Forum

Buyers who ask questions
 

Would you say that buyers who ask several questions often end up causing problems?

I always put EVERY important piece of info, detail, and several photos in the listing. Yet I still end up with questions. Obviously it's normal to ask questions and be curious, but come on... 80% of the time they are already answered in the listing, while the other 20% are usually people giving me an offer.

If I recall, I remember that some of the "bigger" problems I've had with buyers on eBay, involved multiple messages before they purchased.

I'm thinking of just ignoring the majority of messages/questions I get from now on. (Unless it's something important that I should have mentioned in the ad)

I think the best buyers are the ones who just bid on what they see in the photos and description. Cause that's exactly what I will be sending them - no more, no less. Simple and smooth transaction.

Anyway, just wondering what you guys think and what you tend to do when it comes to buyers & their questions

*Of course, if they've already purchased and they want to ask me something I have no problem with it.

Alot of questions = alot of problems. Everybody gets one question and one follow-up. After that their account gets blocked.

i would read this post

http://www.aspkin.com/forums/ebay-di...times-day.html

i do not sell to those people

they always cause headaches and leave neg feedback for the dumbest reasons

Although more questions do sometimes equals more problems, over the years I've come to realize if you sell a product that A LOT/MOST buyers are asking questions about then you shouldn't be selling said product to begin with.

The less communication you and the buyer have before or right after ( hours not delivery time ) purchase the better.

That why you ignored me?

:pound:

ps I agree

I agree, even for the most innocent of problems. The more they ask the the better they are on the block list. Usually the most picky and stingy want to return something is their is something miniscule wrong they complain. I have just learned to avoid these people. Also I would advise getting use to looking at peoples feedback left for other to see any trends. For me I would rather not make a sale than have to deal with a return. I would prefer to block 5 potential buyers and lose out on sales than go through the hassle of one return. That is just me an how I operate once I send something out it is out of my life never to be seen again. I don't care for nit pickers I would prefer to have them be someone elses problem, and sell to someone who is going to be a easy transaction. Also doing this I have maintained very high feedback and few disputes. Most the problems buyers self identify you just need to know when to click to and add to the block list.

In my experience they ALWAYS cause problems and so now I always ask them to please buy elsewhere. Like at list price whatever.com not at super discounted me ebay.com.

Every case i been through was opened by a "1000questions buyer" dont deal with em no more and usually if they allready paid i just refund asap, claiming im out of stock

When I get the same person asking one question after another I know they are going to be a pain.

Tried blocking them but these "professional buyers" are smarter then you think and buy from another account in the house.

I blocked one who told me they are from NJ and wanted to know the time frame of delivery. Then came 5 more questions.

I blocked them and I ended up selling to someone of all places NJ.

But on the other hand I would rather them ask me before hand then after they buy it.

wow i didnt know sellers block people on ebay bc of questions lol. very interesting..

Of course - when listings are so detailed and buyer asks a dumb q...means to me, you havent taken time to read and so...you are going to be a potential pain later on. Dont need the headache

You'll find out. I hope not the hard way. I sold a guy my product & I knew, I just knew he was going to be a problem and sure enough he threatened to throw it in the trash if I didn't send him a self addressed postage paid mailer. Would not accept 20% discount on $150 or any type of negotiation. Then gave me a time limit to get him the mailer. I knew, I knew, I knew. Greed got me.

rather than answering message I revise when necessary
 

by not answering the question of a potential buyer, they cannot rate me on communication. if there is no communication, ebay gives an auto 5 stars for the seller [me] if feedback is left.

if the question is legitmate, then I revise or add to the description.

I don't believe you need two way communication to trigger the ability to rate on the DSR's. All they need is to ask you a question and they can rate you.

Hmm well I think it's one of those things where it depends on the seller. Sometimes you have to ask a question when your buying something on ebay depending on what your buying. For example the ebay clothes market is full of ⊗⊗⊗⊗ and for example music t shirts. You don't always know if there just some homemade tshirt or wether it's official often as they'll use a name in the title for keywords but often when you receive the tag it's the dreaded 'fruit of the loom' brand. And so you have to ask the seller..is this a genuine item..is it genuine merchandise etc.
However I agree that when a seller is asking non specific questions that can be asked in the description or if they read your listing, then it is a matter where often they'll be troublesome buyers. I don't know why those kind of buyers have those kind of tendacies but me myself I always answer questions as i treat my ebay as a real shop and try and deliver good customer service how I wish it would be delivered.

Sometimes you get the feeling when a buyer ask multiple questions that this buyer is going to be an issue.

I dont block a lot of them but when I get one I feel uncomfortable with and look at their feedback they have left, I will. Especially if they have a history of leaving negatives.

Since I sell a lot in a particular category I get the same buyers once in a while so I have my trusty sheet on the wall of blocked negative leaving buyers and watch them closely.

Try dealing with 75 questions on an item valued at say $15.00

time is money.

money is MY time.

Some buyers think it is their place on this earth to question every word of a listing.

I even had a buyer ask why I used ITALICS as part of the listing.

All the better for you to read, jackass.
and breathe, and breathe
:pound:

Yes GB.

I have such as buyer in Indiana.

They actually send a list of questions.

They do not know it is me on each account so I have to be careful how I answer them.

If they did not bid items up to above wanting price all the time I would not bother but they always bid items above wanting and market value.

I agree, many buyer believe you need to add 10 more pictures and 1000 words to explain item in more detail. Other buyers whine when you make it short and sweet.

@Sandy

My favorite question on a listing of a piece of rail track described as 6'' by 1'' dimensions is what size is this track?????????

Doh, what size would you like it to be?

or

I purchased x3 pieces of track. You only sent one. It is thick & all stuck with tape.

Yes, numbnuts, that's because I taped all THREE together to test your IQ.

FAIL.

:doh:

OMG

You have those buyers too?

I had one who asked me how many lines past the 8" mark is 3/16ths?

What???

I have to agree with Greenbean but then disagree to. I suppose if you have 100s of accounts or 10+ answering questions can be headache and as you state Greenbean time is money.

But I suppose people want customer service and details about items now more than ever. There's so many consumer programs about items getting classed as 'sold as seen' and you don't know until you 'ask' that it kind of builds these kinds of questions for buyers.

The way I see it is the buyer makes a question that I think looking at my listing I may ask, then I'll probably treat the answer with respect/courtesy and time.

If it's something where they haven't read the description properly I'll be polite but it won't be on my to do list to answer