posted on July 9, 2003 12:08:34 PM new
I recently found an old painting I was interested in on ebay, but there was only the briefest description. Quite a few photos, but the description only said very old painting. I used the ask a seller a question form, and asked four pertinent questions in a very friendly and polite manner. Simple questions like the dimensions of the piece, if it was signed, etc. The response I recieved was,"Check back on this auction in several days, when I have time to put in a full description."
I thought this was so incredibly rude, and what a waste of my time and the seller's. Of course I have no interest in checking back on the painting, and I was really very interested in it.
Why even bother to list something without a description, and to not answer interested potential buyer's questions?
posted on July 9, 2003 12:14:08 PM new
if you are so interested in the painting,all you need to do is bookmark the item and check back later.
he is the one who has to do the work of adding more description.
posted on July 9, 2003 12:21:32 PM new
Check the sales history for the seller. They may want to "play dumb" and not provide information, so that bidders will make assumptions about it.
Post the item number and we can all have fun guessing what's up.
posted on July 9, 2003 12:59:53 PM new
I wouldn't call it playing "dumb"...the seller may have been selling an item he/she knew nothing about until the email questions started coming in.
now that they know what bidders want to know, they are scrambling to get the correct info in the sale so that all bidders see the right info to make them bid.
if he isn't smart enough to stop the sale until he gets full info added, he is shooting himself in the foot and some bidder could get a cream of a deal.
posted on July 9, 2003 01:18:30 PM new
You were "very interested" in it, and yet you have no desire to check back on it?? It sounds like you either weren't very interested to begin with, or you just want to pout because the seller didn't give you the answer you wanted.....
posted on July 9, 2003 02:11:10 PM new
We don't have a lot of information to go on here, but I would guess that most, if not all sellers, would want to make sure they get the most action possible on their items.
Things of this ilk I have seen on eBay (and in the live world as well), as well as communications I have had with eBay sellers who provide incomplete or vague information have usually turned out to indicate deliberate "sins of omission".
Remember the big eBay scam when the California abstract painting was sold? They got the seller on shilling, but the seller didn't actually misrepresent the painting's authorship - they carefully never named the supposed artist and let the bidders draw their own (mistaken) conclusions.
So if you are hoping that this might be a score off a naive seller, don't complain when you get taken.
From New England, where everything is "very old" and was found in the barn of a very old lady who had wonderful things.
posted on July 9, 2003 02:23:13 PM new
Maybe the seller forgot to sign this very old painting and will add to the description as soon as the paint dries LOL
posted on July 9, 2003 02:26:12 PM new
Truesmom,
I don't think the seller was being rude.
Maybe they were just lazy.
OR He was getting a bunch of the same kind of emails asking the same questions...so he realized that he needs to update the auction.
You'd be surprised what people forget to list in an auction.
It's pretty easy to put an auction on Watch mode.
If it's a one-of-a-kind then you'll watch it. If there are several auctions, well...need I say more? The seller pruned himself off the Darwinion selling tree!
J
posted on July 9, 2003 02:33:09 PM new
The seller should not have listed the photo without the much-needed information. That's a big red flag but you did not give us a clue as to the the seller's feedback rating or time on ebay so it could have been a newbie seller. Most sellers won't even return the 'Ask the Seller' emails and this guy did. If you were really interested you'd check back later. The vague description could factor in your favor as most buyers would move on and the pool of possible bidders would be smaller.
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I do whatever my Rice Krispies tell me to ......
posted on July 10, 2003 08:17:33 AM new
Update on the painting I was interested in. I have checked back twice over 2 days, still no more info. The seller is not a newbie, and has only positive feedback, and seems to be a seller of high end antiques. All other auctions listed have a detailed description, why not this one? Obviously watching the item is something I have done, but am watching absolutely nothing happen with the listing.
I don't believe it is whining or "pouting" to be confused as to why there is no description and the fact that the seller basically blew me off with a terse, rude reply. Yes, rude.
Why bother to even take photos and list something, if they couldn't be forthcoming about a description? To me, that is just basic ebay 101.
If you think the statement "Check back on this auction in several days, when I have time to put in a full description" is "incredibly rude," you're probably hypersensitive. If you grow a thicker skin, you'll very likely be more contented with life (and your family and friends will appreciate not having to walk on eggshells around you.....).
LOL!! I wasn't trying to be catty with that post; I guess I just watch too much Dr. Phil with his realistic, down-to-earth advice.
I was especially interested me to see that truesmom's second post was about 20 hours after the first post. Didn't the seller say to check back in several days???? (OK, OK, I'll admit to having a claw showing on this one!)
posted on July 10, 2003 08:03:40 PM new
Maybe he doesnt have all the info and is waiting on a source for it? If all his other auctions are good...You would think he would wait to post, but people have their reasons
If you felt he was terse,probably alot of other buyers may have emailed him and he is uptight about not being able to provide any info. All speculation of course!
Ya, ya, post it!