Ebay - WWYD?

[Dancemom03]

Wow. That's really mean. Maybe we should all add "dancemom03" and "erexia sk8wear" to our mental blocked seller list. Feel free to add me you your blocked bidder list too .

Wow, if you think that sending rude emails, demanding overnight shipping, or leaving bad feedback for an item received on the sixth business day following payment is okay, then I really hope you don't ever buy anything from me - as, no doubt, do thousands of other small ebay sellers who can't afford a hassle over a small transaction.

Maybe it's just me, but as a buyer if I have my item within a week, I consider that to be remarkably fast. If I send an email asking where an item is and get a prompt response, I'm happy. As other PPs pointed out, often you may not even get a response. OP got a response and an apology with an offer of expedited shipping thru UPS instead of parcel post which seller would have been well within his right to do given the auction stated flat rate shipping. Instead of replying with a demand for overnight, perhaps she could have asked to cancel the sale and receive a refund since she said in a PP that would have been fine. According to what I saw in the auction listing, the seller did not highlight or promise to ship within 2 days, ebay listed it under shipping as "seller usually ship 2 days after receiving payment"

Actually, I'd have been fine if she'd asked for a refund of shipping costs due to the delay. That's reasonable, but a rude message telling me you expect overnight shipping is not. As an honest seller, when I have an issue like this I normally automatically refund the shipping portion - often I include a bonus item too, to be sure the buyer is happy upon delivery. FTR, my auctions are set to 5 business days handling by default in auctiva just in case life happens but the majority are actually mailed within 24 hrs of me seeing the paypal notification. I don't sit home with a box on my lap after an item sells waiting for the notification to come thru though as a few buyers seem to expect when they send an email twelve hours after payment asking where their widget is.

When ebay took away the seller's ability to leave factual feedback for PITA bidders, they eliminated the incentive for some people to be reasonable and responsible. It added the spector of dishonesty & feedback extortion, increasing neutrals, negs & non paying bidders, and made being careful who you sell not a mean-spirited action at all but a downright neccessity. With job cutbacks and downsizing, many ebay sellers are, in reality, just the guy next door or the mom down the street trying to make ends meet and keep food on the table. More than one PITA bidder in a year leaving bad DSRs could prevent them from doing that. Really, does that seem fair to you?

 

[tinatark]

Dear seller,
Have these been shipped? I paid for them on January 6, and am very close to your location - would think I should have received by now. Please send shipping information. Thank You.
- buyer

Dear buyer,
I have not yet sent them. I will do so tomorrow. I
apologize for the delay.
- seller

Dear seller,
I would expect you to send them via overnight delivery at no additional charge to me, considering I paid for them on Wednesday and they're being shipped after my inquiry to you, on Tuesday.

Please send tracking information so I can know they are enroute and the delivery provider/method. Thank You.
- buyer

Dear buyer,
I will ship ground. I would suggest a nicer tone.
- seller
....

Wow, if you think that sending rude emails, demanding overnight shipping, or leaving bad feedback for an item received on the sixth business day following payment is okay, then I really hope you don't ever buy anything from me - as, no doubt, do thousands of other small ebay sellers who can't afford a hassle over a small transaction.

Maybe it's just me, but as a buyer if I have my item within a week, I consider that to be remarkably fast. If I send an email asking where an item is and get a prompt response, I'm happy. As other PPs pointed out, often you may not even get a response. OP got a response and an apology with an offer of expedited shipping thru UPS instead of parcel post which seller would have been well within his right to do given the auction stated flat rate shipping. Instead of replying with a demand for overnight, perhaps she could have asked to cancel the sale and receive a refund since she said in a PP that would have been fine. According to what I saw in the auction listing, the seller did not highlight or promise to ship within 2 days, ebay listed it under shipping as "seller usually ship 2 days after receiving payment"

Actually, I'd have been fine if she'd asked for a refund of shipping costs due to the delay. That's reasonable, but a rude message telling me you expect overnight shipping is not. As an honest seller, when I have an issue like this I normally automatically refund the shipping portion - often I include a bonus item too, to be sure the buyer is happy upon delivery. FTR, my auctions are set to 5 business days handling by default in auctiva just in case life happens but the majority are actually mailed within 24 hrs of me seeing the paypal notification. I don't sit home with a box on my lap after an item sells waiting for the notification to come thru though as a few buyers seem to expect when they send an email twelve hours after payment asking where their widget is.

When ebay took away the seller's ability to leave factual feedback for PITA bidders, they eliminated the incentive for some people to be reasonable and responsible. It added the spector of dishonesty & feedback extortion, increasing neutrals, negs & non paying bidders, and made being careful who you sell not a mean-spirited action at all but a downright neccessity. With job cutbacks and downsizing, many ebay sellers are, in reality, just the guy next door or the mom down the street trying to make ends meet and keep food on the table. More than one PITA bidder in a year leaving bad DSRs could prevent them from doing that. Really, does that seem fair to you?

Okay, once again,

In addition to the auction stating shipping within 2 days of payment, here is the shipping quote, from "order details" of the transaction:

Estimated delivery: Varies*
Seller ships within 2 days. You can contact the seller for more information.

Nowhere did I demand overnight shipping, my email said "I would expect..." and I did expect that, considering that the seller's attitude was "Oops, I got your money but forgot to send your stuff" in their response to me. The seller was blatently rude in their response to my request and never followed up with a tracking number or shipment confirmation.

I would never order an item from a seller who ships "5 days after payment" - that's simply an unacceptable delay in shipping after money changes hands.

If this seller was truly just the guy next door or the mom down the street trying to make ends meet and keep food on the table, you would think his actions would show a higher work ethic than was shown here. If ebay sales were my grocery money, I would be on top of my auctions, not only the payment portion, but the follow-up (shipping) as well. My ebay sales aren't my grocery money, but I do fulfill my part of the transaction - and if I drop the ball somewhere I do what is needed ot make it right.

Really, though, whatever happened to people doing what they say they will do? That's all I wanted, and since the seller didn't, I expected them to do whatever it took to make the transaction whole. Why is it unacceptable for people to be responsible for the promises the make/break?

 

[kaytieeldr]

But then you came here (seeking validation?) and said

Now, granted, I was ill when I sent the email saying I expected them to be overnighted

The seller was blatently rude in their response to my request and never followed up with a tracking number or shipment confirmation.

Your "request" comes across much more as a demand than any type of query or suggestion, and frankly your second e-mail appears so brusque that one almost can't fault the seller for responding in a similar tone.

If this seller was truly just the guy next door or the mom down the street trying to make ends meet and keep food on the table, you would think his actions would show a higher work ethic than was shown here.

If the seller truly was just the guy next door or the mom down the street trying to make ends meet, I would most assuredly understand that sometimes life interferes with even the best intentions. The seller apologized appropriately without providing explanations or excuses (the right way to apologize at all times, by the way, unless someone chooses to provide an explanation)

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Well I seem to be just about the only one, but I don't think the OP's email sounds rude. The package should have been sent out on Friday, and sure things come up, but then the seller should have sent a quick email saying when it would go out. The seller didn't give any update at all till the OP wanted to know what was going on with the shipping. If something is being sent out late it's not unreasonable to think the seller might overnight it.

If the seller doesn't ship in two days it's not a problem at all, as long as they don't state they will be doing so. Just leave it as the item will arrive in ten business days and don't give the expectation the item will ship and arrive quickly. I found the seller's response to be very rude, that was certainly not good customer service.

I don't shop on ebay at all, ever, it's way to much nonsense for me to deal with.

 

[Dancemom03]

I would never order an item from a seller who ships "5 days after payment" - that's simply an unacceptable delay in shipping after money changes hands. ....

... Really, though, whatever happened to people doing what they say they will do? That's all I wanted, and since the seller didn't, I expected them to do whatever it took to make the transaction whole. Why is it unacceptable for people to be responsible for the promises the make/break?

I feel your frustration. Right now, I'm waiting for an item I bought for DD9 fifteen days ago and the seller (whose listing said her mother was in end stage of a rare cancer) hasn't replied at all. If it doesn't arrive tomorrow, I'll pick up the phone and call just to check in. That usually works well for me whether it's a buying or a selling problem.
I'm not saying people shouldn't do what they promise. I'm just saying even if seller sent a detailed explanation, there are still some who'd think it false. How many times have you heard that somebody's dad died, car accident, or in hospital. Sure those things happen, but even I don't believe it happens to my seller when I'm waiting for an item.

Have you contacted the seller since delivery to ask him to make it right? Worded politely, or thru a phone call, it's possible he'd refund your shipping costs or make some sort of offer. If you don't ask though, he can't know what it would take to make you happy. I'm thinking that by offering UPS he may have thought he was giving you overnight b/c you're in the 1 day ground zone.
With feedback under 100, it doesn't appear that he's very experienced and a partial refund might not have occurred to him before. This type of slip-up is exactly what I'd expect from an inexperienced seller. Until you leave feedback, it's always worth asking. The most he can say is no...

BTW- I have several friends who also sell. Most use 4-5 day handling in winter. Ebay allows up to 7 and recommends 3-5. That doesn't mean it takes 4-5 days but I'd rather have a bidder be happliy surprised than anxiously waiting. I also have a note in my template that tells bidders I ship twice a week and to send a message if they need it asap so I can mail immediately. Unless you're selling on a different id (which is highly recommended for all sellers) we're working with a considerably higher volume than you have on that account but, with the exception of our tax returns, are still far from being a real business.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Well I seem to be just about the only one, but I don't think the OP's email sounds rude.

Respectfully, I still maintain that the OP's second e-mail is brusque/abrupt. "Would it be possible for you to ship it overnight, since it wasn't sent within the two days indicated in the sale?" seems more reasonable (and so, more likely to get positive results ) than, "I would expect it to be sent overnight..." - while still getting the same point across and not giving the seller any reason/excuse to respond in anything but THE most polite tone.