiculous. My best ones are always asking me to sell cheaper (usually other sellers) when they darn well know that it is worth ten times what I am asking. I have just learned to enjoy the foolishness with a good laugh.

Don

[ospreylinks]

I got a couple..... I would like to buy your item, but will be paying by credit card (fine), and it would have to be run through your credit card machine or if you don't have one you could ask a friend to run it through his.....

And then check the profile on the guy who has a brand new Ebay account and just happens to be in Indonesia...

Ya right... how many do you want... don't reply to many of these...

Jeff

[amberwoodottawa]

Jeff
I dont think there are that many Indonesians running the scam, I have a feeling its only a few.

Its really funny as I used to get about 10 requests per month and I answered them all (in the beginning) that we dont take credit cards directly etc etc.

As soon as I stopped answering the emails, I never received another one and that has been since last July.

Malcolm

[rd1000]

Malcolm,

I answer every e-mail. There are some I certainly don't feel like wasting my time with an answer, but then I just bite the bullet and do it anyway. I figure it is a business and you have to treat those e-mails like customers. You never know.

Then again, I don't get 200 a day. X-)

Good luck
Rob

[muminlaw]

Me too Rob, yes I answer 'em all (or at least I try to). Ya jest bite yer tongue and gofer it!!

Sometimes it even pays off!!

Glenda

[www-labels4less-com]

I have an enhanced clipboard with the use of a small software program called clipmanager . Allows me to right click and drop the appropriate answer and then fine tune it a bit. I try to answer every email

[jaymor8]

I too answer every email and I do it quickly. Can't brag on much in this life, but I never fail at communication. It's not in me to ignore a single one.

Jackie...

[catseye*]

I've had a few rude critiques of my auctions. Those I ignore.

[fedant]

I answer 99%.........even some of the rude critiques. I enjoy making them feel 2 inches tall. Either I get:


(1)A rude resposne back. (very rarely)
(2)No response
(3)An apologietic "I am so sorry I was so rude & idiotic" response. In the odd one you can almost see tears running down the screen....

Email is too impersonal & too easily sent.....many of those people hit 'send' before their brain has engaged. Most woudl never think of saying those things to you if they were in your store, in your antiques show stall, trade show stall, etc. (I have had the odd stupid comment from uneducated 'customers' (tire kickers) in my stalls when I did antiques shows. I proceed to give them an education right there, in a scolding way like they were 3 yrs old. I was in my 20s, so doing this to 50+ year olds made an impression. Gotten many a wink from other dealers & sniggers from the educated collectors. Even got applause once....

[bh542]

I did the same as "catseye*":
I've had a few rude critiques of my auctions. Those I ignore.

Andrew

[lina-mallows]

amberwoodottawa- "I answer 98% of my emails. Once in a while when I seem to get 200 in a day and a couple of them seem like they were authored by 2 year olds"

Maybe the e-mails were from TWO years olds who mistook you for Santa.

And, as we all know, SANTA, or one of his helpers answer ALL children's e-mails.

So- I'd err on the side of caution and respond to all, even if only to say that you have received their comments, and will respond further, in the future, if necessary. Vague, ambiguous, but a positive response nonetheless.