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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions

As an 18 year ebay seller I do buy on ebay as well, maybe 5 purchases at best a year & it amazes me how frequently sellers do not answer questions.

As a seller, I get my share of STUPID questions. STUPID? Yes, they're questions that are answered in the description &/or item specifics if the buyer would just READ! I get it. It's easier to look at a photo or photos than to READ but when a buyer asks a legitimate question & you don't reply, quite honestly you don't deserve to make the sale.

One of the biggest complaints buyers have are messages or questions not answered. How hard is it to reply to a message?

Too often sellers can be L A Z Y with bad photos &/or little to no description & because of that a buyer needs to ask about size or quality etc...& you're so lazy you can't reply.  Maybe you do deserve to make the sale! Only to have the buyer ask for a refund because the item wasn't as described forcing you to pay for return shipping or worse, ebay steps in refunds the buyers & let's them keep the item.

Message 1 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions

Some sellers are bone idle. I've actually seen one word descriptions.

 

If I have to ask a question, I don't ask, I hit the back button instead.

 

Message 16 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions

Quantity over quality may mean higher initial sales but it probably also means more SNADs. 

 

I'd rather have fewer good sales than more sales that get SNADs.

Message 17 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions


@jason_incognito wrote:

eBay came onto the scene about 20 years ago. At that time it was someplace that didn't have a reputation, and many, many people gave it a try.

 

Some rode it for a few years and made alot of money selling things for a good price.

 

Over time, issues came up and the site became less and less a viable option for those that treated it as a business.

 

People with great customer service found other avenues to pursue. Some opened physical businesses, others went to work for others etc.

 

Sure, some stayed around, but for the most part the truly professional found that eBay isn't a moneymaker and that there are much greener pastures. 

 

The pool of sellers that is left..... Well, it seems that all the sellers that skate by are still here, but the good sellers are greatly reduced. 


While I agree with the sentiments that many good sellers have reduced, I think the issues with viability on eBay are more recent. Mid 2017 is where things only first started taking a turn, but 2018 was the year that really did some damage has seemly made it more difficult for everyone to make eBay a primary business. 

 

I'm hoping 2019 has a big turn around and eBay becomes a great place to sell again! At the very least, a bit more seller-friendly!

Message 18 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions


@hillbillymedia wrote:

@juststuffisell wrote:
lol, someone got your cheezed I think...lol

I had a buyer last night during the football game hammer me with 4 questions on an item. One - respond, two - respond - three - respond - finally after the forth time, I ignored him. I have guests over, and a house full of people and frankly, have no time to deal with people who cannot look at the photographs or read the listing that provides all the answer to their questions.

Getting to be a common theme. Had one on a pocket watch Sunday. Same **bleep**. repair area clearly shown in the photograph and I get the - where is the repair question.

The reality is - don't ask questions in which the answer is provided in the listing. Most people don't sell enough on eBay any longer to justify interrupting the evening family time which only irritates said family.

I will add to this - it seems like to me - and it is about a 99% chance it is only in my own head - that those that just throw up a picture or two and a one sentence description sell a hell of a lot more than the people that take time to put 8 to 12 photos in the listing and spend 30 minutes providing specification and the like and have an overall quality feedback score as a seller. So in my small mind, if buyers are going to reward the activity from said sellers that have less than stellar feedback, why bother trying to stand out. Seems like eBay has made it such that it's not worth providing to much information.

Cheers

I am getting to feel the same way. It is pretty discouraging to see sellers doing thousands of transactions a month with stock phots, one line descripts(at best) and a slew of negative feedback a month while I am trying my best to provide my best, list honestly, answer questions etc. to get sales.

 

I`m starting to think "quanity over quality" may be the way to go.


Honestly, the system is kind of rigged for quantity right now.

 

There's no real way to differentiate "good" and "bad" sellers anymore. Feedback isn't used at all in search anymore. Sales history means very little compared to what it used to (now it's primarily a "stagnant listing measurement system"). And using things like returns/SNAD to determine good or bad sellers, is ridiculous, because it can't be appealed, and returns happen to ALL sellers. 

 

There's very little reason to put in the work for stellar customer service anymore. Policies will override anything you attempt on your own.

 

Of course, repeat customers might like good CS. But that does not help as much when it's more difficult to get the visibility you used to get.

 

Right now, we don't have any major issues on eBay, but we are somewhat declined compared to past years - but the alarming part is that we're still at the top of our category and ALL sellers are declining. Yet the market on eBay claims it is up? 

 

Also, for the customers, the offerings are worse now. In the past, if you competed with other sellers, you would end up giving buyers better prices. Now, if you are competing with other sellers, you will be spending more on sponsored listings. Which means higher prices for customers, less margin/profit for sellers.... but at least eBay will be doing better than in the past? 

Meanwhile, at the same time they have this additional income... sellers receive even less coverage/protections?


The numbers show that it's becoming harder & harder to actually make a business out of eBay. 

Message 19 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions


@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Quantity over quality may mean higher initial sales but it probably also means more SNADs. 

 

I'd rather have fewer good sales than more sales that get SNADs.


I guess I would too, which is why I keep plugging away. As discouraged as I get sometimes, the positive feedback I get and my return customers always put a smile on my face.

"There`s always barber college" - Dalton - Road House
Message 20 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions

I used to get irritated with sellers that don't answer questions but now I'm grateful - if they don't take care of you before the sale you know what to expect after.  If I don't get an answer I don't buy unless I feel it's worth the risk and no better option is available.

 

Occasionally a set of bad photos or a vague title/description can work out for the best -  perhaps the majority can't identify an item in a bad picture but you just happen to have enough expertise to be able to tell what the blurry lump is between the dryer and the furnace and snag it for a great price.

Message 21 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions


@*madison wrote:

Some sellers are bone idle. I've actually seen one word descriptions.

 

If I have to ask a question, I don't ask, I hit the back button instead.

 


I`ve seen descriptions lately...."see picture, ask questions" I`m like what??? R U serious?

"There`s always barber college" - Dalton - Road House
Message 22 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions

Reminds me of a phrase I'm seeing  a lot lately on local "list" ads - "looks like it works."

Message 23 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions


@juststuffisell wrote:
lol, someone got your cheezed I think...lol

I had a buyer last night during the football game hammer me with 4 questions on an item. One - respond, two - respond - three - respond - finally after the forth time, I ignored him. I have guests over, and a house full of people and frankly, have no time to deal with people who cannot look at the photographs or read the listing that provides all the answer to their questions.

Getting to be a common theme. Had one on a pocket watch Sunday. Same **bleep**. repair area clearly shown in the photograph and I get the - where is the repair question.

The reality is - don't ask questions in which the answer is provided in the listing. Most people don't sell enough on eBay any longer to justify interrupting the evening family time which only irritates said family.

I will add to this - it seems like to me - and it is about a 99% chance it is only in my own head - that those that just throw up a picture or two and a one sentence description sell a hell of a lot more than the people that take time to put 8 to 12 photos in the listing and spend 30 minutes providing specification and the like and have an overall quality feedback score as a seller. So in my small mind, if buyers are going to reward the activity from said sellers that have less than stellar feedback, why bother trying to stand out. Seems like eBay has made it such that it's not worth providing to much information.

Cheers

I agree it's annoying to get questions when the answer is clearly in the description already, but if you stop listing with "8 to 12 photos" and if you stop "spending 30 minutes providing specification," you'll probably get barraged with more annoying questions than you ever got before. Oh, and I can't believe what a blowout that game was last night. 

Message 24 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions

 I don't mind answering questions to be honest. If a seller gets plenty of questions, it's probably because of their inability to provide enough info in the description and photos.

 

Sometimes, I get buyers that ask me to lower my price just because they saw a similar item cheaper. Then there are some that act like know it alls. 

Message 25 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions

I'd like to agree with you 100%, but I will add to your comment that since the guaranteed delivery and free return shipping push, I have had more returns the last 6 months that all the years of selling on eBay combined. I believe I am not the only one that has seen a significant increase in returns and false snads for free return shipping.

Cheers
Message 26 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions

I don't mind answering questions either. Even if it's already in the listing. I try to be complete and concise in my descriptions, thinking it would cut down on ASQ's and returns/SNAD's.

But it is somewhat disheartening to see the no descriptions sellers with tons of listings and tons of sales. I've wondered if the assumed increase in potential issues would be more than offset by the assumed increase in overall sales. Lots of assuming, I know, but.....man, it's tough! LOL!

I'm a terribly slow, dyslexic typist, with lots of editing going on. Looking for ways to list faster would be awesome. So far, I've resisted this particular temptation.

Déjà Moo: The strange feeling that I've heard this bull before...
Message 27 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions

AMEN!

I am so salty about promoted listings in my store listings stealing sales from me. No way to opt out, and yet I still have to pay for a store to get the listings up at a make sense cost basis. Makes absolutely no sense as a seller to have someone else's listings being advertised on a listing in which you had to pay for it via your store subscription. None what so ever!! And the only one that benefits, in the end, is eBay via the extra cash they make off the promoted listings and the seller that stole your sale for a premium....all at your expense.

I was so salty about it after the worst Christmas sales I have seen relative to items listed that I reduced my store size to the bare basic 250 listings. (Down 46% YOY Down almost $3400.00) I used up what I had left at the EOM, but did not relist over 300 high dollar items. I then did what someone else suggested and did the promoted listings at the bare minimum 1% on all of my listings that are active. More as a big screw you than anything else because most of what I have up that is of any consequence is coming down at the EOM.

What a bunch of poopie.

Cheers
Message 28 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions

Sellers are too lazy to answer questions because buyers are too lazy to READ LISTINGS AND TITLES.

 

Boom.

Message 29 of 58
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Sellers Too Lazy To Answer Questions

Yeah - Alabama did not show up ready to play. I suspect they thought it was going to be a cake walk and they got man handled, especially at the line. I'm an Alabama/SEC fan, but Clemson flat earned it and I think their head coach presents himself with a lot class.

Cheers
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