Vacation Settings

[Deleted]

Just thought I'd get some opinions...my daughter and I are going on a two week trip to Germany at the end of March and I'm undecided about what to do with my store.  I'd like to put it on vacation, but let my listings show for buyers, but I'm wondering if that is just too long between purchase time and delivery (getting home on April 8th).  Does that make sense?  Of course I'd clearly state the dates I will be gone.  Just not sure what I want to do.

Marcy

[jellybeanscloset412]

I would do it. I don't think it would be too long.

[Deleted]

That's what I'm thinking. I have to call my cell phone provider to get international service, so I can always message any buyers I have and remind them of my return date.

[denise15601]

If you leave it open, I would put huge letters stating that fact. But some people don't read.

I hide my FP when I close. I don't go on vacations, but have had to close down because of snow and icy weather.

Congrats on the vacation!!! Lucky you!

[Deleted]

Thank you, Denise, we are very lucky. It is a youth group trip sponsored by our church. My daughter is too young to go alone, so I need to chaperone

[Deleted]

Will you have internet access while there? When I'm gone longer than a week I put my store on vacation when I leave but take it off before I get home. So if I were gone for two weeks, I would turn on vacation settings before I left, then turn them off a week before I came home.

[Deleted]

If it were me, I'd put it on vacation and keep the listings hidden.  I guess a lot depends on how necessary it is for you to squeeze every bit of possible income out of your store while you're gone.

[zoesam]

Normally I say leave them up, but 2 wks would be too long even for me. If you decide to do it, remember that you have to change your handling time now.

[chapeaunoir]

I'm overseas a lot and it really dings my income, so the last time I pulled everything (yes, ended listings) and put the store on vacation a week before I left. I had internet access overseas so a week before I was due to return I relisted everything in batches with 5 day handling, plus had new listings scheduled to start each day for four days before I returned (with 5 day handling - I had prepared them and scheduled them before I left). So, while I was out hiking in the South Downs in the last week, my eBay store was earning for me. By the time I returned I had quite a few sales to pack up, and had lost no revenue, there were no questions about where is my item and everyone seemed perfectly fine with 5 day handling.

[denise15601]

I have had buyers even with the vacation settings. So I wrote to each of them explaining the situation and they all understood, thankfully.

[Deleted]

Something else I've done when I'm on vacation is to pre-list a bunch of auctions in the week or weeks before I leave. If I'm coming home on a Sunday, I'll have them launch the Sunday prior (or Tues) to end the night I get back. That gives me a quick infusion of cash right when I get home.

I've also done similar to Chap and just let things that end in the week to 10 days before I leave stay ended. Then if I'm only going to be gone a week I launch them as 7 day auctions the day I leave. If I'm gone longer than a week I sign in while I'm away and launch them to end on my date of return.

[val2525]

Even if you close your store/items hidden, I'd still change my handling time before I did that. Or at least change it on items that have watchers, since a watcher can buy a vaction hidden item.

[Deleted]

I've been gone two weeks and have had my store on vacation but left listings visible. I changed my handling time to 10 days so they got a warning when they saw the listing. I wrote each person when I had a sale and I think one asked for a refund since I wasn't going to be able to ship. Everyone else still wanted their purchases, I had great sales and great feedback. I had scheduled listings so new things started every day I was gone but I didn't relist anything that ended. It was a risk but I needed the income!

[Deleted]

Forgot to mention, it was before the defect crap.

[val2525]

I've done a 10 day since the defect system started. No problems. I email buyers nightly (after they buy) to remind them of the delayed shipping date and offer to cancel if that won't work. No issues ever, only one cancelled about 2 years ago.

The big thing, though, is change your handling.

[chapeaunoir]

Feb 24, 2015 2:57:09 GMT @elly said:

Something else I've done when I'm on vacation is to pre-list a bunch of auctions in the week or weeks before I leave. If I'm coming home on a Sunday, I'll have them launch the Sunday prior (or Tues) to end the night I get back. That gives me a quick infusion of cash right when I get home.

I've also done similar to Chap and just let things that end in the week to 10 days before I leave stay ended. Then if I'm only going to be gone a week I launch them as 7 day auctions the day I leave. If I'm gone longer than a week I sign in while I'm away and launch them to end on my date of return.

That's right! I'd forgotten that I also listed a bunch of clearance auctions to start on Sunday night for 7 days, ending on the night I got back. A few of them sold, but it was mostly FP, but still I think it helped keep the pot boiling.

[jellybeanscloset412]

Both Chap and Elly have really good ideas. I never had a problem with vacation settings. What I did notice though is that I didn't sell much if anything at all.

[Deleted]

Feb 23, 2015 17:57:42 GMT @elly said:

Will you have internet access while there? When I'm gone longer than a week I put my store on vacation when I leave but take it off before I get home. So if I were gone for two weeks, I would turn on vacation settings before I left, then turn them off a week before I came home.

I never thought of that, thank you!  I think that's what I will do...two weeks is just making me a little uncomfortable, it just seems like a little too long for people to wait for purchases.

[Deleted]

Thanks everyone for your great ideas! I just can't afford to lose the income for two weeks, but didn't want to miss this trip, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Plus my daughter will be turning 11 yrs old over there, what a great bday present for her, so excited

[denise15601]

Really scares me to change handling on over 1,900 listings. Could see that going wrong....

For me, anyway.

[Gabi]

I have nothing to add to the vacation settings. I just wanted to wish you a nice vacation. Will you be staying in one area or travel to different places? I lived in Germany all my live, so please feel free to ask me if there is anything you want to know before you go.

[Deleted]

Gabi, thanks for the offer, I may have some questions and will contact you if you don't mind....we are going to Germany, Czech Republic and Poland. It is a youth group trip sponsored by our church. My dd10 is too young to travel alone, so I am chaperoning.

Actually, I do have one question: are there many places to easily exchange currency? I was planning on taking mainly all cash on the trip, but our pastor said it's better to use MAC machines throughout Europe rather than actually exchanging currency? I'm not sure why, I was a little surprised by that and need to check w/my bank to be sure my card will work over there.

Thanks so much, Gabi

[Gabi]

Feb 24, 2015 18:08:18 GMT @fashioneclectica said:

Gabi, thanks for the offer, I may have some questions and will contact you if you don't mind....we are going to Germany, Czech Republic and Poland. It is a youth group trip sponsored by our church. My dd10 is too young to travel alone, so I am chaperoning.

Actually, I do have one question: are there many places to easily exchange currency? I was planning on taking mainly all cash on the trip, but our pastor said it's better to use MAC machines throughout Europe rather than actually exchanging currency? I'm not sure why, I was a little surprised by that and need to check w/my bank to be sure my card will work over there.

Thanks so much, Gabi

I think you will have a great time. The Chech Republic is beautiful, also.

I found that the local banks here in the US charge too much to exchange currency, so I never exchanged here, except for just a few dollars so I have some money when I arrive there.

Any bank (even the smaller ones) will exchange currency over there, at least in Germany, I am not so sure about Poland and Chech Republic, but I would guess it's the same. The exchange rate should be the same, but the fees will be much lower.

Yes, you can get money out of any machine, if your card it the type that you can use as debit and credit (has one of the logos of a major credit card company). Most will accept any major credit cards (Master Card, Visa, etc) and you can also use the cards to pay at the stores.
A lot of people traveling in Europe are using Travelers Checks (Amrican Express), any bank will take them and as far as I remember, they are insured for the amount you paid.

[val2525]

Feb 24, 2015 18:08:18 GMT @fashioneclectica said:

Actually, I do have one question: are there many places to easily exchange currency? I was planning on taking mainly all cash on the trip, but our pastor said it's better to use MAC machines throughout Europe rather than actually exchanging currency? I'm not sure why, I was a little surprised by that and need to check w/my bank to be sure my card will work over there.

That's what I do when I go to Canada. I just hit up an ATM machine and it spits out the Canadian currency, and my bank takes care of the conversion issues. We were getting ripped off when we'd get change back on our first trip, paying USD and receiving back CD. After about the 3rd purchase, we hunted down an ATM.

[Deleted]

Feb 24, 2015 19:11:35 GMT Gabi said:

Feb 24, 2015 18:08:18 GMT @fashioneclectica said:

Gabi, thanks for the offer, I may have some questions and will contact you if you don't mind....we are going to Germany, Czech Republic and Poland. It is a youth group trip sponsored by our church. My dd10 is too young to travel alone, so I am chaperoning.

Actually, I do have one question: are there many places to easily exchange currency? I was planning on taking mainly all cash on the trip, but our pastor said it's better to use MAC machines throughout Europe rather than actually exchanging currency? I'm not sure why, I was a little surprised by that and need to check w/my bank to be sure my card will work over there.

Thanks so much, Gabi

I think you will have a great time. The Chech Republic is beautiful, also.

I found that the local banks here in the US charge too much to exchange currency, so I never exchanged here, except for just a few dollars so I have some money when I arrive there.

Any bank (even the smaller ones) will exchange currency over there, at least in Germany, I am not so sure about Poland and Chech Republic, but I would guess it's the same. The exchange rate should be the same, but the fees will be much lower.

Yes, you can get money out of any machine, if your card it the type that you can use as debit and credit (has one of the logos of a major credit card company). Most will accept any major credit cards (Master Card, Visa, etc) and you can also use the cards to pay at the stores.
A lot of people traveling in Europe are using Travelers Checks (Amrican Express), any bank will take them and as far as I remember, they are insured for the amount you paid.

Thank you for all the information, I really appreciate it!  I can't wait to go, I'm so excited