Need to post a message on my listings.....How?

[rio1953]

I am going to be away for a period of time and would like my potential buyers to know, that if they buy un item it will not be shipped until a certain date. How do I post a message on my listings?

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

Don't.

Because Buyers Don't Read.

Instead, end all you current listings. They will go into your Unsold Listings page and rest there happily for about 90 days.

When you get back, use Sell Similar to relist them.

You can even do this the day before you return.

You will pay for the relisted items. But seriously, that's better than the fallout from an unhappy buyer who didn't read the message and expects the item to be delivered by Unicorn Express wrapped in gold and sparkles the day before yesterday.

If you had a Store, you could put your items On Vacation and make them invisible without the minor hassle of closing and relisting.  But you would still be paying the monthly rent on the Store,so that's a wash.

[pjcdn2005]

I agree that it is not a good idea to leave your listings up while you are gone as you could end up getting a few defects. Even if there is a message in your listings about being gone, ebay still expects you to ship out your items in your stated handling time.

You might want to consider opening a store on a month to month basis as the fvf is slightly lower and you can use the vacation settings.

This is off topic but when you get back, you might want to look at a couple of things.

- Some of your listings (10 or so) don't have a shipping cost to the U.S. listed so they may not be showing up on the U.S. site at all. If you are using expedited USA, your dimensions must be bigger than 21cm x 14 cm x .5cm.  The calculator does not tell you that the dimensions are too small but will not show a price if they are.

-Even more of your listings are missing international shipping costs

[recped]

This is off topic but when you get back, you might want to look at a couple of things.

OP has already been told this.....doesn't seem to care, prefers to play games with buyers.

[cumos55]

Russian Roulette... Ouch!

[rio1953]

I don't play games with anybody. Last time that I was away I went through all my listings one by one and let any of my potential buyers know that I would be away and items bought at that time would be shipped after I came back and gave a date for that.
Is just that now I have to many items. I will follow Femme advice and end all of my items before I leave and re list when I get back.
Thanks.

[maximus7001]

When you end the items make sure pick listing had an error for the reason or you may get a defect for each one. When you get back and relist you should take the opertunity to revise and correct any errors that may be in the listings including proper shipping costs for various destinations.

[cumos55]

It has been a standard practice on my part to end a listing and almost immediately relist the ended item

This process makes  the listing a" new listing" on eBay.

eBay does define listings  as "old" if there has been no sale for 16-18 months

Remember  the UK situation where old listings ... those on eBay for longer than 18 months...will have a higher listing fee.

I used to relist at about 16 months.... Today  it is a relist at about 12 months...

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Relisting is a standard practice...should be a standard practice for all sellers..... Ending a listing does not involve the receipt of a defect....  There is no "wrong" reason for ending a listing...

The end-relist process appears to rejuvenate a listing... 

The question is "Does it stimulate sales?"    Perhaps... I say so  because many things are done to "tickle"  Cassini the search engine.

It is a part of "listings management" on eBay... improving visibility... and eventually sales

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A seller only gets defects in relation to a sale...  and not an end-relist process.... no matter why the listing was ended

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Today the end-relist process occurs after at about 12 months...  I may work down to every 6 months..... and eventually it may be less than 6 months...

Many sellers list and let it sit......  One has to manage listings.... or ... a store....  make adjustments  and not just let it sit  

Too many sellers list  and let it sit....

Sales die at about three to four months.... The listings get "stale"     No new listings... No new categories.... Initially people buy to a point  ... and eventually there are less buyers that want to buy....  and the buying market has been reduced.  

I am always adding new listings to my major category... as well as my minor categories... ..introducing new  categories...... Adding new listings as a unique listing separate from any major or minor category  This process adds significantly to my bank account.

The more I work my store...  the better it seems to get....

[pjcdn2005]

When you end the items make sure pick listing had an error for the reason or you may get a defect for each one

Why on earth would you say that? There is no defect given just because a seller cancels a listing. If  an auction with bids is ended the seller may still be charged fvf but I don't think that is what the OP is planning on doing.