Jan
14
How not to list an auction
Filed Under How-To's, Sellers' Insights
Here’s an auction I just can’t figure out. There’s no picture, no HTML, and no template.
The description is a whopping 75 words and the terms are an amazing 785 words.
I guess the seller’s feedback score (2625) allows her to be successful with such a counter-intuitive auction listing format.
… It just makes you wonder how successful this seller could be with a picture and a simple template?
Anyway, here it is…
This is an auction for a new and unused, mint condition in the original package, Estee Lauder Cosmetics set called EXTREME BRIGHTS COLOR STICKS FOR EYES, LIPS AND CHEEKS. This rare and discontinued collection of miniature chalk sticks comes in shimmery shades of white, pink, gold and peacock blue. Highly versatile, this is easy to carry in your purse or for travel, fun, and would make a great gift for yourself or someone you love. You also get FREE PRIORITY MAIL SHIPPING AND DELIVERY CONFIRMATION! Postal insurance is not included and is always recommended. Postal insurance is optional at $1.30 for up to $49 value, $2.20 for up to $99 value and $3.20 for up to $199 value. You agree that if you decline postal insurance I am not responsible for any loss, damage or non-delivery of your box. PAYMENT FOR THIS AUCTION IS BY PAYPAL ONLY AND MUST BE RECEIVED WITHIN 24 HOURS OF AUCTION END.
Please read the terms below carefully and be sure you can and will comply before bidding as by bidding you are agreeing you have read them and will not later try to claim you did not. I am only difficult to work with if you try to ignore and then change the posted terms. For your protection and mine, as well as per eBay’s rules and basic contract law, there are no deviations, accomodations, payment extensions, color substitutions or any alterations to the terms below for any reason whatsoever. You agree that your bid is a legally binding contract and that Arizona law and venue applies to this auction in the event you try to change the auction terms or leave libelous feedback as a result of being unhappy because you did not read fully before bidding or because I refused to accomodate changes you demanded after bidding. You agree to pay all attorney and court costs, costs for expert witnesses required and damages for lost time and sales in having to deal with your noncompliance and having to take action against you. I do not accept bids from or ship Internationally, to anyone physically outside of the 50 United States, or to Americans who live or work outside of the USA. International PayPal payments are blocked. Due to fraud, I do not accept bids from ANY military personnel including but not limited to APO, FPO and SPO addresses, Coast Guard, Navy, and those living on military bases. No bids are accepted from any unusual or alternate addresses such as cruise ship employees. They simply cannot comply with my payment terms and much of what I sell is not legally allowed to be exported. No bids are accepted from anyone who claims to be handicapped using that as an excuse to demand I alter auction terms. No bids are accepted from anyone with zero feedbacks (0 feedbacks, from users who have no feedback), feedback set as private, or negative feedback comments indicating they did not pay for other items previously won.
Postage on additional auctions won on the same day is $1.00 more per additional auction won, however this does NOT apply to buy it now purchases as eBay and PayPal are not set up to accomodate combined postage for these and I am required by PayPal to ship one box per payment received. You MUST place a bid to combine shipping and NOT use buy it now and you agree payment is due based on when the first auction ends not the last!
You agree that you already have a PayPal account, already know how to use it as I do NOT send out PayPal invoices, and that you already have available funds and are ready to pay when the auction ends. Your box must ship to the PayPal confirmed address and payment will be declined and refunded if another address is requested. Payment is blocked if you do not have a confirmed address with PayPal. I always ship to where PayPal, not you, tells me to and this is NOT negotiable per PayPal’s rules for fraud protection and eBay rules which require you to comply exactly with posted auction terms. If paying for multiple auctions via PayPal, only ONE payment can be accepted for all of the auctions also per PayPal rules for fraud protection.
Winning bidder will be contacted the same day the auction ends. If you block my mail with a spam filter, delete it accidentally, or claim you did not receive it you agree to contact me with payment within 24 hours of auction end. You agree if you do not contact me within 24 hours with the proper PayPal payment that you will have defaulted on the auction, understand I will relist the item and eBay will take permanent action against you for this. You agree in bidding that proper PayPal payment must be received within 24 hours (1 day) of auction end.
Please visit my eBay store to see my hundreds of other auctions all of which are sorted by category for convenience. Finally, please be sure to ask all questions BEFORE bidding as eBay rules require. All sales final with no refunds or exchanges permitted.
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8 Responses to “How not to list an auction”
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Wow! Reading the terms and conditions gave me a headache. Maybe someone should try and sell her a camera. Surely selling cosmetics, which tend to be about putting colour on faces, needs colour pictures rather than just a description.
I sell cars on ebay from time to time and believe that a minimum set of pictures should include exterior views from each corner of the vehicle, interior shot(s) and engine bay. very surprised at her success without photos.
I too sold a Ford 1967 1/2 Mustang on ebay back in 2004 and you are right about pics of the interior and the exterior. I placed a link to my website with more pics. The auction stated no 0 feedback bidders and it was a local area auction only. The winning bidder was of course from Michigan and they had to pay for the car to be shipped to them for the guys gal really wanted the car.
Some Sellers have run into problems in the past so they want to cover all aspects of queries that potential buers might have. Some people might not even take the time to read the listing.
darthoz [-o-]
how bizarre! I’m surprised the seller has made it to powerseller status with these kinds of terms and conditions. Maybe she knows something we don’t.
I don’t know if you guys have noticed, but that auction received absolutely no bids or buys and she is not even a powerseller, just has a lot of feedback. Don’t follow her example unless you really are stupid.
Humm, I am just starting into Ebay and this would scare me off on buying in fear of being sued. I know not everyone is like this and I will start buying on Ebay. I trust people and I want people to be able to trust me. I would be afraid to buy anything from this person. No wonder why she cannot sell any of this product. I don’t think I would want to visit the web site either. You are right,
WOW! What a headache.
It probably works okay for her because her terms are so long and no one really reads that crap anyway. But sometimes, long terms and conditions are a result of being in business for awhile and adjusting your terms according to your negative experiences with customers. It’s a way of covering your ass - so to speak.
If I came across this while I was looking to buy, I’d just hit the back button. My gosh, I want to buy some lipstick or eye shadow or whatever, not your house or children!
Her ‘terms’ sound more like an agreement someone signed when they joined the Nazi party in the 1930s…