Marketplace Etiquette

For me, communication is incredibly important, as both a buyer and a seller. I have had a number of great transactions here on DoA, but I've also had a few bad ones - and both of them involved a breakdown of communication with a seller.

Beyond communication, keeping your word is incredibly important. Last summer, I purchased a doll from someone who broke our original agreement about price and layaway, lied about the doll's condition, and lied about shipping (I paid for priority and was told the seller would pay for insurance after I offered to pay for it myself, and the doll was shipped parcel post with delivery confirmation - she ended up sitting on my downstair's neighbor's back porch and almost got thrown away). The seller also failed to communicate, lied about when she would ship the doll (I waited nearly a month after I paid her for her to ship the doll), and then never responded to my PMs asking about shipping method (having paid for priority I was worried when the doll didn't arrive after four days) or asking for a refund. I was so mad about the whole transaction that I sold the doll. More recently, someone was selling a very rare head that is my dream head, and we agreed on a price lower than her asking price, and I sent her a PM asking about her PayPal address and then saw on the thread the head marked as 'sold' and she never responded to me. Needless to say, it was very disheartening since I desperately wanted that head.

Above all, I think that honesty, forthrightness, and communication are what makes a transaction work well. As a buyer and a seller, I want both parties to be on the same page concerning the status of a transaction, whether it's positive or negative.

 

I don't think this has been mentioned, but if this is a repeat, I apologize...

In addition to odors or fur from pets, perfume, or smoke, please don't describe the item as perfect, mint, near mint, etc. Be specific and detailed in your description.

I ask questions by being as clear as I can be, e.g., any stains, nicks, pin holes, to the face? Any discoloration on the limbs? etc. The questions may seem picky, but I'm only trying to be clear to avoid misunderstanding on MY part. Generic description "excellent condition" could be another person's idea of "good".

I once asked some questions about an eBay auction item whose description was rather brief. The seller scolded me in her reply by telling me "I said the doll is used. If you want a perfect doll, that's what you should be looking for." She answered none of my questions. I didn't buy from her.*shrug*

Rather than end on a negative note, I would like to add that I've purchased many things from other DoAers and have had very happy transactions. To all the nice people I've purchased from, I heartily thank you!

 

I've not yet got into the marketplace though I hope to soon and I have to admit that as a buyer I would like to know as much about the doll in question as possible and at the very least, I find in any sale, communication is critical. If the seller can't get back to me in a timely fashion (and I'm usually pretty lenient and will let a week or so go by between emails because hey, stuff happens), I get frustrated and want to shop elsewhere.

 

That's pretty horrible. x_X I hope this isn't something you've had happen on a regular basis with people in the marketplace. I'm hoping to get a look around in there pretty soon and that's disheartening to hear.

 

I too have been promised an item (a limited head that I had been searching for) and had it sold from under me. I was upset, I even cried, but what can you do? It seems that this is fairly common, and though this saddens me you have to be glad that at least no money was exchanged before the item was sold to someone else, because that would open a whole new can of worms.

Also, in addition to pets, people have MANY other allergies. Though I love opening packages and smelling perfume or fabric softener on clothes, some people are deathly allergic to those things. One of my close friends is HIGHLY allergic to Febreeze and her throat closes up if it has been used on something recently. And if you spray something with it and then put it in a plastic bag the fumes will be caught and might make someone sick. Also, my boyfriend is allergic to most laundry soaps, and anything we buy for him has to be washed (as well as doll clothes that go on a doll that he will be holding). The best thing to do if you know you are allergic to something is to wash your new purchases and hope for the best. You can't prevent affecting EVERY allergy in the world, but as long as everyone is careful then hopefully no one will get hurt. ^_^

 

Here's a thought:

Don't ask your buyer to eat the paypal fees. That is the seller's responsibility, as per paypal TOS. If I don't charge the fees when I sell, I sure as hell am not going to eat it when on the other end, either. Never mind that most of the time they are charged incorrectly; domestic fees are 2.9% + $.30, not 4%.

Also, although I understand that many of the buyers here appreciate holds and layaway, I find it endlessly frustrating that once I have the money to spend on a doll, I find one I want in the marketplace but it's on hold for Lindy Lou so she can take four weeks saving up for it. I never jump on an item to keep others from buying it even though I don't have the funds, and I find the practice to be in extremely bad form.

 

This bears repeating.

 

I agree- layaway is a useful thing, but at the end of the day, if the seller will accept layaway, then it is not bad form to use it.

This is the seller's choice, and no-one is ever forced to accept it.

 

That depends wich account you have and where you live. It's really annoying, when people (mostly those who live in the US) assume that everyone you're dealing with lives in the USA also - even if it clearly says in my profile where I'm from (I do understand that you propably don't have any idea where Finland is, but it really isn't in the US... I hope you know that much).

And with premier and business accounts:

I have had some wonderfull transactions here thought and I don't actually have anything else to complain.

 

I totally agree anout NOT adding on paypal fees - Paypal's terms of service PROHIBIT this practice. Please add that as a "cost of business" into yur asking price.

And again, on the odors, this is really important. Please don't spray with febreeze or perfume or add potpourri, fabric softener sheets, etc in your packaging. Some of us are highly (even deathly) allergic to this stuff. What may smell nice to one is dangerous to another.

M

 

I also agree about adding fees. Even though it doesnt seem like much, I will not buy from someone that wants to tack on a paypal fee....put it in your price if you really want the extra.
Also Please research the prices. I have noticed some pretty high prices in the marketplace (particulary Emma, who is still available from the Volks International site...for under 800)

 

LOL. at that, I get the same thing sometimes.. I don't think any one from the us even knows what the netherlands is.

I also agree with the fees, I made a thread about it in buying & shipping Qs a little while ago. I understand fees when doing group orders... but not when you sell something = = please incorporate it into the price!

I also do not buy from people who add the fee, just because of that!

 

Finland, Finland, Finland.... That's the country for me! You simply can't go wrong with traditional fish-schlapping song!

As for Marketplace Etiquette... well, my biggest pet peeve isn't from etiquette itself, but the thing that annoys me the most has to be when people link to photos of dolls or items and don't include them in their thread. I can sort of understand if it's an e-bay auction or someone's web-store, but I really don't like it when a person links a personal website or worse, a blog. ><

(I also know where the Netherlands/Belgium are... Next to each other by the sea squished up between France and Germany with Luxemburg tucked away by Belgium. Whooo! Geography!!)

Finland, Finland, Finland... The country where I quite want to be...Pony trekking, or camping, or just watching TV! Finland, Finland, Finland.... That's the country for me!

 

Wow, that's incredibly rude of you to assume. I know where Finland is. I also know where the Netherlands is.

I still don't want to pay your PayPal fees. Suck it up as overhead or don't use it.

 

Although I'm a layperson, my understanding is that's how the law is concerned, too. Sure, you're unlikely to be sued, but that doesn't make it right or legal.

My two cents on etiquette:
Buyers, just because you were the first person to contact a seller doesn't mean that you're entitled to the item. If a seller finds 5 PMs all offering the same price, they are perfectly in their right to chose buyer #3 because that person has a better rep, or has done them a favor in the past, or even just happens to possess their favorite hair color.
Of course, it goes without saying that the seller shouldn't tell you "well, you were first, but I don't like you so" or that you'll get the item, just that they're selling it to someone else.

Not so much etiquette, but sellers, please put pictures of your items in the first post of the thread. If you add stuff later, edit the first post to include it; don't toss it in somewhere later in the thread. It's really in your best interest; I'm not going to go all over the internet to see if what you're selling is something I want to buy.

Buyers with allergies, please feel free to PM and ask about the presence of your allergens. For instance, on the rare occassions I sell, I try to note that the house is smoke-free but that there will be cat hair (there is always cat hair), but sometimes I forget. I will absolutely not be offended if you ask. And feel free to ask for any extra steps that will help mitigate the risk, if you know of a way. (But be willing to accept a "No, I'm sorry, I'm not able to do that" as well.)

 

Wow, yeah, no. Since it's seller's responsibility no matter what, so how much fees are versus aren't don't even matter ^^;. Do what you want, but don't try to "play games" with the words of the company. You are paying paypal to be able to get money from people from their bank accounts and CCs (they are doing a service for you, making the buyer more willing to buy from you. They are not doing the buyer a service in their eyes). (There's this lovely thing called PPCalc which will tell you all you need to know about fees anyway, so there is no excuse for constant "4&#37;" or whatnot anyway).

And Krambear's right, that was an incredibly rude assumption about knowing where Finland is.

 

I completely agree that paypal fees are the sellers' responsibility. I believe the only time people should charge paypal fees is if the transaction is for a group order, so the person running the group order won't be hit with the fees for everyone's items.

 

I'm hoping the Finland crack was a joke- I can understand that since I'm in Canada and can find similar issues, but that derives more from general public than these boards- the hobby tends to attract intelligent people. ^_^


As a seller in the middle of a giant stack of orders when my father passed away, I couldn't have appreciated everyone's kindness and patience with me more. We all know things happen, but it's one thing to say that, and quite another to be worried about people hunting you down for their items. Everyone was amazingly patient with me- but I also kept everyone informed as to why their items would ship late, and when they would be finished. Communication (for the millionth time) is key.


As a buyer without a credit card, I use a direct bank transfer through PP. I will always ask the seller if they mind the wait, and offer an e-check (it starts the transfer and like a check, takes 6-8 days to clear). While I don't have issues accepting E-checks myself, I'd like to know that's what you're doing first because if I have an immediate need for the money, it won't work.


In short:
Communication, communication, communication!

 

This is an excellent thread! As a long time buyer on EeeewwwwBay I especially agree about the odor/cleanliness/pet issues. Nothing is worse than receiving a mint doll that reeks of mothballs, or a doll in good condition who reeks of moldy mildewy basement, or, in one instance, a hard plastic with that icky hard plastic odor which Seller "disguised" with heavy perfume. I about barfed. Doll is still in garage and will be sold as stinky!!! Have learned to ask about odors, but some sellers coyly state "none that I can detect". Yeah, right! Eeeeewwwww! Re fees and postage - when I think postage is outrageous I contact seller about it. Had one offer me one-fourth of listed postage, but the winning bidder ended up paying only $1.00 less than originally stated postage. It is very helpful to this potential seller to read other Sellers' and Buyers' experiences, opinions, and suggestions!