posted on May 28, 2001 02:33:32 PM
AuctionWatch message boards are of great value to most of us and which I enjoy reading. I think this was a good thread. It shines a little light on why sellers do what they do and why. It's not about spelling, puncutation or grammer, it really is about ordinary people trying to make a living on ebay or whatever auction site they choose. Most of us all agree to disagree about what should be listed, how long the TOS is but it is the knowledge we get from reading and posting here.
posted on May 28, 2001 05:33:22 PM
Appletime, I've done research and testing on every area you mentioned, and all I can conclude is that your criticising of other sellers auctions is for the mere benefit of molding the world around yourself. I'm still glad you brought this subject up though because a lot of constructive thoughts were posted by many posters.
posted on May 28, 2001 05:43:24 PM
I feel tis better to be a poor speller then and a very good fart smeller.
I think this is a good thread to and I dont see where any one is being picked on just some honest open replys and fair debate for both sides of the story and there always is two sides at least.
If wanting sellers to STOP doing what many users, including myself, find annoying with their auctions and auction pages, then YES, I do want the world to be shaped around me.
If wanting people to use better grammar and write sentences that are coherent, then YES, I want the world to be shaped around me.
If wanting people to be more specific about what they are selling in exchange for hard earned money is me, once again, wanting the world to be shaped around me, then YES, I am certainly guilty of that as well.
I guess I am one who simply DOES NOT accept laziness and inconsideration as an excuse.
Some apparnetly do. That's fine, but don't criticize ME for talking about it.
Some of us just have higher standards, and we'll leave it at that.
posted on May 28, 2001 06:14:20 PM
gs4 & eventer:
Will that be Torley tea you're serving to the ladies this evening?
apple:
If bidders are all that intolerant (CAPS, Picture compression making PICs blurry, long TOS) perhaps they should shop at the Mall rather than eBay.
Oh, wait, I forgot. Every store has their own return policy.
Hmmm...I seem to recall that each store gets to choose which forms of payment they accept.
Oh yeh, bummer. They have all that lightly colored small print on the back of the receipts, too. Man, that makes my eyes go fuzzy when I try to read it.
sh*t.
Guess they can't shop at the Mall, either.
JMHO
posted on May 28, 2001 06:35:56 PM
If you expect the world to be shaped around you then be ready to accept the criticsm that is going to be coming your way.
posted on May 28, 2001 06:43:50 PM
It sounds to me like this boils down to a pet peeve, nothing more. Okay, so you're a great speller. Maybe then you feel a burning need to correct everyone else's spelling. I know I do. In fact, I used to edit a small (college) newspaper. When I see a misspelling, I still instinctively grab for a red pencil.
I think it's important to distinguish between the quality of an eBay ad and the quality of the person writing the ad. Not everyone is gifted with immaculate grammar. One tends to see errors in listings and think, "Oh, my God! What an oafish lout!" That is not fair. There is more to judging a person's character than spelling skills.
Yes, I know that ads "should" look professional, but that is not everyone's priority. And as far as markings on china, I wouldn't know the first thing about it, other than "some old dishes my mom gave me." And like others, I can't afford a high-end digital camera. I'm stuck with this POS $400 Kodak.
In my family, education was stressed (pun intended). Among my cousins, the lowest degree is an MBA. The rest are doctors and lawyers. My brother and I are black sheep. Neither of us finished college. I can tell you I respect education, but I don't respect a holier-than-thou attitude that equates character with good grammar. Hopefully those lucky enough to have some higher education have also learned a little tolerance for others.
posted on May 28, 2001 06:48:10 PM
I guess I must want the world to be shaped around me too, because I completely agree with everything that Appletime has said!
I really don't see why so many people on this thread are so angry because SOME people want to see sentences formed properly, good grammar and spelling! Why would anyone argue that this is less than desireable!? Yes, maybe some people (way too many people!) don't know how to spell, write, read, etc., but that doesn't make it a GOOD thing! If these things are just folly, why are they taught at the most elementary levels of school?
posted on May 28, 2001 06:55:53 PMI guess I must want the world to be shaped around me too, because I completely agree with everything that Appletime has said!
posted on May 28, 2001 06:56:08 PM
English is not the first language of some ebay sellers. Also there are some with dyslexia and other learning problems. Some are handicapped. These problems may be a hindrance in the real world but they are coping by trying to make a living on ebay.
Yes, I agree it would be great to cruise only perfect auctions with perfect spelling and perfect pictures. But it will never happen unless that is regulated by ebay also.
The ebay spelling police--just one more thing that sellers need.
posted on May 28, 2001 07:00:39 PM
Good spelling is not intended to be used as a status symbol, it's a means to communicate in writing so others understand what you're saying. If someone writes, "Your a good speler," A six year old can figure out that means "You're a good speller." On the otherhand if you have a listing that says, "Baby Doll," and you really intended to say "Barbie Doll," then your bad spelling caused a miscommunication. So while I agree it can benefit sellers to learn to spell correctly so there's no chance for miscommunication, in most cases the spelling is so minor that it shouldn't be an issue. If you're offended because of your high status then hit the back button and don't view the listing, and let the rest of us carry on peacefully.
posted on May 28, 2001 07:02:19 PM
shaani---
I don't think anyone is referring to people with obvious handicaps, non-English speakers, etc. This is about laziness and people who just don't care or try.
Dubya---
If that's the real world, it's certainly nothing to be proud of.
I understand what you are saying but none of us know what is going on behind the scenes when we see a listing with poor spelling, etc. Is it really because the seller is lazy?
One lady that I help has bad grammar and she is a bad speller. She also has to take medication. When she is on it her spelling seems to get even worse. She is desperate to make money at times so she keeps working.
At times I think she is losing money because of the spelling but I do admire her. She also works at a flea market and her customers love her anyways.
posted on May 28, 2001 07:17:03 PMIf that's the real world, it's certainly nothing to be proud of.
It IS the real world, like it or not. And you're correct in that it's nothing to be proud of, sort of like painting everything and everyone with the same brush until the whole world turns one color.
A little tolerance and understanding is also part of the real world.
posted on May 28, 2001 07:28:17 PM
I was always Told this When you start to thinking your perfect Try hopping off the boat and walking on the water.
Then I guess I live in a different Place then many because the place I come from no one or nothing is perfect.
I also come from a place where the only normal people are different that right not one like the other.
Twinsoft
A pet peeve hmmm A Peeve is a the larva of a bug that lays its eggs in ground wheat (Flour) Most people with Peeves dont keep them as pets Or from the looks of it maybe they do !!!!
posted on May 28, 2001 07:35:41 PM
well.......Appletime and Jemma go back and read your posts and tell me that spelling is important.....I will be the first to say I am not perfect and I don't or won't try to be. It's much to late in life for me to go back to learn the fundamentals and I will still post the same old way. You can't teach an old dog new tricks. I am sure ebay doesn't care as long as they get their fees and just because people don't spell, or use correct grammer, ebay still charges the same as one who does.
posted on May 28, 2001 07:45:57 PM
This is NOT about having a perfect auction page OR a professional looking auction page.
I don't have either.
My pages are pretty simple and clear.
WHY? Because I am careful when it comes to being clear and concise for the benefit of my customers. I am not vague and I don't try to doll up my page with a bunch of slow-loading nonsense.
I am sure that if I left a bunch of typos, my customers wouldn't care or mind, but that isn't the point.
It's so sad that so many are so quick to defend what can only be described, at best, as seller's mediocre attempts to present themselves to their customers. I feel potential buyers deserve more than that, and it's a shame I am being criticized by the types who seem to embrace the dumbing down of this country so readily.
posted on May 28, 2001 07:55:18 PM
Okay, Here is a dumb question that I have after reading the above posts - what does TOS stand for? I know it's got to be something very simple, but for the life of me I can't figure it out. That's pretty pitiful for somebody who has been selling on Ebay for a year and a half - HA!! I just want to make sure I am not guilty of any of the things you have been talking about in the auctions that I place.
posted on May 28, 2001 07:59:20 PM
Okay, some sellers have great grammar, some are perfect spellers, and some are very careful not to make typos. I think we can agree on that, and I like to see auctions written that way. But different things bug different people. The music bugs me! If the speakers aren't turned down, it makes me jump. If it's late at night, it wakes up the other half and the cat, who then meows to be fed. If you're at work, and "sneak a peak" to see how your bid is holding up, you just let everyone know what you're doing. But the one thing that really bugs me?
DeScRiPtIoNs tYpEd iN aLtErNaTiNg CaPs AnD sMaLl LeTtErS!
posted on May 28, 2001 08:17:20 PM
I had written a very mean and nasty response/criticism to and about "dman3', but to my everlovin' credit, I decided NOT to post it.
It was good though. Very funny and really insulting. I wish I could post it.
Oh well.
MODERATOR: If I apologize ahead of time, can I post it? Dman's a big boy. He can take it!
posted on May 28, 2001 08:35:00 PM
I really don't think we were critizing anyone. We were just trying to say that some people aren't as knowledgeable as others and not to begrudge anyone from listing on ebay. Take Care
