AI Generated Descriptions

[twk]

As a buyer (and seller) here on eBay I detest the all to common AI generated descriptions which tell you NOTHING about the item except how it will be a "wonderful addition to your collection".

This became very apparent when I was searching for a Williams Sonoma tablecloth and was getting generic AI descriptions telling me how the tablecloth is a "great collectible".   
That may be true for vintage and antique linen.  Most descriptions did not give the condition of the item and many didn't bother with the size because AI did not put it in.

Frankly I got tired of having to email the seller about the condition of the item.  Many use the term "shadow" to hide the fact there is a stain on the cloth.

Please, sellers, give the size of item and condition.  All AI does is give a repeatitive glowing report about the item that is vague.  Also, every darn item seems to have the exact same descriptin...word to word.

[fwsantiques]

I agree with you 100%.  FWS Antiques

[bashort]

AI generated descriptions are worse than worthless, along the lines of using up title characters in a title with  WOW!! 

I think that putting as many pertinent facts about the item using the least number of words possible is the way to go

[luxgoods]

awhile back ebay was telling sellers to not use all that fluff that is showing up in those ridiculous AI descriptions. Now if you use their AI description, then all the work is done for you.  I will never use ebays AI description as it is very deceptive. Just state the facts and the measurements which is what the buyer wants to see.

[twk]

Agree.  I try to tell buyer as much as I know about the item, condition, etc.

In my case, with the tablecloth, I got so tired of AI descriptions, having to email and wait for response I finally just went to the Sonoma site and actually bought the same cloth I was looking at on eBay for $10.00 less!!  That was sure a surprise.

[twk]

Exactly.  Say I am looking for Orrefors crystal, I already know about it so I don't need 1 paragraphs (go check it out) about Orrefors, how old they are, quality of crystal, and how I just need it for my collection.  When all I want to know is size and condition.

[thelongball]

Personally, I view AI as being lazy in many regards. 

[conservitvs]

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@twk wrote:

As a buyer (and seller) here on eBay I detest the all to common AI generated descriptions which tell you NOTHING about the item except how it will be a "wonderful addition to your collection".

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Absolutely, totally agree 100%. 

[twk]

It is lazy.  Sadly if you check out listings you will find they all say the exact same thing but tell you nothing about the things that really matter - condition, size, etc.

If eBay is pushing AI they are ruining their own business.    It is bad enough with some of the miserable packing that gets done these days.   FWIW, I received a piece yesterday that actually, hold your seats now, had BUGS in the wrapping paper!!  EWWW!  Could have been a roaches but I got that box out of the house very quickly.

[twk]

On second thought, let them all go to AI descriptions and my sales will go up because I give the necessary information a buyer wants.  AND, I will only purchase from sellers that do the same as they know what the buyer wants.

[diver_9743]

It's true! I've encountered this issue as well. Many sellers simply use AI to generate descriptions without paying attention to what they're writing. As a result, the descriptions often don't match the product they're describing.

[itsjustasprain]

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@twk wrote:

Most descriptions did not give the condition of the item and many didn't bother with the size because AI did not put it in.

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True - actually the Ebay AI will draw details from the Item Specifics - but if the seller does not put in any IS values (especially obvious stuff like sizes and measurements) then the AI is not going to have anything to work with.

The AI feature is simply worthless unless you want your listing to sound both wordy and trashy. It reflects badly on the seller as just being lazy.

[ten_o_nine]

I asked AI the same question, here's their response,

AI-generated descriptions can be helpful in some cases, such as generating product descriptions for e-commerce websites or summarizing long pieces of text. However, they can also be awful if not properly trained or used inappropriately.

Some common issues with AI-generated descriptions include:

* Lack of coherence or clarity
* Overuse of buzzwords or jargon
* Inaccurate or misleading information
* Unnatural or robotic tone
* Lack of context or understanding of the subject matter

To avoid these issues, it's important to carefully evaluate and edit AI-generated descriptions before using them. Additionally, using AI as a tool to assist human writers and editors, rather than relying solely on AI-generated content, can often lead to better results.

[ckimodog]

@diver_9743 

And the result will be an item "not as described."  I would never use AI to describe anything I sell.  You're just asking for headaches and more returns. 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@twk wrote:

Exactly.  Say I am looking for Orrefors crystal, I already know about it so I don't need 1 paragraphs (go check it out) about Orrefors, how old they are, quality of crystal, and how I just need it for my collection.  When all I want to know is size and condition.

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I don't disagree that AI descriptions are useless and usually inaccurate but I do disagree with your comments stating an example about listing Orrefors. 

You claim YOU already know about Orrefors crystal but many buyers may not know, may just be starting a collection or just buying a piece and may want to know how old (vintage or modern), quality of the crystal and generally, more than just the size and condition! 

Personally, I prefer bulleted listings that state all the specifics a buyer might want to know.