Descriptions That Answer Buyer Questions
Jun 10, 2025
Why Great Descriptions Matter to Resellers
When selling online, whether through auctions or fixed-price listings, one of the biggest challenges resellers face is managing pre-sale questions and avoiding costly returns. Clear, detailed, and standardized product descriptions can dramatically cut the time you spend on customer messages while also improving buyer trust. Well-structured descriptions allow potential buyers to make fully informed purchasing decisions without the need to contact you directly.
Three Core Details Every Buyer Wants
While every product varies, there are three critical details that nearly every buyer checks before purchasing:
Size: Accurate measurements or dimensions help avoid confusion, especially with apparel, furniture, or collectibles that come in various scales. For clothing, include not only labeled size (like "Medium") but flat measurements (such as chest width or inseam). For home goods, list dimensions in inches and centimeters.
Condition: Clearly describe any wear, scratches, repairs, or missing components. Using standardized condition categories (e.g., "New with tags," "Excellent used condition," "Fair – some visible flaws") sets the right expectations and shields you against disputes.
What’s Included: Explicitly list everything a buyer will receive. For electronics, note whether chargers and cables are included. For collectibles, mention original packaging, certificates, or accessories. This single detail prevents much of the confusion surrounding incomplete shipments.
Reducing Messages and Returns
Every unnecessary message you field eats into productivity. By preemptively answering buyer questions in your descriptions, you not only reduce administrative overhead but also cut down on dissatisfied customers who might otherwise return items. Returns are often caused by misunderstandings around size, condition, or included accessories—details you can easily address with a consistent description template.
Using Templates for Accuracy and Speed
Creating templates for your descriptions is one of the fastest ways to cut errors and save time. Instead of rewriting common details for each SKU, save reusable templates that cover the basics. For example:
A general apparel listing template with fields for brand, size, material, flat measurements, condition, and care instructions.
An electronics template covering model number, compatibility, condition rating, tested functionality, and included parts.
A collectibles template that prompts you to specify edition, year, markings, packaging status, and provenance details.
Even if products vary widely, standardized templates ensure you never omit crucial details. You can fill in variables quickly while keeping consistency across your catalog.
Centralized Storage for Templates
Once you create effective description templates, centralizing them avoids duplication and keeps your workflow efficient. Storing templates in a single accessible location—whether a shared drive, a content management system, or a specialized tool—prevents errors and guarantees that every listing reflects your best practices. For auction-driven resellers, tools like Gavelbase offer ways to maintain structured templates alongside inventory management, keeping descriptions standardized at scale.
Tips for Crafting Strong Descriptions
Be honest and specific: Buyers appreciate thorough details, even if flaws are highlighted. Transparency boosts repeat business.
Use bullet points or headers: These help buyers scan descriptions quickly and locate key data.
Answer questions before they’re asked: If you’ve answered the most common questions (dimensions, compatibility, inclusions) directly, buyers have fewer reasons to message.
Stay consistent with language: Use a defined set of condition ratings or descriptors across all listings to reduce confusion.
Archive past templates: When you refine templates over time, store prior versions so older inventory descriptions can be updated quickly.
Advanced Workflow Upgrades
Aside from manual templates, some resellers benefit by integrating structured data fields. Instead of free-text descriptions, consider building fields like Brand, Condition, Dimension, and Included Items into your workflow. This makes it easy to export data to multiple platforms and ensures consistent formatting wherever you list.
Productivity tools outside the resale-specific market can also help. For instance, Google Drive or Notion can host shared description templates for team access. Spreadsheet programs like Excel or Airtable can keep condition categories and measurement formats consistent across your catalog. These general tools aren’t tailored to sales platforms specifically, but they help reduce errors when multiple people prepare product information.
Bottom Line
Clear, thorough product descriptions are one of the strongest safeguards against avoidable buyer questions and costly returns. By focusing on the critical trio—size, condition, and inclusions—you immediately address the majority of buyer concerns. Add in consistent templates, centralized storage, and a transparent approach, and you’ll run a leaner, more professional operation that builds buyer trust while saving your team valuable time.