Step1
How Do Others See You?
As the seller, NEVER leave feedback for buyers without receiving it first. You relinquish all options otherwise. That means if you leave them positive and they leave you neutral or negative ... there's nothing you can do. Asking the buyer to remove what he left will be almost impossible because he's already got a positive from you.
This is a highly debated topic on eBay. Though some sellers who sell brand new items rarely encounter an unhappy buyer, it does happen. Selling like new or used items increases your risk. Remember, some buyers are never happy, no matter what you do. It's best to wait until the transaction is complete before leaving feedback.
Step2
Make the terms of your sale crystal clear, especially your return policy. Otherwise, you could be in for unnecessary stress. Like buyer remorse. It's wiser for you to offer a 30 day no-hassle return policy. A very small percentage of eBayers will take you up on your offer, but overall, it's a good measure of business.
Step3
Use eBay's preferences to block bidders who don't have a PayPal account - this will cut 80% of your non-payers. People with a PayPal account are more likely to follow through with a transaction. Only accept USPS Money Orders ~ these are very hard to counterfeit, if impossible.
Step4
Measure your items, and make sure you have something appropriate to ship the item out. For example, see if the item will fit in the box before you list it. I ran into this issue and had to run around looking for a box, and worse, buy a brand new box to ship a used item! OUCH!
Step5
If you print your labels from PayPal, delivery confirmation is only $0.18 more and is free if you ship via Priority Mail. Getting delivery confirmation at the post office will cost you $0.55. - BIG savings. You don't need labels to do it. It'll print on the shipping label. Also - no buyer can deny receiving the package with tracking information! Plus, getting delivery confirmation is all you need to prove to PayPal the item was mailed, and the buyer will not be refunded. (This happened to me a lot UNTIL I started printing my own labels, then, there was no debate)
Step6
Regarding shipping supplies: labels, envelopes, tape. If you buy them off eBay you will save literally hundreds of dollars. Also, if you ship via FedEx. USPS or UPS they give you all supplies for FREE ~ sticker labels too.
Step7
Buy a cheap scale to weigh your items - this is how you determine your shipping costs to ensure you will never pay out of pocket again. I bought mine from a bedding store and used a 20% coupon to save even more!
Step8
When in doubt - list the item in used condition. This leaves no room for interpretation - it's used. Full stop. Otherwise, you could wind up receiving a less than positive feedback. People who buy like new items expect them to be basically brand new.
Step9
Sometimes it's better to walk away from leaving neutral or negative feedback - taking the high road and moving on, rather than create a potentially stressful situation. Example, someone with 100+ doesn't pay and the seller only has 15+. You leave a negative for the buyer with 100+ and they turn around and leave one for you (trust me it happens) - you can be ruined by just 1 transaction. Your score will be significantly lower than the buyers because he has more feedbacks to average.
Step10
A buyer is still always right in the eyes of a structured system - and it will never be the other way around. eBayers will be able to leave vindictive/false feedback and there's nothing you can do about it unless they curse in the feedback - then and only then, can it be completely removed.
Step11
Life is too short to give up on your dreams - if you can believe it, you can make it happen.
How Do Others See You?
As the seller, NEVER leave feedback for buyers without receiving it first. You relinquish all options otherwise. That means if you leave them positive and they leave you neutral or negative ... there's nothing you can do. Asking the buyer to remove what he left will be almost impossible because he's already got a positive from you.
This is a highly debated topic on eBay. Though some sellers who sell brand new items rarely encounter an unhappy buyer, it does happen. Selling like new or used items increases your risk. Remember, some buyers are never happy, no matter what you do. It's best to wait until the transaction is complete before leaving feedback.
Life is too short to give up on your dreams - if you can believe it, you can make it happen.
Novice
Comments
AbbyNormal said
on 5/2/2008 This is a great article. Excellent tips. I sell on eBay and do not accept anything but PayPal. And I always use PayPal for shipping unless it is international. Be very clear in your description of an item. Better to write too much than not enough!
Sold said
on 11/18/2007 Thanks for these great tips! You are a good Ebayer. I would give you AAA+++ Feedback.
mary-ava said
on 11/1/2007 Thank you!
robertsloan2 said
on 10/4/2007 Good points, all of them! Thanks for a great article.
WeeSandy said
on 7/24/2007 Thanks for the great article! I have learned some of these the hard way (such as only accepting buyers with PayPal accounts), and am especially grateful as I can now learn the others through your experiences.