It’s the end of January and the nice temperatures we had at the start of the month, is now nothing but a mere memory. Not only is it blistering cold… it feels like a Caribbean hurricane is sweeping through Southern Ontario. Earlier, as I looked through the window in my office as I day-dreamed about a vacation (this time of the year we usually vacation on a beach somewhere) I could see rubbish blowing around in our backyard at a crazy pace.

Our middle daughter is going to visit her aunt in Trinidad in a couple weeks and I thought I’d surprise our other 2 girls and book them a flight as well. BIG MISTAKE! They’re mad at me! How dare I take them away from this nasty cold winter that they seem to cherish so much? Same winter they wont dare walk to school in, even though the school is a couple blocks away. I guess, when your dad works from home, he’s supposed to be the personal driver as well

Let’s get in the island mood..

Here’s part 2 to the video: Tobago Video.

Keep warm and get ready for season four of Lost.

I`ve been busy the past week or so learning the inside behind being a successful eBay seller. You may have noticed my previous posts on the subject. Today I`d like to chat a bit on reducing refunds or exchanges. During my research on auctions posted by successful ebayers I`ve noticed that they spend a great deal of time writing up the description of their product.

Let`s say you`re going to list a pair of running shoes, spend the time to tell the potential buyer everything you possibly can about the shoes.

- colour

- size (if they fit big or small)

- if they`re new or used. If they are used, be sure to mention any damage or marks.

- if they have tags

- if they`ll be shipped in the original box or package

- your shipping policy

- your return policy

- if the shoes are sport specific

By spending the time to describe the product in detail it will lessen the chance of the winning bidder not only asking for a refund… but also, leaving you negative feedback.

Happy selling.

Further to my post about selling on ebay, here’s another tip I’d like to share with you. You’ll generate more sales and never have to relist your items. It’s very important that you use as many pictures as possible when you list your item. Why? If you’ve ever purchased anything online you should know that there’s a level of uncertainty before you make the purchase. It’s not as if you’re in a physical store where you can pick up the item, smell it, squeeze it or shake it.

I would at least have 2 pictures. One that’s displayed in the title of the item so when people do a search and the items are listed, they can see your item. And another with the description. If you can, providing it’s a big ticket item… use a few more pictures. For the couple bucks you’ll spend to include the pics when you insert the ad, you’ll have an ad that stands out from the competition. Your buyer will feel more comfortable making the purchase if they have a clear picture of what they’re bidding on.
BTW if your item is used, I would include pictures showing any damage or scuffs etc. This way the potential buyer knows what to expect.

Happy Selling!

Hope everyone took a moment to reflect as Mr King’s Bday is celebrated in the US. Here’s a quote/question I received from a friend today…

The Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday is a time for us to pause and reflect on the man, the legend and what he stood for. His Dream, his Vision, his Obsession with universal freedom and opportunity for all, is one that is shared by most of American. Yet, 40 years after his death, many of us are still asking ourselves the question: does freedom ring in America today? The answer, it seems, depends on whom you ask.

Do you sell or plan on selling items on eBay? I recently connected with a manufacturer who’s products I want to market on eBay. I’ll hold off mentioning what the item is until I have an actual auction listed. But I can say that’s a hot product to have right now. I’m currently waiting on a test order from the manufacturer to see a few things, since they offer drop shipping. A service which will make things a lot easier for me. Sell the item, collect the money from the winning bidder… then place the order with my supplier and not have to worry about shipping.

The test order will show me..

- how easy/difficult it will be for me to place the order with the maunfacturer

- how long it takes from the time I place my order to the time it actually gets shipped (comes with tracking so I can see this process)

- how long after they ship the item, will my customer receive it.

- the condition it will be received (packaging and contents).

- if the order will be accurate.

- the quality of the product.

These are all important since a big part of the eBay experience is the feedback previous customers leave on your product and service. No one wants negative reviews.

Next post I’ll chat some more about things that are important when it comes to selling on eBay.

Normally I would say something, but I feared that the message would be received with hostility! Or “why didn’t you do it!” But I felt that it would make for a good blog entry Yesterday we had to return a couple items we bought as Christmas gifts. As we got up to the customer service area, I headed in another direction as Caron made her way to process the exchange/refund. As she handed the girl the shirts, she blurted out a couple things…

“I’d like to return these items..they don’t fit” and the customer service lady said ok do you have the receipt. Yes! But before waiting for any questions from the customer service lady, Caron said “can I still return this or is it too late”. Yup, I was lurking in the event they decided not to refund the items. I see these as challenges and look forward to hostile customer service

Point to this post?

I would never ask if it was too late to refund the item. This only gives them the opportunity to say yes, we cannot process the refund or try to make it hard for you to make the return. My advice. As long as you have the item , the receipt and it’s in the condition you purchased it in.. walk up to the counter, hand it over and say you’d like to return it. This way you’re not opening the door for rejection. Don’t say more than you have to and only answer questions they’ve asked.

BTW, where do these stores get off giving you a hard time to process returns. Here is your product as I got it, with receipt… give me my money!