eBay

tealt · ‎12-04-2023

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.

fern*wood · ‎12-05-2023

I 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 · ‎12-05-2023

@fern*wood wrote:
I 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.

Ditto 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.

ebeths_eclectic_collectibles · ‎12-05-2023

I 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

inhawaii · ‎12-05-2023

@chapeau-noir wrote:
@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.

Gee thanks.

I just wasted 3 hours of my day staring at that.

Papa Was A Rolling Stone - The Temptations

raylonscollectibles · ‎01-05-2024

I hate it, I always have images on my Item Description. It should be an option on how your page look.

ittybitnot · ‎01-06-2024

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.

@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.

sextons-sweet-deals · ‎01-06-2024

I 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.

mcgurf · ‎01-10-2024

i 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.”

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.

mcgurf · ‎01-10-2024

seriously. i thought your copy was the ai copy.

my-cottage-books-and-antiques · ‎01-10-2024

I'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.

brightlightbookseller · ‎01-10-2024

I 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.

maxine*j · ‎01-10-2024

@tealt wrote:
... I decided to use the AI description feature... I'd be curious to hear from anyone else who is using AI or has at least tried it.

I'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.

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adkhighker · ‎01-10-2024

I 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 · ‎01-10-2024

@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.