Selling Curriculum etiquette question...

[Ruthie]

Hi Everyone,

With 8 yrs of hsing done, I'm beginning to sell stuff more and I have a question about protocol.

 

If I'm selling an item and someone emails and says she wants to buy, she has a question.

 

Then I answer her question right away (cause I check my email frequently).

 

Then I receive another request from someone else and this person pays, but I haven't heard back from the first person.

 

Is it alright to sell to whoever pays first?

 

In this scenario, I didn't hear from the first woman for 4 days after the email. She did say she wanted to buy the items but had to check with her dh first. But a second woman emails, is it still available, and sende me money. I want to sell my stuff and there is no guarantee woman #1 will actually follow thru KWIM? Am I wrong?

 

Ruthie

[jubilee]

I would add this info to your FS post:

 

example: Items will be sold to the first buyer who pays for item(s)

 

or something along those lines. As long as potential buyers are aware of your "policy" up front I see no harm in that.

 

hth,

[SilverMoon]

After not hearing back for four days I'd have no problem selling to the second request. :)

 

I generally give buyers one full day to not respond, then I ask them if they're still interested. If that goes unanswered for another day I go to the next person in line.

Edited March 10, 2009 by SilverMoon

[MIch elle]

Yes, you are correct in not waiting. I would email the original requester and tell them they have 24 hrs to get back to you or it's sold to someone else.

 

I've sold over $1000 worth of books/curricula in the last couple of months and it's not easy sometimes! :tongue_smilie:

[lionfamily1999]

Yes, you are correct in not waiting. I would email the original requester and tell them they have 24 hrs to get back to you or it's sold to someone else.

 

I've sold over $1000 worth of books/curricula in the last couple of months and it's not easy sometimes! :tongue_smilie:

I think a warning would be good. Not just in your post, but once you email back and forth. In your first email, let them know that you are not holding the item for them. First to pay will get it, even though you are answering questions.

[KatieJ]

I have sold several thousand worth of curriculum over the years. You have to be upfront with your policies, but yes, absolutely do not sit around and wait for someone to get back to you.

 

I would usually say, you have 24 hours to get back to me or I move on to the next buyer. I would answer all inquiries about the item, but would not sell it to the next person in line until the 24 hours were up.

 

I would then tell the next buyer/inquiry, that I have others interested and but they are 2nd, 3rd, whatever in line. I would tell them I save all emails until the sale is final incase something falls thru. I also state in my ad that I answer all emails promptly, and I then I did just that! I also tried to limit the amount of items for sale at any one time so I could keep on top of it all.

 

You also need to state how fast you expect payment to be made...tell them it must be received with in one week. If it;s not received, send them an email and say you are moving on to the next buyer.

 

Communication is key.

[klmama]

I think it's fine to sell to whomever pays you first. Four days is a long time. Next time, ask for a decision within 24 hours when you respond to the query.

 

However, it sounded like the 2nd lady asked if you had it and sent you money at the same time. Is that right? If you are selling on homeschoolclassifieds.com, you can list your paypal acct., but you don't have to. You could just list in your personal info that you accept paypal, but not to send money until you verify that the item is still available. That way, if you already sold it, but didn't get back to update your ad, no one is likely to send you money that you have to return (and they can't complain to paypal about you, either).

[G5052]

I give them 48 hours after my "it's yours!" email to pay, then I go to the next person who expressed serious interest. If someone asks a question, I answer but if it's a popular item, I tell them that I'll reserve it for 48 hours to the first person who definitely wants it. If it's something that's hard to sell or that I've had for sale for awhile, then I'm a little looser on all of that. I actually prefer http://www.homeschoolclassifieds.com for most things because you don't have to keep bumping it and it's easier to update your list if you're going to be selling for months at a time. I sell year-round, so the less bother, the better.

 

When I used to do "first payer gets it," I sometimes had multiple people pay before I could close things out. Then I had to email and refund, and it was too much to mess with. With your current situation, I'd politely email the person who asked the question and let them know that it's already been spoken for and paid for. Then I'd be explicit in your listings.

 

YMMV....

Edited March 10, 2009 by GVA

[Gwen in TX]

To be truthful, I skip all the "I want to buy that, but I have a question" posts. I look through all the posts I receive and pick the one who says, "I am buying. Here is my address. Send me your Paypal account number and I will pay." That is the person I deal with first.

 

I have had people say, "I want to buy that. What do you use it for?" and "I want to buy that. What ages is it for?" (This person doesn't know what it is; why does she want to buy it? This is very unlikely to be a completed sale).

 

In one of my first sales, I had one person say, "I want to buy that. Could you be more specific about what condition it is in?" I had been specific in the ad, but I posted a little more info. She asked a follow-up question about the condition. I posted more info. The only thing "wrong" with the book was a bit of "sticky" remainder where a price tag had been removed from the back of the book. She declined, saying her daughter was particular about the condition of items. I responded that perhaps she ought not to find her books on a resale site. This was about a week long process. So, I now skip all these emails, and go to the first person who really looks serious.

[Samiam]

Although you didn't necessarily have to wait for the 1st person, I think it was pretty bravado of the 2nd person to pay without confirmation that the item was still available.

 

To me, if you told the 1st person that you would wait for her to discuss with DH, the right thing to do was to contact her again to see what her decision was, give her 24 hours to respond and then proceed.

 

This could be a real can of worms to let people pay who have not even confirmed the item was theirs to pay for. What if 1st person comes back and says yeah, DH said I could buy it. It makes you look like a bad guy, and frankly, not the position I would want to be in, especially since I am often a buyer myself. I know it's all online, so you don't really know these people, but it's just bad karma.

[Miss Marple]

Same policy here. Some people will work you to death over a $3 book.

[Tree House Academy]

I typically don't let someone send the money until we have agreed that they are the buyer. That stops the problem of having money in hand and not knowing what to do. As for selling...if I have a buyer that is interested and I don't hear back in 24 hours (but have others waiting), then yes, I will give them 24 hours and sell to the first person who pays me. Now, if I have no one waiting, I just wait for the original buyer to get back to me. On "hot ticket" type items, though, it is very "first pay, get item." LOL

[LBS]

I agree with others: sending money automatically is pushy and creates a lot of work if you had an earlier response, unknown to her.

 

I agree its sticky to deal with buyers sometimes. The first person to respond, gets some consideration, but I like what two posters say they do: every response gets a note saying "I will hold this item for 24/48 hours before selling to the next person interested. Please respond with payment or payment arrangements in a timely manner, if you do want this item."

 

I totally agree that its too late to ask questions about the style or content of the curriculum, and would be tempted to move on, over those, but I prob would not, I'd give that person one waiting period. Questions about the inclusion of all the parts, or exact condition are the most valid in my opinion. I have received some used stuff, that really was not as good as listed. I have had every seller be honest about the actual condition, when I questioned more closely. The person who said she didn't want the item because of a small sticky spot, obviously was trying to hold up the seller while she decided....and if her child was that picky (I am) has never heard of Goo Gone? Geez.

 

Good thread, good issues to discuss.

LBS

[OnTheBrink]

Yes, you are correct in not waiting. I would email the original requester and tell them they have 24 hrs to get back to you or it's sold to someone else.

 

I've sold over $1000 worth of books/curricula in the last couple of months and it's not easy sometimes! :tongue_smilie:

 

And, if you do give them 24 hours, don't sell it out from under them an hour after giving them the 24 hours!

[WiseOwlKnits]

To be truthful, I skip all the "I want to buy that, but I have a question" posts. I look through all the posts I receive and pick the one who says, "I am buying. Here is my address. Send me your Paypal account number and I will pay." That is the person I deal with first.

 

I have had people say, "I want to buy that. What do you use it for?" and "I want to buy that. What ages is it for?" (This person doesn't know what it is; why does she want to buy it? This is very unlikely to be a completed sale).

 

In one of my first sales, I had one person say, "I want to buy that. Could you be more specific about what condition it is in?" I had been specific in the ad, but I posted a little more info. She asked a follow-up question about the condition. I posted more info. The only thing "wrong" with the book was a bit of "sticky" remainder where a price tag had been removed from the back of the book. She declined, saying her daughter was particular about the condition of items. I responded that perhaps she ought not to find her books on a resale site. This was about a week long process. So, I now skip all these emails, and go to the first person who really looks serious.

 

:iagree:

 

I do the same thing.

[KidsHappen]

I also have a question. We listed some stuff on homeschoolclassifieds but there was a limit to how many items we could list at one time and it was fairly low, five maybe. Is there some way to list more?

[Heather in Neverland]

To be truthful, I skip all the "I want to buy that, but I have a question" posts. I look through all the posts I receive and pick the one who says, "I am buying. Here is my address. Send me your Paypal account number and I will pay." That is the person I deal with first.

 

I have had people say, "I want to buy that. What do you use it for?" and "I want to buy that. What ages is it for?" (This person doesn't know what it is; why does she want to buy it? This is very unlikely to be a completed sale).

 

In one of my first sales, I had one person say, "I want to buy that. Could you be more specific about what condition it is in?" I had been specific in the ad, but I posted a little more info. She asked a follow-up question about the condition. I posted more info. The only thing "wrong" with the book was a bit of "sticky" remainder where a price tag had been removed from the back of the book. She declined, saying her daughter was particular about the condition of items. I responded that perhaps she ought not to find her books on a resale site. This was about a week long process. So, I now skip all these emails, and go to the first person who really looks serious.

 

:iagree: If someone is not really sure they want it, or they have to ask their dh first, or they want to ask a bunch of questions first, I don't consider them serious buyers and go to the person who says "I want it! What's your paypal account?"

 

I research curriculum online, look at samples, ask advice on the boards, etc. to determine if I want a certain curriculum and once I know I do, THEN I come to the boards and BUY it. I don't ask the seller a million questions and keep them hanging on especially since many sellers have MULTIPLE items for sale at one time and it can get pretty hairy trying to keep up with who "emailed you first" and who "expressed interest but needed more time" and who "wants it and is ready to pay NOW", etc.

 

I think you are perfectly within your rights to sell it.

[JFSinIL]

I have sold several thousand worth of curriculum over the years. You have to be upfront with your policies, but yes, absolutely do not sit around and wait for someone to get back to you.

 

I would usually say, you have 24 hours to get back to me or I move on to the next buyer. I would answer all inquiries about the item, but would not sell it to the next person in line until the 24 hours were up.

 

I would then tell the next buyer/inquiry, that I have others interested and but they are 2nd, 3rd, whatever in line. I would tell them I save all emails until the sale is final incase something falls thru. I also state in my ad that I answer all emails promptly, and I then I did just that! I also tried to limit the amount of items for sale at any one time so I could keep on top of it all.

 

You also need to state how fast you expect payment to be made...tell them it must be received with in one week. If it;s not received, send them an email and say you are moving on to the next buyer.

 

Communication is key.

 

Exactly. This is how I have handled it.