I'll be turning five in
eBay PH this June 2011. And we all know that to be an
eBay seller is really a very humbling experience. Patience buttons will be pushed to the limit, walking the extra mile will be required, just to satisfy one customer who is currently blackmailing you to give your very first
negative feedback. There are certain
eBay 'personae' that I've dealt with that up until to this day have the ability to make me cringe. Unfortunately they can't be avoided at all so allow me to name a few of them so that when
they come across you one day you're half-prepared (wink, wink).
1. The Poser. The poser is actually another eBay seller who sells items the same as yours or a seller who is jealous of the items you have for auction. He will pose just like any regular member (sounds harmless, but don't be fooled), will make a bid or even start a bidding fight, yet will refuse all your e mails and other means of communication after winning the auction, then will even have the gall to leave you a negative feedback thereafter.
2. The Haggler. I think this really can't be avoided and all, making 'tawad' is every true-blue Pinay's trait. But this is
eBay, items are sold either auction style or in a fixed price format, please don't forget the site's central idea.
3. The Intimidated. I remember a buyer of ours for a second-hand card album auctioned at 50 php. I thought that it was enough that after shipping the item and providing him its tracking number all would be well. But the weather, there was a typhoon that time, made it quite difficult for our favorite freight forwarder, that his package came a day late. We were bombarded with e mails and text messages from him, stating that he was terribly disappointed with us, that we are very poor in communication, that we have a lot to improve as sellers, that he must be receiving low class treatment because he just purchased a very cheap item then? <_<...
4. The Fault-finder. You would ask yourself, why is this person scrutinizing your listings so? Sometimes I really am a rush. I never thought that kids could come quite a handful, that there are numerous instances that I make typos, errors, uploaded wrong photos, etc. that when I logged on to
eBay I receive messages from certain members telling me (berating in my opinion) that I've made this mistake, that I should correct it right away because in the way that he is informing me he is currently laughing at me for it? Well at times like that, I suggest you take a deep breath, delete his message, and add him up on your bidder block list. Members like him wouldn't turn into pleasant customers anyway.
5. The Spammer. His intentions are quite similar to
the Haggler, but he's got a plan for you to give in. If unfortunately you've left your mobile number, he would send you an sms everyday, asking to sell to him the item at a price he had in mind until you agree.
Is that all? Well, but we had this type of buyer last year before Christmas. He pestered my eBay partner, literally I would say, with his sms messages when he already said no yesterday and the day before that. But the guy just won't take no for an answer that my partner had to blocked three mobile numbers because it was already going in the way of his work. He even claimed that he would receive numerous calls at different times, be it day or night! I couldn't stop mumbling an apology to my partner at that time, that he had to replace his mobile number when he had been using it for years just to get a lowballer (pardon my word, but it fits him like a glove) off of his back.
