Sometimes I question why I do what I do
Oct. 26th, 2010 03:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
valis2Three things you need to know for this story. 1) EBay is always watching for outside-eBay transactions, especially through the in-house messaging system. 2) Because my items are so low-cost, and my margins smallish, I try not to sink too much time into any transaction. Anywhere I can save a little bit of time is welcome. So I generally classify most sales as having a certain number of "actions." For example, emailing them to let them know the order has shipped. Shipping the order. Answering a question. Most transactions consist of a) sending an invoice; b) gathering the items; c) getting the payment; d) shipping; e) notification; f) feedback. 5 actions total. 3) S&H costs are watched now as well. People who abuse the S&H charge can get into trouble. For example, charging $2 for a baseball card and $20 shipping.
There is a customer who buys from me oh, about every six months. She is not bright. It's always vexing to deal with her.
1. She bids (and wins) an auction item. I send her an invoice. (1 action)
2. She wants more of the same item. I keep auction items completely separate from eBay store items, so this constitutes an outside-eBay transaction, and I do not want to message her through eBay, so I send her a Paypal invoice with the auction and the add-on, as well as a message on the invoice. I gather the merchandise. (2 action; 3 actions total)
3. Nothing happens.
4. She sends me a note saying she was interested in yet another auction item, and if she doesn't win it, she would like to buy 2 sets of them. I think about this. I hate selling them because I only have 2 sets left and I'd like to keep them for auction, and they are fragile and I have a feeling she's going to break them while trying to use them.
5. She bids on another auction item and does not win the auction she mentions. I have to go back to the Paypal invoice, and add the new auction item. I also decide to just go for it because I can get more of the other auction item and I add that to the invoice as well, along with a note. (1 action; 4 actions total)
6. Nothing happens.
7. Days later, she decides to try to pay. Through eBay. *headdesk* She messages me to tell me that the shipping is too high. She does not notice that the item she specifically asked me to add to it isn't on the eBay invoice. (It's on the Paypal invoice.) I have to go back in through Paypal, find the invoice, send her a reminder, and then send her an email. (2 actions; 6 actions total)
8. "Oh, I didn't realize I had to pay through that invoice. I avoid the computer on the weekends, so I'll pay on Monday." It's Friday during the day when she sends me this, which makes me wonder why she doesn't just pay at that time instead of sending me an email. Anyway, duly noted.
9. Monday: nothing happens.
10. Tuesday: she pays the eBay invoice. NOT THE PAYPAL INVOICE. She changes the shipping and adds a big shipping charge to cover the other items. Only she calculates incorrectly and she overpays by a little. Also, this makes me cringe because now the shipping charges are ridiculously high. I have to now go in and cancel the Paypal invoice and also issue a refund and ship the box. I also notify her it's shipped. (4 actions; 10 actions total)
11. Future: feedback. (1 action; 11 actions total)
I really hope that this is the end of this tale. I have really considered blocking her as a buyer, but I just can't bring myself to do that for some reason. Probably because we really need the money.
There is a customer who buys from me oh, about every six months. She is not bright. It's always vexing to deal with her.
1. She bids (and wins) an auction item. I send her an invoice. (1 action)
2. She wants more of the same item. I keep auction items completely separate from eBay store items, so this constitutes an outside-eBay transaction, and I do not want to message her through eBay, so I send her a Paypal invoice with the auction and the add-on, as well as a message on the invoice. I gather the merchandise. (2 action; 3 actions total)
3. Nothing happens.
4. She sends me a note saying she was interested in yet another auction item, and if she doesn't win it, she would like to buy 2 sets of them. I think about this. I hate selling them because I only have 2 sets left and I'd like to keep them for auction, and they are fragile and I have a feeling she's going to break them while trying to use them.
5. She bids on another auction item and does not win the auction she mentions. I have to go back to the Paypal invoice, and add the new auction item. I also decide to just go for it because I can get more of the other auction item and I add that to the invoice as well, along with a note. (1 action; 4 actions total)
6. Nothing happens.
7. Days later, she decides to try to pay. Through eBay. *headdesk* She messages me to tell me that the shipping is too high. She does not notice that the item she specifically asked me to add to it isn't on the eBay invoice. (It's on the Paypal invoice.) I have to go back in through Paypal, find the invoice, send her a reminder, and then send her an email. (2 actions; 6 actions total)
8. "Oh, I didn't realize I had to pay through that invoice. I avoid the computer on the weekends, so I'll pay on Monday." It's Friday during the day when she sends me this, which makes me wonder why she doesn't just pay at that time instead of sending me an email. Anyway, duly noted.
9. Monday: nothing happens.
10. Tuesday: she pays the eBay invoice. NOT THE PAYPAL INVOICE. She changes the shipping and adds a big shipping charge to cover the other items. Only she calculates incorrectly and she overpays by a little. Also, this makes me cringe because now the shipping charges are ridiculously high. I have to now go in and cancel the Paypal invoice and also issue a refund and ship the box. I also notify her it's shipped. (4 actions; 10 actions total)
11. Future: feedback. (1 action; 11 actions total)
I really hope that this is the end of this tale. I have really considered blocking her as a buyer, but I just can't bring myself to do that for some reason. Probably because we really need the money.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-28 01:55 pm (UTC)What she asks for is illegal. Is she just too lazy to go to your ebay shop and buy all she needs? Or is that so much more expensive? I bet since she won only one piece you are not giving her the others for the lower bet price, do you? I think I'd just say "sorry, not allowed, please see the ebay shop for more items of the same kind" and get rid of her that way. Would that be an option?
(no subject)
Date: 2010-10-29 07:26 pm (UTC)And yeah, I really am getting to the point where I don't want to deal with her outside of eBay any longer. But it's just such a pain to deal with trying to set up a listing for someone; other people often bid on it by accident. (or on purpose, grah!)
I have really thought of barring her, honestly, but I just haven't quite gotten to that point yet.