Do mistakes put you off adverts?

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Elvis

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As title really. Have been reading last weeks horse and hound classifieds and over the 2 page hunters special I have seen the following;
Sweet spelt sweat.
Temperament spelt temprement. Conformation spelt confirmation,
and one horse advertised for £42,750 instead of, I'm guessing £4275

As much as these mistakes don't bother me, as it's still clear what is meant, I'm amazed at just how many there are. I'm not one to judge either, my grammar, spelling and punctuation go out the window when I'm not careful. But if you are paying for an advert I think I'd double check it before sending it out just in case mistakes do put people of enquiring.

I don't expect this would put anyone off enquiring about a horse, after all their grammar doesn't reflect how capable they are of caring for and producing a horse. But does it put any of you off?
 
The odd spelling or other mistake, probably not. On a longer advert (like the kind you get on Horsequest) I am put off if there is consistently bad grammar and spelling throughout. Yes I am a bit of a language snob, but when I read an advert that is so badly written that the person seems almost illiterate, dealing with them concerns me. Not, I think, because of snobbery or because I think they haven't cared for the horse as well as someone with impeccable grammar - but because I want to make sure that they understand the terms of a deposit, that they give me a valid receipt etc...
 
it wouldnt put me off replying to an ad but it does offend me when people reply to one of mine with unforgivable spelling mistakes, such as when i placed one for chihuahua pups and people would ask about the chiwawas!... erm maybe when you have done enough research on chihuahua's to spell correctly then maybe i will consider selling you one!
tbf i think predictive txt plays a part in alot of mistakes.
sorry for the terrible grammar :p
 
No. Not at all. :)

As long as I can get a vague idea that the horse is what I may be interested in then I will go ahead and get some more information.
Unfortunate photographs in the first instance don't bother me either, I need to see that the horse is the colour and approximate shape I want and that it has a leg at each corner, if I want to see more detailed ones before I go to view I will ask for them, and as for price, doesn't everyone confirm that anyway?

I really couldn't care less if the seller can spell or not, I am viewing their horse, not them, their clothes, their yard, or their opinions. :)
 
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lottiepony said:
It could well be the fault of the magazine not the people selling...just a thought :)
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Admittedly the incorrect price could be a fault of the magazine but I doubt the spelling would be. It's an equine magazine and anyone who couldn't spell conformation correctly shouldn't (and hopefully wouldn't) be working for a specialist equine magazine.
 
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Enfys said:
No. Not at all. :)

As long as I can get a vague idea that the horse is what I may be interested in then I will go ahead and get some more information.
Unfortunate photographs in the first instance don't bother me either, I need to see that the horse is the colour and approximate shape I want and that it has a leg at each corner, if I want to see more detailed ones before I go to view I will ask for them, and as for price, doesn't everyone confirm that anyway?

I really couldn't care less if the seller can spell or not, I am viewing their horse, not them, their clothes, their yard, or their opinions. :)
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And I think that's they key, if you like the horse and it's what you are looking for, nothing in regards to the owner should matter, unless the horse hasn't been well cared for or they appear to be hiding something.

But I will admit and advert with countless mistakes, but more so text speak, puts me off.

*lyk* instead of like
*handsum* instead of handsome
*gd* instead of good
Etc
 
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Abacus said:
The odd spelling or other mistake, probably not. On a longer advert (like the kind you get on Horsequest) I am put off if there is consistently bad grammar and spelling throughout. Yes I am a bit of a language snob, but when I read an advert that is so badly written that the person seems almost illiterate, dealing with them concerns me. Not, I think, because of snobbery or because I think they haven't cared for the horse as well as someone with impeccable grammar - but because I want to make sure that they understand the terms of a deposit, that they give me a valid receipt etc...
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This

I have to agree, again grammar not so much, but simple spellings would make me think twice. Its all about first impressions and i know some people want to get an ad up quickly but if you are in that much of a rush are yo going to make me rush my own decision. As i am the sort of person who will want to see the horse at least three times in different settings before i think about purchasing, as i know at the end of the day i want that horse to stay with me and not to find its no good in six months time and be looking to sell.
 
Yes spelling mistakes do annoy me and I have to say I am disappointed to see the article in this weeks H&H about trailer MOTS and the 'AXELS', tut tut H&H!!!
 
Elvis said:
But I will admit and advert with countless mistakes, but more so text speak, puts me off.
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Same really! Mistakes that are understandable/probably a mis-print don't really bother me. But consistent mis-spelling is annoying and just looks really unprofessional!
 
Yes, but what is worse and really puts me off are photographs with poorly fitting tack, trainers/wellie boots, sagging barbed wire or electric fencing. The word 'stunning' used for very plain horses is irritating. All it tells me is the vendor would not know a decent horse if it trod on their foot.
 
I have to say yes it would, if you are trying to sell something then at least make the effort to write it out properly, also find it amusing when people put blurred pictures on too! Sorry maybe just me.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Yes, but what is worse and really puts me off are photographs with poorly fitting tack, trainers/wellie boots, sagging barbed wire or electric fencing. The word 'stunning' used for very plain horses is irritating. All it tells me is the vendor would not know a decent horse if it trod on their foot.
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I have to agree, for me a nightmare advert would be one with a rider wearing wellies (phone kindly autocorrected that to willies) not wearing a hat, the saddle is half way up the horses shoulders and doesn't fit, and the horse is stood in a field that has a broken down tractor in one corner and is fenced with barbed wire, the horse is also most likely not stood square and hasn't seen a grooming kit in months. And throw in some spelling mistakes and text language and I'm shaking my head in disbelief.
 
Suitable for a novice. quiet ride, bombproof - photo - Pelham, flash, reins in a 'V' due to tight martingale..

Horse jumped top level, does this that and the other, perfect, first to see will buy - photo - in a rug in the field
 
AdorableAlice said:
Suitable for a novice. quiet ride, bombproof - photo - Pelham, flash, reins in a 'V' due to tight martingale..

Horse jumped top level, does this that and the other, perfect, first to see will buy - photo - in a rug in the field
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This!

The odd spelling mistake doesn't bother me... its the ones on preloved that are written in text speak that put me right off....
 
Not mistakes as such, but when my cob was advertised it was a two sentence advert with no picture and hardly any information. The lady selling him was such a lovely lady who could have written an essay about him and included hundreds of photos but she didn't. I almost didn't enquire about him, and lots of other people obviously didn't, and i feel lucky that I found the best horse ever!

So no, it wouldn't put me off.
 
The odd spelling mistake doesn't bother me but text speak is my biggest problem and it does set a bad impression. Also when people don't use full stops and just have the ad as one long sentence.
 
Grammar and mistakes dont bother me but the following things do

Pops a pole (fell over one that was lying around in the school)

Well marked (even a teacher couldnt give it a good mark!)

In foal to top show horse (sire once got a 4th prize rosette in 'best mane and tail' class at local show)

HOYS quality (you will definitely buy this horse a headcollar at HOYS)

Dope on rope/such a dude (you have run out of other things to say but have words left in you advert)

Connimara, freesian (I'm sorry... You own it but cannot spell it?....)
 
I always wonder if it's a magazine or papers fault when there are several mistakes as others have said, on the other hand I also wonder why, if it's the vendors mistake why the papers editors don't correct? Or even the person doing the typing up!
I'm a bit rubbish at grammar and punctuation sadly but I think I'd put extra effort into an advertisement!
I had a friend who always used to text replies things like "if u still got yr hoss 4 sale give me a bell" and wondered why they never got in touch ;)
 
Spelling doesn't bother me, but animals who are advertised at the wrong height for the breed do. I have seen a 13 hand welsh sec a and a 14.1 welsh c. It makes me wonder what else the owners have got wrong.
 
Im sorry, but it really puts me off!
Its not hard to proof read or have someone else check it before you put it up. Bad photos drive me mad too!
 
Puts me off, gave up reading an ad recently for well bread youngsters. Apparently they are also supper movers & up to hight & I can see their dames. Gave up at that point.
 
I don't mind the odd mistake/ typing error, we all make them. But when an advert is full of spelling mistakes, text speak, and poor grammar it put's me off.
 
What about that one from Preloved a while back that advertised their horse as a "genital giant"? Frankly I would find it hard not to be put off by that!
 
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