Are eBay Mobile Shoppers Being Misled by Jumbled Descriptions?

by: wasteland-mechanic

My descriptions also get "jumbled" when I view my items on Google (from PC).

Just another ill-conceived and poorly-executed feebay idea.

by: CaddyShack

What ever happened to the site close5 by ebay, is it still out there. I see a new site now Wallapop. Use to see Tv commerical for close5 all the time haven't seen it for a while now. Just ebay throwing away our money for something that did not last.

by: Steevo

Ya know, I always write a comprehensive ad. I always put pictures inline with captions. I point out any concerns or defects. I write a lot of text. Find a embed the manufacturer's specs. I want everyone to know what they are buying.

None of that works anymore.
Ebay's push to mobile has dumbed down the ebay listings so you can't tell what the heck is being sold or what it's condition is.

No wonder it doesn't work anymore.

I see so many listings with a few blurry pictures, a couple of misspelled words, and ''Posted by ebay mobile''.

It's a complete waste of time trying to buy this way, never mind trying to sell. That's impossible.  

by: VV

It's to the point now where if the listing has ANY comments regarding condition I email the buyer before shipping to verify they have read and understand the conditions.  I'm finding that more than half have not and I have to get the transaction cancelled.  

Ebay mobile is a joke.  A bad joke.

by: iheartjacksparrow

@CaddyShack - You're right; what happened to Close5? I was seeing those ads non-stop on the Los Angeles local news shows. Now I'm seeing a bunch of ads for LetGo.  

by: toyman

They really have caused problems with Mobile Buyers, using this form of visibility.

If this is their ''growing'' section of the business, then they better work on figuring a better way of delivering the important info before sales really start dropping..

by: comet

@Iheartjacksparrow--THANK YOU---LetGo was adverted on Walking Dead and none of us here could remember the name after the show!  (Yes--there might have been alcohol involved!)

Do you have any knowledge about that site?  Will look it up but if any one has used it or heard about it PLEASE SHARE HERE.  

by: comet

I too have seen the absurd "ebay mobile"  listings--as noted above a pic or two inevitably wildly out of focus--how do they DO that??  My cheap smartphone with tech phobic ME behind the lens takes pretty good pics even when I manage to shoot a pic of the dashboard of my car by accident--you can tell it is a DASHBOARD.  Not a Tiffany necklace!

The bigger problem (as I see it!)  is when WE put great effort into crafting a listing with all the bells and whistles and accurate descriptions and photos--and the MOBILE USER CANNOT MAKE HEADS NOR TAILS OUT OF IT.  

Because---ebay.

I did the Mobile App one time--and in fairness the problem that ensued was an EBAY CAUSED issue--but I had PRE-SHOPPED on the laptop and KNEW what was described.  I was however shocked at what I SAW while using the mobile app--it was NOTHING like the site view;  much to the item's detriment.  

Will NOT be using the mobile app again and certainly have told everyone I know to follow my lead.  

by: iheartjacksparrow

@comet - Sorry, no, I don't have any experience with LetGo. I just remember the commercials, which at least aren't boring (though if I was hanging over a cliff I think I would text the police before I'd list something on a selling site!).

by: comet

@Iheartjacksparrow---

O
M
G

Pretty sure the commercials are the BEST part of that site!  Go check it out--we will wait!  Hysterical.  NO titles of apparently more than one or two words.  Shoe.  That's--it.  Shoe.  No size;  maker;  new;  used--nope--and there were TONS of these with ONE word--Shoe.  

Their Home Page consists of a long Pinterest-like smorgasbord of pics---showing these absurd titles.  Would you or I look for a motorcycle and NOT have the BRAND or MODEL in the TITLE--OR the descriptions?  One I saw--and I had to click thru---had some nonsense about GPS and mis-spelled Sirius and "to many new parts to list"  but NO model or maker--not even in the listing;  this WAS the whole listing.  I think it was a Hardley so that could 'splain a few things but---

Yeah some how I don't think either ebay or Amazon or even eCrater has ANYTHING to worry about from these numbnuts.  

by: comet

Oh and their motto is:::

A Flea Market for your Smartphone

I am positive that any actual flea market seller would display and describe their merch with at LEAST a size or the BRAND---

Oy gevalt.  

by: Steevo

Ya know, I know a guy who had a auction site, all his own. Some software or maybe a service he used. He would have one picture. Small. And a few words.  

Stuff would sell really cheap. Like 20 cents!

He would have 600 or 800 items selling for that up to maybe about $20. Every week.

I figured out long ago that if you want buyers to be confident enough to pay real money for something, you have to make some minor effort. You have to post pictures, you have to call out important things in picture captions, if possible to show it working that's great. So you can see it working. Confidence. Buyer confidence.

You have to give enough information that they can buy it.

That guy's site, I used to buy stuff from him.  Sometimes I would win two items, totaling 60 cents. I would go over there, they had to go find the items and give them to me. Take my 60 cents. Waste of time.  Since I really never was absolutely sure what I would get I only bid cheap. Heck, if I bought from them even they knew it was cheap. I'd have helped them if they'd asked. ''improve your pictures and text so people feel they can pay more''.

Ebay mobile is about that bad.
I would write a comprehensive ad, and ebay can't show it to the buyer, so they either buy it and it's no good, or they are not willing to pay a decent price.  

Either outcome does not meet my standards. Waste of time.  

by: Basset

Steevo says:
''I see so many listings with a few blurry pictures, a couple of misspelled words, and ''Posted by ebay mobile''.


Or, more and more have NO description at all - whether looking at a mobile device or laptop, it would be nice to see basic info about the object one is considering for purchase.

Of course, the zero-description sellers don't answer questions, either.

by: comet

@steevo and @Bassett--

Yeppers--there seems to be a whole sub-set of ebay sellers who have not the faintest CLUE on how and what to list;  and the blobby pics don't help.  I have taken a few chances on a few things like this and have made money re-selling them with decent pics and descriptions tho--

I just saw a Coach bag--one I wanted for MEEEES!!!!---with possibly the WORST pics and ZERO info--and the seller wanted an enourmous price for it.  It is still sitting there weeks later--apparently no one has the desire to try and educate this "seller".   And then they cry that they never get sales!  

by: Rexford

I had a buyer contact me to ask me for a measurement of an item the other day.  I asked "can't you see it in the listing?" and she said no, she could not see it.

Is ANYTHING more important than a measurement of an item?  A sure way to get a SNAD if eBay is not showing this.

by: Ric

eBay's programming incompetence is the likely culprit behind eBay's inability to surface complete listing descriptions on mobile devices.

Granted, there are likely technical challenges in presenting the full description on a smartphone screen, however, it seems that rather than apply the diligence to overcome those programming challenges, eBay's management is content to offer an inferior experience.

The likely reason that eBay's management is willing to accept not addressing these challenges is simple.... Even with the inferior buying experience eBay mobile offers, they believe mobile sales are growing.

The problem with managements acceptance of an inferior mobile presentation is that when buyers are disappointed with the purchase they made using their device, they will be less likely to purchase in the future.

eBay management will be content with their defective mobile app until their sales volume starts to decline.  Then, after the damage has been done, they will exert the effort to present full descriptions to buyers. eBay's problem is that by the time they reach that point those buyers will be long gone.

Note to eBay.... Roadblocks to success are not a sound business strategy.

by: comet

@Rexford---I have had a lot of buyers ask for stuff that I KNOW--and go and check--is in my listing---I have not checked to see if they are using a phone etc or not but I have asked and been told they can't see or can't get certain info.  

I do know that we have done side by side comparisons with my laptop--not the height of high tech but---two tablets;  and a high end smart phone (Not a FruitPhone!)  When you search for exactly the same thing you get completely different results---if you get the same ITEM you get completely different and confusing views.  

That was why I had pre-shopped and asked questions using the laptop for the one and only thing I ended up purchasing using my smart phone--had not planned on using it but there it was.  So--I was also surprised when I went to make that purchase at how LITTLE I could see of the item and the description--almost nothing.  

LOL tho I have had good success when asked a question or when some one makes me an Offer asking them to text me and spelling out my ph number--I have made MORE sales this way than just letting some one proceed on ebay.  I have 100% FB but I think people like that they get to chat a bit with you--more like the old ebay days in some ways I guess.  

Now if only ebay was actually SHOWING my items---ALL of my items--to potential customers----

by: Rexford

Ric, I'm guessing eBay mobile returns are growing too.  :)

by: Anonymous Annie

Maybe sellers should be able to opt-out of having their listings appear on mobile devices.

Face it, some items just don't display well in that format. Detailed photos lose clarity. Detailed descriptions are shortened or condensed. --- Who'd want that?

Well, I guess some commodity and mass-market sellers would benefit. But for sellers of unique items, or for folks like Steevo who write detailed and comprehensive listings, the eBay mobile app makes little sense.

Has anyone asked Griff? Is his ''radio'' show still ''on the air''? Maybe he has some words of wisdom and advice that he's shared with his listener.

by: ebayisscrewed

eBay itself is the reason for the mobile issues.  The roll out on December 15th and the more recent roll out of the Mobile app have been met with the worst consumer app reviews I have ever read.  The App went from nearly 4 stars to less than 1 star at one point due to disgruntled customers.  

Honestly Mobile customers were not really reading descriptions any way which is why ebay was so adamant about people choosing their item condition and condition description fields.  This way mobile customer would have one place to quickly view condition.

The new apps are all about collections, daily stale deals (the same ones that have been up for a year) and advertisement space.   With each new release they axed save searches, watch lists and other user friendly items.  Worse still are the search results - often they were only showing you 30 results from a query - however I think this now fixed.   If you are wondering what happened to Mobile sales, look no further than eBay themselves destroying their once functional and useful app.