How to lose a sale when you don't have to.

[ceara2002]

I was looking at a vintage necklace with a broken clasp. Necklace is listed as BIN. No problem. I request more info about clasp. I'm thinking: what would it take to fix this?, and I convey this to the seller. Yep, you have an interested buyer, wake up. So seller answers question, even posts more photos, but I want to know the SIZE of the clasp, as no ruler is shown with clasp. I ask the seller to please measure the clasp-opening in millimeters and to measure the clasp, itself. This should have been done in the first place, but I'll wait. What does seller do? 

Seller replies that she does not have the tools for such a measurement and item is priced for quick sale. Um, you don't have a ruler? Basically it's obvious she doesn't want to be bothered. I thank her, and reply that all would have taken was a ruler. 

I'm on my way to find another necklace. She lost my purchase tonight. 

[7606dennis]

Perhaps the seller doesn't have a ruler calibrated in metric increments.  Or, since this appears to be your second question, the seller may be a bit put off by your not including the question in your first communication.  While I can understand where you're coming from, not knowing the precise wording of the communications may have been taken wrongly by the seller.

Frankly, if the seller is selling costume jewelry with a broken clasp, I'd probably figure that the seller has no experience in selling it.  Obviously, if he had, he would have fixed the clasp before listing it.

Of course, if this is a piece of fine jewelry, you might want to reconsider purchasing  a defective piece unless you are skilled in repair or have access to someone that is.

[jonathankirkland]

You think that's bad?

I once asked a seller some specifics about an Xbox One Elite gaming controller (prior to me having owned them so I was curious about a few things) and the seller told me, and I quote, "I don't answer stupid questions."

I was shocked. I went and looked at his feedback, sure enough, several negatives & neturals over the past 6 months with a low percentage. All I could do was laugh hysterically.

[jonathankirkland]

And just as a side note...

While it is frustrating to not always receive the results we anticipate from a seller, it is important to keep in mind that there are many small sellers here who are not experienced in doing so. They do not take things like good customer service into mind. They should, but that simply just isn't the way it is here. I would say as a buyer here at least half the things I've bought have been from sellers with 10 or less feebdback.

It's not a good excuse to say someone is not customer oriented, but it is often the reason for these frustrating pitfalls.

[coolections]

The seller did wake up and answered your question. It was a broken necklace and I doubt the seller was interested in continuing answering your questions after the first. one. You could zoom on the picture and decide if you want a broken necklace.

[siayan]

studies have shown 99 out of 100 questions don't result in a sale. Maybe they had their question sale already.

[ceara2002]

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@siayan wrote:

studies have shown 99 out of 100 questions don't result in a sale. Maybe they had their question sale already.

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Really? Wow. I had no idea there was a study. Well, this buyer would have bought. I always ask questions Before the sale, not after. I wonder if there is a study for people who actually want facts and then follow up with a purchase. 

Her necklace is still online. Unsold. 

[jonathankirkland]

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@siayan wrote:

studies have shown 99 out of 100 questions don't result in a sale. Maybe they had their question sale already.

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Not sure if you are being facetious or not... but for what it's worth I recently had two people ask A LOT of questions about one of my items, within a few days of one another, and in the end neither one generated a sale, and then just yesterday someone bought it without so much as a peep. LOL

So I guess it can be deceptive sometimes. The more interested someone seems in something doesn't necessarily mean it's a slam dunk sale.

[ceara2002]

Hey, I've sold here in the past. I know how it can be for sellers. I'm very pro seller and always feel sellers are treated terribly on ebay. 

That said, I think there are many types of buyers out there and if you have a customer asking questions about your item you should be flattered. Answer them unless they are already in the listing. I guess it all depends on how badly a seller wants the sale. 

Anyway, congratulations on your sales, Jonathan. 

[siayan]

I alwyas like to say, "What size do you need? That usually ends it.

[mam98031]

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@siayan wrote:

studies have shown 99 out of 100 questions don't result in a sale. Maybe they had their question sale already.

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@siayan

Please post a link or links to these studies.  They would be very interesting to read about.

[siayan]

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@siayan wrote:

studies have shown 99 out of 100 questions don't result in a sale. Maybe they had their question sale already.

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@siayan

Please post a link or links to these studies.  They would be very interesting to read about.

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I make them myself. Need anything studied?

[mam98031]

You will probably do better if you can ask all your questions in one maybe two emails.  What happens if a seller gets multiple emails is they start to get a little concerned and you could end up on their BBL [blocked bidder list].  Seasoned sellers will get concerned that you are setting them up for problems.

Another thing to consider too is that if this was an inexpensive item and you are sending multiple emails with multiple questions, it all takes time and energy to address each question.  So if you have a $5 item and the seller spends 3 mintutes per email, time will add up for them.  Between the fees for selling on Ebay, shipping, fees for receiving money through PayPal and the labor it took to design and post the listing, well the seller would not be making any money.  And as you know, sellers do expect to paid for their time just as anyone else that does a job expects to be paid.

I'm not trying to discourage you from asking questions.  I always encourage my customer to ask questions they may have.  I'm just saying be aware of what you are asking and if it really is something you need to know before purchasing.  If it is ask, if the seller won't respond, move on to another seller.

[mam98031]

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@siayan wrote:

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@siayan wrote:

9 out of ten people who post late at night are old people who can't sleep.

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@siayan

Could it be that you don't like being asked to back up something you state on a thread?  Your answer is to lash out to deflect from the request for more info that was asked!!!  Or is it because you can't provide a link to the study you quoted from in your earlier post?!?!

How do you define "late at night"?  How do you define old?  

Just as a matter of record, I'm not old and I sleep fine.

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ok, I made up that statistic. There is no study. I wanted to sound smart. 

I did say 9 out of 10

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And you think that helps those that come to a thread to seek help or assistance HOW?  

[tunicaslot]

wow - I respect you both but this is worse than the political boards. I'm sure in her experience siayan has come to the conclusion that most asking questions rarely buy the item - I would say the same. No different than someone asking me to relist an item - the item ended and they didn't have time to purchase it the first time - I relist and 9 out of 10 times - they don't buy it - wasting me time and a listing fee. My standard answer now is that the item will be listing in the next 4-6 weeks - check back.

Or own experiences and observations do vary - but often are spot on - siayan's only mistake was using the word study - but I'm sure there are alot of marketing studies that may very well address that situation.