eBay Jerk of the Day

[Buythatcard]

Every so often I come across a buyer who has nothing better to do than waste my time.

Minutes after this buyer won an auction, he sent me an email with the following request "Could you please use a "handwritten, white envelope, with a top loader on the card?" the goal is to "not" appear to be from ebay"

My response was "All cards are sent in a top loader and bubble envelope. The shipping label will say eBay on it. There is no way around it. I print all my label from ebay in order to have the tracking #'s recorded automatically. I do not have the time to stand on line at my PO.

Sorry."

He then responded and told me to cancel the transaction. Here was his reason "My goal was to have somewhat of a surprise of sorts, so it blends in with the rest of my mail"


Just another day in eBay world.

[kmac32]

Odd request when people want exceptions. Seems like a rash of idiots on the bay recently. Currently dealing with a guy who would risk his reputation over 2 beater cards worth $11.00. My reputation is worth more than that to me.

[itjclarke]

I figured he was at least trying to hide it from his wife or something.. I'd maybe halfway understand the motivation there. Either way that sounds like a real pain. Makes me glad I'm just a hoarding collector.

[attellfan4life]

Originally Posted by itjclarke

I figured he was at least trying to hide it from his wife or something.. I'd maybe halfway understand the motivation there. Either way that sounds like a real pain. Makes me glad I'm just a hoarding collector.

my way of hiding from wife is to try to get to the mailbox before her. I prefer the ebay label lets me know what day to get mail before her lol.

[Sean]

WTF?

[sylbry]

You can cut the part off that says ebay. I do it all the time. But the look of the label is still a giveaway.

[ibuysportsephemera]

I always cut the top part off that says eBay for 2 reasons. 1) I don't like giving eBay the free advertising and 2) Why give anyone an idea that there is something of value in the envelope?

[Bpm0014]

I'll play devil's advocate; I'm in sales. It doesn't seem like an unreasonable request to be honest, no matter what kind of volume you deal with. If I had a client who made this request, I wouldn't even think of complaining or saying that it was too "tough" to fulfill. And who knows, maybe you make the guy happy and he buys more cards off of you in the future.

[ecRich]

Not to justify the silly request of the auction winner, but I'm guessing he is trying to hide his ebay purchases from his wife who probably gets the mail.

[Matthew H]

Originally Posted by ecRich

Not to justify the silly request of the auction winner, but I'm guessing he is trying to hide his ebay purchases from his wife who probably gets the mail.

+1

I think it's pretty funny actually. He's trying to hide it from his wife, and at the same time, he's trying to hide from you, that he has to hide it from his wife. I would do it for him, but I hardly sell anything so... In bulk I could see how this could get annoying.

[Jacklitsch]

When you agree to the buyer's request, and he then claims not to have received the card, you lose. No card, no money. eBay and PayPal will side with the buyer, not the seller. Every time.

[buymycards]

Hi guys, If you want to send something in a PWE you should be putting 66 cents on the envelope. This PWE with a top load more than likely will not go through the hi speed sorting machines without damage to the top load. You need to put a 46 cent stamp, plus another 20 cent for the non-machinable surcharge. That way the PWE is handled by hand and won't go through a machine. If you have ever been in a USPS distribution center and watched the letters go through machines at 30,000 pieces per hour you would see what I mean.

I know- I know- you do it all of the time and your Post Office lets you do it, and blah blah blah. I'm just telling you the regulations and you can do what you like. Howard is correct by refusing this request. This top load SHOULD be in a bubble mailer or photo mailer. Howard, if you send it in a PWE the customer will probably be upset because you charged him too much for postage.

Rick

[D. Bergin]

I find that the buyers who want you to throw a card in an envelope with a stamp on it, are usually the first ones to complain when that card shows up with a crease in it.

The ones who want you to send without delivery confirmation are the first ones to yell "where is my package", when it doesn't show up at their house two days after the auction is over.

The ones who think putting something bulky or fragile in a Priority Box is too expensive, and want you to stuff it into a flat rate envelope or bubble envelope instead, are the first to complain when an item shows up damaged.

All you can really do is state your terms, hope the customer reads them ahead of time, pack your stuff as secure as possible, and stick to your guns when you feel like you need to protect yourself.

[Buythatcard]

I've been in business over 10 years and have dealt with many customers. From my experience I have found that buyers prefer to have their cards protected in a top loader and a bubble envelope. So, that's how I ship. This will satisfy most customers and will protect their investment.

As I mentioned in my post, eBay requires that you upload the tracking information. By using their shipping labels that solves the problem for me.

If this customer wanted me to change my shipping methods for them, they should have contacted me before they bid on the item and work something out. Don't win an auction and then say I am cancelling the transaction because you the seller didn't want to ship the item the way that I wanted it.

As far as taking out time and standing in line at my PO just to mail this one card. Sorry, but that's not happening. Each visit to my PO is a 45 minute ordeal. My business runs quite smoothly as of now.

I can't please every customer but I try my best. Still 99% of my customers are the greatest.