The eBay UK Bulletin: Issue 229

The eBay UK Bulletin: Issue 229, 19th September 2011

Topics in this issue:

1. eBay news – Hardly any news

2. eBay trader insurance

3. PayPal spoof?

4. Reader’s rant

5. Ask Molly – Where can I find stock?


Hello and welcome to this week's edition of The eBay UK Bulletin.

You may have noticed that bulletin issue 228 hit the streets twice; well we thought it was so good it deserved to be sent out for a second viewing!

Just before I start here’s the negative feedback received for a ‘Build a bear’ outfit dispatched earlier in the week: “Disappointed, the Velcro fastening broken will need repair”.

I responded offering a full refund including postage and informed the buyer they could keep the outfit. The reply “That’s very understanding, but I will still need to pay to have it repaired.”

This week a great reader’s rant that will have many readers nodding in agreement and a plea for help with stock procurement (just for a change).


[For details of this newsletter, please scroll down to the end.]

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1. EBAY NEWS – HARDLY ANY NEWS

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eBay have started to make changes to the messages system; I look forward to this with great anticipation as it is not the easiest part of the site to navigate.

They have advised us that all messages over six months old will be deleted to save space. No worries there for me as I don’t even read the ones that are two days old.


The new 80 character title is now available so it may be worth re-listing a few items to gain the extra search words. Listings which have not received any sales can be edited but those with sales will have to be ended and re-listed. I still think it's worth doing.

You will of course lose all your watchers and regular customers may have a problem finding your item. Before you end the old listing add a note in big letters with an HTML link to the new listing explaining what has happened. It won’t do any harm and you may pick up a few sales from buyers finding the old listing.



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2. EBAY TRADER INSURANCE

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Insuring a home business can be a problem and at best is likely to cost a fortune. We had burglars last week at the Molly HQ shed; they took pity on the Elves, tidied up the place and left £20 for food before they moved on elsewhere.

“As an avid fan of your eBay Bulletin and your book, I turn to your readers for some advice.

I am looking to develop a hobby into a business on eBay and thought I was doing the right thing by contacting our insurance company to let them know.

I am sure you will not be surprised to learn that they were less than impressed, especially when I mentioned the word 'eBay'. It seems trading there is like trading with the devil himself. Apparently people that shop on eBay are all thieves waiting for the opportunity to raid your home!

After a 45 minute conversation, they stated that I could paint and restore furniture from my home but no one must collect from my home. Also, my address must never appear anywhere on eBay. There was never a discussion about me paying extra money to alleviate any risk in their eyes and the final result was the best I could negotiate. Initially they said 'no' to everything! Obviously these rules are very restricting.

I have since spent time looking for premises but this is not cost effective in many cases and I really need a business address.

Can you suggest any insurance companies who will work with eBayers? Do you have any other thoughts with regard to this problem?

I would be grateful for any advice you can possibly give me as I hear all the time of people that are setting up their own businesses in their garden shed, etc. Perhaps they just don’t tell their insurance company?”


Ah, insurance, I knew there was something I had to sort out!

Over to you readers, anybody managed to find an insurer who will work with an eBay trader (lowest of the low)? Any advice to me please – Mollybol@ebaybulletin.co.uk


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3. PAYPAL SPOOF?

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Have you received a note from PayPal asking if you want to customise your new PayPal checkout?

You can of course do exactly this from the PayPal website, just access the 'My Selling Preferences’ section under your ‘profile’ tab and then explore and create.

An email is doing the rounds asking you to log in and update, it looks to be genuine but one can never be too sure. It is worthwhile stressing that even if an e-mail is genuine only ever log into your account directly and never via a link in an email, even this bulletin.

Many thanks to Simon at http://www.givernygifts.com for highlighting this one.



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4. READER’S RANT

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“Mollybol,


Why are both eBay and PayPal so biased against sellers, when the sellers pay the fees?

Recently I sold a Gucci tie to a customer, who when it arrived said it was damaged. No problem. I said I would give a full refund once it was returned via "Recorded Delivery" so we both knew the tie had got back to me.

Low and behold, the buyer opened a PayPal dispute and immediately escalated it to a claim.

I wrote to the buyer via eBay saying – 'Hello. Disappointed you have opened a PayPal claim as I said I would give a FULL refund immediately the item has been received. I have written to PayPal stating - "I have told the buyer I will give the buyer a FULL refund once the item has been returned. It has not as yet been returned. In my return policy I state it must be returned via Recorded Delivery. Please give tracking number." If you have sent the tie back please give the tracking details as it has not arrived back with me. If you buy an item at M&S they only give a refund when it has been returned - I do the same.'


You guessed it. PayPal have taken the money from my account, paid the buyer and I have no returned tie. In my eyes this almost borders on theft. Why do PayPal trust the buyer to have returned the item to me, without giving a tracking number, yet part of the Seller Protection policy is that sellers give tracking numbers?

Nobody likes being ripped off and it’s especially annoying when it’s being aided and abetted by organisations that charge you fees!!”

pigley_hogg - http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/pigley_hogg/m.html?

As ever, your thoughts would be most welcome – Mollybol@ebaybulletin.co.uk


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5. ASK MOLLY – WHERE CAN I FIND STOCK?
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“Dear Molly,

I am quite into eBay! I’ve started reading one of your books which I bought, and it is helping me along the way. I like to focus on customer service and ensure 100% positive feedback.

I would love to grow an eBay business but my main sticking point is stock - items to sell. At the moment I’m managing to sell a few bits that are in the house here and there, but I'm struggling to think of items to sell, where to get them from, and how to acquire sellable stock for eBay.

Have you got any suggestions or your best advice for me on this matter?

Sellwellsteven - http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sellwellsteven/m.html?


Finding stock is a big issue although you can pick it up all over the place depending upon the kind of thing you are happy selling. I still do very well at car-boot sales and even buying from eBay to resell is a good source. Market traders often have one-off lines, discount stores, even high street shops sale items can be a good stock item.

If you check out the back issues of the bulletin - www.ebaybulletin.co.uk you will find loads of pointers re stock although there is no getting away from the fact that it is a long road. Before you embark on a new line check out other sellers and see how they are doing.



As an example of obscure product sourcing Molly has recently launched a new line in domestic household fuses; not a natural bed partner for cosmetics but they sit nicely in a corner of the shop.

eBay is of course my first love [Ed – apart from the Elves and Mrs Molly and everyone at Harriman House], but next in line is property and it was the cost of new fuse boards and breakers that got me interested in fuses. I picked up a large number for a song and contacted another eBay seller who buys them; he offered me £1.50 each which represented a good profit for me. However, a little research found that they sell for around £7.50 each so off I went again.

I now have 239 different fuses listed at prices ranging from £2.49 to £40 and have sold 133 in the last 44 days totalling £812. They will not take over as my main line but if I spot a few ending on auction at a low price I still can’t resist.

Stock can be found in the most unlikely places, just concentrate on what you know and take a few (small) risks.



If you have a question about eBay or home working in general, please send it to: mollybol@ebaybulletin.co.uk - I will reply personally to every e-mail I receive and remember, there are FREE copies of my book available for the best questions, tips, or stories.


-- END NOTE --


That's all for this week. Check out www.ebaybulletin.co.uk for the latest news from Molly HQ.

Another big milestone for Molly this week as feedback nudged over the 32,000 mark, although it is tempered slightly by some of the pathetic neutrals recently received. But don’t get me started on that.

OK then, since you asked, what about the guy who gave the neutral feedback ‘fine quality. the size of the shoe in the label is not real.’.

This relates to a pair of Timberland shoes which regular readers will know I have been trying to shift for years. Having sold 350 pairs with no problem this guy is suggesting they are fake. I asked him what the problem was and he said that this was the second pair he had bought from me but this pair was a little tight. It makes me weep sometimes.

On a happier note total sales also moved over the 50,000 mark, helped along by the odd domestic fuse.

Best wishes and happy eBaying

Mollybol



Author of the bestselling title, 'The eBay Business Handbook' - available direct from the publishers: www.harriman-house.com/ebaybusiness