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All very good “chatter” [points] tTt. That’s why I did a double take this morning. I got up very early to get caught up, but after listing this, I just kept looking at it and it just didn’t sit right with me.
The ladies will be coming into the pffice shortly and I think I am going to pull and re-route these back through the photography station and bust up the listing.
The original thought from Susan [wife] and Lisa [assistant] revolved around a buyer possibly wanting a chip and salsa-dip set and a Margaretta Pitcher in an all in one matching Tropical set. i think maybe they both just got started thinking about tortilla chips, salsa and Margaretta’s themselves and got thinking with their stomachs. It’s a wonder we didn’t wind up going out for Mexican dinner the other night. 🙂 LOL
Any one else care to chime in?
Mike at MDCGFA
As a follow to my post above. If you bought somehting at a big box store, had an issue when you got home and you called the store and told them about it. What do you think you are going to hear?
“Oh, we are sorry to hear about this. Please bring the item back and go to customer service and we will address your concern”.
So you have to bring it back, they will refund you, but they want the item back and no they will not also reimburse you for the gas, oil and wear and tear on your car for having to bring it back. Bringing it back is on you and your time. They are there to help you when you do bring it in.
Our SOP addresses a buyers request the same way, We are sorry to hear this [no admitting fault], bring it back [so a return is a common place procedure], the store gets a store to inspect, the store gets a chance to sell the item by the pound as scrap and in your case, repair the back pack and resell, and you get to decide how much of a refund [which Ebay will ask you after the item is sent back], Ebay sees then when the tracking number kicks in, and lastly, you have the option to refund an amount that reimburses you for the return shipping if you think they did the damage and your descriptions were spot on.
Good luck,
Mike at MDC Galleries and Fine Art in Atlanta
We use a group of pre-written standard operating procedures [SOP’s] which we keep in a MSWord document. In order to expedite all of the issues of customers we have pre-decided how we will handle most of them and written our replies down.
We also participate in the Ebay Hassle Free Program. This combined with a set of written SOP’s seems to now be taking care of most buyers issues.
In this case we would use our standard we want all customers to happy so, return it. Especially since that whole process is automated.
In a large percentage of the cases we never hear back from the buyer, because following protocol it means they have to do something, in this case send it back, and most buyers just don’t do it, or don’t do it in the time frame Ebay gives them in the HFRP. Either they are too busy, too lazy or really only wanted some free, easy money back. Nope, work for your return.
Here is our SOP for a buyer saying something is wrong with what they got. Also you have no idea if this buyer threw that back pack in the washing machine and then when it came out, Ooops, it started falling apart. If they send it back, you have the evidence of thier actions and many times they don’t want you to see that. This little attempts at partial refunds are the new psychological ways of making a seller think, the buyer has complained, I better throw money on the table so they get placated.
In our case, we ask for a return in all cases and also have Ebay set up so we have to issue a RMA [return authorization number] in all cases.
Here is the SOP we would use…
We have received your Communication informing us of an issue regarding the item you recently purchased.
First, we are sorry to hear of your concern and appreciate you bringing it to our attention.
Secondly, we never want any of our customers to be unhappy about a purchase and that is one reason we participate in the “Ebay Hassle Free Returns Program.”
As members of the “Ebay Hassle Free Returns Program”, the returns process is an easy one.
We request that you follow this simple process and request for a return through your “My Ebay Buyer” account. Non-compliance may result in an unfavorable decision on the refund process.
• Go to your “My Ebay” at the top and click on “Purchase History”.
• Find the item you wish to return and click on “more Actions” and select “Return This Item”
• From the drop-down menu select the reason for the return and then click the “Return” button.
• You will receive a return authorization and a Shipping Label to use on the return package.
• Repackage and protect the item as you received it. Utilize all of the same materials, boxes, size and weights for consistency and so it stays protected on the return trip.
• Attach the return label and cover it with a clear protective tape and ship back to us within Ebay’s allotted time frame.This link will take you to the Ebay “Returning an Item” page for detailed instructions.. https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behavior-policies/condition-returned-items-policy?id=4763#full%20policy
Despite the rather detailed verbal explanation, it is a fairly simple process.
After we receive the item and it has been inspected for the issues stated we will proceed with the refund process according to the “Hassel Free Return Program Standard Protocols”.
We await the return …..
Kindest Regards,
the management team at MDC Concepts, Inc.
MDC Galleries and Fine Art
SmartParts Small equipment Equipment divs.Hey Temudgin.. How ‘ya been? That is just too funny. Yes, Alf was from the planet Melmac. Haven’t thought of that show or character in ages. Hilarious!! 🙂 LOL
Didn’t Alf always try to eat the cat?? Funny. I think I read somewhere that they are thinking about a revival of Alf, I believe.
Mike at MDCGFA
I agree they do look like lamp shade finials but going to take a stab in another direction because of the extra screw that is in the bottom.
These may be candy / mint dish handles. There may have been a scalloped, round tray that was attached by the screw. The tray would have a hole in the center, the screw goes up from the bottom, up through the hole and screws up into the finial handles until tight. As tightened it would draw the round tray up tight agaginst the bottom of the handle. Also the flare on the bottom of the handle would hold the tray more stable and keep from rocking.
The server would pick up the tray with mints or candy or nuts in it by the handle and offer a piece to a visitor, then set the whole thing back down on the table.
But that is the $.50 and 1/3rd cup of coffee wild guess.
Mike at MDC Galleries and Fine Art in Atlanta
Ms. ChristineR ….
Here is some info. Tritan not “ton” it is TriTAN and is actually Eastman’s name for “polycarbonate” which is the actual chemical name. GE makes the same product and their trade name is Lexan. So these are just trade names for the same product like Rohmn Haas brand name of Acrylic Sheeting is called Plexiglass and others are called other trade names but all are aryclic polymers, heated and rolled out into sheets of varying thicknesses and then have a protective thin pre-masking applied to each surface for protection.
Polycarbonite is a more modern product. We printed on sheets of lexan for years. Polycarb [as we called it] is mostly clear and has, of course it’s special properties] which you can look up if you want to know the actual chemical composition and performance difference between polycarb and melamine.
Turvis Tumblers and many clear cups and glasses are made out of polycarb. Cutting boards mostly acrylic, those thin roll up cutting sheets at Kitchen and bath stores are .015 and .020 polycarb.
Melamine was first synthesized by the German chemist Justus von Liebig in 1834. In early production, first calcium cyanamide was converted into dicyandiamide, which was heated above its melting temperature to produce melamine.
Melamine, a commonly used material in dinnerware in the late 40’s, 50’s. A company named American Cyanamid [notice the company’s name has the chemical name in it.. clue!], called their version of melamine powder used in the production of dinnerware “Melmac”. Melatline dishes that were manufactured using this brand of melamine powder are called Melmac dinnerware.
So you have the same scenario as I outlined on the polycarb’s and acrylics. All of this stuff IS PLASTIC. JUST VARIATIONS of the chemical formulas and then sold under different brand names.
Your buyer is trying to split hairs on you and or bust your chops. But now you have the data. Your answer is they are all plastic and generically you can use plastics as a key word, also Thermo-plastics because heat is used in the mfg. process. Then Tritan [he misspelled it] is a polycarb formula and if your product is clear you are safe in adding clear polycarbonite in your Item specifics.
Now as to Identifying if it is GE [General Electric believe it or not] or Eastman’s brand who know because they brand mark the raw pellets in boxes, sell and ship to converters that heat, melt and then thermo form the melted, oozing, liquified resin and it is injected [squeezed] into molds to make various products.
Melamine has it’s characteristics, Melamine resin or melamine formaldehyde (also shortened to melamine) is a hard, thermosetting plastic material made from melamine and formaldehyde by polymerization. In its butylated form, it is dissolved in n-butanol and xylene.
Now if you read carefully, I bet you can see why there are no one now making Melamine products. #1 it chemical make up contains Formaldehyde and #2 it is dissolved in Xylene [used in some dry cleaning products]… Oooppss!!!! no one wants to eat off of or out of products out gassing those two products.So you have enough information now to answer him with a detailed knowledge that way over shadows his knowledge. They are all Thermo plastics. His reference is his thinking they are different but actually just different brand names. melamine does not have a clear base formula so most are colored.
Then ask him if he can tell you how to tell the dofference between Melmac and melamine if two black trays are sitting side by side AND DO NOT HAVE THE COMPANY STAMP ON THE BOTTOM. Bet you dollars to donuts you will never hear from him again.
Now that I bored you to death with as Jay calls my replies, “a wall of text”, I will drink my morning coffee and get back to working on a WonderLister project.
Ta-Ta for now
Mike at MDC Galleries and Fine Art in Atlanta
Yes there are two ways to search but they are a little dicey. One the side bar here on the forum if you scroll down you will come across two white boxes. One says Search the Blog [older threads] and another box that says Search the Forums [Newer threads]. Just type in your keywords.
Another way and clunky also is if you are using a pc you can hold down the control key and type the letter F [this stands for Find]. A search bar appears across the bottom of your screen and you can type in a topic or key word there, then I select “Highlight All” and the key words you typed will be found and highlighted.
The reason it is rudimentary is that you will have to scroll down the page / topic from top to bottom and watch for the highlighted keyword and just stop and read it as you find them. It presents everything that has that keyword in it.
Also this was a blog at one time and those threads are separate from the forum threads.You have to experiment a little bit to see what works best for you.
Hopes this helps a little.
Mike at MDC Galleries and Fine Art
I noticed that the 2 links included in that update sent to me are not working. But basically it takes you to a conversation held at Congress about the exemption of small business and setting standard policies and procedures. And that it seems that legislators are seeking at bottom cap that if you make less than 10 million [I belive] it said then the small businesses would be exempt.
So this is the most recent update, that congressmen are contemplating that cap and what it would be.
Annethrifts:
Yes FedEx is the way to go with using the Home Delivery option.
Go to the Ebay section for shipping just like you normally do. In the field that is showing the USPS name there should be a down arrow. Click on that and a two line drop down choice appears. The USPS top line and then FedEx the second line. Click on FedEx and a different set of data fields will replace-appear instead of the usual USPS. Now select your type of service using that fields drop down selection and select Home delivery, then select using your own packaging, then input the dimensions, weight, insurance if over the free min. amount and click calculate and you should see the shipping costs with your Ebay discount.
Print that label, apply and take to your local full service FedEx location [not a drop box] and Walgreens is now accepting drop offs also but call and make sure #1 if they do at your closest one, and #2 their pick-up time. You could miss it. Some pick up fairly early. Ours is around 10:00 AM. But we have a full service only a couple of miles down the road.
Good luck
Mike at MDCGFA
Here is an update from the Ebay Main Street Government Relations on the Internet Sales Tax Developments.
Thought I would publish for those who did not sign up for the updates or sign Ebay’s petition.Important Internet Sales Tax Developments
Hi Michael,
As an eBay Main Street Member, you are probably well aware of the June US Supreme Court ruling on Internet sales tax that overturned the long-standing physical presence sales tax collection standard. Since the Supreme Court ruling, eBay has been pushing hard for a federal solution that provides a common-sense solution that protects small, Internet-enabled businesses. eBay seller and Small Business Ambassador Network member Chad White testified before Congress in support of these efforts.Last Friday, federal legislation was introduced that attempts to address the uncertainty caused by the Supreme Court ruling. Led by Representatives Jim Sensenbrenner, Anna Eshoo, Zoe Lofgren and Jeff Duncan, this bipartisan solution aims to provide a clear and sensible framework for collecting sales taxes from remote businesses that sell online and would exempt small businesses until such a framework is in place. At the same time, eBay announced that it had collected over a million signatures from Americans like you in support of such legislation. Click here to read more.
Additionally, eBay posted this announcement to the Community Board last week that may be of interest to you if you sell on eBay. As eBay continues to advocate for a federal solution, this post outlines how eBay will handle the collection of sales tax for sales into several states that now have sales tax collection laws in place.
As always, we will continue to keep you informed as this issue evolves.
Sincerely,
The eBay Government Relations TeamMike at MDC Galleries and Fine Art in Atlanta
Yep.. You’re welcome. It also has an inventory tab that we used to enter each item we bought as we brought it back to the office. The one thing that is VITAL to any and all of these APPs and Processes is that you come up with a unique and individual way of assigning a unique number to each piece or lot if grouping to every inventory item. We use pre-numbered tags with a few spaces for additional write in data. But even a consecutive numbered tape on or tie on tag will do. For proper inventory reporting and tracking every item you buy and list for resale should have it’s own separate number associated and assigned to it. Even if you buy table, bag or tray lots, when you separate the items out, come up with a cost per item as discussed here on SL many times, and then assign a unique number to each item and it’s cost.
That number will need to go into EAT along with the cost of that item in order for the proper analysis of cost of item sold, monthly, annual cost of your inventory, how many items you have, how many have sold, and things like that.
Also we have built into our system our own unique SKU number which tells us the item number, how much we paid for it, when we bought it and where it is located. It took us a while to work out a good system for that, but we have been using it for a few years now.
In my opinion, Inventory Tracking, Inventory Managment all goes hand in hand with Inventory Costing.
Just my opinion and that and $.50 will get you 1/3 of a fried chciken drumstick. A Southern Boys favorite, well besides smoke, wet style BBQ Pork Country Style Ribs. 🙂 🙂
Mike at MDCGFA
Yes.. EAT – Easy Auction Tracker will do a whole lot of this for you automatically. We used it for years when we had the antique booths. For $50 a year, it interfaces with Ebay, Pulls down all of your listings, then tracks the cog, COGS, the current value of items listed, and has places for other input and SKU numbers, inventory control, etc., etc. They have plenty of video / demo pages.
The nice thing about the author-developer of EAT is that he has most of the multiple tabs set up with MACRO’s and Automatic Formulas. All you have to do is click on the Download tab either monthly, weekly or daily and after the Ebay download then click on the Profit Tab and there it is. Everything except the Sell Through Rates we talk about presented for you. It will even present you the numbers in chart form.
It will only go back 90 days when you first start so if you buy it now, you will get numbers back to approx. early june, then will get the numbers from today forward every time you click the update tab. They even have a fall Sale that will be discounted and then for current subscribers, in the fall each year, you get the new update for I think about half price +/-.
This is a great APP for those that want to know COGS, seperate shipping costs, what is the profit before and after shipping costs, what is the value of my current inventory, what is the listed Sales price of all inventory listed, and other things with the least amount of calculations for you, and the easisest learning curve of all of the 3rd party APPs.
We use WonderLister and have used SixBit but changed, Mark S uses WonderLister and Troy of course uses SixBit. These are very robust programs and have a fairly larger learning curve.
But for none number types, those with limited time, those that want things automated and don’t mind $25-$50 bucks a year, the EAT is a great place to start with knowing your numbers.
The author of EAT will also add columns for you and add custom things, but at a small cost of course. If you know how to build spreadsheets then you can custom it yourself, which is what I did.
the new mantra.. KYN .. “Know Your Numbers”!
Mike at MDC Galleries and Fine Art in Atlanta
Just give me a copy of that budget, a ruler and a red magic marker! 🙂
mike at MDCGFA
Sue.. Send it out and move on.
We had 3 “Ooopsies” we call them in the past few months. I thought Ebay would not list items at $1.00 or less so I was using $1.00 on my templates – drafts and accidentially listed a pair of shoes that were going to be $40, a Dooney and Bourke purse that was supposed to be $64 dollars and a ceramic bowl that was supposed to be $24.75 and all of those sold for $1 each. I just shipped them.
The solution to my particular case was to use a very small number and Ebay would bounce it if I accidently hit list – publish. We now use $.09 on our templates.
It is part of the learning curve and also some of the uncontrollable loses, like dropping things, having items stolen [in our old antique booths], just have to categorize it as shrinkage and move on.
By sending it out, you avoid any negative anything.
Now you ask for a cut off point in our case, just personally maybe $100 give or take. That would cover most of our inventory, but we do have a few $300 and up items. But under $100, grit your teeth, keep listing and try to minimize the business errors.
As Jay says, legally and ethically, you are just better off sending it to them and maybe write a short note, saying they got a great deal due to a clerical error.
And it’s over with.
Set an alarm in your contact manager for 1 year from today and when it goes off, ask yourself was the last 12 months a success or failure, and if a failure was it because you lost a $50 or $100 bill 12 months earlier.
I’ll talk with you then 🙂
A Southern boy’s half baked opinion, which usually gets me in hot water. LOL 🙂
Mike at MDC Galleries and Fine Art in Atlanta
