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Monday, November 10, 2008

Set Realistic Expectations for your eBay customers

I believe that the one thing that makes a difference between a good and bad experience for buyers on eBay is the expectation set by the seller. When a buyer makes a purchase on eBay, they have nothing to go on for expectations except what you've told them in your descriptions and their past experiences buying online. And yes, I said 'online', not just eBay. As a seller, you don't know if your customers' past experiences were great and they have set high expectations for you, or whether they have had nothing but bad experiences and you can very easily wow them with a simple 'thank you'. So, being that the only factor that you have control over is what you are telling your customers, you simply must be very clear and realistic when telling your customers what to expect from you.

For example, if you only ship on the weekends, make sure this is stated plainly and clearly for the buyer. If they give you their money on Monday, and don't fully understand your policy, they will be upset that you didn't put their item in the mail until Saturday. Bitch and moan all you want after the fact about your "policy" but in the end it is your DSRs that are on the line. In a case like this, your best bet would be to, not only to have it in your description, but make sure to set up an automated response thanking them for their quick payment and that their item will be shipped out first thing on Saturday morning. This way they know exactly what to expect.

Example #2; If an item is used and is anything less than perfect condition, point out every flaw. Describe it accurately. Do not try to make it sound better than it really is because your customer will be let down when they open the package.

I'm sure I could go on and on here with examples, but it all boils back down to being realistic and clear about what your customers are expecting from you. If you tell them that you are going to give them the world... than you better have a plan to deliver.



Shameless self promotion:

Items for sale on eBay under user id Shelley-Faye

Items for sale on eBay under user id Love2DressUp

Items for sale on Etsy under user id KitschyAprons

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