Stats

  • 12817 Topics
  • 58257 Posts
  • 88558 Forum Users

Users Online

Thinking of selling on Ebay? Read this first!

  • avatar

    by: dps103
    SaleHoo Junior Member
    44 posts

    Thinking of selling on Ebay? Read this first!

    Posted 27 Dec 11 1:05 am.

    Before you read my post, allow me to give you a little of my background. Hopefully, it will help you to decide whether my opinion is worthy.

    At age 22, I opened my own retail clothing store for women. I provided quality customer service which allowed me to have a thriving business with 1,000's of repeat customers for 22 years. With that said, let me tell you how I rate as an Ebay seller.

    I decided earlier this year to work from home and Ebay was my choice. Salehoo taught me everything I needed to know and I started my business.

    In just a couple months I had to call Ebay a couple of times to tell them I wasn't receiving my messages from buyers. The Ebay tech told me he could see the problem and that he would "refresh" my account. Meanwhile, a buyer had sent a question about her shipping cost. I didn't get the message. The buyer left me neutral feedback and very low detailed seller ratings. This affected my account status horribly. I sent the buyer (ginasamarotto) a message telling her what happened with the missing messages & asked her to reconsider. She refused. She posted that "communication with this seller is difficult". I called Ebay for assistance, since they clearly knew I didn't get this buyers messages. They said that feedback is the "expressed opinion" of the buyer and they apologized for the glitch, but couldn't help me. Ebay told me to add this women to my "blocked buyer list" so she could not purchase from me again. Then the Ebay rep told me to work harder to bring my ratings back up so that I could get a discount on my seller fees. Thanks, Ebay.

    A few months later, a novice buyer with only 4 Ebay purchases bought a sweater from me and didn't like the way the top fit. The measurements of the sweater were in the listing. This buyer (660126892) left me low ratings & negative feedback. The buyer's comment read, "the sweater is much larger than shown. I look like a gangster". I immediately emailed the buyer telling them they should have contacted me because I would gladly take the sweater back. The buyer refused to retract their feedback. Again, I called Ebay for help or assistance. Same answer. Can't help.

    Can Ebay see this buyer never contacted me? Yes. Can Ebay see that I put the measurements of the sweater in the ad? Yes. Does Ebay know I ship items within 24 hours? Yes. Does Ebay know I do not profit on shipping charges? Yes. Do they know I answer all buyer questions within 24 hours? Yes. Does Ebay know I email all customers the minute their item is shipped? Yes. Can Ebay see the level of professionalism and customer service I provide? Yes. Ebay can see everything SELLERS do. Do they care? NO, not unless you are a BUYER.

    So, if you have any thoughts about starting an Ebay business, do not expect Ebay to support you, the seller, in the event an inexperienced buyer or someone with buyers remorse, files negative feedback & scores you low ratings with no justification. Ebay leaves the seller with no recourse to maintain the status for which they worked so hard to obtain. Without this status your listings are put lower in search results leaving you at a major disadvantage.

    How is it that a company the size of Ebay with their marketing sophistication and business savvy, fails to find a way to support the very people that lure in their perspective buyers? There needs to be a system in place to protect the hard working sellers from buyers that have no basis to the claims they put forth. Until such a system is put in place, you as a seller, are at the mercy of any individual who may just not like what they purchased.

    Today Ebay took away my "Top Rated" seller status because of the feedback and ratings of inexperienced buyer 660126892. So, if you're thinking about an online retail business, I would closely consider the other selling sites before you commit your time, money and energy to Ebay. This too, could very well happen to you.

  • avatar

    by: richellemonfort
    SaleHoo Staff
    3746 posts

    Re: Thinking of selling on Ebay? Read this first!

    Posted 27 Dec 11 1:53 am.

    Hi dps103,

    Sorry to hear about your experience with eBay, but honestly I am not surprised I have read similar stories online about how eBay is biased to their buyers.

    Take this as a new beginning to explore other online sites where you can sell just as well and with less hassle. Sites like Addoway and Bonanza. We have a list of other auction sites where you can selling -

    http://www.salehoo.com/forum/selling/auction-sites-11152

    Here's to a new year and a new beginning! All the best :)

    Richelle

    Customer Support
    SaleHoo Group Limited
    Sell more with your own professionally designed and search optimized e-commerce website. Check out SaleHoo Stores now!

  • avatar

    by: planes
    Forum Moderator
    843 posts

    Re: Thinking of selling on Ebay? Read this first!

    Posted 27 Dec 11 5:21 am.

    This is commonplace on eBay. Make sure to put a feedback response to the negs and continue on. Most buyers won't hold it against you. Simply continue giving great service.

    Two points to help you along.

    Create another seller account and merge it with your current Paypal account. Build it up as you did the first. Now when you have an acount that gets dinged a little, let it sit awhile and work the other. after so many months the DSR and feedback will affect that account less. Go back and forth letting one cool after getting dinged.

    Start an Amazon account too.

    One final thought. Yu can call eBay again and you may get a more sympathetic rep who will correct the situation. Possibly.
  • avatar

    by: dps103
    SaleHoo Junior Member
    44 posts

    Re: Thinking of selling on Ebay? Read this first!

    Posted 27 Dec 11 1:07 pm.

    Thank you both for your great ideas & support.

    Amazon looks appealing, except for the part where I need a storefront. May be a bit costly. I will research on Salehoo. Thanks again.
  • avatar

    by: richellemonfort
    SaleHoo Staff
    3746 posts

    Re: Thinking of selling on Ebay? Read this first!

    Posted 28 Dec 11 12:00 am.

    Glad to be of help dps103. All the best!

    Happy New Year:)

    Richelle

    Customer Support
    SaleHoo Group Limited
    Sell more with your own professionally designed and search optimized e-commerce website. Check out SaleHoo Stores now!

  • avatar

    by: jackpete
    New SaleHoo Member
    2 posts

    Re: Thinking of selling on Ebay? Read this first!

    Posted 28 Dec 11 7:16 am.

    Ebay and Paypal both decided to restrict my account just because I was trading too much.. Could not appeal the decision even when my store had 99.7% rating.

    The company has NO SUPPORT whatsoever and you are wasting your time calling them.

    Good luck with other sites.
  • avatar

    by: dps103
    SaleHoo Junior Member
    44 posts

    Re: Thinking of selling on Ebay? Read this first!

    Posted 28 Dec 11 2:31 pm.

    JackPete,

    Thank you for your post. Maybe if enough Sellers share their stories, Ebay will take notice.
  • avatar

    by: userexists
    SaleHoo Master Member
    227 posts

    Re: Thinking of selling on Ebay? Read this first!

    Posted 31 Dec 11 3:25 am.

    JackPete,

    Thank you for your post. Maybe if enough Sellers share their stories, Ebay will take notice.
    I think I see pigs lining up on the runway. eBay will never interfere or intercede in feedback disputes.

    Difficult I can do right away. Impossible takes a little longer

  • avatar

    by: dps103
    SaleHoo Junior Member
    44 posts

    Re: Thinking of selling on Ebay? Read this first!

    Posted 31 Dec 11 1:50 pm.

    In my opinion, by lowering our DSR's & taking away our status without fair arbitration, Ebay is interfering & interceding with the disputes.

    If you are in agreement, please post your story & line up behind me. Maybe together we will get Ebay's attention.