Full Disclosure

Here is the deal. You can sell almost anything, as long as you are completely honest about the condition. Of course, for branding purposes, you might not want your closet to be associated with damaged goods. But once in awhile, you might have an item that, while not in great condition, you know someone might want it.

I have made some great purchases, knowing in advance that they had imperfections. And I have been unlucky to receive a few items that were not well-described. My philosophy when buying is that unless specifically noted, I should expect the item to arrive clean, without odors, stains, or tears. In fact, this is pretty much the only reason I have ever given anything other than a five star rating. If the gorgeous DVF dress you have listed has an imperfection, I may still want to buy it. But if you sell me that dress, no matter how great of a deal I got, I will not give you a good rating if it shows up with a hole in it that you did not disclose.

One of my favorite purchases ever is a white North Face jacket. The seller noted imperfections, took pictures, and even messaged me after my purchase to make sure I read her description and was aware of the imperfections. It was a great price, and I was ok with the wear that she had described. I was so pleasantly surprised when I received it that the wear and staining were nowhere near as significant as I thought. Wouldn't you rather be pleasantly surprised than majorly disappointed? Of course the listing with the full disclosure is going to get a better rating.

Of course you will need to price the item accordingly, but you should be doing that anyway. You won't win over repeat customers with unfair prices!

I had a great buyer this week give me five stars on a necklace after I specifically offered to cancel the order for her. When I was wrapping it up, NWT, I saw that there was significant tarnishing on the back. She told me to ship it anyway. And then she came back with that rating!! Guess who now has a $25 credit in my closet? Yep, I like to take care of my customers. And I really did feel terrible that she purchased an item that had wear that I hadn't disclosed.

I also made a sale awhile ago on an item that was in pretty bad shape. But it was a cute little Coach purse and I couldn't bring myself to throw it away. I honestly didn't think it was even in good enough shape to donate. But I listed it, and made sure in the description to specify that it was in bad shape, but I thought I would take offers on it before throwing it away. Someone was thrilled to find that bag, and offered me $20 for it. Win win!

I also learned the hard way to shop closets from smoke free households. It is really hard to get the smell of smoke out of clothing, especially wool. I am ok with pets, but not everyone is. So it might be a good idea to disclose that you have pets in your listings if you do.

So what do you do if you miss something? You make it up to her!

I think what it comes down to, is that you want to set it up so that the only possible complaint your buyer could have is that the item didn't fit. And even that can be headed off by providing measurements.

No surprises, unless they are good ones! And always strive for good reviews and repeat customers.

Check out my closet at Poshmark.com/closet/corporatebarbie

A Negative Review!

Oh the horror! How dare she?! She got a great deal, and I packaged it so nicely! She is ruining my perfect record of excellent reviews! 

I know how you feel, Ladies. Before you react, let's think about this. First, let's all take a deep breath and recognize that a three or four star rating is not, in fact, a negative review. Without specific guidelines, each individual approaches reviews differently. 

Some people are super generous and automatically rate five stars, unless there is a glaring offense. And some people consider all purchases average, unless you go above and beyond, like wrapping in designer paper and including a free gift. Performance reviews in the working world are like this too. All that really matters is the recognition for things you have done well and the suggestions for ways you can improve. 

What is the point of a review anyway? Is it to show other potential customers what a good seller you are? Kind of. But primarily, it is a tool to help you improve. 

I know there are unfair or unkind reviews. For example, a negative review from a buyer because the item did not fit. We all know that is on her, unless you provided inaccurate measurements. Or a buyer who expected overnight shipping and was angry that it took 2-3 days to arrive. We are not Amazon prime!

But, by design, reviews are supposed to be a feedback tool. How can you as a seller improve? Were there imperfections not noted in your listing? Was the lighting misleading and that blue dress is actually white? Did your packaging fail to protect a fragile item?

You need to know these things so you can take them into consideration when preparing future listings!

And if you handle the feedback graciously, you may even win over a repeat customer. 

What do you do when you get a review that is shy of stellar? Please don't tell me that you coerce (bully) your buyer into a better review. If her review was fair, and provided useful feedback, then you have no right to tell her that her review is ruining your perfect record. That just tells her that you care more about your image than you do about your customers. 

If you get an average review, make sure you thank your buyer for her purchase. Just like you would a five star review. 

What if you get a bad review with no specific feedback? You can phrase it however you want, but I suggest something along the lines of, "Thank you for your purchase and for taking the time to rate it. I am sorry you were not completely satisfied. I am always trying to improve and would be grateful for any feedback you can give me."

And if you get negative feedback that is justified, maybe the condition of the item was poor and it was not noted or obvious in the photos. I suggest you try to make it right with your buyer. Give her options. Remind her that Poshmark will facilitate a return for items misrepresented. And if she wants to keep it anyway, offer her a great discount on her next purchase. Share her closet. Something. Just let her know that her satisfaction is important to you. 

Welcome the feedback embrace the feedback. Improve from the feedback. 

And because we are buyers too, be thoughtful in your own ratings and feedback. Give specific and constructive advice on how your purchase could have been better. Your seller will appreciate that.