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We use text similar to MDC. However, we ask the buyer to initiate the cancellation rather than ourselves, the seller (with the link to the page to cancel), because (correct me if I’m wrong):
- If buyer initiates cancellation, seller get notified, seller accepts and refund is automatically done and fees credited. – Preferred method.
- If seller initiates cancellation, seller refunds $, waits for buyer to accept before fees are credited. If buyer does not respond, seller must close case manually with eBay after 5 days. If seller does not close the case, it is a huge negative with eBay.
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We also take the notification a bit further just to make sure the buyer is aware of it by doing the following.
- We add a similar message to the order confirmation email that eBay sends. (No links allow).
- We add the message to our purchase instructions
- Likewise, we add “PLEASE NOTE OUR TEMPORARY HANDLING TIME FOR THIS ITEM” in bold red letters to the first line of the item description.
But probably most import, if anything, is notify the buyer ASAP.
Wrong on all fronts.
Here again you are looking for something that is measurable when all you need to do is believe that SEO works. Sales is just a numbers game. The more you list the more you sell. SEO is an art and science of getting your listing seen more frequently with the expectation that your item will sell faster.Quickly reacting and changing your keywords without this belief or knowledge of what or why you’re doing this may very well harm your search result than help. Then you will jump to a conclusion and say it didn’t work. I’ve already proven in the past that you can get entirely different search results just by changing the order of your search keywords.
This area has only become bigger and more detailed since the introduction of Cassini, a data and values-driven search engine, in addition to the move to product catalogs and meta tags. Like eBay itself, this section is always changing and is not going to be depreciated any time soon.
No disrespect, but I have been following this site for almost 2 years now and this is the first I have seen it mentioned. I was shocked that it is not even a key topic. I would love to see the topic gain traction… But then again, if you don’t believe in or concerned about SEO, then this area is not for you. Passive sellers need not apply.
This is where an accounting system should have been put into place. Unfortunately, you are out of luck with ebay. You are going to have to recreate the list.
Absent having a physical copy of the sale order, I would go to your paypal account and download the activity of the months in question. This will give you the buyers name and address and totals.
Extract the CA buyers with the sales amount + shipping (depending on state). Your liability will be calculated on this amount.
Certainly the math is there, but also watch traffic reports (assuming you categorize properly). You may be able to take advantage of your strengths and boost revenue by having multiple stores. Especially when you start surpassing the ceiling of the premium store with higher listing fees.
Only expired passports issued more than 20 years ago.
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/government-ids-licenses.html
I thought I would share a few comments since I recently gone through the research and installed the proper HVAC equipment for our 1500 sg ft storage/work facility.
Next to temperature control, the biggest concern for storage is keeping the humidity level in check. Some items are best kept at lower humidity levels, but a general rule for keeping items from turning black and green is a humidity level no higher than 60% with the sweet spot at 55%
As for temperature control, some categories due better than others in different environments. What’s important is to keep the high and low range as narrow as possible. Hard items will do fine at 35-75 with softer items having a higher lower temp. Anything above 75 and you’re asking for trouble, especially if you can’t keep the humidity in check.
Items that will help in the above in addition to the proper HVAC equipment is insulation and airflow.I’ve learned years ago that you need to be proactive with rodent control. They are not always discriminatory where they live or play. The $40 a year in rodent bait is well worth it.
SalarySlave hit the answer on the head. Not only was a referral link created for the item, but given the number of views in such short period of time, it was also found through internet searches.
Unfortunately, eBay did away with the ability to see where the traffic is coming from when it instituted the Seller Hub. This information was previously available within the traffic reports of it predecessor, Seller Manager Pro. My suspicion for its demise to continue was it showed irrefutable evidence of how poorly internet search was outside of eBay.
I know when Seller Manager was still in use, I could directly contribute items that have sold relatively quickly and had high views, to sites of littlechick.com or collectors.com. Both affiliate sites.
This is also a prime example of the power and depth of internet search is compared to eBay closed environment. One day eBay will learn that a % of something is better than a % of nothing.
Hey gvf,
Are you sure your numbers correct? How can you be paying 30%+ in fees on gross sales of $70K. It doesn’t make sense. Even if I assume and factor in an Anchor store at $3600/year and/or include the $11k you stated in buyer paid shipping from your gross, it still doesn’t come close. Something is wrong.A general rule of thumb I recommend is factor in 15% in ebay and paypal fees, total (excluding store fees). Obviously category and dollar amount will factor into it.
Quick answer to your initial question is that it nets out the same and will not affect your net income either way. How you handle it on your books is an accounting issue and more for use in measuring how resources are spent in the process of running a business.
Preferred method is to include shipping related to sales into your COGS. This reflects expenses directly incurred because a sale has taken place.
Shipping expenses not due to a sale should be itemized under Operating Expenses. This is the cost of running your business independent of sale transaction.
What you really should be asking yourself is, are you getting the ROR on your investment in the item at the price you are setting? Which leads into, how can you source profitably if you’re not sure what you can sell it for? Research is everything.
The appropriate $ amount to consider for a BO is irrelevant. BO is only to encourage buyers that are on the fence to make a decision. Sometimes a buyer prefers not to pay an extra $1-$5 more. Maybe your shipping is cheaper than another seller, or maybe they just want a better price. And there’s no evidence to suggest that BO raises your SEO
Not knowing your history with EB, you should know that everything has a BO regardless if the feature is enabled or not. Buyers know this. A week doesn’t go by that I don’t field an unsolicited offer w/o BO enabled. As a buyer, I even do this as well.
If you’re concerned about low-ball offers, then set your minimum amount that you would consider an offer. This way you would avoid such nuances and wouldn’t even see them. And to be to the point, really isn’t your minimum for consideration really the amount you would take? So you could set this amount to accept automatically if you wanted to be more passive in your selling approach.
Don’t take me wrong here, but as for minimally keeping tabs on your EB, it must be a personal trait. My take on it, is that a seller’s actions towards buyers is a reflection of the acceptable behavior that, that seller would receive as a buyer. Meaning… treat every buyer as you would want to be treated yourself as a buyer. Demanding more of one’s self is a bit hypocritical.
That being said, when enabled, I generally don’t reply to offers on those items that meet my minimum amount until the final moments until the offer expires. The idea here is to wait and see if other offers come in or someone buys it at full price. It’s function of time remaining and the amount of views an item is getting. When I do respond, I will always accept the offer.
You can quickly check your client package and look at your copy of your return. Form 4562 should be behind your Schedule C.
JR,
Just listened to last week’s episode and want to add a few comments (better late than never).
Taxes – I’ve been following your podcast over the pass and taking in your comments as to your expenditures with a new rental and warehouse and although you fully don’t disclosure everything in detail, being a seasoned finance professional, I’m able to pick up little hints here and there piece a person’s picture together I was surprised, as you are, as having to pay more taxes than expected.Then you mentioned in the podcast that you couldn’t expense those outlay and spread those out over many years (27.5 years in fact). Although this is somewhat true, small business with capital expenditures (less than $500K) can deduct the full depreciation in the first year by using Section 179 deduction.
So my question is, did you take a Section 179 deduction? Thanks for sharing.
That’s correct. You can only set cut-off time. For shipping, EB uses what’s reported via USPS as to when the package is actually shipped.
Not only do you have to upload the tracking#, you also need to ship on time. Recently a buyer opened a non-delivered case against me the final day the item was expected to be delivered. It was actually indicated Out for delivery. eBay sided with the buyer even though the tracking was done within the 1 day, however, the package didn’t get scanned by the PO 3 days later. 2 days past my handling time.
