Something I never understood

Wizardsguildcards · August 9, 2006 1:51PM

Why do buyers on Ebay who spend a total of less than 5.00 end up being the biggest whiners?? When a buyer of a 100 dollar item never contacts you further or anything you just get the payment they get the item end of deal. It seems the less they spend the more they want to Email you everyday. Had a buyer spend a grand total of 1.25 on an item Sunday he sent payment Monday. He has been sending me 2 emails a day since asking me if I got the payment and when I am going to ship it. I have actually shipped it today and I told him that. His latest email was basically my shipping is too slow..

RichG · August 9, 2006 10:44PM

This is just another reason why as a seller that I'll never sell anything below $15. If I'm going to spend time listing an auction, packaging the item, shipping the item, and then even waste more time answering questions.....I'm going to make sure I get a minimum of $15 per transaction.
Rich

eyebone · August 10, 2006 1:47AM

I don't know why Wizard, but I have noticed the same thing myself over the years. Often these guys tend to be relative newbies, or maybe the money means more to them, hence why they tend to win low dollar items.

Eyebone

Elemenopeo · August 10, 2006 2:26AM

I don't know. I'm not real crazy about the idea of painting low-dollar spenders as big whiners and high-dollar spenders as angels. I've had hundreds of small transactions go off without any trouble at all. If one or two of those buyers sent me an email asking about shipping times, I certainly didn't mind answering. Actually, I'd probably be quicker to cut some slack to those who don't have a lot of money to spend on what can be a very expensive hobby. And the price of a card is not necessarily proportionate to its importance to the person buying it. I know that the most important card to me in my collection has little to no monetary value.

larryallen73 · August 10, 2006 2:31AM

Why do buyers on Ebay who spend a total of less than 5.00 end up being the biggest whiners??

I agree with you. I have had the same experience as you. It's quite bothersome.

SDavid · August 10, 2006 2:42AM

My experience has been pretty much the same, though mostly with lower end modern cards. I used to sell a lot of lower end game used and auto cards on ebay. I hated dealing with those buyers so much (not the majority of them but enough to get under my skin) that I just started selling them in bulk lots that ranged between $200 and $1200 in value. The lots actually sold very well...sometimes the bids actually exceeded the lots' ebay breakup value...and there was a lot less headache involved. Theoretically, the potential for being scammed on those auctions was actually much higher, but I never had anyone claim a card was missing or anything like that.

Conversely, I also sold a lot of vintage commons, and I can't remember having hardly any problems with those buyers. So age must have something to do with it.

jradke4 · August 10, 2006 3:12AM

What I dont understand is sellers that take a month to send your item when you paypal them the same day the item is won.

Barfvader · August 10, 2006 3:26AM

Well I'm not a seller but can admit that I am one of those $5 and $10 buyers mostly because I'm just plain cheap and unlike many on here I just don't have the funds to spend big bucks. Not complaining though because I have found many great deals on eBay and the occasional yard sale.

Here is my method when i win an item.
I use the checkout and say that I will get payment out in the morning (Cause I usually win at night).
After payment has been sent I contact seller telling them that payment is on the way.
Wait for delivery.
Once item has arrived I look it over and then leave feedback. I also send my final email stating that I recieved item and am pleased and tell them that positive feedback has been left.

I do that on every transaction. Some sellers respond to each email with a thanks, payment recieved and item is on the way. Many don't bother to respond and that's fine and if they don't I sure don't hound them.

<< <i>Why do buyers on Ebay who spend a total of less than 5.00 end up being the biggest whiners?? >>

I think that SDavid answered that when he stated:

<< <i>So age must have something to do with it. >>

SDavid · August 10, 2006 4:04AM

Barf - I think we'd all agree that most people who exclusively buy cheap items on ebay are fine. If they weren't, nobody would sell them. It's just that most of the buyers who cause problems in various ways (my most frequent problem was just not receiving payment) also seem to be in that category. There are also sellers who exclusively deal in cheaper items who clearly rip off a certain percentage of their buyers, but that's a different topic.

oddball · August 10, 2006 4:50AM

one time i sold a card for $570 including shipping. 3 days later i get a plain white envelope with nothing but a 37 cent stamp on it. i open it up and out falls 5 crisp $100 bills and 4 crisp $20 bills. $580 in cash. not only did the guy send the payment in freaking cash, but he also sent 10 extra bucks. i shipped him his card along with a little note saying that sending cash through the mail is not a good idea, especially in large amounts, and that he might want to try checks or money orders next time for his own protection. he received the card and left a positive saying i was the best person he's ever dealt with.

but yet situations like this have happened numerous times:
i sell a card for some insignificant amount like $2.50. the buyer doesn't send payment until 12 days after the auction ended. the payment is a personal check, so i have to waste my time depositing this thing for 2 dollars and freaking 50 cents. other sellers would deposit the check first and wait for it to clear before they ship, but me being the easy-going trusting guy i am, i go ahead and mail their card right away. over the next two days they bombard me with a dozen emails asking when their card was shipped, why it's taking so long, and telling me about how they've been ripped off in the past and how they're starting to doubt whether or not i really sent their card. the next day they receive their card and proceed to leave me a neutral saying i wasn't very friendly and had poor communication.

Stone193 · August 10, 2006 5:02AM

<< <i>Why do buyers on Ebay who spend a total of less than 5.00 end up being the biggest whiners?? When a buyer of a 100 dollar item never contacts you further or anything you just get the payment they get the item end of deal. It seems the less they spend the more they want to Email you everyday. Had a buyer spend a grand total of 1.25 on an item Sunday he sent payment Monday. He has been sending me 2 emails a day since asking me if I got the payment and when I am going to ship it. I have actually shipped it today and I told him that. His latest email was basically my shipping is too slow.. >>

Wiz

Sometimes ya just can't please people and the amount may actually be irrelevant.

People at my office are plucking my last nerve today - so I'm with you.

My advice to you? Drink heavily! Long neck Buds all around.

CDsNuts · August 10, 2006 6:18AM

Let me preface by saying that the following statement will offend and maybe even piss off a few people, but it's very very very true. Here goes:

People who buy only cards valued under $10 on ebay are cheap. Not because they are only willing to spend $10 at most, but because they are trying to enjoy a hobby that many would consider frivolous and a waste of money, and trying to do it without spending any money. Does this make sense? I mean really. Now I'm not saying you can't enjoy this hobby unless you spend hundreds on every card you buy, but to try and amass a rounded collection of anything in this hobby, whether it be player, set, team collection or whatever, is virtually impossible. These people are what I like to call bargain obsessed- they are trying to get the same out of their collecting and collection that everybody else is, but without putting nearly as much into it. Now, of course everybody loves a bargain, but to strictly buy things that are a perceived bargain in your mind takes a special mindset. I'm talking about people who will only buy a bottle of Ketchup if it's 25% off, or drive 20 minutes out of the way to buy gas that's .01 cheaper. There is a psychological need to feel they're getting a deal in order to open the wallet. For whatever reason, this mindset also usually leads a person to be obsessively nitpicky about the things they buy and will complain relentlessly if something even slightly rubs them the wrong way, and sometimes they'll complain just for the sake of complaining.

This can be seen everywhere- I used to work in restaurants and the tables that were the most problematic from the second they sat down were the ones who asked for lemon and sugar with their water so they could make their own lemonade, split a soup and a sandwich, used a coupon, and tipped 10%. Naturally, the water wasn't cold enough, the soup wasn't hot enough, and they didn't get enough fries with their sandwich. I sincerely believe this type of person is incapable of eating a meal in a restaurant without complaining. Well, if you can't afford to eat out, stay home. If you can't afford to collect cards, don't make somebody's life a living hell everytime you buy a $2 card.

Since the world is full of people like this, I am forced to take Stone's advice and drink heavily. Mmmmmmm, Bushmills.

Lee

Wizardsguildcards · August 10, 2006 9:08AM

Lee I agree with you fully when I was a General Manager for Sonic 95% of our complaints we got were during "Happy Hour" when drinks are half price or on Tuesday nights when it is B1 G1 on regular burgers.

Today I was dring by Wal-mart and saw a huge line waiting to get gas for 2.76. When less than 100 feet away there is another gas Station that had gas at 2.77 there was no line or anything. Just blows my mind sometimes.

bri2327 · August 10, 2006 9:29AM

I completely agree. Without a doubt I have had 90% of my problem sales be from people who bought $5 items.

Something I never understood

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