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My Experience on Ebay
I've been a seller on eBay for almost ten years now and have always tried to bend over backwards for my buyers to the best of my ability.
Education
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
I am a Theology student of 10 years. I graduated from The Moody Bible Institute in 2003 with an Associates Degree. It took me ten years to graduate, but I did it and I'm glad I did. I went to college later on in life and never would I have thought in my wildest dreams that I would attend Bible College! That step was one of the most important steps I could have made in my life.
Before graduation, students had to perform Christian Ministry hours. I chose to become a Chaplain at The Cuyahoga County Jail. My prison ministry was quite different then I had ever expected; nevertheless, another experience and more lessons learned in life. I'm glad I was able to share the Gospel and have that experience working with hard core criminals.
Honesty and Trustworthiness
eBay has been a learning experience throughout those ten years and I must say that I have learned that not all sellers are honest and trustworthy. I have had buyers send me money wrapped up in tissue paper as payment (not the type of payment I would ever recommend). I not only acknowledged their payment once received, but sent them change back as well. Of course eBay now only accepts Paypal for any mail transactions now, unless you are picking items up.
My Negative Experiences on Ebay
What I have experienced too often is that some sellers sell junk. Times are hard and people need money and I have found an increase in deceptiveness. Items that may not be in the best of shape as described in the auction are being sold as new, I had received old perfume that smelled horrible, I had received fake cream that was packaged to look like it was a designer cream, and so much more. I can't stand being ripped off and I know that you feel the same way. This is why you will never receive any type of deceptive merchandise when you buy from me. I would NEVER try to pull something over on you in hopes that you would take the loss. You can expect nice quality merchandise described exactly the way you read it in the description.
Not As Described
We all know the procedures when items are received "not as described." Most of the time, we must send the item back to the seller in order to receive our merchandise credit. However, the buyer's return postage is not reimbursed; thus, buyers lose that postage fee. Unless buyers can prove that the item has been shipped back, buyers may not win a Paypal dispute. If the seller had been honest in the first place and described the item the way it should have been described, then perhaps there would have been no need to return the item.
I try to the best of my ability to describe the item you are purchasing. I place any flaws that may be present and any problems (if any) that you may have in the description, so that you may know what you are about to receive.
If I find anything that I have missed while packaging, I WILL NOT SHIP THE ITEM OUT TO YOU UNLESS I EMAIL YOU FIRST. Sometimes I may miss something, but I can assure you that is not intentional. I don't want hassles, or bad feedback, so the best way to avoid that is to be honest.
Feedback
On the other hand, it sometimes isn't easy being a seller on eBay. Few buyers will take advantage of the new eBay rules and either purchase an item and not pay for it, or use the item before returning it back to the seller and when this is done, the seller suffers loss of not only merchandise, but fees as well.
When an item is purchased, the seller can request a Final Value Fee back from eBay (the fee a seller must pay once the item is sold) but, a seller will not obtain the Listing Fee back. If a buyer bids on an item and doesn't pay, the seller must file a dispute in order to get their Final Value Fee back (which takes awhile) and risks the possiblity of not being able to sell that item in that season/year/time. Few buyers know that they cannot receive negative feedback from the seller anymore, so this type of abuse sometimes takes place more often than we can imagine.
Disputes
I will email you one friendly reminder saying that I did not receive payment for the item first and then file a dispute if the item is not paid for within one week. I must do this in order to seek reimbursement of my eBay fees. There is a time limitation for sellers to do this in, so we must act quickly. This is not being done for harrassment purposes, or to be mean, but is being done according to eBay rules. If I file a dispute against you and you do not pay (for whatever reason) then in all fairness, I will block you to avoid any future problems.
Solution: The best way to avoid this, is to pay for an item once you purchase it - please.
I Love eBay
eBay has been a Blessing in my life. If it were not for eBay, there would have been times that I would not have been able to make it in life. Ebay is my hobby, what I look forward to when I wake up each morning, and my life.
I love eBay so much, that five years ago I decided to start teaching eBay at numerous schools and colleges throughout Cuyahoga, Medina, Portage, and Lorain counties. I am not a "Certified" eBay teacher, because I teach my own curriculum and write my own class material. I have produced some YouTube videos on free classes. You may view these videos by clicking on the below links.
How to buy a postal scale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcorA50w8Ds
Cheaters on eBay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q95IGlIxOSw
How to get free shipping supplies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hi_iKlSnjU
How to buy Bubblewrap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgmJfntk0N8
Items I Sell
I love shopping in estate sales. There is something about taking a step back in time and reminecing about the days of old. I'm 54 and at this age, some of us find an "escape" in something or another. My escape is estate and garage sales. There is nothing more fun to me than walking through the countryside into the old houses and viewing the way merchandise used to be made with good quality. Each item has a story that comes along with it and a history of it's years while on this earth. I try to capture those stories and place them on the auctions/listings for you to read. People may appreciate an item more if it's true story comes along with it. There is just something about stepping into someone's life and their home after they have gone home to be with the Lord and trying to keep that little piece of that person alive through perhaps one of their favorite items. If you really want to take a peek into someone's life, purchase their vintage family slides and sit back and enjoy. That will be the only time that you will be a part of that person's life (like a fly on the wall) and share in their excitement of their new baby, or their wedding day, or more.
I get most of my items from garage and estate sales. I like the one of a kind items and I absolutely love items from the Victorian Era.
Barbie Dolls
Growing up in the late 1950s, early 1960s allowed me to experience the land of Barbie. Since my mother never had dolls, she made sure that I had plenty of them. She got me started on Barbie and Midge and Ken and Allan. She sewed to her heart's content and I had a Barbie car along with a full line of clothing and even a bridal party complete with outfits that she had sewn. The entire living room was filled with Barbie items, so I'm pretty familiar with Mattel's original items and fake items. However, the one thing I did not have, was life like food for my Barbie dolls. My girlfriend Linda and I would cut out paper food from newspapers and magazines and we would play everything from restaurant to store with the paper food. One day, my girlfriend Germaine received a small plastic dish with lifelike food on it and she used it for her Barbie dolls. I WAS SO JEALOUS! I wanted that plastic food with the plate on it for my dolls too, but I was unable to find it and my Mom couldn't buy more things for me.
Chef Ginas
Some years ago, my Mom suffered a stroke and my daughter Gina and I decided to care for her. We gave up our lives to take care of my Mom since she was paralyzed and needed attention every second of the day. We took care of her for almost 6 1/2 years. During that time, my daughter needed some income and it was at that time that I told my daughter how I wished I had food for my Barbie dolls when I was small. I got her an Easter basket filled with material and I told her that we were going to make Barbie doll food. We started making this food and listed it on eBay and it was a big hit. She sold $10,000.00 worth of food the first year and so was the beginning of Chef Ginas. At the time, NO ONE was selling Barbie food on eBay, but shortly afterwards many additional people started making Barbie food and flooded eBay with many of her designs. ChefGina sells on eBay to this day. Gina graduated from college with a Culinary Art's Degree and was experienced with many types of elegant food from working in country clubs and other exquisite restaurants. You can still purchase my daughter's items on eBay today and know that you will receive quality merchandise as well.
Gina will be getting married October 17th and I am making a Victorian Bridal Tea Party for her shower. Since purchasing so many Victorian items, I had decided to start selling these elegant vintage items, so that others may enjoy a piece of that time period as well. You will be finding many vintage items from the Victorian era and more on my auctions, so be sure to place me in your favorites.
Don't Be Afraid to Make Me An Offer
You may see that most of my items are at a Fixed Price with a Best Offer. DON'T BE AFRAID TO MAKE ME AN OFFER! I will always counteroffer, or accept your price, but if you don't make an offer, you will never know.
Conclusion
I truly wish to thank all of my past customers for their repeat business and continued business and will guarantee you that each time you purchase items from me, you can be assured of a good value with high quality items. I promise not to let you down... and most of all...
Thank You For Being A Friend
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