Where is the After Auction Log

[JanetB]

To both Jan and Marie,

Here is what I did and what occurred. I post my items on three sites currently, my own sales website, eBid, and one other auction site (not eBay). I try to close out any auctions on the other two sites that may have sold on any one site, but I did not get to do this soon enough this time around. It was just a big coincidence that two people hit two different sites around the same timeframe to try to buy the same 4 items before I could close out the sales on the other two sites. I do have this noted in my descriptions regarding items available elsewhere and in case of a conflict, it will go to the earliest purchaser...Stan...

Hi Stan,
It is not wise to list the same item on several sites if you only have one of them. You had a buyer here try to purchase sold items from you and you most probably had to tell them they were not available any more. You cannot therefore ask for a FVF refund. eBid provided the platform for you to sell. If you advertise the item and don't have it when it 'sells' then this is your mistake, not eBid's.

Consider selling different items at different venues, that way you won't come unstuck in the future.

Hope this helps.

[HerMajesty]

That makes a lot of sense for postcards, then..............good explanation. I wish you a lot of success here!

[JanetB]

Hello (sorry I can't address you personally, but I don't know your real name),

Thank you for your thoughts on listing on multiple sites. I am not looking to get into a spitting contest with anyone here, or anywhere else for that matter. I guess we view this matter differently as we are all different people...

Thank you also for your compliments on my items. It is appreciated.

I do want to clear up one, and I hate to use the term accusation, but I am certainly not circumventing the "no duplicates rule". My items (mostly postcards) are in various states of condition, use, etc. Collectors look for many different things when they look at a postcard. Usually the first thing is condition. Some will only buy unposted cards with no message on the back, while others look for postmarked cards with messages, or some other various combination of these factors. Even though there may be several cards that picture the same basic scene, they may have been printed by different publishers using different borders (or no border at all), or from a different era that produced a different type of card completely, although they may be of a similar scene. If I have several cards that are exactly the same, then I do put them in a dutch auction, of which I do have several up currently. But if there are differences in the cards, then I have to list them in different auctions so as to give the buyer a chance to get exactly what he collects, not something that is "close enough for government work"...

And as far as my disclaimer, I am just trying to be upfront and honest with any potential customer. I try to be honest with everyone. This is how I have run my business over the years and will continue to do so in the future. The same disclaimer is on the two auction sites, along with my own personal sales site and I have never had a complaint in the past. I had to have something like this, especially when I was still doing shows. What if I sold a card at a show and then I came home and saw that someone else bought it online. Even though I try my best, it will still happen (hopefully not that often...), and most people are understanding. If it does happen though, I try to make it up to the person affected, just as I did in this case...just basic customer service in my eyes though...

Thanks again for your thoughts and have a great weekend,
Stan...

I have to agree, different qualities need different listings for sure.

[JanetB]

I feel like I'm in a time loop or something

[FirstGreenIsGold]

Stan, I certainly understand your points about listing various postcards of similar scenes with slightly varying titles. Makes complete sense to me.

Also, I can understand that a person would take items to shows and have them listed online as well. Your policy of adding a disclaimer sounds like a good one.

But ... yes, there was a but coming, :-) I do think that the practice of actively listing on three different sites ventures into dangerous territory.

Yes, we all make mistakes at times. An item might accidentally be listed twice. It might be misplaced and the seller might not be able to find it after it sells. It might get damaged between the listing time and the date of sale.

Buyers will react to the news that the item that they've purchased is not available. If they have a strong negative reaction, they tend to come to the forums and post their displeasure. Basically, the unhappy buyer tends to blame eBid in general and those who sell here. There are some sellers who have been here for a long time. They've stuck with eBid and they've done what they can to self-promote and promote eBid.net in general.

I tend to agree with Jan, that I would not expect the owners of eBid to refund the 2% if I couldn't complete the sale. And I'd be so grateful if the buyer happened to be one of those kind and understanding buyers.

I had a quick look at your listings and plan to look more carefully. Family history is one of my many hobbies and I collect postcards that pertain to the history.

Good luck and I hope that you have many more sales here!

[seocomsale]

Just want to thank everyone for their thoughts and comments on the issues that I brought up. You all are a most responsive and helpful group here.

BTW: note to Marie (and to anyone else interested), You said "I had a quick look at your listings and plan to look more carefully. Family history is one of my many hobbies and I collect postcards that pertain to the history." I have only been able to get a very small group of my items listed up here on eBid so far. So if there is any particular areas that you want to look for, please let me know and I will try to get it posted up here on eBid for you. (I only have about 4,000 items up on eBid so far, but have over 200,000+ items sorted in my show stock, and probably another 200,000+ unsorted items in storage that I have not gotten to yet. Plus I cover all types of Ephemera, not just postcards.

Here is a copy of some of the other types of items I carry (copied from the back of my ad card show handout):

Topical & State View Postcards, Matchcovers, Political Buttons & Memorabilia, Milk Bottle Caps, Mutoscope & Pin-Ups, Victorian Trade Cards, Letterheads & Billheads, Tobacco/Cigarette cards (Foreign & American), Tobacco Inserts (Red Man, Dukes, & others), Liebig Meat Extract sets, Comic Books, Big Little Books, Vintage 18th, 19th, & 20th Century Newspapers, Stereoviews, Cigarbox Labels, Cigar Bands, Various Types of Fruit Crate Labels, Can Labels, Misc. Labels, Mardi Gras Tokens, Notgeld, Stock Certificates, Cancelled Checks, First Day (FDC) & other Postal Covers, Fancy Cancels, Vintage Greeting Cards, Matchbox Labels, Baseball Cards (T-206 & others), Blotters, Photos & Related (CDV's, Tintypes, Cabinet Cards, etc.), Vintage & Collectible Books, Price Guides, Classic Posters, Archival Grade Collector's Supplies, and A WHOLE LOT MORE!!! (Many More Different Items Being Added Regularly)

[JanetB]

Just want to thank everyone for their thoughts and comments on the issues that I brought up. You all are a most responsive and helpful group here.

BTW: note to Marie (and to anyone else interested), You said "I had a quick look at your listings and plan to look more carefully. Family history is one of my many hobbies and I collect postcards that pertain to the history." I have only been able to get a very small group of my items listed up here on eBid so far. So if there is any particular areas that you want to look for, please let me know and I will try to get it posted up here on eBid for you. (I only have about 4,000 items up on eBid so far, but have over 200,000+ items sorted in my show stock, and probably another 200,000+ unsorted items in storage that I have not gotten to yet. Plus I cover all types of Ephemera, not just postcards.

Here is a copy of some of the other types of items I carry (copied from the back of my ad card show handout):

Topical & State View Postcards, Matchcovers, Political Buttons & Memorabilia, Milk Bottle Caps, Mutoscope & Pin-Ups, Victorian Trade Cards, Letterheads & Billheads, Tobacco/Cigarette cards (Foreign & American), Tobacco Inserts (Red Man, Dukes, & others), Liebig Meat Extract sets, Comic Books, Big Little Books, Vintage 18th, 19th, & 20th Century Newspapers, Stereoviews, Cigarbox Labels, Cigar Bands, Various Types of Fruit Crate Labels, Can Labels, Misc. Labels, Mardi Gras Tokens, Notgeld, Stock Certificates, Cancelled Checks, First Day (FDC) & other Postal Covers, Fancy Cancels, Vintage Greeting Cards, Matchbox Labels, Baseball Cards (T-206 & others), Blotters, Photos & Related (CDV's, Tintypes, Cabinet Cards, etc.), Vintage & Collectible Books, Price Guides, Classic Posters, Archival Grade Collector's Supplies, and A WHOLE LOT MORE!!! (Many More Different Items Being Added Regularly)

Wow you are a BIG seller and eBid will surely benefit from your variety of items - so -

stop talking and get busy listing! listing! listing!