I actually appreciate the insight about the pains of selling on ebay. I'm soon going to be selling some stuff on ebay myself, and I've started trying to figure out what I can do to make the experience as painless as possible for everyone involved.
From my experience, these are my suggestions
Be honest and concise when describing your itemsAt times you might be tempted to omit, downplay or otherwise try and cover up imperfections, damage, missing parts etc... in order to get the maximum price but it only leads to trouble. Be open and honest when describing your items. If there is something physically wrong with the item, clearly point it out in your description and photograph that part (I use my camera in macro mode to get in nice and close). If you can't test the item and you don't know whether it works, then say so. If the buyer doesn't read it or take notice, that's their problem. At least you were open and upfront about it and the buyer isn't entitled to make a claim against you. Also be clear in your listing if you don't offer shipping or pick up. Many buyers will assume you'll ship an item to them or allow them to pick it up. I post most things and don't allow strangers to come to my place (the only exception is if the item is very large or heavy).
Utilise the 'Buyer Requirements' options in your listing (see attached image)Restrict who can bid on your items by enabling the "Buyer Requirements" options right down the very bottom of the page when you're creating/editing your listing. By default they are disabled but I suggest you ramp them up to the most restrictive settings possible to prevent dishonest or otherwise terrible eBay users from bidding on your items. It's not fool proof and some will still slip through the cracks, but this will help filter out those with a bad track record.
Package items properly!Assume your items will be tossed around by postal workers or couriers. Assume it will roll around in the back of a truck. Package accordingly. Utilise foam, bubble wrap or even scrunched up newspaper works well. It's also just as important to seal and secure the box properly.
Pay extra for insuranceBy all means pass this cost onto the buyer and make it clear in your listing that items will be shipped with insurance. Best practise is that all items are covered against loss or damage, after all, it's not good enough to simply say you shipped it. Insurance is there to cover you and the buyer.
Only ever ship to the address shown on the user's PayPal account!The policy states that you are entitled to seller protection under certain circumstances and one of them is you must ship the item to the address that is contained in the "Notification of instant payment" e-mail from PayPal. You can pretty much disregard the address listed on their eBay account. If the two addresses differ, then make further enquiries (I had a situation where the buyer had updated their eBay account but not their PayPal account). On large boxes, especially when shipping internationally, I always place multiple shipping labels on difference sides of the box in case one gets torn or obliterated.
If a buyer doesn't pay, don't just wear it, open a case against them.Once an item sells, you cop a "final value fee". Why should you be charged for something that isn't your fault? Contact the buyer first and if there is no response, lodge an "unpaid item" case against them. I only wait the minimum amount of time once the case is opened (4 days) before I close it and obtain the refund of the fees.
If something doesn't feel right to you, go with your gutThis isn't a racist thing, but my gut instinct has served me well in the past. Beware of users who bid on big ticket items with very low feedback, have only recently joined and live in "odd" countries, as you might end up being scammed. Always use a postal service that requires a signature upon delivery and pay for insurance to cover against loss or damage. Also, photograph the item inside the packaging and take note of the total weight (including packaging). I had a bloke from Ukraine or somewhere similar claim that the package was "missing an item" and demanded a refund/discount. When I contacted the courier company that delivered the package, they confirmed that the weight upon the last scan of the item had not changed since it was posted, which meant that the item was untouched and the buyer was lying. I presented this evidence to him and the large "missing" item was quickly "discovered" inside the box. Even a blind person would have found it in the first place!
Know your consumer rightsBuyers aren't always entitled to return or refund an item, even if it's faulty. For example, in Australia, consumer law dictates that if an item is purchased at an auction (including online auctions) then consumer laws don't apply and there are no warranties attached. However if the buyer
purchases the item (for example, by using the 'Buy it now' feature) then some consumer rights might apply and you may be required to accept a return and issue a refund for an item that is faulty, not fit for purpose, not of reasonable quality or "not as advertised".
Know how to obtain the buyers phone number and other contact informationI ran into an issue recently where the eBay messaging function was playing up and not all messages were getting through to the buyer or were being delayed for up to 24 hours. If you sold an item, you can easily obtain the buyer's phone number and e-mail address, here's how:
1. At the top of the eBay site on most pages there will be an 'Advanced' hyperlink next to the search box, click that.
2. On the left-hand side, click "Find Contact Information".
3. Provide the user's ID and the item number of the item you sold them and click Search.
4. The buyer's contact details will be e-mailed to you.
Your information registered in eBay will also be sent to the buyer.I could go on but these are my main tips.
Home
Help
Search
Login
Register
