Ebay's AI really needs a major overhaul.
Hi,
in one of the recent podcast episodes, they also talked about the AI at Ebay and how it makes creating posts easier for us. Well.... to be honest, this AI is pretty weak, to put it mildly.
We tried the AI 2 months ago and decided right away not to use it after the first attempt. The explanation follows below. It’s a long one:
Our text, thought up from scratch and written by ourselves:
Hafi Jam Apelsin Saffran / Orange Saffron 150g
Give your breakfast or snack that little something extra with Hafi’s orange-saffron jam. The sun-ripened sweetness of oranges meets the refined note of saffron and creates an incomparable taste experience.
A touch of the Orient: The precious spice saffron gives the jam a sophisticated, slightly bitter note and a warm, golden glow. A touch of the Orient enchants your senses and makes you dream of your next vacation.
Perfect with scones and cheese: The orange-saffron jam goes wonderfully with freshly baked scones, crêpes, or waffles. But it’s also a delicious companion to mild hard cheeses like Gouda or mozzarella.
Discover the difference: Try orange-saffron jam and experience the difference. Let yourself be enchanted by the exotic flavor combination and enjoy a piece of pure luxury.
Fruit content: 44 g per 100 g
Total sugar content: 63 g per 100 g
Nutritional values per 100 g:
Energy kj: 1071 kj
Energy kcal: 252 kcal
Fat: < 0,5 g
of which saturated fatty acids: 0,5 g
Carbohydrates: 63 g
of which sugar: 60 g
Protein: < 0,5 g
Salt: 0,5 g
That is our text, and the Ebay AI turns it into this:
Hafi Swedish Jam Apelsin Saffran fruit spread Orange Saffron 150 g is a sweet and shelf-stable fruit spread from Sweden. The energy value per 100 g is 252 kJ and the unit of measure is kg. The jam is packaged in a glass bag and has an expiration date of 07.03.2025. This fruit spread is perfect for the main meal and has a unique taste of orange and saffron. The Hafi brand stands for high-quality and traditional Swedish foods, and this fruit spread is no exception. With a 150 g pack, it is ideal for snacking or as an addition to other treats.
That’s what the Ebay AI makes of it. Ebay’s AI pulls its data from the product features and a bit from our own text. Since it doesn’t even come close to the content required by law in our case (which we want to convey to the AI with our ingredients and nutritional values) and it’s also written more than badly, we don’t use it
This is what another AI makes of the whole thing:
Hafi Orange-Saffron Jam: A touch of the Orient for your breakfast!
Give your breakfast or snack with the Hafi Orange-Saffron Jam that little something extra and immerse yourself in an incomparable taste experience. The sun-ripened sweetness of ripe oranges meets the refined note of saffron and takes you on a sensual journey to the Orient.
A touch of luxury: The precious spice saffron gives the jam a sophisticated, slightly bitter note and a warm, golden glow. Let yourself be enchanted by the alluring aroma and dream of faraway lands and exotic pleasures.
Perfect with sweet and savory dishes: The orange-saffron jam goes wonderfully with freshly baked scones, crêpes or waffles. But it’s also a delicious accompaniment to mild hard cheeses like Gouda or mozzarella. The fruity-spicy note rounds off the flavor perfectly and creates a varied tasting experience.
Discover the difference: Try Hafi Orange-Saffron Jam and experience the difference. Let yourself be enchanted by the exotic flavor composition and enjoy a piece of pure luxury.
Features:
- Sun-ripened orange sweetness meets refined saffron
- Refined, slightly bitter note with a warm, golden glow
- A touch of the Orient for a sensual taste experience
- Perfect with scones, crêpes, waffles, cheese and more
- Exotic flavor composition for pure luxury
Ingredients:
- Sugar
- Orange
- Lemon juice
- Saffron
- Thickener (pectin)
- Fruit content: 44 g per 100 g
- Total sugar content: 63 g per 100 g
Storage:
Opened jars can be kept in the refrigerator at +2°C to +8°C for at least 30 days.
Nutritional values per 100 g:
- Energy: 1071 kJ / 252 kcal
- Fat: < 0,5 g
- of which saturated fatty acids: 0,5 g
- Carbohydrates: 63 g
- of which sugar: 60 g
- Protein: < 0,5 g
- Salt: 0,5 g
You are welcome to use our product data so that your IT department can teach your AI something. The source the AI uses for access really needs to be changed urgently, because as it is, unfortunately, this won’t work.
None of this is meant badly, but it is an improvement that really should happen, because a component that Ebay offers for use should also work.
Bye for now, and see you soon.
MyEatNordic
turbotuentchen
·2 years agoHi,
is the eBay AI related to the old translation tool 🤔 ? The tool that gave us more or less amusing translations for over a decade 🙄
myeatnordic
OP2 years agoHi,
@rotoskop-kulturfilm we know how it is and we know that we shouldn’t use it because unfortunately it’s not an option for us. It may work in some categories, but unfortunately not for us.
@miriam@ebay another thing we noticed. The AI also pulls its data from what seems to be a very old source, because the term "glass bag" that the eBay AI uses is very outdated. Yes, the term still exists, but it is almost never used anymore, because the product "glass bag" (actually called cellophane) is very expensive and extremely labor-intensive to make. Since pure cellophane even burns, can be disposed of in waste paper, and is even compostable, and our product is in a "normal jam jar," those are huge differences. You could even get a real earful from the buyer and, in relation to Lucid, be in for a nasty surprise.
As I said, we just noticed it, and since we want to avoid things like that, we’re pointing out such serious mistakes.
Bye for now, and see you.
MyEatNordic
myeatnordic
OP2 years agoHi,
as @perfect-sally already wrote, it depends on what you want to sell.
There are certain products that need a detailed description, and you have to tell the AI that too.
We were simply trying to illustrate what the eBay AI and another AI can do in comparison when you feed them exactly the same data.
Each AI draws on different databases or sources, and that’s the key point.
Since I’m not an expert when it comes to AI, I don’t presume to tell any eBay developers how it works exactly.
Goal achieved.
Comparison made, laid out openly, and eBay has taken note of it in order to bring improvements forward.
Bye, and see you.
MyEatNordic
perfect-sally
·2 years agoSorry girls, but I’m more of the opinion that the users of this AI need a makeover!
This AI might MAYBE still be suitable for items that are really new. But definitely not for used items that need a proper condition description....
I’d never think of using something like that either.... at least not without adding that right away!
It only supports the LAZINESS of sellers, nothing else! And because of these AI descriptions, there will probably be more and more returns in the long run.
rotoskop-kulturfilm
·2 years agoHello @perfect-sally
...I would expect that too - well, at least eBay then also makes money from the new automated return process with overpriced shipping costs, which will at least ease eBay's pain a bit.
I think the silly AI texts, which would ultimately all lead to a standardization of the descriptions, fit quite well into the new hyper-technocratic eBay concept.
I've read AI sample texts here several times; they sound like grotesque sales schmaltz from a 10-year-old.
If I were to read such texts from an eBay seller or an online shop, I'd definitely click away very quickly and wouldn't buy anything there. It just comes across as completely untrustworthy.
Best regards
RKF
P.S.: I really like the word "increased" 🙂
perfect-sally
·2 years ago@rotoskop-kulturfilm
maybe not quite correctly phrased, but you don’t always want to write the same thing 😉 and, well, you want to be a bit creative if possible without having to look it up in WiKi right away.
Would “increased more frequently” or “increased drastically” have been better.
rotoskop-kulturfilm
·2 years ago...no, you phrased it perfectly 🙂
Creativity is always good [except for eBay's].
Best regards
RKF
rotoskop-kulturfilm
·2 years agoHello @perfect-sally , hello @myeatnordic ,
another addendum from me on the topic of "returns":
I just tried it directly with the AI too (my category is movies), really just for entertainment purposes, but some real abysses open up right away:
My description entered:
"DVD
Gone with the Wind
broken
no case
dirty"
Text created from it by AI:
"Experience the movie in the best quality with this DVD. The format is perfect for anyone who wants to watch the film on a DVD player or computer. The DVD is ideal for movie fans and collectors who want to expand their collection. Enjoy the movie in HD quality and relive the story once again."
Okay, one more chance - if I separate my terms with commas, the AI delivers the following:
"Experience this blockbuster on DVD! [Title] is a film you shouldn't miss. With breathtaking picture quality and crystal-clear sound, every scene becomes an unforgettable experience. The DVD is easy to use and offers you the convenience of enjoying the movie at home whenever it suits you. [Title] is a must for every movie fan and a great addition to your DVD collection. Order now and let this masterpiece inspire you!"
eBay, once again one of those cases where you can hardly believe what's going on here anymore.
Whether this AI is capable of learning, I'd rather not wait and see. This whole thing should be switched off again very quickly and is really just amateurish and ridiculous.
Have fun with that then, all AI users; I guess we'll be able to read a lot more about this here in the forum in the near future.
Regards
RKF
rotoskop-kulturfilm
·2 years agoI discovered a mistake on my part in the testing. For the test text, I had selected the condition "New"; that was not correct, and an AI depends on my information.
Since I don’t want to be unfair to the AI, here is the corrected test:
Entered text (selected condition: acceptable):
"DVD
gone with the wind
many cracks
dirty
no case"
AI-generated from that:
"Experience the movie in the best quality on DVD! This film is available on DVD and offers a unique viewing experience at home. The DVD version lets you watch the movie over and over again and immerse yourself in the world of the characters. The DVD has high picture and sound quality and is easy to use. Ideal for movie nights with friends or family. Get the DVD version now and experience the movie in all its splendor!"
Basically, it makes no difference to the sad result, just for the sake of form...
Regards
RKF
progresssauger
·2 years agoI'm cracking up right now, but remember buyer protection. The hole in the middle is probably too round🤣 already send a return label.
voli-maus
·2 years agoThe film was on TV about 8 weeks ago, and I watched it.
Well, not quite without a break. 😏 You’ve got to go somewhere sometime....
What a mushy melodrama: "Oh Rhett"..."Tara"...you can watch that every few years.
Otherwise, it can’t be that hard to write your own texts for an article.
Only I myself know what my article is about.
miriam@ebay
Hello @myeatnordic! Here's another reply from us - I've now been able to pass your feedback on internally, and I can let you know that the eBay AI is also learning more all the time.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with us, and it's a shame that the offer to support you in writing the item description isn't yet helpful for you at the moment. Let's keep an eye on how this develops in the future 🙂.
Kind regards
Miriam
rotoskop-kulturfilm
·2 years agoHello @miriam@ebay
Nice example of the TE.
So your AI is learning too - but does it really have to start at such an embarrassingly low level?
The AI simply completely destroyed the TE's appealing item description.
That unfinished processes are quickly installed here at eBay, apparently without quality control before publication, is really nothing new and long-time eBay users already know that.
Does eBay actually realize what kind of impression this leaves on users? Especially when you still use the product as a sales argument, as eBay is currently doing?
Does eBay not care about stuff like that?
No hard feelings, miriam, it's not your fault either, I know 🙂
Regards
RKF
myeatnordic
OP2 years agoHey,
small addition: This is still exactly the same as it was 2 months ago. We forgot this addition.
Bye, and see you.
MyEatNordic