Auto-Responses to Messages & Poor Customer Service

[frommichel]

Hello, All. I sell rare gemstones here, mostly. But, sometimes, I also buy household items here too. Well, I just had an annoying experience. I was considering buying a kitchen appliance from a seller and had a few questions. I was debating between 2 models listed by the same seller. I sent two messages with my questions for each model. I received two identical responses telling me, essentially, to read the details of the listing and that if I still have questions to write back again. This got me a bit upset because no one on the seller's end read my questions to see if they were answered in the details. So, I re-read the details. No, the listing details did not answer my questions. So, I wrote back again having to justify why I thought they should be bothered with answering me. In my field of rare gemstones, customer service and personal touch are paramount - even if it is regarding info already in the listing. Is it that some sellers are too lazy to bother with questions? I could almost see maybe using a canned response of "read the listing" if I was sure that the answers were there. I think we sellers should not use responses that make the potential buyer have to justify getting our help. What do y'all think?

[soh.maryl]

"What do you think?"

Well, since you asked, I would prefer to spend my money with a seller who responds to my questions courteously.  That means I would skip this guy, who evidently doesn't need any more buyers, and find a more helpful seller.  

[dbfolks166mt]

     It probably depends on the seller. If you are a large seller and are selling across multiple venues, platforms and possibly a B&M store as well it may not be a case of being lazy but more of one with regards to time availability. A seller with a large number of items could be subjected to thousands of questions a day. With so much information available online these days especially when it comes to things like kitchen appliances I can generally do a little research and find the information I am looking for. If what I receive does not match the description I simply return it. 

     I try to describe my items as best I can but people will vary on their interpretation of your description. When you list sizes in MM I could easily ask the seller what that is in inches or as a fraction. When you list something as red I could easily ask what color red? 

[frommichel]

I understand completely and you have a good point. I think this is why eBay has the option for sellers to not accept questions from potential buyers. So, if a seller accepts questions, then I think that there is the presumption among buyers that someone will read them and actually try to give the info that they seek. If the seller had read my questions, realized that the answers were in their listing and then sent to me a 'read the listing' response, then I would be embarrassed and in complete agreement with the seller. But, alas, this was not the case.

I agree with you regarding some questions. For example, I had a customer once return an emerald because it was not the hue of green to match the outfit they were going to wear it with (I wish the buyer had asked for more details on that b/f purchase). Occasionally, I have had a seller respond with something like 'we don't have that information' and this has been fine b/c if a seller does not know an answer then they just don't have that information.

[inhawaii]

Me personally, I wouldn't buy from that seller.

[pickermall]

Could it be maybe a dropshipper based in Asia? Maybe the product is here in the USA in a warehouse and the actual seller is clueless?

OR the seller is USA based and specializes in the product, but can't be bothered? For example, I recently asked a question about a replacement engine for my riding lawn mower... the seller specializes in these (it seems by their user name and inventory). They got back to me the next day, after stock sold out and said they could not answer my question. We are talking about a $1000 item.

So I don't know. There are some of us who like to field questions BEFORE the sale, but evidently, there are sellers who don't?

[fashunu4eeuh]

When a potential buyer asks a question, i always respond courteously, whether or not the info they seek is in my listings. I check my eBay Messages on a daily basis so as to reply promptly. I do so because i am here to sell, not pad my buyer block list.

Questions mean my listings are being seen. Questions indicate interest in my items, and interest can translate into a sale. So, as a small seller, it is not a waste of my time to respond to an inquiry.

[the-hook-and-the-loop]

They probably don't speak(type) good English.

[soh.maryl]

And you have determined that because . . .? 

[soh.maryl]

Again, totally agree as in my response to the OP.

There are probably very few items listed on eBay that are one-of-a-kind.

[sextons-sweet-deals]

Anyone who gets a response like that from a seller just needs to move on. Nothing good is going to come out of the sale for the buyer. 

[fern*wood]

I have seen plenty of threads on this board by sellers complaining about the time waste many questions are because the answers are in the title and/or descriptions or nonsensical.    If I had a mega store and this was a big problem, I can see coming up with something like you mentioned to cut down on the problem.  Of course you would run the risk of offending some.

[jameshen1]

---

@the-hook-and-the-loop wrote:

They probably don't speak(type) good English.

---

Wow.  That is quite the assumption.  Thank you for posting that.

[tryel9415]

Poor customer service is lucky than yougot service by inhuman or 4 legs. Let tell you the things,yhere is no way to complain the inhuman that why they can do whateber they like. Also they liar and cover by their supervisor or their work mate and liar either in phone or chat with chat scripted. They also support illegal product forsale but i think they make money that way because they can collect more money on sale. Now alot of better website to buy also dont talk to inhuman or anymal in customer service group because they fully protected no way you can complain to your local gov. The only way we can do is sop using the service.

[duffy4444]

---

@frommichel wrote:

"...Is it that some sellers are too lazy to bother with questions? I could almost see maybe using a canned response of "read the listing" if I was sure that the answers were there. I think we sellers should not use responses that make the potential buyer have to justify getting our help.."

---

@frommichel:

   Yes, some sellers are too lazy. This is something the seller should have learned in Customer Service 101. Your inquiry about the difference between two models was neither stupid, nor based on not reading the listing descriptions - it was a legitimate inquiry that should have been properly responded to.

   Vote with your feet moving on to another seller, even though you may have to spend a few extra bucks in order to ensure your questions are answered with confidence about what you are going to buy.

Cheers, Duffy