Keeping a clean feedback record is easy. Many sellers believe that negative feedback is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be. Buyers just want to know that you are working to get their item to them and that you aren’t trying to scam them. It’s, sometimes, hard to reassure them of this but there are a few steps you can take to try. I’ve followed these steps, as a seller, and continued to have a good feedback record for years.
1. Overly communicate. You can tell the productivity of an eBay seller by the frequent communication they offer. Sellers who offer a lot of communication often are the most reliable. This is because they want the sale to go through as smoothly as possible. As a buyer, you want to know that your seller is working hard to get your item to you. The only way they can rest assured is if they hear from you. Send them frequent emails confirming their order and update them with tracking information, as soon as possible.
2. Ship the same day. Although, many of us sellers have things to do and can not always fulfill every order right away. Nothing says “positive feedback” like lightning fast shipping. Take the time to create your orders each day so that you can either ship the same day or the next business day. Buyers love this because the faster their item is shipped, the fast it gets to them.
3. Address problems immediately. Don’t wait for the buyer to contact you about a lost package. Check the tracking information regularly and file cases with the postal service, if something looks wrong. When buyers contact you about an issue, work it out with them. Even if it takes much of your time, that time could stand between you and positive feedback, even for a bad transaction.
4. Almost always refund. This is a great benefit of selling affordable items on eBay. You don’t have to hold on to money as tightly as you would selling a $100 bag. Online retail is risky and it can often mean transactions go bad even if you do everything right. As a seller, you may have to just give in and except that you will have to offer refunds from time to time. The most ugly transactions that occur is when a buyer wants a refund but the seller refuses.
5. Take punches. Buyers are often scared and worried that they’ve been taken for a scam, especially with online buying. This is why some buyers can often be hostile and suspicious of their sellers. So, sometimes, you may get a few mean comments about problems that may be out of your control. The best way to deal with this is to calmly communicate with your seller to reassure them of your validity. Take the punches they throw at you and realize that it’s not personal. Holding back and not retaliating to mean comments can save you your feedback record.
