The Spotlight's On:
sammy_matt
by Robin
eBay Staff Member

We’re pleased to introduce sammy_matt, this month’s Chatter spotlighted member! sammy_matt first heard about eBay from a friend at work. After being shown how it worked, she was hooked! She has now been using the eBay site for a couple of years, visiting several times almost every day!

sammy_matt uses eBay not only to sell in the clothing categories (among others), but also for her shopping needs, purchasing everything from clothing to sporting event tickets! Once she and her husband bought tickets on eBay to a game where their rival teams were playing each other. “It was wonderful going to that game... until my team lost. I am still hearing about it! Haha.”

Among the more interesting items that she's sold were some very old World Hockey Association pennants that her husband had come across. She said she didn't think much of them, but her husband insisted she list them on eBay with the hope someone would be interested in them. “I had no idea…but they ended up being a pretty big collector item.”

When sammy_matt lists an item on eBay, she aims to make her description of the item as exact as possible. She also believes in keeping shipping costs to a minimum. She has two pieces of advice for bidders: 1) always be sure about shipping details before placing a bid, and 2) if you have any questions about an item, be sure to ask the seller before you bid. If you are selling, she says, "be sure to get back to anyone asking a question right away.” Feedback is also very important. She feels her feedback rating shows people can trust that they will get the item as described and it will be shipped promptly and securely. And if you need information, she advises that the Community forums are a good place to look. “Going to any of the discussion boards with a question is a great idea. You will get lots of feedback from others.”

One of the more common tools sammy_matt uses when selling is the shipping calculator, because she can put in the weight and dimensions of her item, and buyers can figure their own shipping costs.

When asked what eBay means to her, sammy_matt replied:

“eBay has changed my life. Last year I was diagnosed with Spasmodic Dysphonia, a rare voice disorder which makes it difficult to talk. I have always worked in retail management and suddenly found I wasn't able to talk enough to stay in that area. Although I do still work outside the home in an office setting, eBay gives me the retail outlet I need and I love being able to 'talk' with customers by email! eBay to me is a way to make a little extra income. My voice disorder is not an illness and for that I am thankful. But there are times I have really missed the retail area and eBay has really helped me with that. I love eBay!!!”

We would like to thank sammy_matt for sharing her thoughts and comments with us! If you would like to be considered for the Community Spotlight Program check out our Community Profile page and follow the instructions near the bottom of that page.