GigiOfCa (check out her great blog: Gigi's Gone Shopping) has another fantastic post (click here) about purchasing/swapping in general, that is very informative:Selling via JCA and thru the blogs has been great! Overall it's gone really well for me. However, one of the nuisances can be communication about the items. Since we are all busy, busy glaydies, we should discuss ways to foster successful swap/exchanges. This is my POV:
- Understand that you're engaging in a business transaction. Money is money. Most of us take it very seriously. I might come across as cryptic when responding to email because I try to get to the point. I don't mean to be unkind. I'm just focusing on the transaction and thinking about what I'm promising from my end to ensure I don't make a mistake. Don't we all have multiple email accounts with tons of volume coming thru each day? Let's honor each other's time in the small, easy ways we can. Yes, I actually *do* work.
- When contacting the seller, put the item name in the subject line. This is helpful for people who have a lot of items for sale and are receiving a large number of emails. Also leading with a specific subject line like 'dream cardi' rather than the more generic 'For Sale' will help keep emails out of Spam boxes.
- If you ask for pics and they're emailed to you, send a courtesy email confirming receipt. If you are no longer interested once you see pics, at least thank the person for the photo(s) and let them know it's not a match. No need to get specific on why you're passing. Just wrap things up so the seller is not left hanging.
- Don't complain about prices. We all have different goals when selling. Some people want to recoup what they paid and that may be more than what you see someone else selling it for. If you don't think it's fair -- if it's not a match, then keep moving past the ad. See Tip #1.
- If you contact the seller to see if she will take a lower price, don't tell the seller if/why you think her price is too high. Just ask if she will accept a lower price. If there isn't an agreement between you two on price, politely decline and move on. Be sure to respond and not leave her hanging. I much prefer to receive a, "Thanks, I'll pass." -- than to have people vanish into thin air, esp if multiple emails have been exchanged. Remember to communicate.
I have had people express interest, disappear and then reappear a week later asking about the item again. I finally decided that if I don't hear from people within 24 hours, I move onto the next person who is interested. We're all different and I imagine some don't want to hurt the feelings of others. It's more respectful, imo, to let the seller know you're no longer interested than to just disappear. - A seller may be open to a partial trade. Monica & I agreed to a swap where one of us owed the other a couple extra bucks. She send me a luscious pair of Juliets. I sent her a beautiful sweater and the difference was paid via Paypal. I think I initially approached her about purchasing and she returned with a proposal to swap. Or maybe vice versa. Point is, sellers & buyers may be more open than the ad states. If not, don't be offended.
Paypal is the best method to use, imo. Of course you are free to work with money orders (m.o.) or checks, but I have never done so. Many of us read about the funky issue someone posted on JCA about not receiving an item paid for by m.o. Let that be a lesson for all.- If an agreement has been made for an item, the seller should send an invoice through Paypal. In the past I have simply sent and accepted money. A seller recently asked me to wait for an invoice from her and I loved the idea. Before sending the invoice, it's good to ask the buyer what her Paypal email is, in case it differs.
To send the invoice:
Log into Paypal
Click Request Money (3rd tab)
Look to the right-hand side of the screen
Click Send an Invoice
Click Select Template - I haven't saved a standard template, so I...
Click Continue
The rest should be self-explanatory. Under Item ID I choose to fill in the manufacturer (I.e. J Crew). In the Description field I briefly describe the item. I price my items to include shipping and don't enter an amount in the Shipping field.
I think this is all fantastic advice-- especially using the trusted third-party PayPal, to exchange money between buyer and seller. (This way both parties personal information remains private and both parties are protected if the transaction falls through somehow).
Are there any other suggestions or tips that you would include in GigiOfCa's {great} list? What advice would you offer to someone new to the "sell/sway experience"? :)
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