Do people ask stupid questions for something to do

[vintagechinashop]

So we made it. We have officially got to the end of the silly season 

congratulations and a Happy Christmas to all may 2025 be prosperous 

just a silly question to finish off. 

title of listing includes the words 4 plates  description says set of 4 plates 

question. Sorry to bother you but are 4 plates included in the price 

answer yes there are 4 plates included 

answer. Oh thank you 

is it me or do people ask obvious questions for something to do 

[ojewellery · Accepted solution]

I wonder if they're after an offer when it's something so obvious.

I raise your does this set of four plates have four plates with is this size N ring a size N.  Not sure if it's a raise or Jewellery equivalent.

My daughter asked me at lunch can Christmas begin yet, have you had that customer who wants something guaranteed in time for Christmas ?  I hadn't at lunch but at 3.30 Christmas could begin.

Hope you have a good one

[twofourdeltasurplus]

Get it all the time, once in a while I answer, 9 times out of 10 I just block and ignore

At my local co-op this morning, the question asked almost made me call them some very rude words and laugh at them ( in my mind I had already killed them several times over )

The question asked was - are you open christmas day and if not why not !!!!!!

[santlache_sales]

Stupid questions are often asked as people don't read the item descriptions.

This is also not helped by eBay hiding it on the App so people don't automatically see it.

[myriad*seller]

The plates question may not be your fault - it may be down to other sellers and the way they list 

I have seen lots of other listings that also show four plates but when you come to buy it is price per plate not all four and many sellers fail to make this clear 

Buyer may have been caught out by a deliberately (?)/accidentally ambiguous listing in the past 

It's always price per plate on the plates I want to buy!! 😭

[sweetcharity.2013]

As a buyer, I don't think it's a silly question when you've had my experience of buying from some sellers. Recently made a purchase that mentioned 5 times that item was a 2 part item, but only received one part the other part was not included apparently - no mention of this in the listing though! So yes, I would be checking with the seller if they meant 4 plates etc. 

[old-car-magazines-and-brochures]

I had a buyer last week buy 4 items all with free postage (he placed 4 separate orders rather than add them to his shopping basket and pay just once). I then got a message asking if he could get some discount on the postage. When I pointed out that he hadn't paid any postage he replied "but you will be saving money posting them all together?"

I just didn't know how to reply to that... 

[eyewear247]

Technically the customer is correct, you will be making a saving as there is no such thing as free postage.

However, the customer should of asked you for a discount if they ordered the 4 items prior to placing the separate orders . 

[the-nutwood-collection]

Did the enquirer buy the plates?

I sell ribbon and fabric by the metre.  'Metre' is in the item title, 'Metre' is in the IS, 'Metre' is in the heading on the description, and 'Metre' is in the text of the description.

I've lost count of the messages that ask how much ribbon/fabric the buyer gets for the item price.

I've also had a number of SNADS, reasons: 'I thought it would be longer' or 'It wasn't long enough to go round the present' or 'Not enough of it'.

Only on eBay - my other platform and my website buyers NEVER ask the question and never return the ribbon. 

They do ask questions like 'I'm sending 80 invitations and each invitation needs 73cm of ribbon.  How many metres do I need?

I give a big sigh, open Excel, then reply to the message.  However, they always buy when they get the answer, so I don't mind.  Also, I get a message like 'You are a star!'.  My maths teacher would strongly disagree with that statement.  

[theelench]

Not always.

Like a lot of buyers I look at the photos first, then read the seller's description and Feedback if interested.  In vintage glass I hardly glance at the ad. title because so often they are vague, irrelevant or just wrong.

I knew this particular vase was made in 3 sizes so very carefully read all the IS and every word of the description.  No mention of size which, believe it or not isn't at all uncommon in the category, because so many sellers have no idea that there are different sizes.

Eventually I messaged the seller to ask.  I got the terse reply "It's in the title".

Unfortunately it was and it wasn't the size I was looking for.

The seller probably thought I was asking a stupid question, I thought they were rude, so I didn't bother to explain my mistake or apologise.

[tressygirl]

Beyone me @theelench   why sellers reply with such rudeness when a potential buyer is asking a question, stupid or on a Masterming level. 

Surely this shows you as being a nice / good seller to buy from if one answers politely,  may even gain one that rarity here nowadays.....  a Buyer! 🤔

[the-nutwood-collection]

As you say, there's no need to be rude.  Also, it's often quicker and easier just to reply with the answer.

Not only doesn't rudeness lose a potential buyer, the question could be a clue that there's something wrong with the listing.

I asked a seller the height of a ceramic that typically comes in three sizes.  She replied with a long rant that the height was in the description and she couldn't understand why so many people couldn't be bothered to read the description and instead sent her a message that she had to waste her precious time answering.  She finished the rant by telling me to read the description.

I always read the description, and couldn't understand how I'd missed it.  I read the description again - the height wasn't there, or in the IS, or in the title.  There was nothing on the image that gave scale.  That was the reason that 'so many people' had messaged her.       

[insidethe93]

Too often I've encountered incorrect descriptions in mail-order catalogues and in online shops. If you've been caught once you might prefer to check even at the risk of looking silly. Better to check than have an issue after buying.

Happened to my mother-in-law a lot as she loved buying from mail-order catalogues, so her orders (all by phone in those days) took ages. You'd think for physical printed matter and the work involved in printing and distributing that they'd take more care.

Of course, it's going to irritate or amuse those sellers who correctly describe their products, but errors occur more often than you'd think. 'caveat emptor'.

[messier44000]

Always keep going back to the same funny buyer question from someone else here 

a few years back.

Seller is selling Black and White socks.

Buyer asks - Can you just send the white ones 

[fribblecollectables]

Years ago when working for a small book store, someone rang up to ask if I knew when the postman would be coming that day!

I remember it was around October so I bluffed and said as it wasn't really too close to Christmas, it should be around the normal time.

They thanked me warmly and finished the call.

[vintagechinashop]

No they didn’t they just said thank you. I would have maybe expected an elaboration on that if they were a serious buyer. Maybe thank you I only wanted one or thank you I have purchased from another seller but this made me feel like they were just asking for something to do 

always happy to provide information but I only usually ask a question when I’m seriously considering a purchase 

[the-nutwood-collection]

A 'thank you' is a rare thing on eBay - you should be honoured that you got one.

I've never had a 'thank you' for my polite response to their query.  I don't think I've ever got an order either.

[messier44000]

Nothing to do with eBay. But only yesterday while doing the Asda shop , 

a random guy approached me in the aisle and asked me how to make porridge.

Just a normal day in Hull 

[kidmore_kats]

Many years ago I worked in Watford library on the enquiry desk.

One day a rather flustered young man rocked up with his very attractive young lady and asked where the books on the marital arts were.

I took them round to 612.6 (ask a librarian) and showed them our small but interesting collection of books on 'how to do it."

He looked at them for a few seconds, then turned to me and said 'I meant Judo'.

[dch2112011]

Putting aside text speak which gives short meaningless messages - where is it ? doesn't fit ? etc which can appear to be rude  

The repeat questions which just beg for a stupid response are

Will this fit my 12 year old daughter ?

It looked bigger in the photo can you send a bigger one ?

I want a refund my cat destroyed it while I was out!

My Dog shredded it - please refund my husband hasn't worn it yet ! 

Is this suitable for my dog ? 

I ordered a small size but it doesn't fit  send the correct size !