eBay

dipmicro · ‎09-20-2010

The board seems dead, so let me throw something in.

Guy send me list of about 10 items he needed, he wanted brand items instead of cheaper Chinese no-brand components we carry. Got the pricing from our supplier, get him the quote, took approx 20min to do.

The he picked one item for $5 and say he will pass on the rest of it, it was approx $100 quote. So I told him sorry, the minimum is $10/line for custom orders.

He is back and keeps sending me emails "What brand is this and that one" on the items that we marked as "Various" (= China daily component market). Now he wants me to give him a "quote" on 250pcs of the item that we have for whooping $1.74 @ 50pcs (= 5 lots). The item has no "Make Offer".

Already have 7 emails from this guy over last week and no sale. I know what Bernie will say - possible repeat customer, etc, etc. Anyway, I am finding this ridiculously funny. How long did he take himself to research his $5 spending when I myself took so much just customer supporting him 🙂

What I am finding amusing is that people sometimes throw-out hundred $$ in a blink of an eye without even doing any comparison shopping (e.g upsell at car-dealership) and then they "research" their $5 spending for hours.

coxengines · ‎09-20-2010

Roman,

I get those too. I stay polite and answer a few times. Then, I just make up high #'s for custom stuff if that is what the buyer is after. Generally, they then drop it as it's too expensive.

I quite often get the "how much 2 or 3 or whatever quantity". I just reply along the lines of:

$1.74 x 5 = $8.70

I am generally patient, striving to win over a long-term buyer but there are limits. Perhaps 4-5 emails?

Those are generally the customers that are least likely to be satisfied, no matter what you do for them.

Then there are the ones like the guy from yesterday that dropped $275 in our store and added the note that it was his birthday and this was a present to himself.

Those make up for the penny-pinchers 🙂

Bernie

femmefan1946 · ‎09-20-2010

Do some arithmetic.

If the minimum wage is $10 an hour that is 16 cents a minute.

The 20 minutes spent on the quote were worth the hassle, since it could have been worthwhile to "spend" $3.33 to get a $100 sale and perhaps a good repeat customer.

But when his order was under your minimum, he became a candidate for the BBL.

westernstargifts · ‎09-20-2010

Deja vu.

I had about 45 messages from one buyer. You probably saw the recent thread in that regard. She bought a few items and may end up becoming a good repeat customer. On the other hand, if it takes that much work every time she places an order it my be more trouble than it is worth. I spent a great deal of time with her the first time. I won't be doing it a second time.

She could never seem to send just one email with all of her questions. She would send multiple emails within minutes of each other. Some would contain different questions and others were repetitions.

dipmicro · ‎09-20-2010

westernstargifts, I agree, it's not worth it. Yes, I seen your thread.

femmefan1946, I am a capitalist, not a charity. Your math does not add up :^O

I already wowed no custom stuff, no promises. It's either in our stock with big Buy Now button, or get it elsewhere. Should remind myself this from time to time 🙂 Most of the time I respond "sorry we do not carry this" and if it's something good I make a note to source it. But when caught in good mood I promise peoples things and then regret it.

zarzuella · ‎09-21-2010

I'd block that buyer at this point, but then I have so much less patience (and goodwill) towards buyers than I once had.

Given what I sell I tend to attract the chatty types who want to open lengthy email conversations about their animals. I also get lots of ASQ's from people who want me to scan pics or sections of books gratis or look up stuff in Veterinary manuals (as a fellow animal lover I'm supposed to be happy to do this!) Overall these are nice people, but my price point nowadays is too low for me to accommodate these requests.

eBay tends to nurture this type of buyer; I don't have these issues on any other online selling venue.

Ann

dipmicro · ‎09-21-2010

Another one - every day I seem to deal for an 1/2-1hr with useless questions that are answered by FAQ.

Did you ship my item yet? - The FAQ states, if it was not 3 business days, please do not ask this question. - the best ones are those who paid on Saturday and ask the question early Monday morning.

Can you give me my tracking number? - No, the $4 Airmail to Argentina does not provide tracking number, but I can upgrade you to Express for additional $26. - after this they usually do not respond.

Then there is guys from Italy (or insert your favourite non-English speaking country) who need something and you cannot make it out of the gibberish. After 3rd email you tell them, "please write in Italian" and you translate it with online translator.

And then there is this John Buyer, who is extremely happy with the service, but he accidentaly leaves neagtive (see my recent neg before I ask him to change it).

Ann, you are right, eBay seems to be nurturing this. It's the overflow of information, there is so much text on eBay, so much carp coming to people's mailbox, that nobody reads anything anymore, they feel it's easier to ask than to fish the information from quantum of garbage and nonsense.

westernstargifts · ‎09-21-2010

I also get lots of ASQ's from people who want me to scan pics or sections of books gratis or look up stuff in Veterinary manuals (as a fellow animal lover I'm supposed to be happy to do this!) Overall these are nice people, but my price point nowadays is too low for me to accommodate these requests.

I get lots of requests for donations to animal rescue organizations because I sell many animal designs. They could at least ask for a discount so they can buy it and donate it themselves, or resell it to make some money, but they would rather get it for free.

Ann, you are right, eBay seems to be nurturing this. It's the overflow of information, there is so much text on eBay, so much carp coming to people's mailbox, that nobody reads anything anymore, they feel it's easier to ask than to fish the information from quantum of garbage and nonsense.

eBay sends out far too many emails "on our behalf" and I agree that nobody reads them anymore...I know I don't when I buy things. On the other hand, they don't read descriptions either which usually gives them all of the information they need.

femmefan1946 · ‎09-21-2010

emmefan1946, I am a capitalist, not a charity. Your math does not add up :^O

I'm dysnumeric-- like dyslexic but with numbers. My math never adds up. I had to invent a method of doing multiplication for myself in grade school because I could not memorize tables. Later I learned I had invented the New Math.

Can you give me my tracking number? - No, the $4 Airmail to Argentina does not provide tracking number,
That would be my answer too, although since I began putting the shipping invoice number in my feedbacks, I get few of these queries. Love the offer of an upgrade!

dipmicro · ‎09-22-2010

Another proof people do not read descriptions: see # 220656926526, it says in big red letters "this cannot be used with inkjet printer"

Guess what. In the morning, one of first 5 questions - "Can I use this with inkjet printer ?"

:^O

femmefan1946, when I said your math does not add up, I meant id does not make business sense. It's a valid math otherwise, so you are not dysnumeric, just little low self worth 🙂