Well Folks this might as well be goodbye

[cottonwoodindustries]

After much debate and thought, and looking at my DSR in the area of Shipping and handling, I QUIT! I can not take it anymore.
I changed the write up on my Store to reflect how I feel about all the changes happening on eBay, and how my buyers treat me. My sales are way down! Dissatisfaction is way UP! And my stress level is unbearable.
My costs have skyrocketed.
I have tried everything, thank you cards, emails to the buyer to say when they will receive their goods, letters telling about the rating systems, low shipping, etc. Nothing is helping, I have even asked for feedback on how I could make their buying experience better. NO FEEDBACK - but crappy DSR ratings. I can't even meet MY OWN PREVIOUS rating without being in the RED on all of them.
It is making me physically SICK, I dread looking at my ebay, or my feedback because of what I might find.
I found a great place I am going to give a try, I have to promote myself

[cottonwoodindustries]

shhhhsh, I hit the wrong button.
So I will be shutting down my store in the next 6 months while I work on my other project to get it up and running.
It has been a learning curve but I'm up for the challenge. (I am not a computer nerd, but when I finish I sure will be)
No more busting my buns to maintain my powerseller status (which I really liked at one time), but with the LOW SALES that will change quickly.
NO MORE STRESS - induced by forces out of my control.
I have been searching for the past month for a new home and I think I have found it.
I have also been in touch with some new manufacturers who want a Canadian connection, where the products will sell themselves without the help of ebay.
And there are huge RC clubs out there who haven't even tried or heard of ebay to buy things, so I am approaching them in a much larger way then I have been doing.
There will be life after ebay!!!
Hooray!!
Good Luck everyone, I will finally be able to have a good nights sleep.
THIS WAS A HUGE DECISION ON MY PART and now that I have made it, I am OK WITH IT!

[lina-mallows]

cottonwoodindustries "And my stress level is unbearable."

Recently, I posted the three follow ups to feedback already left from a longtime buyer who become the PEST from hell!:

1) "Have a problem? Please contact eBay- NOT US! Your endless e-mails are unwelcome."

2) "Excellent communication- on BUYER'S terms, which we will no longer comply with."

AND
3) "And we do thank you for your past business. There just will be no more."

Extreme feedback- maybe- realistic- absolutely!!!

As this buyer has THREE further opportunities to give us a NEGATIVE-
we will simply respond

"THANK YOU !!! A NEG is a small price to pay not to have deal with again!"

And with that- to all a good night!
(we are off to Niagara Falls for dinner)

[cottonwoodindustries]

Good One!!!

It gets really frustrating with buyers, they give you a positive feedback, but dish you on the DSR.
My search rating is in the toilet, so I might as well not be here, especially when I am not getting the exposure needed for those sales, but you still have to do the same amount of work.
Well I have a LARGE CAR SHOW coming up and a lot of my stock is going there, where is will actually be appreciated.
RECENTLY:
I had a person email to tell me that my prices were outrageous and he could bought a real hummer for the price I sell my RC cars for.

Dear cottonwoodindustries,

You are trying to sell your xmods for as much as a real car would cost, lower your prices, they are outrageous!

- beneflex7

Here is my reply:

Dear beneflex7,

Well you have a good day! No one is asking you to buy from me, you can go else where to get your xmods. Check out the prices in the UK, they are listed in pounds not US dollars. By the way a NEW HUMMER costs $60,000.00, shall we call your description a little over the top. This is what is so GREAT about ebay, you do not have to buy from me and I DON'T have to sell to you. So everything is good!

- cottonwoodindustries

And I made sure he was on my bbl.

The great thing about my products they are discontinued, and no one was selling them at the time;-)

[dipmicro]

You are trying to sell your xmods for as much as a real car would cost, lower your prices, they are outrageous!

Why would anyone bother telling a seller his/her prices are high? Imagine coming to shoping mall and telling every store where you look but cannot find or dislike their prices.

And once a provocation like this is received, why bother answering it. Just blacklist the id.

Perhaps eBay could implement a blacklist button in the email to seller. I dont have long BBL but most IDs got there after some kind of BS message not dissimilar from the above. Miriam, are you reading? Can you arrange for a one-click blacklist button in the emails?

[cartoonsinabox]

Hi Cottonwood,

I looked at your DSR and it looks very good to me. Maybe a suggestion , I noticed your shipping cost a little high (Maybe find a new shipping company or change shipping option). I don't know much about model cars. If you say they are sold out. Why not indicate this information in the title and description RARE,SOLD OUT,IMPORT,LIMITED EDITION,ETC. This might bring you more clients.

We deal with rare high end import cartoon products(statues,etc) and we are very successful (even being expensive).

Good luck.

Frederic

[cottonwoodindustries]

Hi Frederic,
Before the change my DSR for shipping and handling was at just about 4.7, as of this am it is 4.35, and dropping, my shipping is what it costs me to send it. I have checked UPS, FEDEX, and PUROLATOR those cost are prohibited. I used to send everything in a nice cardboard box, now I have gone down to lots of bubble wrap and envelopes. Change shipping options I have a number of options for the buyers to choose. The cars weigh just over 1 kg, so there isn't very many options available for shipping as well, thanks for you input any other suggestions.

One other thing - my search rating so low so if I have an auction it is on page 10 out of 10. NO SALES, summer is my busy seasons and this is pathetic. Thanks for listening to my vent,

Lore

[jakeeangel]

Those are the exact type of questions the delete button and the blocked bidder list are meant for. 🙂 Delete and ignore. I don't dignify that crap with an answer.

I had a video game that I was selling for $30 I think it was. Some Poker 2008 game. In the stores it was $40. Some ninny emailed me the same thing. He sent a best offer of $5 which I immediately declined then he sent his nasty email. Good luck trying to sell it for $30 when there's a new version coming out. You should sell it to me for this because nobody's going to buy it....and some other crap. And the new version, as far as I know isn't out yet. LOL

I ignored and put him on the BBL. Another goof tried to lowball me and then I figured out how to get rid of the best offer on a running listing. :^O A couple of days later it sold for $30 to someone who appreciated it.

People like that are just PO'd that they can't or won't pay the price for something they want. Ignore and delete.

[lina-mallows]

jakeeangel- Are we not allowed as seller to set a MINIMUM BETS OFFER? And, eBay will politely 'reject' any bids under this threshold?

Or, has this mechanism also been eliminated?

dipmicro Our BBL is not too long- and recently a 'TOOL" was created to check you BBL for those buyers that are NARU.
This way, it cuts out the dead wood, and allows you to make your list more accurate. With the expansion to 5000 names- this is likely not something many of us would even care about.
HOWEVER- setting your BUYER parameters, and keeping up with eBay's tinkering of those parameters, is always a good idea.

Our criteria for bidding is established as follows:
1) Have received 2 Unpaid Item strike(s) within 12 Month(s).
2) Are registered in countries to which I don't ship
3) Have 4 Policy Violation report(s) within 6 Month(s).
4) Have a feedback score of -1 or lower

[lil-angel-gifts]

Hi Cottonwood,
You mentioned "My search rating is in the toilet..."
Is there a way to check your search rating? I'm curious to know what mine is

[westernstargifts]

Why would anyone bother telling a seller his/her prices are high? Imagine coming to shoping mall and telling every store where you look but cannot find or dislike their prices.

I have had people say that on occasion at shows and events where we are exhibitors. They usually say it to someone else loud enough for us to hear. I prefer not to sell to people who do not appreciate the talent and the workmanship that goes into handmade craft items or anything else of quality for that matter. If they want junk they can go to the dollar store.

The next person will come along, though, and make it all worth while by telling us, to our faces, that the products are priced much too low.

I don't give my stuff away. If they want it bad enough they will pay the price. If they won't buy unless you give them a bargain, then they don't really want it that bad. Ultimately, you have to make money. You can't do it by giving everyone a bargain...especially on eBay.

[cottonwoodindustries]

Angelsmiles, to check mine, I just go to search, enter an auction from my store, make sure you are on the best match setting when searching and see who is in front of you, regardless of the time left, Lore

[jakeeangel]

Yes you can do that Lina and I have set that on some things. I didn't on these games because I was curious as to what people would offer as a best offer. I didn't think that it also tells people that I'm willing to take less than what I posted it at. That's the wrong message to send.

[miriam@ebay.com]

Hi dipmicro,

Yes, I can send the idea of placing an "add to BBL" button to the team that handles site emails and ask them to consider it.

cottonwoodindustries, I'm sorry to hear you're thinking of leaving. I respect your decision (especially if your health is involved), but please know that you are welcome to email me if I can help. If I can't help, perhaps I can get you in touch with someone else who can. Just putting that out in there in case you change your mind.

Many thanks,

Miriam

[cottonwoodindustries]

Thanks Miriam,

I will definitely consider your offer, but at the moment I will not be adding new items to my store, and let the chips fall where they may, thanks for replying

Lore

[mobilekingking]

I have already closed down my store and had enough of this, Im going to auction here and there, lets see, but slowly im going to backing out, ebay was probally the best before but now its just downhill as far as i could see

[faerywishes]

cottonwoodindustries please excuse my ignorance but when I put my cursor on your shipping and handling it tells me 4.7. What am I missing? I totally agree something has to be done. I don't understand when a buyer commits to the purchase as Ebay informs the buyer "By clicking on the button below, you commit to buy this item from the seller if you're the winning bidder" why the buyer will then disagree with the terms of the purchase and give low DSR's. They agreed to the terms. If it is not on the item description page and they did not email and get an answer first, that is their mistake and shouldn't be taken out on the sellers. I am a Canadian living in Canada working for a US company and I am so tired of Americans not being held responsible for their decisions. I see this more and more in my job and I have been ther for almost 7 years. It is getting ridicules really. Why is it always someone else's fault and not theirs? Why don't they have to stick to what they agreed to? Sorry for the rant, but I just don't agree with what Ebay has done.

[tea_past_times]

It is a total farce that shipping and handling costs are a DSR score WHEN the shipping and handling is stated clearly before the person bids. There is nothing to rate. The costs were stated before the person bid. Obviously they are OK with that, or why did they bid. Then they get to rate their satisfaction with THEIR decision and it affects US!!? Total Farce.

[tea_past_times]

Last one out, remember to shut out the lights and close the door. Next year's catch phrase - Remember Ebay?

[cottonwoodindustries]

faerywishes, when you click my DSR and get the 4.7 that is my score for 12 month my ebay/to ebays score. It is my 30 day myebay score to / ebays 30 day score.

Seller Dashboard
Use this guide to see how you're doing as an eBay seller.

Seller Dashboard Summary

Search standing Lowered
PowerSeller discount 5%
PowerSeller status Bronze
Policy compliance Good
Buyer satisfaction Good
Account status Current


Shipping and handling charges
Your 30-day average:
4.37
Your 12-month average:
4.69
ebay 30-day average:
4.55

Here are my other statistics:
Item as described
Your 30-day average:
4.81
used to be:
4.92

Communication:
4.81
used to be:
4.84

shipping:
4.81
used to be 4.77 at least that when up:-D