Why don't sellers answer emails?

RFW

usefulmale wrote: »

You have just demonstrated what I have said. Where else allows a buyer to 'punish' a seller for not answering a question? A question that may be simply missed / overlooked or be answered simply be reading the description.

Amazon for a start. It's a well used customer service initiative to get any questions answered as quickly as possible. Target should be under an hour, anything over 24 hours is considered poor service. Many major companies use it. In some ways, sellers on Amazon and Ebay are considered as employees, they represent the company. Most buyers don't care about the seller, they're buying "off Ebay" or "from Amazon" irrespective of the seller.

lovinituk

usefulmale wrote: »

You have just demonstrated what I have said. Where else allows a buyer to 'punish' a seller for not answering a question? A question that may be simply missed / overlooked or be answered simply be reading the description.

I don't get many questions on ebay for my items and of the ones I do get, I answer most of them but if I were selling in high risk categories like clothes or tech, I would want to minimise my chances of being 'punished' and concentrate on actual orders with the minimum of fuss.

All I demonstrated was that you gave ignorant advice that can give the rest of us sellers a bad rep.

usefulmale

lovinituk wrote: »

All I demonstrated was that you gave ignorant advice that can give the rest of us sellers a bad rep.

You don't read posts that you answer to, so perhaps you don't read item descriptions either. Nowhere on this thread have I offered any advice.

*hayley*

I buy and sell (private seller) on Ebay and always have had positive experiences of sellers answering my questions so I apply the same courtesy to buyers who ask questions about my items. The only ones I tend not to reply to are people repeatedly asking for a buy it now on an item even though it says in the listing that the item is auction only, or people who send messages saying "how much?". I will also always reply to people who question my postage costs. I send all items signed for to protect myself after having been stung several times. I realise some buyers don't like this method but it's the only way I seem to be able to protect myself as a seller.

ballisticbrian

This question has been asked before on this forum and I'll give the same answer.


Firstly, there is an awful time lag in you sending a question and the recipient seeing it. It's only about 5 minutes, but in that time, you'd be surprised how many buyers have actually already bought the item from someone else. (You're in one of the world's biggest shops right?)


Secondly, the seller is not always there. You are sending message on Easter Sunday. Seller is out with his kids in the countryside. Do you really expect them to answer queries 24/7 with no time off as a business seller. Do not compare with *some guy* seller his vintage motorbike. It's something he'll only do once or twice in a lifetime and he'll answer question even while sat on the toilet.


Thirdly, only about 1 in 10 questions leads to a sale. The seller may be at fault here but they aren't going to fall off their seat and their chin hit the desk every time a question pops through.


And finally... Are you being overly interested in a 99p item??? Your friendly banter about "will the colour go" or , "can I phone you because this sound s really interesting", "will it work with something else", "what do you recommend?", "I would like to talk to you more about this". If you are spending 99p, the seller cannot afford the time. You must understand when you buy something, you are buying a slice of someone's time. And time, is the most valuable thing you can give someone.

bartelbe

Some sellers think they can get away with lies of ommision. If they don't mention something, or use a vague enough description they can sell a damaged or second rate item for the price of a good one.

If someone doesn't answer a reasonable question, don't buy from them, you will be saving yourself alot of bother.

celestius

RFW wrote: »

Amazon for a start. It's a well used customer service initiative to get any questions answered as quickly as possible. Target should be under an hour, anything over 24 hours is considered poor service. Many major companies use it. In some ways, sellers on Amazon and Ebay are considered as employees, they represent the company. Most buyers don't care about the seller, they're buying "off Ebay" or "from Amazon" irrespective of the seller.

In December I answered a question for an Amazon customer, they sent back a 'thank you' - and being new to Amazon did not realise I should have marked that as not needing a response so I got penalised.
Silly really.

Hallen

It really annoys EVERY TIME and the basic reason I have observed is lack of training and negligence about customer care .

RFW

celestius wrote: »

In December I answered a question for an Amazon customer, they sent back a 'thank you' - and being new to Amazon did not realise I should have marked that as not needing a response so I got penalised.
Silly really.

Yup, been there. You can probably get the late answer negative points removed if you ask them and explain.
I tend to be one of those infuriating people who check messages frequently and answer them while I'm out. I think the most infuriating thing is when someone on Amazon says thank-you and I have to long in to mark the "question" as not needing a reply. Sometimes I'll answer back "You're welcome" to save the hassle.

Goldiegirl

ballisticbrian wrote: »

Thirdly, only about 1 in 10 questions leads to a sale.


.

That's very true. There's been many a time that I've given a full reply to a question, politely, and in English(rather than text talk), and have had no acknowledgement, and certainly no bid.