Average Message Response Time Shown In Feedback Module - Another Test?

[valueaddedresource]

Noticed today that on the View Item page in the Feedback module for some sellers eBay is showing an average message response rate.

It's not showing for all sellers and I'm not sure what the criteria is - I don't think it's only for sellers that are particularly fast because I'm seeing anywhere from 1 hr to 24 hrs.

devon@ebay kyle@ebay  - any insights on this you can share?

[mam98031]

---

@whatamisellingtoday wrote:

Right... none of that is happening. Again I think you're blowing this whole thing out of proportion. It's just a little ticker that gives a rough estimate of response time. Nothing more, nothing less. No one is getting punished lmao

---

You don't have to agree with me, that is fine.  Not a big deal at all.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

---

@mam98031 wrote:

---

@simply-the-best-for-you wrote:

I really don't see what the big deal is.  If you can't meet whatever is showing, it will most likely change to whatever your new time is.  Big deal.  Etsy has this, AMZN has this (at least some sellers), it's pretty standard, if anything eBay is way behind in implementing it, it's been on Etsy for years.  As an Etsy buyer all it does is lmk how quickly I might expect an answer.    

This is just a big nothing burger to me.   But then I'm a very fast responder, so if anything, maybe it will give me a competitive edge 🤞

---

It seems that Ebay is doing an average amount of time it takes us to respond.  So it is unlikely that missing a couple is going to change the timeframe in which Ebay says you will answer.

I don't have this happening to me on Amz, other things I don't like, but this has not been something I've experienced there.

Maybe it will be a "nothing burger" until we get that buyer that is ticked off because we didn't meet the recommended time, goes ahead and buys the item then hits the seller's FB because of it.  Maybe you don't see that happening, but I do.

However I would much prefer for you to be right.

---

@mam98031  I know there are people here that sell on Etsy, maybe they'll chime in & explain if there are any consequences on Etsy if you don't meet the number.   I know they've had it for a couple of years at least.  Ofc, that doesn't mean that eBay will implement in the same way.  

[gurlcat]

I don't think mam's talking about automatic, platform-initiated consequences like getting service metrics dings, just more 'wild card' effects of entitled Karen-type buyers seeing the time amounts and expecting their response time to meet or exceed that. 

I could see it being especially tricky with auctions.  Say a buyer is considering bidding on an auction they found on its' final day, with only 5 hours left.  If the buyer's decision to bid (or how much to bid) is contingent on something they would need to know from the seller, and they see "Typically responds in 1 hour" they'll write to ask their question and expect to get their answer in plenty of time to make their bidding decision.  But if the seller is at work or some other scenario where they can't check their email, then the buyer might make their bid on faith that the item has whatever 'good' characteristic they wanted.  Then if it turns out it really doesn't, or any other gripe they end up having, they'll probably make a communication complaint in feedback, partly because the seller didn't answer in 1 hour.   Since most buyers have no way of knowing which words or phrases are stated by the seller versus ebay, some might even take the response time as the seller's own claim, a dishonest one.  

[legalbeagle52]

---

@gurlcat wrote:

I don't think mam's talking about automatic, platform-initiated consequences like getting service metrics dings, just more 'wild card' effects of entitled Karen-type buyers seeing the time amounts and expecting their response time to meet or exceed that. 

That ... that's exactly what I was concerned about especially since my "response time" is only 1 hour.  As you put it so well, definitely not my own claim, but a dishonest one. 

I had a buyer once who emailed me AFTER he made his purchase.  A second later he emailed me again and said "I haven't heard back from you yet. I'm going to cancel my order."   Along with some other not so kind words.  When I checked it had been a whole 8 minutes since his purchase.  Luckily for me I got back to him before the 9th minute or I would have been looking at some nasty negative feedback.  It's those types!  😑  We do get them from time to time.

---

[gurlcat]

Exactly.  I think it's especially an issue with buyers "under a certain age."  -Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those bitter old geezers who hates Millennials and Zoomers; I think in a lot of ways they're great.  And they are products of the era they just happened to be born into, and unfortunately some of the outcome isn't so great.  The "instant gratification" thing that bitter old geezers accuse them of for example, that's mostly untrue, but not entiiiiirely.  -They DID grow up in a time since texting became the primary communication form.  No longer can you just avoid someone by not answering "the phone" -now the phone can deliver their messages which are just about impossible to say you didn't know about, LOL.  And some of them rarely have the need to use email, so they think it works like texting, that you should immediately know about and reply to it, like a text.  

[carolynnq]

On Amazon, you have to respond to messages within 24 hours or you get dinged.

On Amazon messages, there's a box you can check if the message does not require a response. Before that box was added, it could get crazy. Buyer asks a question; seller answers. Buyer messages back "thank you." If seller doesn't respond to the thank you, they take a hit, so they reply back, "No, problem. Always happy to answer questions." Buyer responds, "Good to know, thanks again." Seller responds....

I frequently get questions in 2 or 3 messages from the same buyer. They ask something and send the message. They think of something else and sends a second message. I answer all of their questions in one email. If there's not a way to indicate an answer isn't required, I'll have to answer each message individually. Not a big deal, but I think buyers would prefer to have all info in one email.

[mam98031]

@carolynnq 

Speaking for myself only.  I wouldn't mind if they changed it from 48 hours to 24 hours.  But to change it to a couple hours or less, seems like asking for trouble.

[legalbeagle52]

---

@gurlcat wrote:

 No longer can you just avoid someone by not answering "the phone" -now the phone can deliver their messages which are just about impossible to say you didn't know about, LOL. 

---

---

---

Boy if that isn't the truth!  At the risk of sounding geezer-like,  I kind of miss the old days.  I can't even come up with excuses any more - though I still try -  especially when I'm racing to get my packages out on time.

[gloryglorygifts]

Yeah, I checked mine and it says that as well. SMDH No pressure....... and FREAKING RIDICULOUS!!!!!

[gloryglorygifts]

I have a landline with an answering machine for the biz. How's that for sounding geezer? LOL

[legalbeagle52]

LOL, so do I !! 

They can't get me to get rid of it, not for lack of trying.  No answering machine per se, my building comes with voice mail ( or I probably would have one)     😀

[gloryglorygifts]

That baby is staying put! LOL. You want me? Leave a message.

My relatives got me a cellphone for my 65th this year. It took me a month to activate it and I've used it once since for a call and once to receive a text. That technology is just lost on this old geezer.

[mam98031]

---

@legalbeagle52 wrote:

LOL, so do I !! 

They can't get me to get rid of it, not for lack of trying.  No answering machine per se, my building comes with voice mail ( or I probably would have one)     😀

---

Just don't hurt yourself in the process.  Not answering or delaying answering by any significant time will only hurt you and will do nothing to change Ebay's mind on this.  Ebay is going to put the word Estimated in from of Responds by in the next few days.  That will help.

[legalbeagle52]

@mam98031 

I answer all of my questions immediately.  Even the stupid ones, even the many low ball offers when I've never used Best Offer on a single listing   - all of them -   I email them back thanking them for their interest.   That's why I have the 1 hr. response time .  Good customer service comes pretty naturally to me.  

What we were talking about are regular phones where we can always be reached 24/7.  @gurlcat  & I were joking about that last night.  I'm pretty sure we were both referring to friends, relatives, neighbors etc.   You know how when people work from home, everyone thinks you can talk anytime.   

Don't worry, I'm good!   Appreciate your concern.  You're always very helpful, to everyone!  😊

[mam98031]

@legalbeagle52 

OK, I'm glad you are a good and responsible seller.  However I never implied or suggested that you or anyone else wasn't.  Nor do I need a reason why you or anyone else has a 1 hour response time.  However that would also mean that you were almost always available when a question came in.  What about those other sellers that are good and responsible but require some sleep every now and again.  They may very well respond as soon as they get back to work but the time would show it takes them longer to respond if it happened often enough to affect their average.  Your 1 hour verses someone else's that may be 5+ hours doesn't mean you are the more responsible seller.  There are other variables at play here.

I ever said a peep about phone calls.  Nor would I especially about personal ones.  Simply not my business how you respond to them.

I'm glad you are OK, but clearly you took some of what I said entirely different than intended.