Hello crafters and ebayers,

Since there have been so many sellers popping up like mushrooms, I would like to add a few pointers for buying craft items from Asia.

Yes, I am one of those sellers based in Malaysia but in the recent 12 months, there has been a number of complaints I have been receiving from my regular customers about purchasing items from my so called competitors. They include shoddy workmanship, poor quality and lack of professionalism in communication due to the face that English is not a mother tongue here in Asia. Those who speak it here, it would be a 2nd or 3rd language to them.

Therefore I have always stressed that communication is the biggest factor in eBay dealings. If you cannot communicate, then half the battle is already lost. So, please be prepared to encounter some really terrible English emails when you ask questions to sellers or buyers.

The worst is that replying emails have resorted to 'One Liners' in the recent years. Yes I have been selling on eBay since 1997 therefore I have had the pleasure of seeing the English language go down the drain with the inclusion of the Asian eBay portals.

If you do not believe me, try asking a detailed question (like express shipping to the US) to one of the sellers from this region, you would probably be answered with " Express shipping is $40.00" And then you would have to ask the seller again on what courier he/she uses and how long it will take.

What ever happened to "Hello xxx, thank you for the email. The cost of express shipping to xxx is $40.00 and this would take 2-3 working days. I also ship with FedEx. If you have more questions, please contact me"

So, with the straight-to-the-point answers, I wonder why we Asians get bombarded on the boards. Honestly, things here are so bad that if you were to come over here and run a business, you would fall off your chair when dealing with the locals. Everyone is just in that 'short-cut' mode so that the business deal can take off faster. There are no more;

1. "Hello XXX, your costs will be $xxx

2. Regards, XXX

3. Ps. Give me a call if you need anything else

The 3 pointers above are an opener, closer and by-the-way. 95% of emails moving around this region do not have them. What ever happened to good old school where you were thought how to write to people in a professional or friendly manner.

If you emailed a seller to ask about an item you bought and wanted to know if the items was sent out, this would be the scenario:

YOU: Dear XXX, has my item been shipped out yet? I need it urgently in about 2 weeks time for a wedding. Thank you, XXX

REPLY: Item posted out. Sent with Air Mail and will arrive in 2 weeks. My terms say 14 days.

Have you ever encountered emails like this? I have. On many occasions. Especially when they are the Asians living in the USA.

So, what can be done about this? At the moment, nothing much. Unless eBay conducts some form of communication class for Asian eBayers, things will either remain or get worst. The biggest set back is when American/UK buyers approach these sellers and then get turned off. This is one of the reasons many buyers stay clear of Asian sellers. Ebay then wonders why they are losing business and then changes systems like Feedbacks and such. I honestly thing that before anyone is allowed to sell internationally, they need to pass a English test.

Also the dispute cases have risen due to bad communication. So, this also turns off potential buyers when faced with an experience like this.

Who am I again? I have lived in Malaysia for 38 years. I read and write English as my 1st language. English was thaught in our government schools as a 2nd language back in the days. I also do speak Chinese and Malay as a 2nd and 3rd language for local use. So not everyone from this region is bad at English. Just that those who think that basic English is ok, they come in and try selling to the world without knowing what they are contributing to.

My tip for buying from Asia;

1. Communicate with the Seller/Buyer to see the level of understanding.

2. Ask and double ask to be sure about the terms, payments and product. Many times as I stressed that payment is only by paypal, I get some checks in the mail. So, I make it a point to send an invoice Reminding about paypal.

3. Usually, serious sellers/buyers respond within 24 to 48 hours.

4. Check the feedbacks of sellers/buyers.

Hopefully this can sort of help everyone understand the frustrations of buying and selling from Asia.

Thank you and regards,
Dave