One possible reason sellers don't bother answering questions

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

Potential buyer messages a question about an item and requests additional photos. Seller goes and digs the widget out of their inventory, perhaps having to move numerous stacks of heavy boxes to get to it, answers the question and takes more photos and adds them to the reply.

Crickets ensue.

Not even a thank you, not what I was looking for.

And before someone posts that seller should have had the info in the listing, it was a glass with capacity and maker noted. Buyer wanted to know if the ounces was to the rim and wanted a photo of the bottom of the glass (with the maker's Mark no doubt which was already noted).

[hollysfinds]

Been there, done that too, lol.

[inhawaii]

I was thinking a similar thing the other day.

A potential buyer will ask a question.  "Is this item brand new?"  Your response is "Yes, it is brand new in a factory sealed unopened box."  THEN THEY DON'T BUY IT!

What did they want to hear?   That it was used.  It has a crack.  It does not come in the original box?

[upgradedendmills]

This problem got so bad here that I ended up having to create a "stupid & can't read" file in my email archives for that type of question. I really appreciate most of my customers, and usually don't worry about talking to them, but some of the questions I have been getting lately have a strong ring of SNAD entrapment coming from them. Things like "will this drill bit make a 2.433279...………" inch hole in 2,309 parts with no deviation"? Most of the time I prepackage my listings after I describe and picture them, so I answer questions by stating that and saying that I really don't want to unwrap them.  I would rather lose a sale than dig myself a hole for future problems. If it's "more pictures!!!" or "what does this thing do?" I immediately go to BBL for some quality blocking time.

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

Lol, exactly

[lightlily_arts]

I can’t count the number of times a buyer asked me for additional pictures which is an inconvenience to me. All of the items I have for sale are already packaged because I need the dimensions and weight in order to calculate the shipping. Therefore if it’s am clothing item I have to use another new package. If it’s a larger item I have to remove the peanuts, bubble wrap, and tape which requires repackaging afterwards. I can’t think of a single instance where the buyer actually purchased the item afterwards.

[toyshnip]

Q4, our craziest time of the year. A customer sends a question. To answer, we need to locate the item and it is buried somewhere in the warehouse. But we are busy shipping out dozens of items. So we don't answer. Next day he sends the same question again, we are still busy. The next day he writes something like "I wrote 3 times! Why aren't you answering?".

Customers forget that we as sellers have a lot of work to do (real job or ebay work) and not just sitting there 24/7 ready to answer questions. We have deadlines and need to take care first of customers who actually paid money to get a product.

And yes. It is very annoying that when we do answer the question, we get no reply or purchase.

[myjunqueyourtreasure]

I agree. If we don't get the purchase, oh well, but at least have the courtesy to say thank you.

[domin-tomas]

The best part when you go through all that work they send a message with a low ball offer.

[lightlily_arts]

And that has been my experience as well.  I don't get why buyers don't realize that we have to pay for the merchandise we sell, and that shipping isn't free to us.   I do respond to questions, but I'm only a small seller so I do have more time.  I do thank them for their interest in my item and tell them I cannot accept offers that are less than my cost and still have to pay the eBay PayPal fees.  I also tell them that I cannot offer free shipping as it's not free to me. I respond because I want them to know  why  seller can't accept their lowball offers.   And it's no surprise to me that they don't come back to make the purchase.

[sin-n-dex]

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@myjunqueyourtreasure wrote:

Potential buyer messages a question about an item and requests additional photos. Seller goes and digs the widget out of their inventory, perhaps having to move numerous stacks of heavy boxes to get to it, answers the question and takes more photos and adds them to the reply.

Crickets ensue.

Not even a thank you, not what I was looking for.

And before someone posts that seller should have had the info in the listing, it was a glass with capacity and maker noted. Buyer wanted to know if the ounces was to the rim and wanted a photo of the bottom of the glass (with the maker's Mark no doubt which was already noted).

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I don't quite have that experience (and it may be because of what I sell and who buys that stuff).

It seems to be a 50/50 on whether or not they buy... I get questions about the item (something I wouldn't have thought of including because I didn't know about that mintmark, or whatever), sometimes questions about other items I have and will be listing so they can watch out for similar things (but they don't want to buy what's already in the store), and sometimes I get questions for more photos.

Digging the coins out is no big deal, but if the inventory is at the shop it might take a day or two. I send a courtesy email to let the buyer know they have to wait a day or so and why that might be (because I don't have access to all my inventory every day).

I also sometimes get asked for shipping quotes (usually international) and if it's a bigger heavy coin set, then I need to weigh and measure.

C.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

I consider it part of my job. I do it because I think it is the right thing to do. I have no expectations of an outcome, either purchase or thanks.

It also helps remind me that my listings are not always perfect. I like knowing what my potential buyers might find missing.

[calntom]

I try to respond asap, before they hit the buy it now button on another seller's listing. I get the sale most of the time after answering a question. 

[this*old*attic]

Or you make a nice impression and they buy a different item later.

[equid0x]

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@upgradedendmills wrote:

This problem got so bad here that I ended up having to create a "stupid & can't read" file in my email archives for that type of question. I really appreciate most of my customers, and usually don't worry about talking to them, but some of the questions I have been getting lately have a strong ring of SNAD entrapment coming from them. Things like "will this drill bit make a 2.433279...………" inch hole in 2,309 parts with no deviation"? Most of the time I prepackage my listings after I describe and picture them, so I answer questions by stating that and saying that I really don't want to unwrap them.  I would rather lose a sale than dig myself a hole for future problems. If it's "more pictures!!!" or "what does this thing do?" I immediately go to BBL for some quality blocking time.

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I would be careful on the "more pictures" requests and check the listing. They few times I've been queried that I found that there had been some kind of a software glitch and only one photo was showing on the listing despite having uploaded 6+.