Ask a question & hope for an answer

All too often eBay sellers auction item descriptions are lacking in detail or clarity which necessitates further inquiry. When using the eBay ‘Ask a question’ feature to contact the Seller potential bidders have to categorize their question (for eBay’s research benefit) and type in the question before submitting. As eBay displays the Auction Title and Item # above the query box it leads one to assume that the Seller knows exactly what auction it is you are inquiring about.
We all know what happens when you assume so to play it on the safe side I cut n paste the auction Title and Item# into the opening of my ‘Ask a question’ to sellers. Communicating in complete sentences with specifics seems like a basic prerequisite to making sure both parties are on the same page, more or less. Sadly not all eBay Sellers received the benefits of a fine N.J. Public School System education.
I’ve found Sellers are around 60/40 with replies: 60% get back to you, 40% for whatever reason never do. The ones that impress me the most are the Sellers that reply along the lines of: Hello. Yes. Thanks. Which is sufficient if you have only inquired about one auction item from one seller. But what if you are like me, always buying spare parts for guitar rebuilds or what not? I may be bidding on a half-dozen guitar necks at one time. And for one reason or another, out of the hundreds of auctions I look at in one sitting, I have to ask a question here and there. Enquiring Minds want to know.
Sadly it seems there are a large percentage of eBay Sellers who reply in the “Hello. Yes. Thanks.” format, blissfully unaware that you the potential bidder cannot remember what you asked the seller to begin with. And evidently these same sellers have never had to ‘Ask a question’ themselves or surely they would reference your question specifics in their ‘Ask a question’ answers.
So if you’re a eBay seller please take the time to reply to your inquiries. And answer using complete sentences that mention the question AND the answer. Your bidders will thank you for it and so will the balance in your PayPal account.