eBay

ajs_coins_and_alchemy · ‎10-04-2023

I know. I know. I know.

Seller's long-time beef with buyers not reading descriptions or even going to look for one. You can design a pretty simple to read description that is segmented and bullet points any key details of an item, but they won't read it or go look for it.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BUYERS WHO DON'T READ THE TITLE!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?

I mean, if you were about to place a $250 offer, do you think you'd read the really easy to read title? I mean, seriously. The coin I had was a "Details" Coin. It had been cleaned. I titled the coin "XXXX AU (Details - Cleaned)". I didn't bury it. The buyer made an offer. Only after making the offer do they come out and say "Oh, I didnt realize it was cleaned" 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

I've had buyers who also make offers, and THEN ask critical questions. Those exact questions were anticipated and are answered in detail in the description (2-3 sentences total, not a mile long paragraph).

Or the buyers who purchase and THEN immediately ask a million questions, including 100 questions about the "no returns" policy.

I mean I could keep going, but come on, some of these questions need to be asked before making offers/purchases, or even just read the blessed title before making an offer. I'd stop and double check before offering or spending $250, wouldn't you? Best part is they are also a seller 🙄🙄

spark-chaser1 · ‎10-04-2023

I totally get it. It would drive me crazy too if I was a seller dealing with it.

I think some people impulse buy and get so excited to secure the item before anyone else does that they jump the gun and only read the description when the item lands in their purchase history...

I've been guilty of doing that, but I will also acknowledge that it was a mistake on me, and carry the transaction out and hope for the best.

Not to mention, after doing something dumb, I don't want to betray that to the seller.😉

ajs_coins_and_alchemy · ‎10-04-2023

I mean, I did a dumb-dumb thing recently. A seller I buy from frequently was unloading a ton of graded silver eagles. Like 100 auctions back to back over the course of maybe 2-3 hours? Idk something along those lines. This was multiple days in a row too. Either way, he had two back to back auctions of extremely similar eagles that had nearly identical labels, but pretty drastic price differences, and I placed the (high) bid on the wrong (low value) auction (won that auction too, 😝)

I've got a good relationship with this seller and we had a good laugh afterwards and he cancelled the auction win for me. No issues. That one wasn't exactly a reading issue per se, I knew both existed and had read them, but grabbed the wrong one when it came time to bid since title and pics are soooo darn similar.

cbacal · ‎10-04-2023

When did it go from a rare/sometimes thing to a steady thing? For me I'd say at least the last few months

Im sure you have seen where listings now have up to 6-7 lines of other sellers products making the page pretty ineffective, and in addition to that many devices dont see your entire listing unless they know to click on full description.

For the last few months Ive had more people sending me questions (ex: such as measurements) about info that I already posted in the Description...

In addition, I've had a higher number of returns in the same time with people telling me they didnt know something about the item that was in the Description...

But unless they're a seasoned buyer they might not even know there is more information there

reallynicestamps · ‎10-04-2023

I wonder if it's because browsing and bidding on phones is becoming more prevalent.

Trying not to sound like an old curmudgeon here, but because phones are so portable, the buyer may be
multi-tasking/distracted while shopping.

And the layout is at best difficult to read.

Both can lead to questions both before and after purchase.

ten_o_nine · ‎10-04-2023

Too much promo distractions on the page.

susanb1872 · ‎10-04-2023

I don't normally use my phone for ebay but I thought I would try it with one of your items to see what some of these buyers see. The title was very clear and complete, but the item description was not. When I scrolled down, as a lot of you already know, I saw a link "See full description". When I clicked on that, I see the promo for your business and I had to scroll down more for item description. Maybe buyers do this -maybe not. I would put the item specifics before your promo.

12345jamesstamps · ‎10-04-2023

I know it takes more time for a seller to do : condition ....under the title

item specifics

item description

But, if I have it written 3 times which I do I feel rather safe the buyer will see it somewhere.

And I didn't realize we have a lot of buyers buying now on their cell phones nowadays and might not even

see the description of the item.

I have been know to go out drinking with the buddies in a bar and I be bidding on something on my cellphone and bidding at the last minute in fact.

ajs_coins_and_alchemy · ‎10-04-2023

@cbacal wrote:
When did it go from a rare/sometimes thing to a steady thing? For me I'd say at least the last few months
Im sure you have seen where listings now have up to 6-7 lines of other sellers products making the page pretty ineffective, and in addition to that many devices dont see your entire listing unless they know to click on full description.
For the last few months Ive had more people sending me questions (ex: such as measurements) about info that I already posted in the Description...
In addition, I've had a higher number of returns in the same time with people telling me they didnt know something about the item that was in the Description...
But unless they're a seasoned buyer they might not even know there is more information there

OMG in the last couple months my non-paying buyers have gone from one per year to like 5 per month. Also the same thing for the buyers who don't read or don't ask questions first. I mean, like, I get messaging me questions because they didn't read the description ... fine. But when you ask those questions IMMEDIATELY AFTER making an offer or IMMEDIATELY AFTER purchasing, you're in the wrong. By all means, don't read, fine. Make me answer your questions. But don't do it AFTER you committed to a purchase or did purchase it...

ajs_coins_and_alchemy · ‎10-04-2023

@susanb1872 wrote:
I don't normally use my phone for ebay but I thought I would try it with one of your items to see what some of these buyers see. The title was very clear and complete, but the item description was not. When I scrolled down, as a lot of you already know, I saw a link "See full description". When I clicked on that, I see the promo for your business and I had to scroll down more for item description. Maybe buyers do this -maybe not. I would put the item specifics before your promo.

Thanks for that advice ... I agree the description formats better on a computer/web browser because it fits one screen, but I also did work on it to make it look half way decent on a phone although you have to scroll ... I will eat crow and bite the bullet and keep my business promo first. I did that fully knowing that and completely intentionally, rather promote my business and put the item details below it... Especially because most of my listings the item details / description are supplemental and non-critical. Most things are easily attained by looking at the pics and description is unimportant for most listings... 99% of the time you can read the title and gather everything you need to know. Most of the time the description spells out the title and explains any acronyms. I sell extremely non-technical items.

My issue isn't so much that buyers aren't reading descriptions, I guess I could give them a pass, but that they are asking questions IMMEDIATELY after offering or buying. It's that they didn't bother to read OR ask prior to offering or buying Completely wrong order of events. Ask questions before you offer or buy. I don't care if you don't read my description, I mean, still your fault, but I rather you ask the question and ask it before you buy than not ask it at all (or after you buy).

ajs_coins_and_alchemy · ‎10-04-2023

@reallynicestamps wrote:
I wonder if it's because browsing and bidding on phones is becoming more prevalent.
Trying not to sound like an old curmudgeon here, but because phones are so portable, the buyer may be
multi-tasking/distracted while shopping.
And the layout is at best difficult to read.
Both can lead to questions both before and after purchase.

Agree in theory. Now if a buyer did this on one of my totally pedestrian items I would completely agree... however this is happening with my more "specialty" items that I highly doubt someone is browsing and buying in a pedestrian manner...

I imagine someone casually scrolling and buying one of my "pedestrian" modern coin sets, the kind that are a dime a dozen and everyone is selling and are all the same. Those i can see someone just scroll-click-buy. If someone screws that one up, I expect it and it happens.

I'm talking about my 100-200 year old coins, that go for $75, $150, $250+. The kind where you're looking to build out your collection and you're not buying as "casually". The kind you have given some thought and you are actually comparing your options and looking at the actual details of the coins. I mean, these people are staring at these pictures, zooming in, and asking me specific details about the coins.

"Is that a spot?" (sends super zoomed in screenshot)

"Is that pitting or corrosion?" (sends a screenshot where they editted the photo and circled the part in question)

Like, I'm not talking about scrolling through and buying the newest video game. I imagine they are doing this on the phone, that is highly likely, and that may excuse not reading a description, but if they completely miss the title, or they ask the question after their offer/purchase, that's a big problem.

I know I brought up someone not reading my description in my original post, that one I give the biggest pass on for all the reasons everyone rightfully brings up.... I mean, that person in that case did have DETAILED questions (meaning they SCOURED the photos), so it wasn't just a "drive-by" quick look and ask, so for those things I imagine a buyer would at least CHECK the description for answers, which they didn't, but whatever.

If you completely didn't read the title, like someone did today, then I'm in awe. I mean, seriously, skipped the key details in the title (and description) and placed a $250 offer. Come on.... (mind you, this detail was also visible in the images if you were looking).

Just awe-struck