Pet Peeve #3--ebay wins and email lists

[Archive]

Posted By: J Levine

In the past two weeks I have won three different auctions (one from my usual account and two from my backup account) from three different buyers that have automatically signed me up for their e-newsletters...this normally would not be a big hassle but none of the newsletters were asked for and for one it took me nearly a day and a half of emails back and forth to get out of it. The other two were easy opt-outs. Does it drive anyone else crazy that within two days of the auction's closing, before I even got the winnings in the mail, I got at least 5 emails touting other auctions, products, news, etc?

Okay...enough venting.

Joshua

[Archive]

Posted By: Jantz

I get those emails also from 2 Ebay sellers. I realize that they are trying to increase their sales, but as you said. It is annoying.



Jantz

[Archive]

Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

In my mind it's really a toss-up. I have absolutely no problem with, and actually welcome, such lists from sellers who consistently offer items of interest. On the other hand, what if you happen to buy a card from a seller whose usual specialty is selling non-hobby material, only to be constantly badgered by such lists? That is very annoying. You can win 'em all, so take the good with the bad and request to be unsubscribed from the junk lists.

Personally, whenever I put out a mass email to past customers, I try to send it to only those customers to which the material would appeal.

[Archive]

Posted By: Marty Ogelvie

On more than one occassion I have gotten auto emails shortly after a bid.  That is a bit annoying and could be troublesome were every seller to use that option especially on the days when I might bid on a few hundred items..  YUK!

martyOgelvie

[Archive]

Posted By: Dan Bretta

It's only happened to me twice in over ten years on ebay...both are sellers that I bought something from in the last year. I don't even open the email...I get so much junk mail though that I check my email a few times/day and just delete the junk. I learned however that I need to check my spam mail more often though because a few of you guys for reasons unknown to me go straight to my spam trap even after I've taken measures to get you out of there.

[Archive]

Posted By: Tom Boblitt

Like Vendio and that crap redirect you from Paypal to another page and ask if you want to be added to the seller's email list. I've notice it's pre-populated with YES. SO.....keep an eye on those and opt out. Should be set up so you have to opt IN but we all know how the world works sometimes.......

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

I have a question about a related topic:

I will be selling on ebay during the run of my catalog auction. Am I allowed to advertise my website under my ebay listings, or will they deep six me?

[Archive]

Posted By: Marty Ogelvie

Barry,

My understanding is, you cannot directly link to other websites via your EBAY AUCTIONS.  You can advertise and link to your website on your about me page.  You can also do subtle advertising like watermarking your images used in your eBay auctions with your website url. 

I don't know how hard core eBay is about their policy but I do know they do not want you to link to other websites via your auctions.  I think you could get away with some text near the bottom like 'this auction is brought to you by sloatauctions.com' without the website name being an acutal LINK.. 

martyOgelvie

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

Thanks Marty. I was just going to say "please check out my auction at___", but I was thinking ebay might not like it.

[Archive]

Posted By: D. Bergin

If you write it as www.BarrySloate.com the robots will most likely catch it before it even gets listed and it will get bounced as an error.

If you write it as BarrySloate.com and leave it as text and not a link it will probably slide.

However, to mention you have auctions there opens another can of worms.

You generally have to pass it off as an information site.

[Archive]

Posted By: Marty Ogelvie

I wouldn't do that Barry... like Dave said.. if you were to mention another auction site that could certainly get canned, if caught.

 

[Archive]

Posted By: Anthony S.

Barry,

Just write your item description for every card you sell on Ebay such that every sentence, and consequently every capitalized letter, starts on the far left of the page. Then just make sure the first 3 sentences start with W's, the fourth sentence starts with a B.... you get the picture

W (rest of sentence)
W (rest of sentence)
W (etc)
B
A
R
R
Y
S
L
O
A
T
E
C
O
M

Might prove to be time consuming, though.

[Archive]

Posted By: J Levine

The teacher in me screams that this kind of text is called an Acrostic Poem. I would love to see Barry write his auction descriptions on ebay like this. Could be a contest of some sort.

Joshua

[Archive]

Posted By: DJ

Barry,

It's hit or miss. I have seen people get away with it and I have seen others get tagged with their entire current items removed from the auction site. But with so many sellers, I think a person has to contact eBay and then eBay looks into the matter.

Take for instance the case of Will's new eBay site here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1995-ENOR-OJ-SIMPSON-175-SIGNED-HOF-FOOTBALL-CARD-O-J_W0QQitemZ110290298460QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item110 290298460&_trkparms=72%3A1418%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C 240%3A1318&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

There is a link hidden in the templete to his web site and a link is mentioned in the "ME" portion. I have always done things in the "ME" portion (as far as links go and advertising self) in the past. You can perhaps go that route and maybe make a mention in the "ME" section as far as listing auction dates.

As far as getting e-mails about up coming auctions, I rather dislike it. I can understand it, but if I buy one item that has nothing to do with what I collect, I will then get further reminders...of more items that I won't collect. All the eBay sellers sit in my booklists and I usually check twice a week.

DJ

[Archive]

Posted By: Anthony S.

Joshua,

The simpleton in me agrees that that is an acrostic poem (after confirming the meaning on Wikipedia).

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

Joshua- interestingly, I do the Sunday Times Acrostic Puzzle every other week and finish it every time (with a little help from google). It's my favorite puzzle- but I would never be able to create one.

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

In response to everyone, and of course thank you, I'm not going to add the web address. I'm selling consignments and can't take the chance of getting shut down. And if it's against the rules, I will honor them.

[Archive]

Posted By: Tom Boblitt

just not actually an AUCTION web site. I've advertised the nonsports board before in nonsports auctions with absolutely no issues. But I don't auction anything there...........

[Archive]

Posted By: Red

Your listing should have something stating that you're an auction house that will take cards on consignment. State that the cards listed are ones that didn't make the cut for your regular #54 catalog auction. If they read and care they will try to check you out. When they win an Ebay auction include a link to your upcoming catalog auction in your winner's notice.

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

What I will do is send a sample catalog to everyone who wins something on ebay. But I think it's best not to post anything, because on the chance they shut me down I will have a lot of explaining to do to my consignors. Probably not worth it.

[Archive]

Posted By: boxingcardman

Depends on the seller. I got one the other day and picked up a nice card I've been wanting for some time. With this thing of ours, you never quite know where that great card will come from.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

[Archive]

Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

"This thing of ours"?

Still waiting for a Shoeless Joe "Black Hand Betsy" model glove.