Rather often, I get contacted by people who want to sell their books to me. They want me to find a good home for the books without them having to go to any effort. The books are always ordinary books not worth my time. Others don't want me to buy the books, but rather, they want me to tell them how to sell the books so that the books can find a good home. The majority of these messages include a comment stating that they do not wish to use eBay.
Then they are out of luck.
I have never told any of them that, but it's a shame that the single best method to use to help an old book find a good home is the one method that none of these people will consider. Why is that?
I suspect that one reason is the bad press eBay has received over the years. I wrote many posts about eBay in 2008 and 2009 expressing my frustration with eBay's many anti-seller changes. During that time, eBay made a series of idiotic moves that heavily damaged sellers' ability to conduct business. eBay has reversed all of those changes. None of that is true now, and those posts are no longer relevant.
Another reason people don't want to use eBay is that they have heard of others who have been defrauded on eBay. You can actually avoid being defrauded if you take some simple steps to protect yourself. If you buy on eBay, be cautious about what you buy and file a PayPal claim if you don't receive the item. You will get your money back.
If you sell on eBay, follow the seller protection plan. Always use eBay to generate the shipping label so that it contains delivery confirmation. Always sell through one of your eBay listings and not through a private message, which is where buyers try to pull scams. Never close an auction early at a buyer's request, because any buyer who asks for an auction to be closed early is pulling a scam.
As a buyer, I have had a few sellers defraud me, but this is only around five people out of thousands of transactions. I received my money back in all but one transaction, which was one from 1997 or 1998 before eBay had a buyer protection plan.
As a seller, I have never been defrauded, because I follow eBay's seller protection plan.
In short, eBay is a safe marketplace and is the best way to find buyers for your items. Furthermore, books are the very safest item to sell on eBay. Book collectors are much less likely to cause problems than buyers from most other categories.
Another reason some people don't like eBay is because they don't get good prices for their items. That problem can be solved as well. It's quite simple. Don't use auctions. You won't get a bidding war, and you'll sell your item too low to somebody who is buying to resell.
I always used auctions on eBay from 1997 through late 2008. Auctions were great through the summer of 2008. In the fall of 2008, auctions began to fail. Auctions for series books brought low prices, and most of my own listings did not sell. If I remember right, each auction cost $0.30 to list at that time. I had listed quite a few auctions in December 2008, and most of them did not sell. I think I wasted around $6 to $10 in fees for nothing. That was unacceptable and is why I opened my booth on Bonanzle (renamed Bonanza in September 2010).
I realized in December 2008 that my discomfort with fixed-price had caused me to keep running auctions on eBay for longer than I should have. When I went to Bonanzle, I was forced to use fixed-priced only, but I was willing to try because Bonanzle was free. I sold on Bonanzle/Bonanza for 4 1/2 years without using eBay at all for selling. I became very comfortable with fixed-price during that time and became quite confident in my ability to price books correctly under that method.
As a side note, I want to mention that I never quit buying on eBay. During the 4 1/2 years that I did not list items for sale on eBay, I bought steadily on eBay and at the same rate that I always had. My home page in my Internet browser has been set to eBay's search page since 1997. That should tell you something. eBay is the best place to buy books.
In July 2013, I returned to selling on eBay in addition to continuing to sell on Bonanza. The reason I opened the store on eBay is because sales were beginning to fail on Bonanza. My Bonanza sales fell further immediately after I opened my eBay store and never recovered. Apparently I had cannibalized my own Bonanza sales. Still, Bonanza was failing, and even if I had not opened the eBay store, my Bonanza sales would eventually have vanished.
Being on Bonanza taught me how to use fixed-price listings to my advantage. I learned about the importance of Google ranking. I learned many things. I also ended up exhausted by the process, since the site has poor Google ranking. I don't have it in me to start over on another free site where I would have to bring the traffic in. That's why I went with Etsy, a site that does have traffic.
Most important, my experience on Bonanza taught me that fixed-price is the only way to price collectible items. As a buyer, I highly prefer auctions. I prefer them because I get bargains. And that's exactly the reason why as a seller I hate auctions.
Some of you continue to cling to the eBay auctions. I understand, since that's where I was in late 2008. It always worked before, and we want it to continue to work. However, I would highly recommend that you consider switching to fixed-price.
First, you need to let go of the belief that you have to sell the item within a week or two. Most of my fixed-price listings do sell. It just takes some time. It might take a few months. If I'm in a hurry, then I gradually reduce the price each month until the listing sells.
Second, you have to get comfortable with pricing a fixed-price listing. Let's say you have a copy of a book that is somewhat scarce. You should first see if any are for sale on eBay and see how they are priced. If there are any at a fixed price, then you will probably want to price yours slightly cheaper since theirs has not sold. Next, look at sold listings. The auctions are always low, so you want to price your book higher than all auctions that ended with a winning bid.
The price range for the listing should be between the highest auction price and the lowest unsold fixed-price listing. That is, usually. Condition matters, so the condition of your book as compared to the other books is the deciding factor. If your book is nicer than the unsold fixed-price listing, then in some cases your book might need to be priced higher. It all depends.
I have had great success with using this method of pricing. Since I started using this method, I seldom have had books bought by others to resell. In late 2008 when I was still using auctions, a large percent of my books were getting purchased for resale, which means the prices were too low.
I actually don't care if sellers buy my books to sell at a higher price. However, I do want to get as much as I can for myself to fund my book habit. As long as I use fixed-price and have set a fair price, then I am not concerned with who buys my items or why.
In conclusion, eBay is the overall very best place to buy and sell collectible books. Amazon is the #1 shopping site in traffic while eBay is #2, but eBay holds the edge due to the ease with which anybody can list items for sale.
If you have books to sell and want them to find a good home, use eBay.
Showing posts with label eBay Selling Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eBay Selling Tips. Show all posts
Friday, June 3, 2016
Thursday, May 29, 2014
International Shipping Rates from Top-Rated Plus Sellers
The biggest drawback to selling internationally is the high cost of shipping. The United States Postal Service no longer offers surface mail for international packages, so international buyers are forced to pay for either first class or priority mail, both of which are quite expensive. Most people who ask me for a quote on international shipping costs decide not to make a purchase.
On eBay, top-rated plus sellers are given commercial shipping rates, so the cost of printing shipping labels for domestic and international first class and priority mail is less than the retail rate. Unfortunately, eBay charges international buyers the retail rate even when the seller qualifies for the reduced rate and uses eBay's shipping interface to create shipping labels. This frustrates me to no end.
Even worse, I don't know of a postage table that lists the rates that eBay top-rated plus sellers are charged. This means I have to guess when buyers ask for an international shipping quote. Other times, the buyer goes ahead and pays what eBay charges, and I send a refund for the extra. I've had a few international buyers question what I end up charging, thinking the rate is too low.
I found the commercial shipping rates for first class international packages on the USPS website. The published rates are not the eBay rates, since eBay apparently negotiated a lower price. However, I made a screen cap of the commercial rates, since they are closer to what I will be charged than the retail rates. I then found a few international shipments from eBay and checked what I was charged. I went through the initial step of creating another shipping label for those transactions at various weights, making note of each amount that I would have been charged. I put those rates on the commercial rate table next to the published rates. This gives me a point of reference for what the international shipping will cost on eBay.
Below, please find the rates table with the eBay rates added by me. By seeing the difference between the eBay rate and the commercial rate, we can make educated guesses on what eBay would likely charge for the other amounts. If you purchase books from me on eBay, then this will give you an idea of what the actual cost to mail the books will be. A single book goes at the 16-ounce rate.
The prices are noticeably lower than the retail prices. Next, please find the commercial plus table next to the table of the retail rates. Remember that you can always click on an image to see a larger version.
eBay charges international buyers the rates seen on the left, while top-rated plus sellers get the reduced rates that I placed in the table on the right. It can be quite a difference, which is why I have had to send refunds to international buyers who pay when they complete a Buy It Now.
I realized that I could reduce the need for a refund for single-book orders by charging a flat rate postage cost for international orders. I would also need to consider that I have the shipping set as free to U.S. buyers. For most books, the shipping really is free to U.S. buyers because I have not raised the price to cover the shipping. Even though the shipping is free, I feel that international buyers also deserve a reduced rate, so I try to reduce the international postage at least a little bit so that they benefit as well.
Factoring in the free shipping discount, I can offer shipping to Canada for $5.25 for lighter books and for $8.44 for heavier books. I can offer shipping to all other countries for $10.10 for lighter books and for $14.99 for heavier books. I have used the bulk editor to make those changes. This should eliminate the need to refund extra postage charged for single-book orders. For multiple book orders, buyers should complete the Buy It Now for each listing and then wait until I send a combined shipping invoice.
I do not get the commercial rate for my Bonanza transactions, so keep in mind that international buyers will be charged the retail rate when purchases are made on Bonanza. This means that if you are an international buyer, then you will get a better deal when you purchase from me on eBay.
Jennifer's Series Books on eBay
Jennifer's Series Books on Bonanza
On eBay, top-rated plus sellers are given commercial shipping rates, so the cost of printing shipping labels for domestic and international first class and priority mail is less than the retail rate. Unfortunately, eBay charges international buyers the retail rate even when the seller qualifies for the reduced rate and uses eBay's shipping interface to create shipping labels. This frustrates me to no end.
Even worse, I don't know of a postage table that lists the rates that eBay top-rated plus sellers are charged. This means I have to guess when buyers ask for an international shipping quote. Other times, the buyer goes ahead and pays what eBay charges, and I send a refund for the extra. I've had a few international buyers question what I end up charging, thinking the rate is too low.
I found the commercial shipping rates for first class international packages on the USPS website. The published rates are not the eBay rates, since eBay apparently negotiated a lower price. However, I made a screen cap of the commercial rates, since they are closer to what I will be charged than the retail rates. I then found a few international shipments from eBay and checked what I was charged. I went through the initial step of creating another shipping label for those transactions at various weights, making note of each amount that I would have been charged. I put those rates on the commercial rate table next to the published rates. This gives me a point of reference for what the international shipping will cost on eBay.
Below, please find the rates table with the eBay rates added by me. By seeing the difference between the eBay rate and the commercial rate, we can make educated guesses on what eBay would likely charge for the other amounts. If you purchase books from me on eBay, then this will give you an idea of what the actual cost to mail the books will be. A single book goes at the 16-ounce rate.
The prices are noticeably lower than the retail prices. Next, please find the commercial plus table next to the table of the retail rates. Remember that you can always click on an image to see a larger version.
eBay charges international buyers the rates seen on the left, while top-rated plus sellers get the reduced rates that I placed in the table on the right. It can be quite a difference, which is why I have had to send refunds to international buyers who pay when they complete a Buy It Now.
I realized that I could reduce the need for a refund for single-book orders by charging a flat rate postage cost for international orders. I would also need to consider that I have the shipping set as free to U.S. buyers. For most books, the shipping really is free to U.S. buyers because I have not raised the price to cover the shipping. Even though the shipping is free, I feel that international buyers also deserve a reduced rate, so I try to reduce the international postage at least a little bit so that they benefit as well.
Factoring in the free shipping discount, I can offer shipping to Canada for $5.25 for lighter books and for $8.44 for heavier books. I can offer shipping to all other countries for $10.10 for lighter books and for $14.99 for heavier books. I have used the bulk editor to make those changes. This should eliminate the need to refund extra postage charged for single-book orders. For multiple book orders, buyers should complete the Buy It Now for each listing and then wait until I send a combined shipping invoice.
I do not get the commercial rate for my Bonanza transactions, so keep in mind that international buyers will be charged the retail rate when purchases are made on Bonanza. This means that if you are an international buyer, then you will get a better deal when you purchase from me on eBay.
Jennifer's Series Books on eBay
Jennifer's Series Books on Bonanza
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
The Importance of Packing Slips and eBay Search Problems
On February 19, I wrote about a lost package that I mailed on January 5.
On March 22, the buyer paid for the book again and let me know that the package had finally arrived. The delivery confirmation no longer showed the old information from January. The first date was March 19, showing the location as in Georgia. From that point, the package quickly traveled back to Michigan where it was delivered on March 22.
Apparently, the shipping label had come off of the package. The postal service opened the package, and found my packing slip with the buyer's address on it. This situation serves as a good example of why packing slips are important. Should a shipping label come off of a package, then the address can still be found inside the package.
I use plain paper for my labels, and I use glue on the package before I affix the label with tape covering all four edges. I also tape across the middle of the label. On several occasions, I have had to remove one of my shipping labels due to a change in an order, and I have had trouble getting the label off. Even though my labels are affixed quite well to the packages, they can still come off, as this recent example shows. Remember: Packing slips save packages!
................................................
eBay has been having problems with its saved searches for at least a couple of months. I recently reported on my Facebook page that I could get past my saved searches problem by deleting them and saving new searches. Unfortunately, none of my newly saved searches work. Now, nearly all of my old saved searches that I have not yet deleted are also broken.
I am having to rely on manual searches from eBay's Advanced Search page. This is a throwback to how I used eBay many years ago. While a burden at first, I am growing used to running the manual searches, just like I used to do.
The package was mailed January 5, and the delivery confirmation showed the normal information up until a scan on January 10 at a USPS sorting center in the buyer's home state. The sorting center is within 50 miles of the final destination and was probably the last stop before the package would have reached the buyer's post office. The tracking information ended at that sorting center with no updates since January 10.I refunded the buyer's money in early February since it was apparent that something bad had happened to the package. I still had hope that the package might eventually surface, but I could not keep the buyer's money any longer.
On March 22, the buyer paid for the book again and let me know that the package had finally arrived. The delivery confirmation no longer showed the old information from January. The first date was March 19, showing the location as in Georgia. From that point, the package quickly traveled back to Michigan where it was delivered on March 22.
Apparently, the shipping label had come off of the package. The postal service opened the package, and found my packing slip with the buyer's address on it. This situation serves as a good example of why packing slips are important. Should a shipping label come off of a package, then the address can still be found inside the package.
I use plain paper for my labels, and I use glue on the package before I affix the label with tape covering all four edges. I also tape across the middle of the label. On several occasions, I have had to remove one of my shipping labels due to a change in an order, and I have had trouble getting the label off. Even though my labels are affixed quite well to the packages, they can still come off, as this recent example shows. Remember: Packing slips save packages!
eBay has been having problems with its saved searches for at least a couple of months. I recently reported on my Facebook page that I could get past my saved searches problem by deleting them and saving new searches. Unfortunately, none of my newly saved searches work. Now, nearly all of my old saved searches that I have not yet deleted are also broken.
I am having to rely on manual searches from eBay's Advanced Search page. This is a throwback to how I used eBay many years ago. While a burden at first, I am growing used to running the manual searches, just like I used to do.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Using eBay Effectively
I spent some time trying to figure out what I need to do in order to have a chance of selling my extra books in bulk on eBay. I know that I can guarantee a sale by having a starting bid of $0.99 and free shipping. I am not willing to take that risk, since with my luck, the lot would sell at the opening bid.
I decided to view completed Nancy Drew listings, sorted by recent first, in order to see exactly what is selling. I checked through the first 800 results. 256 out of 800 items sold.
The following statements refer to the items that sold.
96 items were offered by top-rated sellers. This comprises 38% of the total. That tells me that I do not necessarily need to be a top-rated seller in order to be successful. I have been concerned as to whether I have any chance of selling my lots due to not having the top-rated seller status.
87 items were Buy It Now, and 169 were not. The Buy It Now listings comprise 34% of sold items, while auctions account for 66%.
Just 26 items had free shipping. 230 items did not have free shipping. The listings with free shipping account for only 10% of sold listings.
eBay would have us believe that buyers hate auctions and love free shipping. Strangely enough, most of the sold items were auctions, and most of them did not have free shipping.
I checked the statistics because I wanted to know if offering free shipping would give me an edge. Apparently not. Buyers purchase lots that they want at a price that they are willing to pay. They do not care if the item has free shipping or whether the item is offered in an auction.
Next, I had to decide how to proceed. Clearly, offering 30 to 40 books in a lot for a price of $50 to $100 no longer works. At least, it has not worked for me in recent months. I had a lot of 47 Nancy Drew picture cover books. The lot was originally priced at $99 and then $88 on the first relist and $95 on the second relist. The lot did not sell.
After considering the observations that I reported above and noting the content of the items that sold, I took my large lot of Nancy Drew picture cover editions and broke it apart into smaller lots. Four more books were added in when I broke up the lot.
I listed all of the lots as auctions with a Buy It Now price of just a few dollars higher than the starting bid price. I had to list some of the lots more than once, but I managed to sell all of them.
Nancy Drew Vintage Matte #1-7 Nice Starter Set at $5.99
7 Vintage Matte Nancy Drew Books #8, 9, 11-13, 15, 17 at $19.99
8 Vintage Matte Nancy Drew Books #18-25 at $14.99
6 Vintage Nancy Drew Books #29-34 All Original Text at $19.99
8 Vintage Matte Nancy Drew Books #26-28, 37-39, 41, 52 at $16.99
7 Vintage Matte Nancy Drew Books #35-39 and #42-43 at $14.99
6 Vintage Matte Nancy Drew Books #44-47 and #50-51 at $19.99
I ended up getting $112.93 for 51 books which included the 47 books I tried to sell for $88 to $99 plus four additional books. The small lots seem to work quite well. At this point, my strategy will be to list in small groups in order to dispose of my extra picture cover books.
I decided to view completed Nancy Drew listings, sorted by recent first, in order to see exactly what is selling. I checked through the first 800 results. 256 out of 800 items sold.
The following statements refer to the items that sold.
96 items were offered by top-rated sellers. This comprises 38% of the total. That tells me that I do not necessarily need to be a top-rated seller in order to be successful. I have been concerned as to whether I have any chance of selling my lots due to not having the top-rated seller status.
87 items were Buy It Now, and 169 were not. The Buy It Now listings comprise 34% of sold items, while auctions account for 66%.
Just 26 items had free shipping. 230 items did not have free shipping. The listings with free shipping account for only 10% of sold listings.
eBay would have us believe that buyers hate auctions and love free shipping. Strangely enough, most of the sold items were auctions, and most of them did not have free shipping.
I checked the statistics because I wanted to know if offering free shipping would give me an edge. Apparently not. Buyers purchase lots that they want at a price that they are willing to pay. They do not care if the item has free shipping or whether the item is offered in an auction.
Next, I had to decide how to proceed. Clearly, offering 30 to 40 books in a lot for a price of $50 to $100 no longer works. At least, it has not worked for me in recent months. I had a lot of 47 Nancy Drew picture cover books. The lot was originally priced at $99 and then $88 on the first relist and $95 on the second relist. The lot did not sell.
After considering the observations that I reported above and noting the content of the items that sold, I took my large lot of Nancy Drew picture cover editions and broke it apart into smaller lots. Four more books were added in when I broke up the lot.
I listed all of the lots as auctions with a Buy It Now price of just a few dollars higher than the starting bid price. I had to list some of the lots more than once, but I managed to sell all of them.
Nancy Drew Vintage Matte #1-7 Nice Starter Set at $5.99
7 Vintage Matte Nancy Drew Books #8, 9, 11-13, 15, 17 at $19.99
8 Vintage Matte Nancy Drew Books #18-25 at $14.99
6 Vintage Nancy Drew Books #29-34 All Original Text at $19.99
8 Vintage Matte Nancy Drew Books #26-28, 37-39, 41, 52 at $16.99
7 Vintage Matte Nancy Drew Books #35-39 and #42-43 at $14.99
6 Vintage Matte Nancy Drew Books #44-47 and #50-51 at $19.99
I ended up getting $112.93 for 51 books which included the 47 books I tried to sell for $88 to $99 plus four additional books. The small lots seem to work quite well. At this point, my strategy will be to list in small groups in order to dispose of my extra picture cover books.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Media Mail Shipping
A message thread on Bonanza a few weeks ago had people discussing media mail. Among the comments were ones by people that stated that they do not use media mail because it takes longer or that media mail can take up to a month. People just don't realize how fast media mail has become when one uses the computer-generated labels from either USPS or PayPal.
The PayPal labels are faster than both handwritten and typed addresses. The handwritten addresses are the slowest, because those are harder for the machines to read. Some people type their addresses and pay for the postage at the post office, and those are faster than the handwritten labels since the machines can read them better. The computer-generated postage is the fastest, because of the bar codes which are read by the machines.
For a number of years, I typed or copied and pasted my addresses into a Word document, printed the addresses and taped on the packages, and paid for the postage at the post office. I began using printed addresses after I heard that packages with printed addresses arrive quicker than packages with handwritten addresses.
I was slow to adopt to the PayPal shipping. I waited until after the service was available for a couple of years before I finally began printing my labels at home. I did not use delivery confirmation on media mail packages prior to going to the PayPal labels, so I did not know exactly how long it took for my packages to arrive. However, I could judge by when buyers left feedback. After I switched to the PayPal labels, I noticed that my buyers were leaving feedback a couple of days sooner than before. The PayPal labels made a difference in the delivery time.
I decided to check some of my recent media mail packages to see how long they took to be delivered. I almost always generate the shipping label the evening before I drop the package off at the post office, so a day can be subtracted from the number of days it took for each package to be delivered.
Delivered, August 30, 2010, 8:11 am, SLINGER, WI 53086
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 25, 2010
Delivered, August 28, 2010, 1:45 pm, CHANTILLY, VA 20152
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 23, 2010
Delivered, August 26, 2010, 1:14 pm, EAST HAVEN, CT 06512
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 20, 2010
Delivered, August 23, 2010, 12:03 pm, DALLAS, TX 75287
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 20, 2010
August 23, 2010, 8:57 am, HIGLEY, AZ 85236
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 18, 2010
Delivered, August 18, 2010, 11:00 am, DALLAS, TX 75287
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 14, 2010
Delivered, August 17, 2010, 9:25 am, CLINTON, MD 20735
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 11, 2010
Delivered, August 17, 2010, 3:37 pm, MACON, GA 31210
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 11, 2010
Delivered, August 16, 2010, 1:43 pm, CHARLESTON, WV 25314
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 11, 2010
Delivered August 16, 2010, 11:35 am, ROCHESTER, NY 14617
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 11, 2010
Delivered, August 16, 2010, 2:25 pm, MANDAN, ND 58554
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 11, 2010
It looks like most of my packages are getting delivered within four to five days via media mail. I used to tell people that media mail takes 7 to 10 days delivery time, but I now tell them that they will have the package within 7 days.
It has been quite awhile since I received a media mail package that took three or four weeks to arrive. In the rare event that it does happen, either the seller has used a handwritten address or an extra bar code, like from UPS or a previous mailing of the package, is present on the package. Extra bar codes from previous shipments can cause the package to get misdirected to a different part of the country. Sometimes the package will bounce back and forth between two locations before someone notices the problem. This is why sellers should never leave old bar codes on packages.
The only time of year that I find that media mail can take two to three weeks is during December, especially for the packages with handwritten labels. I find that during December parcel post takes just as long as media mail. Otherwise, media mail is a cost-effective service that takes no more than around a week for delivery.
The PayPal labels are faster than both handwritten and typed addresses. The handwritten addresses are the slowest, because those are harder for the machines to read. Some people type their addresses and pay for the postage at the post office, and those are faster than the handwritten labels since the machines can read them better. The computer-generated postage is the fastest, because of the bar codes which are read by the machines.
For a number of years, I typed or copied and pasted my addresses into a Word document, printed the addresses and taped on the packages, and paid for the postage at the post office. I began using printed addresses after I heard that packages with printed addresses arrive quicker than packages with handwritten addresses.
I was slow to adopt to the PayPal shipping. I waited until after the service was available for a couple of years before I finally began printing my labels at home. I did not use delivery confirmation on media mail packages prior to going to the PayPal labels, so I did not know exactly how long it took for my packages to arrive. However, I could judge by when buyers left feedback. After I switched to the PayPal labels, I noticed that my buyers were leaving feedback a couple of days sooner than before. The PayPal labels made a difference in the delivery time.
I decided to check some of my recent media mail packages to see how long they took to be delivered. I almost always generate the shipping label the evening before I drop the package off at the post office, so a day can be subtracted from the number of days it took for each package to be delivered.
Delivered, August 30, 2010, 8:11 am, SLINGER, WI 53086
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 25, 2010
Delivered, August 28, 2010, 1:45 pm, CHANTILLY, VA 20152
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 23, 2010
Delivered, August 26, 2010, 1:14 pm, EAST HAVEN, CT 06512
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 20, 2010
Delivered, August 23, 2010, 12:03 pm, DALLAS, TX 75287
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 20, 2010
August 23, 2010, 8:57 am, HIGLEY, AZ 85236
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 18, 2010
Delivered, August 18, 2010, 11:00 am, DALLAS, TX 75287
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 14, 2010
Delivered, August 17, 2010, 9:25 am, CLINTON, MD 20735
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 11, 2010
Delivered, August 17, 2010, 3:37 pm, MACON, GA 31210
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 11, 2010
Delivered, August 16, 2010, 1:43 pm, CHARLESTON, WV 25314
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 11, 2010
Delivered August 16, 2010, 11:35 am, ROCHESTER, NY 14617
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 11, 2010
Delivered, August 16, 2010, 2:25 pm, MANDAN, ND 58554
Electronic Shipping Info Received, August 11, 2010
It looks like most of my packages are getting delivered within four to five days via media mail. I used to tell people that media mail takes 7 to 10 days delivery time, but I now tell them that they will have the package within 7 days.
It has been quite awhile since I received a media mail package that took three or four weeks to arrive. In the rare event that it does happen, either the seller has used a handwritten address or an extra bar code, like from UPS or a previous mailing of the package, is present on the package. Extra bar codes from previous shipments can cause the package to get misdirected to a different part of the country. Sometimes the package will bounce back and forth between two locations before someone notices the problem. This is why sellers should never leave old bar codes on packages.
The only time of year that I find that media mail can take two to three weeks is during December, especially for the packages with handwritten labels. I find that during December parcel post takes just as long as media mail. Otherwise, media mail is a cost-effective service that takes no more than around a week for delivery.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
What if a package gets lost?
In my last post, I quoted eBay's new policy on insurance:
On a side note, I am surprised at how many of my sellers still do not use PayPal shipping or delivery confirmation. With PayPal shipping, delivery confirmation is free for priority mail and much cheaper than at the post office for other services. All a seller needs is a digital scale so that the package can be weighed. Digital scales can be bought inexpensively on eBay, or at a higher price on Amazon. I bought mine on Amazon because eBay sellers normally send items like scales in bad packaging causing them to get damaged. I buy all new items anywhere other than eBay, even if I have to pay more.
To go back to delivery confirmation, it will save sellers from most scams, but it is not foolproof. I once received a neighbor's package that had delivery confirmation. If I had not given it to my neighbor, the recipient would not have received it, but the delivery confirmation would have shown it as delivered. Another time, I found a package stuck in my mailbox hours after the mail arrived. I checked the delivery confirmation online and found that it had been delivered seven hours before, but not to me. It was not a cheap purchase, either. I'm lucky my neighbor was honest enough to put it in my mailbox.
I do feel that a seller is responsible for a package until the buyer receives it (per my Amazon analogy above). I'm sure my opinion is not popular among many people reading this blog, but it is reality.
Consider this: What if you have a buyer who does not receive a package from you, and you decide not to refund the buyer's money because you are not responsible? How do you think your buyer will feel?
I can tell you exactly how your buyer will feel. A couple of years ago, I had a package go missing from a seller with whom I had had multiple previous successful transactions. Around four weeks had passed, and I had not left the seller any feedback because I did not have my purchase. This was an international transaction, so four weeks was not too long to wait.
The seller sent me a message requesting that I leave feedback and wondering if anything was wrong with my purchase. I replied, saying that I had not received the package yet, which is why I had not left feedback. The seller did apologize and hoped I would still receive my package. The seller did not offer a refund, and I did not request one. I never did receive the books.
How do I feel? I will never purchase from that seller again. I do not believe it was her fault, but she should have refunded my money. I can understand why she did not offer, since international postage is quite expensive. The problem is that I have a lingering bad feeling about her and that transaction, so I have passed on her auctions ever since that time. Think for a moment if you feel that you are not responsible. What if a package does go missing? Do you want to risk losing a customer?
I agree that when a seller packs well, then it is not the seller's fault when a package goes missing. But how does a buyer know that the seller packed well? All the buyer knows is that a purchase was made and not received. The buyer will blame the seller instead of someone else.
Should a seller refund a buyer when a package goes missing? Yes, yes, and yes. A seller never knows when a buyer may have friends who would later make purchases. It is also true that all a buyer has to do is file a PayPal claim to get their money refunded, but do you really want your buyers to do that? With the direction that eBay is going, a seller has no room to allow a buyer to file a claim when the seller can settle the problem directly. Nobody wants a black mark on their record, besides the fact that the buyer will have a bad feeling about the seller.
The insurance option creates the perception that buyers need to purchase shipping insurance as a protection on eBay, an experience they're not accustomed to on other ecommerce sites. In fact, sellers have always been responsible for their items until they arrive safely in their customers' hands. That's why shipping insurance will no longer be included in the purchase flow as either an option or requirement for buyers.I then made the following statements:
Many sellers are upset about this. The sellers that are upset are the ones who think that they are not responsible when the buyer does not receive the merchandise. If you are one of those people, consider this: When you buy from Amazon and do not receive the item, do you expect Amazon to reply, "We are not responsible for items not received. Once the item leaves our warehouse, we cannot guarantee delivery. Speak to the carrier about the whereabouts of the item."? Or, do you expect Amazon to send another one at their expense? I am sure that most people would expect Amazon to send another.This issue is getting debated at length on various message boards. No seller wants to refund a buyer's money when a package goes missing, and most sellers would always wonder whether the buyer did receive the package. This is why a seller should always use delivery confirmation.
On a side note, I am surprised at how many of my sellers still do not use PayPal shipping or delivery confirmation. With PayPal shipping, delivery confirmation is free for priority mail and much cheaper than at the post office for other services. All a seller needs is a digital scale so that the package can be weighed. Digital scales can be bought inexpensively on eBay, or at a higher price on Amazon. I bought mine on Amazon because eBay sellers normally send items like scales in bad packaging causing them to get damaged. I buy all new items anywhere other than eBay, even if I have to pay more.
To go back to delivery confirmation, it will save sellers from most scams, but it is not foolproof. I once received a neighbor's package that had delivery confirmation. If I had not given it to my neighbor, the recipient would not have received it, but the delivery confirmation would have shown it as delivered. Another time, I found a package stuck in my mailbox hours after the mail arrived. I checked the delivery confirmation online and found that it had been delivered seven hours before, but not to me. It was not a cheap purchase, either. I'm lucky my neighbor was honest enough to put it in my mailbox.
I do feel that a seller is responsible for a package until the buyer receives it (per my Amazon analogy above). I'm sure my opinion is not popular among many people reading this blog, but it is reality.
Consider this: What if you have a buyer who does not receive a package from you, and you decide not to refund the buyer's money because you are not responsible? How do you think your buyer will feel?
I can tell you exactly how your buyer will feel. A couple of years ago, I had a package go missing from a seller with whom I had had multiple previous successful transactions. Around four weeks had passed, and I had not left the seller any feedback because I did not have my purchase. This was an international transaction, so four weeks was not too long to wait.
The seller sent me a message requesting that I leave feedback and wondering if anything was wrong with my purchase. I replied, saying that I had not received the package yet, which is why I had not left feedback. The seller did apologize and hoped I would still receive my package. The seller did not offer a refund, and I did not request one. I never did receive the books.
How do I feel? I will never purchase from that seller again. I do not believe it was her fault, but she should have refunded my money. I can understand why she did not offer, since international postage is quite expensive. The problem is that I have a lingering bad feeling about her and that transaction, so I have passed on her auctions ever since that time. Think for a moment if you feel that you are not responsible. What if a package does go missing? Do you want to risk losing a customer?
I agree that when a seller packs well, then it is not the seller's fault when a package goes missing. But how does a buyer know that the seller packed well? All the buyer knows is that a purchase was made and not received. The buyer will blame the seller instead of someone else.
Should a seller refund a buyer when a package goes missing? Yes, yes, and yes. A seller never knows when a buyer may have friends who would later make purchases. It is also true that all a buyer has to do is file a PayPal claim to get their money refunded, but do you really want your buyers to do that? With the direction that eBay is going, a seller has no room to allow a buyer to file a claim when the seller can settle the problem directly. Nobody wants a black mark on their record, besides the fact that the buyer will have a bad feeling about the seller.
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Race to the Bottom
The large resellers of books such as Buy.com undercut each other in pricing, thus causing what booksellers refer to as a "race to the bottom." Modern fiction is a perfect example of this phenomenon. The average modern fiction title can easily be had for $0.01 plus shipping and handling. The large resellers make a very tiny profit on the shipping and handling, and by selling in a very large volume, they do have what is apparently a successful business model. I am skeptical of how well this works, but supposedly when a company sells many thousands of books at $0.01 and charges around $4.00 shipping, it does work out for them in the long run.
For sellers of vintage series books, this is not the way to do business. In recent weeks, the resellers on eBay have begun to lower their prices in order to attempt to make sales, no doubt due to our struggling economy. I have been a bit surprised at a few of the prices for books that are offered in fixed-price listings from people who are not new to selling series books. Some of the prices are quite low.
I realize that some people may desperately need to make a few sales in order to pay bills, so my comments are not really directed at people to which that applies. I can understand why someone would sell a book at below value in order to bring in some quick, much-needed money.
My comments are also not directed at people who list books at auction with very low starting bids. After all, low starting bids can cause bidding wars, thus resulting in books that sell for approximately or above current value. A seller always has a chance at a higher price when listing books in auctions.
My comments are only directed at sellers who use Buy It Now and list at prices that are way too low. I have to wonder about people who take a book that is worth $10.00 or more and sell it at a Buy It Now price of $1.00. Why do this? There have been many times when I have purchased a book for a mere pittance, and I would have gladly paid a higher price, sometimes a much higher price.
This has happened to me in the last few weeks. In one of my searches, I noticed a Buy It Now listing for a Patsy Carroll book that had a dust jacket. I am casually working on a set of the Patsy Carroll books; it is not a priority. So when I saw the Patsy Carroll book for a Buy It Now of $1.00, I took it.
I already had one Patsy Carroll book, and I paid $15.49 including shipping for it. As I recall, it was an auction, and the winning bid was around $11.00-12.00, so the above book is definitely worth more than $1.00. After I bought the book, I looked at what else the seller had. I found a Grace Harlowe book that had a Buy It Now of $3.00, so I bought it too.
The Grace Harlowe book is an Altemus edition, and the Altemus editions are very hard to find, especially with dust jackets. Most of the available Grace Harlowe books are the ones published much later by Goldsmith with cheap quality paper. While the dust jacket has a significant flaw where a previous owner wrote her name on the front panel, it is still worth more than $3.00.
The seller charged $6.00 shipping for the two books, which included at least a $3.00 handling fee. The seller's cost for packaging was definitely not $3.00. This is a seller who must feel that items should be priced low to sell fast and plans to make a profit on the handling fees. As I have already stated, sellers of vintage series books should not do this. I would have gladly paid at least $10.00 each for the two books plus the postage charge for combined shipping.
The seller undercut herself by offering the books at such low prices. The books might have taken slightly longer to sell, but they would have sold. The listings were 30-day listings, so the seller did use the lowest cost option available on eBay. When a seller lists a book for 30 days, it is not sensible to undercut oneself so dramatically.
Go to eBay and do a search for "Patsy Carroll" and just see how many dust-jacketed books you find. One one is available right now with a starting price of $32.50. Next, search for "Grace Harlowe" and see how many Altemus editions with dust jackets are listed. As I write this, eBay has none. Neither book should have been sold at such ridiculously low Buy It Now prices.
For sellers of vintage series books, this is not the way to do business. In recent weeks, the resellers on eBay have begun to lower their prices in order to attempt to make sales, no doubt due to our struggling economy. I have been a bit surprised at a few of the prices for books that are offered in fixed-price listings from people who are not new to selling series books. Some of the prices are quite low.
I realize that some people may desperately need to make a few sales in order to pay bills, so my comments are not really directed at people to which that applies. I can understand why someone would sell a book at below value in order to bring in some quick, much-needed money.
My comments are also not directed at people who list books at auction with very low starting bids. After all, low starting bids can cause bidding wars, thus resulting in books that sell for approximately or above current value. A seller always has a chance at a higher price when listing books in auctions.
My comments are only directed at sellers who use Buy It Now and list at prices that are way too low. I have to wonder about people who take a book that is worth $10.00 or more and sell it at a Buy It Now price of $1.00. Why do this? There have been many times when I have purchased a book for a mere pittance, and I would have gladly paid a higher price, sometimes a much higher price.
This has happened to me in the last few weeks. In one of my searches, I noticed a Buy It Now listing for a Patsy Carroll book that had a dust jacket. I am casually working on a set of the Patsy Carroll books; it is not a priority. So when I saw the Patsy Carroll book for a Buy It Now of $1.00, I took it.
I already had one Patsy Carroll book, and I paid $15.49 including shipping for it. As I recall, it was an auction, and the winning bid was around $11.00-12.00, so the above book is definitely worth more than $1.00. After I bought the book, I looked at what else the seller had. I found a Grace Harlowe book that had a Buy It Now of $3.00, so I bought it too.
The Grace Harlowe book is an Altemus edition, and the Altemus editions are very hard to find, especially with dust jackets. Most of the available Grace Harlowe books are the ones published much later by Goldsmith with cheap quality paper. While the dust jacket has a significant flaw where a previous owner wrote her name on the front panel, it is still worth more than $3.00.
The seller charged $6.00 shipping for the two books, which included at least a $3.00 handling fee. The seller's cost for packaging was definitely not $3.00. This is a seller who must feel that items should be priced low to sell fast and plans to make a profit on the handling fees. As I have already stated, sellers of vintage series books should not do this. I would have gladly paid at least $10.00 each for the two books plus the postage charge for combined shipping.
The seller undercut herself by offering the books at such low prices. The books might have taken slightly longer to sell, but they would have sold. The listings were 30-day listings, so the seller did use the lowest cost option available on eBay. When a seller lists a book for 30 days, it is not sensible to undercut oneself so dramatically.
Go to eBay and do a search for "Patsy Carroll" and just see how many dust-jacketed books you find. One one is available right now with a starting price of $32.50. Next, search for "Grace Harlowe" and see how many Altemus editions with dust jackets are listed. As I write this, eBay has none. Neither book should have been sold at such ridiculously low Buy It Now prices.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
eBay Selling Tips #2 + One for Buyers
This is a tip for people who use the PayPal shipping and print their own shipping labels. Really, it is just common sense, but a small group of sellers do not seem to realize that labels should be affixed to the packages securely.
I remember one transaction in particular. The seller stated that she had had quite a few lost packages and recommended insurance as she was not responsible for lost packages. I knew immediately why she had so many lost packages when I received my package from her. She used PayPal shipping and affixed the label to the package with one small 1 1/2 inch long piece of 3/4 inch wide scotch tape along each of the four sides of the label. There was no adhesive on the back of the label, so the small pieces of tape were all that held the label to the package. I was amazed that the label was still attached!
This post can be easily turned into a buyer tip as well. Any seller who states in their listings that they have had quite a few lost packages should probably be avoided. There is a reason why those sellers have a bunch of lost packages. They are doing something wrong, and they have no idea that it is their fault. Remember from my last selling tip that I stated that I have mailed out thousands of packages, and none have gone missing. I'm sure I will have one eventually, but it is not the norm for packages to disappear.
I use plain paper for my shipping labels, as many people do. I use a glue stick to put glue on the package where I intend to place the label. I then place the label on the package and use packaging tape to securely fasten all four sides of the label so that it is extremely unlikely that the label will be torn from the package. I had an occasion this summer where I had to remove one of my labels after the glue had dried. It was not easy. Once the glue dries, those labels are stuck in place.
Another selling tip: do not use brown packaging paper on your packages unless totally necessary. Many sellers reuse old boxes; I once did and for a time, I used brown paper. When I did, I securely taped it on all seams. Even so, brown paper can easily be ripped off of the box, causing the box to go missing. I have received some packages in the mail in which the paper was badly ripped.
If you are reusing boxes, there is a way to avoid brown paper and still have a professional outer appearance. Turn the boxes inside out. Along one of the four corners of the box, a seam can be found and the box pulled apart at that location. Turn the box inside out, and tape it back together. I did this for quite a few years until I finally decided that saving boxes took up too much space and that turning them inside out was too much trouble.
These are the boxes that I purchase for my packages:
https://www.uline.com/ProductDetail.asp?model=S-4312
I use these boxes for one or two books.
........................................................
https://www.uline.com/ProductDetail.asp?model=S-4406
These boxes are used for smaller lots of around five books.
........................................................
https://www.uline.com/ProductDetail.asp?model=S-4105
These boxes are used for lots of around 10 to 12 books.
........................................................
https://www.uline.com/ProductDetail.asp?model=S-4125
I use these boxes for large lots. Two of them are enough for a complete set of 56 Nancy Drew books. I avoid shipping packages that weigh more than 20-23 pounds because the packages are too heavy to carry and more likely to be damaged.
........................................................
These boxes serve all of my needs when I sell books. The shipping costs from Uline nearly double the cost of the boxes, so the boxes always end up costing around $0.75 to $0.95 each depending on the box size.
Uline ships really fast. They have a number of locations around the country, and anybody who lives near one of those locations gets their orders very fast. My orders ship from Dallas, and I always get my orders the very next day, even when I order in the late afternoon.
I remember one transaction in particular. The seller stated that she had had quite a few lost packages and recommended insurance as she was not responsible for lost packages. I knew immediately why she had so many lost packages when I received my package from her. She used PayPal shipping and affixed the label to the package with one small 1 1/2 inch long piece of 3/4 inch wide scotch tape along each of the four sides of the label. There was no adhesive on the back of the label, so the small pieces of tape were all that held the label to the package. I was amazed that the label was still attached!
This post can be easily turned into a buyer tip as well. Any seller who states in their listings that they have had quite a few lost packages should probably be avoided. There is a reason why those sellers have a bunch of lost packages. They are doing something wrong, and they have no idea that it is their fault. Remember from my last selling tip that I stated that I have mailed out thousands of packages, and none have gone missing. I'm sure I will have one eventually, but it is not the norm for packages to disappear.
I use plain paper for my shipping labels, as many people do. I use a glue stick to put glue on the package where I intend to place the label. I then place the label on the package and use packaging tape to securely fasten all four sides of the label so that it is extremely unlikely that the label will be torn from the package. I had an occasion this summer where I had to remove one of my labels after the glue had dried. It was not easy. Once the glue dries, those labels are stuck in place.
Another selling tip: do not use brown packaging paper on your packages unless totally necessary. Many sellers reuse old boxes; I once did and for a time, I used brown paper. When I did, I securely taped it on all seams. Even so, brown paper can easily be ripped off of the box, causing the box to go missing. I have received some packages in the mail in which the paper was badly ripped.
If you are reusing boxes, there is a way to avoid brown paper and still have a professional outer appearance. Turn the boxes inside out. Along one of the four corners of the box, a seam can be found and the box pulled apart at that location. Turn the box inside out, and tape it back together. I did this for quite a few years until I finally decided that saving boxes took up too much space and that turning them inside out was too much trouble.
These are the boxes that I purchase for my packages:
https://www.uline.com/ProductDetail.asp?model=S-4312
I use these boxes for one or two books.
........................................................
https://www.uline.com/ProductDetail.asp?model=S-4406
These boxes are used for smaller lots of around five books.
........................................................
https://www.uline.com/ProductDetail.asp?model=S-4105
These boxes are used for lots of around 10 to 12 books.
........................................................
https://www.uline.com/ProductDetail.asp?model=S-4125
I use these boxes for large lots. Two of them are enough for a complete set of 56 Nancy Drew books. I avoid shipping packages that weigh more than 20-23 pounds because the packages are too heavy to carry and more likely to be damaged.
........................................................
These boxes serve all of my needs when I sell books. The shipping costs from Uline nearly double the cost of the boxes, so the boxes always end up costing around $0.75 to $0.95 each depending on the box size.
Uline ships really fast. They have a number of locations around the country, and anybody who lives near one of those locations gets their orders very fast. My orders ship from Dallas, and I always get my orders the very next day, even when I order in the late afternoon.
Friday, August 8, 2008
eBay Selling Tips #1
I have received two damaged packages in the last week. The first one was a smashed box that did not result in damage to the books. This box was smashed to the point that the corner had popped open. It would not have smashed had the seller actually placed some packaging material inside the box with the books.
The second damaged package arrived today. It consisted of a small priority box (the video size) and was smashed flat to the thickness of the book. This one also had no packaging material inside the box with the book. The end was not popped open to the extent of the previous package, but the inside was partially exposed to the elements. The end that was partially popped open was also, unfortunately, wet. The book was also wet. I should say that the book is still wet as I type this.
Wet books are never the same. Water damage cannot be undone. The pages are now wavy at the end of the book that was exposed to the water. The cover is still wet, but there is a chance it might dry okay. I won't know until later. I have contacted the seller but have not heard back. Since I did not pay for insurance, the seller is likely to state that it is my fault (this is what many sellers think, sad to say). The lack of proper packaging has nothing to do with insurance, and insurance does not prevent damage. Most buyers want undamaged merchandise (wait—I bet all buyers want undamaged merchandise), and it is the seller's responsibility to package the books so that damage is unlikely.
Always wrap books in plastic before mailing. Had the book been wrapped in plastic, the water would not have reached the book. All that is necessary is plastic wrap, which most people have in their kitchens and can be purchased inexpensively at many stores. Ziploc storage bags can also be used. While I dislike receiving books that are wrapped in Wal-Mart and other bags (I never know where the bag has been), even Wal-Mart bags are far better than nothing. I use stretch wrap, as I find it much easier to wrap around the books, and it sticks better. It costs $6.00 to $10.00 per roll, so it is more expensive. It serves my purpose quite well.
The book would also have been less likely to have been damaged had the seller placed tape on the seams of the box. With a little tape, the end would not have popped open. The tape would also have been a barrier for the water. Additionally, if just a little packaging material had been placed inside the box, the box would not have smashed as flat as it did. The packaging material would also have served as a barrier for the water. Either of these steps would have made it harder for the water to reach as far inside the package.
I have mailed out thousands of packages. I have had no packages go missing, and only one book reported as damaged. For the one damaged book, the buyer told me that the box had been folded almost in half. The buyer stated that I could not have prevented what happened as it was catastrophic. The box probably got run over or something.
I have had one instance in which a buyer profusely thanked me for wrapping the book in plastic. The buyer stated that the package had arrived in a downpour and that the postal carrier had left the package on the step in the rain. The box was soaked, but the book was fine because of the plastic.
Fortunately, my other three packages were not wet today, especially since one of the dry packages was a $300.00 transaction containing first printing Nancy Drew books. The damaged book was a $15.00 purchase, so at least I can be thankful for that. By the way, the books of the $300.00 transaction were also not wrapped in plastic, although the packaging job was marginally better than the damaged package. If the $300.00 books had been damaged, I would be throwing a screaming fit right now and cussing!
Also, of the other two dry packages, only one of them had plastic. Therefore, if all four of today's packages had gotten wet, three of the four packages would have had damaged books. It was not raining, so probably something was spilled on the one wet package. Accidents do happen, so wrap your books in plastic!
7:25 PM update: The book is still wet! I now have it propped open in front of a fan.
The second damaged package arrived today. It consisted of a small priority box (the video size) and was smashed flat to the thickness of the book. This one also had no packaging material inside the box with the book. The end was not popped open to the extent of the previous package, but the inside was partially exposed to the elements. The end that was partially popped open was also, unfortunately, wet. The book was also wet. I should say that the book is still wet as I type this.
Wet books are never the same. Water damage cannot be undone. The pages are now wavy at the end of the book that was exposed to the water. The cover is still wet, but there is a chance it might dry okay. I won't know until later. I have contacted the seller but have not heard back. Since I did not pay for insurance, the seller is likely to state that it is my fault (this is what many sellers think, sad to say). The lack of proper packaging has nothing to do with insurance, and insurance does not prevent damage. Most buyers want undamaged merchandise (wait—I bet all buyers want undamaged merchandise), and it is the seller's responsibility to package the books so that damage is unlikely.
Always wrap books in plastic before mailing. Had the book been wrapped in plastic, the water would not have reached the book. All that is necessary is plastic wrap, which most people have in their kitchens and can be purchased inexpensively at many stores. Ziploc storage bags can also be used. While I dislike receiving books that are wrapped in Wal-Mart and other bags (I never know where the bag has been), even Wal-Mart bags are far better than nothing. I use stretch wrap, as I find it much easier to wrap around the books, and it sticks better. It costs $6.00 to $10.00 per roll, so it is more expensive. It serves my purpose quite well.
The book would also have been less likely to have been damaged had the seller placed tape on the seams of the box. With a little tape, the end would not have popped open. The tape would also have been a barrier for the water. Additionally, if just a little packaging material had been placed inside the box, the box would not have smashed as flat as it did. The packaging material would also have served as a barrier for the water. Either of these steps would have made it harder for the water to reach as far inside the package.
I have mailed out thousands of packages. I have had no packages go missing, and only one book reported as damaged. For the one damaged book, the buyer told me that the box had been folded almost in half. The buyer stated that I could not have prevented what happened as it was catastrophic. The box probably got run over or something.
I have had one instance in which a buyer profusely thanked me for wrapping the book in plastic. The buyer stated that the package had arrived in a downpour and that the postal carrier had left the package on the step in the rain. The box was soaked, but the book was fine because of the plastic.
Fortunately, my other three packages were not wet today, especially since one of the dry packages was a $300.00 transaction containing first printing Nancy Drew books. The damaged book was a $15.00 purchase, so at least I can be thankful for that. By the way, the books of the $300.00 transaction were also not wrapped in plastic, although the packaging job was marginally better than the damaged package. If the $300.00 books had been damaged, I would be throwing a screaming fit right now and cussing!
Also, of the other two dry packages, only one of them had plastic. Therefore, if all four of today's packages had gotten wet, three of the four packages would have had damaged books. It was not raining, so probably something was spilled on the one wet package. Accidents do happen, so wrap your books in plastic!
7:25 PM update: The book is still wet! I now have it propped open in front of a fan.
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