How to deal with your eBay customers.

[stanislav]

Unlike most of you (I am assuming) I don't let my customers walk all over me. I let them know that sometimes they need to shut the **** up and listen to me because if they think that by leaving negative feedback in retaliation is going to threaten me, I will make sure they won't get anything in return. Remember, eBay customers are just people like you and me. Unfortunately given the opportunity they will always try to get something for free. Don't let them abuse you, fight back. Be assertive when you exchange messages with your eBay customers.

[BigCJ]

Yeah, you need to be assertive, but professional.

I send them a pleasant message letting them know that I will pursue my moneys or items to the fullest extent.

Many of us deal with it because that douche buyer is a one time deal for us.
We can arse kiss, block and move on knowing that we, for the most part, will not have to deal with that person again on the site.

You have to think about it: This one buyer is not worth having a permanent accounts reputation ruined.

[rsot]

Professionally fighting back takes skill - I do eat negatives when I figure not worth wasting my time trying to go back and forth - I just keep building the positives to outweigh (example)

[defon]

Originally Posted by stanislav

Unlike most of you (I am assuming) I don't let my customers walk all over me. I let them know that sometimes they need to shut the **** up and listen to me because if they think that by leaving negative feedback in retaliation is going to threaten me, I will make sure they won't get anything in return. Remember, eBay customers are just people like you and me. Unfortunately given the opportunity they will always try to get something for free. Don't let them abuse you, fight back. Be assertive when you exchange messages with your eBay customers.

I have the same 'feelings' as you. I have sold mattresses, mortgages, real estate... you name it. And being in sales for so long I push back... too much. I have recently found acting like a Puss* reduces everything. For the last few months I act scared of the angry customer and ask them to "not hate me ... I am so sorry..." Bla bla bla.

Granted ... being so full of bull**** is not easy all the time so many times I will ignore the jerk till I am in a good mood or had a few drinks. Then bull****ting someone is fun and easy. I have reduced 90% of all my issues from acting like a wimp. In the end it is about profit and the less time I spend "fighting" means I make more per hour. What is worth more important... your money or your pride? :-)

But the 10% of the time this doesn't work then I GO TO WAR BABBY. But now going to war is the last plan, not the first one.

[JamesNorth101]

If the item cost practically nothing to buy then and they insist they have not had it in the post I just refund, block and move on. Really not worth the time to fight it or risk the neg if they are telling the truth.

Some eBayers really do grate my teeth sometimes when its a blatant professional buyer, but again I will generally refund and move on if its a cheap item. Anything that I sell that really costs a lot to buy I always send recorded

[jeffweico]

Originally Posted by JamesNorth101

If the item cost practically nothing to buy then and they insist they have not had it in the post I just refund, block and move on. Really not worth the time to fight it or risk the neg if they are telling the truth.

Some eBayers really do grate my teeth sometimes when its a blatant professional buyer, but again I will generally refund and move on if its a cheap item. Anything that I sell that really costs a lot to buy I always send recorded

EXACTLY! Many of the problems experienced by sellers can be eliminated or at least mitigated by following the rules:

• Only ship to the PayPal CONFIRMED address
• Use delivery confirmation on EVERYTHING
• Get signature confirmation on anything valued at over $250
• Insure your expensive packages against damage or loss

Many of the problems I see people posting come about because the seller is too cheap to use signature confirmation or delivery confirmation. Or, they change the address at the request of the buyer who tells the seller the item is a gift.

[joesshooze]

OP, how can you say they won't get anything? If they make a case PP puts your money on hold until resolved. In my selling experience after eb let a customer return a $200 very fragile item that my buyer resold on eb. His customer didn't like it and he returns to me. Item not as described. So Eb allowed this & WTF? Sellers really don't count much and you know that well.

I'm pretty good, break even is ok as long as I don't loose any money.

[Sandy D]

Cheap items I tell them to keep it and leave me a positive and move on.

Expensive items I take the approach in an item by item, customer by customer manner.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose but I will not sit back and let a 10.00 item get me a negative on an account I worked so hard to build.

You just have to take each and every sale and approach it in a different manner because not every item, customer or issue we have are the same.