Good online sellers are worth their weight in gold.
Good sellers on eBay, BrickLink and BrickOwl sellers are worth their weight in gold. Buying from good sellers will save you time, money, and headaches down the road. But what is a good online seller?
1. Transparent
Good sellers are transparent about fees, shipping time frames and policies. Extra fees will not “pop out” unexpectedly during the order. Buyers will also be told, within a range of a few days, when their order will be shipped.
2. Fast and professional communication
Good sellers will respond quickly, ideally within 1 business day, to questions and problems from users. All communication from good sellers will be written in a neutral or positive tone. Good sellers will never “attack” buyers or resort to name calling, regardless of the circumstances.
3. Accurate count and description
Good sellers will mail complete orders with accurate counts of all items. Some good sellers will even include bonus items in orders. Goods sellers will accurately describe items. New items will arrive in new condition. Defects or damage to items will be clearly described.
4. Generous solutions to problems
All sellers, even good ones, will need to deal with problems at some point. Some problems are caused by the seller, some by the buyer, and some by the postal service. If a piece or pieces are missing from an order, a good seller will refund more than the price of the piece. For example, if two minifig greatswords worth $0.42 are missing from the order, a good seller will refund more than just $0.42. They could refund $2 or they could refund $0.42 AND send a generous coupon for a future purchase. Either way, the buyer will will feel good about the seller’s resolution to the problem.
Extra Credit: Fast shipping with tracking
Have you ever met a buyer who complained that their item arrived too quickly? I don’t think so. Everybody loves fast shipping! Outstanding sellers will mail orders within one business day and provide a tracking number so that buyers can follow the progress of the shipment. Some international shipments may not include affordable tracking. Typically, a customs form will be scanned within the United States only. A few countries now include free tracking with USPS First Class International shipments.