Abbreviation for Smoke Free/Pet Free home in Condition Field

[simplyred83]

I have been selling on Ebay for years and note in my listing items are 'from a smoke free and pet free home'.  In an effort to reduce words in my listings I want to try abbreviating this phrase to something like this  in the condition field: S&PFH (smoke & pet free home).

Just curious what others think/or if they have another suggestions other than continuing the type the whole phrase out.  I remember we use to have to type 'vintage' in the auction title but now we can use 'vtg' with the same search results.

[the_fancy_fox]

I think most people won't have a clue as to what it means

[emerald40]

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@the_fancy_fox wrote:

I think most people won't have a clue as to what it means

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I agree.  Better to just say smoke and pet free home.

[femmefan1946]

Sadly I agree.

BUYERS DON'T READ.

When I was writing for publication, our practice was that the term had to be spelled out before we could use an abbreviation or acronym.

(ie Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada -- IANDC) .

I have a document on my desktop with my Terms of Sale (including HtML coding) which I can paste into any description.

It includes "Always carefully packed and from a non-smoking household." as one of the Terms. Would adding something like that to your own template make things go faster?

Perhaps a tick off box in Item Specifics?

[smileytown18]

Your reducing 4 words but leaving one confusing acronym. No gain in my eyes.

[luckythewinner]

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@simplyred83 wrote:

 In an effort to reduce words in my listings I want to try abbreviating this phrase to something like this  in the condition field: S&PFH (smoke & pet free home). 

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I would question your stated goal of reducing the number of words in your listings.

You are proposing reducing the number of words by changing a clear and easy to read phrase into your own cryptic shorthand abbreviation. 

How will that improve your buyer's experience? 

[tina06457]

Stick with typing it out. For some buyers English is not their first language. They have enough trouble with the words without abbreviations. Others will miss this and be sending you questions. No one wants messages right now of any kind.

[tweetystwades]

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@simplyred83 wrote:

I have been selling on Ebay for years and note in my listing items are 'from a smoke free and pet free home'.  In an effort to reduce words in my listings I want to try abbreviating this phrase to something like this  in the condition field: S&PFH (smoke & pet free home).

Just curious what others think/or if they have another suggestions other than continuing the type the whole phrase out.  I remember we use to have to type 'vintage' in the auction title but now we can use 'vtg' with the same search results.

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Why don't you create a template, you click on it and it will add in the description. I have several things saved, so I don't have to type them all out in every listing. 

[remembertoask]

How about instead we ask ebay to include this as a "Detail" in listings, just like "New/Used", we could have "Smoke Free: Yes/No/Uncertain". I want to make this suggestion to ebay because I am so tired of always having to email sellers about it...

[thallidguy]

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@remembertoask wrote:
How about instead we ask ebay to include this as a "Detail" in listings, just like "New/Used", we could have "Smoke Free: Yes/No/Uncertain". I want to make this suggestion to ebay because I am so tired of always having to email sellers about it...

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Not a bad idea, but I don't think it would be foolproof. It is possible for people to become so desensitized to smoke smell that they just don't notice it anymore. So you'd get false positives.

[7606dennis]

Frankly, I believe too many acronyms are already in use.  Sometimes it reminds me of my military service.  By the way, not all sellers are working out of their home so "an item coming from a smoke and/or pet free home" isn't really an accurate description in those cases.

When it comes to used or vintage items, it is almost impossible to be able to guarantee that an item has not been exposed to smoke and/or pets for its entire existence.  Even with new items it would be virtually impossible to make that guarantee without being the manufacturer, warehouseman and transporter of the goods.  Even then, it would be nearly impossible to keep the item in a completely sterile environment without costly equipment.

Here is a phrase that I use in the text of my descriptions that I use.  "Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that this item has been kept in a smoke/pet free environment."

[nowthatsjustducky]

Here is an interesting scenario for those who declare a smoke free home.  For those of you who have had to deal with wildfires over the past few years in your area, since the general air quality during those periods is smokey daily, can you really declare your items as being from a smoke free environment?

[a*river*runs*through*it]

Let's not forget the postal workers that smoke in the trucks and around the PO.

No way would I ever state "smoke free" as you have no idea what may happen once the item is out of your hands.