ebay sellers: answering questions = increased profit

[Runscott]

I sent a seller a couple of questions 9 hours before his auctions ended tonight, and never got a response. If the answers had been what I think they would have, he would definitely have made more money tonight.

Sellers - if you have a big night of auctions ending, for heaven's sake - answer bidder questions. If you don't have time to answer questions, then end your auctions on a night when you DO have time.

This seller generally sells on consignment. Knowing now that he doesn't respond to questions, I would never consider consigning through him, and if anyone asked me about consignments, that's what I would tell them.

I really, really wanted to bid on these items, but I did not. If I had bid 'blindly' and won, then waited to hear back from him before paying, I could have ended up in a position of having to ask that the transaction be cancelled.

This sucked

[hangman62]

Yea,but Run... what about the other side of the coin... you could have asked the question a few days earlier ??

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by hangman62

Yea,but Run... what about the other side of the coin... you could have asked the question a few days earlier ??

That's not the other side of a coin. That's saying that if someone finds your auction on the last day, and asks a question 9 hours before it ends, you can blow them off. At what point to you give them the right to quit answering questions? The day before? 2 days before? an hour after listing?

[Jlighter]

The onus is on the seller to answer questions. The seller is in the game to sell a card and, possibly, make a profit. The buyer has no obligation to buy/bid on any item. The buyer, Mr. Forest, gave an appropriate amount of time in order for the seller to answer his questions.

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Sounds like you are upset that you misses out on a deal. It happens. Keep your head up.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by I Only Smoke 4 the Cards

Sounds like you are upset that you misses out on a deal. It happens. Keep your head up.

I'm upset because my decision on whether or not to bid hinged on the answer to the question I asked and I fully expected to have that answer within nine hours - it sucked watching the auctions end, and not having the necessary information to make an informed decision.

The items in question were quite rare and come along once in a blue moon, so this was more frustrating than usual.

Yes, I should have asked the question earlier, but I had made an assumption, and then realized this morning that my assumption was really quite naive.

[jcmtiger]

Originally Posted by hangman62

Yea,but Run... what about the other side of the coin... you could have asked the question a few days earlier ??

Yes, I like the questions earlier too. But 9 hours seems reasonable, it's the questions in the last hour or minutes that doesn't work for me.

Joe

[beachhead2]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Knowing now that he doesn't respond to questions, I would never consider consigning through him, and if anyone asked me about consignments, that's what I would tell them.

Good point and your only recourse. I've been in the same position many times and I agree with you.

[quinnsryche]

I sell on ebay quite a bit. Work, family, emergencies and other committments that arise do not always allow me to be available to a computer at every auction's end. 9 hours may seem enough time to one person but may not be to another. Ebay is not a phycial storefront with set hours, for most it is a supplimental way to make a few bucks here and there. I really get tired of every other post bashing and bitching about ebay yet it is the #1 way the majority of regular collectors can add a little something to their collection every now and then. It's not life, it's just a hobby! People need to deal with what it is and move on if you don't like it. It's not perfect, never was, never will be.
Just my opinion, take it or leave it, it's cool either way.

[hangman62]

I agree 100% about ebay being #1....where else can a guy log on early or late...and find a dozen 33 Goudey Ruths all there and avail

[rainier2004]

Originally Posted by Runscott

This seller generally sells on consignment. Knowing now that he doesn't respond to questions, I would never consider consigning through him, and if anyone asked me about consignments, that's what I would tell them.

Scott you and I dont always see eye to eye but I am 1000% with you IF the cards were consigned. These are 2 different scenarios that are being debated. If its just someone selling items, even if they have 10k items up f/s, its a hobby, extra income, whatever...hard to expect quick answers. But if this item was consigned, it is now this guys business to sell for his client...its his resposnibitlity to get the best dollar and that means being available at auction end and to answer questions posted with 9 hours before the end...I bet Scott checked his email 100 times in those 9 hours...I would have. I can see less time being rough, but 9 hours should be adequate as its his freakin job. I would never consign any cards to them, those last second bidders can make you a lot of money. I guess Im a prick about stuff like this, but it seems like 2 different scenarios to me.