Getting lots of inquiries about dimensions...why??

[dippitydoo]

Howdy do!!  Well, sort of odd, I just got two back-to-back requests for the dimensions of an item...when my listing description clearly states what they are. (!)  Is this because they are looking at my listing through the mobile app, I wonder?  Not all listing items ask for the dimensions in the new "item details" thingie...is this what is happening, or are folks just too lazy to read my descriptions???  Had a few last month too.  Kind of slightly irksome. 🙂

[gopetersen]

My buyers constantly ask questions that are clearly answered in the listings.

I think it's a combination of buyers not reading and eBay sometimes hiding the description under an extra button.

[dippitydoo]

I suppose...I guess I ought to ignore the Ggrrrrrrr i feel at such redundant questions! 🙂

[ittybitnot]

 Kind of slightly irksome. 🙂

The upside to this is that actual humans have seen your listing and are interested.  That is a good thing. 

When this happens I usually send something similar to the following:

Dear _____________,

Thank you so much for viewing the listing.  As stated in the description this is 4" high, and 2" in diameter.  I realize that ebay does not always choose to display the included information you are seeking, so I am glad you took the time to inquire.  Your interest is mowt appreciated. 

Sincerely,

You

Be nice, you might get a sale.  At the same time you might be giving the buyer a clue.

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@dippitydoo wrote:

Howdy do!!  Well, sort of odd, I just got two back-to-back requests for the dimensions of an item...when my listing description clearly states what they are. (!)  Is this because they are looking at my listing through the mobile app, I wonder?  Not all listing items ask for the dimensions in the new "item details" thingie...is this what is happening, or are folks just too lazy to read my descriptions???  Had a few last month too.  Kind of slightly irksome. 🙂

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My PayPal "seller news" email last month stated that 48% of my sales were via a mobile device. The month before, it was actually over 50%

That means that Item Specifics are extremely important ... Because, in the app,  the IS are clearly visible to the buyer without them having to click on anything else.

Start putting your dimensions in the IS ... just add your own when listing.

I also put at least one dimension in the Title, and I reiterate the dimensions in the Description.

[wheredidiputthatremote]

Great answer! Kill 'em with kindness!

[itsjustasprain]

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@penguins_dont_fly wrote: 
That means that Item Specifics are extremely important ... Because, in the app,  the IS are clearly visible to the buyer without them having to click on anything else.

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This is true. In mobile format you have to click a link if you want to see the desciption. And first you have to FIND the link - and its buried at the bottom. Very poor layout for getting the important info where the buyer can see it. When they put up just some of the description then some people may think thats ALL the desription - they may not see the Read More link at the bottom. If they are going to all the trouble of sending you a message to ask you a question that is answered in the description then its a safe bet that they are not seeing the description.

Those buyers are not the problem buyers becuase they are bothering to ask you first. The problem buyers are the ones who miss the descripton AND dont bother to be sure about what theyre buying before they buy it. Because they can always return it anyway - right? 

[cumos55]

There could also be a http versus https  problem.

If the listing are not https secure then someone will have to click on something  that says.... See Description.... or an an equivalent link.  Only then will the description in a listing be seen.

Do a search on eBay "Help" for more information about ..... https

[penguins_dont_fly]

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@cumos55 wrote:

There could also be a http versus https  problem.

If the listing are not https secure then someone will have to click on something  that says.... See Description.... or an an equivalent link.  Only then will the description in a listing be seen.

Do a search on eBay "Help" for more information about ..... https

The OP's listings are plain text, with no links .... so https is not the problem here 🙂

But you are correct that non-secure content will cause the "See Decsription" button on PC/browser view.

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[castlemagicmemories]

That's one of the major complaints on the Buying Board as many DON'T list measurements!  Possibly you are getting some buyers who are so used to measurements NOT being included, they missed yours.

I used to send a very polite response, so sorry for the bother, but although I checked the listing thoroughly, I cannot find any measurements.  Can you please tell me what they are?

Due to SO many listings that DON't have measurements, I either don't bother now or just send the single word, Measurements?

[newview]

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@itsjustasprain wrote:

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@penguins_dont_fly wrote: 
That means that Item Specifics are extremely important ... Because, in the app,  the IS are clearly visible to the buyer without them having to click on anything else.

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This is true. In mobile format you have to click a link if you want to see the desciption. And first you have to FIND the link - and its buried at the bottom. Very poor layout for getting the important info where the buyer can see it.

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This is because eBay's Mobile App is designed to do ONE thing ... feed you ads and track your views.

They seem to consider everything else as superfluous.

The ONLY thing I use the Mobile App for is Sales Notifications & messages from buyers ... nothing else.

[michael_atw]

It seems to be the mobile app is causing these problems. 

I've had numerous transactions where I took dents because the buyer either had no clue how to use the app or was taught by ebay not to care. The more informal the interface, the less it seems you're interacting with a human.  Bad, very bad. 

[dippitydoo]

Thanks Penquin and everyone else....it certainly IS a complex thing, isn't it!?  Well,  fudge.....I just got befuddled in my question...(can't reread your reply while typing this)...are you saying that the only thing mobile app buyers can see is the little description from the box on the listing form that is above the photo upload part? (The one just below new/used? And not the large description area that I use to give the full description??)  I guess I shouldn't get so irked then if it's not what I thought, which  was they're  just being too lazy to read my descriptions, but that they can't even SEE them!!  My head is about to pop from it all!    

[ted_200]

This is because eBay's Mobile App is designed to do ONE thing ... feed you ads and track your views.

They seem to consider everything else as superfluous.

The ONLY thing I use the Mobile App for is Sales Notifications & messages from buyers ... nothing else.

It certainly could be the Mobile App.

It could also be the new "product based shopping" Product Page thing which serves your listing with a different title and without any of the listing description. 

They have also served actual listing pages without the Description in the past (have to click a button or link to see it).  As was mentioned, they are also doing this currently with Descriptions that contain http: links in them. 

[ted_200]

 And not the large description area that I use to give the full description??)

That's my understanding, I don't use it myself.

I guess I shouldn't get so irked then if it's not what I thought, which  was they're  just being too lazy to read my descriptions...

There are some of those, I can attest to that.  And there are some who are too lazy to click the Button / Link to see it, because they know they can get out of it for no cost later, so they just don't care.  And I would not be surprised in the slightest if some of them did click it and it wouldn't load, or that the thing to click didn't load.  It happens on the web version of the site all the time now.

But even on other sites that don't have any of that going on, I still get occasional dimension questions that are right in the listing.