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 If you are running an eBay business,
you may not realize that the need for great customer
service still exists - even for online auctions. When a
buyer receives quality customer service from you, they
will potentially do one of two things - or both. They will
give you great feedback, and they may look for more of
your auctions in the future. If you hope to make a living
from eBay, you have to stop thinking of it as an 'auction'
and start running it like a 'business.'
If you owned a brick and mortar business, how would you
treat your customer while they were standing at your
counter, waiting for you to finish ringing up their order?
You would be helpful and respectful of course! You would
do everything that you could to guarantee that customers
return to your establishment in the future. You would bend
over backwards to make sure that their buying experience
with you was both satisfactory and enjoyable. Why would
you do any less at the close of one of your eBay auctions?
First, act quickly at the close of your auctions. Contact
the winner, and congratulate them. Describe the item they
have won and how the item will be shipped - even if this
information is already part of the description for the
auction. Remind them of their winning bid amount, and give
them payment options and instructions. Let them know when
the item will be shipped.
Close your email by thanking them for participating in
your auction. You might even take this opportunity to tell
them about other open auctions that you have as well.
Think of this contact with the winner as a conversation
that you are having with a customer who is standing at
your counter in that imaginary brick and mortar store.
Once the payment and shipping details have been taken care
of, contact your buyer again. Let them know when the item
was shipped - the exact date and time - and when it is
expected to arrive on their end. During this contact, let
them know that if they have any problems or questions,
that they should contact you through the eBay site. If
they do contact you in the future, make sure that you
answer promptly, and that you do all that you can to make
them happy with their purchase - even if it means issuing
a refund.
Yes. You should be open to issuing refunds, depending on
what the item is. Furthermore, you should issue refunds
promptly. Of course, it is reasonable to expect the buyer
to return the item to you, at your expense, before the
refund is issued - but once you receive the item, issue
the refund promptly. This is just good business!
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