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leeflang
(newbie)
10/09/07 09:19 AM
Help - 50% of my outgoing AW email filtered  

Although I was already oticing an increase in my customers getting less of my outgoing emails, in teh last few weeks it got worse.

With 50% of my customers I know have problems reaching them, especially yahoo and hotmail.

The reason is that SMTP authentication (which AW uses for outgoing emails) is becoming an obsolete technique. Nowadays it is all about SSL authentication, which AW does not offer.

Since none of my outgoing emails is SSL authenticated, my communication with my customers is bogging down (it also causes conflcts).

Any ideas how to resolve this?

Email integration with data is the one thing that AW has that other systems do not have, but if that is not working properly anymore, I fear I'll have to drop it as I cannot afford losing sales, getting negative feedback on Ebay or less repeat buyers.

Peter
THE LEEFLANG ARCHIVES

bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
10/09/07 12:05 PM
Re: Help - 50% of my outgoing AW email filtered new [re: leeflang]  

Peter,

AOL, hotmail and yahoo are the absolute worse email accounts a buyer can have, in my opinion anyway. I just hate to see a buyer with those email accounts as I know I am going to have problems communicating. Well that is not completely true. The savy users will add my email address as our custom pages direct them to and we get along just fine.

But the issue is not isolated to just AW2000. It is not a software issue, it is an email configuration email on the email recipient's end.

I added an entire segment on one of my custom pages about allowing email from bluepennylady@pennyworthsales.com so we could communicate. I use to have that info in a Listing template footer and removed it on the advice of a consultant. I am going to add it again as the incidents of buyer's not receiving email increased after I removed the note.

The email problem occurs even if you reply to a buyer using Outlook Express, Eudora, Incredimail, etc. Buyers are becoming increasingly eBay educated with the idea they can only use "My Messages" to communicate. And that only "My Messages" is safe, which is untrue. I have a buyer right now that I have used four different methods of emailing, and the buyer never received a one of them. I finally had to send a letter to the buyer just to communicate. Which opened the communication door.

AW2000 does not require SMTP authentication. That is the email provider which determines if authentication is required to send email instead of AW2000.

What I have done to help counteract the email issue is to include a note in all packages which supplies my eBay email address. And ask the buyer to add me to their email address book. It also lets them know it is perfectly fine for them to simply email me directly for any of their future needs. There is an amazing amount of buyers which email back to us.

We have to keep in mind, it is not the AW2000 email module which is working improperly. The AW2000 email is working fine, It is our buyer's email which is not working correctly. So we have to assist our buyers in configuring and allowing emails from us. I have buyers that I simply shoot an email off to from Outlook Express and they don't get it.

I will say I have not had any negative feedback due to email. (now watch someone will slap a negative on me today



Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store

AquilaStamps
(addict)
10/09/07 12:21 PM
Re: Help - 50% of my outgoing AW email filtered new [re: bluepennylady]  

Judy:
I have encountered problems with email also - all with the same solution - have the buyer add the address to their allowed list.

More and more ISP's are filtering email for their customers. If the customer chooses the highest level of filtering they have in effect filtered out most of their email. What many people see when they decide to filter with the ISP is that they will not get spam. That is true in part - however what they neglect to read is the directions to adding email addresses they wish to allow.

When I see aol or hotmail or Yahoo I cringe and cross my fingers and hope their email box will greet my email with open arms. Fortunatly I get the bounce for most of them and send an message by eBay suggesting they add me to their allowed list. I wait a day and then resend the email. I have elected not to have the ISP filter my eBay email address. Up to now there have not been spam problems - now with my luck, after mentioning this, the inbox will be full to the brim.

All of this is extra work, but as far as I can see AW2K is doing email without problems it is the recipient that is creating a problem. Finally I printed my stuffer card with some "eBay Buyer Tips". One of them was to add the email address of potential sellers when they bid on an item. Of course I made sure to tell them to add my address also.

Most of these problems we all are struggling with are thanks to spammers. Bless their tiny shriveled black bloodless unbeating hearts.

Garry



bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
10/09/07 12:29 PM
Re: Help - 50% of my outgoing AW email filtered new [re: AquilaStamps]  

Garry,

Share, Share, Share!

What do you include in your "Ebay buyer's tips" note!!



Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store

AquilaStamps
(addict)
10/09/07 12:50 PM
Re: Help - 50% of my outgoing AW email filtered new [re: bluepennylady]  

Judy:

Most of my eBay items ship in an envelope. Because the USPS has a real need to fold bend curl and rip envelopes I have to place a stuffer in each envelope to prevent bending and folding. I use 6 3/4 (regular personal sized) envelopes for about 85% of my shipping needs. Then I have Monarch, 6x9, 71/2x10 1/2 and finally 9x12 preprinted envelopes. I have my local printer friend cut chipboard for me (the stuff on the back of notepads) to fit each size. The majority of these are the 6 3/4 size and then some for the other sizes. Each chipboard stuffer is printed with - Aquila eBay Tips For Collectors -.

1. Always read descriptions and be wary of vague references to the item(s) and see that the photos match the description
2.Any seller welcomes questions so when in doubt email the seller with your question
3. When you email always add the sellers email address to your allowed list. If you have problems doing this your ISP will have directions on how to do this
4. Add us to your favorites list and sign up for our newsletter to keep informed of our latest items for sale
5. Feel free to contact us for any special stamp collecting items you want or need. We also will accept your want list.

I admit these are rather narrow "tips" and in most ways are narrow to my customers. However, anyone could edit them to make it fit their customer list.

Garry



bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
10/09/07 03:17 PM
Re: Help - 50% of my outgoing AW email filtered new [re: AquilaStamps]  

Garry,

Now that is a great idea! I think there is room on the back of my Thank you notes to add "buyer's tips. hummm, off to my publishing software to see what can be done



Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store

AquilaStamps
(addict)
10/09/07 05:58 PM
Re: Help - 50% of my outgoing AW email filtered new [re: bluepennylady]  

Judy:
Another thing that can be done - I do it when the mood strikes me right - I preprint one side of a sheet of paper with new and upcoming items for eBay or eBay stores. Then after doing about 50 or so I put them aside. When the time gets closer for these items to be on line I use these sheets of paper (the blank side) to print the invoice for each shipment.

It does work as I've had people who got the "back-printed" invoice go and purchase some of this new merchandise. Every bit of paper that goes into a package can contain something that doesn't appear as an advertisement - just appears as a neighborly chat. But in reality it helps dive them to my material either on eBay, eBay stores, or the website.

Garry



bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
10/10/07 05:48 AM
Re: Help - 50% of my outgoing AW email filtered new [re: AquilaStamps]  

Garry,

I like the idea of using the back of Printed Invoices for upcoming auctions. I'll have to see what I can do about that.



Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store

AquilaStamps
(addict)
10/10/07 06:12 AM
Re: Help - 50% of my outgoing AW email filtered new [re: bluepennylady]  

Judy:
It does work to a degree. In some cases I've had people circle something on the list send it to me with a check and ask for me to send it to them before it is listed. Not sure how eBay would like it - but it wasn't listed with them yet so as far as I'm concerned it doesn't fall under their "off eBay transaction rule". I mean just because one is selling on eBay doesn't mean everything one sells needs to go through them.

Also I've heard by email from a few that get those invoices that they will be looking for the material to be posted and sure enough they end up bidding. It works well for me anyway and it's pretty simple to implement. I have a boilerplate word template that has the non-changeable stuff in it and I just type in the new material that will be going up. The only thing Is calculating how many to print. For a while I thought on a GRAND scale and ended up with scrap paper for a while LOL. Now I print based on how many invoices are outstanding and add a few more for new sales. Of course you can always go back and print more.

Garry



bluepennylady
(Pooh-Bah)
10/10/07 06:16 AM
Re: Help - 50% of my outgoing AW email filtered new [re: AquilaStamps]  

Garry,

I agree. The items are not listed. The buyer's email you directly, which is one of the benefits of using third party software and not an eBay tool, and the buyer is your buyer coming to you requesting product. In fact, if an item doesn't sell and is offline and a return buyer emails directly requesting the item, in my opinion, is perfectly acceptable.

I'll have to work on the back of our packing slips.



Judy/blue

Visit my eBay store!
http://stores.ebay.com/bluepennylady?refid=store


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