Dear Joe,
I received your money order yesterday and therefore mailed your package this morning. Your tracking # is 123456789 and you can follow its progress at post office dot com.
It has been a real pleasure doing business with you. I am sending some positive feedback for you and would appreciate you doing the same for me. Please let me know when your package arrives.
Thanks for a successful and happy transaction.What have you accomplished with this short message?
1) You have impressed Joe with your efficiency! “Wow! She got my money on Tuesday and mailed my product on Wednesday! I like doing business with this lady.”
2) By sending the tracking number, you have accomplished two things. First, Joe knows that you have told the truth and really sent his widget. Secondly, you have put the responsibility on his shoulders. He can track his own package, thus freeing up your precious time.
3) You have provided a third opportunity to get valuable feedback for yourself. The first time you sent your initial, congratulatory message. The second time you included it with your package insert. And now for the third time you have it in your confirmation e-mail. (If your buyer is a royal pain and the entire transaction has driven you to the neighborhood bar, forego this section.)
4) Do you really need the buyers to confirm the arrival of their package? No because you will surely hear from them if it doesn’t arrive! And with a tracking number you can follow the progress yourself. The confirmation gives you an excuse for further contact.
Some people think that this constant harping on follow-up and good customer service is overkill. Maybe you sold a $10 item. As long as you don’t get negative feedback, it doesn’t matter if the exchange is sloppy. However, for longterm success, attention to detail is important.
Some sellers want to make money on shipping. But be aware that most buyers resent paying more than actual shipping charges and experienced ones may avoid your auctions altogether if your costs aren’t reasonable.
Unfortunately, there is always a tiny minority of people who are dishonest. If you know how, it isn’t hard to protect yourself from these sleazy people. Ready to find out how? Let’s go...