Now for #Gotober I thought I would have a clear out. Get rid of a few bits and pieces which have been on shelves, in drawers or in the garage, either taking up space or gathering dust, or in most cases both.
Now how do you go about selling some 3d glasses or an emperor Dalek figurine? They are not everyday items, and so having tried ebay back in the day and made a tidy sum for my step daughters graduation expenses as her father didn't wish to contribute. I thought why not do so again.
I was realistic, looked about at prices for most of the items, and then set them a few quid below. My thought process was, they may well be worth more but I would be happy to get rid as now I have no money for them and them taking up space. So any money for them is a bonus,
Photos taken, individual auctions set, although not as I remembered because I am sure you used to be able to set timers for them and have them for up to 10 days, with the doctor who stuff I thought I would set it for just after the first new episode. But as I would be watching it (disappointed but that's another post) I wanted to set the system to start the auctions then. But it wouldn't let me do it, so I went with the flow set to 7 days, I also had to correct the postage, as all seemed quite low, and having stood in the post office when someone was asked to pay £14 because it was over 2kg, was mindful of not putting items together but ensuring I charged enough for postage and packaging, as packaging ain't free. any difference would go towards the fee ebay charged as it would be nice if you got £9.99 to actually get as much of that £9.99.
Anyways, all quite quiet, then you get the chancers, will you accept a lower figure for the item? Then someone over offered, but would not put a auction bid in. Which got me to thinking if I have asked for 5 and they have offered 20 what is it actually worth? I looked through their profile to see they have sold lots of the same item for more, and so as it was not a collector I refused the offer and said feel free to bid in the auction. (It actually sold to someone else for 5, my loss but that's the chance you take and I accept that, life is a gamble) Other items were having one bid, others got offers, after losing out on the 20 when I got 5 I accepted an offer which was slightly over for one of my DVDs. This sent ebay into a spin. It seems accepting any offer before the auction ends means that they then keep hold of the money for 21 days or until the person leaves positive feedback, folks are never in a hurry to do that.
I then had a look at all the fees, PayPal take a chunk for just processing the payment, much is along the same sort of rates as a pay for cash machine. I thought somehow as paypal and ebay are under the same company umbrella that they took the commission as they processed the money due to the seemingly steep fee, but I was wrong. Ebay have a running total of fees, they take a percentage from the selling price and also from the postage costs. So they set a low postage charge which could leave you paying more than you took for postage, and they then take a cut of that figure separately as well.
They also on this new system automatically re list your item, after talking to an ebay representative to find out what to do, as my money was locked. They said, eventually you could be then also charged for re listing items as Ebay automatically up to seven times. To resolve this, I had to go through each item and tick a box to not have it automatically relisted.
Then the sales, most went through fine, posted item, got positive feedback. One item which was a single DVD only needed to be sent as a large letter. So no need for proof of posting other than receipt to say bought stamp. Anything extra in regards of postage is chargeable and ebay would have had a cut of that and also stop you from raising it above certain levels as ebay fixes it so you can't say £5 to post it so I can cover every eventuality. Now to me charge what you like it is down to the buyer if they wish to pay and it is me left with the item if they don't pay it.
But I get a message I haven't received the DVD and at the same time, so not waiting a reply, put in a want a refund request. So the buyer without waiting for a reply and 3 days since buying the item could badger for their money back. I thought to myself, to be honest how stupid I had been, leaving myself wide open to the person who may have had the DVD but still filled out a form to say they haven't. What proof have I got? And how little the buyer has to say they haven't had it.
Luckily as I mailed regularly from the Friday through to the Monday when it turned up I got a message from ebay saying the buyer has had the item. As I defended myself the best way I could, by saying I have no reason not to send it, and there is feedback from all the other buyers to say they had, had their items.
But that did get me to thinking that the system seems to be skewed towards the buyer.
Then a few days ago I get a message saying a pair of 3d glasses didn't charge, they had bought 2 for a tenner I later found out they are worth a lot more, but hey ho that is the thing in life and I ain't greedy they were going to use them I was going to get a tenner. But nope, they found one didn't charge and would test the other. They then ask for a refund for both and I have to pay for them to return them. I explain I am no techie, and why if one didn't work, did you open the other box and turn them from new and sealed to a used item, having seen the true price of them I could have had the new ones returned checked them and sent them out as checked.
But no, yet again the buyer can have you over a barrel, now it might be fun to get an item from a large chain of stores, wear it once and then return it thinking no harm done, or order three items and return the ones you don't want, but not on a private sale, (actually sure I clicked no returns,) but hey. Ebay case opened. I have a choice. let buyer keep items and return all the money to them so effectively pay to post your items out to someone. Option 2, I can pay for them to return supposedly faulty items and have them back but have paid more for them to return them,no limits I suspect on what they pay to send them back. Option 3 (which is the one I have gone for) give them a partial refund and they keep both. But isn't that possible for everyone to gamble on you not wanting to do the first 2 options because of the additional expense?
No burden of proof is needed by the buyer, the seller at all times has 7 days to respond otherwise ebay pay them back, buyer has 30 days to think about my offer.
All in all it left a bitter taste, partly thinking I might as well have gone to a cash converter and get a daft price but have no hassle or give it to charity, at least it would have done some good. But if this is the model ebay continues with then I won't be using it ever again.
