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. 

[deep-garnet-red]

I agree that the seller should have just answered the question.

My question to you is why did the sale hinge on the size of the broken clasp? Does it really matter? Replacement clasps come in all sizes.

[lookng2015]

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@mam98031 wrote:

I have no idea why a buyer asking the question is such a huge deal to some.  A buyer can has the right to ask ANY question they want to and the seller has the right to answer or not to answer.

In this case the seller said they weren't able to answer the question.  The buyer then made the right decision for THEM, they moved on and purchased what they wanted elsewhere.

Why is this being made in to such a big deal when it just shouldn't be.  Buyers can ask whatever they feel is a question they want an answer to.  As a seller, you are perfectly capable of figuring out if you want to provide them with that information or not.

A simple thing being blown up for what reason?

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Maybe because the BUYER made it a "big deal" by posting it to the boards? It wasn't the seller starting the thread.

[mam98031]

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@lookng2015 wrote:

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@mam98031 wrote:

I have no idea why a buyer asking the question is such a huge deal to some.  A buyer can has the right to ask ANY question they want to and the seller has the right to answer or not to answer.

In this case the seller said they weren't able to answer the question.  The buyer then made the right decision for THEM, they moved on and purchased what they wanted elsewhere.

Why is this being made in to such a big deal when it just shouldn't be.  Buyers can ask whatever they feel is a question they want an answer to.  As a seller, you are perfectly capable of figuring out if you want to provide them with that information or not.

A simple thing being blown up for what reason?

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Maybe because the BUYER made it a "big deal" by posting it to the boards? It wasn't the seller starting the thread.

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Well that is interesting, I had not thought of it that way before.  So the mere fact she created a thread on this means she is making a "big deal" of things?!?!  I don't think I agree with that.  If that were to be true, then anyone that ever created a thread, whether buyer or seller would be making a "big deal" out of whatever it is they are posting about.  Personally I don't think that is true either.

For me, I see it as someone that came here to gain a better understanding of why that seller responded in the way they did.  Just as so many others come to thread to gain a better understanding of a policy or transaction or whatever.  

The OP did the right thing.  She didn't like the fact the seller wouldn't answer the question she asked.  She wasn't rude to the seller.  She just moved on and did not purchase from that seller.  And that is EXACTLY what she should have done if she found the question too important that the seller wouldn't answer. 

She did not act irresponsibly and purchase the item and then ding the seller's FB like some buyers.  The OP moved on which is what many on these threads have always said to buyers if they do like or are unsure of their seller.

[lookng2015]

Give it a rest already. You're the one said it seemed to be a big deal to some.

[do.you.read.me]

How to lose a sale:  just list it on ebay. You're bound to lose something in the ordeal.

[mam98031]

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@lookng2015 wrote:

Give it a rest already. You're the one said it seemed to be a big deal to some.

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The operative word was "seemed".  I did NOT say anything about the OP acting like it was a "big deal".

Now if you didn't intend for me to respond to you or what I've said didn't matter to you, then why did you respond to my post?

[tunicaslot]

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Who cares if she may not use them in the future that isn't the sellers problem.

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It's not the seller's problem - no - but it could be a reason she was asking for the measurements. Not everyone has money these days to buy a pack of 10 and only use 1. The buyer found what she wanted elsewhere and that's fine as the constant questioning rasied flags for the seller - that's just how things are.

[kpettree0ec3]

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@deep-garnet-red wrote:

I agree that the seller should have just answered the question.

My question to you is why did the sale hinge on the size of the broken clasp? Does it really matter? Replacement clasps come in all sizes.

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"Does it really matter?"  I agree with you and I believe that to be a really interesting question.

Several years ago, my Grammy gave me a necklace of hers that she inherited from HER grandmother.  The clasp was weak and, sadly, it eventually failed.  I spent months trying to locate something that would serve as an appropriate and suitable replacement for such an important piece of jewelry within my family's history.  I would not accept just anything.  I needed for it to be right.

Perhaps this was a similar case?

[rolenboy01]

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@kpettree0ec3 wrote:

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@deep-garnet-red wrote:

I agree that the seller should have just answered the question.

My question to you is why did the sale hinge on the size of the broken clasp? Does it really matter? Replacement clasps come in all sizes.

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"Does it really matter?"  I agree with you and I believe that to be a really interesting question.

Several years ago, my Grammy gave me a necklace of hers that she inherited from HER grandmother.  The clasp was weak and, sadly, it eventually failed.  I spent months trying to locate something that would serve as an appropriate and suitable replacement for such an important piece of jewelry within my family's history.  I would not accept just anything.  I needed for it to be right.

Perhaps this was a similar case?

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If it had to be just right surely you would get the necklace in hand first, then you could get the metal tested so you could then make sure to ask other sellers if their clasp has the exact metal mixture or better yet send it to an expert clasp maker with his own smelter so he could re-smelt you a new working clasp from the same exact old clasp.

[kpettree0ec3]

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@rolenboy01 wrote:

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@kpettree0ec3 wrote:

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@deep-garnet-red wrote:

I agree that the seller should have just answered the question.

My question to you is why did the sale hinge on the size of the broken clasp? Does it really matter? Replacement clasps come in all sizes.

---

"Does it really matter?"  I agree with you and I believe that to be a really interesting question.

Several years ago, my Grammy gave me a necklace of hers that she inherited from HER grandmother.  The clasp was weak and, sadly, it eventually failed.  I spent months trying to locate something that would serve as an appropriate and suitable replacement for such an important piece of jewelry within my family's history.  I would not accept just anything.  I needed for it to be right.

Perhaps this was a similar case?

---

If it had to be just right surely you would get the necklace in hand first, then you could get the metal tested so you could then make sure to ask other sellers if their clasp has the exact metal mixture or better yet send it to an expert clasp maker with his own smelter so he could re-smelt you a new working clasp from the same exact old clasp.

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Whole lotta smeltin' goin' on...  lol

Great suggestions, my fellow eBayer!

[kh-missy]

Hello everyone,

This thread is getting quite a bit heated and off-topic; several posts have been removed.  Please remember that it’s fine to disagree with others, but discussion should always remain courteous, respectful, and on-topic. 

For future posting reference, a link to the Community Guidelines, which might be good to look at before posting again.

Thank you for your cooperation.

[castlemagicmemories]

Seller accomodated you, answered your question, and posted more pictures, so it seems as if the measurement question was after the fact.

The question about millimeters can be off putting.  Being so exact, seller might have thought you would be irate if she was a millimeter off.   

Are there many necklaces listed with the clasp measurement?

If the necklace was really low priced, sometimes it is best to not ask a question and just buy.

[coolections]

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@mam98031 wrote:

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Well that is interesting, I had not thought of it that way before.  So the mere fact she created a thread on this means she is making a "big deal" of things?!?! 

[jonathankirkland]

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@mam98031 wrote:

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@lookng2015 wrote:

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@mam98031 wrote:

I have no idea why a buyer asking the question is such a huge deal to some.  A buyer can has the right to ask ANY question they want to and the seller has the right to answer or not to answer.

In this case the seller said they weren't able to answer the question.  The buyer then made the right decision for THEM, they moved on and purchased what they wanted elsewhere.

Why is this being made in to such a big deal when it just shouldn't be.  Buyers can ask whatever they feel is a question they want an answer to.  As a seller, you are perfectly capable of figuring out if you want to provide them with that information or not.

A simple thing being blown up for what reason?

---

Maybe because the BUYER made it a "big deal" by posting it to the boards? It wasn't the seller starting the thread.

---

Well that is interesting, I had not thought of it that way before.  So the mere fact she created a thread on this means she is making a "big deal" of things?!?!  I don't think I agree with that.  If that were to be true, then anyone that ever created a thread, whether buyer or seller would be making a "big deal" out of whatever it is they are posting about.  Personally I don't think that is true either.

For me, I see it as someone that came here to gain a better understanding of why that seller responded in the way they did.  Just as so many others come to thread to gain a better understanding of a policy or transaction or whatever.  

The OP did the right thing.  She didn't like the fact the seller wouldn't answer the question she asked.  She wasn't rude to the seller.  She just moved on and did not purchase from that seller.  And that is EXACTLY what she should have done if she found the question too important that the seller wouldn't answer. 

She did not act irresponsibly and purchase the item and then ding the seller's FB like some buyers.  The OP moved on which is what many on these threads have always said to buyers if they do like or are unsure of their seller.

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I think maybe you are reading a different thread than the rest of us?

It's obvious the OP thought it was a big deal, or she wouldn't have bothered making this thread. And how is it you got that she's "trying to get a better understanding" of anything? Just look at the title of the thread. The OP is basically saying "you'll lose a sale if you don't answer every question every buyers asks". That's what I got out of the OP.

[rolenboy01]

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@jonathankirkland wrote:

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It's obvious the OP thought it was a big deal, or she wouldn't have bothered making this thread. And how is it you got that she's "trying to get a better understanding" of anything? Just look at the title of the thread. The OP is basically saying "you'll lose a sale if you don't answer every question every buyers asks". That's what I got out of the OP.

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I still don't understand the situation, if the item was cheap enough I still don't understand why the OP didn't buy the item? was the price really that much that a simple clasp issue changed their mind? or was it that the OP was like HOW DARE THEY not answer my question I'll show them by not buying even though it was a smoking deal.