Sellers that list and then don't come back

[Gothicina]

I've only put the number of pages on a few on my books, because the number of pages as stated when you search for info on the ISBN No & the actual figure doesn't always tally.
Which figure is the one to use?
If the figure in the listing is different to other listings of the book it looks like there is a problem with your item.
If the figure in the listing is pulled from one of the web databases & is wrong, could you be held accountable for item not as described?

[raindropsies]

On the few books I list, I simply state how many pages have the writing on. I never use the pre-filled info nowadays as I don't like the layout of the pre-filled info page listing

[TreasuredBargains]

eBid is quite able to 'nudge' buyers and sellers for Feedback, so why not have a similar system in place and nudge any seller who hasn't logged in for say 60 days, and if there is no sign of life give a warning of 30 days and then 'three strikes and you're out'. The 'good' sellers deserve this sort of clean-up to be a continuous thing if the site is to flourish.

A good suggestion, as is GibsonCamp's. About half the sellers I contacted over the last month seem to be no longer around. Very frustrating.

[1840clb]

The book I was interested in was on fossils, I wanted to get an idea if it was a thin book with little info or a decent size with a good amount of info, the number of pages would give me an idea. Since I still haven't heard anything after 8 emails since the 12th, I guess they are not around any more and didn't want my business.

[terry5732]

I just checked the 'hot seller list' and there is one on there 'Last Spotted 1 Month 6 Days ago'

[Triumph7]

Ebid are going to have to address this issue or else the site is going to get a bad reputation.

I believe the answer is: Get rid of the "Run until sold" option.

Only have the option of 2 automatic re-lists.

If the above two suggestions are implimented all the sellers that just stick there items on here as "Run until sold" or have 10 automatic re-lists, and then hibernate for six months will be forced to visit and maintain their interests on here more frequently, if they can't be bothered to do this, I think ebid would be a better place without this kind of seller.

What do you think?

http://uk.ebid.net/stores/Stainless-for-classics

[bykimbo]

I believe the answer is: Get rid of the "Run until sold" option.

Only have the option of 2 automatic re-lists.

If the above two suggestions are implimented all the sellers that just stick there items on here as "Run until sold" or have 10 automatic re-lists, and then hibernate for six months will be forced to visit and maintain their interests on here more frequently, if they can't be bothered to do this, I think ebid would be a better place without this kind of seller.

What do you think?

http://uk.ebid.net/stores/Stainless-for-classics

Run till sold and multiple relists are good, useful options for legitimate sellers. So many rules simply punish the innocent in a failed attempt to deter the guilty, and that would be just the same. The type of listing isn't the problem, it's the sellers that's the issue. Make sellers log into their accounts on a regular basis.

[kengillam]

I agree enforced login every month or six weeks at most, should cover any that take long vacations!

[bykimbo]

I agree enforced login every month or six weeks at most, should cover any that take long vacations!

Well, that's another thing - I think there should be a limit on how long you can leave stuff visible with a holiday notice set. I'd say three or four weeks was plenty. We have one seller, for example, who is off sorting out major life hassles and has put his stuff on holiday notice... I don't see the point in having things available for viewing that can't be bought *long-term*, and for which there is no way of having a predicted availability date. It's just frustrating to buyers, and frustrated buyers will leave.

"I'm away for a week and this will be buyable after that", is fine. But "I'm away indefinitely and have no idea when this item will actually be for sale" is silly. (Not real text examples, I mean those as scenarios!)

[rokins_toys]

I seem to recall someone suggesting if the seller doesn't log in for X amount of time the listing automatically close. That seems reasonable. I would say if you don't log in for 90 days your listings are automatically put on hold and remain on hold for an additional 90 then dropped. I would think a notification of both events would be prudent.

I totally agree. I log in all the time. I monitor the email address where questions and where sale notifications go to on an hourly basis. Obviously, there is no real need to actually log in to eBid itself if you're getting your notifcations to a specific email address, but the other problem is, sellers receiving the notifications and not acting upon them!

However, with what you are saying above, I wouldn't do it for 90 days. I'd make it so they had to log in every week or every 30 days at least! Might sound strict, but hey, if people are going to list items then not keep up regular checks on their listings, not end a listing if that something is not available anymore because they sold it elsewhere etc, then they should be forced into being more interactive, and if they fail to meet certain standards, limits should be imposed on them in search results, how many items they can list etc until they get their act together.

As for this: The book I was interested in was on fossils, I wanted to get an idea if it was a thin book with little info or a decent size with a good amount of info, the number of pages would give me an idea. Since I still haven't heard anything after 8 emails since the 12th, I guess they are not around any more and didn't want my business.

Let's be honest here. You could have a book of 400 pages and 300 pages could be filled with pointless information lol! I've bought books from Waterstones, and they always list the amount of pages, but, the amount of pages does not equal quality of the book/story/information lol!

Obviously, when dealing with fossils, rock samples, things of geological information the same can apply, but you can have endless pages of diagrams and pictures, which will be of use and are important, so when it comes down to certain books, page numbers do become important. Last thing you want is to waste time and money on a book that isn't delivering what you need, has things missing from it that would be in a larger volume book could be what you really need and are looking for.

I for one collect the Treasures of the Earth series. I love it. But in geological things like books, you either get a large book with a lot of information on how to find, store, clean up, cut, how they are formed, mined, where to find etc, or you get a small book which is nothing more than an introduction or a focus on one particular mineral/fossil which could be of no use to you.