Earning some pocket money while selling on eBay is great, but it does leave you open to a few problems. Unhappy customers, lost packages, and unfulfilled auctions are the scourge of the world of eBay. Although these experiences are definitely not the norm, they can really cause you problems. Don’t let them turn you off to the idea of selling on eBay, though. You just need to learn how to protect yourself from them.
Payment – Ensuring that the payments you receive from buyers is good has never been easier. Most eBay sales now require the use of Paypal, so you don’t have to worry about bad checks or forged money orders.
Shipping – There are two things you must do to ensure that you don’t have problems from the shipping of your sold items. To get off on the right foot take care to communicate with your buyer about the shipping method you are using. The buyer should know exactly how you are sending his item to ensure that he knows when to expect its arrival. Before you let go of that package, though, you will also want to use some kind of tracking number or delivery confirmation. This extra step allows you (and the buyer if you choose to share that information with him) to follow the package as it makes its way to the buyer and provides proof of delivery.
Returns – The easiest way to avoid problems with returned items is to state your return policy explicitly in your auction. Will you accept returns? Who will pay for return shipping? Select any policy you’d like, but make sure your buyers know what it is. If you have a disappointed buyer, you will be glad to have your policy in place for him to review.
Feedback – As a seller, feedback isn’t one of your strongest tools. Although the feedback you receive from buyers is incredibly important (I never purchase from someone with a feedback score below 90%), the feedback you give your buyers is less important. Don’t hesitate though to leave feedback for any buyer who fails to complete his auction after you’ve exhausted all of the communications tools eBay has to offer.
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2 responses so far ↓
1 David@ yourfinances101 // Sep 18, 2009 at 5:34 am
A few more tips, from one who knows.
If you are selling new stuff that you yourself are buying off the internet, keep in mind that you’re at the mercy of the companies that you do business with. If you buy some new DVD series only to send it off to one of your customers, if the DVD is damaged, or a knock-off or whatever, YOU have to deal with your unhappy customer.
Second, I would suggest going a little over the top with your packaging. The USPS and UPS are good–most of the time.
Packages that arrive damaged are ultimately your responsibility–your customer doesn’t care whose fault it is.
Overall, it can be a profitable experience, its just that some insight and forethought can be quite helpful.
Great series of posts
2 sheril // Sep 18, 2009 at 11:30 am
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