Buying and Selling on eBay: Tips, Tricks, Problems & Questions

[MrDV]

Yes!!!!!
I can't ship the same day when payment comes in 8 days later and im out of town for the weekend.

 

[VLSI]



I don't mind ebay's "sellers must ship in one day" rule, but is there any way to amend it so it only applies when they pay in, say the first 48 hours?

It's just a pain ********** for my schedule, if I have a bunch of items ending on a sunday, I'll always be sure and have time set aside monday and tuesday to ship. But when you get sme guy paying days or weeks late, it's a pain to have to rush to ship.

NEVER SHIP BEFORE PAYMENT!!!! Big mistake. The clock doesn't start until they pay, and I believe I remember Wes saying you actually get until midnight the next day to print (not even ship) the label.

 

[capnwes]

I don't mind ebay's "sellers must ship in one day" rule, but is there any way to amend it so it only applies when they pay in, say the first 48 hours?

It's just a pain ********** for my schedule, if I have a bunch of items ending on a sunday, I'll always be sure and have time set aside monday and tuesday to ship. But when you get sme guy paying days or weeks late, it's a pain to have to rush to ship.

+1,000, I am a firm believer that you should be allowed and equal amount of time, or at least proportionate to the delay of payment.

Yes!!!!!
I can't ship the same day when payment comes in 8 days later and im out of town for the weekend.

+10,000

NEVER SHIP BEFORE PAYMENT!!!! Big mistake. The clock doesn't start until they pay, and I believe I remember Wes saying you actually get until midnight the next day to print (not even ship) the label.

+1,000,000

Yep Midnight PST, just to have the tracking info entered into designated spot.
Example:
Payment received Monday morning 4:00 AM EST
Label should be printed and tracking updated (automatically simultaneous if ebay shipping is used) by Tuesday 11:59PM PST (Wed 2:59AM EST)
Total - nearly 47 hours, still counts as 24 hour shipped.


This doesn't mean you can enter a phony tracking number though....if you were to go back and change it to the real one, it will update the date of shipment to the date of the new tracking number and screw you. I had that problem when I used to use ebay shipping to ship to SF members. Screwed myself out of my 20% discount for a month.


However...IIRC the shipping stars in the DSR will not lock at 5 stars unless the package arrives within the projected delivery window. I may be wrong on this point...

 

[ruben]



NEVER SHIP BEFORE PAYMENT!!!! Big mistake. The clock doesn't start until they pay, and I believe I remember Wes saying you actually get until midnight the next day to print (not even ship) the label.

\

Of course I don't.
But when some Estonian guy pays 12 days late I hate that I have to drop everything and ship out his package asap.

 

[ruben]



However...IIRC the shipping stars in the DSR will not lock at 5 stars unless the package arrives within the projected delivery window. I may be wrong on this point...

I thought it was when the PO scanned it.

 

[Dolfan954]

This doesn't mean you can enter a phony tracking number though....if you were to go back and change it to the real one, it will update the date of shipment to the date of the new tracking number and screw you. I had that problem when I used to use ebay shipping to ship to SF members. Screwed myself out of my 20% discount for a month.

I remember you mentioning this several times. Have you tried the "direct" paypal link?

When I input the shipping information into this, it still gives me the discounted shipping price and it is what I use to ship to SF members all of the time.

www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now

 

[Steve Smith]



My point is, why should the value be high if he couldn't even get $15 for it? And why should I pay him more? There wasn't a price tag on the item? Value is what someone is willing to pay for an item, or that is my understanding, am I incorrect? Since apparently my viewpoint is obtuse, why don't you school me in fair value...

You mentioned the possibility that he thrifted it for $2, as if it were a relevant fact. Is there a particular part of my post which you don't understand?

 

[tben]

You mentioned the possibility that he thrifted it for $2, as if it were a relevant fact. Is there a particular part of my post which you don't understand?

I was making a joke that you apparently didn't seem to particularly understand??

if this face references something as an apparent relevant fact, then I must be in some sort of bizzaro world. There is obviously more than my post which you don't understand. I think VSLI gets it, is there something that I can clear up so you get it? Or should we just move on and get back to the thread?

 

[Dolfan954]

You mentioned the possibility that he thrifted it for $2, as if it were a relevant fact. Is there a particular part of my post which you don't understand?

I think you two are on different wavelengths.

You SS, are saying the price paid does not impact the value. I think we all agree, although a seller who thrifted an item may often be willing to part with an item for less when compared to a seller who paid full retail. Still, you are right it does not impact the true "market value" of the good.

tben is saying that the auction ended with no bids and thus, it is a telling sign of the value (ie, the price was too high and no one felt that item was worth the asking price, so the item went unsold). Despite obvious varying factors of ebay traffic, I think this presents a great argument that the item if relisted now, might likely sell for a similar amount. If the seller was willing to accept the minimum bid then, he shouldn't inflate the price so much later just because he has confirmation of interest in the product.

Regardless, I would happily message the seller and thank him for offering to sell it but saying the price exceeds what you are willing to pay. And, ask him to message you if he decides to relist the item. Then, you can test the value of the good again and hopefully win at the minimum bid.

 

[tben]

I think you two are on different wavelengths.

You SS, are saying the price paid does not impact the value. I think we all agree, although a seller who thrifted an item may often be willing to part with an item for less when compared to a seller who paid full retail. Still, you are right it does not impact the true "market value" of the good.

tben is saying that the auction ended with no bids and thus, it is a telling sign of the value (ie, the price was too high and no one felt that item was worth the asking price, so the item went unsold). Despite obvious varying factors of ebay traffic, I think this presents a great argument that the item if relisted now, might likely sell for a similar amount. If the seller was willing to accept the minimum bid then, he shouldn't inflate the price so much later just because he has confirmation of interest in the product.

Regardless, I would happily message the seller and thank him for offering to sell it but saying the price exceeds what you are willing to pay. And, ask him to message you if he decides to relist the item. Then, you can test the value of the good again and hopefully win at the minimum bid.

Thank you. Was my explanation convoluted?? If so, I apologize. The thing is, I was willing to pay more than the opening bid, just not the $45 the seller wanted. And your last few sentences is exactly what was done.

Thanks Dolf!

 

[Tristan.sf]

Haha, I haven't visited this thread in awhile, and now I have 80+ pages to catch up on.

I'm just curious, what does it mean when a user has 0% positive feedback? The person in question appears to be legitimate, but the numbers make me doubtful...

Thanks!

 

[Brianpore]

Forgot to quote, BUT if you print the shipping label through ebay within the "1 day shipping" and drop it off at the post office 5 days later unless the buyer complains, that is still one day shipping...

 

[capnwes]

I thought it was when the PO scanned it.

I remember you mentioning this several times. Have you tried the "direct" paypal link?

When I input the shipping information into this, it still gives me the discounted shipping price and it is what I use to ship to SF members all of the time.

www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_ship-now

This is what I do now, but I used to use the ebay shipping because as a top rated seller you get up to 30% off priority shipping (over the standard online rates).
I believe they have blocked this somewhat now, by making it nearly impossible to edit shipping labels in the ebay shipping tool.

Yes!!!!!
I can't ship the same day when payment comes in 8 days later and i'm out of town for the weekend.

Well, if they pay on Friday, Saturday or Sunday you have until Monday at Midnight PST to update the tracking info to meet the requirement.

Forgot to quote, BUT if you print the shipping label through ebay within the "1 day shipping" and drop it off at the post office 5 days later unless the buyer complains, that is still one day shipping...

See ebay requirement above...

Note: I almost never go to the post office. I schedule them to pick up the packages on my front porch.
Tip: if you use the package pickup service, remember to leave a small gift for your mail carrier from time to time. I try to get mine a gift card to the local coffee shop quarterly.

 

[GMMcL]



Do you think he should sell it for less if he thrifted it for a dollar?

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

How about if he could document that he paid full retail of $200, would that make the tie more valuable?

I am always puzzled by the concept that what someone paid for something figures into the "fair" value. The item is the item and the value is the value. He could have paid full retail, thrifted it for a dollar or Grandma could have given it to him.

My point is, why should the value be high if he couldn't even get $15 for it? And why should I pay him more? There wasn't a price tag on the item? Value is what someone is willing to pay for an item, or that is my understanding, am I incorrect? Since apparently my viewpoint is obtuse, why don't you school me in fair value...

(This is what I thought he meant)

I think you two are on different wavelengths.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

You SS, are saying the price paid does not impact the value. I think we all agree, although a seller who thrifted an item may often be willing to part with an item for less when compared to a seller who paid full retail. Still, you are right it does not impact the true "market value" of the good.

tben is saying that the auction ended with no bids and thus, it is a telling sign of the value (ie, the price was too high and no one felt that item was worth the asking price, so the item went unsold). Despite obvious varying factors of ebay traffic, I think this presents a great argument that the item if relisted now, might likely sell for a similar amount. If the seller was willing to accept the minimum bid then, he shouldn't inflate the price so much later just because he has confirmation of interest in the product.

Regardless, I would happily message the seller and thank him for offering to sell it but saying the price exceeds what you are willing to pay. And, ask him to message you if he decides to relist the item. Then, you can test the value of the good again and hopefully win at the minimum bid.

Look into behavioral economics. Humans seem to innately take into account what the other person will "get" out of something, even if they're getting free value. I can't remember the exact example, but it's something like you go up to a stranger and ask them to do something de minimis and tell them that, as a result of their help, you (the asker) will get $10. When you offer to share part of the proceeds, unless you offer at close to 50/50, nobody helps you out.

FWIW, I first read Tben to be saying it was kind of crappy for him to expect the full BIN price when he it didn't sell at the starting price. That seems to me to be a bit of a windfall.


Anyway, I have a question of my own: I have an item that has 508 views and 18 watchers, 0 bids. It's a suit on 10 day auction that I priced well below what it's worth, but still a good chunk of change. I suspect everyone is planning to Gixen me. What's the collective advice? Ride it out, see what I get? Cancel and relist as BINOBO? Cancel and relist at the Spoo-certified $9.99 so folks can't resist putting in some bids and driving up the irrational exuberance?

 

[TheSizzle]



Anyway, I have a question of my own: I have an item that has 508 views and 18 watchers, 0 bids. It's a suit on 10 day auction that I priced well below what it's worth, but still a good chunk of change. I suspect everyone is planning to Gixen me. What's the collective advice? Ride it out, see what I get? Cancel and relist as BINOBO? Cancel and relist at the Spoo-certified $9.99 so folks can't resist putting in some bids and driving up the irrational exuberance?

How much time is left, and what's the starting price?

It's pretty tough to judge auctions with a lot of time left because I've noticed three strategies. One is to make an early bid to ward off competition, and it can work. Another is the actual auction back and forth. If the buyers are anything like me, they usually wait till near the end (possible reason to watch the auction) so they don't spend days thinking about it or wondering whether they need to pay and withhold bids on other items.

You might see a boom near the end, but more experienced sellers will have better input.