Glitch or buyers not reading descriptions?

soolin

I have just had a perfect example of someone not reading item description, and can't make out why they can't see it.

Selling a widget that comes in various sizes, so my item description clearly  states full measurements , I also have a couple of photos of my hand with said item (it's a small widget and holding it in a photo gives an idea of scale for those without a tape measure).*

Got the usual message saying 'how big is this please, is it the 'big' version (this to my knowledge doesn't have big and small versions, it's just a widget that comes in different sizes). I sent them a cut and paste of the item description and just mentioned in passing that if they were using an ebay app on a phone the description is under a clickable link called 'item description' below the photos.

They thanked me politely for my response and said they are on a PC but can only see the title and a single photo , I assume therefore they are using the search page only so can only see the thumbnail and haven't actually opened the listing - but they aren't new to buying so I can't make out if this is another glitch or not. I can certainly see all the item descriptions if I do a random look through other seller's auctions. 


* I mention tape measure due to an odd message I had on Vinted a while ago. I was selling something and again had full measurements listed. I got a message asking about the size, and as per my usual response (I get this a lot) I sent back a cut and paste of the item description. I got back a message saying they didn't have a tape measure so roughly how big was it? Wasn't sure how to answer that one at all and having checked the buyer feedback , which was poor both as a buyer and seller, decided it was easier to just block them.

vacheron

I often wonder how many buyers realise you can scroll through the photos as I get asked plenty questions about things the photos already show (just not the primary photo).

It also seems so odd for me that the description is the clickable link on the app, and even though I know is there, it is often hard for me to find it when it is buried in all the other eBay auction fluff! 

Regarding the tape measure, maybe the person just has problems visualising day "22cm", or they were older and only worked in inches? Maybe they had a space which they wanted to put it in and wanted to use something else as a guide, such as "just a little larger than a 330mm can of coke"? 

soolin

vacheron said:

I often wonder how many buyers realise you can scroll through the photos as I get asked plenty questions about things the photos already show (just not the primary photo).

It also seems so odd for me that the description is the clickable link on the app, and even though I know is there, it is often hard for me to find it when it is buried in all the other eBay auction fluff! 

Regarding the tape measure, maybe the person just has problems visualising day "22cm", or they were older and only worked in inches? Maybe they had a space which they wanted to put it in and wanted to use something else as a guide, such as "just a little larger than a 330mm can of coke"? 

I do usually put inches as well as cms, and I'm not planning to start adding vague terms about size for those to lazy to get a tape measure. I worry the moment I start saying it's about as big as a bottle of wine, or smaller than a banana I open up a whole load of potential SNAD claims. If someone is buying a widget where size is important, then surely a tape measure to give a rough idea is essential?

Also I do tend to add a photo of my hand holding very small items to give a sense of scale. One of the items referred to in the post above was a vase , and it should be obvious to anyone looking at a photo of me holding it easily in a single hand that it's not big enough to take huge Church style arrangements, but instead more suitable for small posies like freesias, or sweet pea. 

I know I'm not the only effected person, I was looking for a scale car model the other day which I mentioned in another thread. One seller had a slightly lower feedback percentage but when I checked he had 2 negs mentioning something was too small/ mini and one mentioned that he was a collector and couldn't believe a business seller would use the wrong scale . Both those negs were for items in a 1:148 scale and the scale was clearly stated in item specifics, and description. The photo clearly showed the box that said clearly 1:148 scale, and one photo even had a close up of the scale noted on the box. 

Daz2009

If I'm selling something unusual I'll lay a tape measure or ruler alongside it in the photos as well as putting the measurements in the description 

DullGreyGuy

If it was on the app then it would be understandable as by default it doesn't show the description, which I always find strange. On a PC it seems odder given you cannot message or buy from the search page and as default the full description is there when you click through but again it does require them to scroll down. 

For occasional users apps can occasionally be confusing, made my own mistake the other day when trying to order something and it seemed to only give the option for ApplePay but it was because the page scrolled and at the bottom was the option to change it (the page had everything I'd expected and just an applepay button). 

Was pleasantly supplied by a former buyer though, had listed something as "not working" and pointed out both there and in the description that actually much of it was working but these are the list of things that dont. The feedback from the buyer was positive, saying they hadn't seen it wasnt working but my description was absolutely accurate and they'd moved the item on so all good

forgotmyname

Sell tape measures... When they say they don't have one send them a link to one for sale. 

RFW

Not spectacularly relevant to the thread but I once bought a load of tape measures* (I think from China) and the measurements weren't to scale! It wasn't even a matter of the numbers being in the wrong place, it was entirely wrong in both cm and inches.
I'd like to say they were the worst thing I ever bought** but they probably only scrape into the top ten!

On descriptions, I've long said that sellers should rely on the fact that nobody reads them and you should mitigate as much as possible in the title and main picture, for Ebay. Make sure item specifics are filled in as much as possible.
I find it increasingly difficult to find descriptions, especially on the Ebay app but I do always try and read them.

I mark everything clearly and always have, in titles and descriptions, not always in images. My feedback and reviews have a mix of "smaller than expected" and "bigger than expected", no matter what I do. That said, and knowing all I do, I still buy things and occasionally think the same when they arrive. I'm more aware that it's my own fault when that happens, so I'll grin and bear it.

*I've still got them somewhere, I'm waiting for them to be collectors' items.

**Two pallets of non stick super glue, if you're wondering what's number 1!

forgotmyname

Novelty tape measures, sell them as Pre- or Post Brexit... 

Ideal for measuring flat items like the earth and no brainwashing being forced to use cm's or inches use your own

unique measuring system.

Murphybear

I bought a lovely jacket on eBay recently.  It was advertised as “medium” and when it was delivered I tried it on.  Oh dear, it was too small. .   I checked the label inside, it clearly said “small”.   

Perhaps I should send the seller one of those tape measures.  

I’ve given the jacket to my favourite charity shop.  I owe them a favour, they were selling 2 unused tubes of my  favourite L’Occitane hand cream for £3 each - £28 on their website