Block Chain

 Last week, I had 15 things up for sale on eBay. Supposedly 8 of them sold, but only 5 have been paid for 3 days later.

I had hoped that this early in my fledgling account that I would not have to start blocking left and right, but here we are with 5 names on the blocked bidder list already. I also went ahead blocked anyone with at least 2 cancellations due to non-payment in a 12 month span and now exclude shipping to Italy and Chile from my listings because their postal systems are TERRIBLE. That should take care of some assholes.

I removed Arnold. The fucker paid after all. 

Blocked Bidders:

The cheerleader board is all like "ThEy CaN jUsT lOG iN oN A gUeSt AcCoUnT" But will they? Doubtful. I block 'em anyway so it is clear to them that they are not wanted and maybe they will take a pause before bidding.

One is a non-payer of two doll outfits totalling about $100. My first naughty from Australia, sadly. One was cancelled for non-payment, the next was cancelled by me because I didn't want a rinse and repeat of the first experience.

0 feedback, located in Hong Kong - MLP, $17. Cancelled - non payment

These next three have waited 3 days each, these blockings are a pre-emptive strike. I don't want your bid if you're going to waste my time.

0 feedback from Russia - MLP, under $10. 

4 feedback from US - MLP, under $10. 

27 feedback from US, hadn't bought anything in over 6 months, and suddenly "bought" a Game Cube game manual for $30. Edit - Game Cube paid. I removed him from the list. So now my blocked buyer list contains 3 Pony flakes and 1 Aussie Barbie outfit buyer. 

What information does one garner from all this? 

Pony people are still fucking flakes.

Ten Thousand Dollar Baby

 Yesterday I read the latest Bytes newsletter. In this newsletter was some enlightening information about Etsy. Glad I caught it before I hit the threshold. I had been excited to refresh items in my shop and keep selling, but this took the wind right out of my sails.

Last year during the pandemic, I left one singular thing languishing in my shop. Suddenly I got an e-mail saying it had sold. 

When I went to pack it I was informed that the sale came through "offsite ads". 

When I originally listed the plates, LONG before they sold, the shipping had been around $16.95, so that was what was charged. They actually cost about $22 to ship. That alone sucked, but then I found out that I had been opted into "offsite ads". I wound up with about $19 on an order the buyer paid $58 for. Thankfully I got the plates for like what worked out to about a $1 at an auction, however, I was pissed about it and opted out immediately.

Now, in aforementioned newsletter there were a few sellers discussing the offsite ads. I see now that once you reach $10K in a 365 day span - you're opted in - permanently. I had assumed once you opted out, you were out. Not so fast, sucker - there's always a fucking bottomless pit of despair for you to fall into when it comes to online selling platforms.

I have been selling left and right, hand over fist at Etsy, no free shipping, no offsite ads, I've been going great guns. Hell, I'm already around $3K. This royally sucks because now, when I reach around $9K I'm going to have to deactivate everything in my shop until the year passes, to avoid that buttsucking ridiculous fee.

I'm really disappointed because I thought I finally had my main escape chute from eBay. Fair prices paid, people actually pay, less entitled assholes, less fees. But 30% in fees ain't happening - ever. I pride myself on offering shit for a decent price, and I cannot do that when I've gotta tack on at least 25% extra to try and offset fees. You KNOW that each and every larger sale after you're opted in is going to be from offsite ads, even if it isn't. *eyeroll*.

I feel like Etsy is retarding its own growth by implementing this. For each shop that keeps chugging with that fee added on, there are several more like me that are like "Well, we're at $9500, time to quit for a few months". If enough people are doing that, there goes your "extra" fees. You won't even be getting the 10% . Lesson being, take the damned 10% and be happy, word will get around like it had been before this that Etsy is a better place to sell. So much for that with a mandate hanging over people's heads.  

These platforms get greedy, then start mandating shit, and one cannot help to think about how this must backfire on them. They make so much still, that they don't even notice. But they could stop the bleeding if they'd just stop mandating shit and fuck off. 

Happy sellers spread word-of-mouth news and gain you more sellers - unhappy ones are even louder. This is one case where what eBay did makes sense - don't force the offsite ads (IE promoted listings), offer them. 

Dumb fucks like the people from the cheerleader board will actually pay for that shit voluntarily. I wouldn't, but they would. 

We see how well mandating shit is going in this country...take a life lesson, Etsy, eBay - let people do shit their way and they'll be more happy and productive, but if we feel like we're toiling under the wheel, we'll rebel and it will winding up costing you and your shareholders money when people bail to greener pastures.

There's Poshmark, Mercari, Facebook Marketplace, Vinted, Instagram, Twitter, Personal websites, even stupid nearly useless Bonanza...brick and mortar is starting to uptick again because of USPS prices. You guys aren't the only place to go anymore - keep pissing us all off. Fuck around and find out.

Another Cuckoo From The Erie

 I smell some fun coming down the pike on this one. Lady bought two lots of doll clothing. Her total cost is $13.00 + $3.85 shipping because I revised it from $7.70. 

On Sunday before bidding, she messaged me asking if I combine shipping. 

My answer: (I wanted to post this since apparently I was not clear? 😒) 

New message to: ___________

Yes, I will combine shipping. Just wait for a revised invoice after the auction is finished.

She wins the two items. Within 30 seconds of the last item ending, I sent an invoice correcting the shipping from $7.70 to $3.85 and about 5 minutes later I get this:

New message from:_________

Hello. Just won this Dawn lot and another outfit you offered. I tried to “request a total” to save on shipping, but a message said you don’t allow that. Just wish I had known before bidding. Nowhere is it mentioned on your site. I definitely want the items. Was just disappointed.

Oh noes. A buyer is "disappointed". A buyer that hasn't even paid yet I might add.

I mean, sorry you could not "request a total" 5 seconds before I sent one and I don't allow it??

Uhhhh lady, it ain't me not allowing it. 

I am sure there is some complicated workaround that eBay would have me use to "allow" that, but since it is rare that a buyer will buy multiple things, I don't bother. I just quickly send a revised invoice right afterward or refund the money if there is an overage and the buyer has already paid. I don't deal with that complicated cart garbage. I use exact shipping.

This lady is looking for problems that don't even exist, meaning that she will become a problem. It's always the cheapasses.

Crazy Pony People and Cheerleader Angst

 Lady who bought ponies on Etsy left me 5 star feedback...a couple of days later, revises to 1 star and whines that the heads were "glued". I check the neck seams of each pony I sell - each and every one of them was factory sealed. She blabbered some nonsense about someone switching heads. They all came from different sellers, and I myself did not touch them. It is highly unlikely that 4 different sellers switched the heads on them and glued them back on. So the bitch carpet bombed my good seller rating without even contacting me to ask if I would take them back  - I would have because she got them cheap and I can get more for them if I relist. *headdesk*

Pony People.

The head cheerleader got a hair across his ass today. The hair was about flat rate padded envelopes. His post was a childish "See??!! You can STILL get padded envelopes" in response to ecommercebytes writing an article about people not being able to get their hands on them and speculating as to why. He was all hot under the collar and huffy and almost in a sense, as bad as the Former Buyers board with the "If you read that newsletter and believe this shit, leave the group" type attitude. Man, with how much eBay dick he sucks, you'd think he was the fuckin' CEO over there. lol.

Bleeding Coin

 The cheerleader group, man. Today someone wanted the best reason to cancel an item because they could not find it anywhere after they sold it. Been there. They asked what to do. Nothing to do with a buyer was mentioned: 

"I sold and got paid for an ebay item. I thought I put it in the right container but I've gone through all my containers. Can't even find online. What is the best reason to cancel this item. I'm still on time"  

Immediately, an admin goes on the offensive:

"The ONLY appropriate reason for cancellation is OUT OF STOCK. That is a defect for you. But this is not on the buyer".

Asshole, Did anyone say anything about a buyer here?

Oh yes, immediately defend the poor underdog (hahahahahaha) buyers...lol. 

I for one know that the seller is very rarely considered when a case is opened. About $236 that swirled the bowl in Italy tells me that. I was writing descriptions yesterday for the small cheap shit that will become my eBay staples from now on and asking myself "Why even bother?" while doing it. The fuckers don't read, and eBay will believe any sob story they throw out there about big bad seller not selling them what they expected, so why even bother writing a description anymore?

Jesus Christ though. A buyer wasn't even mentioned. The OP simply wanted advice. These people have their heads so far up their own asses when it comes to "trading partners" that they can see out of their mouths.

Yesterday someone wanted to know what brand of tape to use. A bunch of uppity "I only use (fill in name of an expensive brand of tape)" ensued. I use cheap ass Shark brand from Job Lot. 110 yards for $1.59 and it's fine. The amount of money they waste is unbelievable.

Unhappy New Year!

 Buyer continues to insist on returning the clock saying the movement cannot be restored. 

Eschlong for Bidnezz and Eschlong for Bidnezz Italy both gave me the same canned response. 

USA: "but we usually still allow for the return, if the customer is eligible, because we can't physically inspect the item. That way the seller can resell it and the customer's concerns are addressed."

ITALY: When a buyer opens a return for an item not as described, please understand we on eBay would not be in a position to verify the condition the item was sent, since we are not with the buyer at the moment of receiving the order.

So...even though his reason for return is "doesn't work or defective" and my description said "seized movement and project" meaning I sold it as not working and defective, I am still forced to lose...

Option 1. $68 in shipping and the $20 I spent on the clock.

Option 2. $68, the $20 I spent on the clock, possibly $20 for fighting it, a strike on my account, probably more funds holding, and forced to pay return shipping. This irks me as well, because I state on the listing "buyer pays return shipping". 

Seems fair, doesn't it?

I also like that nice touch of them calling the buyers "customers". No motherfuckers, I'm your fucking customer, and guess what? You made the mistake of playing me when I still have a bit of savings left, a part time job, and other venues to yeet off to. Say bye bye. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's had it at this point in time.

I don't have any major bills due until the end of January, so I have the time and wherewithal to move elsewhere. I might even file a complaint with my AG and the BBB. I've seen complaints to authorities work magic in getting your damned money back from that hellhole and since I give less and less shits about selling there ever again, I just might take that step.

I am tired of giving things away because of other people's incompetence. I did everything by the book. I described things correctly, I shipped them out securely within 24 hours, and I gave a 14 day "Buyer pays" return policy. It is not my fault that Italy post lost a package, nor is it my fault that the dude had no reading comprehension so why should I shoulder the entire blame?  

Etsy will get the lion's share of my stuff from now on, I listed like 10 things (with more coming for sure now!) 2 days ago and have already raked in $75 in sales - sales that I will get proceeds from in less than a week and that I can keep 99.9% of the time. I'll be dipping my toes in at Mercari as well. I know they also hold your money, but not for 30 FUCKING DAYS.