How can this possibly be fair? This situation happened to me a few weeks ago.

1) Customer purchases $85 item.

2) Customer does not pay.

3) Unpaid item dispute opened.

4) Customer still does not pay.

5) UPI closed. Final value fee granted. I can’t leave negative feedback – sellers are no longer able to.

6) Buyer leaves me negative feedback.

What is wrong with this picture? How can this happen? Here is eBay’s policy on non-payers and feedback:

“Enhanced protection for Unpaid Item: In addition to removing Feedback left by buyers who fail to respond to the Unpaid Item process, we now also remove Feedback when the buyer responds but it’s clear they did not complete the transaction—for example, if they state they bought the item elsewhere or had a family emergency. Sellers don’t deserve negative or neutral Feedback in such cases, and we now remove it.”

So, I am wondering if and when this will happen. In my opinion, I don’t think non-payers should be able to leave any feedback at all. They did not earn the right to leave feedback since they didn’t pay for their item. What do you think?

[Image Source: Flickr, eBay Coach Photos]

Post from: EveryJoe

Non-Paying Bidders Can Leave Negative Feedback on eBay

Post from: EveryJoe

Holiday Online Shopping – Is it for You?

Part of being a successful eBay seller is to keep tabs on the competition. Right now, it looks like US sellers offering goods on the eBay UK site are giving up and heading for the hills. Just this week, 3 sellers that I follow have closed their stores. One is no longer a registered user – POOF – just disappeared. One seller even added a note to all of her store pages explaining that she won’t be offering her products on eBay UK, or worldwide, due to a weak conversion rate.

It doesn’t have to be this way! Granted, the USD / GBP exchange rate is at an all time low right now (1.45%), you don’t have to lose money or go out of business. Simply change your GBP prices to reflect the lower rate. For example, if you are currently offering a product at £10 and your profit is $8 based on a 1.9% exchange rate, just change the price to £12.75. Problem solved. (Be sure to change your shipping fees to reflect the higher rate.)

So why aren’t more sellers just adjusting their pricing? My guess, they are too lazy! Many have hundreds of listings and when they set up their stores, they never considered that the exchange rates would fluctuate. So now they are stuck with 500 – 1,000 listings based on a 1.9% exchange rate. These sellers are either making extremely low profit, or they are operating at a loss. Even worse, some don’t even know that they aren’t making any money as they never track inventory costs, fees, profits, or any other financial information.

This is another example of the attitude, “eBay is easy money.” Many sellers who open UK stores think that they can set up their stores, add hundreds of products, and watch the money roll in without ever having to make adjustments, check on their competitors, or fine-tune their stores. I see this happen all the time. Newsflash: NOTHING ON EBAY IS EASY. eBay is work just like any other business. The market, demand, and consumer buying habits will continue to fluctuate and to continue to make a profit, you have to make adustments.

You can go in one of two directions now.

Proverbs 12:24: “Work hard, become a leader. Be lazy, never succeed.”

As Bill Gates said, “I believe that if you show people the problems and you show them the solutions they will be moved to act.” In other words, don’t give up, just spend some time adusting your pricing. For more detailed information on eBay UK selling, check out my eBook, “How to Maximize Profits on eBay UK.”

[Image Source: Flickr, eBay Coach Photos]

Post from: EveryJoe

US eBay UK Sellers Dropping Like Flies

Maybelline Ultra Big Ultra Lash Mascara has been discontinued. This item sells for around $8 in drug stores, grocery stores, Walmart, and cosmetic stores. Completed listings on eBay are going for around $75! Talk about a return on your investment – 900%? Try to find that kind of return anywhere these days! Warning – this one is difficult to find. You might also check Big Lots, flea markets, and closeout centers. You may not find it at all – but it is another item you can add to your list to look for when you are out on your daily travels.

Click here for eBay completed listings (30 day history).

Click here for current eBay listings.

For more hot eBay tips, join the SAHMs eBay Seller Group on Facebook.

[Image Source: eBay Coach Blog]

Post from: EveryJoe

Hot Item to Sell on eBay – Discontinued Mascara

If you are going away for the holidays, vacation, or just want to take a break from eBay, did you know you can manage your vacation settings? Here is how.

1) Go to your eBay Store.

2) At the bottom of the page, click SELLER MANAGE STORE.

3) On the left column, near the bottom, you will see RELATED LINKS>VACATION SETTINGS.

4) You can do several things here. You can completely hide all of your listings. Or, you can allow your listings to remain visible and add a message to each store page explaining how long you will be gone, and when you will resume shipping.

5) It is also a good idea to temporarily change your automatic email notifications for the winning buyer email and payment received email. Just include the information about your absence and when the customer can expect his order.

Communication is the key. Most customers don’t mind waiting as long as they hear from the seller and understand the delay.

Click here for more information regarding vacation settings. And have a great time! eBay will be here when you get back.

[Image Source: Flickr, eBay Coach Photos. Wyoming, 2006]

Post from: EveryJoe

Going Away for the Holidays? How to Put Your eBay Store on Vacation

Counterfeit and replica handbags are everywhere – in small boutiques, at the airport, on street corners, and on eBay. Below are some tips on how to spot a fake or knock-off Coach bag before you buy it.

Counterfeit goods fund all kinds of illegal activity including prostitution, drug trafficking, gang activity, terrorism, and other types of organized crime. When you purchase a replica handbag (either intentionally or unintentionally), your money goes to support these types of activities.
Replica bags are not allowed on eBay. Yes, many are for sale, but if you are caught offering one, your listing will be removed and you may lose your status as a seller. Click here to read eBay’s policy on selling counterfeit items.

If you plan to sell one:

First, examine the signature “C” pattern of the fabric. The “Cs” will be crooked, tilted, off center, have jagged edges, or other wise just not look right. The pattern should start in the center of the front and back panels. The fabric should be symmetrical as if it was folded in half down the center seam. There should not be any breaks or gaps in the seams.

The workmanship will look shoddy. The stitching could be crooked, stitches will vary in length, and there could be overstitching. All of these are signs that the bag is a fake. Coach bags are immaculately made with all the stitches the same length, stitch lines perfectly straight, and no overstitching.

The zipper itself will be stamped with YKK.

Where was it made? Coach does not make bags in Korea or Thailand, although they do make some in China.

If you found one at a thrift store or garage sale, chances are it is fake. Don’t risk your eBay seller status by trying to sell it.

If you plan to buy one on eBay, investigate all of the above and also check out these criteria:

Proof of authenticity. Ask the seller to provide a copy of a receipt or some other form of proof. Read the listing carefully – is the word “authentic” mentioned in the listing? If not, don’t buy it.

Examine the seller’s photos. Make sure they are photos of the exact bag that is being sold, not stock photos from a website. Go to the official Coach website and examine photos of legitimate, authentic bags. Compare to the eBay seller’s photos.

Review the seller’s history, feedback numbers, the actual feedback, etc. Get an idea of who you are dealing with. Click here for more ways to check out the seller before buying from them.

[Image Source: Flickr, BagsOnly's PhotoStream]

Post from: EveryJoe

How to Spot a Fake Coach Bag on eBay

Today contraceptive sponges. On the market. Off the market. On the market again. Off the market again, as of June 2008. No one is exactly sure why the sponges are off the market this time.

Today Sponges are selling for 3 times the retail price on eBay, but are very hard to find. Women around the world love the Today Sponge and will pay big money for them – since they offer hormone-free, convenient birth control. Click here for some completed listings on eBay.

You may find the Today Sponges at Rite Aid, Walgreens, Flea Markets, and small local drug stores. If you don’t see them, ask. Sometimes they are held behind the pharmacy counter. The sponges cost about $10 for a box of 3, or $19.95 for a box of six. If you can find any, buy them and sell in a lot. Offer international shipping on these – they are very popular with Europeans. You will triple your investment in less than a week if you find any of these!

If you do decide to sell Today Sponges, list them as a private listing. You will get more bids and buyers if the buyer’s privacy is respected, because of the nature of the product. Click here for instructions on creating a private listing.

The sponges are really in short supply, so keep that in mind while you are on the hunt. For more hot tips like this emailed directly to you, join my eBay Sellers Group on Facebook.

Post from: EveryJoe

Hot Item to Sell on eBay – Today Contraceptive Sponges

Thanks to a member of the SAHMs eBay Seller Group on Facebook for sharing this tip about Free eBay Store Templates. If you are looking to jazz up your store pages or give them a facelift, try the free templates.

Four templates are available. To use the templates:

1) Choose from one of the four templates.
2) Download it to your desktop.
3) Follow the directions from the installation file.
4) Log into your store to add the HTML for your customized page.

Fast and easy, and you will be amazed at the difference.

[Image Source: Flickr, eBay Coach Photos]

Post from: EveryJoe

eBay Stores – Free Store Templates

A member of the SAHM’s eBay Group on Facebook posted this question:

“I’ve been selling on eBay for about two years and today had my first PayPal claim for an item not as described filed against me but the type of item (hair color) gives me pause on what I should do. She sent me a message that she had received it, that she was happy and couldn’t wait to use it, as well as left me positive feedback. I have left her positive feedback as well.

The next day I get a message from her that the new hair color didn’t take and wrecked her hair and now she would have to go to a salon. In a previous message, she mentioned she was already having problems with her hair prior to order and hoped this would solve her problem. 10 minutes after I received the message, a dispute was opened with her requesting the cost of the item refunded, not the shipping, but still totalling about $25.

I don’t think PayPal would side with her since I think it to being similar to like a pimple cream you buy at the drugstore, you can’t return it because you still have pimples, right? But at the same time, I want to do the right thing. Money’s pretty tight right now and it’s hard to hand it back if I don’t have to and because of all the variables – her hair was already damaged, what if she didn’t use it correctly, this and that. It’s not as cut and dry as say a t-shirt with stain or a CD with a scratch.

Any input on what you might do would be appreciated.”

I think this issue is more about the proper use of the product, than the product itself. Just as you would buy haircolor from a drug store or Walmart, you must follow the directions and assume the risk of something going wrong. I personally think the seller should win in this situation – there is no proof that the buyer used the product correctly if at all. Who is to say that she didn’t use another product and just wants to make someone else take the responsibility? What do you think?

[Image Source: Flickr]

Post from: EveryJoe

Item Not As Described Dispute – Where’s the line?

eBay Groups are different than the eBay Discussion Boards. Groups provide “safe forum away from the public eye, posting IDs and trolls.” They are an environment to interact with other sellers who share similar product lines, interests, or passion for collecting. Groups are a great way to get free advice from experienced sellers, get answers faster than eBay Help can provide, and learn new information about eBay selling in general.

Some interesting groups I found include:

Girls of Well Worn (No comment – if you don’t understand this, I’m not explaining it…)

Thrift Store and Garage Sale Frenzy – Learn what TS and GS finds sell well on eBay.

Dead People’s Clothes – Vintage clothing.

Funny Hysterical Listings and Policies – Real stuff sellers have actually included in their listings.

Gnome for the Holidays - Not exactly sure, I don’t really get the whole gnome thing.

Random Liars – I guess you can pretty much say anything here.

Kind of entertaining. Check out the eBay Groups page and see what you can find. These groups are good for a laugh.

Post from: EveryJoe

eBay Groups for Networking and Learning