eBay

out-boards · ‎06-03-2011

I too placed my ebay store on vacation for this possible strike with Canada Post.

But I mostly sell outboard parts new and used and guess what, Im in my prime time. It's easy to say to wait it out but im loosing big money, and I know I'm not the only one.

So I going to attempt to continue selling but first I got to try and modifie my shipping options, but this wont be easy. Here are my points. and maybe you guys could help me out or we could help each other out.

1-Canada Post is on strike not Ebay, Yes they offer better prices then other carriers (by far..) but we could still sell with other carriers.

2-I have between 3000 and 4000 items in my store, how will i remove all shipping costs with CP and replace it with UPS.

3-This can't be done individually as it would be to labour intensive.

4- A bulk edit could work but all my items are of different weight and dimensions

5-I would also rather leave the items under 1 pound weight out of my inventory as they are way too expensive to ship with private carriers.

6-Even if I find a way too change all my items over to UPS. and CP settles there contract, how would I transfer everything back over without loosing my original shipping information.

I know thats a lot to figure out and I could see why people have there store on vacation. but wouldn't it be easy if we could remove the shipping cost totally and have the buyers contact us with shipping quotes! OH WAIT, ebay doesn't let us do that! So you see CP is not all to blame for us not selling, if ebay would give us the option not to specify shipping costs per item we would not all have this problem.

But then again we would have to re input the information once CP are back online. However it would make it a little easier.

Anyways, do you guys know of any programs like turbo lister, greenthorn or something that would do what mentioned above while saving the original shipping information.

Let me know what you think, and sorry about the bad grammar and spelling!!

femmefan1946 · ‎06-12-2011

axe - I think it would depend on the demographics of the customer base.

My store is open again, but my books tend to sell to people who read. I would not have opened it if I sold coins or sportscards or motor parts.

I'm even leaving my niche account which sells philatelic literature closed.

axe_n_gear_music · ‎06-12-2011

"My store is open again, but my books tend to sell to people who read. I would not have opened it if I sold coins or sportscards or motor parts."

Interesting...your books tend to sell to peole who read...my musical instruments and supplies tend to sell to people who play musical instruments. ???

I don't sell coins, sports cards or motor parts either, but you're saying that this part time, random, rotating strike would affect those sellers differently? Not at all. The only people that this rotating strike is affecting is the people that work for CP in the area that the strike is current for, and even that is only for 24-48 hours, and then they are back to work.

Big Deal. This CP strike so far has been nothing but a joke.

Many eBay sellers are only worried about DSR's and feedback, which eBay has already said that they will look after, in the event that someone leaves bad feedback because of strike activity.

If you don't have a website store, open one. No DSR's or bad feedback from strike worries there. Our website sales and sales through our toll free # have been amazing the last few weeks. This "strike" has done nothing to impede sales here.

Cheers,

AXE

zarzuella · ‎06-13-2011

"My store is open again, but my books tend to sell to people who read. I would not have opened it if I sold coins or sportscards or motor parts."

Interesting...your books tend to sell to peole who read...my musical instruments and supplies tend to sell to people who play musical instruments. ???

Yes, but semi-literate people can and do buy musical supplies. Let's hope they know aout the strike delays.

And, regardless of what you have heard, I would NEVER depend on eBay revising poor FB or DSR's caused by the strike.

zarzuella · ‎06-13-2011

But that being said, I didn't close down at all - business as usual. 😄

femmefan1946 · ‎06-13-2011

axe I think zarzuella was a little more direct than I was, when she said "semi-literate"

I get really annoyed when members write ungrammatical, badly spelled, incoherent rants about how horrible eBay and/or sellers are, when once the message is decoded, the problem was with the buyer's unfounded expectations.

"I didn't read the description, but the picture..."

"I assumed that shipping to Canada would be the same..."

"I didn't realize the box would be empty.." (When the title says "BOX ONLY"

I'm not talking about second language here, I am very aware of my own deficiencies in my second language, but, geez, do the schools not mark for spelling any more?

Thank you for listening to my rant.

out-boards · ‎06-14-2011

I still have my store open or re-opened. and things are selling but not at break neck speed. What i have done is made a "Letter of explanation" on microsoft word, explaning everything. I mention the possibility of delay and that if they dont want to take a chance they have the option of a full refund or upgrade to a courier service.

I simply copy and paste the letter in contact buyer option to every sale.

So far no complaints

I think people just need to be informed about situations, its the suprises or the unexpected that upset them.

Just my two cents!