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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be all judgey on Ebay listings with crap spelling?

23 replies

Bogeyface · 01/02/2011 11:18

There is an item I am after and one of the listings is a good price atm, but the spelling (and grammar come to that) are absolutely atrocious! Its has put me off bidding, although I'm not sure why. Someone describing a duvet cover as a
"Doover cover with application in the courner" doesnt alter its use does it? Not that I want the doover cover, that will be resold, but still.....

So, AIBU and a crashing snob (which I suspect I am) or would it put you off too?!

OP posts:
TotemPole · 01/02/2011 11:25

It's irritating but it could be to your advantage. Not many people will be searching for a doover cover, so the bidding could stay low.

Chil1234 · 01/02/2011 11:28

YANBU... When you're buying off E-Bay all you've got to go on is the description but you're also going to be looking for clues about the reliability of the seller. If the ad's badly written and/or the item is photographed in some filthy location and it gives you a bad feeling then go with your gut instinct. If it's a cheap item you might take a chance but if someone's flogging an expesive watch, say, and their ad is badly worded then chances are you could be being ripped off.

TotemPole · 01/02/2011 11:28

Search for shite in the clothing category. Plenty of shite clothes there.Grin

FabbyChic · 01/02/2011 11:29

You can't get ripped off on eBay if you pay via PayPal.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 01/02/2011 11:41

Totem, I actually did that Grin. I am not an ebay user (I did buy a springy thingy last week), but the range of what you can buy is staggering.
OP, if you are reselling it, does it really matter what the spelling and grammar are like?

TrollyMcTrollPants · 01/02/2011 11:47

I did have a Shock and Grin whilst shopping for wedding dresses to find on described as "Encrustled with ginuine Swarstika Crystals" ....

LadyThumb · 01/02/2011 11:49

It's the Freecycle ones that get me. "want a its sumin liek a or sumin smiliar" was one I had recently!

KangarooCaught · 01/02/2011 11:51

Grin am picturing wedding dress encrusted with crystal swastikas!

kreecherlivesupstairs · 01/02/2011 11:52

I love that word. Encrustled. I am going to try to slip it into a conversation somehow today.

Callisto · 01/02/2011 11:55

I don't think you're being unreasonable at all. I don't buy stuff if the information is badly laid out/spelling is really crap. I figure that whoever put the info on the ad doesn't care whether their item sells so they probably won't care if I don't recieve it either.

TotemPole · 01/02/2011 11:59

I think the feedback and DSRs are more important. You can tell from the item description star rating whether it's going to be in the same condition as stated in the ad.

Look at the comments for the positives as well as the negs. Too many luke warm positive comments and I'd avoid the seller.

Suncottage · 01/02/2011 12:08

This was not on Ebay but in a newsagents window;

Free to a good home two cats, male and femail, spade and nuted.

Took me a second to work out what it meant Smile

Journey · 01/02/2011 12:12

Your grammar isn't great op!

TotemPole · 01/02/2011 12:15

I don't see anything wrong with the OP, other than a missing apostrophe and an obvious typo.

On an ebay listing you have chance to edit, so typos/mistakes can be rectified. You can't do that on here.

Suncottage · 01/02/2011 12:26

I must admit I would like an edit button - I often make mistakes that I only spot after I have posted. Angry

Original poster
Bogeyface · 01/02/2011 12:30

Well the criticism of my OP took longer than expected!

Seller has 100% feedback of over 100 transactions, mainly as a seller so I am happy with that. Perhaps I should put my snobbiness to one side and give it a go!

Thanks :)

OP posts:
TotemPole · 01/02/2011 12:41

Bogeyface, look at the DSRs and read the comments as well. Sometimes buyers don't think a transaction is worth a neg, so they leave a positive, but don't gush praise in the comment.

Just because they can't spell doesn't mean they won't look after their buyers. There's a chance they could mispell your address or something and it results in a problem transaction.

Pay with Paypal, so if anything goes wrong you're protected.

Original poster
Bogeyface · 01/02/2011 12:43

Thanks Totem, yes I have looked at the comments, nothing strikes me as "blah blah not worth a neg but......" iykwim

Good point about the address, although again that would probably have come up in the feedback. I always pay via Paypal, once bitten and all that!

OP posts:
TotemPole · 01/02/2011 12:49

That't true. Either they haven't had any problems or have dealt with them accordingly to avoid negs.

So YANBU to be cautious(with any ebay transaction), but I don't think the bad spelling would put me off.

TotemPole · 01/02/2011 12:50

Oi, who nicked me s and replaced it with a t? Shock

Mists · 01/02/2011 12:51

Encrustled with swastika crystals Grin

"Chester draws" gets my goat good and proper.

TotemPole · 01/02/2011 12:55

Chester draws, I'd forgotten that one.Grin

I like the clothes that are, "only whore once".Grin

Original poster
Bogeyface · 01/02/2011 12:59

One I have spotted regularly on freecycle is "3 piece suit". I would love to see a man walking to work wearing his sofa and 2 armchairs!

OP posts:
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