I just wanted to share this as a means of balancing out the negativity we often post as disgruntled eBay users. There’s a phrase over here that translates as something along the lines of ‘good news stays at home, bad news travels’. So to counter that, I thought I’d start this thread.
Feel free to share other positive experiences as a buyer/seller here.
This buyer went out of their way to be courteous and respectful. They wanted to avoid low-balling and so politely asked me before submitting an inappropriate bid. All to often I’ll get a message that will simply read “what’s your lowest price?” which just isn’t the same as this one:
(Names redacted for privacy)
There is a Japanese seller I’ve been a customer of for a few years now thanks to his great and fast service. He mainly sells Japanese Pokemon Center products and also has the newest booster boxes for sale when a new Japanese TCG set is out. I buy my boxes from him and he always sends a message thanking for the purchase (in general this is something the Japanese people seem to do) and another one when he ships the item.
His items always arrive very quickly plus I’ve never had to pay any customs tax for things I’ve bought from him even if they have been above the amount they usually charge customs here. He also includes a bag of Japanese green tea with every order which is also really nice.
Sometimes his products might be a few dollars more expensive than other sellers have, but I don’t mind paying a few dollars extra for continuous great service (and in general I think his prices are reasonable). Just pre-ordered a box of SM1+ from him.
Hmm, I might have purchased from him twice in the past as well then, since two packages so far had green tea with them.
I also have one seller which I bought A LOT of singles from when I first started collecting Pikachu cards. They (it’s a couple - man and woman) would always send a message thanking, a message when it’s send. And it always arrived pretty quickly. In addition it always had a personal thank you message written and an origami (usually Pikachu, but I’ve also received Eevee a couple of times, and a Swanna once).
It’s one of the few sellers I have on my following list mainly due to their amazing service and positive vibe. Not to mention their prices are pretty good as well. And considering they sell quite a lot each day, it’s amazing they take the time to make the origami, personal written messages and status-updates.
(Maybe it’s a bit strange to say this about myself, but when I read my feedback as buyer with 100% positive feedback I think most agree) I personally always leave positive feedback stating the good things regarding quality, how well it’s packaged, how quick it arrived, and how good the service was. Also, every time a seller sends me a personal message with status updates or thank you messages, I make a mental note in my head to send them a thank you message back when the package has arrived. I personally consider it no more than normal to be respectful and grateful to sellers, but unfortunately this isn’t really as normal as it should be on the internet. But I’m drifting to the negative again, so let’s keep it positive!
There have been quite a few other sellers, mostly from Japan/China, but also some from European countries or the US, that provided a good service and we’re very nice to deal with. Even though I only bought once from some, the positive things stay with you and I’m always happy when I bought from such nice persons which take the time to personally thank you, and keep you updated.
it’s nice to see a positive post about a positive experience. it’s like working in the real world, you hear all the horror stories, and complaints, bs. People forget to mention the good times often had.
I think that individual must of really wanted that item, and didn’t want to step on toes; but he/she sounds nice.
I had an experience where I sent someone a set of cards that was not supposed to include the rookie card (the most valuable card). I forgot to remove the rookie before shipping, and they messaged me that I accidentally sent the rookie card with the order. They shipped it back to me immediately, and wrote a little note. I was dumbfounded by their honesty.
This is a great thread and brings up a question that I’ve had that was sort of touched on above. I was wondering if a lot of you more experienced collectors have sellers that you go back to on a consistent basis? Just from the few interactions I’ve my natural progression seems to be search, find, see what else seller offers, buy a bunch, then follow the seller and continue to check back regularly on their listings. I’ve noticed that communication has been much easier and I feel I’m starting to carve out a bit of a relationship or at least I’m becoming a familiar name to them. I just always wondered if more established collectors also have those ‘go to’ guys?
Yes on both fronts. I have regular customers, and I also am a regular buyer for multiple businesses. If I like someones service, I will prioritize them over another business. I have been loyal to one business in particular for majority of my existence in the hobby. I could buy product slightly cheaper elsewhere, but I value their service more than saving a few bucks.
Absolutely. I HATE having my time wasted. My time is only limited in profitability by the number of hours I’m able and willing to sell. I know the per hour value of my time and I hate wasting it.
I have a short list of 5-6 people I go to for standard items and an idea of who to contact if I need something specific. A single hour spent searching for a card on my watch is a livable profit margin for someone else. I will opt to pay that margin 100% of the time if I can.
As I continue to make purchases from sellers, they get an idea of my tastes. If a seller is responsive, communicates with me, and brings things I might like to me, they’re going to have my business indefinitely.
Conversely, I try very hard to be a buyer that makes sellers remember me. I do not quibble over small change. I am always up front about if I’m curious about a card or looking to buy a card. I always make it very clear when I will pay and make sure that is acceptable with the seller when it is not immediately.
People these days think they’re saving money by constantly hustling on social media, fighting for every penny, and flipping cards for small change. They’re idiots. Sellers negotiate with reliable, mature buyers before they do strangers with aggressive tactics. When you have to worry about 1-2% differences on your deal, I’m immediately worried about your ability to pay or likelihood of failing to follow through. If you’re always trying to sell a card for five dollars more than you bought it for yesterday, I perceive of you as desperate and unreliable.
tl;dr Good business takes patience and trust. I will always maintain that with businesses and people who offer those things and I believe it to be largely a reflection of the type of buyer I choose to be.
Thank you both for your input @smpratte and @churlocker! The time part definitely makes sense and is something that was a topic in one of smpratte’s most recent videos. Very interesting stuff!
Update: The same buyer got a deal out of me for their great communication and understanding. It’s been mentioned above, but it is definitely true that a bit of courteousness and updates on when a payment can be made goes a long way.
(and in general I think his prices are reasonable). Just pre-ordered a box of SM1+ from him.
And considering they sell quite a lot each day, it’s amazing they take the time to make the origami, personal written messages and status-updates.