If you buy off of eBay, are there things that cause you to not bid?
For instance, I will not bid if:
The title or body says “Rare” or any equivelent (unless it is something that is truly rare, and then I probably won’t shell out the cash.)
If the Seller types in alternating CaPs AnD lOwEr CaSe.
If there is a reserve (just start the bidding at the price you want.)
If the Seller doesn’t accept paypal (this is just a convenience thing, not a pet peeve.)
The seller asks 2x(or more!) than what I know the shipping rate would actually be for that type of item. For god’s sake, if they want to insure they make a minimum of __ on the auction, raise the opening bid rather than tack it on to shipping. Or at least claim it’s “shipping and handling.”
I don’t care about the shipping too much. I always figure out the total I’m willing to spend and if I can get it for that once I combine shipping, I am OK with it.
I’ve gotten into arguments here before about whether ‘postage costs’ includes time etc., so I won’t persue that one…
I really really hate people who clog up ‘memorabilia’ sections with crap. If I’m interested in old programmes, books, photos or whatever, why on earth would I buy your violin-shaped earrings?
And yes, reserve auctions (even with ‘reserve met’) scream “I don’t understand eBay”.
A word on reserve auctions: I had a friend who did a lot of ebay sales. He had an item that he had never seen on ebay and could find a value for anywhere else. He put it on ebay with a ridiculously high reserve just to see what people were willing to bid.
Otherwise, I agree with previous posters: if you have a minimum price in mind, start the auction with that price. It’s either going to sell or not either way.
Anything in feedback that indicates a seller might be unreasonable, for example slagging off another eBayer, rather than making factual comments about a transation.
A seller with less than 99% positive feedback, unless with very low transaction numbers.
Any listing with keyword spamming (“like x, or y” - if I’m looking for x or y, don’t waste my time).
Daft shipping costs, or no shipping costs in the listing.
A very cutesy “me” page or ornate fonts/frou-frous & the like in the listing. Bleuch.
I really don’t like having to wade through 14 paragraphs listing the iniquities of NON-PAYING BIDDERS and the actions the poor seller is forced to take against them. Next they list all the classes of people whose bids are unwelcome: those with feedback under 10, or with ANY negative feedback, or who have not participated in other auctions in the same category for the last three months??! (I saw that last one about a year ago, and I still mutter under my breath whenever I recall it.) If it’s obvious the seller has a really great example of something I want very much, I scroll through it, but I’ll hate her. If it’s not that clear, I’m gone.
[ul]
[li]Animated images[/li][li]Sounds[/li][li]Changes to the background or font colors.[/li][li]Excessively ornate layout[/li][li]Large amounts of stock content completely unrelated to the item. I don’t care about your other auctions… if I did, I’d click the “View Sellers Other Auctions” link provided by eBay.[/li][li]Pictures of a similar item, but not the actual item for sale. (E.G. catalog pictures pulled off a manufacturer website).[/li][li]Uninformative auction text.[/li][li]No shipping information.[/li][/ul]
I’ll usually factor the stated shipping costs into my bid amount.
Sounds.
Changing the background color or using a background image.
Not having any pictures at all, or having pictures that are not of the item for sale. A catalog image is not enough, I want to see the exact specific thing that will arrive at my house if I win.
Poor quality images (drastically under- or over-exposed, completely out of focus, upside down, etc)
Not stating measurements on clothing items. Size off the tag is very rarely enough information, people; pull out a measuring tape and give the size of the item in inches.
No shipping information.
An autobiography.
Overly aggressive/defensive texts about those HORRIBLE NON PAYING BIDDERS and/or stringent standards you must meet in order to be worthy of bidding on the item.
Not responding within 24 hours if I ask a question.
I really need to have shipping information before I can bid, because I bid by determining the most I’d consider spending on the item, then subtracting the shipping costs and entering the difference as my high bid.
What I really hate is people putting “not [item]” in the title. So you search by keyword and you get something that essentially says “This is not what you’re looking for.”
Speaking of looking, I don’t know why people put things like “L@@k!” in the title. Wow, yeah, everyone searches for “L@@k!” don’t they.
Seems like just about every vintage wristwatch I’ve ever seen on eBay is “rare.” Even if it’s a Timex that they sold oh, four million or so of, back in the day.
I think it’s pretty stupid to put “Well, I got this item but I don’t know anything about it so here it is” in the description, even if that happens to be true. How long does it take to get at least a little information on what you’re selling, in this Google day and age? (OK, I admit, I could not find much of anything about Aggisy watches anywhere, even though I had one that worked fine and wanted to sell it, which is why I put it up for sale with an Elgin watch that also worked just fine, kind of a two for one deal.)
I won’t bid if there’s:
[ul]
[li]No shipping amount listed[/li][li]If they don’t accept Paypal[/li][li]If the shipping amount is outrageous-like $5 to ship an item that weighs less than a pound through First Class. I see a lot of that nowadays. The envelope and the two minutes it takes to address it and seal it, IMO, do not justify the extra $3.50+ made in shipping.[/li][li]No picture[/li][/ul]
The thing that drives me up the wall are sellers who have pictures that are linked from another site - and that site either loads vvvveeeerrrrryyyy slowly or not at all.
I hate looking at a little red X in a box were the item should be.
“handling charges” piss me off. I’ve been tempted to charge the seller a “handling charge” for mailing a check. Ebay should ban it. Maybe I should start leaving positive feedback that says: “great service, love the handling charge”.