worst ebay transaction I have ever done.... all my fault
davids5104
Posts: 805 ✭✭✭✭
I just had a failed Ebay Auction. It was for a XF/AU/BU 66-coin foreign lot. I made the shipping 5.50 and started the auction at 0.99. Marketing was poor, pictures were poor, and lastly my "selling point" was a single BU - 1969 Silver Franc that does not exist. I was unable to change the description because i had bids on it, so I simply emailed the winner and told them I would add a Silver Eisenhower dollar as compensation for my error.
Like many of us, we accumulate world coins that are from vacations and coin star machines so i was not overly concerned about the profit on this one. The auction ended at 6 dollars and change plus my 5.50 shipping. Went to the post office.... shipping was 7.45.
The buyer said he did not care about the silver franc and just wanted some foreign coins, but I threw in the eisenhower anyway.
Can anyone top this????
https://www.ebay.com/itm/263557258381?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1559.l2649
transactions with cucamongacoin, FHC, mtinis, bigjpst, Rob41281, toyz4geo, erwindoc, add your name here!!!
Comments
you know you can cancel bids, then end the auction...i hope. this is okay if there is a listing error. you must cancel all bids before ending it.
it happens to the best of us, trust me.
I sold a wooden boxed coin set to the Phillipines for $30 + $20 shipping...it cost $60 to ship it. It happens.
I sold 3 coins around 25-30 each to same buyer. Right after I dropped them in the mail I realized I sent the wrong coin - I have a numbering system so I knew exactly what I did. I emailed the buyer and told them the mistake and told them I would mail the correct coin in a different package and if I sent them enough for postage asked if they would be kind enough to send the wrong one back. I heard nothing until a week later when the seller told me they had only received one coin and could I please send the others and claimed not to have received the wrong coin. I knew exactly what was in the package he got.
I had already sent the replacement for my mistake so I just refunded the other since I actually didn’t have another example. Then I blocked the buyer on all accounts and keep their name and address handy in case they open another account. It was my mistake but buyer took complete advantage of the situation.
That is actually not a devastating transaction. At least buyer will be happy and you won't be out too much money for the learning experience
If 6 bucks is the worst you ever done, you done better than the rest of us!
true enough!!!
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transactions with cucamongacoin, FHC, mtinis, bigjpst, Rob41281, toyz4geo, erwindoc, add your name here!!!
I was thinking about cancelling this auction, but I had two 30-day BIN tries for 25 dollars so I figured it was not going go for much anyhow so likely not worth the hassle or irritation to the bidders.
[Ebay Store - Come Visit]
Roosevelt Registry
transactions with cucamongacoin, FHC, mtinis, bigjpst, Rob41281, toyz4geo, erwindoc, add your name here!!!
Early on I had some auctions that went low, the same guy bought the proof silver eagles, he figured I would just combine shipping, some he bought on Saturday that I shipped out same day, another coin or two on Sunday, different parcel extra cost. I said something I shouldn't, "I'm not running a charity", it was too late, he was angry and messed up my account for a while.
I've often started auctions at 99 cents. Over the last 20 years, I've had plenty that have cost me a few hundred. Of course, I've also had plenty that made me those hundreds, or more....
Sometimes peaches...sometimes pits.
@davids5104 Whats refreshing about this thread is that right off the bat you claimed fault. I think if most people were honest and just admitted to what happened and they were willing to resolve the issue, eBay would work better. A lot of the "eBay" threads here tend to be the buyer being difficult, so again this is refreshing to see, and would make me want to do business with you.
Later, Paul.
It happens. I use the shipping calculator on eBay and never get upside down - heck, you could have shipped it Priority Flat Rate cheaper than what you say you spent.
Check out my current listings: https://ebay.com/sch/khunt/m.html?_ipg=200&_sop=12&_rdc=1
A few months ago I had 4 lots of MS63 Morgan dollars listed on Ebay. A bidder alerted me that I had put MS64 in the title. As I copied one auction to the next, they were all wrong.
I called Ebay and asked them if they would credit the penalty fee if I ended the 4 sales early and relisted them.
They told me to pound sand. I ended and relisted anyway.
They are truly a bunch of shylocks.
I have been reading ebay horror stories here for many, many years.... and yours is minor - though I am sure significant to you....seems all sellers have a disaster tale or two.... Soldier on... Cheers, RickO
Well every time I say this I get disagreed with, but I will say it again:
Its very hard to make any profit selling average coins on ebay...
My trick: I have a friend place a huge bid and then end the auction to sell to the highest bidder. Then cancel the transaction (“buyer requested cancellation”) and the FVF is refunded. I get that the policy went into effect to prevent off-Ebay sales which can disappoint other bidders (as they put it), but as I’ve pointed out to Ebay, they effectively give me the choice of making a buyer mad when there is a mistake in the listing, or fining me for making a mistake. I’ve only pulled down an item if there’s a problem in the listing and I’m going to relist it, and I’ve found my workaround works quite well.
Good idea Jeremy!
Disagree. I do it all the time.
There's an old saying: You don't make your money when you sell. You make your money when you buy.
The eBay cost structure is still the cheapest in the business. If you can't make money selling average coins on eBay, you can't make money selling average coins anywhere.
the price of both gold and silver would need to climb quite a bit before i could profit on e bay with some of my stuff and i buy below gray sheet.