[meteorite-list] shipping

From: David Freeman <dfreeman_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Dec 31 15:24:47 2004
Message-ID: <41D5B628.40403_at_fascination.com>

Dear Mark;

You are absolutely correct. Stupid is as stupid does. Buyers do not
read.

Repeat buyers that have learned the transactions are golden children in
my book and get freebies occasionally because I know they will not cost
me extra time, they expect good stuff for a good price and they get good
stuff and good service for a good price and they pay promptly. We leave
great feedback and we send each other Christmas gifts and prior posting
notices when something great comes up at auction so they can plan to
look/buy before others of lesser status can grab the best of the best.
 Repeat customers support my livelihood.
Crappy customers get put on my bidder management program. I do not have
time to waste on chizzlers, non paying bidders, or anyone that would
deserve less than positive feed back.
If you find a good used car dealer, stick with him. If you find a good
minister or undertaker, stay with him. Good
politician......ah-hum...good luck!
Good buyers and sellers are the key to happy business. Reading the bid
contract is the only way to know what is what. Do you sign blank
contracts at the car dealership or the bank?

Don't bid ebay unless you read the contract first. Don't bid my
auctions if you can't read the shipping, payment, and "about me" page
for my business policies. I hand type that in every auction I list, and
half never read it.

Best,
Dave F.
mjwy


Mark Miconi wrote:

>Tom,
>
>Ebay will tell you and do so in their user agreements that they "Only
>Provide The Venue" for the auctions/sales to occur. They do not police their
>site for everything that goes on....more and more they have to rely on the
>users to police themselves. Go look at antique/Persian rugs on Ebay. Lots of
>dealers that are very reputable. Look at the pricing....some start at a
>dollar and have a fixed shipping cost of $199.00, others have starting
>prices at $150.00 and up and have a $45.00 or more depending on where you
>live shipping cost. I have bought several rugs online from both types. The
>average 8 x 12 foot rug is about $45.00 to ship to me. I look for the
>reasonable shipping terms and then go for the item I want.
>
>As a seller on Ebay (desertcrystal) starting my 6th year I can honestly say
>that bidders do not read auctions and they do not ask questions. I do not
>care if the item sells for one penny....THAT IS NOT what it is going to
>cost.
>Shipping should be your first concern anytime you are buying....nothing is a
>deal if the seller is making money on the shipping and by bidding on an item
>and then arguing about the cost is wasting time. Ebays rules are if you
>bid...you agree to the terms STATED in the auction at the time you bid.
>
>Anyone that bids should have first read the entire auction, they should
>UNDERSTAND what they read and if they still have questions they should ASK
>first before bidding. Simple common sense. I can not tell you the number of
>bidder I have had that never asked a single question about an item or the
>shipping until the auction was over and at that point, at least as far as
>this seller is concerned your pissing up a rope with me. You bid, you won,
>you pay, I ship, transaction over plain and simple.
>
>I answer 30 emails a day on average, many asking about the item, most about
>the shipping. I answer every question, I offer alternatives to issues, I try
>to accommodate any bidders reasonable request, special handling, really
>anything, as long as it is BEFORE the auction ends. I also charge a handling
>fee because we pack very well and professionally and that costs money and
>that cost we pass onto our bidders as a handling fee. BUT every seller that
>packs fragile items has to recover their costs for materials and they either
>do it in the starting price or in shipping/handling fees. I prefer to be
>upfront and say there will be a handling fee, I only ever charge EXACT
>shipping costs, plus handling....25 cents a sheet for bubblewrap and $1.00 a
>cubic foot for peanuts and that is EXACTLY what I pay.
>
>If you look at my feedback our customers love our shipping and packing. I do
>not sell meteorites. If I did I would charge exact postage for whatever
>service they bidder wanted and only $0.12 - $0.25 cents for bubblewrap and
>only if it was really needed to protect the stone. I have used bubblewrap
>here that is not good for antiques but is great for metal and other things
>that won't shatter and since I get it free I give it away.
>
>My whole point is...90% of the problems on ebay is a lack of communication
>and understanding. Bidders need to ask questions, know the terms and
>understand what the costs will be. REPUTABLE sellers will have no problems
>answering questions, they will have reasonable costs and they will work with
>the bidder. IF every bidder did this the bullshit sellers that charge $25.00
>to ship a thumbnail size piece of stone will not be on ebay long...they
>would not have bidders because the bidders would have asked questions and
>found out that the seller was screwing them and then would not bid.
>
>Please...everyone, If you are going to buy on ebay, ASK questions of the
>seller BEFORE you bid. Know what it is you are buying, what it will cost to
>ship and be sure you have no lingering questions. IF the seller does not
>answer the first email, send a second as lord knows how reliable email is.
>IF the seller does not answer or does not have the answers that make YOU
>feel good about the sale DO NOT BID. There will always be another chance at
>ANY item on ebay...all it will cost you is the time to find it. Nothing will
>ever replace the time spent arguing about something that could have been
>avoided 9 times out of 10 with a simple question before that mouse goes
>click.
>
>Mark Miconi
>Phoenix AZ
>
>Mark M.
>Phoenix AZ
>
>"At least once every human being should have to run for his life, to teach
>him that milk does not come from a supermarket, that safety does not come
>from policemen, and that news is not something that happens to other
>people." - Robert Heinlein
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Tom AKA James Knudson <peregrineflier_at_npgcable.com>
>To: Dave Harris <entropydave_at_ntlworld.com>; metlist
><meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
>Sent: Friday, December 31, 2004 11:57 AM
>Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] shipping
>
>
>>I don't get ebay, one well known over seas seller has a $25 shipping fee,
>>that's fine, but if another seller sells an identical meteorite at the
>>
>same
>
>>starting price, but with $2 shipping, form what I have seen, the
>>
>meteorites
>
>>will sell for the same amount lets say $15 in the end, even though they
>>
>have
>
>>to pay $23 more in shipping, do they just not care what the shipping
>>
>charges
>
>>are?
>>
>>Thanks, Tom
>>peregrineflier <><
>>IMCA 6168
>>http://www.frontiernet.net/~peregrineflier/Peregrineflier.htm
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Dave Harris" <entropydave_at_ntlworld.com>
>>To: "metlist" <meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
>>Sent: Friday, December 31, 2004 9:29 AM
>>Subject: [meteorite-list] shipping
>>
>>
>>>Hi!
>>>Well, the eBay shipping saga is finished and I am not completing the
>>>
>sale.
>
>>>He refused point blank to reconsider the shipping charges of $25 for a
>>>thumbnail specimen, but I did notice that on his new auctions he made 2
>>>critical changes - one was to have a proper starting price (so he no
>>>
>>longer
>>
>>>has to sell as $65 for $1) and also much more plausible shipping
>>>
>charges.
>
>>>So, negative feedback all round!!!
>>>
>>>Not a happy ending but he obviously did not want to nurture business
>>>
>like
>
>>>all of you (and me) want to.
>>>
>>>Sometimes I am deeply saddened by the stupidity of Mankind....
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>best for the New Year!
>>>
>>>
>>>dave
>>>Sec.BIMS
>>>IMCA #0092
>>>______________________________________________
>>>Meteorite-list mailing list
>>>Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
>>>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>>>
>>______________________________________________
>>Meteorite-list mailing list
>>Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
>>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>>
>
>______________________________________________
>Meteorite-list mailing list
>Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
>http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
>
Received on Fri 31 Dec 2004 03:27:20 PM PST