OnlineAuction.com Secret Santa!

 

OnlineAuction.com
Secret Santa

Sign-ups ongoing!

Deadline November 15, 2009


Hurry!

This annual event is a fantastic way
to share the holiday spirit
with fellow OLA members!

Click Santa and Rudolph for all
the details on this fun member-sponsored,
gift-giving gala!

                                              

Practicing the Art of Effective Communication

In two of my recent blog posts I talked about the importance of timely shipping in the area of ecommerce sales. As buyers' expectations hold sellers to a high level of customer service, you'll find that successful sellers are also practicing the art of effective communication.

Effective communication guarantees your customer's comfort. Let's be realistic... in today's online world, you often know little or nothing about the person or company that you send your hard-earned dollars to. By communicating with the customer, the seller is proving their committment, providing valuable information and putting the buyer at ease. This is especially important with online transactions, as they take days to complete. Compare yourself to the largest retailers, like Walmart and Target. Most send an email, confirming your order and sending shipping notification. Do you?

At OnlineAuction.com, we have an in-house communication system. Along with regular communication, all of our invoices are sent through the o-mail system. While I find it extremely useful in communicating with seasoned members, it has been challenging, to say the least, for new members. The staff at OLA have taken steps to make new members aware of this feature and it's benefits. What can you do to help new members communicate with you?

Something new I have started is adding a brief paragraph in each listing about the importance of checking OLA o-mail. I currently have 700+ listings, so adding this to each one is going to take some time! I think it is worth it, though, as the first place someone will check for information is the listing itself. Here is an example of what I am adding:

PLEASE NOTE!
If you are the winning bidder,
please remember to check your OLA o-mail for an invoice from me!
(Not your email!)

This small blurb may be all that is necessary to inform them of where to find communication from me! Since they'll be aware to look for an invoice, I can also get their attention for matters pertaining to payment options, shipping preferences and estimated delivery times. And if they have a question, or a comment, they will know that I am easily accessible via this method.

Now I know it not always that simple. So here is my recommendation if you have a member who is not communicating with you. Contact Renee. Be sure to send her the auction number and the member's ID. She has a friendly form letter, sent by email, that will remind a member to check their omail. It is not accusatory, not threatening, and it has been effective for me several times. Renee can be contacted through the omail system, (just type in Renee), through email to renee@onlineauction.com, or by calling OLA Support at 1-800-900-2828.

Want to communicate with me? Drop me an omail! Leave a comment here! Find me on Twitter!
I love to chat!

Good luck!
Keep on practicing the art of effective communication!

Timely Shipping is important!

In my last blog post, I asked my readers to share their practices and expectations about ecommerce sales. There were two polls, and readers were encouraged to participate in whichever poll applied to them. The response was over-whelming... timely shipping is important!

The first area of discussion that was polled focused upon sellers. The topic was: When I sell an item, my standard shipping practice is...

Results varied. Seventeen people responded, and I will assume they are all active sellers. One person voted for Same Day Shipping. Wow! That is outstanding customer service, and anyone who can achieve that on a daily basis deserves a pat-on-the-back! That is awesome!

Nine people voted for within 24 hours and six people voted for within 48 hours. This is what I expected, and the standard that I hope all sellers strive for.

Finally, one seller also voted for within one week.  In my opinion, one week is the longest it should take, and while delays are not unheard of, especially with made-to-order products, perhaps this seller should pay close attention to the Buyer's poll, where they may find that their buyers are looking for delivery options that are considerably faster. At the very least, I expect that this seller is maintaining open lines of communication with their clients, to put the clients at ease with a longer estimated delivery time.

What might cause an acceptable delay in shipping? Acceptable, to me, means that either the seller has stated clearly in their listing that they only ship on certain days, or that their item(s) are custom-made. If a buyer knows in advance what to expect, longer delivery times are no longer an issue. It is, however, an issue that every seller must consider. Are your shipping restraints putting off buyers?

The second area of discussion that was polled focused upon buyers. The topic was: As a buyer, I expect my order to arrive...

The results were close. Eighteen people responded. Here are the results:
Within 5 days - 6 votes
Within 1 week - 6 votes
Within 10 days - 3 votes
Within 2 weeks - 3 votes

This is enlightening! These results should prove to all sellers that today's buyers are savvy about shipping transit times. They expect prompt service, and are likely not to return if they don't have a satisfactory buying experience.

Let's all do everything we can to ensure that our buyers are repeat buyers!

Thank you to everyone who participated!
Fleapirates Plunder at OnlineAuction.com

How long is too long to wait for an order placed?

How long is too long to wait for an order placed?

I am pondering the answer to this question today. How many of you order from favorite vendors online? Being an online seller myself, I am very comfortable placing orders online, and do so often. Usually I am buying from a seller at my favorite site, OnlineAuction.com, but I also place orders from my favorite stores, like Barnes and Noble, Victoria's Secret and Nuts Online. All three of those stores, by the way, have excellent customer service and very speedy shipping!

What I would like your help with today is defining the standard of customer service expected from a small business owner who is either selling at their own website or selling at a venue like OnlineAuction, or other similar sites, like eBay, Etsy, Bonanzle, etc.

With my own store, I pride myself on fast shipping. The standard for me is next day shipment, meaning your item goes to the Post Office within 24 hours of receipt of cleared payment. Sometimes, I am fortunate enough to get payment early enough in the day that I can manage a same day shipment! Rarely do I need more time to get things prepared for shipment, and if I do, it is always accompanied by some sort of online communication explaining the delay.

What are your standards, as a seller? Please let me know by participating in the poll below!

When I sell an item, my standard shipping practice is:

To ship the same day cleared payment is received.To ship within 24 hours of cleared payment.To ship within 48 hours of cleared payment.To ship within 1 week of payment.To ship within 2 weeks of cleared payment.Oh heck, they'll get it when I'm ready!My items are made to order. I am prompt, with good communication.My items are made to order. I'll get around to it eventually!

pollcode.com free polls

As a buyer, my expectations are a bit more lenient. Two weeks from the date I paid is not unacceptable for me to wait for a package. If it arrives earlier, than I am pleasantly surprised. (That happens often!) Anything longer than two weeks, and I feel forgotten. After three weeks, I am beginning to think about contacting you for confirmation, or maybe beginning the chargeback process. How about you? Tell me your buyer's standards in the poll below!

As a buyer, I expect my order to arrive:

Fast! 2-3 days tops!Within 5 days.Within 1 week.Within 10 days.Within 2 weeks.Within 3 weeks.Anytime is good, as long as the seller stays in touch with me.Whenever - I don't mind waiting!

pollcode.com free polls

Perhaps these polls will encourage sellers to re-evaluate their current shipping practices. Good customer service is the greatest thing we can provide to our clients, in addition to outstanding products, so let's all remind ourselves to maintain a high level of customer service. Our buyers put their trust in us... they expect, and deserve, our committment to excellence and a satisfactory buying experience!

And buyers, please remember to pay promptly, check your messages for communication from us, and remember to allow ample time for our shipping services to get the order to you! Oh, and don't forget to leave appropriate feedback, if you've purchased at a venue that offers feedback for sellers. Our reputation is important!

Listing Plunder from the What Cheer Flea Market in Iowa!

It's been two weeks since we plundered Iowa,
and I am finally getting some of those treasures
listed for sale at OnlineAuction.com!

I am slow at listing,
because I easily get distracted with other fun stuff,
like decorating my store for Halloween,
making videos of our trip,
and playing on Twitter!

Here are some photos of my newest listings!
Just click on the title below the pic to visit my auction.

1982 Lefton Bell O Come All Ye Faithful from The Christopher Collection

Moonstone Opalescent Hobnail Glass Divided Relish Dish

Ceramic Frog Planter in Iridescent Turquoise

Amber Glass Decanter with Glass Stopper and Six Cordial Glasses

Remember to buy vintage!

The OLA Brigade Tours Iowa!

Oct 3, 2009

Spooky Stores at OnlineAuction.com

Here comes the holiday season,
and with it the joy of decorating!
Do you break out the pumpkins and scarecrows,
string up some lights
and play some haunting music?
I sure do, every year...
Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas!
It makes the season fun!

This year I am decorating my online house, too!
OnlineAuction.com is sponsoring a contest for the
Best Decorated OLA House.
The contest runs from now until October 29th,
with the winner being announced on October 30th.
The Grand Prize is $100 in
OLA Auction Enhancement Credits!

     
So, Founding Members, what are you hanging around for?
        Get those houses decorated!                            

                   

Keep visiting the OLA site
to see all the Spooky Stores at OnlineAuction.com!
There is plenty of time to enter,
so I expect we'll see many haunted houses in the next month.
Right now there are 9 fantastic houses
entered into the competition.

Want a sneak peek?
Ideas?
Click on the banners below!

We hope to see you soon! Happy Halloween!