What to Say in Your First Message to a Seller

Sellers get a lot of messages. The ones that get answered quickly tend to look the same, and it has nothing to do with being clever.

Say what you want

Naming the item, or the kind of item, does most of the work. A message that opens with a question about something specific is answerable in one reply. A message that opens with hello and nothing else needs a reply just to find out what it is about.

Read the listing first

Most of what people ask is already written down. Asking anyway is not offensive, but it does suggest you have not looked, and that colours everything after it.

Do not open with a negotiation

Asking for a lower price before you have said what you want reads as a shopper looking for a soft touch. If you genuinely want the item, ask about the item.

Give her something to work with

If you are after a custom, the useful details are the practical ones. What, roughly when, and anything that matters to you. Preferences are easier to accommodate when they arrive early rather than after the thing is made.

Then let it sit

Sellers are running this around other work. A day is normal. Sending a follow up a few hours later mostly demonstrates impatience, and it is remembered.