EBay for Dummies (48 page)

A smooth exchange of money and merchandise starts with you (the seller) and your attitude toward the transaction. Your listing description and then your first e-mail — soon after the sale is made — set the entire transaction in motion and the tone for that transaction. If all goes well,
no more
than
a day should elapse between getting paid and sending the item.

I suggest contacting the buyer and sending an invoice even
before
you get eBay’s e-mail. Here’s how:

1. Start at your My eBay Summary, Sell: Sold.

Locate your newly sold item.
Hint:
It should be at the top of the listings.

2. Click the down arrow at the end of the listing’s line and select Send Invoice.

You are presented with a page that summarizes the transaction with a “working version” of the invoice.

3. Examine the invoice displayed on this page. Make any changes if necessary.

If the buyer has purchased more than one item from you, click the link to combine purchases.

4.
Double-check that the shipping amount is correct. When you’re satisfied, click the Send Invoice button.

If you select the Copy Me check box on this invoice, you’ll receive a copy of the invoice. The buyer’s copy has a link in the invoice, enabling the buyer to pay directly to PayPal (if you accept PayPal for payment).

Signing in first puts a temporary cookie (a computer file that makes it easier to get around a Web site) in your computer so you don’t have to go through this process again. Be sure to select the Keep Me Signed In on This Computer for One Day check box when you sign in to eBay; your password is saved even if you cut off your Internet connection. Your login is saved until you click the Sign Out link. For more yummy info on cookies, see Chapter 15.

Another way to contact your buyer is to go to your My eBay page, scroll down to the Items I’ve Sold area, find the auction, and click the drop-down menu in the Action column. From there, click the Contact Buyer link.

Thank you — I mean it

What do all the successful big-name department stores have in common? Yes, great prices, good merchandise, and nice displays. But with all things being equal, customer service always wins hands-down. One department store in the United States, Nordstrom, has such a great reputation that the store happily took back a set of snow tires because a customer wasn’t happy with them. No big deal, maybe — until you notice that Nordstrom doesn’t even
sell
snow tires!

A friend of mine who owns restaurants calls this level of customer satisfaction the Wow! factor. If customers (no matter what they’re buying) say, “Wow!” during or after the transaction — admiringly or happily — you’ve satisfied the customer. A good rule to go by:
Give people the same level of service you expect when you’re on the buying end.
The best eBay sellers are regular eBay buyers.

The best way to start satisfying the buyer is with an introductory e-mail. Congratulate the person on winning the item — making him or her feel good about the purchase — and thank the buyer for bidding on your item. A good e-mail provides these important details:

Item name and item number.

Winning bid amount.

Cost of shipping and packing, and any shipping or insurance restrictions. (I give pointers on determining shipping and packaging costs later in this chapter.)

Payment options.

The shipping timetable.

You should also include a few vital details in the first e-mail:

Include your name and the address to which you want the payment sent should you have arranged for a form of payment other than PayPal.

Remind buyers to write the item name, item number, and shipping address on whatever form of payment they send. You’d be surprised how many buyers forget to give you the item number. Also ask buyers to print and send a copy of your e-mail with the payment.

If you’re using an online payment service, such as PayPal, be sure to give buyers instructions on how they can pay for the auction online.

Include your “customer service” phone number if you want.

Suggest that if all goes well, you’ll be happy to leave positive feedback for the buyer. (See Chapter 4 for more on feedback.)

You can also send an invoice from your My eBay page, Items I’ve Sold area. Click the drop-down box in the Action column next to the item. Just click the Send Invoice link, verify all the information, and click Send Invoice. Figure 12-1 shows what the invoice e-mail looks like.

Let’s keep e-mailing

If you have a good transaction going (and the majority of them are good), the buyer will reply to your e-mail within a few business days. Customarily, most replies come the next day. If your buyer has questions regarding anything you asked in your e-mail, you’ll get those inquiries now. Most of the time, all you get back is, “Thanks. I’ll send the PayPal Payment when I get paid on Thursday.” Hey, that’s all I ask.

If any last-minute details need to be worked out, usually the buyer asks to set up a time to call or request further instructions about the transaction. Respond to this communication as soon as possible. If you can’t deal with it at the moment, let the buyer know you’re working on it and will shoot those answers back ASAP.
Never
let an e-mail go unanswered.

For sample e-mail letters and deeper information, get your hands on a copy of my book on more advanced eBay selling,
Starting an eBay Business For Dummies
(Wiley).

Shipping without Going Postal

Shipping can be the most time-consuming (and most dreaded) task for many eBay sellers. Even if the selling portion of your transaction goes flawlessly, the item has to get to the buyer in one piece. If it doesn’t, the deal could be ruined — and so could your reputation.

This section briefs you on shipping etiquette, gives you details about the three most popular shipping options (the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, and FedEx Ground), and offers tips on how to make sure your package is ready to ride.

The best way to avoid shipping problems is to do your homework beforehand, determine which method is likely to work best, and spell out in your item description exactly how you intend to ship the item. Here’s how I handle the process:

1. Before listing, get the package ready to ship.

You don’t have to seal the package right away, but you should have it ready to seal because the two critical factors in shipping are weight and time. The more a package weighs and the faster it has to be delivered, the higher the charge. (I cover packing materials and tips later in this section.) The time to think about packing and shipping is
before
you put the item up for sale — that way, last-minute surprises are less likely to arise while your buyer waits impatiently for the item!

2. Know your carrier options.

In the United States, the three main shipping options for most eBay transactions are the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, and FedEx. See the section “Shopping for a shipper” (try saying
that
five times fast) for how you can get rate options from each service, painlessly and online. Compare costs and services.

3. Before quoting the shipping fees, make sure that you include all appropriate costs.

I recommend that you charge a nominal handling fee (up to $1.00 isn’t out of line) to cover your packing materials, labels, and time, which can add up quickly as you start making multiple transactions. You should also include any insurance costs and any delivery-confirmation costs. See the sidebar “Insuring your peace of mind (and your shipment)” for more information.

Some eBay scam artists inflate shipping and handling costs to make added profit.
Shame, shame, shame on them.
Purposely overcharging is tacky, ugly, and immature. (It’s also a violation of eBay policy on circumventing fees and will penalize your listings in Best Match search). The buyer also often figures it out after one look at the postage on the box.

Post a flat shipping amount (or use the eBay online shipping calculator — see Chapter 10 for more on how to use this tool). This way, buyers can include this cost when they consider their bidding strategies. Figure out what the packed item will weigh and then give a good estimate; the online calculators can help.