SSP and some feedback wanted.
coinpictures
Posts: 5,345 ✭✭✭
I've been tweaking my Ebay Store over the last few days, and I would appreciate some feedback, both on the layout and the terms and policies I use.
Some random thoughts after a few weeks:
Thus far it's worked out better than I anticipated, even without doing any special marketing or promotion (there are people that go absolutely apesh*t in terms of promoting their Ebay stores, like search engine optimization, paying for exposure on Google, etc.) I don't think that I will ever go to that extreme. I'm selling 1-2 coins per day on average. Most are smaller-ticket items.
I'm finding that Best Offer vs. people simply buying outright runs about 50-50 in terms of usage. Some sellers complain about only getting low-ball offers, but all of the offers I've received thus far have been what I consider reasonable. I've only declined one thus far, and that same coin sold 2 days later. I just had a nice one this morning; an offer of $125 on a coin I had listed at $149. Biggest sale thus far.
While it's still a bit too early to tell, I think the approach of including insurance on all shipments and charging a slightly higher base shipping rate as opposed to making buying insurance a "mandatory" extra charge goes over better with buyers. Using the word "mandatory" comes off as harsh and demanding. Plus there is a huge longstanding argument over on the Ebay boards about who should pay for insurance coverage, whether you can make it mandatory, etc. Better to just include the coverage and avoid all that mess.
Also, by including 3rd-party insurance coverage on all shipments, you avoid the whole PayPal seller protection issue and having to worry about confirmed addresses, what countries USPS will insure to (which is very few), or what method the item is shipped.
I did have one buyer complain about my shipping charges... until I explained what was included and what the costs were. I don't simply throw a coin into a #10 envelope and send it out:
(1) Rigid cardboard mailer - I don't like using envelopes for coin shipments because it's too easy to determine the contents. Also, the USPS doesn't do delivery confirmation on envelopes or bubble mailers (or they don't *consistently* allow them; you risk the danger of having your package upped to Priority Mail and sent postage due to the buyer). I actually like CD jewel case mailers for this as opposed to flat mailers because they put no pressure on the coins, and also meet the 1/4" thickness requirement for delivery confirmation.
(2) Self-seal bubble bag - coins go into bubble bag which then goes into cardboard mailer; just an extra layer of protection.
(3) 1st class postage
(4) Delivery Confirmation
(5) Full insurance coverage (not some self-insurance scam either; I purchase coverage for each package I ship)
(6) Various printing costs (packing slip, insurance coverage slip, shipping labels)
He then apologized and upon receipt of the package left me very glowing feedback.
I think sometimes there are a lot of assumptions made about how things get packaged. That, and there's a long history of Ebay sellers gouging and/or scamming on shipping costs (charging for priority mail and sending 1st class, etc.).
Ultimately you can't please everyone, but just try and be as accommodating as possible.
Some random thoughts after a few weeks:
Thus far it's worked out better than I anticipated, even without doing any special marketing or promotion (there are people that go absolutely apesh*t in terms of promoting their Ebay stores, like search engine optimization, paying for exposure on Google, etc.) I don't think that I will ever go to that extreme. I'm selling 1-2 coins per day on average. Most are smaller-ticket items.
I'm finding that Best Offer vs. people simply buying outright runs about 50-50 in terms of usage. Some sellers complain about only getting low-ball offers, but all of the offers I've received thus far have been what I consider reasonable. I've only declined one thus far, and that same coin sold 2 days later. I just had a nice one this morning; an offer of $125 on a coin I had listed at $149. Biggest sale thus far.
While it's still a bit too early to tell, I think the approach of including insurance on all shipments and charging a slightly higher base shipping rate as opposed to making buying insurance a "mandatory" extra charge goes over better with buyers. Using the word "mandatory" comes off as harsh and demanding. Plus there is a huge longstanding argument over on the Ebay boards about who should pay for insurance coverage, whether you can make it mandatory, etc. Better to just include the coverage and avoid all that mess.
Also, by including 3rd-party insurance coverage on all shipments, you avoid the whole PayPal seller protection issue and having to worry about confirmed addresses, what countries USPS will insure to (which is very few), or what method the item is shipped.
I did have one buyer complain about my shipping charges... until I explained what was included and what the costs were. I don't simply throw a coin into a #10 envelope and send it out:
(1) Rigid cardboard mailer - I don't like using envelopes for coin shipments because it's too easy to determine the contents. Also, the USPS doesn't do delivery confirmation on envelopes or bubble mailers (or they don't *consistently* allow them; you risk the danger of having your package upped to Priority Mail and sent postage due to the buyer). I actually like CD jewel case mailers for this as opposed to flat mailers because they put no pressure on the coins, and also meet the 1/4" thickness requirement for delivery confirmation.
(2) Self-seal bubble bag - coins go into bubble bag which then goes into cardboard mailer; just an extra layer of protection.
(3) 1st class postage
(4) Delivery Confirmation
(5) Full insurance coverage (not some self-insurance scam either; I purchase coverage for each package I ship)
(6) Various printing costs (packing slip, insurance coverage slip, shipping labels)
He then apologized and upon receipt of the package left me very glowing feedback.
I think sometimes there are a lot of assumptions made about how things get packaged. That, and there's a long history of Ebay sellers gouging and/or scamming on shipping costs (charging for priority mail and sending 1st class, etc.).
Ultimately you can't please everyone, but just try and be as accommodating as possible.
0
Comments
Sounds like you've got it pretty-well worked out
I also charge a flat fee for shipping, and that fee includes (postal) insurance & Delivery Confirmation (domestic shipments). I frequently ship slabbed coins in bubble mailers, and purchasing Delivery Confirmation has never been questioned (check the "First-Class Mail® Parcel" block). I do realize that policies seem to vary from PO to PO, but I've never understood why.
I've been advised by my PO that a package (or envelope) must be at least 3/4" thick to qualify for Delivery Confirmation, and a slab (wrapped in bubble wrap) inside a bubble mailer easily exceeds the requirement & provides good protection. I also mark them "fragile" for whatever good that might do
If a piece of First Class mail exceeds 15 oz, it is automatically upgraded to Priority Mail, and the shipper is charged the appropriate postage fee, so I don't understand how a package can get (sometime later?) upgraded to Priority and incur postage due charges. How does this happen?
Av
Pro Deo Et Patria
EBAY Items
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZrlamir
Your store does look good and the photos of the coins I looked at were detailed enough to get a good feel for the condition of the coin.
Rick
1836 Capped Liberty
dime. My oldest US
detecting find so far.
I dig almost every
signal I get for the most
part. Go figure...
The bizarre and unexpected thing is that within the last week I've had 5+ almost identical situations where a single low-dollar coin (coins with $1.99-3.99 BIN prices) was BINned and the shipping was more than the coin. Most of these were overseas too! Buying a lone $1.99 coin + $6 shipping doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me; at that point you're probably at 2x to 3x Krause. But I notice that the coins are returning to their native countries (1x Norway, 1x Denmark, 4x France, amongst others), so it's likely that demand and pricing is higher there, just as U.S. coins are more in demand and more expensive here.
It's possible that the clarity of the pictures is helping things as well.
Either way I'm not complaining...
1/2 Cents
U.S. Revenue Stamps
I am coveting some of your Mexicans - keep it up!
Shep