In the past I’ve posted about how to really annoy a buyer on eBay but the other day I received an email from someone who had bought four packets of genuine Canon ink cartridges from me that really wound me up. The silly thing is that it’s not specifically the content of the email that annoyed me, more the way in which it was written which just goes to show how important the written word can be in business. Here’s the email that the buyer sent to me after they’d clicked the Buy It Now button but before they (eventually) paid for the items despite immediate payment being required.
NONE OF THIS IS PERSONAL. WE DO NOT KNOW YOU. IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH ANY OF THIS PLEASE ** DO NOT ** REFUND, EMAIL OR CALL US ON XXXXX XXXXXX.
1. VITAL – We buy a lot of similar items. PLEASE PUT EBAY (not PayPal) ITEM NUMBER ON THE PACKAGE.
2. Include VAT receipt – if applicable
3. Insurance is free if you post at a Post Office and keep their PROOF OF POSTING up to the value of 100 x 1st class post stamps. It is wise to send tracked if valued over £30. 1 in 100 items do not arrive.
4a. AVOID PAYPAL CLAIMS – this WAS a sale by description. If goods are opened/refilled/OUT OF DATE or copies of originals then they must have been described as such in the listing.
4b. WE ARE SADLY SENT COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS which we report to the manufacturers.
5. We post feedback when goods are received. Please keep all receipts until we do. We wish this to be a smooth transaction.
I particularly liked the way that the buyer prefixed this with ‘None of this is personal’ which suggests that they expected this to rile people . . . which it did with me! Here’s my version, re-written so as not to offend:
Hello, I’ve just bought eBay item number xxxxxxxxxxx. Before I pay I’d like to let you know that I buy lots of similar items and some of them are opened, refilled, out of date or copies of originals. If the items are not genuine then your listing should have made this clear. Please note that all counterfeit items will be reported to the manufacturers.
As we buy lots of similar items, it would be a big help if you could put the eBay item number on the packaging. Could we also ask that you keep the proof of posting as this provides insurance up to the value of 100 First Class stamps. Also, if the item is worth more than £30, please adding tracking so we track the package should it go missing – 1 in 100 items fail to arrive ! Also, if applicable, please also include a VAT receipt.
Now which email would you like to receive ?
Filed under: Selling
Trackback Uri
I’ll take Door Number Two, thank you very much!
I have experienced these ‘demands’ several times; it’s demeaning.
Not only that, eBay has made sellers so afraid of getting a poor DSR rating if you say anything to the buyer.
I don’t know what the answer is – but – usually I switch the tables and act as if I am the buyer and how would I like to be treated. That is how I treat my buyers.
Thanks for the heads up!
The second version is much better but after having bought and sold on eBay for several years,I think I have seen everything so version one does not surprise me and I believe you were correct in getting riled up about it!
Neither version has any merit at all. eBay (much as I love it) is liberally populated with control freaks, the illiterate, barrack room lawyers, the ill mannered, the loud, the hysterical, god’s gift, etc etc etc. Then there are the ordinary sellers and buyers of all shapes and sizes who just get on with the job, who are the only ones you need or want to know.
Just suck your teeth this time … … … and block him from buying from you again.
Oh, you’re correct to get riled!
I got one of these, this one buys for clients in Japan. Indicated how I should pack, how soon I should send and if they liked it and it and the packing passed inspection, they would leave feedback. Also told me (about 3 times) that they were eBay Partners, & more or less let me know that they were so very much more important than a lowly seller!
Just grin and bear it lol.
I emailed them a reply that I treated all my customers with the same valued service and that I’m sure that such seasoned sellers had checked my 100% feedback.
Wanted to say SO much more but held it back and had a good laugh at their
self importance!
Just life as a seller.
I agree with Maurice. People like this seem to think that a condescending, authoritarian attitude wins respect among the Ebay community, most of whom are ‘ordinary’ sellers. I’d be sending them my version of how they could do it better and then informing them that because they detract from the fun of Ebaying, I’ve blocked them as a buyer.
My biggest problem is that they scream at you at the top, then forbids you to email them! I would have cancelled the transaction. eBay has a pretty stringent policy regarding cancelled transaction, but since the buyer didn’t pay immediately, they violated your terms of sale.
I have also found eBay customer support to be very sympathetic to sellers. Be proactive. I had an enraged customer who threatened to report me. I called eBay, explained everything, and they entered it into my record. Then they were prepared if the buyer came in with the flame-thrower. Their online chat is great for the same reason, but especially because you have a written record of their recommendation, or their approval of the transaction cancellation.
Annoying: Yes!
You take the good with the bad- sigh!
Neither door # 1 or Door #2. I would probably cancel the sale stating the item had been lost or sold to another buyer. This is not only rude it is setting you up for either a neutral or negative feedback and low DSRs. I would definitely block them from buying and be on guard that they have friends who will circumnavigate the block.
You are showing your age here, expecting people to have manners and to treat other people decently. The Golden Rule is no longer followed, especially online, it’s “Screw Them Before They Can Screw You”. It’s a shame, but it’s also how a huge number of people behave, especially in business situations.
I think that some one has his priorities messed up. I hope that this person is not like this with everyone or he/she may end up with no one to buy from. It is sad and also comical that someone would write a letter like this and not have the grammar correct. That could save a lot of heart aches. But for now just grin and bear it. Keep up the good customer relations.
Given the question posed and the choice, I think the answer goes without saying. Much as I’d like to say I wouldn’t be annoyed at receiving such a note, I’m sure I would; however, it does not surprise me either. I no longer sell internationally on eBay. I would ignore such notes and pack and ship the way I always do. I also would never reply to such correspondence.
I leave positive feedback the minute I receive payment. That way I can forget about it. I know there will come a day when I’ll get negative or neutral and I’m sure I will be devastated, but I will not be emotionally blackmailed over feedback or DSRs. I had someone leave a 1 or 2 DSR on ship time last spring in the midst of horrendous weather when FedEx had to make 3 delivery attempts… go figure, but those people exist.
I, too, have found that the eBay support team reasonable, but then I do not sell designer items, electronics, CDs/DVDs or jewelry.
eBay is still a huge marketplace, and the fees are way less than operating a retail store.
Still, I’m sorry you received such an ugly note. These people must not have much of a life if they have to do such things to feel “in control.”
I’ve been an Ebay seller for several years. What really frosts my onions is the emails I get complaining about the cost of S&H. A guy this very morning who hasn’t even bid on my item yet (a CD). Telling me if I send it such & such a way it would cost less than what I’m charging. I told him the reason they call it shipping & HANDLING. Is because I gotta put it in some kind of a package. I continued on to tell him, if he would like I would stick a stamp on the CD case and send it to him! I never heard from him again…. HUH
I don’t know what circles Ally W moves in but I’ve found that most buyers behave civilly and respect their customers. That maxim applies across the entire business world actually. Not too many customers will return to a vendor if they get screwed or abused. Good manners is not that old-fashioned.
Hi Phil:
I think I’d feel the same as you if I’d received that. The buyers ebay ID doesn’t happen to contain the word “narcissist” in it somewhere, does it?
Although I too would agree with the folks who say they’d accept NEITHER, but just cancel the transaction, that too can cause you trouble. (And some might not realise this.)
My dad passed away a few months ago. I don’t sell a lot on ebay but I do sell *some* things. The day he passed away, I came home to a message that I’d sold something. I asked the buyer if he’d agree to cancel the transaction and, I told him why. I indicated that I could send it out if he insisted, but that it might be a week or two before I’d have time. He agreed to cancel the transaction and I immediately refunded his money. Case closed. Or so I thought.
The S.O.B went and left me negative feedback with a comment “Didn’t have it in stock”. ONE “person”, with a cancelled transaction, killed a 100% positive reputation I’ve worked hard to keep. Maybe I’m overly sensitive too.
So, I offer a caution for all the rest of you… buyers can still leave you feedback even on a canceled transaction! I don’t agree with this and I’ve suggested to ebay that they fix the system so feedback on canceled transactions is deleted. (Both buyer AND seller. The seller can still leave the buyer feedback on a canceled transaction as well.) Although you might not really WANT to bite your tongue and just ship the order, it may be the safest route right now.
Hi Phil,
I liked your re-written version better. It certainly sounds like that buyer has ‘lost the love’ of buying on eBay. When you have to get that serious about purchases maybe it’s time to move on. They should go back to buying from an actual store where they can view their purchases first.
It’s just a shame that the buyer feels the need to put such terms and conditions on their purchases. And anyway, if they had any manners they could have asked you those things politely first before purchasing.
I hope when they receive their items that they are happy and leave you glowing positive feedback!!
Hi Phil,
If I was to receive either I would prefer the second, but it would be better
after it was received and he was not satisfied with it.
i totally agree with your version phil. people are getting more and more demanding on ebay and sooo rude. when i think i have seen it all another “one” comes along. politness costs nothing and rude e.mails like this is enough to get everybodies backs up.
I think after reading that ….( scratching my head)
I would send a reply back to them, that their list is to long and a tracking number alone will be sent to them as requested .
Then start posting a notice on each sale item page to some effect that” NO Special shipping/billing or packing requests will be filled”. Unless contact was made before the purchase/sale to review the buyers shipping request for possible approval or dis-approval.
I have never sold on Ebay yet ! But seeing this makes me wonder if I ever want to or not.
What do you think of a seller that wants paid at sale/instant, will not combine shipping and charges 12.95 for an order shipped in a USPS 4×8 envelope with a shipping charge stamped on it for $0.81. BTW the total cost of the 4 items was in said envelope was $20.00. Then gets pissed at you when you leave a review stating this.
Or am a wrong on both accounts here ???
Hi Phil,
Sorry to hear this but as some of the bloggers on the site said a lot of people do not have manners these days, and unfortunately they think they can send Emails, Letters etc with little or no regard for the person it is intended for.
I always try my best not to rile anyones backs as I always put on “Without Prejudice” and always read it through a couple of times to see if the letter/email sounds funny in any way, if it does I change the wording so it sounds polite. I think your version of the email sounds far better and not antagonising as the original you recieved.
Thank you Mark.
I’ve had 700+ transactions on ebay, both buying and selling, here in the UK & abroad, I’ve had a handful of cases I’ve had problems with and find ebay don’t seem to give a hoot either way, for me as a buyer or a seller. Case as a buyer. I once won a very nice jumper very cheap, the seller sent me a message via ebay stating they weren’t sending the jumper because it finished to cheap. (No Reserve Auction) ebay response we can’t force a seller to send out anything if they chose not to. Case as a seller. I once sold a large item, collection only due to the size of said item. Someone stopped the auction with the buy it now option, I messaged them regarding collection and was informed they couldn’t arrange transport for collection, I said well if you like we can cancel the transaction no hard feelings and the buyer agreed. I then contacted ebay informed them of the situation and they agreed, cancelled the auction and I was refunded my listing fee. I re listed the item 3 days later and the item sold. About 3 weeks later I got a negative feed back from the buyer who originally stopped, then backed out of the auction. I contacted ebay to get the negative removed from my account (How can I receive a negative feedback for a transaction that never took place?) ebay response. We can’t get involved in individual cases and take sides, I should contact the original would be buyer and try to sort it out with him and see if he will retract the Neg. So for me personally I don’t care which door I go through 1 or 2, its down to each individual in each transaction. Legally Binding Contract My Ar$e. Regards DarkStar.
Mike,
I agree that the P+P (or S+H) charges from some sellers appear to be scandalous, and excessive, and I also get annoyed at sellers who refuse to combine shipping for multiple items and then send them all in a single package!
I have had feedback from buyers complimenting the fact that the shipping I charge is exactly what appears on the package, and that feedback is worth a lot to me.
I would not leave negative feedback, as presumable the postage charges were clear before you purchased the item(s), but I would definitely leave your opinion, along with positive feedback, on the seller’s postal policies.
Either that, or demand that the items are sent in separate packages if he refuses to combine the postage!
At the end of the day, feedback is feedback, your comments may affect his sales, and my feedback will hopefully affect mine.
Jon
I liked neither reply. I suppose that if I would have gotten such an email, I would have been so p****d off that I would immediately contact eBay and had the order canceled. ( Not paying immediately for BIN) Explaining why and show the offending email. And why I am blocking that particular person.
Crafty Owl, I’m wondering just *how* the person was able to get to the point of sending the rude message to Phil in the first place.
I have done the BIN on things before where it states the seller demands immediate payment for the article. After clicking the BIN button, I’m advised that I have to pay immediately if I commit to purchase. If I agree, I’m taken directly to PayPal. I’ve never TRIED to get out of going through with the payment. Never dawned on me to try and do so. Is it possible??? Has anyone else done this?
BTW, I don’t like this when sellers do it because it eliminates any possibility of a combined shipping discount. And I don’t do it on my own sales.
I start feeling guilty if I’ve estimated shipping incorrectly, and someone pays significantly more than the actual shipping cost. A couple extra bucks is fine, but my personal policy is that if the buyer has paid more than $5 over the actual costs, I refund the difference to their PayPal. Just like in real life, where harsh criticism puts me hiding under the covers, I feel like much of the way I do things is based on fear of losing the 100% feedback.
It is certainly disappointing when a piece sells for less than anticipated. It’s happening more and more. I hate reserves! I have to think hard to come up with an enticing combination of opening bid, free shipping or not, whether to use a reserve…. But I tell myself, “it’s an auction, I’d be happy on the other end of the stick, let the other person enjoy getting a bargain…” …and then I try to adjust the listing next time.
Regarding feedback, I’d be interested in others’ opinion in my policy. As a seller, I wait until the buyer is satisfied and has left positive feedback before I leave feedback for them. I don’t want to leave positive feedback immediately after their payment, because they could end up being total pills for any number of reasons.
I ship within 24 hours of payment. (more guilt, anxiety, fear…) How I could possibly have less than perfect shipping DSR rating?
Sometimes I think I am just too thin skinned to be selling.
Disgusting, shame you cannot cancel order, i have had a couple of emails, one guy wrote ” wheres the paste its missing”" no hello please, thank you that the item arrived 1 day after buying, i agree that ebay do not seem to care, the rules do not seem to matter, kick the cat and forget it!!! cheered me up that everyone seems to suffer as well Debbie
I too have had similar request from buyers. My reply is simple:
I list.
You bid.
You win.
I ship.
Your pleased.
I’m pleased.
Next!
Works for me.
I understand the anxiety that you and others expressed on this blog. I personally don’t like the way that the letter was written either. It feels like I’m being scolded when I see numbering of conditions like that. Also the first two sentences are written in all capital letters which also makes me feel like I’m being scolded. And thats before I even read the letter. Condition number 4 when you stop and think about it everything sold on eBay is not original and the original manufacturer are not getting paid for it. So if that is their definition of counterfeit then its all counterfeit. My recommendation is if it was me would be to write back get out of the deal by writing the following:
This is private property that I’m selling. At one point I purchased it and now I no longer want it. And therefore, I can sell it for whatever, the market will bear for a used product as long as I clearly notify the potential buyer as such. You should not buy off of eBay since you want only original factory condition products. I am therefore closing this deal and notifying eBay of my decision. By canceling this transaction I feel that I am protecting you the buyer, eBay and myself.
If you write this letter, then at the same time send eBay a notice. This will show eBay that you are being proactive. And furthermore if you do get a bad comment against you, you can take the supportive comments written here and link them back to here or post them yourself to show other potential buyers that others believe you are right. If you are proactive, chances are eBay will be supportive of you.
I myself got tired of eBay and tired of feeling afraid and constantly paying all their high fees so I started my own auction site. I still use eBay, but I’m no longer afraid because I have a back up site of my own. Check it out for yourself. Its going to be totally free for the next month and after that just a $1.50 if you sell your item. No sell no charge. webauctionfinder.com
Good luck in whatever you decide.
I would oblige the buyer and meet their demands. And after the transaction was finished (Feedback & DSR’s positive) I would block that eBay user from buying from me in the future.
I totally believe the customer should come first. Although their are customers I would rather not do business with.
Phil, judging from the current number of responses so far, I think you really hit a nerve. Twenty nine comments is a lot. You customer doesn’t know it but he just gave you fresh material for a book or at the very least articles which you can post and therefore create links back to your auction site or website. Collect such comments and the responses (changing the names of course) and post it using a something like Unique Wizard (http://www.uniquearticlewizard.com). If you write it right, you can probably get about 200 links pointing back to your site. And it might help change the online auction culture. If you want help doing this let me know. This idiot just provided you with a wonderful opportunity to make yourself and the products you sell better known.
Hey Phil:
After my complaining above about nasty customers, unwarranted feedback, and lack of care or proper customer support from ebay, guess what I just received in my email….
“Dear eBay user,
Thank you for your recent contact to eBay Customer Support. Please take a brief survey and tell us how we are doing. The survey should only take 2-3 minutes to complete.
Click the link below or copy the following address into your browser:”
Heh, heh, heh…..
2 minutes my ar$e. Took at least 20 and I used up every character of the 600 or so provided in the free forms wanting an explanation of “Tell us why you were dissatisfied with the response you received from our Customer Support Representative”, etc. etc. There were FIVE of them.
Now Phil, don’t hold back! Tell them how you really feel. I think you should break out of the 600 character limitation and send them an email and start off by saying: The survey form you sent me when I got to my six hundred character limit was just beginning to feel warmed up and I couldn’t cover everything I wanted to say. Now since you asked for my opinion I wanted to elaborate on the following points:
Then you should go on to say: Now that I’ve completed talking about my original points, I also wanted to mention …
Have a good time with it Phil. They asked for your opinion so let them have it as long as you don’t depend on them for your main source of income. And my sense is that you’ve been keeping it professional without using any curse words.
Phil, don’t that message personally. Those people are resellers and they send the same message out to everyone they buy from. I know they word it badly but they’re good buyers.
No, Phil, I don’t care how good of a buyers they are. If they are true professionals they won’t mind if you let them know that you find one of their practices offensive. In fact, if they are as smart as Emilie suggests they are they’ll act on it create a better following of customers and grow rich in the process. If it offends you then chances are it offends others as well. In fact if you really wanted to help them change their way, offer them your alternative that you posted at the top of this blog.
meh, who cares.. useless retoric.. both buyers and sellers should just act professional IF they can’t be.
heh… that’s FUNNY! ACT professional… LMFAO! no kidding….?
I’m finding that more and more buyers expect an unreasonable amount of attention – like changing their address during a transaction, or not allowing for holidays etc. I have set up a website to explain some of the negatives I received more fully.