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Eric Johnson
Mod Emeritus
Like cast, I won't bid on reserve auctions. And, like cast, I think eBay would see more action and volume if they didn't allow reserves. A minimum should be an actual minimum, not some sort of phoney bait-and-switch scheme.
As for buying cars, I don't really mind that most of the salesman are morons. It's that they seem to think that I'm a moron too, that makes the whole business so disagreeable.
I used to buy Saturns, in part because I found the "no-haggle" thing appealing. However, if you've got a trade, you're back to the same old game.
As for buying cars, I don't really mind that most of the salesman are morons. It's that they seem to think that I'm a moron too, that makes the whole business so disagreeable.
I used to buy Saturns, in part because I found the "no-haggle" thing appealing. However, if you've got a trade, you're back to the same old game.
Reserves vs. no reserves is an argument that has been going on since the inception of eBay. There is no right answer. For a buyer no reserve with an acceptable minimum bid is the right answer. For a seller a reserve on a high dollar item is an answer. Even if it cost him some low dollar bidding. That minimum bid sets the initial listing charge that eBay is going to bill to the seller, along with a percentage of the final sales price. The higher the minimum price the higher the eBay bill. eBay is just like casting a baited hook into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and praying that out of all of that water the right hungry fish swims right by it in seven days time. In the case of eBay if that fish happens to be in Tahiti on vacation that week you get no bids and eBay swallows the listing fee. Then you keep paying it and relisting until the fish swims by. With reserves you have a lower listing fee and if the fish does not come by you lose the lower fee and a miniscule add on fee for the reserve.
Everybody hates reserves including sellers. There are just some items that will only attract bids from a small community of buyers and so to keep from paying that high relisting fee over and over if the stuff does not sell some sellers use reserves.
We sell a few thousand surplus, one of a kind and overstock items from our inventory on eBay every year. We have only used a reserve one time. When we did some drunk threatened to come and burn our place down if we didn't tell him what the reserve price was.
Everybody hates reserves including sellers. There are just some items that will only attract bids from a small community of buyers and so to keep from paying that high relisting fee over and over if the stuff does not sell some sellers use reserves.
We sell a few thousand surplus, one of a kind and overstock items from our inventory on eBay every year. We have only used a reserve one time. When we did some drunk threatened to come and burn our place down if we didn't tell him what the reserve price was.
Eric Johnson
Mod Emeritus
Thanks for weighing in, BB.
That sort of gets to another point I wanted to make, which is that it really depends on what you're selling. With popular electronic products and other items currently selling in retail outlets, there's no need for a reserve or a minimum, because the products will sell for approximately what they're worth. I don't think you save much buying a new camera or a gps or a stereo component on Ebay, and you might spend more when it's all said and done, and then maybe wonder if it's hot.
When you're talking about one-of-a-kind things, however, you hope that the fish BB was talking about swims by. If there are very few potential buyers for what you have to sell, you're pretty much forced into a high minumum or a reserve. But, as BB so aptly pointed out, reserves tend to piss people off.
That sort of gets to another point I wanted to make, which is that it really depends on what you're selling. With popular electronic products and other items currently selling in retail outlets, there's no need for a reserve or a minimum, because the products will sell for approximately what they're worth. I don't think you save much buying a new camera or a gps or a stereo component on Ebay, and you might spend more when it's all said and done, and then maybe wonder if it's hot.
When you're talking about one-of-a-kind things, however, you hope that the fish BB was talking about swims by. If there are very few potential buyers for what you have to sell, you're pretty much forced into a high minumum or a reserve. But, as BB so aptly pointed out, reserves tend to piss people off.
DavidV
New Member
hey BB. Speaking of Ebay, a buddy of mine just ordered a liner from that same guy in PA. I'll be helping him instal it this weekend.
DavidV said:
Good. That two piece mix up on yours never should have happened. They are good folks from my dealings with them on my liner but they should have told you about it coming in two pieces.
Are you going to ride the sky high bucket lift again?
Eric Johnson
Mod Emeritus
Here's an Ebay etiquitte question: On feedback, who should give it first--the buyer or the seller?
It's kind of stupid, petty issue, but I just won and paid for an item from a guy who delivered the item promptly and as advertised, but who ignored all my attempts at communication after the sale, leading me to worry for about a week that maybe there was a problem. I thought that was kind of rude, considering that all he had to do was reply to one of my many emails.
Bottom line: I like to give positive feedback, and I'll give it to this clown if he lays some on me first. I just don't want to jack him up only to be blown off. So I'm waiting the bastard out. Is there some protocol that would dictate that I make the first move?
How silly can you get?
It's kind of stupid, petty issue, but I just won and paid for an item from a guy who delivered the item promptly and as advertised, but who ignored all my attempts at communication after the sale, leading me to worry for about a week that maybe there was a problem. I thought that was kind of rude, considering that all he had to do was reply to one of my many emails.
Bottom line: I like to give positive feedback, and I'll give it to this clown if he lays some on me first. I just don't want to jack him up only to be blown off. So I'm waiting the bastard out. Is there some protocol that would dictate that I make the first move?
How silly can you get?
The feedback system is rigged. You can't be honest without risking being slammed. I once posted positive feedback with a small suggestion to reduce mailing fees for light items. The sender blew up (obviously a touchy subject for him) and flamed me with negative feedback, the only one I've ever received. So now I only post positive feedback or none at all. I just got a cordless phone from a guy with 93% rating (normally I insist on 98 or higher), but like me it seemed obvious he had one jerk along the way that slammed him and he only had 15 sales at that point. The sale went fine, good price, quick ship and good communications.
Also, some larger firms get so much email that they only answer the most important ones. Not the best practice, but common. I've had the same happen with dealers and contractors that don't call you back after you leave them a message.
Also, some larger firms get so much email that they only answer the most important ones. Not the best practice, but common. I've had the same happen with dealers and contractors that don't call you back after you leave them a message.
MrGriz
New Member
BG is right, the system does not work as well as it should.
When I sell items, I leave feedback at the time I ship the item (of course by this time, it has been paid for). At that point, I feel that the buyer has lived up to their end of the deal (agreed upon a price and paid for the item), if all has gone well it's my time to leave positive feedback.
When I buy items, I leave feedback once I receive the item and verify its condition.
When I sell items, I leave feedback at the time I ship the item (of course by this time, it has been paid for). At that point, I feel that the buyer has lived up to their end of the deal (agreed upon a price and paid for the item), if all has gone well it's my time to leave positive feedback.
When I buy items, I leave feedback once I receive the item and verify its condition.
Eric Johnson
Mod Emeritus
That makes sense and it's the way I've always done it. I guess I'm just getting jaded, having left a lot of positive feedback that's never been reciprocated.
But what goes around comes around, I guess.
But what goes around comes around, I guess.
Eric Johnson said:
From the selling side we generally receive feedback on only a third of the transactions year in and year out. We solved the shipping communication thing by using the email notification systems at the Postal Service and UPS. We always ship the next business day after payment and UPS or the USPS sends an email to the buyer with all of the shipping info immediately when we generate the shipping label. It dropped our "Did it ship yet?" emails from five or six a day to one every six months or so.
I too hate sitting in limbo wondering when the hell my purchase is going to ship or arrive.
As to the ongoing war about "who goes first" on feedback. I ain't even going there.
Eric Johnson said:
If I don't receive feedback, I very politely nag until it is received. About 90% of the time only one reminder is needed.
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