Ebay sellers thread (other platforms too)

[QuarterMillionMan]

Listed my new Yeti half gallon jug on 1/7/24 for $69 (allowing offers) + $25 shipping (other sellers listing it for $100 + free shipping). On 1/8/24 got a low ball offer of $20, I countered w/$65 but would have gone lower but buyer declined and didn't counter. Later on 1/8/24 got an offer for $40, I countered with $60, buyer countered w/$45, I countered with $55, buyer countered with $46, I countered with $50, buyer declined and didn't counter. We were so close and I was willing to keep meeting the buyer half way thinking the buyer would offer $47, then I'd counter with $49, then buyer might counter with $48 then I'd agree but buyer gave up at $46. No biggie I figure it was active for only 1 day and I'd get more offers and looks like I was correct today I got an offer for $55 and accepted the offer without countering. Printed my postage from eBay just now and will take it to USPS on 1/10/24. I didn't realize how hot an item the Yeti Rambler half gallon jug is in demand.

[disneysteve]

QMM offers can’t go back and forth indefinitely. There’s a limit. If you have a price in mind that you’ll accept, that should be your offer. Even if it was unlimited most people aren’t going to drag things out going back and forth over a dollar or two. Glad it worked out for the best though and you got the higher price in the end.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Often I would get messages from sellers when I buy something on eBay such as this;

Hello buyer, shipper just let me know your pack has been delivered
Hope you receive item
If have problem with item please let me know soon via ebay messenger. I will respond immediately
when I online
All problem can solve via communication. Please don’t send negative feedback or open case in ebay
without contact with me first.
Thanks !

I get it that the seller wants a good review from me the buyer such as myself but to me these messages seem like pandering to the buyer not to leave a negative review, disneysteve do you send messages to your buyers such as this message?

[disneysteve]

I get it that the seller wants a good review from me the buyer such as myself but to me these messages seem like pandering to the buyer not to leave a negative review, disneysteve do you send messages to your buyers such as this message?

I include a note in every package that says, "Thank you very much for your ebay purchase. If all is well with your order, positive feedback would be greatly appreciated. If there are any issues with your purchase, please contact me right away so that I can work to make it better."

[QuarterMillionMan]

I've never included any statements such as that. Maybe I should do the same.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Another thing I've noticed is that sellers often wait until I give them a positive review after I buy an item from them, then they'll give me a positive review.

[disneysteve]

Another thing I've noticed is that sellers often wait until I give them a positive review after I buy an item from them, then they'll give me a positive review.

There are several schools of thought on when to leave feedback as a seller. I've changed over the years. I used to wait until I got feedback from the buyer because I felt the transaction wasn't truly over until the seller had the item and was satisfied with it. I didn't want to leave good feedback and then have the buyer be a pain in the butt or try to scam me for a refund for some fabricated issue. The problem is that most buyers don't leave feedback so that didn't really work. The other problem is years ago ebay changed the system so that sellers can only leave positive feedback for buyers, making the process all but worthless. What good is feedback if it can't be honest and informative? I now leave buyers feedback right after I print the shipping label for their order. They bought it. They paid for it. I've shipped it. I leave them feedback. Feedback can be automated too, which I'm thinking about doing, though it really only takes a few seconds to do it manually so I haven't turned on the automatic option.

[disneysteve]

QMM I owe you a thanks for another ebay sale. I sold 26 Eisenhower dollars (not silver) this morning for $43.95. All of your coin buying and selling prompted me to list stuff I had lying around. This is the 2nd or 3rd coin sale I've made in the past few months. There's a market for everything, even old pocket change.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Amazing that you sold 26 Eisenhower non-silver dollars for more than its face value. I see on eBay the average price for (1) is about $2, I would not buy those but I guess they don't make those any more so it carries a premium. Next time I visit my bank I'll inquire if they have any for sale and I'll buy some at face value, you prompted me now to search for some but only at face value. The silver ones I'll pay extra premiums.

[disneysteve]

Amazing that you sold 26 Eisenhower non-silver dollars for more than its face value. I see on eBay the average price for (1) is about $2, I would not buy those but I guess they don't make those any more so it carries a premium. Next time I visit my bank I'll inquire if they have any for sale and I'll buy some at face value, you prompted me now to search for some but only at face value. The silver ones I'll pay extra premiums.

My lot was:
1 from 1971
15 from 1972
2 from 1974
7 from 1977
1 from 1978

[myrdale]

Just an FYI be careful if you have any negative feedback about Ebay, they will ship roaches, dead pigs, and books on loosing your spouse to you.

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/ebay-cockroaches-fine-1234944862/

[disneysteve]

Just an FYI be careful if you have any negative feedback about Ebay, they will ship roaches, dead pigs, and books on loosing your spouse to you.

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture...ne-1234944862/

That's wild. The fact that it was the Senior Director of Safety and Security who was behind it all is nuts. Not that it would be acceptable under any circumstances, but at least if it was some rogue employee who did it, it would be a little more understandable.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I like the fact that eBay pays the taxes for me it collects.

[disneysteve]

I like the fact that eBay pays the taxes for me it collects.

That's such a huge benefit that many sellers don't appreciate. When the law changed a few years ago to require sales tax on online sales, they started doing that. Can you imagine if you had to track, report, and submit sales taxes for every state and municipality in the country? That would be the death of ebay and sites like it because few sellers would want to deal with that. Now it's seamless. We as sellers do absolutely nothing and ebay takes care of everything.

The tradeoff is that ebay charges the final value fee on the sales tax amount but that covers them processing that money for you. I think that's a good deal.

[QuarterMillionMan]

$11.40 divided by $83.77 = 0.1360 (13% fees). That's the price of doing business with eBay. With cryptos on Ledger it's 3% on the buy side and 3% on the sell side, which I thought was high but that's the price of doing business as well. You got to pay to play. Gambling as well the house builds in its vigorish as well.