Because most buyers do not read listings linearly. They skim, scan, and jump straight to action.
Descriptions are not consumed like instructions. They are treated like backup material. Buyers glance at photos, price, condition, and shipping, then decide whether to message. If uncertainty remains, they ask—even if the answer is technically already there.
This is not laziness. It is decision compression.
Buyers are comparing multiple listings at once. They are not studying yours in isolation. Messaging is faster than rereading, especially on mobile. Asking a question confirms the detail and tests whether the seller is active at the same time.
There is also a trust component. A response feels more current than a description that could have been written weeks ago. Buyers want reassurance that the item still exists, still works, and is being monitored by a real person.
Another factor is selective reading. Buyers often read only what they personally care about. Anything outside that narrow concern might as well not exist, even if it is clearly written.
This behavior increases in categories with:
- Condition sensitivity
- High return risk
- Frequent misrepresentation by sellers
- Used or refurbished items
Importantly, these questions are not a signal that your description is bad. They are a signal that the buyer is close to deciding.
The mistake sellers make is treating repeated questions as a writing failure instead of a behavioral constant. You cannot description-proof your way out of buyer messaging.
What you can do is minimize friction.
Put critical details where buyers already look: photos, titles, and the first visible lines of the description. Reinforce, do not rely on discovery.
Then accept the rest.
A simple rule keeps expectations realistic:
Descriptions reduce risk. They do not replace conversation.
Buyers ask because messaging is part of how they buy, not because you failed to explain.