Selling over the Christmas period

[honeymonster007]

Hi all, I just wondered what others prefer to do over Christmas time. I normally only have a few items listed but want to try and avoid problems with the post and buyers not receiving their items ect, or is that worrying to much?

Have been thinking about closing up around the 30th of this month and coming back around mid Jan but can't decide the best way to go about it. Just put the listings in time away until January or just end them all and start listing again next year.

What do you guys normally like to do, carry on as normal or have a break for a while.

[gjalp]

I use time away but allow sales. I set it so my return is 3rd Jan to try an avoid any mail back logs. Usually turns out fine.

[department28]

I'm on time away at the moment, due to the recent increase in the BPF. I have pretty much run out of steam for amending & checking listings, which seems to be all I have done since the introduction of the BPF & Simple Delivery... 😩

As I wouldn't expect to sell a lot between now & Christmas, I may stay away until New Year. Like yourself, I'm thinking this would avoid any hassle with postal delays - and it would be nice to start the New Year without the worry of a buyer piping up with... 'I don't like it. I've changed my mind. It doesn't fit my Mother, It's the wrong colour. I've found a cheaper one' etc etc... 🙄

[neovass0]

Yes, I have done the same over the last couple of years. I didn't when I first started selling, but from past experience, some buyers, to put it politely, get silly over the Christmas period, with completely unrealistic delivery time expectations. Even time away isn't completely foolproof, as some people somehow miss the 'time away' banner on the page.  Last year I had someone purchase on the 25th December and when their item wasn't dispatched by the 27th December, somehow managed to send me four messages over the course of the day, each getting more aggressive as he worked himself into a frenzy and saying I was a disgrace. Also threatened to open an ebay case against me, even though I didn't need to dispatch for a further ten days, lol. ( I cancelled and blocked them). Like I said, people get silly. Best to wait for January to come round.

[nigel_paul_wright7557]

Christmas is my busiest time so its important for me to build up stock.

I have to make the items myself and they take an hour or so to build.

Just after Christmas is often busy too.

Most buyers are patient for the posts.

Some get in touch but I just ask them to give it another day or two.

[ascotscalemodels]

I remain open throughout the year,the only time I close the shop is when I go away.

[vinylscot]

I won't list anything new after about the 10th of December, but I'll leave my existing listings running, and I will point out to any buyers after about the 16th, that they might not receive their item before Christmas.

The vast majority of buyers are OK with that, and are reasonable, sensible people, but I'm quite happy for them to cancel if they want.

eBay will also probably introduce some leeway for late deliveries and resultant negative feedback, so I'm not particularly worried. December is not usually a great month for my sales, but I can't really afford to go two or three weeks without any.

I can see there might be problems for private sellers, like the OP, as this will be the first Christmas with Simple Delivery, which does tend to push buyers towards the cheapest (and therefore slowest) delivery method.

[honeymonster007]

Thanks for the reply's 👍, imagine for the most part it will be fine over Christmas, but have decided to have a break from the 8th until the new year just to avoid any stress, and in the mean time get some drafts ready for a fresh start.

Can't believe how quick this year has gone! Its been interesting on here though with all the different characters, and learnt quite a bit.

This time next year...👍