eBay etiquette from a SELLER not a PURCHASER
mt_msla
Posts: 815 ✭✭✭✭
Hello. Been awhile since I posted. Not much to write about. But this kinda irked me.
I found a graded coin I was interested in purchasing. Only 2 photos, kinda bad photos really. Obverse / reverse. So I asked for more photos please, without glare, without odd angles.
"Sure, I'll send tonight." Is the response I receive. Cool. Can't wait!
Oh. Spoke too soon. Because well. I'm waiting. Waiting. Waiting. 2 weeks go by.
I message the seller, "Hi. Was just wondering, I requested some photos awhile back. Never got them."
"Oh, I sent those." is the reply. And that's it.
Ok - here's the problem. Because
1 - if you did, it wasn't to my email. I've viewed every single ebay message I have, and the only 2 I have from YOU is the one saying you'll send photos, and this one saying you already did it.
2 - does your potential sale / my potential purchase mean so little to you that you can't just say, "oh, ok, I'll send them now." Or, "oh, ok. I'll resend them now." ?
3 - so now, I think you are either a liar, lazy, or just not interested.
So. I'm not going to pursue a purchase with that seller. Because I apparently don't mean that much as a buyer. And that, I think, is poor ebay etiquette from a SELLER.
PS - the coin wasn't super pricey ... $200. But the seller does NOT offer returns. And I, as a buyer, wish to see more before buying. Am I out of bounds?
Insert witicism here. [ xxx ]
Comments
Sounds reasonable ..... Move on, there are many coins out there...
Cheers, RickO
I would like to point out that the message system is erratic. Ebay often blocks messages silently if it decides some content is in there it doesn't like
You did what you felt was right. Just forget about it.
@bronco2078 you know, you are right. I hadn't thought of that. But still, could have resent them or something else. Not just "I already did it."
Sorry for the complaints. The net is so toxic already. Perhaps I should just remove the post.
Insert witicism here. [ xxx ]
Ok - here's a terrible joke I just made up. Thought I'd share because it's really, really terrible.
What's the eagle's name on the back of many popular US coins? "Harold."
Insert witicism here. [ xxx ]
When ebay blocks a message they don't always tell either party,
I suppose to stop that ebay has some algorithm that searches for text in pics
I once had a buyer send me a picture of an index card with his phone number on it
Never chase after anyone or anything with a wad full of cash.
That seller is kind of rude. It doesn't take much time at all to snap snap snap some photos.
Seller was basically saying your purchase isn't worth 2 minutes.
Do you want to provide unlimited free energy?
Sit back and enjoy unlimited free energy
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
I watch my wife sell things on eBay, (not coins), and one of her biggest beefs is that the people who ask for more photos, information, and clarification, are the ones who never bid anyway.
She has always complied with requests in the past, but has become so frustrated that she swears she's going to stop. "Here's how I decided to configure my listing, bid or not, I don't care."
Maybe the seller just decided it's easier to ignore requests, and doesn't care if they lose a bidder or two?
@TommyType I'm not that guy. I do most of my purchasing on eBay actually.
Like I said: the photos were crap.
Insert witicism here. [ xxx ]
@TommyType I have also noticed that the people that ask the most questions tend to be those that won’t bid or buy (most won’t even reply back to you when asked if the extra info is helpful). Still I find it’s best to always reply and it makes it that much more rewarding when it helps make the sale!
In my opinion if the photos are bad and the seller is STALLING maybe hoping some fool will buy it knowing there is no return. Since he wont send you photos, he is hiding something. He could of easily replace the 2 bad photos with 1 good one. You should avoid it UNLESS the coin is one of those must have then I would take a chance based on his history. Good history I would take a chance. No history forget about it!
Most people have no idea how to take a good photo.
Use that to your advantage .....
This is true but with the quality coming out on a cell phone and the cheapest digital camera a 12 year old can do this. Now its a fact most 12 years old can run circles around inexperienced adults.
I go to my eleven-year-old on HOW to use my cell phone ...
I am afraid some of the coin sellers may be on a flip phone or even a rotary .....
Error some people are BEYOND help!
Understood. But you may have ended up the victim of the "shoppers" who do just ask for stuff, and never bid....and seller who is rebelling.
But I'm with you. If you are selling on ANY forum, you really should,
1) Make sure your listing is as impeccable as possible with good descriptions and good photos.
2) Be prepared to respond to questions....and be HONEST if you don't intend to respond as requested!
Even though the rotary dial cellphone was technically your idea in the post above I rushed out and patented it and I'm not sharing any of the profits with you.
@TommyType Some of the worst and biggest problem customers I've ever had have been shoppers. Offering pennies on the dollar for OBO and asking a lot of questions without saying thanks or start making demands like you owe it to them, or they saw one once for $6 so forget your 150 etc. Some don't even treat you like a person and can be awfully annoying. I think sometimes they're resellers, the rest of the time just cheap and bitter.
could be he did send the photos with his nude girlfriend holding the slab. ebay would nuke it before you got it.
Maybe?
nah,
bob
Ebay buyers that want more photos are code word for "I will not be pleased and may well send the coin back"
Probably not the case with the OP here, but a little bell goes off to the veteran sellers when the supplied images are not sufficient.
True story, just last month.
I had a guy contact me about buying 2 PCGS 69 EU coins. I only had one listed. He asked if I could do better on two. I told him I had more and I created a listing with 2 at a discounted price because of the combined shipping. He buys the one set, says he couldn't find the listing with two. Fine. I sent him the link again.
He says, he'll take the one for now, but asked for bulk pricing on 4 or 5 sets for his grandchildren. I sent him the price.
Couple days go by, he says he has some bills, he'll buy them in a couple weeks. Fine.
A week goes by, the guy says he got the set, he wants 2 more not 4 or 5, what's the best I can do on 2 sets. Again, I direct him to the double listing. Nothing happens.
A few days later, the guy FILES A RETURN on the 1st set saying "I changed my mind". I accept the return and block him. A couple days go by and he cancels the return saying he doesn't want to jam me up, says he'll get back to me about the other sets after he pays some bills. I do not respond further.
Now, this story is not to offer an excuse for the rude seller the OP referred to, BUT it is often true that the people with the most emails buy the fewest coins.
If my last seller took the couple minutes for better pics on a sweet ngc fatty, it would've saved both of us tying up 500 bucks and shipping. I had a weird feeling buying it but all his coins have been great. He took the return and blocked me. It was weird since we had done pleasant business many times at hundreds of dollars.
And one more thing - didn't have to send me the pics. Could have just posted them to the listing. Which hasn't happened.
I really don't think the seller actually took new photos.
Ok. This horse is dead enough already. No more from me today.
Thanks for all the inputs.
Insert witicism here. [ xxx ]
Welcome back BTW @mt_msla
TYVM @Azurescens I appreciate it!
Insert witicism here. [ xxx ]
I’ve found if the first few photos are crap the next few are going to be the same, it’s a recipe for wasted time. Pull the trigger or move on would be my advice.