Aug
21
No matter how long you’ve done something, there’s always something to be learned. Most people are pretty good about learning by reading books or visiting web sites like AuctionInsights. As for folks like me, our best lessons are usually learned the hard way. Assuming that you are in the first group, allow me to share some things I learned selling on eBay this summer.
Always Include a Packing List in Your Shipment- As my selling volume has increased and in a continuing effort to ship as rapidly as possible, I had fallen away for enclosing a thank-you note or any other kind of packing list or invoice with my eBay or Half.com shipments. My flawed logic was that buyers could probably track what they bought from whom without a note from me telling them who sold it to them. The fallacy of this practice was made apparent earlier this summer when a customer who purchased a used math textbook from me on Half.com wrote me a couple of weeks after I mailed it to inform me that it had not yet arrived. I wrote him back reminding him that he selected Media Mail as a shipping option and that it could sometimes take up to two weeks of transit time. He responded back informing me that the 19 other copies of the same book he purchased for his school had already arrived! Who would have expected that someone would order 20 of the same books from 20 different sellers?
Now I was in a quandary. I was fully convinced that my book was one of those books that had already arrived and some other seller was stiffing him. Unfortunately, I couldn’t prove my hunch. I had not purchased delivery confirmation (the default shipping and handling reimbursement from Half.com did not cover all of my packaging and mailing expenses for that book before delivery confirmation) and I failed to enclose anything that would indicate to the recipient who had sold the book.
What to do? I ended up writing a nice email back to the buyer stating, “If you are certain that the book I sold you is the one book out of the 20 you ordered that did not arrive, I will gladly issue you a refund if it is not delivered by Friday.” I figured the book, plus shipping was only about $15.00. That’s a small price to pay to keep a negative off of my feedback rating, especially when it was due, in large part, to my own stupidity - even if I was convinced I was right. A week later the book had not arrived, the buyer was still convinced it was me who was responsible for the unaccounted for book, and I was out $15.00 after I promptly (and cheerfully I might add) refunded the gentleman’s money. Now I use delivery confirmation religiously and make time to enclose a packing list with each parcel I ship.
Confirm the Buyer’s Shipping Address- Just a couple weeks ago, I had an auction close on a Sunday night and received immediate payment. I already had several boxes ready to drop off at the post office the next morning, so I quickly prepared a packing list (see above) and created a shipping label on PayPal. I used the PayPal confirmed shipping address which matched the address provided in the end of auction notice sent by eBay. I dropped the packages off at the post office in the way to work the next morning thinking smugly that these folks were going to be really happy with my rapid handling time.
Upon returning home from work that evening, I received an email from the high-bidder introducing herself, reminding me that she had already made payment, and asking if there was anything more I required of her. Proudly, I emailed her back telling her that I had already mailed the package and that she should have received an email with the delivery confirmation tracking number. The following morning, I received an anxious email from the buyer informing me that she never got the delivery confirmation notification and asking what address I had shipped the package to because she had moved a couple of years ago and was not sure if the eBay and PayPal address were current. Now I was concerned. This was a $100.00 transaction, so I was not confrtable with eating this loss.
I immediately emailed the customer the shipping address I used and waited nervously for her reply. After hearing nothing for 24-hours, I sent another note asking if she had gotten my previous email. I anxiously waited another day until I got her answer informing me that had not gotten my earlier email. Her note went on to ask if I had sent the package to Maple Street. I indeed did send the package there, but her note gave no indication whether this was her new street address or her old one. I emailed her back, informing her that I did and asked her if this was the correct address. After 12 more anxious hours, I finally received confirmation that the purchase was actually heading to the correct place. Even though this situation ended up OK, I don’t need that kind of stress anymore, so I will send an email confirming the shipping address to each of my eBay buyers before heading to the post office from now on.
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