Ebay Sellers: Second Mile Service????

[clovis]

I know a Chick-fil-A owner-operator, and he runs a great store with a wonderful staff. He is extremely successful to say the least.

Over the past year, he has been telling me about a program that Chick-Fil-A has that is called 'Second Mile Service', and he and his staff focus on personal customer service even after the sale. This includes thanking the customer as they are leaving, or making sure you hold the door open for them, clearing the table after they eat, making sure they have drink refills while they sit and chat after the meal....you get the point.

I am curious if I can apply 'second mile service' to my ebay business.

I think I am doing a great job with the 'first mile service' since my DSR's are 4.9 across the board. I am always eager to improve my service.

Is anyone working a 'second mile service'? Care to share how you are doing it?

How are you making your 'first mile service' the best on ebay?

Thanks!!!!

[Prickle]

I haven't sold anything for a while but I have 100% positive feed back and all 4.9s and I have lots of nice comments.

For follow up I would send an email note saying when the item had been mailed and include delivery confirmation numbers. I'd also send a note if there was a delay of some sort for any reason.

I included a little extra item that was related to what I was selling. I sold all the same type of item. It was handmade and sort of artsy so I would include a stick of incense and something like a little packet of walnut hull ink with instructions on how to use it. Or a twig pencil or a cool bookmark. They weren't expensive things, just stuff I thought was neat.

I always included a small thank you card with my seller name and email address that I printed myself and extended an offer to contact me with any questions they may have and I tried to always answer promptly.

That's all I can think of

[ErinP]

I guess my "second mile" would be my packing and shipping materials.

I have a packing slip that has my cutesy logo on it, order details, and a brief, handwritten thank-you note. I also have my logo and clip art on my shipping labels (in the margins of my USPS-printed label) to make it more fun, too.

I figure I'm not the only dork out there that orders something by mail, forgets it in the interim and then when it shows up in my mailbox it's like a present! "Wow! Look what someone sent me!" lol

I'd like to start tossing in a magnet or bookmark or something sewing-related with my logo/contact info on it but I haven't come up with something that would be useful enough to be hung onto, yet cheap enough to make.

My first mile is to answer e-mails promptly and always with a "good morning"/etc., and "thanks for looking."
I personally reply to order/payment notifications. (Usually it's a Re: to their PayPal payment with a thank-you and a note about I'll be shipping yet today/tomorrow morning/first thing Monday morning). I have a small enough sales volume (a busy day is 2 dozen orders) to be able to do this though. But business will have to go way up before I consider using one of those automated programs for my payment receipt notifications.
And, I ship quickly. Usually within 1 business day, or less.

[miboje]

Clovis - Hi again! I just wanted to respond. With Ebay's incessant changes, I try to find ways to do things better all the time. Having said that, you can't please everyone.

My DSR's are all 5.0 (for now!) except shipping cost. Occasionally, shipping time dips down. That spites me because I ship same day when possible, and my items are either free shipping (average national priority cost), or it's actual shipping cost. I decided that I needed to change my after-the-sale message to the buyer, which is this:

Hi =)

Thank you for your recent purchase! It was shipped within 24 hours (except weekends). The free Delivery Confirmation number has been added for this item in your eBay console.

Priority Mail items should arrive in up to 4 *mailing days.

Aerosol items are flammable, and must ship Parcel Post (ground only) per Federal law. It’s slower, but cheaper. These items should take up to 14 *mailing days, but could take longer as the US Postal service reserves the right to take up to 21 days to deliver.

DSR’s:

Delivery time: I ship within 24 hours. It is the U.S. Postal Service whom is responsible for actual delivery time. Please rate me on the time it took me to get the package to them.

Shipping charges: I do not gouge on shipping charges. The shipping charge you paid was what it actually cost me, unless your item was free shipping. Please rate me accordingly.

If you need any assistance, please contact me.
I hope I have provided a 5 star experience in every way.
Thank you!

I ran out of typing space in the eBay message system, or it would be longer yet.

I hope that helps you in some way. There are good ideas here.

[clovis]

Wow...those are great ideas.

Right now I have 4.9's on 750 current DSRs, but have 2700 positive feedback, and never a negative.

It does drive me crazy to break my neck getting something to the post office, even when it alters my family's plans for the day, just to learn that the buyer said "Did not ship fast." It's funny that I had their purchase at the post office two hours after they bought it, and it took 3 days to get to California.

You are right. There are people you cannot please no matter what.

Thank you for the great ideas!!!

[NostalgicGranny]

I did honest shipping charges too - regardless of how much it costs.

Also since you can not ask for feedback - if none was given I sent them an email stating I had noticed they did not leave feedback and wondered if everything was ok with their item.

[Ken Scharabok]

I try for consistency. Upon payment I reply with generally "Thank you. Will mail out on XXX." (which is usually the next working day).

I've done done something like 11K eBay transactions with a 99.9% positive feedback rating. Yeah, as noted above, you simply cannot please some people. What upsets me is with the neutral or negative feedbacks I've received over the years only one has bothered to contact me first. That particular one was sold 'as is', but they still wanted their money back. I accepted their negative.

If it is a small order it is just shipped as ordered. For an larger one I'll include some type of freebie, such as a pen with my store name on it.

I don't solicit feedback. I'm still ticked off at eBay policy a seller cannot leave neutral or negative feedback to a buyer. Unless they contact me specifically to ask for feedback I only do so on those +10 or less. I doubt many sellers look at a buyer's feedback before completing the deal.

I include a $1 per shipment handling fee to cover tape and such. I also refund excess shipping if over $1.00. Seems to really impress a buyer to get some unexpected money back.

My father's motto: "Always give them a little more than expected."