| Over the years, I have been amazed at the | | | | Buyer’s remorse would have set in quickly, |
| “blinding” greed and reckless approachto | | | | once they realized that they could have |
| commerce that some business owners have | | | | purchased the same item for a lot less in their |
| employed. Lying to customers, selling inferior | | | | native countries. |
| merchandise, and not offering refunds, left a | | | | While the benefits of these actions may not have |
| firestorm of irate customers in their wake. | | | | an immediate effect, you can be sure that should |
| Without fail, all of this “ill will” led most | | | | I ever have another “item of interest!” |
| businesses to bankruptcy, and in some cases, | | | | these two gentlemen would not hesitate to |
| Federal Prison. | | | | purchase from me. They can count on me to |
| I realize that not everyone engages in | | | | accommodate their needs, instead of catering to |
| “business criminality” that rises to the level | | | | my wants. Creating this type of good will instills |
| of fraud and incarceration. Most people try to be | | | | trust, and the knowledge that you have the |
| good stewards, and approach their enterprise in | | | | customer’s best interest in mind. |
| an honest and forthright manner. For those of | | | | “I thinketh thou both protest too much! |
| you who own thriving business concerns you | | | | Do you accentuate the positive? Or, do you run |
| already know that in most cases the customer is | | | | on negativity? Negative EBay feedback is a tool |
| always right. You make sure that you | | | | that everyone should use with restraint, or not at |
| communicate effectively, refund monies if the | | | | all. As a rule, I never leave negative feedback. |
| buyer is truly unhappy, and try to meet the | | | | Unless someone has blatantly lied about your |
| needs of the people who buy your goods or | | | | product, or attacked you personally without merit, |
| services. | | | | then I would not leave any feedback in the |
| However, there are more than a handful of EBay | | | | “minus” side of the isle! |
| sellers that are of the mind that customer service | | | | “Flame” wars are not pretty. I have seen |
| and effective communication is not something | | | | a lot of unnecessary back and forth |
| that they need not participate in. Take the case | | | | “banter” that could have been avoided, if |
| of a woman named Barbara, (Nickname: BobAnn) | | | | they (the seller) just resisted the urge to make |
| who recently posted her disappointment on the | | | | their “two cents” known. Sometimes it |
| Ryze Business Network: | | | | gives customers the impression that you are |
| Quote: | | | | more concerned about arguing, then conducting |
| Barbara Cerda wrote: | | | | your business. |
| Greetings Everyone, | | | | I have also witnessed seller feedback that has |
| “When will sellers on EBay understand that | | | | included some pretty foul language. Engaging in this |
| customer service is key? And when will EBay | | | | type of verbal sparring is not much of a |
| sellers learn using customer friendly approaches | | | | confidence builder either. It is more telling of what |
| can only make their business grow?” Again | | | | you are, then about revealing the sins of your |
| today I've bought from a less than friendly seller. | | | | customers. Don’t go out of your way to |
| Thought I was placing a bid and instead bought | | | | register a negative response if you can help it. |
| the item at the buy now price. Of course the | | | | Heed the sage advice that our Mother’s use |
| seller did not refuse to allow the retraction, nor | | | | to tell us: “If you can’t say anything nice, |
| was I allowed to place a bid. I always pay for my | | | | don’t say anything at all!” |
| winning bids immediately upon email confirmation. | | | | “What we have here is a failure to |
| And did so in this case. But it would have been | | | | communicate!” |
| customer friendlier for this sellerto accept my | | | | Communication with your customers should not |
| retraction to be replaced with a bid. He would | | | | amount to the sound one hand clapping! Bottom |
| have gotten repeat business from me and my | | | | line, if someone e-mails you with a |
| friends. His "Buy Now" price is 30% over the retail | | | | question--answer it! Here is an example of the |
| price for this item. Lesson learned by me again - | | | | type of feedback I obtained by doing just |
| that there are way too many sellers on EBay out | | | | that…… |
| to grab a buck and the hell with fair practice. | | | | “He was very Helpful and cooperative in |
| Lesson learned yet again.” | | | | answering questions. Follow-up: Will DEFINITELY |
| BobAnn | | | | use his services anytime he has items of interest! |
| End quote… | | | | Great Seller!” |
| The operative phrase here is “repeat business | | | | The gentlemen who left this positive review, |
| from me and my friends”. There is no better | | | | wanted to know about some of the particulars of |
| endorsement of your product or service than | | | | a “Mickey Mouse” clock I had up for |
| word of mouth advertising. Lack of flexibility on | | | | auction. His wife is a collectorof all things Disney, |
| the part of the seller, not only cost them one | | | | and thought it would be a nice surprise for her |
| customer, but also destroyed the possibility for | | | | birthday. Theclock, to say the least, was in sad |
| future business. Good news travels fast, but bad | | | | shape. It was incapable of keeping time, and |
| news travels faster! | | | | theonly part of it in working order was the |
| As an auction seller, (Ebay auction ID: | | | | second hand. I thought for sure that he would be |
| LevelBest77) I would have accommodated her | | | | disappointed with the item despite full disclosure of |
| request right away. And while I have never had | | | | all of its imperfections. |
| anyone use “Buy It Now” by accident, I | | | | To my surprise, not only did I receive positive |
| have had several people over the years ask me | | | | feedback, but he also told me that his wife |
| to retract bids. The number of people who have | | | | absolutely loved it! In this instance, one man’s |
| made that request can be counted on one hand! | | | | junk, truly, is another man’s treasure! I never |
| Some, did not even understand the process, (bid | | | | thought this item was worthy of any praise! The |
| retracting) and I was more than willing to guide | | | | time it took to answer his questions—all of five |
| them through it. | | | | minutes! |
| People make honest mistakes, and you should | | | | I know that some of you will say that I am not |
| never “abuse” a buyer for doing so. If | | | | being realistic. You just can’t answer e-mails |
| you plan to get into EBay auction selling for the | | | | all day; “I have a business to run!,” you |
| long haul, always practice good will toward your | | | | might proclaim. If you plan on making a living on |
| customers. Unless someone is totally | | | | EBay, then you better think about hiring someone |
| unreasonable, and you have done everything in | | | | to help you answer your daily inquires if it is just |
| your power to accommodate their request, never | | | | too overwhelming. If you specialize in a particular |
| deny people the ability to change their mind, | | | | product, set up a Frequently Asked Questions |
| return an item, or retract a bid! Developing good | | | | page to any Auto-Responder. |
| will also requires that you anticipate customer | | | | If you use EBay on an infrequent basis, and have |
| needs….. | | | | less than thirty listings a month, then you really |
| For instance, I had a few overseas customers bid | | | | don't have any excuse not to provide great |
| on a wireless router. This particular item needed | | | | customer service and e-mail communication. You |
| to be powered with a Universal Adapter, since | | | | shouldn’t be inundated with questions |
| voltage requirements in France and Australia are | | | | regarding that many items, unless the product |
| obviously different from those here in the United | | | | you are selling is technical in nature. |
| States. | | | | If you ignore your customers, they will go away. |
| I made this abundantly clear to both bidders | | | | Good customer service should be woven into the |
| before they sent me any payment. The purchase | | | | fabric of every good business. I cannot |
| of such an adapter, not to mention the shipping | | | | overemphasis the importance of this issue. I |
| price, would have doubled the US retail cost. I told | | | | continue to be perplexed by the fact that it is last |
| them that they could probably get the product | | | | on the list of business priorities for some EBay |
| cheaper at their local electronics stores. Without | | | | sellers! |
| hesitation, I let them out of their obligation to pay | | | | Will good customer service and communication |
| for the item. I then contacted the next highest | | | | alone make you rich on EBay? That would be a |
| bidder and offered that person the chance to | | | | resounding "no”. You will have to understand |
| make the purchase. | | | | your market, and provide products that the EBay |
| Both bidders thanked me for my honesty. They | | | | community will bid on consistently. There will be |
| had forgotten about the electrical differences. I | | | | “bidders & buyers” out there that will |
| could have ignored that little detail, and sold them | | | | make mistakes and commit some auction sins! |
| the item anyway. I just had to put myself in their | | | | Forgive all EBay sins and you will be rewarded |
| situation. Think of how frustrated they would | | | | with happy, repeat customers! |
| have been if I did not reveal that information. | | | | |