Cannot send message through contact buyer to let him know about item.

[sircharlesreynard]

I always send a message through to any buyer when they pay for a item thanking them and telling them when their item is posted off. When i click onto contact buyer its comes up but i cannot click on it anywhere to even write a message. I have never had this problem before anyone got any ideas??

[fortnite-planet]

ebay removed the option, you can only contact sellers now

[johnwash1]

WHAT???  When did they remove this?  I always send a message to the buyer immediately they pay, to tell them when I'll be packing and posting.  I regard it as an essential part of getting a good outcome to any transaction.

There are several different routes to links to contact the buyer.  It sounds like yet another piece of tinkering that has broken some page.  Don't expect it to be fixed soon.

[lucy_farmer]

What? no, come on... this has got to be a glitch. Why on earth would ebay take this away on purpose?

Surely not.....?

[insidethe93]

I'm afraid I think you're mistaken, at least in my own experience as a buyer, as I haven't noticed any difference as regards sellers (regular and one or two new to me) messaging me via eBay's new messaging system "thanks, will post tomorrow or [date]" or "thanks, have just posted" or "have refunded some postage" etc. So I conclude that sellers are still able to contact buyers.

I have been having problems FINDING new messages, as I'm struggling (like many others) with eBay's new messaging system, but that's another issue.

[zoomingmouse]

I was able to send a message Thursday to  buyer no problem <laptop win 10, Firefox>. 

Are you using a browser, or are you on the app?

[rjwilmsi]

Sellers can still send messages to buyers after purchase.

However, if your message is to provide confirmation that the item has been posted (and maybe give a tracking number) that is in my view unnecessary anyway. You mark the item as dispatched and enter the tracking number in the order details. eBay will automatically send the buyer an email, and further email updates for tracking later on. There is no need for you to duplicate that - as a buyer I often get an eBay email and an email from the courier and an SMS from the courier, it is already too much repetition.

[johnwash1]

---

@rjwilmsi wrote:

Sellers can still send messages to buyers after purchase.

However, if your message is to provide confirmation that the item has been posted (and maybe give a tracking number) that is in my view unnecessary anyway. You mark the item as dispatched and enter the tracking number in the order details. eBay will automatically send the buyer an email, and further email updates for tracking later on. There is no need for you to duplicate that - as a buyer I often get an eBay email and an email from the courier and an SMS from the courier, it is already too much repetition.

---

If you enter the tracking details straight away, ebay rewards (?) you by reducing your estimated delivery dates.

[dancewithadingo]

Good Evening Sir Charles

If the glitch doesn't right itself soon here's an idea. See if your buyer is selling anything and if he is contact him by asking a question via his listing.

Hope that this helps.

[zoomingmouse]

Or worse if it arrives late...

[*vyolla*]

I agree with @rjwilmsi , I don't want a message thanking me for my purchase and letting me know that my item has been dispatched, I already get a dispatch notification. These are just annoying, tbh, too much engagement just for a purchase. 

[insidethe93]

I think it depends a lot on what the item(s) is/are e.g. high value (price or maybe a collctible), one-offs or similar made-to-order; more customised made-to-order. On a page of many purchases (30 purchases isn't unusual for me) an eBay message (with visible bell notification) is quick and easy.

I don't expect a seller to let me know "thanks, will post [date]" and/or "thanks, have posted", though I appreciate they've put in time & effort (many, thankfully, probably use copy&paste or some form of automation due to how soon I hear from them). Indeed, with my regular sellers I wish they wouldn't spend the time & effort as I'm very confident about the transaction - they could spend the time on other customers.

With a seller new to me, yes they needn't, but it's a personal touch. Usually I reply with thanks and letting them know my practice is to leave Seller Feedback when the item arrives (so a seller isn't left wondering re untracked and even tracked is often not updated, Royal Mail tracking in particular) and if they'd like a separate message as well to let me know. (A surprising number of sellers do ask for that separate extra message.) And also, no harm reminding those buyers who need reminding that sellers are human too and thus, if messaged, not to be treated rudely.

I tend to remember more those sellers with the personal touch, and I doubt I'm the only one as it's probably human nature. I've just noticed that it's reflected, quite without conscious intent, in who's on my regular seller list.

[forapersona1]

I always send my buyers a message to say their item is on its way even though I have added the tracking.  It's a courtesy and it also lets the buyer know their item is actually on its way as opposed some automatically generated message from a business seller saying the thing is on its way  5 minutes after buying it at 9.30 PM on a Sunday night.

[zoomingmouse]

That is one of my pet hates buying on Ebay - private & business sellers. 

I know it's usually auto generated by buying a lable, but sometimes they don't enter the postage system for days after.

[insidethe93]

I've mentioned in another thread that sellers sending "thanks, will post [date]" messages may also be trying to pre-empt eBay's often fantastical estimated delivery dates (EDD) and thus avoid any annoyed buyers.

[zoomingmouse]

I appreciate a message if the tracking hasn't showed it's been picked up etc as I then try to make sure someone is in when delivery is expected.

The EDD dates are usually way off & create angst for both parties.