Ho Ho Ho Merry Fuckin' Christmas

I find it very ironic that the CEO of ebay is sitting at a round table with Obama discussing, among other things, unemployment. Does he not stop to think what his company's seller purges are doing to many families?

When I first got restricted, Charley (the life hostage), was still recovering from Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Roman was 2. In the body of each description I directed buyers to my About Me page for full auction terms. I wrote on said About Me page that I was dealing with a sick man and a toddler, and please be patient if your item comes a little late, but "Pokemon Master" would not be sated by this. He waged war over the $6 pokemon figure, and I got restricted.

In order to sidestep this restriction, (yes, naughty naughty) I opened an account under my daughter's name so I could sell a little more. That account took off while the other remained hopelessly restricted, so I focused on that one. As the months passed, I collected some low DSRs, and though my feedback was 100% positive, I was "below standard" and got MC999'd. I went back to the original account.

You've probably read my blog at this point. You know why the low DSRs were there. I wish that ebay would afford sellers the "luxury" of defending themselves. You know, a fair appeals process. Had anyone in customer service with half a brain actually read the messages I was getting from these buyers, I am pretty sure the DSRs would have been wiped and I could have gone on selling.

As it was, I was supporting myself, my kids, and my husband on this ebay income. After my banishment, I always snickered a little when I saw the glowing testimonial ebay used to have on the front page with this woman who overcame unemployment and supported her family with ebay, while many just like her were getting banned and panicking over where they would get the money for their mortgage that month while their inventory sat unsold.

I panicked for about 2 months after my original restriction. Meanwhile, the majority of my bills went unpaid. I had no income! That's when decided to open the account in my daughter's name. I sold my $3,000 diamond ring for $429 on my then-new account, waited the week til the delivery was recorded, and paid my RE tax bill to prevent my house from being sold at public auction. Shortly after that, I began the process of filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy which now costs me $300 a month and will for 4 more years. Thanks a bunch, ebay!

When you're in business, the goal is to make as much money as you can. This company cuts off their nose to spite their face! All these banishments of over really nothing, (I mean come on, we all know it costs more than $2.29 to ship a 21 pound box) is costing ebay in all the monthly FVF fees that these sellers were bringing in, it's driving customers elsewhere as they look for things that are no longer at ebay that many of these sellers specialized in. It's ridiculous.

I Repeat Do NOT Call CS

This lady in my group calls ebay like every day! I am a little worried for her because I know that the squeaky wheel gets the boot. Is your livelihood worth $10, lady? If not, move on and eat the damned credits. It's not worth it to wake the sleeping dragon.

Selling On Your 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th Account? Helpful Hints

I notice so many people making the mistake of just using another account they had opened in their name, or just trying to open a new account period. I followed all the "ebay stealth" guidelines, but I go several lengths further.

I don't use my old user ID or paypal account. If you get e-mails from the old accounts and you're using another IP, don't open them, they will catch your new IP that way.

I do not call CS for anything EVER. That immediately puts a microscope on your account. You don't want anyone there connecting any dots. If a buyer is giving you a hard time, answer them minimally, and give them what they want to make them go away. DON'T call CS! Take that negative and like it.

Odds are, if you call CS they're just going to tell you that old canned response of "It's the buyer's opinion and they are entitled to it" and you're stuck with it anyway, except NOW they're tearing apart your account on the other end looking for a reason to ban the squeaky wheel.

Just remember this tip by saying "Buyers are assholes and opinions are like assholes, everyone has one"...lol

I refuse to give friends my user id. This is because they would stalk me on their watch lists and I don't need ebay cross-referencing my friends watch lists with my account.

I try not to stick with the same items, I change things up frequently to prevent them from getting a pattern on me. The CS guy who banned me last time told me they matched the other 2 accounts not only because they were the same address and IP but because they sold similar things.

Time To Get Crackin' When Someone's Hackin'

I got this priceless gem in my ebay messages, right after I filed my 7th and 8th NPB in the space of two weeks:

Dear S______,
I didn't put a bid on this item as i was very sick at this time. I would have put it automatically on my pay pal account at the time of purchase, if I had bought it . I am very sorry for your inconvenience, but it is not even in a color that I would use. Please accept my sincere apology for this confusing matter.

Oh yes. It's confusing all right! Confusing as to why you'd even use such a lame-duck excuse. Actually, it's not confusing at all. It's pretty clear that you bid and decided not to pay. Please take this NPB strike with my best wishes 

<3 Sam 

So lame. WHY would someone hack your account to bid $11 on a purse? And I love the "it is not even a color I would use" I am supposed to close the case because this message was ever so convincing and take the final value fee hit now, right? Screw you lady.

Another Day Another NPB

I have had to file a record 7 NPB cases in the past week and a half. I have $200 worth of shit that got bid on and the buyer just bailed out. Needless to say, I have now turned on unpaid item assistant, and you know what? I set it at two days.

If you went and bought some shit at Wal-Mart or Target you cannot dick around for two days holding their merchandise hostage, so why should you be able to do it on ebay? I am not fuckin' KMart...I don't have a layaway program. Why bid if you're not going to pay? People use the excuse that they "forgot". How can you forget when you've been sent two invoices?

My policy had been send invoice, wait three days, send another, and if after 24 hours, they did not pay the second invoice, file the NPB. Now I am just going to let ebay do my dirty work.

Really? GSP Blog Copied From ecommercebytes

I read this blog today with much interest. Now if you as a seller use other peoples pics, they go apeshit and report your ass and your shit gets taken down and you get warned. But it's perfectly legal for ebays flunkies to do it after grabbing your item? Yeahhhhh. Nothing wrong with that scenario, right?  I get that the buyer gets their refund and the seller gets paid anyway, but it makes sellers look bad.

Imagine you won a collectible item, for example, say a rare greek My Little Pony. You get your refund with a  canned letter from ebay "Sorry, this item is not available blah blah" then a week later you see the exact item for sale again with the same pics. Knee jerk reaction would be that the seller screwed me over and I would be pissed. For the love of God, when will the bleeding stop?


http://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2014/2/1392120162.html

Respect My Authorit-TY

I got this quote from a facebook group that I am a member of.

 You know what, I'm not leaving feedback anymore - not unless they leave it first. I was complying with eBay all the way but now, I'm done with giving everything to the buyer.

You know, I've been kicked around by ebay a little more than most folks, and when I have beef with them I sure spout it off, and yes, there are 10 morons for every one stellar buyer.

BUT...The buyer is NOT your enemy. Ebay's policies are the enemy! They are exactly why you view buyers as enemies. These enemies are paying your bills! They only become enemies to me when they make unreasonable demands, make feedback threats, or repeatedly message me trying to bend me to their will. If something was missed in a listing and I know for sure it was me, I fix it. I don't wage an epic war, I eat it and move on. If it wasn't and I can prove it, then I wage war.

Unless they start shit with you, why would you not leave feedback for a person who paid you quickly and didn't harass you with stupidity? When I get someone who seems nitpicky and asks too many questions or sends me full instructions on how to pack shit, only then do I reserve it and if they piss me off, I don't leave any.

FYI: If you leave a "veiled negative" IE report exactly what happened, ebay WILL remove it and ban your ass.

Global Shipping Program ~ Gift Straight From God. Har

I joined a "thrifting mom" group on Facebook. These people are acting like the GSP is a gift sent down from Jesus. I don't get why people think it's so hard to ship to a foreign country.

DUH.

It works the same fuckin' way domestic does. You send invoice. Customer pays invoice. You pack and ship item. But...oh noes, you might have to *GASP* write what the item is on a piece of paper and sign it. What a terrible hard ordeal. Jesus. What's the big deal?

This Is What Makes Selling on Ebay Still Worthwhile...

Stuff like this makes all the bullshit I put up with worthwhile.


Dear __________,

Hi, thanks for a great sale. I have the clock all cleaned up and running again. I converted it to a quartz movement and it has pride of place on the mantel above my fireplace. Here are a couple of pictures if you are interested.
Have a wonderful day.

WK

Not So Classy Eye Candy

I had a belt. I relisted said belt on request for a buyer who asked me to. Buyer asks questions after the sale. I think to myself "belt is coming back".

I was right. Miss Fickle meanwhile asks about a pair of goggles I had up for auction. She offers to pay the difference and subtract the belt money, I kick it around in my head and figure when all is said and done, I will break even financially, and so I agree. I write up a new revised auction for the goggles and in all caps in the title "FOR (username)*ONLY*" within seconds a 2nd moron swoops in and "buys" them.

I immediately refund her money and this ensues:
Me:  
Hi,
This auction was put up for a specific buyer, named in the auction title. I have refunded your money and wish to cancel this transaction. 

Her:
I'm sorry i purchased these glasses first. I seen ten I liked them so I purchased and pair instantly. I would like to have them.

Me: 
Did you not read the title of the auction? You can leave me a negative if you must, but they were reserved for someone else.

Her:
How ami supposed to know what thatent? It didn't say resellers for this butter. All it said was someone's ebay name?? How was I supposed to know what your lingo is? I'll give you 15$ plus shipping instead of 11

Me:
I agreed to sell them to the person named in the auction title. I am not able to sell them to you. They are hers. I was making the transaction ebay legal, I cannot help that you did not understand the title. 

Her:
For you being imcompantant your very rude for no reason? I've never seen that before where someone posts another ebay name on title. As you can see I move 1300 feedbacks . You've got Amit to learn about being polite.

Me: 
I am not being rude, I am explaining my situation.

She cancelled and as she rode off into the illiterate stupid ebay sunset she added:

Just like your title on item you suck at it!!!!

Well honey. YOU suck at reading, YOU suck at spelling and punctuation. What in fuck does "resellers for this butter" mean?  How do your stupid actions make me incompetent? "Lingo?" how much more clear can I make it? "FOR_____*ONLY* means what it means. And little do you know, but I've got over 3000 feedback, on various accounts. Two of which are designated TRS, lol.

Dill Fickle

Buyer contacts me about whether I will relist a Gucci belt I had had for sale. I have just done re-takes and say "Yes" and she offers to buy it for start price. So I relist. She buys it, and then right afterward I get this:

Is Gucci marked on it? is it authentic. Thanks again.

After she bought it! Of course it's coming back.

 Ok. I would never leave neg feedback because i should have asked before purchasing! I waa looking for a gucci belt though.

Today I got my "I want to return this" but now she wants something else I have for sale, maybe we can partially trade.

 Hi there,
Really fast shipping! I would like to return the belt. It was not what i expected. I love the Bausch Frames, Maybe we can work something out with those. Can pay difference. Will talk soon. Thank you.

The frames she speaks of are rather rare steampunk goggles that I would like to let ride so that I can get a good price for them. Ugh. I am not going to give them away to some fickle buyer who returns at the drop of a hat.