Why is there no option for replying to a buyer's note that you see when you print a shipping label?

[adkhighker]

Whenever I get a "buyer's note" that appears in the shipping label window either of the "thank you for selling this to me" variety or of the kind that gives you some sort of advice or instructions on packing their item,   I often wish there was a reply option right there for me to reply with a brief "you're very welcome" type of response or a reply to their instructions they sent.  

Do any of you sellers ever go back to the order details page so you can "contact the buyer" to send them a reply, or do you feel it's just better to ignore their note, rather than leaving your communications star vulnerable to grade?

[fern*wood]

I recall a few times I have felt a response was needed, so I contacted the buyer through the ebay email option.  I never gave my stars a thought.

[adkhighker]

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@fern*wood wrote:

I recall a few times I have felt a response was needed, so I contacted the buyer through the ebay email option.  I never gave my stars a thought.

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Thanks. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who responds in such a way.  I have replied in the same manner you have and like you, I also have not worried about leaving my communication star vulnerable.  One thing I do, though, when I contact the buyer, is that I copy and paste their note below the note that I send them just to refresh them as to why they're getting my note.

Just the same, I think it would make more sense if there was a "reply" option right there below their buyer's note unless there is some logical reason why eBay doesn't think there should be.  It's almost as if eBay doesn't want us sellers to respond to those particular messages.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

It is rare that I have a need to respond, other than to my repeat buyers who might leave me a clever note.

Most buyer messages I receive assume I am an unprofessional ignoramus who does not know how to pack, and if they made a response easy I might prove to be an unprofessional in my response to that a*hole.

[kds99]

Similarly, I received an order yesterday for which the buyer asked me to ship promptly, as the item is needed by 15 Dec. I responded via eBay message that I would indeed ship today. It would have been convenient to do it in direct response to the message.

[diecastandmore]

I wouldn't take it personal, they've probably just gotten poor packaging in the past, I know if you're selling hobbies/collectibles most of them will be particular on packaging because even the "package" the item is in is worth more in good condition, some  items would not even be desirable if it was in a damaged package/card/etc.

I sell collectible diecast cars so that's where I get that from.

[dhbookds]

I agree..........certainly can/do send it from else where......but sure would be nice to have it on the shipping label page.......

Buyer's note

Buying this for my mom who has had almost two full sets for over two decades since her mom died. This is the only one she has been missing. Thanks so much! Merry Christmas!

devon@ebay

elizabeth@ebay 

Could you pass the suggestion on to the "team"............thanks....

[a_c_green]

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@adkhighker wrote:

Whenever I get a "buyer's note" that appears in the shipping label window either of the "thank you for selling this to me" variety or of the kind that gives you some sort of advice or instructions on packing their item,   I often wish there was a reply option right there for me to reply with a brief "you're very welcome" type of response or a reply to their instructions they sent.

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Perhaps I'm misunderstanding something here, but certainly there is a link to contact the buyer right there on the Sold items page below the buyer's note. Just click on the little Down Arrow in the Actions column on the row for that item to open up the pulldown menu of possible Actions for it, scroll down a bit, and the Contact Buyer link is right there: 

I had to use the Contact Buyer link just this morning in fact, because as you can see in the screenshot above, the Buyer's Note was basically total gibberish. I quoted it back to him along with a polite note to inquire as to what the heck he was blithering about; was he on drugs; if so, could I have some; etc. 😁

All good. I had a prompt reply back to say that the message was a copy-and-paste accident and he didn't mean to actually send a note at all. Quickly resolved and that was all.

P.S. I know it says that the item was shipped on December 10, but it wasn't even paid for until this morning, and shipped out before lunchtime. Just another example of buggy website coding...

[dhbookds]

@a_c_green 

As said, there are places where one can answer from.........  I prefer to do it when/just after I'm printing the label, so a link on that page would be handy........certainly not absolutely necessary, but handy.....lol

[adkhighker]

@a_c_green 

The point is that you shouldn't have to go to the "Contact buyer" menu to reply because then it's almost like you're starting a brand new conversation with the buyer, rather than replying to them.   Whenever I reply to some "buyer's note" that doesn't have a direct reply option right there with their note, I feel it necessary to copy their original note and then paste it below my reply, just for sake of clarity so they know what I'm replying about.

For example:

[rubellite11]

Can't say I blame them.  Have you seen the condition in which many sellers send things?

It rankles me a little but I just move on.

[elizabeth@ebay]

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@dhbookds wrote:

I agree..........certainly can/do send it from else where......but sure would be nice to have it on the shipping label page.......

Buyer's note

Buying this for my mom who has had almost two full sets for over two decades since her mom died. This is the only one she has been missing. Thanks so much! Merry Christmas!

devon@ebay

elizabeth@ebay 

Could you pass the suggestion on to the "team"............thanks....

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Hi @dhbookds and @adkhighker. This is a great thought, and we'll be happy to get it passed along! Thank you

[a_c_green]

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@adkhighker wrote:

The point is that you shouldn't have to go to the "Contact buyer" menu to reply because then it's almost like you're starting a brand new conversation with the buyer, rather than replying to them.   Whenever I reply to some "buyer's note" that doesn't have a direct reply option right there with their note, I feel it necessary to copy their original note and then paste it below my reply, just for sake of clarity so they know what I'm replying about.

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Well, yes... I mean, "Contact buyer" isn't a whole 'nother menu; it's just a link directly to the message window into which you can type your reply, and you are at least able to bring up that reply window from the very page on which you're seeing the buyer's note, but I agree that the process could be a lot smoother.

For example, if I was doing the coding for that interface, I might put a small Reply button at the end of the buyer's note, and clicking on that would bring up the message window with the buyer's note pasted in as a quote.

elizabeth@ebay : Perhaps you could, in the course of passing along these suggestions, also include a link to this specific discussion we're having here: 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Why-is-there-no-option-for-replying-to-a-buyer-s-note-that-you... 

That way we could answer any questions they might have about the best way to implement this. The alternative is that someone makes a best-guess about changes to make, and then plows ahead with coding revisions without any feedback from users. Thanks!

[tobaccocardyahoo]

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@rubellite11 wrote:

Can't say I blame them.  Have you seen the condition in which many sellers send things?

It rankles me a little but I just move on.

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I know what some sellers do. And I know they are transients with relatively low FB or no FB/

The buyers are Karens and idiots who buy mostly on price. I get some because many of my items are the only offer on Ebay.

At the prices some sellers sell at, they cannot afford to pack in other than a vinyl envelope or a reused bubble mailer.

[gloryglorygifts]

I use the Contact Buyer  for every sale I make, regardless if it has a note or not. As @a_c_green pointed out, it's right there in the sales info. That's just the normal course of business for me, to thank them for their business, in my decades of being in retail.