Build a Good Reputation on eBay

Lessons on earning a good eBay reputation can come from the standards set by sales people the world over. The importance of a good reputation is one of the first anyone who makes a good living as a salesperson, learns. They follow the rule of 10. If you satisfy a customer, he or she might tell 1 or 2 people, but the one person who goes away unhappy leaves much more talkative. The disgruntled customer will tell at least 10 people his complaint against you because this is simply human nature. When someone gets what they want, they are happy. When a person’s expectations are not met there is often a sense of injustice. This person will get what they want from you or try to cause you as much difficulty as they perceive you have caused them. The same understanding of basic sales psychology applies to eBay’s customer feedback. The key to understanding how to build a good reputation on eBay is to know that a happy customer might say a few words in response to your pleas for feedback, while the disgruntled will take up space with long paragraphs of their discontent. For this reason, you need to maintain good customer interaction so that even when things don’t go exactly as planned the person who you are selling to knows you are trying to make them happy. It is so important that potential customers see you as a trustworthy the time it will take you to accommodate them is worth it.

Before the sale, answer any questions prospective buyers might ask about either the product or the method you will use to get the product to them should they win the bid or direct buy from you. Sometimes the buyer might sound even vaguely insulting as they ask a question, but remember that in written correspondence people unfamiliar with using this form of communication often seem rude unintentionally. Secondly, at first especially before you have at least 10 or so positive feedback comments you might find yourself bearing the brunt of the times a buyer was taken in by a fraudulent or bad faith seller. Be a professional about your eBay business and you can restore their faith. When responding use the rules of email etiquette and be conscious of how your words could be misinterpreted. Use correct spelling, capitalization, and grammar to ensure your response has the best chance of being understood.

After the sale make sure the eBay buyer fully understands the extent of the agreement they bid on or directly purchased. Bad faith buys are sometimes the fault of a poor understanding of the terms of the sale or lack of communication skills on the part of buyer. It can be better for everyone if one email stops the process early on rather than a longer drawn out process later after the goods have already been sent out.

Maintain your patience and professionalism throughout any conflict with the buyer and counter any bad feedback they give by going over the steps you took to ‘make things right’. If you deal honestly, calmly and professionally with each buyer you will see your reputation flourish.

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