Reserving Listings

[Former_Member]

Do you have a policy in your shop for reserving listings?

How long do you reserve for?

I'm not sure what is adequate time.

[AlasseArt]

If it was a custom order, I will wait a good amount of time. It depends a little on how much communication there is, but two to three weeks.

If I reserve a non-custom listing for someone, I give them seventy-two hours to purchase.

[Former_Member]

I don't reserve listings if it is something that I would make again. If it is a custom order then the buyer has to pay for it in advance and I put up a specific listing for "special order" and then they get the item when I have it finished. But it is already paid for in that case.

If someone wanted something that is in my shop I would tell them they should purchase asap because you cannot guarantee it wont be sold. Retail stores would not pull product off their shelves for more than 1/2 day and then it goes right back out on the floor.

[Former_Member]

I don't do custom orders because I sell Vintage. I'm thinking I should start putting something in my shop policies about reserving listings.

[Former_Member]

If its something that I've got a very limited stock of (or its a 'regular' customer) I'll discuss in the convo how long I'll hold the reserve for.

I'll quite often have someone contact me about getting a certain item and I'll set up the listing with the caveat that if its not purchased by a specific date then it won't be on my current order (I order some items directly from the manufacturer) and that they will have to wait until the next order is placed.

[Former_Member]

I don't necessarily have an official policy on reserved but generally if someone wants a custom order, I will make them a 'reserved' listing. These are special requests and they will be created only when someone asks (and states they are ready to purchase) and only stay in my store for a short period of time.

This is different than having a 'custom' listing where I have a general item in a pre-packaged format that someone can purchase an item that I will make custom for them (for me, it's a logo package).

Sometimes people don't want what is in my custom packages or want to substitute items, so that's when I make a reserved listing.

I think it really depends on what you sell and how you sell it. If you allow people to contact you for custom items then it would make sense if they request a custom order that you make them a reserved listing.

When that happens, I will just put "RESERVED" in the title and "Reserved for XX" (initials for privacy) in the description.

[LovgrenandDaughter]

I do the same as Diana - once we've (the customer and I) have worked out the details of what they want and when it is expected, I throw up a reserved listing with all the details included. Thay can then buy the item and everything is in black and white again.

Granted, sometimes on customs - if I have a relationship with the customer I wait till we're about to ship to put it up. New customers I would put it up early to make sure there is a deposit.

I like it as a final confirmation that the details are what we agreed. Never had to refer back to it for that, though (thankfully).