Feedback - How To Get It

[tigergirl1]

I really go the extra mile when I sell something on eBay - I gift wrap all my items, I started a Gift-With-Purchase program and I include other extra gifts like genuine astronaut souvenirs of when my brother went into space.  I do all these things so the buyer remembers me, and files positive feedback.  It is very frustrating to me that even though I include a Thank You card with my item giving item number and my seller name etc, and politely requesting feedback, about half or more of my buyers do not file feedback.  This is even after they have emailed me and said they loved their item.  It is also even after I've sent, every two or three weeks, a polite friendly email asking for feedback and saying I will do the same for them.  I want to get as high a positive feedback number as I can get because I'm very ill and selling everything I own before it is too late.  I spend the money to buy nice gift wrap and ribbons.  I can't imagine that some people have a negative reaction to the souvenirs of my brother - about half of my buyers say they found it really neat.  I just can't understand why a lot of people don't file feedback - for example about half of my February sales did not file feedback even though some of them sent me emails saying they loved their item.  Does anyone have any suggestions for me?  And also on how to get more sales?  I'm alone, and really trying hard here.  Thanks.

[tigergirl1]

Yes, it is very odd.  I asked at the post office and they had no idea why it wouldn't go through on the eBay/PayPal site. 

[salesgroupcanada]

Though this is completely off topic.

What do you suggest that I do?

I just had someone do a BIN and all the feedback left for other buyers was negative.

I mean 10 negatives here...

I'm so pissed that I missed her on my block list.

I really don't wanna do this transaction but at the same time she could leave me negative feedback if I don't.

[salesgroupcanada]

I mean "other sellers"*

[pierrelebel]

Has the buyer paid for the item?

[rose-dee]

HELP!  It isn't working.  I have a box of wax I have to ship to zip 02072.  Dimensions (it is rectangular) are 6.5 inch x 4.5 inch x 4.5 inch or 17 cm length x 12 cm width x 12 cm high.  Weight is 2 lb 10 oz or 1 kg 190 gm.  The ebayPaypal form keeps telling me the Dimensions are invalid.  When I'm using inches I have it set to Inch, and lbs/oz and if I try cm I have it set to cm and kg.  What is wrong please??  Thanks.  Kathy

Hi Kathy - I'm so sorry I wasn't able to respond quickly (I was in Halifax at a specialist's appointment, so away from my computer).  I'm also really sorry to see you've had so much trouble with your first try at online labels!  I'll try to respond to the problems:  

1)  Another seller is correct in saying that there are minimum size limits for Expedited USA - these are 21cm x 14cm x 5mm (half a centimetre), which is pretty thin (this is about 8" x 5-1/2" x 1/4").  The online labelling system assumes the first dimension entered to be the longest (i.e. the length of the parcel), the next the width, and the 3rd the height.  If you attempt to enter numbers lower than the permitted minimums, you'll get an error.  There are also maximums for Expedited -- max. length = 2 metres/max. length + girth=2.74 m.)

2)  I can't understand why the P.O. would accept it -- I'm wondering if they actually sent it by Expedited?  What does your receipt say?

3)  For future reference, when you're at the screen that requires the parcel size to be entered, always enter the dimensions in the order above (length [longest dimension], then width, then height), or you'll get an error message. 

4)  I found it helpful to print out the information on Expedited and Xpresspost from Canada Post's website and keep it handy when I'm doing up parcels.  One tip to keep in mind: the deeper the box (over the 5mm of course), the higher the cost usually is, particularly for Xpresspost.  So a parcel in a box of say 30x20x5cm will be cheaper than the same weight in a box 30x20x10cm. 

5)  Small Packet, as you probably already know, also has size restrictions and maximum 1kg weight.  With Small Packet I always double-check my box to ensure the total dimensions don't exceed the 90cm maximum before packing it up and doing my label, otherwise I re-pack the item in a slightly smaller box.

As I mentioned earlier, I'd say shipping accounts for 80% of my issues in selling on eBay.  And then Canada Post shape-shifts every year, just to add to the headaches.

I hope the next try works out better for you!  It is worth it once you get used to the online labelling system.

Cheers!

[tigergirl1]

Hi Rose-dee, Patricia,

Thanks for your reply.  I got three of the four boxes done with the eBay/PayPal online labelling thing.  The last one, for the aromatherapy wax, would not go through on the eBay/PP system.  So because of that one, I had to go to the post office anyway LOL.  Anyway, at the post office, as I mentioned, they accepted it no problem and sent it Expedited (it was to USA and was too heavy for Small Packet and the cost difference between Tracked Packet and Expedited was tiny).

So in the end, all was OK, but I still do not know why I had that trouble on the eBay/PP system.  I have just read your helpful email, and maybe it was the length thing, although I tried putting the numbers in each different box and it didn't make a difference.

Yes, I will definitely follow your advice in No. 3.  I usually write dimensions in that order, and am pretty sure I did so on the site, but will definitely be careful about that.

This is off-topic, but does anyone regularly list an item month after month?  I do, and I keep records of the expenditures and have just discovered that for an item at a selling price of $8.00, listed for a year at 20 cents x 12, and then with the eBay and PayPal sales commissions, I just about gave the item away.

I wonder if there is a "lowest selling price" below which you can't make any money if it is listed more than one month?

Regards and Happy Easter to you, and everyone,  Kathy in Ontario

[salesgroupcanada]

Yes, the buyer paid for the item

But, I really don't want negative feedback and with a history of only leaving negative / neutral feedback I wanna cancel this transaction right away.

[pierrelebel]

"Yes, the buyer paid for the item"

Based on so many negative feedback given by the buyer, asking for cancellation will most certainly bring you another negative feedback and there is nothing you can do to prevent it.  A buyer has every right to give a seller negative feedback when a seller refuses to complete a paid transaction.

So, your goal is to avoid a negative feedback.

I am not suggesting anything. However, if this situation was happening to me,

1) I would immediately give positive feedback to the buyer thanking him for the prompt payment.

2) I would contact the buyer, thank him for his purchase and prompt payment, tell him positive feedback has been posted accordingly on eBay and advise his purchase will be mailed on the next business day. 

Then, I would add a sentence suggesting "I noticed he appeared to have been unhappy with a few recent transactions based on the negative feedback he left for other sellers and assure him he will, like hundreds of eBay customers, be most satisfied with both the quality of the product I am shipping and the efficiency of the service I provided. His positive feedback upon satisfactory receipt of the item will be most appreciated."

What do you have to lose?

On one hand you are guaranteed a negative feedback which will not be removed by eBay

on the other hand, possibly it will work out fine.  If it does not, you are right back where you started.

Good Luck

[tigergirl1]

Hi rose-dee,  Do you know what Sellathon means?  pierrelebel pointed out that it is at the bottom of all my listing pages.  I have never signed up with them or hired them.  I am also wary of signing up for things anyway.  As far as I know, this might have been a service eBay offered way (many years) back, as a counter or something.  But it is true, I'm not sure I want a sellathon.com logo at the bottom of my listings.  Do you know???

[rose-dee]

Hi rose-dee,  Do you know what Sellathon means?  pierrelebel pointed out that it is at the bottom of all my listing pages.  I have never signed up with them or hired them.  I am also wary of signing up for things anyway.  As far as I know, this might have been a service eBay offered way (many years) back, as a counter or something.  But it is true, I'm not sure I want a sellathon.com logo at the bottom of my listings.  Do you know???

Kathy, I believe this is connected with Auctiva.  It is the "Sellathon" counter, which keeps track of visits to your listing.  I think I recall seeing Auctiva scrolling galleries in some of your listings, and that you said they were "leftovers" from having been signed up with Auctiva some time ago, so this may be another leftover. 

I think you might possibly be able to remove it by going into the eBay "Revise your item" function, right-clicking on the Sellathon icon until you see the little cross indicating a picture placement, then hit the "Delete" on your keyboard.  Of course this means revising listings again. 

Personally, if it's the Sellathon counter, I'd just leave it, but make sure when you do up new listings in future that you start with a brand new, blank eBay listing form, to get rid of all the bits and pieces left from Auctiva (although the scrolling gallery is useful). 

Cheers, and Happy Easter!

[tigergirl1]

Hi rose-dee,

Thanks for replying.  I went into one of my items and clicked on Revise your item.  That took me to a page where I can change things, but no where on that page does the Sellathon icon, or even words about it, appear.

So I went back to the item, as it would appear on eBay, and I went to the bottom, to the Sellathon icon and right clicked but I didn't get a Delete.  I'm using a MAC Apple computer, that might make a difference if you are on a PC.

Most of my listings I do by using the Sell Similar Item service, and then changing what needs to be changed for the new item.  This of course would pull in any Auctiva/Sellathon stuff, even though I stopped paying for that a year ago.

I suppose I could do one item as a completely new fresh form, and then keep using it as Sell Similar.

The scrolling gallery is good, although as I've mentioned before, a number of the items are sold, so it is no longer up to date.

The reason all this came up is because of the new thread I posted - I'm trying to revise all of my listings, as you know.  Sometimes I get an Alert saying I can't change my listing because it is within 12 hours of ending but it is not within 12 hours - see my other thread if you want.

I can't figure out what is causing that problem.  pierrelebel thought it might be because I was having Sellathon do my listings, but they are not, I do all my own listings.

Happy Easter.  Kathy

[tigergirl1]

Hi rose-dee,

You were right. I did a few listings with a completely new Sell Your Item form, and the Sellathon counter and scrolling Auctiva images are gone.

Thanks so much.  Kathy

[tigergirl1]

Hi reallynicestamps,

Yes, you are right.  I read the html and deleted certain sections and was able to get rid of the Sellathon counter and the scrolling Auctiva gallery.

I've just about finished updating all of my 550+ listings, so I'm not going to spend another two weeks going through them all individually again.  I'll leave them for now, and when I can, I'll either change them by deleting the html or by starting a completely new Sell Your Listing form for the item (as rose-dee suggested).

Thanks for your help.  Kathy