Anyone else like the AI description feature?
Until about a week ago I had always (for 24+ years) written my item descriptions in html (the for-dummies variety).
I currently have 70+ antique thingies to list of the same era and material, but each one different. This requires a different item description, item specifics, and photos for each one. I'm using Sell Similar, but still wanted to reduce my listing time per item. So I decided to use the AI description feature.
I am liking using the AI descriptions because:
1) It does save me some time.
2) It picks up bits of important information from both my title and item specifics. Thus the AI paragraph is usually accurate about facts.
2) It is a bit flowery, which is not my taste as a buyer, but I don't assume that my taste automatically appeals to all potential buyers. Some folks like flowery and might be more inclined to buy.
3) It is completely editable. I can eliminate words like "perfect", "excellent", "wonderful" and any other over-the-top adjectives that I would never, ever use in a description. I can eliminate whole sentences and add whole sentences of my own (e.g. repeating the item condition).
So far the IA doesn't seem to be off putting to buyers, and I'm hoping that since I no longer have html in my descriptions, eBay isn't hiding my descriptions under an addition link.
I'd be curious to hear from anyone else who is using AI or has at least tried it.
fusickautomotive
·2 years agowe have tried using the AI listing tool........ and its pretty funny but definately something we cant use. it gets pretty exciting filling the description with almost any info in your listing info but it sounds kind of "fruity-pompus" i guess its not for everyone. we will be sticking to the good old human brain to hopefully get the listing body done.
j270
·2 years agoi dont use it, how can you, The AI dosnt know the condition of your item, i dont buy anything from an AI generated listing
ckimodog
·2 years ago@j270
This is an old thread from 2023. The OP is still selling so they must have gotten things figured out.
Should you have any questions or concerns it is always a good idea to start your own thread to get the help and advice for your specific issue.
liswatt-543
·2 years agoIs ebay A1 description free in uk? Because Adobe keeps charging me.
merseyglo
·2 years agoHow can AI be anything more that a generic in general description?
It can only result in less customer satisfaction because of less accurate descriptions of pre owned things and antiques. Step in the wrong direction.
tealt
OP2 years agoWhen I used AI for my antique items the description it generated was accurate for my particular item because the AI picked up specifics I had put in the title and IS.
The AI generated description was usually factually correct and contained several over the top adjectives. I always edited out those adjectives.
dollocity
·2 years agoNot sure about it yet.
Reason I tried it... hoping if the ai wrote the description
Maybe the ai would show the item.
mr_lincoln
·2 years ago@tealt
My issue with typing in certain areas of eBay and here on The Community is at times I think AI selects words and completes them without me knowing it until I re-read what I have typed.
I see this often when I type words like custom but later see customer, or form and see former.
I can see "maybe" (and that's a strong "maybe") making the mistake once but when it shows up several times in the same paragraph or post I have to give AI the credit for it.
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoIf you're on a desktop and use Edge it has an annoying autocomplete. You can switch that off. If you use another browser, check to see whether autocomplete is enabled.
a_c_green
·2 years agoRight; it's not AI, but just the autocomplete feature that's been a standard option in text editors on desktops and mobile since, like, forever. The cheesy ones try to give you a completion of the most likely word in the language based on whatever letters you've already typed of your current word. The better ones will base their offering on the most frequently matching word that you yourself have used, and sometimes on the context of the sentence and word(s) that you've most recently typed. It's basically just a mechanical algorithm at work.
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoThe one that Edge has is particularly annoying - it was 'updated' last year and butts in everywhere.
mr_lincoln
·2 years ago@chapeau-noir Wow, just now saw this reply from early last month ... I will try that and also, please feel free to tag me ...
One area it crops up is the Title line on listings ... and then in the price field on listings. If I type in the price it does not show but is registered (I see this when I save it for later and edit). When I click on an empty price field a list of prices appears, if I select one of those it will display it AND I can edit that price and it will display it ... dumb, not sure that is a Edge autocomplete issue but I could be wrong.
chapeau-noir
·2 years ago@mr_lincoln They may both be the Edge autocomplete feature, the display of other numbers makes me think that it might be - see what happens when you turn it off. Though as for the price text box itself, I've seen reports of this being a problem lately IIRC - the tech board has some posts about it.
mr_lincoln
·2 years ago@chapeau-noir
My sincere thanks ...
blncoins
·2 years agoI am a full-time Reseller of Jewelry high-end costume. I just went to list something today and didn’t get the AIS option. I was extremely disappointed. I love the option and wish it would return
whiteyswrecking
·2 years agoTried it once and took it right back down !!! Talk about wanting/getting a return for NAD return..
Use AI and you will have plenty of returns, eBay will not take responsibility for their AI mistakes, even if it was eBay's AI description
adkhighker
·2 years agoI have never looked into using AI as of yet, mostly because I figured it wouldn't be of much use for the antiques, collectibles, or jewelry I usually sell. Anyway, after reading the pros and cons of AI descriptions on this thread, I tried it out very briefly on a draft for an item I will be listing in the future. I have to admit that I was kind of secretly hoping it would suck. Instead, I was quite surprised, even a little amazed, at how well the AI wrote up my description, based only on my title and the item specifics that I used. So, from what I saw in the one draft I tried it on, I will definitely try it out more often and can see myself using parts of the AI descriptions to supplement my own wording in the future.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
·2 years ago@adkhighker I've seen a lot of people use the word "inspiration" for ebay's AI---it might not say exactly what you want, but it sparks an idea about how to improve the text.
As to the use of AI more generally, I am guessing that most posters here don't really do much with things like Store Billboard graphics, logos, social media content etc. But for those who do, AI is becoming a go to tool....and it is being incorporated into many existing tools, such as canva.
maxine*j
·2 years agoI'm no longer an active seller, so this is no more than opinion:
Given its current state, I would not use the AI description feature. Maybe someday it will be sophisticated enough to be useful in some categories.
Right now, it can be spotted a mile away with its phatic, overused, often unsuitable "marketing" phrases. It too often makes the seller using it look uninformed or lazy, or both.
Since the only way to avoid that is to carefully proof and edit the AI description, why not use the same time and energy to write one's own? Seems like a duplication of effort.
-
tealt
OP2 years agoAnother poster on this thread, @my-cottage-books-and-antiques , has put their finger on why AI descriptions are useful to me. Inspiration.
I have the time and energy to write just-the-facts descriptions, but I don't have the talent to create a simple sentence or two that might appeal to buyers on an emotional (if that's the word I want) level.
I somehow can't find the words to make a potential buyer think, "Yes...that vase might look good on the mantlepiece next to the one grandma gave me." Or, "Hmmm...that pin WOULD be a nice addition to my cat jewelry collection."
For a seller like me, with my limited creativity, sentences and phrases in an AI description can be used (an edited) to add to the possibility that my item might sell.
itsjustasprain
·2 years agoFor starters just be sure to remove any occurrences of the phrase 'must-have'. ðŸ˜
brightlightbookseller
·2 years agoI haven't found it to be helpful in our descriptions, since we don't describe the item from an objective "this is what it is" perspective, we only describe the condition, and we can't enter that somewhere else in a meaningful way before generating with AI. Instead, we copy/paste description templates and then edit them to match the condition of that particular item or lot. I could see AI being helpful in other markets than used books/media, though, where you do have to describe what the item is more often.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
·2 years agoI'm certainly no expert on this stuff, but my understanding is: something like ChatGPT draws from the internet as a whole, but ebay's listing tool AI draws only from the info you've supplied: title, Item Specifics, etc. which is far more limiting.
I recently read a similar thread on a reselling FB group, but the question wasn't about ebay's description AI, but AI more generally (things like ChatGPT). While some people (as usual) flatly refused to try it, it seemed most of those who had tried it were using it for a host of business (and personal) related tasks. Many said it was both a great time saver and great for inspiration (an example, creating social media posts and graphics for your business).
I haven't found ebay's Description AI to be very useful, and rarely use it (and when I do use it, the end version is heavily edited by me). But I will eventually explore the non -ebay AI tools that can be applied to reselling...I think they are likely to be far more robust than anything ebay has come up with so far.
mcgurf
·2 years agoi don’t like the ai description. it’s all artificial with no intelligence.
when i read ai descriptions, i find false, wrong, and misleading info. add to that that smarmy sounding sales pitch all the ai seem to include (and repeat for all items and sellers). it sounds like a cheap sales script a telemarketer uses.
all ai does is make me think the sellers are trying to hide something. rather than describe the item. ai tells me: “this will make a great addition,†“fans will love this,†“this is a great example.â€
minutes ago i read that a book “comes with a special dustcover,†which is just the basic, standard dustcover required for the ‘new item’ listing.
for another 1st edition book, the ai copy stated it was an “original/facsimile†copy.
i know we sellers are supposed to read and edit the ai, but if sellers are too lazy to write a few lines of accurate description then they’re going to be too lazy to read and edit the ai copy. which leads me to my final complaint:
if sellers are too lazy or even just too busy to create a simple and clear and accurate description, it’s logical to think they’re also too busy (or too lazy), to be selling, packing and shipping the item i’m hoping to buy.
sextons-sweet-deals
·2 years agoI won't entertain using it!
I like giving all the correct details, measurements, and any history or a personal story I can add to my listing when I can.
Why let AI do it and then you have to proofread what was dropped in the description, delete, and then add details? From the some of the posts I have read, this eBay AI wording seems like a lot of sugar coating and over the top sales pitch like those late-night TV commercials.
I see this as another extra opportunity for scammers if the seller does not review & proofread their listing before submitting.
raylonscollectibles
·2 years agoI hate it, I always have images on my Item Description. It should be an option on how your page look.
ebeths_eclectic_collectibles
·2 years agoI have used it a few times and it is a bit flowery and over the top at times. It can be a great starting point if you start with it and then make it yours. I tend to write just the facts descriptions so it can add something. The big question is are my customers inspired by just the facts descriptions or “J Pererman†write ups
fern*wood
·2 years agoI just tried it for the first time and agree--too flowery for my taste. I worry about buyers not reading descriptions, or missing important parts, so the added verbiage was way too much clutter for me, so I removed it.
richard1rst
·2 years agoDitto that.
My item number https://www.ebay.com/itm/404097348990.
A figurine of Harley Quinn.
My description:
Fierce meets fabulous in this meticulously hand-crafted figurine
inspired by DC Comics most iconic villain.
Fall hopelessly in love with Gotham City's favorite femme fatale.
Arkham Asylum certainly has never been the same since
The Joker's cherished gal pal burst onto the scene
with her must have mallet accessory in hand.
AI's description
A Harley Quinn figurine is a collectible item that depicts the popular character from DC Comics. This particular figurine showcases Harley Quinn holding a wooden mallet. The figurine captures the essence of Harley Quinn's playful and mischievous nature, with attention to detail in her iconic outfit and signature pigtails. The wooden mallet she holds adds an element of her unpredictable and whimsical personality. This figurine is a must-have for fans of Harley Quinn and serves as a visually appealing representation of the character's unique style and charm.
***
Not only do I think the AI is way too wordy it completely ignores her relationship to The Joker which is as much a part of her character as the wooden mallet. And, by the way, she doesn't have pigtails.
mcgurf
·2 years agoseriously. i thought your copy was the ai copy.
redlinear
·2 years agoI think both descriptions read like a stereotype mid 70's used car salesman.
itsjustasprain
·2 years agoI have to agree that if you are trying to write like an AI description you have definitely succeeded. 😉 If it was not for the missing hyphen in 'must have' I think I would have had a hard time deciding which was yours and which was AI.
chapeau-noir
·2 years ago@richard1rstwrites: Even AI admits in an answer to a direct question that repeatedly using AI will generate a diminution in the creative writing skills of the user.
And given that large language models basically scrape the internet for fodder, which then often has the end product tilled back in, we can end up with endless recursion.
 
inhawaii
·2 years agoGee thanks.
I just wasted 3 hours of my day staring at that.
redmodelt
·2 years agoPersonally, after seeing how AI described a vintage/antique item (mantle for Alladin lamp in this case), it should never be used where the item is used or old stock. AI cannot see or feel the item so in no way could it properly describe the items nuances from a photograph.
djvp53
·2 years agoI use it to start most of my listings and I usually keep a sentence or two. Since I first started using it, I think it has improved a little bit by incorporating more from the listing specifics. Unfortunately, it usually does so in the most stilted and awkward way, so I generally rewrite the whole description. It only takes a couple of seconds to let the AI get the first poke at a description and with so little to lose, I'll keep trying.
As a buyer, I can generally see the pure AI listing descriptions and I am leery of those. If the seller is so lazy as to just accept whatever nonsense AI spews, I doubt they took great care in writing their description or that they will take great care in packing and shipping.
itsjustasprain
·2 years agoIts garbage-in-garbage-out (especially if you got your Item Specifics wrong). IMHO nothing says 'lazy' like a big vapid flowery AI description paired with minimal Item Specifics and only 3 photos - 2 of which are out of focus and one is sideways. As soon as I see an AI description in a listing my radar goes up and I start doublechecking everything else in the listing. I cannot trust the description anymore because it is obvious that the seller did not write it.
Its kind of like sellers in the past who would list a used item but have only stock photos of a new example that they scraped from someplace else. We would tell them that if they had taken their own photos of the actual item they were selling then they would not be complaining about a Not As Described return coming back at them. AI descriptions are like that but for text instead of photos. Do your own work and you will produce the best description of your item - even if your grammar is not perfect.
my-cottage-books-and-antiques
·2 years ago@tealt I've played around with it. I think it is like most tools here: useful for some sellers, less useful for others. And it must be used with care (review and revise).
That said, this tool is in its infancy, and similar tools elsewhere are far more robust, with the "writer" instructing the tool to use a certain tone of voice, or a certain style, etc. If ebay continues to refine the tool it will become more useful. And, since it clearly draws a lot from item specifics, savvy sellers will likely learn to add more custom Item Specifics to enhance the description.
If writing a description is the sort of thing that comes easily to a person, then this is of limited use at present. For others, it is a useful even valuable tool. And will probably only get better.
If I were giving it a grade , I'd probably give it a "C"...but that's a whole lot better than the Ds and Fs I'd give to many sellers (including the seller whose description of a book read "book.")
So, onward and upward....if it helps , use it, but always remember to review and revise (if necessary)
bashort
·2 years agoMy opinion is that a item description should inform the potential buyer of the pertinent details of the item in the fewest words possible.
I tested AI on one listing, a electrical connector and it spit out a whole paragraph with terms like "sleek silver finish" but failed to mention the gauge of wire that the connector works on.
ittybitnot
·2 years agoI tested AI on one listing, a electrical connector and it spit out a whole paragraph with terms like "sleek silver finish" but failed to mention the gauge of wire that the connector works on.
@bashort
LOL....I bet it was a "must have" and "guaranteed conversation starter" as well? Did it also say it will bring "joy" to your entire family?
As a buyer I really hate reading through all that nonsense. I want to know what SIZE something is, what it is made of, and any condition issues that make it not MINT. At least, if a seller decided to just repeat their title, or leave the description area blank and go directly to their five paragraphs of TOS, I can save time and use the back button much more quickly than scanning the drivel to find out the information is not provided.
inhawaii
·2 years agoI love the AI description feature.
I hope my competitors all continue to use it.
redlinear
·2 years agoMy thoughts exactly!
joliztoyco
·2 years agoYou can use it and it does save some time. For some items.
You have to go through it and remove some of the goofy hyperbole. But it's still faster removing a few sentences than writing a complete description.
Whether you choose to write your own description, or get an assist from AI, you decide what works best for what you're selling.
And you don't need a "creative writing" degree to do your own listings.
Most buyers want an accurate description, not some flowery prose.
richard1rst
·2 years agoAt the risk of being hyperbolic I view AI as being the baby Skynet taking that first breath.
Even AI admits in an answer to a direct question that repeatedly using AI will generate a diminution in the creative writing skills of the user. Eventually every post for a particular product will look the same and you will be nothing more than a Waldo lost amongst a sea of Waldos.
tealt
OP2 years agoWhat you say would be quite true for me…
If there were duplicates of what I am listing already on eBay, and there are not.
What I’m listing is ultra long tail and will appeal to a tiny, tiny audience. Thus I’m not worried about getting lost in any sea of duplicate descriptions
luckythewinner
·2 years agoWhat does "AI" based that answer on?
richard1rst
·2 years agohttps://chatgptt.me/
QUESTION
Will repeatedly using AI to write product descriptions have any effect on the writer's own communication skills?
ANSWER
Repeatedly using AI to write product descriptions can have an impact on a writer's communication skills. While AI can generate coherent and contextually relevant text, it is important to note that it is still an automated system and may not capture the nuances and creativity that human writers possess. Relying solely on AI for writing can potentially limit a writer's ability to develop their own unique writing style, adapt to different audiences, and exercise critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It is advisable for writers to strike a balance between utilizing AI tools and actively practicing and honing their own communication skills to maintain a well-rounded approach.
chapeau-noir
·2 years agoI've tried it and I can write faster.*
As long as you edit it for accuracy after it's done churning the copy, that's all really that matters.
*I'm including the fact that one must have to read through the AI and make any changes and check for accuracy as the reason I can write faster - I know the AI scrapes the content pretty quickly.
tealt
OP2 years agoYou make a good point.
I think if I had your talents, AI would not be as useful for me. 🙂
Besides having arthritic fingers, my brain doesn’t come up with descriptions that might appeal to a certain type of buyer.
Those are my limitations that AI helps me with.