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What happened to panamabob on ebay?

Panamabob

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,012
Location
Fort Wayne, Indiana
What happens in our world is that hats take longer than expected due to market price, customs, slow mail, or lots of orders at once. From my experiences on ebay, I've found many of the people to be less than patient in waiting for their hats. They email and I tell them that honestly I don't know what is taking so long on their hats since I'm not in Ecuador anymore and I don't have constant contact with Ecuador. They don't like to hear that, so they start doing these searches to see who else has won a hat and then they start PMing and emailing each other. In time, I get about 30-40 emails (yes, we get that far behind sometimes) demanding a hat by such and such date or they'll tell ebay. Usually, I tell them to do as they see fit, but when they get their hat in and see the quality vs. the price they've paid, they'll feel guilty.

The skinny: Ebay seems to have had too many of these people complain on me, therefore calling me a sham, a charlatan, a thief, or whatever else comes in my emaiil today so they've closed my auction priveleges. The official reason is that I won't guarantee that I can deliver all goods in a timely manner. The real reason: impatient ebayers who pay a pittance for a tremendous hat.

They tell me to carry a large stock. I counter with the thought that that would raise the prices up considerably.

Since I can't sell on ebay anymore, I am slowly teaching my wife what to do.

She has a couple of hats up as ????????. Did you hear that ebay, my wife is selling the hats, not me!
 

Fedora

Vendor
Messages
828
Location
Mississippi
They tell me to carry a large stock. I counter with the thought that that would raise the prices up considerably.


Bob, you and I are in the same boat. I can sell my pure beaver hats at a lower price because I do not have to tie up monies in inventory. If I had to do like Optimo and order my years supply of bodies at once, and then let them sit until I sold them, my prices would have to be up there with theirs. It falls under return on investment. I have never tried to sell any of my hats on ebay, mostly because, I have a full plate without using them. I can see how ebay customers could be a pain in the.........well, how about rump? :icon_smil Fedora
 

scotrace

Head Bartender
Staff member
Messages
14,378
Location
Small Town Ohio, USA
Maybe?

Send whiners from Mrs. Bob's auctions here, and we'll reassure them. There are plenty of people here to say "keep your shirt on; you're getting a heck of a deal."

It's WELL worth the wait.

You and I have corresponded about a new hat and I fully expect to probably not have it for summer '06 due to current situations. I'll wait.
 

Kent Allard

New in Town
Messages
49
binkmeisterRick said:
Why can't folks learn that good things are worth the wait? :rage:

bink

I just won one of their auctions today and sent my payment three minutes after I received the e-mail stating that I won. I'll be patient for the hat but was impatient with myself to get everything underway and paid for. I've never owned a Panama before and am incredibly excited to get my hands on it now.
 

Richard

Familiar Face
Messages
72
a suggestion

the story panamabob is telling here is a good story and I think if it were stated upfront in the ad, that people would be more patient. the idea is to lower expectations right from the start. there are 90 days to give feedback, so as long as they get it within say 60-75 days, they can still leave neg feedback. it hink you can sell the hats with the long lead time but need to make sure everyone knowws why it's taking so long and why that delay translates directly intoa better deal. sellt he steak, not the sizzle,a s it were, in this case...
 

Andykev

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
4,118
Location
The Beautiful Diablo Valley
Be more blunt

Panamabob said:
What happens in our world is that hats take longer than expected due to market price, customs, slow mail, or lots of orders at once. From my experiences on ebay, I've found many of the people to be less than patient in waiting for their hats. They email and I tell them that honestly I don't know what is taking so long on their hats since I'm not in Ecuador anymore and I don't have constant contact with Ecuador.

I would notify Ebay and then post same in the listings:

CUSTOM MADE HATS FOR YOUR SIZE TO YOUR SPECIFICATIONA DELIVERY IN 4 tO 6 WEEKS.

These hats are CUSTOM MADE to your order at the BEST PRICE. SO you will HAVE TO BE PATIENT. I GURANTEE delivery and SATISFACTON.

Note: If you need this hat YESTERDAY, look elsewhere.
 

PrettySquareGal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,002
Location
New England
ebay policy

Hi- By no means am I taking sides, but I do want to point out ebay's policy:

Pre-Sale Listings


Pre-sale listings are those that describe items for sale that are not in the control or possession of the seller at the time of the listing. These listings generally consist of items that are sold in advance of a delivery date to the public.

eBay permits Pre-sale listings only on a limited basis. The seller must guarantee that the item will be available for shipping within 30 days from the date of purchase (i.e., the day the listing ends or the date the item is purchased from a store front listing). The seller must also clearly indicate within the listing the fact that the item is a pre-sale item with a delivery date that indicates the item will be shipped by the 30th day from the end date of the listing. Additionally, this text must be no less than the default font size of the eBay Sell-Your-Item form. Currently, the default font size is HTML font size 3.

Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:

Listing cancellation

Limits on account privileges

Account suspension

Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings

Loss of PowerSeller status

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/pre-sale.html
 

matei

One Too Many
Messages
1,015
Location
England
Fedora said:
Bob, you and I are in the same boat. I can sell my pure beaver hats at a lower price because I do not have to tie up monies in inventory.

Very interesting. This business model is the secret to a large part of Dell's (the computer manufacturer) success. No inventory, no dead stock tying up their money. With this saving they can offer a lower price than their competitors. Granted, it is a wee bit more complicated than that, but you're on to something.

Hmmm - perhaps you guys will usher in a new era of hat-wearing, based on the no inventory model! Fedoras will become as popular as Dell pcs!

;)
 

Michaelson

One Too Many
Messages
1,840
Location
Tennessee
It's called 'Just In Time' inventory control, and has been taught in academia and used in industry since the mid 1960's.

Regards! Michaelson
 
Michaelson said:
It's called 'Just In Time' inventory control, and has been taught in academia and used in industry since the mid 1960's.

Regards! Michaelson

Yep, JIT has been around a long time now. It frees up capital for investment or research and development. The problem is when your supplier hits a snag in their supply network as well. It doesn't happen very often but it can. I have experienced that here as well. :eek: :confused:

Regards,

J
 

Michaelson

One Too Many
Messages
1,840
Location
Tennessee
Close to home, JIT has sure has put the hurts on the Saturn plant in Spring Hill, TN in recent years. They keep only 1 week of parts stock on hand, and when a supply line 'hickups', the entire plant comes to a screeching halt!:confused:

Regards! michaelson
 

Andykev

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
4,118
Location
The Beautiful Diablo Valley
Interesting policy

I had no idea that Ebay had that policy. I guess it is good, and protects the buyer. Maybe there is some work around? Anyway, I have not been disappointed with any hat bodies coming from PB.
 

Panamabob

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,012
Location
Fort Wayne, Indiana
The more I think about it, and the more the emails pile up calling me every vile name in the book, I think that this is the last batch of ebay and discount hats I'll sell out at the lower prices. I'll get some stock up and list them at what I need to get out of them.
 

shoeshineboy

Practically Family
Messages
500
Location
s/e missouri
Bob,

It will be alright. Things will work out just fine for you. You and I just have too many irons in the fire and both ends are too hot to handle.

Just take one step at a time.

Mark the shoehsine boy
 

Aerol

A-List Customer
Messages
303
Location
Chicago, IL
Big print

As they say, "The big print giveth and the small print taketh away." Sounds like you didn't read the small print.

No need to get angry; just consider it a learning experience.
 

Aaron Hats

Vendor
Messages
539
Location
Does it matter?
Bob, Why don't you go into the wholesale business? For the same amount of time and effort you could sell a dozen hats instead of one. Most people are wholesaling the Cuenca and Brisa but not Montechristi's.
 

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