Online Auctions - Pet Peeves & Positives

[Super]

Online Auctions Pet Peeves and Positives

I have many Pet Peeves and Positives for Online Auctions of any kind whether they be Ebay, Yahoo Japan or any other there are things that I like and dislike both as a seller and a buyer.

What this thread is not:
This is not the place to air your grievances with particular buyers or sellers nor is it a place to talk about your individual horror stories. Those will more appropriate in a thread of its own.

What this thread is:
A place to tell us what you think of Online Auctions in General but not the merits of one over the other. Say for instance Jauce vs FromJapan. Please save those thoughts for another thread. What I would like to hear is your general thoughts whether dislikes or likes.

I have so many that I will start us of with only a few and add as we go along. It would help if you start each thought with either “As A Seller” or “As A Buyer” to keep things in perspective.


As A Seller:
Buyers who can't take the time to leave Feedback. Really, does it take that much time after you receive your item you can't take a few seconds to leave Feedback? Things have changed over the years. Quite a while ago I use to sell some of my collections of vintage PC games on the Amazon Marketplace and there, the rate of Feedback was only 30% at best compared to what Ebay use to be at about 95%. Ebay was based on Feedback back then and Buyers knew that it helped everyone by taking the time to rate a Seller. Amazon however was a way different type of buyer and they couldn't care less about the Feedback as there was a sense of entitlement. The typical Amazon Buyer back then wanted nothing to do with Ebay as they thought there were to many cheaters there so there were two breeds of buyers at Ebay and Amazon. As the years passed those Amazon Marketplace Buyers started to migrate to Ebay whether by word of mouth or by giving it a try because they seen they could get better deals. Because those same Amazon buyers brought the same entitlements with them they have brought down Ebays Feedback percentage to about 60%, what a shame.


As A Buyer:
Sellers who think it is Okay to just take a picture of a pile of items or a box full of items and then list it like that. This happens quite a lot in the Japan Auctions but does occur in the Ebay Auctions also. Then they can't even give a good description saying things like “everything in the picture is included” or “50 items in all”. Really? If a seller can't even take the time to spread out what there is and take more than one picture or leave more than a few words in the description then I will not buy anything from them even if there is a chance there is a rare item at the bottom. If they are that inconsiderate the items are probably filthy or in poor condition and I want no part of them.


Well, there you have a couple of my many Pet Peeves and Positives (P,P&P). My next ones will be on the Positive side. What about you, do you have a general Pet Peeve or Positive thoughts on Online Auctions?

I think there is a photo limit as to how many photos you can post per listing on ebay.

[Super]

No excuse there, you are allowed 12 free pictures for your listing on Ebay and if you use the HTML editor you can add tons for free within the description using Photobucket. The Japan Auctions are different as the look like they only are allowed 3 pictures free within the listing but they must also have the HTML editor as I have seen many listings with additional photos within the description.

[Ucwepn]

Pet peeves for me: Wont ship to my location, Global shipping program, Australia post and their lack of care/information.

My one is sellers listing a multiples of an item with a reasonably high (or outrageous) shipping charge and not prepared to reduce the postage for multiples of the item and/or a seller charging over the top for postage then claiming the extra is for the 'packaging' which turns out to be an old cereal box with used newspaper for padding etc...

when you are buying something used, you have to assume certain risk. I brough a Bulstrode on ebay. It has a sticker name tag on one side of the boiler and the otherside doesn't have it. I wished the seller would told me. Had i known i probably would bid so high.

I hate the Global Shipping program as well. I always have to pay import duty. To this date, I still don't understand how import duty works.

[Super]

@Ucwepn
Is it the Fees charged associated with the Global Shipping Program to your country what you dislike?

@Nigels
I hear ya about combined shipping and I have a couple of laughable incidents involving that exact thing as you mentioned. I won't get into that as this is not the Thread for that as particular stories will be better suited for a new Thread dedicated just for that.

The worst part of buying on eBay is when SWMBO* demands a moratorium on purchases! Even the "it's for the kids" excuse doesn't work!

*She Who Must Be Obeyed!

[Super]

[Ucwepn]

Super it is the cost and the timeframe, also the fact that they have repackaged some of my items into substandard packaging to save a few cents on postage. I much prefer to buy from sellers who ship either priority mail or first class. (Why does all the best stuff have to be overseas haha)