On Sunday morning, after a week of putting it off because of having to answer too many questions, I began my first auction over at Ebay. I have been an Ebay member since 2002. (I know, not long.) And in that time I have purchased two things; a leg lamp and a bath caddy. And clearly, no one has ever written about how great I was having done so.
I learned a few things yesterday. I learned that you aren’t able to choose the “Buy it Now” option until you have a rating where a bunch of other Ebayers write about how great you are. This phenomenon has always irked me. It’s the Invisible Dangling Credit Phenomenon. It’s when a credit card company won’t give you any credit because you don’t have enough of a credit history. But if the creditor keeps turning down said credited, how is it said credited is ever to get a credit rating worth a damn? And now Ebay is doing this, too. I want the choice of using Buy It Now, dammit.
I also learned that if you’re not a respected, worthy Ebayer, you’re also unable to sell more than one item during any single auction. You can specify in the description that you have several for sale, but your auction can’t show up all over without filling out an entirely new one. For some reason, this, too, irritated me.
While I know this is most likely a user error and the fact that I haven’t the slightest idea what is I’m doing, I’m still whining about it. From where I am standing, I am unable to use the features I set out to use. So, what is it I’m paying for, exactly? Exposure? 15 people have hit my auction since yesterday. 15. I think I counted for at least one of those people. So, 14 people have hit my auction since yesterday. And by “Auction” I mean “Hey, I want to sell some of these t-shirts and I have no idea how to do so.”
Marketing sucks. Are there Ebay classes offered at colleges yet? There should be. I could learn a thing or two. I could also use a few glowing reviews.
OK, I’ll bid on a shirt via eBay so I can leave you glowing feedback after the auction is over. Maybe you could put up several auctions and shorten them to 3 day-ers.
Did they tell you how many feedbacks you have to have before you can use those other features?
:-)
Awww, you don’t have to do that. I was just letting off steam. :] You’re sweet, though, Sherri.
Man, I hate trying to buy things at auction. If I want something from EBay, I just want to “buy it now” without worrying about getting outbid by someone at the last minute.
Are you selling your “Bush & Monica” shirts? How much are they? Can we email you to buy them, then pay you through PayPal?
There’s a “For Dummies” book named “EBay for Dummies,” although you probably don’t like “For Dummies” books…
eco2geek, I have a paypal thing set up. you can send the money using the addy mihow at this domain dot com. I have had a few go through so It’s working! yay! Screw the Ebay option. I know what you mean. That’s why I was annoyed I wasn’t given the option of Buy it Now. Ah well. Soon. :]
P.S. These shirts make the most excellent presents for Republican family members.
I don’t understand ebay. If you purchase something from someone, and it turns out to be crappy, you can’t give them negative feedback because then you’ll have some wierd negative feedback rating and people won’t want to sell to you. Buyer beware, I suppose.
I haven’t tried to sell anything yet, so I am useless on that end. (that’s what SHE said)
Some guy gave Toby harsh feedback. Every other comment for TJ was glowing. (He had many.) The guy was mad because he purchased a TiBook from Toby which was in perfect condition and the day he got it, Apple released the new ones and the one he bought was made cheaper. It’s not like TJ knew that, however. So this guy decided to refuse the computer and instead sent it back. Pay Pal sided with the mean guy and the rest was history. I hope that people will read all the pieces of feedback and realize this guy was just a big fat wanker. But who knows.
Either way, I hear ya, Amanda. It’s downright scary. You just never know who’s gonna act like an asshat.