When you get buyer messages in another language (not English)

[bigdeals.etc]

What language do you send your reply in? English or the language the buyer used?

[Anonymous]

Use google translate to send them in their language as well as English...both. This will provide some context of what the message is supposed to sound like as well as what you were intending to accomplish.

[wrong66]

I usually don't reply.

[kensgiftshop]

English.

If I have to translate the message, they can translate the reply.

[bigdeals.etc]

I vaguely recall some ebay messages have some sort of stamp on it that says "translated" or something.

Does ebay have their own automated translating service in their messages? And if they do, how come some messages still come thru untranslated?

[katzrul15]

I use the google translator - it puts their message on the left and into english on the right and I cut and paste both.  We sell to Canada, so we sometimes get one in French (although I always thought they spoke English about as well as any).  We got one over the Holidays that I had to google to find out the language - it was Cantonese (sp?).  

Don't usually get very many q's in other languages, but occasionally a FB in another and I always wonder what they said so I plug that in.  lol  

[atlanicpawn]

I use Google Translate to read their message, then use it again to translate my message back to them in their language. I've done this a few times, with no problems so far.

[Anonymous]

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@bigdeals.etc wrote:

Does ebay have their own automated translating service in their messages? 

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Even if it was a feature, would you honestly trust an eBay translator? I wouldn't.

It would probably tell the buyer that you are willing to accept an offer at 25% of the asking price.

[bigdeals.etc]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@bigdeals.etc wrote:

Does ebay have their own automated translating service in their messages? 

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Even if it was a feature, would you honestly trust an eBay translator? I wouldn't.

It would probably tell the buyer that you are willing to accept an offer at 25% of the asking price.

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Ha ha ha. Well if ebay is in fact translating your message for you to a buyer, how are you to stop it since you initially received an "ebay translated to English" message from the buyer? It would just seem like english to english on your end.

For all we know the buyer just said "hello" in their native language and ebay translated it to "give me a partial refund or else."

[chapeau-noir]

I try to reply in their language - this is an international site and we have tools to translate. Just to make sure, I would also have the English there.  Since I'm the seller and I want their business, I'll take the extra step.

When I was selling a lot to Canada I had a lot of people from Quebec (mostly Montreal area) and most said their English was pretty rusty and I recall one who didn't really speak it at all.