AD: Ebay and Justbeads auctions

Helen Page wrote in message ...
E J Ralph wrote:

Ah - now that one I didn't know. Less - fewer.

So am I understanding right that you can say "I have 3 beads less than
you" but if you dont know how many beads it would be "I have fewer
beads than you" but never "I have 3 beads fewer than you? or "I have
less beads than you?"

You have less of an amount of something, and fewer of a number of items.
i.e. less wire or thread, but fewer beads or clasps.

I'm rather picky about use of the English language, thanks to my mum,
and I can't believe the mistakes made by some of my classmates in school
and college - there/their/they're, your/you're, our/are, etc, etc. By
the way, I remember bought/brought by thinking: Bought = Buy, BRought =
BRing.


Oh dear, Helen, have I scarred you for life?? ;-)

The one I detest is "I could have went" instead of "I could have gone." Grates
on my ears.

There used to be a TV commercial, I think it was for a handcream called
Porcelana, which was supposed to fade age spots. The final line was "and it
creams your hands beautiful besides." I felt like writing to the company every
time I heard it.
Patti

There used to be a lampworker here who always complained about her beads not
selling, and selling below what she expected. It really drove customers
away. It felt like a criticism of potential customers, which alienates
people.

I agree. She did that to distraction. (And failed to realize she needed to
clean up her beadmaking technique, which is another issue entirely)
~~
Sooz
The things that will destroy us a politics without principle; pleasure
without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business
without morality; science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice. - M.
Ghandi

And this was after you bought her beads? Unbelievable. How rude.

No kidding.
Customer service at its finest.

No kidding. And how did she know you aren't a longtime gallery owner? Or
someone else who's in a position to not only know these things -- but to help a
career? What a maroon.
~~
Sooz
The things that will destroy us a politics without principle; pleasure
without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business
without morality; science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice. - M.
Ghandi

The one that gets me is "I" instead of "me". As in, "He brought it over to
show Ginger and I how it works". People who do this know better than to say
"He brought it over to show I".

Yes! Yes! HAW Kevin and I were just discussing this grammar gaffe yesterday,
and how it drives us batty.
~~
Sooz
The things that will destroy us a politics without principle; pleasure
without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business
without morality; science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice. - M.
Ghandi

Yeah, it's bad enough just sorting artist work from mass produced stuff. In
that new clay, etc category, it also is often hard to tell from the pictures
and title whether something PC or another "clay".

Tina


"E J Ralph" wrote in message
...
It is quite annoying - there used to be a section just for polyclay
but now we have to list in a more general category.
Jewelry & Watches Loose Beads Ceramic, Clay, Porcelain

Which is a bit of a catch-all category.

Emma


On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 18:13:57 -0900, "Christina Peterson"
wrote:

I do think Just Beads is still the best place to sell PC. It's so hard
to
find PC on eBay. Or else I'm searching wrong.

Tina

Sadly, I have seen this with several people in a number of places.
A positive attitude about your products is a really helpful thing to have,
but it has to go along with decent workmanship (workwomanship!). If you're
confident about your work, and you love what you're doing, I would humbly
suggest avoiding complaining about or even mentioning low sales if you can.
If ebay isn't doing so hot one week, suggest to your buyers that your beads
are going for really great, low prices and now is the time to get a good
deal. Never suggest that you are frustrated or discouraged with sales or
prices in public. Call a friend and commiserate if you feel the need, but
saying that stuff in public will only have a negative effect on your sales.
And the sales you do get might be sympathy sales, and that's not the kind
you really want. I'm not trying to be harsh - I'm only letting people know
that this is an important business tip. Even Donald Trump says that
maintaining a positive attitude is essential to business success.

This isn't to say that I was turned off by the original poster's justbeads
auction - I wasn't. Expressing one's feelings in art is important. Just
try to keep the description upbeat if possible.
I thought that heart was really cool-looking!

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net


There used to be a lampworker here who always complained about her beads
not
selling, and selling below what she expected. It really drove customers
away. It felt like a criticism of potential customers, which alienates
people.

There was a good reason that the beads didn't command high prices.
They weren't very good beads. I bought some, and they were
improperly annealed, if they were annealed at all (they broke when I
looked at them), and the designs were nothing special.

The person said she had been lampworking for years, but the beads
never showed change or improvement. I never saw any experiments with
color, shape or technique. Even the basic stuff I look for (clean of
bead release, smooth ends) wasn't there.

Sadly, the person I'm thinking of wasn't one to listen to suggestions
that might improve her work, which definitely would have improved her
sales. It was always someone else's fault: the auction site, other
beadmakers, the customers, anyone and everyone except herself.

The design of a web page or the convenience of a web site can
defintitely affect sales, but for me it always comes down to the same
thing: the beads. If they're beautiful beads, I'll buy them. I buy
lots from beginning beadmakers that show promise, and encourage them
to keep experimenting. I offer suggestions that would help them
increase their prices, because I want them to stay in business.

This week, while wasting time on eBay, I came across an obscenely
large set of nice looking lampworked beads with no bids on it. There
was no information on the listing that said how the beads were made
or if they were annealed. It had only a few moments before the
auction ended, so I decided to gamble the $12 and bid. Later, when I
paid the lampworker, I suggested that she put a note in her auctions
saying that her beads are annealed, as that would attract the more
savvy bead buyers.

I got a snarky note in response, essentially it said "Do you want me
to spend my time making beads or typing up auctions?"

Okay. That particular lampworker can now bite me - I won't buy from
her again. I was polite and held up my end of the deal, and I get
snapped at in return? No thank you. Happily, most of the people I
write to are glad for the feedback (especially something simple like
adding a line to a description), and I notice that their prices and
bids increase nicely.

Kathy N-V

I agree - I think PC get's more visibility on Justbeads.

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net

I do think Just Beads is still the best place to sell PC. It's so hard to
find PC on eBay. Or else I'm searching wrong.

Tina


Oh ok
I can see then why you might be sensitized to things like that if you
have had bad experiences before with that lampworker. Last thing I
wanted to do was to stir up any hurt or upset the group has been
through.

However, I am not her. I was not being serious and I don't do things
like that habitually. I had a good response to my auction from other
clay artists and many of my regular customers saying thanks for the
giggle - which is good, because that was the spirit in which it was
meant. I take great care to let my customers know that I appreciate
them very much. Many of them have become good friends over the time
too. Which I love.

You are absolutely right in what you say and it was a really valid
point you made. Just because some folks found my auction write-up
funny, there are sure to be other's that don't. And by its nature, the
ones that don't are less likely to speak up. Doing something like
that is a bit of a gamble, for sure. And, - yes I did ask myself the
question you posed me, but decided it was a gamble I was prepared to
take. Can't play it safe all the time. I am me, with my good points
and my bad points and my strange sense of humour and I make no
apologies for that when I mean no offence. I feel that overall it is
more insulting to the customer to grovel to them, trying to be all
things to all people all the time and terrified of accidently
offending anyone just in the hope of securing another bid or two. I
would prefer to see the item selling a buck or two cheaper every time
than do that.

Emma




On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 10:55:42 -0900, "Christina Peterson"
wrote:

There used to be a lampworker here who always complained about her beads
not
selling, and selling below what she expected. It really drove customers
away. It felt like a criticism of potential customers, which alienates
people.

Tina

Yes. Even though some of us suggested rather nicely and generally some ways
to improve sales and bead quality. She didn't "get it".
Funny how most of us know who we are talking about without naming names.
--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net

There used to be a lampworker here who always complained about her beads
not
selling, and selling below what she expected. It really drove customers
away. It felt like a criticism of potential customers, which alienates
people.

I agree. She did that to distraction. (And failed to realize she needed
to
clean up her beadmaking technique, which is another issue entirely)
~~
Sooz
The things that will destroy us a politics without principle; pleasure
without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character;
business
without morality; science without humanity, and worship without
sacrifice. - M.
Ghandi

Kandice wrote:

Yes. Even though some of us suggested rather nicely and generally some
ways
to improve sales and bead quality. She didn't "get it".
Funny how most of us know who we are talking about without naming names.


*sniff* Not me, I'm too new to the group. I guess I will have to Google,
but I'm stumped for keywords.

;-D

-Su