How to deal with eBay and spiteful buyers?

[redrumloa]

Just paid my most recent eBay invoice and my Power Seller discount has dropped from 15% to 5% due to eBay's new anonymous rating system. The killer is "shipping costs" has supposedly dropped fom 4.8(out of 5) to 4.7 for the last 30 days. The star ratings are anonymous.

I hate eBay, but being pissed at them won't change anything. I state upfront what shipping costs are. Shipping costs are actual postage + anywhere from $1 to $5 handling fee depending on the item. If people don't like the postage fees, why even buy? I don't get it, some people must just be spiteful and venting in the anonymous rating system. I'm stuck with eBay for now, I guess I will simply have to start banning eBay users using best guess who is doing it.

/end venting

[beller]

I understand your venting...I've seen this problem too.  I've just been doing regular listings but my rating is a bit off 100% due to the shipping questions.  

We are being punished for something we have no control over, the cost of shipping is controlled by UPS and USPS, or whoever your local post might be.

[redrumloa]

As much activity as I had last month, the discount drop from 15% to 5% was a significant amount of money lost. Burns me up.

My problem is not the rating system, but the anonymous nature of it.

[Darrin]

Sorry to hear about that.

Like you said, all your costs are visible and up-front, so who can complain?  Sadly, we have bred a society where a sizeable chunk of it thinks it deserves everything and has to earn nothing.  This is probably reflected in your ratings with people wondering how you have the nerve to ask for a penny more than the actual shipping price on the box, with no thought about time & effort, the cost of the box, the cost of the packing, etc.

[weirdami]

So you became ineligible for the higher discount because your rating for shipping went down by 0.1? That's 2%. Were you on the edge of the 15% zone or something already?

[Damion]

It's BS to buy knowing the terms upfront, only to trash your rating afterward. :roll: If everything shows up quickly, packed well (like your stuff always does), what more can you possibly ask for?

[redrumloa]

weirdami wrote:
So you became ineligible for the higher discount because your rating for shipping went down by 0.1? That's 2%. Were you on the edge of the 15% zone or something already?

It is based on the last 30 days, I had 75 feedback in the last 30 days. My 12 month average is supposedly 4.8. How close it was, I wouldn't know since the star system is anonymous. There could be a couple buyers clicking 1 star just to be a dick, I'll never know since it is anonymous.

[Ruud]

In my opinion a seller should always be given a fair chance to respond to negative feedback. This way any future buyer can see both sides of the story and make a call.  This anonymous feedback system makes that impossible.
When I used to use ebay alot (a few years back) I used to quite often find that odd bits of negative feedback on otherwise well rated sellers was from idiots who had all bad feedback who just gave bad feedback out of spite because they were given it.
As for ebay charges... I'm in the retail pet trade and a couple of years back I considered the idea of selling lines through ebay as an extra line of revenue.  But to be honest I soon scrapped that idea when I worked out the combined costs of ebay and the time and effort it would take to list stuff and package it up and send it.  It certainly wasn't a get quick rich scheme.
I'm just glad I don't have to run a business that way and I sympathise with anyone that does.

Cheers,
Rudi.

[Jose]

I kind of get it, it's a way for ebay to get more cash, well only a theory of mine, but they can't be such idiots as to not see it's unfair. They already got most of this marketso they don't care.
I suggest using another payment method than paypal (to avoid paypal fees), you're already a reputed seller so maybe you won't lose buyers. (DOn't blame me if it doesn't work, just thinking out loud here... :roll: ).

[arnljot]

I understand your frustration redrumloa, but I noticed that you don´t mention the 1-5$ handling fee in your listings. So I imagine that it can be  a small surprise for some buyers.

But still, that discont drop is a harsh penalty to receive for a small feedback change. I sympathize with you Red.

Now the buyes should have asked you about that when they received the goods and saw the postage, but I guess most of them bought items where 1-5$ was really small amounts compared to the total and they rather "bit" back through the rating system.

I always communicate with the seller through ebay if I feel something is wrong. But I have seen that it´s not as common place as one would wish.

So my advice to you red is to add the handling fee in the ads, and to future buyers to communicate through ebay with the seller both before the purchase and after the purchase. This way ebay have a record, and both parties stand stronger.

On a side note:
I´ve stopped giving the seller my personal e-mail in the ebay message form. I hate it when I ask the seller an important clarifying question about the terms, and then he/she replies privately through email. For boths sake = Have it documented in the ebay message system.

[redrumloa]

@arnljot

There is a shipping calculator on the bottom of ever auction / store listing page. There should be no surprises.

Most retro buyers are great, really! The problem really must be a couple select individuals. Also I wouldn't care as much except eBay fees are so darn high, any Power Seller discount I get I factor into store prices. When my next Individual Computers shipment comes in next week, I will have to bump the eBay store prices a bit.

I'm ranting again. :lol:

[arnljot]

I see Red

Good, I didn´t know that it was all inclusive.

I´d still buy from you when I get some $$$, maybe later this month or in the next year...

You have some prime cuts there which I´d like to sink my teeth into. Like that GVP 030 for A500 up now... Man I´d love to have that one!

But it´s a popular item, so I know it´ll go for more than my max...

[Plaz]

I share your ebay pain. I am through with them indefinitely. I've been doing as well or better using craigs list. Though their are still plenty of good folks at ebay, their percentage of complainers and malcontents has increased sharply over the past 2 years as well as the charges. It's not the same place I joined over 10 years ago and it's just not worth my trouble any more. The rule seems to be "Complain to get partial refunds or free shipping." As a seller it feels like a form of extortion.

Craigs list works just as well, has national and international readers, cost me less, and I can pick and choose my customers. You do have to set your own price possibly missing that top dollar mark that bidding migh bring, but so far I find the stress and pain level so much better that I don't feel like I've missed much once I've set what I think is a fair price.

For an example of my lastest item check this post. :-)

http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=39356

Plaz

[Plaz]

There is a shipping calculator on the bottom of ever auction / store listing page. There should be no surprises

BTW, that calculator is cr#p. I can't tell you how much I've lost trusting that thing to be accurate. Try the same item/weight in the calculator, then try the same at the shipping vendor's site. Wrong or incomplete in many of the items I've tried. When you selling items at $10-$20, loosing $2 an item adds up. One more reason I'm bailing on ebay.

Plaz

[orb85750]

If I were you, I would try experimenting with FREE shipping on some of your auctions.  You might find that it attracts more bidders and higher bids.  And your ratings will become stellar!