Sunday, October 24, 2010

Whoa!

Well I guess I am not an avid blogger... if I typed more often these posts wouldnt be so long!

Anywho... much has happened since my last post. Almost within the next day of my post.

That weekend I went to an expo in Philadelphia with the spouse. I didnt tell anyone as no one needs to know my business right? Well I had asked my 'partner' AKA my friend of over 20 years to watch my daughter cause I was going to do something and I couldn't bring her.

The drive took about 3 hours and the weather was not the greatest. The GPS we borrowed was also horrible, it kept losing the signal and seemed to have taken us the long way. In any event, I found a bunch of great new vendors. We finally arrive back in the area at around 5pm.

Upon returning we went straight to my friends house to pick up my daughter. On the way we noticed that she and her sister were driving in the opposite direction and two separate cars. We arrived at the house and no one would look at me. Her mother talked to me with her back to me. Her other friend automatically says to me 'Im neutral' and I was like OK. She told me about my daughters day and asked where my husband was. He stayed in the car while I retrieved my child, I jokingly said he doesnt want to see my friend, but came back and said hes just staying in the car. I thought something was 'off' but I couldnt tell what it was. So we went home and that was it.. or so I thought.

The next morning, I arrived at the office, as I did every day. Upon opening the door, I burst into tears. Almost all the product had been removed from the office! I couldnt talk, I was stunned and in total shock! I couldnt think straight. But i knew if I did something it may not be a good thing so I did nothing. I didnt act on my emotions, I tried to call my friend and she had no time for me. She was busy. So I asked her sister, also my friend, how no one could tell me about this. How can they just do this behind my back and say nothing to me. How can they leave me in the dark! All I got is I helped my sister and I would help you if you asked.

Devastated I still did nothing, all the while everyone is telling me to cut her off, delete her listings, change the locks... dont talk to her again.

It took some time but I found out that she got info from my daughter that I went to an event without her. She became enraged and decided to remove her product from the office. I still cant believe I did nothing. I basically told her she can come back. She slapped me in the face and I turned the other cheek. After a few weeks, she still didnt bring her products back into the office. When I finally asked about it, she said she didnt trust me. Mind you, I did nothing to her to think that way. The event we were supposed to go to together was not until the following month. So she made a choice on false information. She hurt me like you wouldnt believe and she didnt trust me? And the kicker here... that event we were supposed to go to she canceled! After all that she didnt even go to the event we were supposed to go to together!

Well I caved and I taught her how to do everything. As I kicked myself in the process I showed her everything I knew. Within two weeks I found two mistakes that were marked against me. Did I mention everything is in my name? Well I told her I dont feel comfortable that she is doing it and I would rather she didnt do it anymore. She accused me of firing her and she was done she was out! She says sorry I cant be perfect like you and called me controlling!

This time I said nothing and let her slap me again in the face, I proceeded to remove her inventory from my my ebay store and buying more products for myself. She came in and removed her inventory and left the computer. She tells me I can hold the computer for as long as I want. But she kept the keys and hasnt spoke to me since. She says she does not go out of her way to talk to people. Am I just anyone? I am supposed to be a friend of over 20 years... she said she would still be my friend no matter what,...

I think shes done with me. I cant trust her anymore. I changed the locks, got a new computer and have been doing my own thing for a few months now. I acutally am happy this way.

Its too bad that this has happened. But it goes to show you, friends shouldnt go into business together. Its been 3 months and I have not spoken to her. My so called friend has abandoned me but life will go on right!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

To merge or not to merge?

Well while ebay and Amazon have been going great, majority of the products I have listed are not technically mine. I have not had an issue with it until recently. I have sort of a partnership with my friend. Everything is technically in my name, we are actually separate business entities.

It was brought to my attention that my 'partner' feels like a renter in 'my store'. Well thats what she is.... she purchases products and thats where it ends. She has space in my store.

I list, price, photo, pack and ship, even take inventory at times. I do it all. So maybe she is a renter in my store.

Ive also gone on my own and started purchasing products on my own. Now I make money in my own store! Go figure.

Then its brought to my attention that my 'partner' feels its a 'yours' and 'mine' thing when its supposed to be a we thing! Well she buys her own things and I buy my own things so maybe it is a 'yours' and 'mine' thing.

So shes not happy and well is expressing herself vocally. So in an attempt to make the peace I say well lets find out the steps needed to become one. I make appointments, I paid for consultations and even went to 'view' possible locations. All of a sudden shes elated and Im upset.

It took me a few days and some outside sources to help me figure out what was making me upset.

I believe its because I dont want to merge and become one company, split profits 50/50 when Im doing all the work! Or at least 95% of the work.

I finally told her today that I didnt want to 'merge' our two companies and that we should leave it the way it is. She shouldnt get any profit off my sales or hard work. All she could say is why I am starting to feel this way out of the blue. She believes that its my husbands ideas but its mine.

Now I have to wait until she makes a decision to pull all her listings and go on her own, or to leave things the way they are. So I could lose have of the inventory in my ebay store.

Maybe this is a good thing.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Ebay business is great but people are crazy!

Ive been staying away from blogging, I dunno why people do it, does anyone actually read what I wrote? Does anyone care?

So I am home, bored, there is nothing to do right now. Its actually quiet.

So its 2010 - what am I doing?

Well in Janaury I finally got my business official. I sell all things I can. Ive been doing a lot of research and buying products to list in my store.

Now I am dealing with more and more crazy people on ebay. The latest: Someone purchased an item from my, which I shipped, but it was returned to me by the post office, they say it was an insufficient address. I cant make this stuff up. I emailed the buyer to tell them and they request a refund, telling me the address is correct. So I go thru the steps to issue a refund, it was less the S&H costs. S&H was paid for even it was sent back to me, I wont get that back from the post office. So I marked it in ebay as a canceled transaction. The buyer agrees with it and I get my fees back. So not even 5 minutes later I get an email from paypal, this person wants a refund. But I already issued the refund! Not the whole paid to me but the amount less S&H. So now I am waiting to see what paypal will do. Everything looks to be in my favor but we will see. This person cant leave negative because they agreed and canceled the transaction but now I have to wait for the hold to come off.

In January I got my first negative! I was shocked, Ive been on ebay since 1999! Ive always done everything correctly and never had problems. Well this person claims I sent them something that was half empty or partially used! I would never thats just not cool. Well they wanted a refund and I told them I did nothing wrong, they could not prove to me that I was in error as I asked for a picture. I even said the bottle gives an illusion there should be more, she then threatened negative feedback! Then I dont hear from them for about a week. Well I went away for the weekend only to return and see the negative on my account. This person said i was not nice and there was no customer service! I replied to all her emails and never left her hanging and never said a mean word! Whats wrong with people? So she files a claim with ebay, says I never replied to her, gave her empty product and all she wanted was a partial refund! I replied saying this was all lies, the proof was in my message section within ebay and they could find the correspondence there. Well ebay came back and found no one at fault - they refund this person all their money. Not a dime came from my account, it was ebays choice to refund! Then this person goes back onto my feedback page and writes "my feedback speaks for it self paypal refunded"! Well it sucks i cant reply there, cause well buyers cant get negatives anymore! So your feedback wouldnt show red now would it? Man I was so livid!

Well nothing I can do, the fantastic thing is that since then, all the feedback Ive gotten celebrates my service! Ive tried to appeal her negative feedback but ebay says it stays cause it does not violate policy.

So Im stuck with that negative for now.

Buyers are holding feedback hostage and its just not right. You sit on the edge of your seat waiting to see what they write.