Buying on ebay. Don't use your phone!!!!

[auburnseeker]

Ok a personal gripe here after I had 2 complaints from customers today that bought literature on ebay using their phone,  then said because the pictures were so small they couldn't see the damage I clearly showed and described in the listing and with pictures.  Inn the second the guy wanted to cancel the transaction because he couldn't see the ink stamp,  clearly stamped on the cover,  which was the lead photo for the listing. 

If you are buying something that isn't a new piece of crap sealed in a box from China,  use a real computer so you can see the pictures.  I didn't think it was brain surgery,  but I guess I will have to Post that in my listings from now on,  though no one will read that far anyways.  it's 40 to 100 year old literature.  There is a better chance it's going to be damaged or worn in some way than not.  This piece was about a 1960 Alfa Romeo brochure which I just acquired from who knows where and had an opening bid of 2.99 with no reserve. 

Here is the actual comment.  then the guy complained when I wrote him back asking him what he would like me to do for him as he stated everything was clearly listed.

"I was away and just today opened the Alfa brochure. 
I was disappointed in the condition, the worn edges, writing inside and the tear. 
I feel it is my fault though, you did disclose the tear even if I missed it among the other comments and the photo show the writing. Problem is I use my phone to search items and my eyesight isn’t what it once was. "

 

Here is the link to the auction for you to determine if it was misrepresented. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/312217493196?ul_noapp=true

Edited September 14, 2018 by auburnseeker (see edit history)

[mercer09]

cant believe you put up with selling your literature on ebay, but guess there isnt much alternative.

 

sounds like a lot of work for little $

[1937hd45]

Just an observation on my part as an eBay sell for close to 20 years, all my problem buyers bought things for under $5.00. I have a problem with "Cell Phone People " in general, the batteries suck out brain cells, I can't prove it, but a government research grant may help me one way or another. Bob 

[joe_padavano]

I'm willing to bet that even if those buyers had used a full size monitor, they would have found something else to complain about. Some people are just like that.

[hidden_hunter]

I've bought most of my literature on eBay for my Cad and have never had any problems - some of this stuff is 100 years old you're not going to get something perfect....

 

The worst quality stuff I've bought are the repro's, the scans are usually terrible

[TerryB]

Many fail to read the entire description.  It’s not just eBay and smartphone users.

[billorn]

Stupid people are frequently cheap skates. They will admit to neither.

[JV Puleo]

I wonder what the thought process is for someone to complain and then admit that it is their own fault.

 

I've made mistakes like that - usually late at night and I'm not thinking very clearly. I would be embarrassed to make such a comment. I've also bought a few things (very few) that were genuinely misrepresented and most of those items were a more a result of ignorance on the sellers part than intent to deceive. I've never warmed to ebay. I find the endless offerings for many times what they could possibly be worth and the incessant use of "rare" and "vintage" to describe things that are common and simply not new to be tiresome at best... But, I confess that I've found a few things that way. Occasionally there is a seller bright enough to realize that all old car guys are not rich and stupid at the same time.

[John_S_in_Penna]

3 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

Here is the actual comment.... 

"I was away and just today opened the Alfa brochure. 
I was disappointed in the condition, the worn edges, writing inside and the tear. 
I feel it is my fault though, you did disclose the tear even if I missed it among the other comments and the photo show the writing. Problem is I use my phone to search items and my eyesight isn’t what it once was. "

 

This buyer seems like a good, honest man.

He quite readily admitted that it was his own mistake.

You need more buyers as forthright as he is.

[1937hd45]

2 minutes ago, JV Puleo said:

I wonder what the thought process is for someone to complain and then admit that it is their own fault.

 

I've made mistakes like that - usually late at night and I'm not thinking very clearly. I would be embarrassed to make such a comment. I've also bought a few things (very few) that were genuinely misrepresented and most of those items were a more a result of ignorance on the sellers part than intent to deceive. I've never warmed to ebay. I find the endless offerings for many times what they could possibly be worth and the incessant use of "rare" and "vintage" to describe things that are common and simply not new to be tiresome at best... But, I confess that I've found a few things that way. Occasionally there is a seller bright enough to realize that all old car guys are not rich and stupid at the same time.

eBay and stupid, that reminds me, just who came up with the (Fits-------------------) idea, and how does the idiot seller use it? You know, you do a search for 1910 Stoddard Dayton or Lozier parts and 3,721 items pop up as (fit). Has anyone attached a 1956 Chevy quarter panel to a Stoddard Dayton? Isn't that false advertising? 

 

Bob

[Terry Bond]

Not to change the subject at all but I do agree it's probably a phone issue.  I've been in HR for 21 years now and have seen millions of resumes.  In the last couple of years companies have made it "easy" to apply jobs by enabling you to fill out an application and do your resume one your "smart" phone.  The result is:

"hit ur opning n am sub my app. Have 3 yrs xp and am egr 2 join ur co asap."

 

I'm sure idiots like this are also buying your literature on ebay! 

Terry

[JV Puleo]

I ran a small family business for many years. Applications like that went straight to the trash.

[TexRiv_63]

Cellphone app purchases are a big part of any Ebay seller's business today and they have pushed the sellers to downsize and focus listing features in that direction. Its not going to diminish but rather will increase so complaining about it does no good. I edit all my photos to fill the frame and put the most descriptive first in line. The little "mini-description" note always includes "SEE ALL PHOTOS AND FULL DESCRIPTION" but I'm sure most app users only see the first couple of photos and lines of description. This has worked for me and I have very few returns or condition issues.

[billorn]

Buyer beware is still the rule when it comes to used car parts and other stuff like that. I say if their going to be stupid let them. We need to stop saving people from themselves.

[auburnseeker]

5 hours ago, TexRiv_63 said:

Cellphone app purchases are a big part of any Ebay seller's business today and they have pushed the sellers to downsize and focus listing features in that direction. Its not going to diminish but rather will increase so complaining about it does no good. I edit all my photos to fill the frame and put the most descriptive first in line. The little "mini-description" note always includes "SEE ALL PHOTOS AND FULL DESCRIPTION" but I'm sure most app users only see the first couple of photos and lines of description. This has worked for me and I have very few returns or condition issues.

This is the actual mini description in the top of that listing 

 

"“Read the Description!!!!!Decent shape with some writing inside the cover as well as a small tear ”

that is followed by a photo of every page and even a close up of the tear.   They are the photos you can enlarge as well.  the rate of people wanting returns is well under 1 and probably under and 1/816 of a percent. When you run 30 auctions minimum every night you put alot of product through. 

[Bhigdog]

15 minutes ago, auburnseeker said:

When you run 30 auctions minimum every night you put alot of product through. 

Good God! How do you do it? Sounds like my vision of Hell.......................Bob

[auburnseeker]

7 minutes ago, Bhigdog said:

Good God! How do you do it? Sounds like my vision of Hell.......................Bob

It's not far from that.  Fortunately or should I say unfortunately I sell just enough stuff that does well enough that it keeps me wanting to subjecting myself to the punishment. 

So now you know how really frustrating it is when you log in one day to do your shipping and ebay greets you with a new page of improvements.  I don't have time to learn improvements which rarely ever are. 

[1937hd45]

It is tough to  sit down and list stuff every night, but some times if you have a stack of magazines or sales literature or ads  it goes real fast with the "List Similar'" feature. I'd really like to know were all the buyers went. Five bucks and free postage isn't going to make me rich, but would clear out some unwanted stuff. 

[Bhigdog]

1 hour ago, auburnseeker said:

a new page of improvements

 

 To paraphrase an old chestnut.........."HI, I'm from Ebay and I'm here to help you"..........Oy Vey..............Bob

[auburnseeker]

55 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

It is tough to  sit down and list stuff every night, but some times if you have a stack of magazines or sales literature or ads  it goes real fast with the "List Similar'" feature. I'd really like to know were all the buyers went. Five bucks and free postage isn't going to make me rich, but would clear out some unwanted stuff. 

Even going fast,  it still takes nearly 3 hours start to finish with 200 to 250 photos, and actually listing.  Doesn't count the time to go through your inventory and pull what you are going to list or the packing and shipping end of it,  or the acquisition phase as most of my stuff doesn't come in large lots and that which does usually has 50 percent crap I should just recycle.  I wish I could stream line it down more,  but I don't see too many ways to do that. 

[1937hd45]

Paperwork is easy to list, easy to pack and mail, but I misplace stuff and that just drives me nuts. I try to get things mailed within 3 days of the auction ending, but some things go missing. A note to the buyer on day four lets them know I'm looking and most are understanding, the loose canons are the ones I worry about. I need to set up a better storage setup and retrieval system. Nobody is buying now so it isn't a pressing problem. Bob 

[auburnseeker]

The main reason I switched to paper. Storage and listing is alot easier,  plus I sell alot of multiple piece orders that normally would go unsold. because they are almost free shipping when you add them to the box.  My biggest complaint is the guys that win auctions then never pay.  Usually small amounts as well,  so it's not worth trying to force them to take the stuff,  not that a seller has much bite when ebay has us all muzzled.  The second complaint is the buyers that I build piles for then go over the time frame for invoicing or the number of items I can invoice.  When I am extending a big favor to my customers,  I really hate being taken advantage of further when it adds a bunch more work for me.  

Since I sell so many brands of auto literature,  I also have a little trouble with organization as the foreign stuff usually isn't enough to warrant it's own individual boxes for make but alot of those single page brochures seem to get tucked in behind something else and you search for an hour for the darn thing before you find it.  Usually it's a cheap item as well so you feel even more frustrated. 

The whole shipping scam gets me PO'd as well since ebay collects a fee on shipping paid and doesn't refund it when you do,  because some yahoo Doesn't request an invoice but instead went ahead and paid 50.00 in shipping charges so I have to refund back 43.00.  With ebay keeping 15 percent of that ,  effectively costing me money to ship the buyer's order. 

 

[60FlatTop]

12 hours ago, TexRiv_63 said:

so complaining about it does no good

 

I was just getting better at not buying stashes of car stuff and systematically throwing away my stacks of low yield Ebay items. Putting it at the curb, whether fenders or boxes of books, got things picked up quickly and maybe the bottom feeders got a buck out of it. BUT, the village just announced a rule that THEY would pick up anything at the curb and charge you for it if they beat the poor guy scratching for a buck.

 

I wasn't complaining, just had an alternate plan.

 

You can spot the bad buyers. I sold a set of wheels and caps a few years ago and shipped through UPS. The buyer brought up insurance at least 5 times during the purchase. When the items shipped I told the UPS guy "There is going to be an insurance claim against this. Is it packed OK?". "Yep". Claim for $75 or 80 damage came in shortly after delivery. I think the guy was sitting on his porch with a hammer waiting for the packages.

 

Conniver is a word that has fallen out on common use, needs to be reinstated.

Bernie

[Walt G]

OK, I have to share this - it may upset some people to read it but here goes: There was a fellow from New England that was a dealer in literature named Phil Dumka. Phil was a great fellow , a good friend, and an avid collector of Cadillac literature and had one of the finest collections for that make. He had his flea market spaces at Hershey when there was a Blue Field (where the roller coasters are now at the extreme East end). Phil had a great sense of humor , "looked the part" ( always wore a Greek fisherman's cap that  was popular at that time)  for someone who was a bit of a character etc.,anyway about 35+ years ago I was standing and talking to him at his spot and a fellow came up and for 30+ minutes ( yes really!) looked over a pile of literature that at the time wasn't very old - he pulled out a folder for a car that was about 20 years old at the time which was in excellent condition but had a slight crease in one corner. He looked at Phil and asked if Phil could do better on the price. The piece was marked $7. "Will you take $3.00 for this its damaged" . Phil asked to see the folder and looked it over carefully and looked up at me without the potential buyer seeing his face. Phil had one of those looks that said "here we go" on his face as one can get with people who want something for nothing. Phil took a deep breath and with a sigh tore the corner off the folder! handed it back to the fellow who was interested and said "here it is, now it is worth the $3.00 you so generously offered." I thought the guy was going to pass out! I had to turn away I was laughing so hard. The fellow just put the brochure down and with a look of horror walked away. Phil looked at me and said " I have about 50 of those and no one ever buys them as they are the most common item you could ever find". For the rest of Phil's life , every time I saw him after that at Hershey, he would look at me and smile and knew we were both thinking of that moment .

[1937hd45]

Thank you Walt! That made my day, I didn't know Phil Dumka well but always enjoyed seeing his at a swap meet. He is another great one looking over us at Hershey. 

 

 

Bob 

[JFranklin]

So it's a time saver thingy eh?

[1937hd45]

So what were suppose to learn from that lengthy and unreadable post????????????? 

[Brass is Best]

12 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

So what were suppose to learn from that lengthy and unreadable post????????????? 

 

It made me think something terrible had happened to my computer for a couple seconds.

[capngrog]

37 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

So what were suppose to learn from that lengthy and unreadable post????????????? 

 

That it's a good way to kill a thread.

 

Cheers,

Grog