Some notes on ebay.ph

*Again, this was reposted from my multiply site. I've decided to resurrect this to help educate ebay.ph buyers and sellers

My brief stay in Illinois made me a  big fan of online stores. I was stuck in a suburb, with no driving skills and no guts to ask a friend to drive me to a nearby mall. So when I wanted to buy a book or dvd (even clothes), I just surf online. Thank goodness for amazon! With their free shipping I need only to wait for it to be delivered at my doorstep. And I could track my packages too. It was really convenient.

When I returned here, I wasn't really willing to take the risk. I was afraid to end up buying from bogus sellers. But in an effort to save money on my latest addiction, I began to buy second hand books via ebay.ph. In just a few weeks, I've acquired a lot of books that space is beginning to become an issue. And since I'm not really a good collector, that leaves me with no other option but to dispose of them. Thus, I became an ebay seller.

Selling online is really fun and easy. One good point is that you really don't need to carry your stuff everywhere. Just take a nice picture and post it along with the item description. You can even sell used items: remember one man's trash is another person's treasure. And the risk for a seller is minimal compared to a buyer.

For those who are planning to try out ebay, here are a few tips that I could share based on my limited experience in ebay:




BUYERS

• Read the fine print.  It is important that you read the buyer's terms and conditions before bidding on an item. That way, you are able to manage your expectations.
• Check the seller's reputation. One of the features of ebay is that users are encouraged to write feed backs after every transaction. Through this, you would be able to know if the seller has a history of non-delivery or duping a buyer.
• Check if the seller allows consolidation of shipment. Although shipment consolidation is a common practice among seller, it is always not a good idea to assume that this is always the case. Read the fine print (or whatever is stated in the item descriptions).
• For new users, contact the seller to state your intention to bid. Most sellers are wary of joy bidders lurking around, so they normally ask buyers with zero or negative feedback to contact them first. This will also be a good opportunity for first time users to ask about the whole bidding process, thus avoiding confusions.
• Inform seller once payment is made. Make sure that the seller acknowledges or confirms your payment.
• Keep receipts. When payment is made either via bank deposit or other means such as GCash, don't throw those receipts until you receive the items.
• Provide accurate feed backs. So you received the items, but they did not meet your expectations. Do not be afraid to give an accurate feedback. This will help the seller improve and other buyers as well. At the same time, let's not be stingy on giving good reviews especially if you had a pleasant experience. This will boost the morale of the sellers.

SELLERS

• Take a good picture. Take actual pictures of the items. Especially in the case of pre-owned items, this will let the buyers know what to expect.
• Be precise with the description. Never mislead the buyers. Remember the golden rule: do unto others what you want others to do unto you.
• Pack items carefully. Make sure that the items will not be easily damaged when being shipped. Even if you are selling used books, it would be great if your client received the books without additional creases or scratches on the cover. I personally get turned off when I see sellers' disclaimers that they will not be responsible for any damages during shipment. Although we really don't have any control over what happens when the item is being shipped, the least we could do is take measures to lessen the chances for that to occur.
• Choose your payment methods well. Convenience is the key. If you accept payments through banks, it would be a big advantage if the bank is accessible or have many branches all over the Philippines. Another thing to consider is if the bank charges inter-branch transactions. If your bank has such charges, make sure that the buyer is aware of that. BPI banks don't charge for inter-branch deposits, neither does BDO cash card accounts. Another alternative is GCash payments. I found out recently that this is popular in ebay, so I got out to buy a Globe sim. Also, it would be more convenient to apply for online accounts so that you could confirm the payment without going to the nearest ATM machine to check you balance.
• Choose your couriers well. Be aware of the reputation of the courier. It would be good if the courier has an established tracking system. This way, both buyers and sellers will be aware of the status of the shipment. Fast shipment is always a big plus. 
• Update your clients. When it comes to payment,some buyers might become worried that it takes you a while to confirm the payment. They might think you're a bogus seller. Don't be offended by this, buying online comes with greater risks than selling. Give the sellers the tracking number as soon as possible so that they would not worry.
• Improve customer service. Give discounts or freebies to encourage repeat customers. Be polite to clients. One negative feedback could destroy your reputation in ebay.
• Be patient. Don't expect your items to be sold right away. Online selling is still not well-established in the Philippines. Just post it and get on with your life :) You will just be informed by ebay if your item was sold.