Reselling Woes

It’s been a rough month in the reselling business. Normally, the only time I have noticed customers being extra moody is around the Holidays.

Holiday sales require a seller to send a personal thank you via internet for shopping your store, in addition to the item you send being wrapped in tissue paper with a sticker of sorts and another Thank you, via’ a note card.

I learned all of this at reseller conventions, along with people who did verses didn’t receive a sticker and card.

It took me a while to realize that I’m not my average customer. Years!

I do not need my purchases to arrive like a present to me.

As long as they are clean with no pet hair or strong smoke smells, I’m Good. And if the garment doesn’t fit, I’m not going to leave the seller a negative feedback for fit issues, as that does not have anything to do with customer service.

That shared, I have learned that around the Holidays, people are miserable for whatever reason.

And during this time of social distancing I’m getting Holiday buyers. *sigh*

I stepped up my wrapping game last year, and for the most part, people receive their item and give a raving review of how it felt like a birthday present with the tissue paper, stickers, a notecard, and sometimes even confetti, to make it extra special. People need to feel special in this day and age.

Even so, I’ve just had cranky people, regardless of what measures I’ve taken to make everyone feel special.

I’ve received two bad ratings this week.

One woman claimed a 1970’s mood ring was broken because it did not turn the pretty blue color on her as it did on me and then opened a case with eBay that I sold her a defective ring.

It’s a mood ring!

But my guess, is that she got it wet and sanitized it breaking the inner crystal. Mood rings turn black if they get wet.

Another women did not like my laundry detergent smell (Arm & Hammer) and wrote not to buy from me because of the stinky soap smell.

A simple remedy would have been for her to wash the PJs with her own soap of choice, but that’s besides the point.

Personally, if I had severe scent allergies, I probably would not be purchasing second hand either.

Today I woke to a customer telling me how she lost her job due to the virus lay offs, and was wondering if I’d take $13 for a $75 party dress. She went on to say how times are very tuff right now, and she doesn’t know when she will be getting another paycheck.

And there you have it.

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Ebay Update

A quick run down on this past years negative feed backs and returns.

For the amount of things I sell, which is roughly one hundred per month, I receive four returns per month. It is rare that someone is ugly, but it has happened a few times this past year.

These are the items where people were not very nice. Therefore, after they were handled with, they were added to my eBay blocked list. Ebay has this option for people who you do not care to do business with in the future, so it’s a must.

1. Authentic Gucci Guilty Parfume– Buyer claimed it arrived shattered, but did not want to go through post office protocol for insurance return claim.

I asked for a picture to submit as proof to the post office; seller refused. Then seller left a negative feedback claiming the Parfume bottle she received was empty. (This did result in a full refund because she filed an eBay claim.)

2. Burberry Inspired Plaid Wallet– Seller did not read title or description, stating that the wallet was a designer inspired Burberry look. She thought she got a new Authentic $220 Burberry wallet for $15. She filed a claim and received a refund while leaving me a negative feedback too.

(Not everyone is nice, I realize this is part of the real world, and business.)

3. Mens Sanita Clogs– Seller left a negative feedback stating that even though the shoes were new with tags, they fell apart on the job. This was fifty days after he received them. (Who is to say, but I am not the manufacturer of the brand, so he did not get a refund.)

4. Travelers knit skirt– Seller claimed that the skirt arrived with a heavy gasoline smell. Seller never contacted me before leaving a negative feedback.

I state that I prewash everything in Arm & Hammer detergent, ‘Fresh Scent’ and that if you have any allergies, to please not purchase from me. Regardless, seller left a negative feedback.

Also…Arm & Hammers detergent doesn’t smell like gasoline. Does it? 🤔

I politely contacted her for an explanation. She stood firm that the skirt smelled like gasoline. I offered her a refund in return for her to remove the negative feedback. Which she did. She also apologized to me, and it turned out that she was a seller also.

5. Urban Decay Foundation– This was listed as a new without box face Foundation. I bought it and it was too dark for me, so I sold it.

I stated twice, that I did not have the box anymore. Seller left me a negative that said it was good, but had no box. I didn’t contact her or refund her. She did not file any claims.

So there you have it. These were all the bad apples that I had for 2017, regarding eBay.

I did have another lady that threatens to leave me a negative if I didn’t XYZ… and I reported her.

urrently I am Expecting two more returns. Both from people who said that the items did not fit. Which is fine. I do make sure that I always list the garments measurements. But these things happen. Measurements are a must if you are a clothing seller. Of course I do find it odd at times, because I buy things second hand all the time, and never pull out a tape measure beforehand. I also never bother trying anything on at the mall, Marshall’s, TJ Max, etc. I know my size, and what fits.

I’m not a return it type of gal either. I have bought plenty on eBay in the past that didn’t fit, but I can’t be bothered with returns, so I use to just pass things onto friends. Nowadays, I simply resell them. I have a fair amount of resellers who purchase from me, and then return if they don’t like the fit.

In my mind, I’m always thinking… you are a seller, why don’t you just resell the item on your account? Why bother with a return..

t is also interesting to note that the people who pay $9-15 for an item, are generally the ones that return them.

This group of buyers are even responsible for paying to have the item returned to me.

So if sell a item for $14.99, the buyer pays $7.20 also, for shipping.

Then they pay $7.20 a second time to receive the $14.99 refund back. But really, they are only getting $7.79 back. 🤔

So if you want less returns, I have found that selling items over $20 is the way to go. Currently my average is $26

I am hoping to get it to double that by this time next year.

Blocking someone on eBay is very easy to do.