In sociology, there is a principle that humans (and some creatures) adhere to, almost without being aware of it. It’s called the Rule of Reciprocity.
- The “rule of reciprocation” refers to the universal tendency in human beings to feel compelled to reciprocate when given a gift.
credit: PsychologyToday.com “Honoring the Rule of Reciprocation”
It’s a balance thing. Basically, if you give me something, I must give you something in return.
So, how does this apply to writing up a good description for eBay?
Say you are the Customer. You are shopping eBay, looking for some good used brand-name sunglasses that you can afford. Using eBay’s selection menu for price, condition, brand, etc., you have narrowed it down to six prospects: 3 Ray-Bans, a couple Oakley’s and a Maui Jim. You like them all. They are all the same price, all the sellers are Top-Rated, all offer free next day shipping and they are all located in states near you, so it will only take a few days to receive them.
In other words, all issues are equal. Nothing tips the scale yet.
The ‘scale tipper’ would be the eBay Description. The Copy. The Sales Pitch. The Gift.
And so, you begin clicking open the ads. Two of the Ray-Ban sellers have the GREAT WALL OF TERMS THAT MUST BE OBEYED and you feel that you must read through them diligently, or perhaps consult an attorney because it appears as if you are entering into a legal contract if you buy from them. Yeah. Too much work.
The other Ray-Ban seller appears to have posted their shades to eBay from a small mobile device. There’s one picture in the typical narrow iPhone format, and the description consists of: “Almost new, worn once, no scratches. Case included”. OK, well all the information is there, I guess. Unless the temple hinges are bent or something. Or the sunglasses were left on the dashboard on a hot day and warped. I suppose I could contact the seller and ask them. Nahhhh, why bother. Don’t want to wait around. Skip this one too.
The Maui Jim’s look OK, except – hey they used a generic catalog gallery image to lead you in, but when you got there, the picture of the actual item was taken on a nasty stained carpet floor from about 10 feet away and the seller has no concept of the basic eBay seller skill known as Image Cropping.
Sigh. Next…
The Oakley’s. One is obviously a drop-shipper from China that has misrepresented the location in order to game the search. A nasty annoying reject-buzzer sound “EEEEHHH!!!” goes off in your head.
OK, here we go. The other Oakley has a couple of normal pictures, 2 views of the shades on a clean white tile counter top, and one of himself wearing the sunglasses. The description is short but thorough, and they add an amusing note at the end – ‘I’d keep them but we have a new puppy and I fear they are not long for this world.’ You chuckle. And you buy the Oakley’s.
Why? Because the seller gave you a gift. Amusement. Happy scene. A relaxed, stress-free experience.
That’s all. It wasn’t a big deal, but it was enough to tip the scales in puppy-guy’s favor.
And now, you reciprocate by giving him the gift of your sale.
The other sunglasses were perfectly fine. They weren’t any more expensive, and (with the exception of the drop-shipper) they’d all probably be in your hands by the weekend. But the one guy that took a few extra minutes by making his description nice for you – he got your money.
Cater to your customer. It will tip the scale in your favor. Simply put, and all other elements being equal: If they like you – they are much more likely to buy your stuff.
