posted on December 14, 2002 03:30:16 PM
I agree with you there. I try not to make my descriptions too long. Not only do I not have the time to write a story, most buyers don't have the time to read one. When I'm buying, I tend to skip over long descriptions, also. While we're on the subject (sort of), I hate it when sellers call items from the 60's and 70's antiques. Recently someone had an "antique Tanzanite ring" up for auction. Tanzanite was discovered in 1967! Watch what you are calling antique and learn the difference between antique, vintage and contemporary. I still consider the 1970's as contemporary. I graduated in the 70's and I refuse to think of myself as vintage! LOL
posted on December 14, 2002 05:09:58 PM
When I would say to my mother, an inch doesn't matter she would always answer "Unless it is at the end of your nose".......
Keep descriptions short and sweet along with your TOS.
[ edited by Libra63 on Dec 14, 2002 05:11 PM ]
posted on December 14, 2002 06:06:49 PM
and please break the paragraphs in the description...i hate when the description runs all together with the tos and you cannot figure out what your reading until the 3rd or 4th try.
posted on December 14, 2002 09:03:14 PM
I good rule is 'better too long than too short'. I have seen dozens of auctions with only a photo. Some say "items are in the photo and they describe themselves better than I can describe". Of course the photo is a fuzzy blur. I'd rather scan a too long description than see only a few words.
The TOS that is too long is a better indicator of the mentality of the seller. If it is super long it usually is a good idea to skip that auction.
posted on December 15, 2002 11:52:20 AM
When I have used paragraphs the listing software has always compressed them into one long post. Is there a way around this?
We use a very long description, which tries to answer all questions someone might have about the item. Because of this we get very few inquiries during the auctions. Sort of an iffy situation: a short description invites endless emails that need to be answered; a long one turns of some bidders. Probably a matter of taste and temprement. I actually am more likely to bid on a long drawn out description.
posted on December 16, 2002 08:26:31 AM
<<<And how do some people have the time to write long, long, descriptions for each $5 item?>>>
Because they are "hobby" sellers and have the time to do it.
I go with no more than three paragraphs of 3 to 4 sentences each, nothing too flowery, just to the point about the items features. I put my TOS on the "about me" page, where it belongs, in my opinion.
[ edited by sword013 on Dec 16, 2002 08:27 AM ]
posted on December 16, 2002 08:28:21 AM
I kind of disagree on the opening statement. A longer descrition is good, but only if done in a larger font than the default font on ebay. I use a size 5 font in my descritions which makes it easy to read. That would be about 4 time larger than the font used in these chat rooms. If people don't need to squint to read the description, they will tend to read the whole thing. Also when this is done, the percentage of dumb questions asked is greatly reduced, meaning questions about details already in the descrition.
I do agree with the opening statement if it is done with the default font. That is very hard to read.
JMHO
posted on December 16, 2002 08:57:19 AM
WELL I THINK I'LL JUMP IN HERE AND ADD MY OWN 2 CENTS, BECAUSE OFTEN I USE A LENGTHY DESCRIPTION BECAUSE THE ITEM HAS BEEN SITTING AROUND MY BASEMENT FOR A LONG LONG TIME AND I AM VERY ATTACHED TO IT, AND I ALSO ALWAYS WRITE MY AUCTIONS IN CAPITAL LETTERS SO THAT PEOPLE WITH BAD EYESIGHT CAN READ THEM AND I HAVEN'T TAKEN THE TIME YET TO LEARN EVEN THE MOST RUDIMENTARY FUNDAMENTALS OF HTML LIKE INSERTING A <p> BETWEEN PARAGRAPHS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, SO IF I RUN ON FOR A LONG TIME, WELL I THINK IT WILL BE OF OBVIOUS INTEREST TO ANY BIDDER, AND IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT, WELL I DON'T NEED THEM ANYWAY, I MEAN, ISN'T IT IMPORTANT TO BE ABSOLUTELY ACCURATE IN YOUR DESCRIPTIONS, AND TO NOTE EVERY SINGLE ATTRIBUTE OF THE ITEM YOU ARE SELLING, LIKE, WHEN I DO BOOKS, IF THERE ARE FOLDED-OVER CORNERS IN THE BOOK, THEN OF COURSE I DESCRIBE THEM, BY MENTIONING THERE ARE FOLDED-OVER CORNERS ON PAGES 14, 43, 56, 77, 135, AND 218, BUT THEY REALLY DON'T INTERFERE WITH THE OPERATION OF THE BOOK, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LET BIDDERS KNOW APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY WORDS ARE IN THE BOOK, TOO, BECAUSE IF YOU ONLY KNOW HOW MANY PAGES IT HAS, IT WOULD BE KIND OF HARD TO ESTIMATE, AND SOME PEOPLE JUST MIGHT NOT BE IN THE MARKET TO BUY THAT MANY WORDS., AS YOU MIGHT HAVE GUESSED I'M NOT REALLY A PROFESSIONAL AND I'M STILL KIND OF NEW AT THIS, SO I WONDER FROM MORE EXPERIENCED SELLERS WHETHER MY AUCTIONS ARE DOING OK, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA I HAVE A PAGE VIEW CONTER ON ALL OF MY AUCTIONS BUT HAVE YET TO BREAK 10 HITS, I GUESS THAT'S OK, BUT WOULD REALLY REALLY LIKE TO KNOW, AS FAR AS TIME GOES WELL THAT'S NOT TOO IMPORTANT BECAUSE I DON'T FACTOR THAT INTO THE PROFIT I MAKE, SO IF I BOUGHT SOMETHING FOR TWO DOLLARS BACK IN 1965 AND SOLD IT FOR THREE DOLLARS THIS WEEK, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD PROFIT, RIGHT, WELL, ANYWAY, THANKYOU FOR READING THIS!
posted on December 16, 2002 09:42:37 AM
All caps are VERY DIFFICULT TO READ! My eyesight is bad even with glasses. All caps are a nightmare! Sentences running together are also a nightmare! Auction desciptions should tell you what the item is, the size the item is, the age of the item, the condition of the item and where the item came from if it will help to sell it. I don't need a story about your great aunt Bertha, her love of travel and her many acquisitions along the way. Personally, the fact that the item came from an "estate sale" doesn't sway my bid your way (I've seen a lot of junk at estate sales - it doesn't mean it's old OR valuable), neither does the fact that the item is "rare" (used so often, I don't believe it anyway). My descriptions are minimal. I have plenty of bidders and very few questions are ever asked. Of course, selling jewelry and an occasional collectible, makes shorter descriptions easier. If I feel like writing, I come here to the board to ramble on and on and on and. . . . .
posted on December 18, 2002 03:31:08 PM
A-1 on the "estate sale" comment! LOL--If a wino in the Bowery dies tomorrow, then his paper bag is legally his "estate"
