GOOD MANNERS MATTER!  

Are you affected by MANNERS (or the LACK of) in your dealings with folks, on eBay?

I definately am.  As an eBay artist, the items I sell, often involve more "personal" contact with buyers and prospective buyers, than other types of items. If my buyers (or prospective buyers asking me questions about something I have listed) have used MANNERS in their contact with me, it inspires me to go the EXTRA MILE for them. For my buyers with MANNERS, I offer to personalize something free of charge, in appreciation of their business. Or, I'll often gift wrap their purchased items in pretty paper and ribbon, to make them more FUN to open. Or, I include extra little gifts that they weren't expecting. Or ... sometimes I make a "special" (unplanned) trip to the Post Office, for a customer with MANNERS, even though they weren't expecting me to ship their parcel, for another day or two.  

If you're an ebay SELLER, and someone contacts you about something you're selling, (through "ask seller a question" on an ebay listing), it's GOOD MANNERS to answer them back in a timely fashion. Yes, we all have to take into consideration the different time zones ... but to NOT answer within 24 hours, isn't acceptable to the majority of buyers. The potential buyer will shop somewhere else and most likely, avoid dealing with you in the future. Competition is stiff out here and if you snooze, you'll lose!

MANNERS MAKE $$$ on eBay! 

On the other side of the coin, if you're the potential BUYER and you are asking a SELLER a question, it doesn't take too many key strokes to start your message with a "Hi" and end it with a "Thank You". It's GOOD MANNERS! As a seller, it doesn't give me warm and fuzzy feelings to take my time in answering a question, when I get a message ... in CAPS... that says ... HOW LONG'S THE STRAP ON THIS??? .. no "hi"... no "please" ... and no ... "thank you". Did the word "PLEASE" get dropped from the dictionary, when the word "BLING" was recently added? Maybe so. Have you ever contacted an ebay SELLER to ask them about something, and NOT received an answer at all? Did you use GOOD MANNERS? Or, if you DID receive an answer from the SELLER, and in a timely fashion, did you send off a quick "thanks"...for their time and trouble? It only takes another 8 key strokes to say "thank you", regardless if you bid on the item or not. When I receive a message from an eBayer with MANNERS, it makes me WANT to accomodate them, and give them the BEST SERVICE I CAN!

MANNERS CREATE ACCOMODATING SELLERS AND ENCOURAGES THEM to send you FREE GIFTS!

If you're an ebay SELLER, do you THANK YOUR BUYERS for their payments and provide them with the EXACT shipping date, in a TIMELY fashion? I've had SELLERS who don't acknowledge my Paypal payments for two or three days, and even longer. I'm left wondering if they got my payment and WHEN are they shipping my item? . It's NOT the responsibility of a BUYER to write MULTIPLE EMAILS to the SELLER, to find out what's going on. If you're going to be an eBay SELLER, you have to be conscientious, and have GOOD MANNERS!

If you're an eBay BUYER, who's unable to pay for an item you've won (within the seller's expected payment requirements),  you need to CONTACT THE SELLER and let him/her know what's going on.  Most SELLERS are willing to work with buyers, "if" ....  they're informed of the buyers intentions.  If unexpected circumstances come up then you need to "promptly" let the other party know.  COMMUNICATION is essential on eBay!    

GOOD MANNERS ARE UNIVERSAL!

We're of many races, religions, ages, and beliefs, and we're from all over the world... but ... we're ALL HUMAN and deserving of common kindness and respect, from others. Have computers and the internet made us forget (as we sit here in our night clothes, or less ...in the comfort of our own homes) that these keyboards we type on, are not JUST machines? All those keys we push, reach a REAL person, after we hit the SEND button.  A REAL person who wants to be treated the way each of US want to be treated.

Hopefully, all who have read this, might be a little more consciencious about using GOOD MANNERS before they hit the SEND button next time!

GOOD MANNERS result in GOOD FEELINGS and GREAT eBAY TRANSACTIONS!