Rant about buyers; eBay ones in particular!

Yep...I'm complaining about you BUYERS! Why would I complain about BUYERS???? That's my business, right? I mean, if it wasn't for you buyers, I'd have no business...right?

Well, I'm here to tell you a few home truths about selling online; especially eBay. I'm talking to and about buyers in particular. Why? OK, you asked!

The number one gripe I, and any other red blooded seller online have, is you do not read! Please, please, PLEASE!!!!! Read the whole, entire page...auction, advertisement; I don't care if it's for underwear...READ it!

Why? Soooo glad you asked! Because EVERYTHING you need to know about this item is IN THERE!! Need it sent overnight? Read the listing. Do you see where it says Shipping? Hmmmm! I'll just bet it tells you whether the seller can send it overnight. Need a size 60? Well, if you read the description, I bet ya it'll tell you what size(s) they have to offer.

Why am I ranting about reading the listing? Have you ever bought something and found out afterword that the seller can't send to Cambodia? BUT WHY? You scream in an email! I saw international...the problem was you did not read it ALL!

If you had read the listing, you would know if Aunt Myrtle could use it. If you had read the listing, you would have saw that the item had free shipping in the USA and Canada...not Great Britain!

Speaking of shipping and buyers: have YOU mailed any packages lately? What did it cost YOU?

My point is, we do not make the postal rules or set their prices...we just follow them. If it says 6.95 to go to Timbuktu...we'll be charging 6.95... And, when we state that we send out our packages within 24 hours of payment, that means we ship by then, IT DOES NOT MEAN you get it in 24 hours! I have heard so many folks complain about getting dinged on their5 stars just because their buyer was mad because their package was "late". What they call late is the Post Office's fault, not ours...the shipping star is for our time of shipping. Like mine, I say 5 business days. So, if I send it the day you bought it, but it does not get to you for 10 days? I should get my star! Why? Well, because I shipped well within my stated date. Go by the date it was taken to the PO...

This leads me to fees...now, folks, I hate to tell you this, but we are a BUSINESS! Yes, a real, honest to goodness BUSINESS...and we have overhead...just like any business. We have the typical sellers fees, (which, like everything else, has gone up), and then we have the costs incurred by buying, housing, packaging; (peanuts, bubble wrap, cotton candy...oops, paper, envelopes, note cards), sometimes insuring.

At times we need an item to be inspected, others need to be appraised. There are the fees for the Internet, electric, gasoline ( what, you think we walk the mile to the PO?), bookkeeping, helpers, listing on all venues...I could go on and on...

My point is this: I have heard buyers lamenting we are ripping them off. These folks accuse us sellers all the time of upping our shipping costs. You accuse us of leading you astray in our ads/listings. But, if you would just sit down and read the listing completely, you might see that the shipping fee you see at the top of the listing might be for 2 day or overnight. Not to mention, you can send us a question about any listing we have.

My last, and final point, is WE are human beings. With thoughts, feelings, and needs, just like you. We make mistakes, just like you. We get sick, just like you. So, would you want someone to judge you without them having all the info first? Then please, do not judge us!

I have read that people are now considering eBay sellers as the scum of the earth...nothing could be farther from the TRUTH! I know, I, and a lot of my friends, sell on eBay, or have. We are not scum, we are hard working human beings with a business that most of you take for granted!

Now, if you want to meet some very nice eBay folks, and sellers in general, stop by my blog tomorrow. Why? Because tomorrow, March 23, 2009, I will begin a week long set of interviews of sellers online. http://jimmyandmarshell.blogspot.com/

Come on, are you scared? The worst part is over! I'm done ranting!:>) I'll bet you you'll meet some great folks. I have...

Marshell