Sunday, March 8, 2015

The good...The bad



I am always amazed at sales on ebay. The things I think will sell sit and sit and sit. The things I really don't know why I bothered to purchase them much less list them go flying out the door. Like I tell SweetiePie, you never know what you will have to pack up on any given day. Eight inches of snow on the ground and I sell swimsuits, shorts and sun tea jars. Wool hats to Maine and Florida...on the same day.

The Bad
Everyone gets one of these on a regular basis."I want to return this". I know I will get returns. I try to deal with them as efficiently as possible. No emotion, just part of business. I had one last week that tested my intestinal fortitude severely!! A western shirt, missing the back of a snap on a pocket. I know I inspected the shirt before running it thru the laundry and it was fine. Everything was there. I didn't inspect after it came out of the dryer. Well, I guess I should have because apparently the back of the snap came off. No biggie, if I had found it I could have replaced with no problem.
This is the back, cool shirt

This guy had to trash talk the shirt and suggest that I was charging him $6 (return postage) to look at the shirt and said (twice) I deserved negative feedback  What? I explained that I had sent a return label thru ebay and all he needed to do was print it out and return the shirt at no additional cost to him. No problem, right? Finally after several heated emails from him (I was calm and professional) he grasped what he needed to do and has been silent. Gee whiz, it ain't rocket science just read your email and follow directions. So he finally printed the label and ebay tells me its on the way back. I hope that is the end of the story.

I think I'll make a new word: E-Trash, when someone describes the "terrible condition" of an item that they have purchased on ebay with repeated insults thru email

The Good
But there is always a silver lining. I sold a set of vintage king size sheets with pillowcases. Cotton blend percale from JC Penney, and a plus since they had the pillowcases included. They sold within a couple of weeks from listing them and I was happy to see them out the door.

But....I got them back last week. No notice that they were coming back from ebay or the buyer. Just this note in the package:

"I am returning this to you to re-sell. I do not need a refund. This is my own fault. I should have read the listing better! I love the texture of "vintage" sheets, I just don't love that they don't fit on my bed! They are beautiful, and I am sure someone else will love them. Your packaging was beautiful, as well as the presentation.
You obviously have a way to sell them, and I would rather that than my donating them to Goodwill. Thank you so much for your prompt delivery, and if I can figure out how to rate your service on EBay, I will, In the meantime, please re-sell them. Sincerely,"

I had to pick myself up off the floor. This has never happened in all my 15 years on ebay. So there are really nice people who purchase things on ebay. This return came right in the middle of the nasty, and unnecessary, emails from the shirt guy.

I have had these sheets for a week and have not relisted them. I don't feel comfortable doing that. I know what she said but I feel like I should send her some sheets that fit.

Should I contact her and ask what size she does need or just relist?

 My conscience says to contact her but I also don't want to offend her because she obviously wants to do a good deed. But what to do?

So there you have my good and bad week. Sales have been in the toilet, along with the bad weather. I did get to shop on Wednesday when the 99c racks were 2 for 99c. I was able to get winter things. But I really need spring and summer stuff.

Oh.....that means I get to go shopping again....right?

5 comments:

  1. anything for an excuse to shop :D
    a friend recently gave me inventory to list. I don't quite feel right keeping the $ (but that was their intent) so I am donating the money to charity....maybe you could do something like that? i do agree that if you just donate them to goodwill they probably won't end up with someone who appreciates them :(

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    1. Thanks for the charity idea. Why didn't I think of that...duh!! I think that is what I will do. And I know just the charity, Hospice. They really helped when Mom was sick and I know that the small amount that the sheets bring will not be much but every little bit helps.

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  2. I would most likely refund her PayPal, send her a nice note, and relist.

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  3. last night I was watching The Talking Dead where they discuss the latest episode of the Walking Dead. Anyways the host came up with a new term "porch dick" that sounds like your first buyer

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  4. What a wonderful buyer for sending the sheets back. I would refund her and relist the sheets.

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