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Storytime BearsAmen Amelia
Bear Hugs
Jodi Moisan
Storytime BearsI just canceled an auction I had listed because there is a protest going on, it ends the 14 th or 16th I believe, they are asking everyone to send a message to ebay about the new private bidder system by not listing or buying during this time, I will go one better I will not shop there at all while the system is in place and I will only list with a BIN of 199.00 so none of my auctions will go into a private listing, my family is not dependent on my ebay sales and if this will help change this system I will do all that I can. I also plan to sign up on the bid4bears site. I am tired of shill bidders and systems that protect them.
Real Deal BearsOh Gosh, I haven't listed anything on ebay for quiet awhile, so had no idea about this shell bidding.
To me it's the same as scamming.
I was put off ebay by all the scam emails I started to recieve, so decided to have a break.
That and not being well for a good while.
Lets just hope bid4bears takes off and then we won't need all this hastle.
hmmmmm....here's a thought, is there any reason why we can't start listing on bid4bears before the power campaign? Maybe to start off list one on eBay and one on Bid 4 Bears at the same time....JUST REMEMBER NOT TO LIST THE SAME BEAR ON BOTH SITES!!! and like everyone said our contact lists will be the key to getting the customer base there....
Hugs,
Krista
Lemmon BearsGreat idea Krista! 
I'm going away for a couple weeks, but after that I planned to start listing on B4B.
There is catagories for all kind of bear related stuff too.
Joan
Storytime BearsI think the thing that appeals to me most about bid4bears is Nancy's feeling on shill bidding, after reading her posts and the fact that she is so completely against it and those that do it makes me excited about the site.
Bear Hugs
Jodi
Nancy I am really excited to work with you!
someone asked me a question and I thought I would answer it here instead , because it maybe will help someone else who has the same question:
If you think someone has shill bid, copy the info that makes you think they are, I copy EVERYTHING because the older I get the worse my memory is, print it for your records because ebay only keeps some info 30 days, once it's gone it's gone.
Storytime BearsHere is the thread to where I found the "protest"
http://forums.ebay.com/thread.jspa?foru … 2000298866
If you go to page 88 of that thread you can see the flyer with some of the information also on that page someone has copied ebays sale numbers during the protest, this is hurting ebay and I do hope they will listen because I used to love how ebay was in the beginning.
Ebay can stop second chance offers by making it impossible to contact another ebayer you have no business dealings with, they can require a credit card to anyone joining ebay as they do sellers, Remove the 2nd chance offer feature and alert their membership they have done so. These scammers will send messages saying "you have won my shirt auction" it looks all offical and you think "hey I didn't bid on a shirt" I better check it out, some people have done this and that is one way they get your password because they have a link where you "sign in" Ebay just needs to educate their membership to never connect to their site thru an email. As I stated before there is a protest going on and I am asking everyone who can, to not list anything for this week, but I know bills need to be paid, but you can, not spend your hard earned dollars there, my husband loves this kind of protest, it saves him all kinds of money. I didn't sign up for ebays new private bidder thing, ebay has taken that choice out of my hands and I think it is completely wrong.
Bear Hugs
Jodi
Update: the protest goes thru until the 28th , as I said I know some are dependent to ebay income , if you have to list, do it, but as I said you don't have to spend your money there, lets remind ebay what has made it so great.
Storytime BearsHave any of you used the postage on line thing, where you pay postage on line then print your own mailing label and send it from home? I am thinking of using it, but not sure it will be as fast.
I have a niece in florida that I sent a package to, I mailed it on tuesday morning and it was there by 5:00 wednesday. I used priority, (I am amazed at how fast the post office gets packages someplace so many states away), now if I do it from home does it take a lot longer or is it as fast? if it adds just a day, I may go for it. but if it adds a bunch of days not sure if I would like it.
If ebay would do away with the 2nd chance offer feature it would solve a lot of the problems, I have never used the 2nd chance offer thing and I have been on ebay since it began, nor would I use it if ever offered, but I have never had it offered on an auction I have bid on. I think ebay makes money from shill bidders , I don't believe they approve of them at all, but I don't see a burning motivation to stop them, I just see them putting into place a system that protects the shillers even more.
Jodi, I use the online service for Canada Post all the time and I expect UPSP is similar. The delivery time isn't any different as I can choose the delivery method I want , and I think I get a little discount to use the online service here. It is so much better than standing in line at the post office. I print out the forms, attach to the box and can either drop it in a mailbox or at the post office. It is fun walking to the front of the line and plopping the box on the counter !!! Now if I can only get Canada Post to give out free boxes like USPS...that still amazes me....they charge about $4 for 1 small box here.
I say give it try Jodi !
P.S. To keep on topic........SHILL BIDDING is wrong, no if ands or buts. I didn't know about the Ebay protest- oops.
Baird'sBears
Ditto to what Tammy said!
When we use CanadaPost online, we get a 5% discount, pay online via a credit card, and print our own shipping labels. I've got CanadaPost's postage calculator linked to each available critter on my website. So long as I've pre-entered the weight and dimensions of the package, customers can choose their own shipping method based on price and their address, and they just add that amount to the Paypal invoice.
I agree, Tammy--I wish we got free boxes & packing stuff too!!
Posts: 1,836I used the print out labels for a couple of things we sold on my account and my husbands account. It seemed great to print at home and then just put it on the counter at the post office. But then I started to add up the fees and for me it made no sense. I have 2 post offices, one on either side of me in town and neither one is terribly busy at key points of the day. The "convenience" of printing labels cost me more than a 2 minute drive and a 3 minute wait. So I stopped using.
The free boxes are fantastic. Even if you don't want to use priority you just slice one side, flip to cardboard and secure...new plain box.
:hug:
~Chrissi
fribbles, ltd.Er. Chrissi. That's illegal. If you use the Priority Mail boxes, you need to pay for Priority Mail shipping---I used to turn them inside out because then I would decorate the brown box portion, and I always ship Priority Mail---my mailman told me one day that you cannot use the boxes to ship any other way [Media Mail, First-Class, etc.] as it has been prohibited by law [because the boxes are free, etc., we mustn't abuse them, otherwise we'd have to pay for boxes to ship too..and the Priority Mail ones are so conveniently sized].
I didn't know about the protest thing, where can one find more information on it? I help moderate an eBay forum with 1200+ members, and would like to tell 'em about it. A lot of artists are quite upset, and I'm sure would add their names to the boycott list.
Amelia
Posts: 1,836Er. Chrissi. That's illegal. If you use the Priority Mail boxes, you need to pay for Priority Mail shipping---I used to turn them inside out because then I would decorate the brown box portion, and I always ship Priority Mail---my mailman told me one day that you cannot use the boxes to ship any other way [Media Mail, First-Class, etc.] as it has been prohibited by law [because the boxes are free, etc., we mustn't abuse them, otherwise we'd have to pay for boxes to ship too..and the Priority Mail ones are so conveniently sized].
I didn't know about the protest thing, where can one find more information on it? I help moderate an eBay forum with 1200+ members, and would like to tell 'em about it. A lot of artists are quite upset, and I'm sure would add their names to the boycott list.
Amelia
Sometimes when I'm shipping an item that is worth alot and insured I don't want a box that screams...HEY look at me I'm from ebay and probably a collectible...steal me. Even though I'm still shipping priority. So NO I don't get tons of boxes to ship around the world just to do it, but if you're in a pinch the idea of using what we have on hand rather than utilizing another resource didn't seem horrid to me. Now I know, thanks!
Storytime BearsOops I didn't know to not turn it inside out, because when you ship overseas you can't have it marked priority, it was the mail clerk that told me to do it, I do that for every box I send overseas, I also think they need to mark it different, I agree it does seem more noticeable with the way they have it painted, but I guess that makes it easier to spot when they are sorting it.
On the protest here is a link to the forum about the protest
http://forums.ebay.com/db1/thread.jspa? … start=3480
I know it is hard to not have sales the whole month of Feb. so to do that, would be asking too much of everyone because, bills don't stop coming, but like I said, I sure can keep from buying stuff there and let me tell you, that alone should kill their bottom line, because I am reminded all the time by my husband, that I spend a fortune there.
I used to think I needed to go to a support group for help
"Hello , my names Jodi and I am an ebay addict, it all started when I went looking for a Little Kittles perfume bottle................"
Bear Hugs
Jodi
P.S. Is anyone else trapped in the snow and feeling like they are getting cabin fever?????????
Excuse all of my posts, but if I don't communicate with someone over the age of 10 I am going to start climbing the walls, usually if I get on TT I don't get my work done, so I try to limit how much I come here, but OMG I have looked at every animal book we have, I have played 28 games of go fish, we have done 9 crafts and talked endlessly about which Pokemon I like best,Arghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!! (oh did you know they have a Teddy Bear Pokemon, That's my favorite)
fribbles, ltd...you can still turn 'em inside out, from what the mailman said, you just cannot ship anything other than Priority Mail or Global Priority or Express [I think]...basically, they don't want you to ship your stuff cheaply [via Media Mail or First-Class] with free boxes! It makes sense.
I will email a link of this discussion to a friend of mine who works at a post office, and see if I got it right or not. Hopefully she will be able to chime in and help us.
Amelia
Tami Eveslage Original Teddy BearsAmelia, It's funny what you are saying about the priorty mail boxes. I was told by a worker at my post office to do just that ( turn it inside out, or wrap it in brown paper) since I told her the flat rate box was just the size I needed, but the bear was so light he shouldn't have cost the flat rate. I didn't ask for that info...She offered it.
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)The free boxes are fantastic. Even if you don't want to use priority you just slice one side, flip to cardboard and secure...new plain box.
Some of my box sizes have the inside marked as a ribbon/banner - printed with USPS Priority Mail running all over the brown/inside.
I do know ppl who get all of their boxes free and delivered to their home/office and use only the sizes that're not marked inside. Similar sized boxes at The Container Store and the Office Max/Depot stores will run between $1 - $3.95 for the smaller sizes. So the PO is getting ripped off.
It may 'seem' expensive to ship, but think what a plane ticket to deliver in person costs, or the fact that we can have anything handed over to anyone in the world in a week or two. Even with the occasional hiccough - and those're the only mailings that receive the attention - to me, shipping is one of the planet's Good Deals!
Posts: 1,836The free boxes are fantastic. Even if you don't want to use priority you just slice one side, flip to cardboard and secure...new plain box.
Some of my box sizes have the inside marked as a ribbon/banner - printed with USPS Priority Mail running all over the brown/inside.
I do know ppl who get all of their boxes free and delivered to their home/office and use only the sizes that're not marked inside. Similar sized boxes at The Container Store and the Office Max/Depot stores will
run between $1 - $3.95 for the smaller sizes. So the PO is getting ripped off.
It may 'seem' expensive to ship, but think what a plane ticket to deliver in person costs, or the fact that we can have anything handed over to anyone in the world in a week or two. Even with the occasional hiccough - and those're the only mailings that receive the attention - to me, shipping is one of the planet's Good Deals!
My admitted bad, didn't know, have apologized, will give my post man extra tips this year :redface:
I've shipped overseas using this version of "box tampering"...had no idea it was an "illegal" no-no. Although the chap at my post office today said it's not frowned upon for shipping at same or higher costs than the priority shipping. I ordered the ebay boxes (free boxes I was talking about). They come a dozen or higher to a pack and I got a double shipment at one point! (thanks eBay) :doh: Rather than waste a box or toss them... (I've been tempted because of the double shipment and space in the studio.).....I flipped an ebay priority box inside out for the overseas shipping I've done.
Now all must excuse me as I finish ripping the tags from all of the mattresses in the house 
:hug:
~Chrissi
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)You are Tooo funny, Chrissi .... and don't forget the pillows!!!
I wasn't taking you to task... far from it! Most of the Postie clerks are quiote nice these days, but we have 2 old biddies & whatever the male gender form of that is, that - I swear - can sniff out PO boxes!!
Speaking of which - has this been a Topic?
Do you reuse boxes for a customer or always use fresh new ones?
I'll stick my neck out here - I never send a 'boughten' item out in a reused box.
Orders for materials, Yes, if the size is right.
But someone said earlier here, that receiving your new bear/cuddly is/should be like opening a present. I want to think that the 'present' looks as if it came from Nordstrom's, not the local resale shop.
Posts: 1,836Yes, the pillow were just de-tagged. But I'm sad to say these are the least of my crimes.....
As it turns out I'm quite the outlaw and will expect not to be seen in these here parts for some time because of my NUMEROUS offenses to Pennsylvanian law. Turns out I've broken all of these PA state laws...and some more than once!! I will miss you all...send chocolates 
A special cleaning ordinance bans housewives from hiding dirt and dust under a rug in a dwelling. (I'll get a life sentence for this one alone 
)
You may not sing in the bathtub. (I'm in so much trouuuubbbllllle! I don't even sing well....that probably ups my sentence by at least 5-10 years )
Any motorist who sights a team of horses coming toward him must pull well off the road, cover his car with a blanket or canvas that blends with the countryside, and let the horses pass. :doh: (why didn't they teach this to us in school???)
You may not catch a fish with your hands. (I was a grade school criminal bad to the bone by age 10!! )
:hug:
~Chrissi
Sheessshh... I got reprimanded for using a Priority address LABEL on a box! (and the priority part was cut off!) She said the person on the other end could end up being charged for Priority.... since a priority product was used. I didn't even know these WERE priority labels cause they were left here from the people we bought the house from!
*laughing* Im surely going to the slammer to do some hard time...Have tin cup, will travel (up and down the slammer bars singing Oh My Darlin' Clemetine)
I have done all of the above, from cutting the tags off the mattresses, to tearing the "do not remove" tag off my blow dryer....oh and I cant forget cutting the top off a priority mail label to use it for over seas shipping (my mail lady and I had a tiff over that one and I never did it again), as well as turning boxes inside out....done that many, many times! I use the priority shipping 95% of the time and over seas the other 5%...i dont see what the big deal is. Either way, I am paying alot of money for shipping, not to mention all the insurance I have paid for, yet never, ever filed a claim (knock on wood!). They get plenty of money from me, so for me to turn 1 or 2 boxes inside out for international shipping (which is quite a bit more expensive then priority), I dont think they should complain at all. Now it is harder to do that, as they have stamped PRIORITY all over the inside...smart little cookies aren't they!
I just think some people abuse the generousity of the PO and thats why things have gotten the way they are. I know they no longer give out priority tape...arrgghh! Big Bummer, but you knew it had to end sometime.....
Well this is just my two cents, not that it really matters *smiles*
Bear Hugs,
Kim
fribbles, ltd...oddly enough, my post offices every once in a while stick out a couple rolls of that tape out for customers---you can be sure I snatch it up! I've got at least nine rolls stashed all over the house...hurrah!
And I got taken to task for using the mailing labels improperly too, and that's the only reason why I brought it up. It does make sense, though, when you think of it..and hasn't everyone ripped off those NOISY tags off pillows and mattresses? Sheesh!
Amelia
LOL! My pillow & mattress tags are still on :crackup:
Luxembears.... and don't forget the pillows!!!
I never could figure that one out. 
Why is it illegal to cut the tags off a pillow anyway? It's not like anyone is going to try and sell thier old used pillow on ebay.
...or are they.... 
