EBay for Dummies (49 page)
Authors: Marsha Collier
Tags: #Electronic Commerce, #Computers, #General, #E-Commerce, #Internet auctions, #Auctions - Computer network resources, #Internet, #Business & Economics, #EBay (Firm)
If the item is heavy and you need to use a shipping service that charges by weight and distance, be sure to say in your auction description that you’re just giving an estimate and that the final cost will be determined after the listing is over. Optionally, you can tell the bidder how much the item weighs, where you’re shipping from, and what your handling charges are (a few bidders don’t mind doing the math).
Occasionally, shipping calculations can be off-target, and you may not know that until after you take the buyer’s money. If the mistake is in your favor and is a biggie, notify the buyer and offer a refund. But if shipping ends up costing you a bit more, take your lumps and pay it yourself. Consider it part of the cost of doing business. You can always let the buyer know what happened and that you paid the extra cost. Who knows, it may show up positively on your feedback from the buyer! (Even if it doesn’t, spreading goodwill never hurts.)
4. E-mail the buyer and congratulate him or her on winning; reiterate what your shipping choice is and how long you expect delivery will take.
Make sure you’re both talking about the same timetable. If the buyer balks at either the price or the shipping time, try working out an option that will make the buyer happy.
5. Send the package.
When should you ship the package? Common courtesy says it should go out as soon as the buyer has paid for the item and shipping charges. If the buyer has followed through with his or her side of the bargain, you should do the same. Ship that package no more than a few days after payment (or after the check clears). If you can’t, immediately e-mail the buyer and explain the delay. You should e-mail the buyer as soon as you send the package and ask for an e-mail to confirm arrival after the item gets there. (Don’t forget to put in a plug for positive feedback.)
Send a prompt follow-up e-mail to let the buyer know the item’s on the way. In this e-mail, be sure to include when the item was sent, how long it should take to arrive, any special tracking or delivery confirmation number (if you have one), and a request for a return e-mail confirming arrival after the item gets there. I also include a thank-you note (a receipt would be a business-like addition) in each package I send out. I appreciate when I get one in eBay packages, and it always brings a smile to the recipient’s face. It never hurts to take every opportunity to promote goodwill (and future business and positive feedback).
More often than not, you do get an e-mail back from the buyer to let you know the item arrived safely. If you don’t (and they haven’t received any feedback), it’s a good idea to send another e-mail (in about a week) to ask whether the item arrived in good condition. It jogs the buyer’s memory and demonstrates your professionalism as a seller. Use this opportunity to gently remind buyers that you’ll be leaving positive feedback for them. Ask whether they’re satisfied and don’t be bashful about suggesting they do the same for you. Leave feedback right away so that you don’t forget.
Shopping for a shipper
If only you could transport your item the way they did on
Star Trek
— “Beam up that antique lamp, Scotty!” Alas, it’s not so. Priority Mail via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is pretty much the eBay standard if you’re shipping within the United States and Canada. Many Americans also rely on the USPS to ship internationally as well. FedEx and UPS are global alternatives that work well, too.
Many sellers think that they are unequivocally covered by requiring their buyers to purchase insurance. Even if your buyer opts not to pay for insurance, you are still responsible for making sure that the item arrives at the buyer’s door. Federal mail order laws state that when an item is paid for, it must be delivered to the buyer within 30 days unless there has been an agreement between the buyer and the seller for other arrangements.
Insuring your peace of mind (and your shipment)
Sure, “damaged in the mail” is an excuse we’ve all heard hundreds of times, but despite everyone’s best efforts, sometimes things do get damaged or misplaced during shipment. The universe is a dangerous place; that’s what insurance is for. I usually offer to get insurance from the shipper if the buyer wants to pay for it, and I always get it on expensive items, one-of-a-kind items, or very fragile items. I spell out in my item description that the buyer pays for the insurance.
The major shippers all offer insurance that’s fairly reasonably priced, so check out their rates on their Web sites. But don’t forget to read the details. For example, many items on eBay are sold MIMB (Mint in Mint Box). True, the condition of the original box often has a bearing on the final value of the item inside, but the U.S. Postal Service insures only what is
in
the box. So, if you sold a Malibu Barbie mint in a mint box, USPS insures only the doll and not the original box. Pack carefully so that your buyer gets what’s been paid for. Be mindful that shippers won’t make good on insurance claims if they suspect you of causing the damage by doing a lousy job of packing.
Alternatively, when you’re selling on eBay in earnest, you can purchase your own parcel protection policy from a private insurer like U-PIC. When you use this type of insurance, combined with preprinted electronic postage, you no longer have to stand in line at the post office to have your insured package logged in by the clerk at the counter.
Some sellers also offer their own form of
self-insurance.
Realize that I use the term “self-insurance” as a descriptive phrase only. You may not charge your buyer for insurance unless you are actually paying for insurance from a licensed third-party insurance company. Charging and not fulfilling insurance is a violation of state law. Here’s what I offer my buyers at no cost to them:
On lower-priced items, I am willing to refund the buyer’s money if the item is lost or damaged.
On some items I sell, I have a
risk reserve.
That means I have more than one of the item I sold. If the item is lost or destroyed, I can send the backup item as a replacement.
Whether you’re at the post office, UPS, FedEx, or your doctor’s office, be ready, willing, and able to wait in line. There’s definitely a “rush hour” at my neighborhood Post Office — everybody’s in a rush, so everything moves at a glacial pace. Avoid both the noontime and post-work crunches (easier on the nerves). A good time to ship is around 10:30 a.m., when everyone is still in a good mood. If I have to go in the afternoon, I go about 3:00 p.m., when the clerks are back from their lunch breaks and friendly faces (mine, too — I always smile!) can take the edge off those brusque lunchtime encounters. Why not save yourself the time and stress by requesting a carrier pickup from the Post Office Web site (
www.usps.com
) if you can ship from home.
Be sure to visit my Web site,
www.coolebaytools.com
, for introductory offers for much of the software and services that I mention in this book.
U.S. Postal Service
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is the butt of many unfair jokes and cheap shots, but when it comes right down to it, I think USPS is still the most efficient and inexpensive way to ship items — eBay or otherwise. It also supplies free boxes and labels for Priority and Express Mail packages. Here are some ways eBay members get their items from here to there via USPS:
Priority Mail:
As mentioned earlier, this is the
de facto
standard method of shipping for eBay users. I love the free boxes, and I like the rates. The promised delivery time is two to three days, although I’ve experienced rare delays of up to a week during peak holiday periods.
Cost? As of this writing (rates are always subject to change), Priority Mail costs $4.95 for a 1-pound package. Over a pound, the charge is calculated according to weight and distance.
A $4.95 flat-rate Priority envelope is also available. You can ship as much stuff as you want — as long as you can fit it into the supplied 91//2 x 121//2 envelope. (You’ll be surprised how much stuff you can jam into those envelopes.) You can reinforce the envelope with clear packing tape.
There are also flat-rate Priority Mail boxes that come in three sizes and allow you to send heavy items for reduced rates. Order them directly from the USPS. Figure 12-2 shows you some of the wide selection!