eBay

mirakbiz_inc · ‎03-22-2004

What really upsets me is that I don't think I deserved it. Item was shipped super fast and I never heard back from the buyer (newbie)...

Last week as part of my routine cleanup, I sent an email to all my buyers that didn't left feedback, reminding them to please do so.

This newbie (0 feedback then) bought a remote control from me awhile back (original purchase was in January) and then he just leaves a neg saying "Item didn't work" (I sell many of these, never had a problem, but it could have been defective or just damaged in transit).
He never mentioned anything about the item not working, I could have exchanged the item or even offered a refund, all he needed to do was let me know.

I immediately placed a reply to his neg, and since I left positive to him after the item was shipped, I left a follow-up comment too.
Sorry, just venting here..

I work really hard to make sure my buyers have a good experience, and guys like this make me mad...

;-)

amberwoodottawa · ‎03-25-2004

Before everyone finishes patting themselves on the back and handing out an Oscar for the best performance, a stretch was firstly suggesting that a Seller leaving negative feedback for a Buyer is a retaliatory action.

I am sorry that you were not able to see the relation between the 2 statements as that was the purpose I made the bribery statement!!!

Both are totally unfounded remarks and both ridiculous statements!!!

Malcolm

deltone · ‎03-25-2004

I have to say that I'm with Malcolm on this one.

systemagic · ‎03-25-2004

Looking back there could be slurs read into many of statements in this thread, on both sides of whether, or not, to leave Pos FB immediately or to wait. I don’t think I’m doing anything blindly or getting walked all over when I leave immediate pos FB – and I take no offence. I’m pretty that sure my communication, and style, is thoughtful and proactive. I also think that the feedback system has made me a better person.

I made a statement early on that I have no respect for (unwarranted) retaliation. If I offended anyone then I’m deeply sorry and intended no offence. We’re all aware that negative feedback can be left as unwarranted retaliation every time we leave neg FB for a NPB. This is the kind of thing that I have no respect for and don’t want to find myself doing to someone else, who has a legitimate complaint, just because I’ve been upset by the neg.

The debate here has been excellent, however, elucidating many good reasons to hold back on leaving feedback. I think the issues, and possible issues, have been examined quite thoroughly. Like many other issues it may depend on the product. It certainly seems to depend on personal business style as I’ve realised that many of the things I do, including humour in some of my listings (3283199994) and emails, probably has a neutralizing affect on buyer malevolence. That was my first introspective revelation. The second comes with Malcom’s mention of “…best performance” probably with respect to my “Once you can fake sincerity you’ve got it made.” This was a paraphrase of an old two-liner: “Nothing is more important than sincerity. Once you can fake that you’ve got it made.” But it makes me wonder to what degree my personal style is a performance. It seems to be both. It’s me and it’s also delivered with intent.

It’s evident that there are many buyer situations that I haven’t experienced yet and I don’t know how I’ll react to them when I do. It may also be possible that I’ll never encounter many of these problems.

Marty

amberwoodottawa · ‎03-25-2004

Marty
The major common points that we Canadian Power Sellers have are (1) that we are together because of eBay and (2) we are experienced Sellers on this board and not buyers.

Beyond that there are great and vast differences.

As such our business styles have to vary according to what we sell and to whom we sell. Either that or we will not succeed at what we do and we will be subsidizing our sales.

As a business consultant I can assure you that it is physically impossible to determine the right way or wrong way of doing anything from what people post on these threads, from the amount of sales they have, from the number of positive FBs they get or any other information that is available to anyone here.

In fact 2 people selling the same articles should probably adopt different styles in order that they both survive, by giving buyers a choice.

Clearly, it is vital that we all treat our customers with respect, inform them as much about the product we are selling as we can so that they can make an informed purchase and continue our communication with our customers so that they are satsified with what they bought and are happy for their eBay buying experience.

Some people bring to eBay and their eBay business an incredible wealth of knowledge and experience in sales, or business or other areas and for others it is a learning curve from the first day forward.

Some sellers operate retail stores and their eBay sales represent a portion of their business' total volume of revenues. For others, they are trading in their hobby.

These boards are great tools for everyone to use to learn and improve. The best atheletes take lessons, as do the best artists and musicians. If one shuts the door to opinion and differences, he is only opening the door to failure.

I have enjoyed this board and must admit that over the last 2 days I have now become an active participant on the US PS board as I found the participation on the Cdn board dwindling and generally more abrasive or confrontational than what it had been and certainly more than the US board where I have seen an incredible enthusiasm amongst the members towards helping each other, absent of slide remarks.

I believe that problems developed here over the situation with catseye and comments an infrequent member chose to make towards the majority of those that participated regularly here.

The Board should be moderated by eBay, not as a policing issue, but to keep the tone and the spirits upbeat about our trading experiences on eBay.

I believe it was shooger who said that he moderates a board and I for one would welcome eBay to at least indicate that they are alive once in a while and even post a message or two on this board (beyond selling new services we dont need).

Malcolm

shooger · ‎03-26-2004

I agree with systemagic in that it has been a good discussion for the most part, and that we have probably all given our stances at least once.

Malcolm, it's very difficult to have a discussion with you, because you get quite irritated early on, and come across as ticked off. I often notice you use the phrase "How DARE you?" if someone says something you believe is some kind of attack against you or a generalization about a group that contains you (for example, sellers who hold back on feedback until the buyer leaves it). Yet you participate in the same attacks, if not a little bit more covert, underhanded, and passive-aggressive. I'm sure you are a lot more easygoing than you come across, however. It may just be your style of expressing yourself in text. At times it feels as though you're not reading other peoples' posts carefully, although I know you to be an intelligent person, and doubt you would be careless in your replies. Instead, I think you come across that way in an attempt to show the other person (or people) that you don't really care about what they have to say. For example, in your reply after my last post, you said that you disagree with me, and that your stance was so-and-so. Well, if you view my post again, you can see that I had just said the same thing. As for a theatrical performance, maybe you're talking about yourself, because I don't think anyone else is grandstanding or trying to act like someone they aren't. And we all know that telling someone to "cool off" or "stop being so upset" is the best way to try and upset someone. Hopefully it won't work here - we're all grownups. I don't react to that kind of statement. I may be under some work stress lately, but I haven't lost my cool or gotten upset while reading and replying to this thread over the past week. In fact, I rather enjoy it 🙂

amberwoodottawa · ‎03-26-2004

shooger
If you read what I said and I quote (from copy and pasting) "I wasnt disagreeing with you. "

You and you alone have chosen to define either my personality and/or the manner in which you find my postings to be reflected on this board.

I will not debate you on this but ask you to simply recall your first postings on the Canadian board and how you had to defend yourself against nearly every PSer here to the point you were going to stop participating.

We have come to accept your style of writing (you may also recall that I was the one who dimplomatically emailed you and we exchange pleasantries one to one in my way to encourage you to stay on board).

So I will leave you with that shooger and not go through your postings and provide an analysis on this board of my impressions of you and of your style and just remind you that people who live in glass houses shouldnt throw stones.

This board is not the place for people to to leave remarks or opinions about another person as you have done.

Malcolm

amberwoodottawa · ‎03-26-2004

PS shooger
You also removed an excellent exit to this issue by two Power Sellers that had some disagreements, differences and perhaps misunderstanding who had both come to a compromise through mutually eloquent closure and started a new issue with an unfounded personality attack.

Malcolm
oh yes "How Dare You" (there, I have now used this more than once just to make your earlier statement correct)

ospreylinks · ‎03-27-2004

Wow, I started reading this thread and the comments just kept getting longer and longer and actually after about #40 or #41 I only scanned... (actually I scrolled with very little scanning).. So what follows may be so out of the loop that it is pitiful....and if so, sorry! (After composing most of this note, I did go back and read the last couple of posts and I really don't want to get into a clash of personalities - awww what the heck, I am going to post anyways, although by this point it is irrelavent, however I tend to believe more brilliant than irrelavent).

Which came first, the chicken or the egg..... Once that mystery is solved, and only then can we tackle the new modern delimma..."Feedback" Do We Post It Upon Payment or After Buyer Responds?????

I post as soon as payment is received because in my view (and this is only my view, I don't intend to defend it), once an auction closes, the only responsibility of the buyer is to provide timely payment and a good shipping address... Once they have done this I feel they publicly deserve my comments in the form of appropriate feedback.

Once they get the goods, the buyer has bought and paid for the right to respond with feedback as they see fit based on their own criteria. (however fickel it might be....because by accepting their money, I also accepted to allow them to establish their own criteria for feedback).

Of course from time to time people may not be satisfied with the goods for whatever reason and post what I may consider an unfair comment, however this is no different than someone buying goods in your retail store, being dissatisfied and then telling all of their friends, not allowing you the opportunity to correct or defend your reputation. But at least on Ebay, you are offered the opportunity to respond to feedback.

And yes, selling on Ebay opens one up to being held accountable for many uncontrollable variables such as shipping & customs.... But don't you accept responsibility for getting the goods to the buyer by collecting money for freight and agreeing to arrange transit. (I know, I know, you didn't make any money on freight, but that is not the issue, you agreed to take money provided by the buyer and arrange freight, so in effect you are an agent of whatever courier company you select for this transaction). Otherwise sell the goods and tell the buyer that arranging freight from your location is their responsibility. (FOB you dock - of course this is unworkable).

If the goods are damaged in transit or take an unreasonable length of time, then I feel I should share the responsibility with the carrier as I ultimately selected the mode of freight. And of course the buyer only has a relationship with me, not the freight carrier as it was I who contracted the carrier on our mutual behalf to deliver the goods....

Also, how many people happily take credit and gladly collect positive feedback when the customer responds fast shipping, as though other than getting the goods out the door in a timely manner, they had anything to do with the speed of delivery, yet when one is neg'd for slow freight, quickly pass the blame to the carrier.

Mindless babble.....

Jeff

ospreylinks · ‎03-27-2004

Oh, I must apologize immediately before anyone takes offence....

Mindless babble refers to my writing and no one else's post on this thread.

I just re-read what I wrote and found that my comment "Mindless babble...." is really open ended and looks like I am making a general statement about the thread and the contributors....

Sorry all....

Jeff

shooger · ‎03-27-2004

How dare you, ospreylinks 😄

muminlaw · ‎03-27-2004

Heck Jeff ... if mindless babble was the worst thing anyone ever said about anything I might say, I'd probably open my mouth a helluvalot more!!!!

Glenda

PS ... the golfing weather here is getting super! The courses have mostly dried out from the winter rains, the trees are blooming, and we're watching for deer on the fairways! Gawd ... life's tuff ain't it? When can we expect you??!!!!!

G.....

Glenda

amberwoodottawa · ‎03-27-2004

Jeff,
I am heading up to Sudbury on Monday. I wont be able to stop on the way up as I have to be there by noon however, depending on my return to Ottawa, I will see if I can swing around and see you on the flip side.

I dont know if I am coming back on Thursday or Friday or what my schedule will be so I will have to play it all by ear, so dont bother keeping a pot of coffee on the stove for me, just in case I am not able to drop in.

Malcolm

ospreylinks · ‎03-28-2004

Hey Malcolm, if you make it through on the return, I will be at the golf course in Callander until about 3 PM then off to the Sault for a Ringette Tournament week-end with my daughter.

But if you get through before 2 or 3 give me a call at 752-5225.

Jeff

ospreylinks · ‎03-28-2004

Malcolm, thats 3 PM on Thursday.... will be in the Sault Friday and the weekend!

Jeff

amberwoodottawa · ‎03-28-2004

Jeff
Will Do. Just not certain if I can finish up in Sudbury early and complete more of the work back in Ottawa or not. I have at least 2 weeks that I can work on for my client out of my home but I need to spend time with his VP of Finance as I am performing a forensic audit of some historical accounting issues for a late September trial.
I will bring your number with me and call if I know I can be on my way Thirsday morning otherwise I wont call and you just go on ahead.

I will likely have to make at least another trip there again later this spring so the opportunity will be there again. Its just when you are looking at a 5 1/2 to 6 hour drive, its sometimes hard to stop and turn the trip into an 8 hour drive.

I saw a ton of guys out on one of the driving ranges today in Ottawa. You must be getting excited for your season to start shortly.

Malcolm

ospreylinks · ‎03-28-2004

Bit of snow in some local here. Driving ranges are still a couple of weeks away and golf courses a week or two beyond that depending on what Mother Nature throws at us.

We have actually been busy this past week removing the snow from our greens to allow the ice that built up during the mild and wet December weather we had.

But it won't be too long now and actually looking forward to it.

Jeff

shooger · ‎03-30-2004

I'm contemplating making you guys a golf thread, so that a golf discussion doesn't break out in the middle of other more on-topic discussions.

Sometimes I wish I played golf. But then again, sometimes I wish I smoked, too.