eBay Buyers

How to Deal with Irate and
Irrational eBay Buyers

From: Brent Crouch
Saturday, 4:15 p.m.

Hello Friend,

If everyone in the world were sane, it would be quite a peaceful place to live. Unfortunately, for every hundred or so sane and rational people in the universe, there are at least a couple crazies to even things out. The world of eBay is no different. That being said, it's time to prepare yourself for your first encounter with an irate and irrational eBay buyer - because it's not a question of if it's going to happen, it's a question of when.

Scenario 1

You've gotten all of your eBay auctions listed and you're really into the swing of things. Then, out of the blue, you get a less-than-polite message from another eBay member blasting you about how much you charge for shipping and insulting you in a very unprofessional manner. What do you do?

First of all, don't take it personally. You can't please all of the people all of the time and when you don't please the crackpots, they're all-too-willing to let you know it. The first step you need to take is to add that person to your blocked bidders list. There is no way you want someone like that bidding on your auctions. Then you can either respond to the message in a very professional manner stating that you sympathize with the person's thoughts and feelings and that they are welcome to do business with another seller whose fees are more in line with their needs or you can just ignore the message and not respond at all.

Scenario 2

The auction has ended and you get an email from the winning bidder that they will be sending you a prepaid envelope to mail the DVD in, and because of this, they will not be paying you for shipping charges. It's no secret you make some of your profit from the shipping fees you charge, so this is completely unacceptable. Especially since the bidder didn't ask you if this was okay prior to placing his or her bid.

The best way to handle this situation is to avoid it in the first place. Clearly state in your auction the terms and conditions of your auction including the fact that special shipping and/or payment arrangements must be approved by you prior to the bidder placing his or her bid. Then, if a bidder tries pulling this one on you, you can simply reference your clearly-defined policy and explain that is not how the transaction is going to be handled.

A One-Size Fits All Approach

In addition to the above to common scenarios, chances are you'll run into a few new ones here and there. The best way to handle almost every irate and irrational eBay bidder is by communicating with them in a polite and professional manner while firmly holding your ground. Don't let them intimidate you with threats of negative feedback, and if they do report them to eBay for feedback extortion. By taking the higher road, you'll come out smelling like a rose each and every time.

If you have any questions, please email me at support@jillianentertainment.com.

Sincerely,