Lou Mercer Words of Wisdom: seed catcher

Showing posts with label seed catcher. Show all posts

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Ah, the world of e-commerce never ceases to amaze me and keeps me very busy.

I have been selling on ebay since 2008 (?) and have maintained a 100% feedback despite myself. I sell mostly bird seed catchers which is a band that goes around the cage to deflect the seeds back into the bottom of the cage. I sew these to order in the size and color that the customer wants. If they are buying, they might as well buy something they like.

Occasionally I will exchange many emails to arrive at what I have on hand and what they want for thier home. Usually it goes something like this:
"What color do you want?"
"What color do you have?"
"What color do you want?'"
"Grey."
"Great!"
This conversation takes 1 1/2 minutes. But occasionally I get a person who is probably lonely and wants something special. This was a very interesting discourse and I am still laughing about it so thought I would share it with you. Names have been blocked to protect the sender.

Dear loumercer3,

my question is this simply: I bought one of the kind that does not have a bottom, but the seeds just fall out the bottom part so no good. It is like a see through mesh and white color. To me non mesh kind is dumb, as you cannot see the birds through them. The mesh does not get torn and is fine to me. Yes maybe not as tough, but I have had no problem and it was half the price - just no bottom part. SO, can you make me a see through mesh kind with a bottom? => I do not care if the boittom is solid material as you do not see it really. I just want the mesh kind, to be able to see the birds better. Others that are mesh are colored, BUT the sheer white looks the best (more neutral and see through) and sellls the most.. If I invented these I would make it as clear as possible, not even white. And have a bottom on them. I do not understand why I see none on the whole eBay like that. So le me know if you can make me this and is it extra cost? I need this size. Thank you, William

I replied:

Dear bazmart,

I do not sew net, mesh or chiffon which is what you are describing. First it is very hard to sew, does not hold up well and I worry about tiny toenails getting hung up in the net. Sorry.

Loumercer3.

He sent the same email

Dear loumercer3,

Once more: my question is this simply: I bought one of the kind that does not have a bottom, but the seeds just fall out the bottom part so no good. It is like a see through mesh and white color. To me non mesh kind is dumb, as you cannot see the birds through them. The mesh does not get torn and is fine to me. Yes maybe not as tough, but I have had no problem and it was half the price - just no bottom part. SO, can you make me a see through mesh kind with a bottom? => I do not care if the boittom is solid material as you do not see it really. I just want the mesh kind, to be able to see the birds better. Others that are mesh are colored, BUT the sheer white looks the best (more neutral and see through) and sellls the most.. If I invented these I would make it as clear as possible, not even white. And have a bottom on them. I do not understand why I see none on the whole eBay like that. So le me know if you can make me this and is it extra cost? I need this size. Thank you, William

And I replied.

Dear bazrmart,

I am sorry, but this is the issue...I will not under any conditions for any price sew a mesh seed catcher either with or without a bottom.

Lou Mercer

And he replied:

Dear loumercer3,

ok thanx for reply. Here is the deal. Only you and 1 other seller make these in bigger size and they said (nicely I may add) that they could not also. My wife has an older singer sewing machine left to her by her mother. She got if fixed for $100 (it is the real good kind everyone wants that is like one of the best old kind). BUT, she won't do it as too lazy (poor me). SO, I will just sew a bottom on it by hand myself. And I think I may find a way to have them made myself (plenty of Guatamalen people in Florida who will work cheap. And be your competitor on eBay (no I am not kidding). Again, you can see the birds through them, so I will bet people will buy them way more than the others. Like I say, the white mesh looks the most see thru more than the color ones, and it sells the most by far. So if I make it even more see thru and add a bottom I will take a good market share. Have a nicer day!

And I replied:

Dear bazrmart,

I wish you much luck in your endeavor. I am 73 years old and would like nothing better than to retire and move up in the mountains away from wifi and all its's entanglements. Too bad your wife is lazy, but like you said, lots of cheap labor around. I think I will raise my prices and help you out.

Lou

So there you have it. I may have been a bit strong in my reply, but such is life! As of yet, I have had no answer to the last email and if I am really lucky he is now out searching for a Guatamalen with a sewing machine who is interested in replacing his lazy wife! LOL

Sunday, May 5, 2013

And my world is once more in turmoil...or is it? Could this be a good thing?

No, I am not perfect! I thought I was and by the end of the day I may be perfect again, but last night I lay in my little bed trying to rationalize myself to sleep. I marched through 6 husband much like William Tecumseh Sherman marched through Atlanta on his way to the sea during the latter part of the Civil War and never dreamed any of it was my fault. I came through all those years, while not unscathed, my head was still held high. Today I am humbled, bloodied, and bowed. This is the reason:

Member id loumercer3 ( 1388

)

Top Rated: Seller with highest buyer ratings

Click for help

BubbleHelp Opens Start of layer BubbleHelp End of layer

Start of Layer

The positive Feedback percentage is calculated based on the total number of positive and negative Feedback ratings for transactions that ended in the last 12 months, excluding repeat Feedback from the same member for purchases done within the same calendar week (eBay time).

Note: This could mean that the number of ratings used for this calculation is different from the same number shown in the recent ratings table on the left.

Positives

Positives + negatives

This member's 12 month Feedback ratings

Positives: 290

Negatives: 1

This member's positive Feedback percentage

290

290 + 1

99.7%

End of Layer

Positive Feedback (last 12 months): 99.7%
[How is Feedback percentage calculated?]

Member since: Feb-06-06 in United State

Recent Feedback ratings (last 12 months)

	1 month	6 months	12 months

Positive	35	205	326
Neutral	0	0	0
Negative	1	1	1

I have been operating on ebay since February 06, 2006. In all those years I have maintained 100% both as a buyer and a seller. Just check around and you will find that few people have managed that along with a Power Seller button and a Bronze rating. Ebay is a cold, hard business with a lot of rules. I have managed to stay on the good side of the powers that be for over 7 years.
Needless to say when I checked my feedback yesterday I was astounded to find a red negative on a $12.00 item.

Let me explain further what feedback does. 100% ties in to give me the power seller button and the bronze rating. The best part about the bronze rating is the discount on my monthly bill to ebay. Ah! Now we come to the real nitty gritty of the business. I pay for all my privilege's and the bronze rating reduces that bill by a percent that is tied to the feedback. Now, I talk to people who do not give feedback or just click neutral. Neutral is also bad, but does not actually count. When I buy on ebay I will check a seller's rating. If it is not over 99.5% I will find a seller that is. Feedback is my bread and butter.

So I contacted this lady and asked her what I had done to displease her. Her verbal feedback was good, so I thought she may have just hit the wrong button. I was right. She did say she would get on later and try to fix that. If not the red negative will march across my dashboard for all the world to see for a full year. But the damage has already been done to my little psychic. My potential customers will see it and may choose another seller. But all the "could'a, should'a, would'a," can not undo what is now planted in my little mind.
Perhaps I was not the perfect wife after all! Maybe if I had the grit and determination during the marriages as I do with my little ebay business, I would now be a widow to my first husband, or the second, or the third......you get the picture. But I wasn't and that brings to mind another old saying, "That is water under the bridge." Yep! Lot of water under the bridge and it looks like storm clouds gathering out west! (That is a cryptic message to my avid followers.)

So today I am off to church. I am furnishing communion today and I made fresh bread, not because I want to impress anyone, but because I was to lazy to go into town and buy it! While in the hallowed house of God, I shall bow my head and ask him to do something about this little problem. Oh, don't get me wrong, I do not think that God will reach down and change that negative to a positive, but I think he may do a little something about this haughty spirit of mine that could sure use a little humbling. As I contemplate my bucket list, that is one of the things that I want to change. That and my filing system and my will. Oh, yeah and clean the damn car.
So you all have a good day and as a biker friend tells me,

"Keep your hand on the wheel and the rubber side down. Life goes better that way!"

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Feedback is now at 100% where it has always been!

Do you know what this is? It is my feedback profile on eBay. I have been operating on eBay since Febuary of 2006. To save you doing the math, that is 6 1/2 years. Knock on wood I have never had a negative feedback. I try very hard to remain 100%, but let me tell you what happened one year ago today.
A kid in California bought a seed catcher for $12.00 with free shipping. When it came time to leave feedback he wrote "Very nice product, but a little pricey." Then he hit the Neutral button. Neutral does nothing to the feedback rating, but my heart was broken. I wrote him and explained that the shipping cost $2.50, the fabric cost $2.00, elastic, thread, vytek envelope to mail it in, final value fee to eBay, fee to paypal, wear and tear on my machine making it, gas to drive to the post office, and my time involved fairly well left me with very little if any profit. He wrote me back and apologized saying he did not understand the feedback so he just hit neutral and agreed that my price was more than reasonable. He said he tried to go back and change it but he could not.
I thanked him and have now spent exactly 365 days checking my feedback and watching the little gray button. 30 days the number 1 was under 1 month. Then it stayed under 6 months before moving to 12 months. And this morning it is gone! It marched on off the right side of the page. I feel the need to celebrate, but that will not happen. In the dog eat dog world of online sales I can not let my guard down for one moment.
I try very hard to keep my customers happy and for the most part I succeed, but there is always the little chance that the mail will not move fast enough, the seed catcher will not be the right color, or a chip will miraculously appear on a piece of pottery. I try not to do glass or anything fragile, but sometimes that is what appears on my door step.
So I would ask you when you are dealing with us sellers on eBay to be kind and think carefully about what you leave on the feedback. I know there are shyster sellers out there that will screw you over. If you have a problem, discuss it with the seller and don't just leave a bad feedback because the cat ticked you off first thing in the morning!
So bottoms up on my clear feedback. 100% and still trying! Thank you , my customers! And little guy in California, if you happen to read this, I love you and learned from you. Everyone in my life has taught me something and you taught me patience!