Last week we had $10 Indians listed under the $20 DE category. Not a big deal.
A couple of months ago, we sold a DE in a rattler case. The mistake was ... we were selling a second DE in a rattler case (same year, same grade diff cert #). we caught the error before the shipment went out, sent the correct scan to the buyer and asked for his approval. No problem but It confirms your point.
@CoinCoins said:
lemme ask you/anyone.. if you saw a raw coin.. PICTURES OF A RAW COIN.. on ebay, and it said 'NGC 63' in the "fields".. would you assume you'd get a slab in the mail, or would you think maybe it was an oversight on the sellers behalf... ya know, since there are pictures of a RAW COIN, MAYBE he just failed to adjust the listing..
all i did was list an NGC 63 prior, and then "sell similar" and missed adjusting the specs by accident on the next one. whoops.
11,000+ positive feedbacks, 20 years on ebay, top rated seller, with 99.9% positive feedback..
that guy was as dumb as they come. literally one of the dumbest people i've ever dealt with. 23k transactions...
ebay is a sespool of stupidity
Like someone else just said, you should probably stop digging now and move on. Your condescending and disgruntled nature even shows in the quoted post herein. I mean, you already answered your own question: You failed to adjust the listing. How would a buyer know that you failed to adjust the item specifics? You could have just as easily uploaded the incorrect picture. But, since you do not like to be bothered with questions (even though your listing says ask questions), the buyer took a chance and hoped the item specifics were correct. Turns out they were not correct, and then you call the buyer the dumbest you've ever dealt with. A real class act.
Just a point: One of the questions you indicate you do not like is the one where the potential buyer asks if the coin pictured is the one that will be received. You responded by saying "of course it is." So, is it fair to say that if someone asks you if the coin described will be the one received, your response would be "of course it is."???
PS-Not that it really matters at this point, but it is 99.8 percent, not 99.9 percent.
I don't know if the OP is in the same position as I was, but I took a LOT of vacations. Every 4 to 6 weeks, I was at one end of the country or the other.
Wake up near the Atlantic, go to bed near the Pacific. My kids loved it; their Teachers hated it.
They learned more with me, but yea, I had to walk away from the computer for a few days... a lot.
Don't quit your day job if your this unhappy, Oh I forgot Ebay must be your day job. Try the want adds, sounds like you need a new profession. Oh by the way, THIS IS NOT EBAY!
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
@CoinCoins said:
do not include a little 'note' telling me how to carefully package your item. i know how to package stuff. stop it.
stop asking me if the item pictured is the same item you'll receive. of course it is.
I agree with a lot of what you posted in general, and I get a lot of questions that drive me nuts. However, I'll address these two. I package my items really well. I know I know how to do it. I receive shipments for a client in Europe when sellers won't ship to him directly. I am amazed and befuddled at how terribly some of these coins are packaged. Like "coin taped to piece of paper and stuck in an envelope" terrible. Or "coin rattling loose in an envelope with some not quite pressed down staples for it to slide over." You and I may not need that request, but some sellers do. Also, I'm guessing there are buyers who have been burned by sellers putting up stock photos. While many things on your list are pretty obvious, I would much rather a buyer clarify exactly what they're getting instead of winning and then causing a hassle because the made a bad assumption, even if they're wrong for making that assumption.
Also, you missed one:
Stop asking questions about an item--where the answer will change whether you want the item--after the listing has ended.
We don't get many arguments, insult slinging and "pissing contests" on this forum. It's kinda funny, but lowers the tone. I thought your OP was for comedic affect. If you are seriously bothered, seriously lighten up!
100th pint of blood donated 7/19/2022 . Transactions with WilliamF, Relaxn, LukeMarshal, jclovescoins, braddick, JWP, Weather11am, Fairlaneman, Dscoins, lordmarcovan, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, JimW. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that who so believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Ebay has a lot of frustrations as both a buyer and seller but it gets a ton of eyeballs and all things considered, the pricing structure is reasonable (though both buyer and seller assume a bit of risk).
Just today I saw a listing for a PCGS MS69 FS 2021 Peace $ with pictures of an End of WW2 medal from 2020. Looked like an experienced seller, but was he selling a 2021 Peace or a 2020 End of WW2 medal?
I suggest that you either take a break or hire an assistant to deal with some of the more mundane aspects of running your business. Maybe you need to scale up a bit more to justify the extra overhead from hiring help? Are there other mundane aspects of your business that you could outsource to relieve some of the frustration?
Personally, as a seller, I want buyers to send questions - if they send odd questions it lets me know they might be a problem and it might be best to wait on a different buyer. As a buyer, I send questions if I have any doubt (especially with sellers that only dabble in coins) - I want to avoid a situation where I might have to make a return for 'not as described' and I think most sellers prefer to avoid that too.
Ebay customers reflect the general population at large. Many different types out there, and there are undesirable ones. Ebay has no monopoly on them. Ask any store clerk, fast food employee, coin shop owner, police station, 911 operators, ER staffers, and so on and so on... you will find many complaints and stories.
If it bothers you that much, find another line of work. But any where you go, you will likely find same type of customers if you deal with general population.
@CoinCoins said:
lemme ask you/anyone.. if you saw a raw coin.. PICTURES OF A RAW COIN.. on ebay, and it said 'NGC 63' in the "fields".. would you assume you'd get a slab in the mail, or would you think maybe it was an oversight on the sellers behalf... ya know, since there are pictures of a RAW COIN, MAYBE he just failed to adjust the listing..
all i did was list an NGC 63 prior, and then "sell similar" and missed adjusting the specs by accident on the next one. whoops.
11,000+ positive feedbacks, 20 years on ebay, top rated seller, with 99.9% positive feedback..
that guy was as dumb as they come. literally one of the dumbest people i've ever dealt with. 23k transactions...
ebay is a sespool of stupidity
So here's the thing: everyone knows that the seller failed to adjust the listing. How is a buyer to know if you put up the wrong picture or the wrong title? Wouldn't you take a chance knowing you can always file a SNAD?
I assure you that there are clowns on eBay who package items as cheaply as possible. There are those who use stock photos. Unfortunately, there are also clowns who think sellers don't know what their items are worth (many on Etsy resemble that) or know that the deal is so good that they need to buy before they have the money.
I recently bought a book that was listed as "New". Not only was it an ex-library book, but the seller strung me along asking me to wait until they could look into the matter further. Finally I gave up and filed a claim with eBay, but it was too late as the window had closed. The seller feedback was multiples of yours, and I behaved as you would have your buyers behave, and yet I was greatly ripped off.
I get it we all have time like this. Have a beer or a hit look at it again tomorrow it will be a okay. Trust me mama said there will be days like this and she was right. Your just blowing off steam but it’s true I get it when your dealing with the public it can get crazy but it’s what we sign up for when we went into business. Be safe and have fun.
I'll assume those responding negatively either don't deal with the general public or are saints.
Dealing with time wasting morons is a requirement of working with the public. Some are good at it, some are not, and some apparently need to vent online.
Humanity spans the scale across multiple spectrums: nice vs mean, patient vs impatient, intelligent vs unintelligent, etc. And sometimes you get the worst: a mean, impatient, unintelligent person. And at least for me, it makes me want to jump off a cliff. Dealing with them is not my strong suit.
I do tech support as part of my business. The worst customer I dealt with was just a really mean, insulting, nut-job who I went back and forth a bit over email. After an email saying that we needed to give him free stuff or he would release embarrassing photos of me on the Internet (no idea what he was talking about), I did some online research on him. Turns out he was an ex-police office who (allegedly) shot his wife with a sniper rifle while she was walking with their child at the zoo after she filed for divorce. The police couldn't get enough evidence to bring him up on charges, though the police chief was confident it was him.
Of course, he claims he is innocent, but after having dealt with tens of thousands of customers over the years, he was meanest and most deranged we've dealt with. So yeah, I think he shot his wife.
We sent him a box with his requested free stuff and removed our return shipping address. We don't typically give in to rude customers, but when shooting me or one of our employees with a sniper rifle is a possibility, we make exceptions.
Edit:
Oh, and some people have legitimate mental health problems. You may be dealing with a paranoid schizophrenic for example. It's not common, but does happen. Regardless, my take-away is the same. Working with the public can be frustrating and difficult at times.
I thought I wouldn't enter this fray, but the more I thought about it, I am.
It is obvious the last neg you got sent you over the wall. Take a deep breath and try to relax. Please realize that if 20% of your buyers were moronic or idiots then you couldn't possibly have a 99.8% feedback score. Also, what percentage of your business would you think to lose if you posted your complaints on every auction? So what if you get a few silly or nonsensical questions. It takes about 20 seconds to answer them and if they want you to give them the weight, give them the weight as your coin might have signs of being counterfeit and before commiting they are taking you up on your offer to ask questions. You truly are too upset about a neg. I believe in a couple of days not dwelling on it and you will agree you overreacted. I hope you do, anyway.
I know I would not wish to lose 20% of business, even if it was all the people I disagree with. After 20 years you evidently have been at the least somewhat successful. Continue with your business, but reconsider your list and see if maybe you could improve your replies to some of the list, just some of the list.
Best of luck.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
@CoinCoins said:
read the description. i can't tell you how many times people ignore this.
One of the biggest problems right here. Unfortunately, I have had a live eBay CS rep tell me they don't require that prospective buyers actually read the descriptions.
They not only don't read the descriptions, they don't read or understand the titles sometimes.
I sold some vintage Christmas lights last year on ebay with "FOR DISPLAY ONLY, DO NOT PLUG THESE IN" right in the listing Title. which I repeated in the description. The buyer left me a negative feedback and said "When I Plugged them in, they started smoking, so I threw them out!". I got her to change the feedback after I refunded her. She said "Oh, I didn't see that part".
GEEEESH! Nice old vintage Christmas lights from the 1940's NIB(New In Box) destroyed.
The people who ask questions are the ones most interested in the item. Your loss of business is your own fault. And the people who are really interested in the items are the ones that DO READ the descriptions.
do not include a little 'note' telling me how to carefully package your item. i know how to package stuff. stop it.
Write a better description with "Your coins will be well packaged"
stop telling me to send you tracking numbers once it's mailed. it's automatic.
Put "Tracking is automatic" in your description.
if you don't see a box in the pictures, don't ask me if a box is included.
" I put "What you see is what you get" in all my descriptions
if you don't see a COA don't ask me if a COA is included.
don't ask me what i'd grade the coin. it's up to you.
You can put "You grade it" in the description
stop asking me if the item pictured is the same item you'll receive. of course it is.
"What you see is what you get" will fix this also. The people who ask you this question are worried or have been burned by people who use "stock photos"
stop sending offers that are like 30% of the asking price. it's ridiculous.
I just ignore these offers and do not respond to them.
if your tracking numbers say it should've been there today but it didn't show up, don't assume i can magically make it arrive right now by emailing me about it. be patient. for christ's sake.. i have no control over the USPS.
True, but you have to make a possible buyer seem like you care.
look at the pictures. i upload giant pics for a reason.
read the description. i can't tell you how many times people ignore this.
"If you have any questions, or would like more picture, don't hesitate to ask" is not a description.
do not wait DAYS to pay for it. this is annoying.
This you have to live with. Funds may not be ready immediately sometimes for various reasons. I wait until the eBay deadline and if the non-payer buyer does not communicate with me they also get banned from bidding on my auctions.
above all.. stop asking me dumb questions. i've hit a point where i just delete them.
I guess that you were never a newbie. Some people do not understand the simplest of things.
i know this may come off as asshole-ish, but believe me, 20 years of this will drive you to the point of starting threads like this.
Your right, you should have a lot better attitude by now.
the very best customers are the ones that pay immediately and then get it in the mail when it arrives. zero communication. we keep it simple. i like you guys a lot.
to the rest of you: stop bugging us with moronic nonsense.
It's not nonsense to them.
thank you very much
sigh
time for vacation...my favorite.. seller emails me 1 hr after auction close asking for payment ... then makes the shiping label ...gets the money.. ships 8 days after label made & getting payment
@Jzyskowski1 said:
This is your description. Off your site. What the dang heck are you doing? Ask for what is happening and then rip on people for doing what you want?🙀
@CoinCoins said:
read the description. i can't tell you how many times people ignore this.
One of the biggest problems right here. Unfortunately, I have had a live eBay CS rep tell me they don't require that prospective buyers actually read the descriptions.
They not only don't read the descriptions, they don't read or understand the titles sometimes.
I sold some vintage Christmas lights last year on ebay with "FOR DISPLAY ONLY, DO NOT PLUG THESE IN" right in the listing Title. which I repeated in the description. The buyer left me a negative feedback and said "When I Plugged them in, they started smoking, so I threw them out!". I got her to change the feedback after I refunded her. She said "Oh, I didn't see that part".
GEEEESH! Nice old vintage Christmas lights from the 1940's NIB(New In Box) destroyed.
I actually had somebody return a barber half because "I thought it was a quarter". It said "Half" in the title, was pictured accurately, was in the half dollar category, and was correctly labeled "50c" in the item specifics.
But the problem children are less than 1% of my customers. No big deal.
@CoinCoins said:
read the description. i can't tell you how many times people ignore this.
One of the biggest problems right here. Unfortunately, I have had a live eBay CS rep tell me they don't require that prospective buyers actually read the descriptions.
They not only don't read the descriptions, they don't read or understand the titles sometimes.
I sold some vintage Christmas lights last year on ebay with "FOR DISPLAY ONLY, DO NOT PLUG THESE IN" right in the listing Title. which I repeated in the description. The buyer left me a negative feedback and said "When I Plugged them in, they started smoking, so I threw them out!". I got her to change the feedback after I refunded her. She said "Oh, I didn't see that part".
GEEEESH! Nice old vintage Christmas lights from the 1940's NIB(New In Box) destroyed.
My favorite was someone who filed a SNAD because--as he wrote--there was a pinhole in the middle of the note. I argued to eBay that the description seemed pretty accurate to me given I said there's a pinhole right through the eye (which is in the middle of the note) and they said they just go by what the buyer says, so if he says SNAD it's SNAD, and I'm covering all the return costs.
That was more than a “few” tips. In fact, it was more than several and even more than a dozen.
Here’s a tip for you - try to put yourself in the shoes of bidders who’ve dealt with other sellers that were less perfect than you. See comments in bold font below and please, don’t ask any less than incredibly intelligent questions.😉
do not include a little 'note' telling me how to carefully package your item. i know how to package stuff. stop it.
Many sellers either don’t know how to package items carefully or do know, but still fail to do so.
stop telling me to send you tracking numbers once it's mailed. it's automatic.
it isn’t for many sellers.
if you don't see a box in the pictures, don't ask me if a box is included.
if you don't see a COA don't ask me if a COA is included.
don't ask me what i'd grade the coin. it's up to you.
stop asking me if the item pictured is the same item you'll receive. of course it is.
Many listings include pictures of items that aren’t actually being sold and which the winning bidder won’t receive.
stop sending offers that are like 30% of the asking price. it's ridiculous.
if your tracking numbers say it should've been there today but it didn't show up, don't assume i can magically make it arrive right now by emailing me about it. be patient. for christ's sake.. i have no control over the USPS.
look at the pictures. i upload giant pics for a reason.
read the description. i can't tell you how many times people ignore this.
do not wait DAYS to pay for it. this is annoying.
above all.. stop asking me dumb questions. i've hit a point where i just delete them.
It sounds as many of the “dumb” questions you’ve been asked aren’t dumb. They’re based on experiences that the bidders have had with other sellers. If you, yourself, haven’t had such experiences, either you don’t buy much on eBay or you’ve been very lucky.
i know this may come off as asshole-ish, but believe me, 20 years of this will drive you to the point of starting threads like this.
the very best customers are the ones that pay immediately and then get it in the mail when it arrives. zero communication. we keep it simple. i like you guys a lot.
to the rest of you: stop bugging us with moronic nonsense.
thank you very much
sigh
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
@CoinCoins said:
read the description. i can't tell you how many times people ignore this.
One of the biggest problems right here. Unfortunately, I have had a live eBay CS rep tell me they don't require that prospective buyers actually read the descriptions.
They not only don't read the descriptions, they don't read or understand the titles sometimes.
I sold some vintage Christmas lights last year on ebay with "FOR DISPLAY ONLY, DO NOT PLUG THESE IN" right in the listing Title. which I repeated in the description. The buyer left me a negative feedback and said "When I Plugged them in, they started smoking, so I threw them out!". I got her to change the feedback after I refunded her. She said "Oh, I didn't see that part".
GEEEESH! Nice old vintage Christmas lights from the 1940's NIB(New In Box) destroyed.
I actually had somebody return a barber half because "I thought it was a quarter". It said "Half" in the title, was pictured accurately, was in the half dollar category, and was correctly labeled "50c" in the item specifics.
But the problem children are less than 1% of my customers. No big deal.
But did your listing specifically state that the coin wasn’t a quarter?😉
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
I wasn't going to join in but you pointed out a beef I have. I mainly search for PCGS graded coins. I'm sick of all the raw coins listed as being PCGS certified! And yes, many sellers do this intentionally.
@CoinCoins said:
lemme ask you/anyone.. if you saw a raw coin.. PICTURES OF A RAW COIN.. on ebay, and it said 'NGC 63' in the "fields".. would you assume you'd get a slab in the mail, or would you think maybe it was an oversight on the sellers behalf... ya know, since there are pictures of a RAW COIN, MAYBE he just failed to adjust the listing..
all i did was list an NGC 63 prior, and then "sell similar" and missed adjusting the specs by accident on the next one. whoops.
11,000+ positive feedbacks, 20 years on ebay, top rated seller, with 99.9% positive feedback..
that guy was as dumb as they come. literally one of the dumbest people i've ever dealt with. 23k transactions...
Today collectibles in general are often sold through an online process that can be great for instant gratification... but it clearly is not a substitute for buying something that you can see and handle in person and know if one's expectations will be met. In this instance, many questions, problems and other issues rarely materialize. Ebay and selling online is not easy - I can understand the significant frustration of a seller. The seller is offering to an unknown who may or may not know much about what they are buying.
Part of the problem is a seller does not have a connection to the buyer- unless it is a previous customer or perhaps someone they already know- Instead of a list of tips that have appear negative, maybe offering something positive that a buyer can do... I look at other listings of the seller because that seems to be a measure of what they sell and how they approach their listings. Some questions can either be answered or a level of comfort on the part of the buyer/bidder can be established through what they see. I rarely buy anything online unless I know the seller.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
@CoinCoins said:
"Do you have this complaint list on your EBay page"
there is no 'ebay page' to post this on. you don't even know what you're talking about.
it's astounding... dealing with people is completely astounding.
i welcome normal people
i'm sick of nonsense. which, for some reason, is constant.
Buyers write this stuff because they've received coins TAPED to a piece of cardboard without a 2X2 or flip, or the package arrives with the coin missing or rattling around loose in the packaging, or order 5 coins from a seller and they send 5 individual packages and charge full shipping for each, or they send a beautiful and expensive coin to a 10-year-old address that is not listed anywhere on my eBay shipping information (how the heck did that happen?!!) and then they say they're off the hook because the item was marked as delivered, or they receive the wrong item, or they ship an expensive item via registered mail and it arrives over 3 weeks later (after traveling only 300 miles) and then when the coin is improperly described piece of crap, the seller tells you that it is way too late to ask for a return. Then they freak out when you "neg" them for gross misrepresentation of an expensive coin. All these things have happened to me with eBay purchases.
Coinkat , I see your point but I am not sure that shop owners know who’s walking through the door. Any business that deals with the public has similar problems.
Find out what coin prices are in the real world, not the crazy world 90% of you seem to live in..
Take pictures that a person can actually see with their real eyeballs, not the crazy eyes that you must have got with the crazy price list they hand out in ebay dealer dream land..
And finally, scrubbed out and essentially destroyed coins don't sell for multiples of PCGS guide...if you are confused about how to sell this type of junk, just use the $.99 auction and let them find a new home, probably in some other fantasy land ebay sellers 5x BIN offering..
😅
I had a buyer that bought 3 unopened proof sets (60,61,63) the title and photos clearly showed the unopened sets.
The buyer gets the coins and sends a message "how am I supposed to know the coins are in the envelopes?"
I replied "well you should be able to feel them through the paper or you can open them"
He said "I don't want to open them that is why I bought sealed sets and how do I know newer coins have not been swapped out and then resealed?"
I said "You can send them back for a full refund if you want."
He said "No, I don't want to send them back and then I would just have the same problem with ones I buy to replace them."
I said "there is not much I can do other than offer a refund or you can keep the coins."
This went on for 4 more days and dozens of messages!
The buyer finally left positive feedback for all 3 items. "top unidentified mint set unopened way too cool whats inside? 10 star ebayer" "way too cool unidentified coinage in sealed envelope, 10 stars without looking !" "what a super item, i wont open to verify the contents but i believe 10 star ebay"
What is your eBay handle…don’t want to accidentally buy from you. Too many quality dealers out there to deal with disgruntled (insert appropriate finish)
100% positive transactions with SurfinxHI, bigole, 1madman, collectorcoins, proofmorgan, Luke Marshall, silver pop, golden egg, point five zero,coin22lover, alohagary, blaircountycoin,joebb21
I've done a bit of selling on eBay, although I'm a collector. I'm very surprised at the reactions of many who have responded to the OP. I don't find the post condescending in the least, I find much of it to be right on and amusing. On balance I can say that selling is both more hazardous and frustrating than buying.
@Mgarmy said:
What is your eBay handle…don’t want to accidentally buy from you. Too many quality dealers out there to deal with disgruntled (insert appropriate finish)
He said it is COINSNIOC.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
100% positive transactions with SurfinxHI, bigole, 1madman, collectorcoins, proofmorgan, Luke Marshall, silver pop, golden egg, point five zero,coin22lover, alohagary, blaircountycoin,joebb21
Coinkat , I see your point but I am not sure that shop owners know who’s walking through the door. Any business that deals with the public has similar problems.
While this is true, a personal interaction can easily help both the dealer and buyer meet expectations
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
@Davideo said:
I'll assume those responding negatively either don't deal with the general public or are saints.
Dealing with time wasting morons is a requirement of working with the public. Some are good at it, some are not, and some apparently need to vent online.
Humanity spans the scale across multiple spectrums: nice vs mean, patient vs impatient, intelligent vs unintelligent, etc. And sometimes you get the worst: a mean, impatient, unintelligent person. And at least for me, it makes me want to jump off a cliff. Dealing with them is not my strong suit.
I do tech support as part of my business. The worst customer I dealt with was just a really mean, insulting, nut-job who I went back and forth a bit over email. After an email saying that we needed to give him free stuff or he would release embarrassing photos of me on the Internet (no idea what he was talking about), I did some online research on him. Turns out he was an ex-police office who (allegedly) shot his wife with a sniper rifle while she was walking with their child at the zoo after she filed for divorce. The police couldn't get enough evidence to bring him up on charges, though the police chief was confident it was him.
Of course, he claims he is innocent, but after having dealt with tens of thousands of customers over the years, he was meanest and most deranged we've dealt with. So yeah, I think he shot his wife.
We sent him a box with his requested free stuff and removed our return shipping address. We don't typically give in to rude customers, but when shooting me or one of our employees with a sniper rifle is a possibility, we make exceptions.
Edit:
Oh, and some people have legitimate mental health problems. You may be dealing with a paranoid schizophrenic for example. It's not common, but does happen. Regardless, my take-away is the same. Working with the public can be frustrating and difficult at times.
Oh, That guy?
Small world. In my real life, I'm in the local car community. I know exactly who you're talking about. Scary s(&t.
No one uses the word alleged unless it's on the record.
I haven't noticed him around in a while, but I don't own that model of car anymore. The fact he would still show his face and act normal was unsettling.
When there is a concern for me on an eBay listing, I send a message to the seller to clarify.
If I get no reply, they get no bid from me.
@CoinCoins said:
i hit a point where i couldn't take the "do you combine shipping?" anymore years ago
>
If there is no mention of it contained in the auction's listing, I will send a message to see if the seller combines shipping costs. A seller should smile at this request as a buyer is bidding on multiples of their offerings.
>
When a seller lists 5 items going off within minutes of each other and each item requires 4-5 dollars
for shipping, dam right I will ask this question. My intent is on winning all 5 items.
>
We all know that all the items won, will go into one shipping package.
If you do not combine shipping costs, add that descriptor to your listing.
>
If sellers do not like getting questions, then state that in your offering(s) also.
Wayne
Wayne,be careful. You’ll wind up here in the cesspool with despicable people like me 😂
Op needs to retire someplace where he can yell at people “to get off my lawn”.
I’m rather shocked Wayne, how dare you ask questions when invited to “ask questions “. What were you thinking? 😂😉🙀
This is why I pay someone to do all of my eBay listings. I send him the coins. He posts them and handles all of the issues I don’t want to deal with. It’s well worth it to me.
@MFeld said:
That was more than a “few” tips. In fact, it was more than several and even more than a dozen.
Here’s a tip for you - try to put yourself in the shoes of bidders who’ve dealt with other sellers that were less perfect than you. See comments in bold font below and please, don’t ask any less than incredibly intelligent questions.😉
do not include a little 'note' telling me how to carefully package your item. i know how to package stuff. stop it.
Many sellers either don’t know how to package items carefully or do know, but still fail to do so.
stop telling me to send you tracking numbers once it's mailed. it's automatic.
it isn’t for many sellers.
if you don't see a box in the pictures, don't ask me if a box is included.
if you don't see a COA don't ask me if a COA is included.
don't ask me what i'd grade the coin. it's up to you.
stop asking me if the item pictured is the same item you'll receive. of course it is.
Many listings include pictures of items that aren’t actually being sold and which the winning bidder won’t receive.
stop sending offers that are like 30% of the asking price. it's ridiculous.
if your tracking numbers say it should've been there today but it didn't show up, don't assume i can magically make it arrive right now by emailing me about it. be patient. for christ's sake.. i have no control over the USPS.
look at the pictures. i upload giant pics for a reason.
read the description. i can't tell you how many times people ignore this.
do not wait DAYS to pay for it. this is annoying.
above all.. stop asking me dumb questions. i've hit a point where i just delete them.
It sounds as many of the “dumb” questions you’ve been asked aren’t dumb. They’re based on experiences that the bidders have had with other sellers. If you, yourself, haven’t had such experiences, either you don’t buy much on eBay or you’ve been very lucky.
i know this may come off as asshole-ish, but believe me, 20 years of this will drive you to the point of starting threads like this.
the very best customers are the ones that pay immediately and then get it in the mail when it arrives. zero communication. we keep it simple. i like you guys a lot.
to the rest of you: stop bugging us with moronic nonsense.
Comments
Last week we had $10 Indians listed under the $20 DE category. Not a big deal.
A couple of months ago, we sold a DE in a rattler case. The mistake was ... we were selling a second DE in a rattler case (same year, same grade diff cert #). we caught the error before the shipment went out, sent the correct scan to the buyer and asked for his approval. No problem but It confirms your point.
Will you sell it at the $69 you have marked instead of the $79 listing?
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
If it was me...
Sure. Cash or check at my shop.
I check out your auctions but I may have a few questions.
ask me anything
Like someone else just said, you should probably stop digging now and move on. Your condescending and disgruntled nature even shows in the quoted post herein. I mean, you already answered your own question: You failed to adjust the listing. How would a buyer know that you failed to adjust the item specifics? You could have just as easily uploaded the incorrect picture. But, since you do not like to be bothered with questions (even though your listing says ask questions), the buyer took a chance and hoped the item specifics were correct. Turns out they were not correct, and then you call the buyer the dumbest you've ever dealt with. A real class act.
Just a point: One of the questions you indicate you do not like is the one where the potential buyer asks if the coin pictured is the one that will be received. You responded by saying "of course it is." So, is it fair to say that if someone asks you if the coin described will be the one received, your response would be "of course it is."???
PS-Not that it really matters at this point, but it is 99.8 percent, not 99.9 percent.
I don't know if the OP is in the same position as I was, but I took a LOT of vacations. Every 4 to 6 weeks, I was at one end of the country or the other.
Wake up near the Atlantic, go to bed near the Pacific. My kids loved it; their Teachers hated it.
They learned more with me, but yea, I had to walk away from the computer for a few days... a lot.
So sad.......................
Don't quit your day job if your this unhappy, Oh I forgot Ebay must be your day job. Try the want adds, sounds like you need a new profession. Oh by the way, THIS IS NOT EBAY!
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
Successful Transactions with more than 100 Members
Cesspool eh? I shall return to something more important and put you on ignore 🙀
🎶 shout shout, let it all out 🎶
that guy was as dumb as they come. literally one of the dumbest people i've ever dealt with. 23k transactions...
ebay is a sespool of stupidity
*cesspool
Grazie.
peacockcoins
On a serious note:
Your own auction states, "If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask".
https://www.ebay.com/itm/384603029111?nma=true&si=GXJFBfj%2BmrLHLratvo5zw0OQEss%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
peacockcoins
I agree with a lot of what you posted in general, and I get a lot of questions that drive me nuts. However, I'll address these two. I package my items really well. I know I know how to do it. I receive shipments for a client in Europe when sellers won't ship to him directly. I am amazed and befuddled at how terribly some of these coins are packaged. Like "coin taped to piece of paper and stuck in an envelope" terrible. Or "coin rattling loose in an envelope with some not quite pressed down staples for it to slide over." You and I may not need that request, but some sellers do. Also, I'm guessing there are buyers who have been burned by sellers putting up stock photos. While many things on your list are pretty obvious, I would much rather a buyer clarify exactly what they're getting instead of winning and then causing a hassle because the made a bad assumption, even if they're wrong for making that assumption.
Also, you missed one:
Stop asking questions about an item--where the answer will change whether you want the item--after the listing has ended.
We don't get many arguments, insult slinging and "pissing contests" on this forum. It's kinda funny, but lowers the tone. I thought your OP was for comedic affect. If you are seriously bothered, seriously lighten up!
Ebay has a lot of frustrations as both a buyer and seller but it gets a ton of eyeballs and all things considered, the pricing structure is reasonable (though both buyer and seller assume a bit of risk).
Just today I saw a listing for a PCGS MS69 FS 2021 Peace $ with pictures of an End of WW2 medal from 2020. Looked like an experienced seller, but was he selling a 2021 Peace or a 2020 End of WW2 medal?
I suggest that you either take a break or hire an assistant to deal with some of the more mundane aspects of running your business. Maybe you need to scale up a bit more to justify the extra overhead from hiring help? Are there other mundane aspects of your business that you could outsource to relieve some of the frustration?
Personally, as a seller, I want buyers to send questions - if they send odd questions it lets me know they might be a problem and it might be best to wait on a different buyer. As a buyer, I send questions if I have any doubt (especially with sellers that only dabble in coins) - I want to avoid a situation where I might have to make a return for 'not as described' and I think most sellers prefer to avoid that too.
Ebay customers reflect the general population at large. Many different types out there, and there are undesirable ones. Ebay has no monopoly on them. Ask any store clerk, fast food employee, coin shop owner, police station, 911 operators, ER staffers, and so on and so on... you will find many complaints and stories.
If it bothers you that much, find another line of work. But any where you go, you will likely find same type of customers if you deal with general population.
If the OP had changed his thread title to “Why Coin Dealers Drink” maybe it would have been received better? 😉
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
can you send me a better pic of the coin?
I would but I don't know if I still have the coin.
So here's the thing: everyone knows that the seller failed to adjust the listing. How is a buyer to know if you put up the wrong picture or the wrong title? Wouldn't you take a chance knowing you can always file a SNAD?
I assure you that there are clowns on eBay who package items as cheaply as possible. There are those who use stock photos. Unfortunately, there are also clowns who think sellers don't know what their items are worth (many on Etsy resemble that) or know that the deal is so good that they need to buy before they have the money.
I recently bought a book that was listed as "New". Not only was it an ex-library book, but the seller strung me along asking me to wait until they could look into the matter further. Finally I gave up and filed a claim with eBay, but it was too late as the window had closed. The seller feedback was multiples of yours, and I behaved as you would have your buyers behave, and yet I was greatly ripped off.
I get it we all have time like this. Have a beer or a hit look at it again tomorrow it will be a okay. Trust me mama said there will be days like this and she was right. Your just blowing off steam but it’s true I get it when your dealing with the public it can get crazy but it’s what we sign up for when we went into business. Be safe and have fun.
Hoard the keys.
I'll assume those responding negatively either don't deal with the general public or are saints.
Dealing with time wasting morons is a requirement of working with the public. Some are good at it, some are not, and some apparently need to vent online.
Humanity spans the scale across multiple spectrums: nice vs mean, patient vs impatient, intelligent vs unintelligent, etc. And sometimes you get the worst: a mean, impatient, unintelligent person. And at least for me, it makes me want to jump off a cliff. Dealing with them is not my strong suit.
I do tech support as part of my business. The worst customer I dealt with was just a really mean, insulting, nut-job who I went back and forth a bit over email. After an email saying that we needed to give him free stuff or he would release embarrassing photos of me on the Internet (no idea what he was talking about), I did some online research on him. Turns out he was an ex-police office who (allegedly) shot his wife with a sniper rifle while she was walking with their child at the zoo after she filed for divorce. The police couldn't get enough evidence to bring him up on charges, though the police chief was confident it was him.
Of course, he claims he is innocent, but after having dealt with tens of thousands of customers over the years, he was meanest and most deranged we've dealt with. So yeah, I think he shot his wife.
We sent him a box with his requested free stuff and removed our return shipping address. We don't typically give in to rude customers, but when shooting me or one of our employees with a sniper rifle is a possibility, we make exceptions.
Edit:
Oh, and some people have legitimate mental health problems. You may be dealing with a paranoid schizophrenic for example. It's not common, but does happen. Regardless, my take-away is the same. Working with the public can be frustrating and difficult at times.
I thought I wouldn't enter this fray, but the more I thought about it, I am.
It is obvious the last neg you got sent you over the wall. Take a deep breath and try to relax. Please realize that if 20% of your buyers were moronic or idiots then you couldn't possibly have a 99.8% feedback score. Also, what percentage of your business would you think to lose if you posted your complaints on every auction? So what if you get a few silly or nonsensical questions. It takes about 20 seconds to answer them and if they want you to give them the weight, give them the weight as your coin might have signs of being counterfeit and before commiting they are taking you up on your offer to ask questions. You truly are too upset about a neg. I believe in a couple of days not dwelling on it and you will agree you overreacted. I hope you do, anyway.
I know I would not wish to lose 20% of business, even if it was all the people I disagree with. After 20 years you evidently have been at the least somewhat successful. Continue with your business, but reconsider your list and see if maybe you could improve your replies to some of the list, just some of the list.
Best of luck.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
Maybe this should be called the whine section, just saying
They not only don't read the descriptions, they don't read or understand the titles sometimes.
I sold some vintage Christmas lights last year on ebay with "FOR DISPLAY ONLY, DO NOT PLUG THESE IN" right in the listing Title. which I repeated in the description. The buyer left me a negative feedback and said "When I Plugged them in, they started smoking, so I threw them out!". I got her to change the feedback after I refunded her. She said "Oh, I didn't see that part".
GEEEESH! Nice old vintage Christmas lights from the 1940's NIB(New In Box) destroyed.
I don't mind the stupid questions and lowball offers.
I send them a message back "Thanks for letting me know you wanted to be placed on my blocked bidder list"
The people who ask questions are the ones most interested in the item. Your loss of business is your own fault. And the people who are really interested in the items are the ones that DO READ the descriptions.
Write a better description with "Your coins will be well packaged"
Put "Tracking is automatic" in your description.
" I put "What you see is what you get" in all my descriptions
You can put "You grade it" in the description
"What you see is what you get" will fix this also. The people who ask you this question are worried or have been burned by people who use "stock photos"
I just ignore these offers and do not respond to them.
True, but you have to make a possible buyer seem like you care.
"If you have any questions, or would like more picture, don't hesitate to ask" is not a description.
This you have to live with. Funds may not be ready immediately sometimes for various reasons. I wait until the eBay deadline and if the non-payer buyer does not communicate with me they also get banned from bidding on my auctions.
I guess that you were never a newbie. Some people do not understand the simplest of things.
Your right, you should have a lot better attitude by now.
It's not nonsense to them.
You need better descriptions then this.
I actually had somebody return a barber half because "I thought it was a quarter". It said "Half" in the title, was pictured accurately, was in the half dollar category, and was correctly labeled "50c" in the item specifics.
But the problem children are less than 1% of my customers. No big deal.
My favorite was someone who filed a SNAD because--as he wrote--there was a pinhole in the middle of the note. I argued to eBay that the description seemed pretty accurate to me given I said there's a pinhole right through the eye (which is in the middle of the note) and they said they just go by what the buyer says, so if he says SNAD it's SNAD, and I'm covering all the return costs.
That was more than a “few” tips. In fact, it was more than several and even more than a dozen.
Here’s a tip for you - try to put yourself in the shoes of bidders who’ve dealt with other sellers that were less perfect than you. See comments in bold font below and please, don’t ask any less than incredibly intelligent questions.😉
Many sellers either don’t know how to package items carefully or do know, but still fail to do so.
it isn’t for many sellers.
Many listings include pictures of items that aren’t actually being sold and which the winning bidder won’t receive.
It sounds as many of the “dumb” questions you’ve been asked aren’t dumb. They’re based on experiences that the bidders have had with other sellers. If you, yourself, haven’t had such experiences, either you don’t buy much on eBay or you’ve been very lucky.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
But did your listing specifically state that the coin wasn’t a quarter?😉
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
I wasn't going to join in but you pointed out a beef I have. I mainly search for PCGS graded coins. I'm sick of all the raw coins listed as being PCGS certified! And yes, many sellers do this intentionally.
Look in the mirror you’ll find one.
Today collectibles in general are often sold through an online process that can be great for instant gratification... but it clearly is not a substitute for buying something that you can see and handle in person and know if one's expectations will be met. In this instance, many questions, problems and other issues rarely materialize. Ebay and selling online is not easy - I can understand the significant frustration of a seller. The seller is offering to an unknown who may or may not know much about what they are buying.
Part of the problem is a seller does not have a connection to the buyer- unless it is a previous customer or perhaps someone they already know- Instead of a list of tips that have appear negative, maybe offering something positive that a buyer can do... I look at other listings of the seller because that seems to be a measure of what they sell and how they approach their listings. Some questions can either be answered or a level of comfort on the part of the buyer/bidder can be established through what they see. I rarely buy anything online unless I know the seller.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Buyers write this stuff because they've received coins TAPED to a piece of cardboard without a 2X2 or flip, or the package arrives with the coin missing or rattling around loose in the packaging, or order 5 coins from a seller and they send 5 individual packages and charge full shipping for each, or they send a beautiful and expensive coin to a 10-year-old address that is not listed anywhere on my eBay shipping information (how the heck did that happen?!!) and then they say they're off the hook because the item was marked as delivered, or they receive the wrong item, or they ship an expensive item via registered mail and it arrives over 3 weeks later (after traveling only 300 miles) and then when the coin is improperly described piece of crap, the seller tells you that it is way too late to ask for a return. Then they freak out when you "neg" them for gross misrepresentation of an expensive coin. All these things have happened to me with eBay purchases.
Suck it up, buttercup!
Better yet, write all those comments the seller is complaining about to the seller when you purchase a coin from them. Drive him totally bonkers.
Coinkat , I see your point but I am not sure that shop owners know who’s walking through the door. Any business that deals with the public has similar problems.
🎶 shout shout, let it all out 🎶
AMEN!
I had a buyer that bought 3 unopened proof sets (60,61,63) the title and photos clearly showed the unopened sets.
The buyer gets the coins and sends a message "how am I supposed to know the coins are in the envelopes?"
I replied "well you should be able to feel them through the paper or you can open them"
He said "I don't want to open them that is why I bought sealed sets and how do I know newer coins have not been swapped out and then resealed?"
I said "You can send them back for a full refund if you want."
He said "No, I don't want to send them back and then I would just have the same problem with ones I buy to replace them."
I said "there is not much I can do other than offer a refund or you can keep the coins."
This went on for 4 more days and dozens of messages!
The buyer finally left positive feedback for all 3 items.
"top unidentified mint set unopened way too cool whats inside? 10 star ebayer"
"way too cool unidentified coinage in sealed envelope, 10 stars without looking !"
"what a super item, i wont open to verify the contents but i believe 10 star ebay"
The buyer was NARU a few months later.
What is your eBay handle…don’t want to accidentally buy from you. Too many quality dealers out there to deal with disgruntled (insert appropriate finish)
100% positive transactions with SurfinxHI, bigole, 1madman, collectorcoins, proofmorgan, Luke Marshall, silver pop, golden egg, point five zero,coin22lover, alohagary, blaircountycoin,joebb21
I've done a bit of selling on eBay, although I'm a collector. I'm very surprised at the reactions of many who have responded to the OP. I don't find the post condescending in the least, I find much of it to be right on and amusing. On balance I can say that selling is both more hazardous and frustrating than buying.
He said it is COINSNIOC.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Ty
100% positive transactions with SurfinxHI, bigole, 1madman, collectorcoins, proofmorgan, Luke Marshall, silver pop, golden egg, point five zero,coin22lover, alohagary, blaircountycoin,joebb21
Coinkat , I see your point but I am not sure that shop owners know who’s walking through the door. Any business that deals with the public has similar problems.
While this is true, a personal interaction can easily help both the dealer and buyer meet expectations
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Oh, That guy?
Small world. In my real life, I'm in the local car community. I know exactly who you're talking about. Scary s(&t.
No one uses the word alleged unless it's on the record.
I haven't noticed him around in a while, but I don't own that model of car anymore. The fact he would still show his face and act normal was unsettling.
When there is a concern for me on an eBay listing, I send a message to the seller to clarify.
If I get no reply, they get no bid from me.
>
If there is no mention of it contained in the auction's listing, I will send a message to see if the seller combines shipping costs. A seller should smile at this request as a buyer is bidding on multiples of their offerings.
>
When a seller lists 5 items going off within minutes of each other and each item requires 4-5 dollars
for shipping, dam right I will ask this question. My intent is on winning all 5 items.
>
We all know that all the items won, will go into one shipping package.
If you do not combine shipping costs, add that descriptor to your listing.
>
If sellers do not like getting questions, then state that in your offering(s) also.
Wayne
Kennedys are my quest...
double post. sorry
Wayne,be careful. You’ll wind up here in the cesspool with despicable people like me 😂
Op needs to retire someplace where he can yell at people “to get off my lawn”.
I’m rather shocked Wayne, how dare you ask questions when invited to “ask questions “. What were you thinking? 😂😉🙀
🎶 shout shout, let it all out 🎶
This is why I pay someone to do all of my eBay listings. I send him the coins. He posts them and handles all of the issues I don’t want to deal with. It’s well worth it to me.
Again, a well worded and accurate reply.
Wayne
Kennedys are my quest...
Bingo.
eBay has morphed into a rathole. Somewhere along the line you may want to develop other selling platforms.