Taking eBay Feedback Ratings Personally

by: Shanna

Buyer's feedback is meaningless. The greatest buyer gets the exact same feedback as a thief or a scammer. When eBay was a consumer to consumer (C2C) platform, 2 way feedback was important, as you, the normal person seller were selling to another normal person buyer. Either one of you could break the contract by either not sending the correct item, or not paying on time or claiming something was not right. It was important for both halves of the equation to have information about the other person. Did they have a lot of feedback, or were they a newbie? Did they complete their end of the bargain? This was important to know.

Ebay claims to have solved these problems by guaranteeing the seller side of the trade. Unfortunately, they have decided to not guarantee the buyer's side. A seller can do everything right, but if a scammer claims differently, then eBay makes the seller lose. If that seller know in advance that the buyer was a known scammer, maybe he can decide to cancel the sale.

Even with factual proof eBay will always side with the buyer. It has been 10 years since a famous case where a seller sold a 1400 pound HVAC system on eBay and shipped via freight, as no normal carrier handles anything that heavy. The buyer requested a return, and then shipped back a 10 pound brake part and eBay fully refunded them. When the seller appealed, they lost again, only when the seller's account manager, which most sellers do not have, intervened, did he get a "one time courtesy refund". He named the buyer in his original post on the eBay boards, and I bookmarked his feedback page. Although he cost eBay $1400, and eBay had direct proof from the USPS of what was sent back, they never suspended him. He a feedback left in the last 6 months, and 3 total in the last year. So he has been an active buyer/scammer for the last 10 years.

by: AddyUp

Lets all go back to the days of the penny item. Where the item was irrelevant as the penny was just for buying the feedback.

Back to the present where that buyer is now on many sellers BBL's

by: rpocovers

Most of my buyers (of relatively inexpensive historical items) are great for leaving feedback. Even though as a seller I post positive feedback for the buyer when shipping the item, a few don't ever reciprocate and a couple are slow pay, non-reciprocal and I can't do anything to detract from their "rating" even if I wanted to let people know they are slow to pay and require multiple reminders. Ebay "feedback" is a joke that isn't at all funny

by: Snapped

Sellers should take every opportunity to show appreciation to their customers for their business.  Then again, eBay doesn’t, do they.

Although, if they want to be claiming the buyer is ‘theirs’, maybe it should be eBay leaving the buyers their meaningless FB fix.  Not like AI-Bay is doing anything else of value.

by: mjr55

My God....this is such a dead horse. NO ONE CARES ABOUT BUYER FEEDBACK. Any even half-busy seller has actual stuff to worry about...not this.

However, here is a feedback etiquette issue.....you DON'T LEAVE NEG OR NEUTRAL FEEDBACK without FIRST CONTACTING THE SELLER FOR CLARIFICATION OR TO AT LEAST GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO MAKE IT RIGHT.

Buyers who don't do this are the lowest form of low.....even more so than non-paying bidders. Ebay clearly tells you to contact the seller before leaving these types of feedback. The fact buyers still don't tells me they are clowns, fishing for discounts or free items in exchange for changing said feedback, or obviously their experience wasn't "negative" enough if they couldn't even contact the seller.

by: None Such

@mjr55 makes an excellent etiquette point.  Buyers should have the courtesy of reaching out by message BEFORE leaving negative feedback, or, opening a case, for that matter.

I'm happy to always leave feedback for a buyer who chooses to leave positive feedback for me.  But I rarely leave feedback for buyers who have chosen not to leave feedback.
 

by: Ihatethebay

I'm guessing that the OC (Original Complainer) is NOT a seller on evilbay or any other platform. If they were, they'd know about all the BS regarding feedback and how utterly sick of it we all are....

by: COVID-19

Feedback is just one of many ways eBay has pitted Sellers against Buyers and fostered this mentality.

by: Paul W

I leave auto-feedback when buyer pays.  I do not care one bit whether the buyer leaves FB, nor do I care if I have left FB for a buyer who turns out to be a problem.  I like not having to do anything with FB.

by: BatmanOfOz

As a Seller, I hoped for and appreciated feedback, which was at first a relief that the item Made it safely, then a sense of satisfaction when the buyer was Happy with their purchase.
It was only After their response that I would thank them for their purchase. I never left feedback before I knew that the item was in their hands.
And as a Buyer, it is just my nature, common courtesy, to at least Thank the seller!
(But, I no longer sell, and rarely buy on ebay)

by: Surplus

As a seller feedback is a waste of my time that takes away from shipping items promptly and listing more items.  Once negative / neutral feedback for buyers was removed years ago I lost interest.  If a buyer has a psychological problem because sellers don't leave feedback they need more help than I can provide.  I have an extensive blocked bidders list which is updated regularly.  Customers who are a PIA, unreasonable or leave negative / neutral feedback go straight to the list.  Been in retail for 25 years and there are 2-3% of your customers you don't want or need.  The sooner you figure out who these people are and eliminate them as customers the better your life will be.  We are focused on B to B and B to G transactions.  We deliver superior customer service but there are some people who are never happy or just plain a$$hole$.  Life's too short to deal with these types and we send them on their way.  Most of these people are stunned when they are fired as customers.  I gave one his money back and told him never to come back. He was dumbfounded and said "where will I get my parts you got stuff no one else has" and my short answer was "somewhere else". He seemed unaware I don't have to sell to anyone.   We'll sell to anyone and are happy to answer questions but if your a snowflake that needs alot of hand holding and your ego stroked we are not the place for you.  Yes I am old, blunt, cranky and get straight to the point no games here.

by: Rocky

I also sell at HipStamp.com and at that site a positive feedback is left automatically after 60 days. The assumption is made that the transaction went well. There's no reason that eBay can't do the same.

by: Rexford

"A buyer described her disgust at sellers who don't leave reciprocal feedback"

Get a life buyer, and blame eBay.  eBay took away sellers' rights to leave HONEST feedback.   Sellers have no desire to rubber stamp positive feedback for buyers, especially when it is not deserved.   I guess she (in her mind) misses an opportunity to feel special when someone doesn't leave her feedback.

Hopefully this particular buyer will find a hobby.  And if she is disgusted by such a trivial issue as feedback how  does she deal with the bigger problems in life.  

by: toolguy

Off Topic:

ETSY is getting hammered this morning on Wall Street

Down $10 a share (15%)  

by: Modlcitizn

Quote” However, here is a feedback etiquette issue.....you DON'T LEAVE NEG OR NEUTRAL FEEDBACK without FIRST CONTACTING THE SELLER FOR CLARIFICATION OR TO AT LEAST GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO MAKE IT RIGHT. “

Now if you want eBay to make a meaningful change to the feedback process, this is it!   Buyer should be required to contact seller for resolution before leaving bad feedback!  

My one negative in my 30 years on eBay was on a $1 item from a clown who didn’t  understand that 70 year old paper will yellow with age. He posted that I was selling moldy items!

And when eBay gives a sample of your feedback in your listing, that’s the one the chose to show!  

by: vintagenewsstand

This has already been mentioned but
from eBay's support page:

''An easy way to leave feedback for buyers is to use the Automate feedback setting. With Automate feedback, you can “set it and forget it”, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your selling activity''

All a buyer should have to do to qualify for positive feedback is to pay on a timely basis.
If a buyer should take more than a week to pay without contact I may intervene and keep feedback from posting.
If after the sale a buyer does something problematic I may add to the existing feedback with an accounting for that difficult behavior.
I complete between 300-500 auctions a week all by myself and FB is a snap when you let the system work for you.

by: wow_and_flutter

''A buyer described her disgust at sellers who don't leave reciprocal feedback...'' Since the seller receives payment before I receive the item, I never leave feedback for seller unless they first leave me feedbck. If no feedback for me, I leave none for them. problem solved  

by: Rexford

vintagenewsstand, many long term sellers remember when it was a level playing field and they could leave honest feedback related to their experience with a buyer on eBay.  eBay took that away, and not only took that away, only allowed sellers to leave rose colored feedback for all buyers regardless of how bad the transaction was.

Many sellers rebelled and refuse to play eBay's feedback game. Those sellers could care less what qualifies a buyer to or not to receive feedback.

Sellers have to play by eBay's rules.  Buyers receive all kinds of exceptions.

by: QueenMab

I only leave feedback for buyers if they leave feedback for me first. I used to immediately leave feedback for buyers, but when they didn't reciprocate, why should I waste my time.

by: pace306

Taking eBay Feedback Ratings Personally

Because eBay MADE IT PERSONAL

2 way feedback (as everyone stated here) was and still is the way to go. But eBay being a LESS THEN HONEST company removed the ability for a seller to leave feedback. Why? because it "white washes" how things "really work on the site" for WS investors and other buyers.

eBay is of course "perfect", and its buyers are not far behind. Sellers, as stated in the open by eBay itself - are the cause for ruination of the entire site.

When the executive bathroom overflows in Jaimes office - its some seller from NYC who caused it. That feeling is stamped on the forehead of every eBay employee - its what they believe to their core. Ask any eBay employee who has tried to help a seller out of a jam (Hi Gloria - ty for the help - sorry they "promoted you out of a job")(She used to be my dedicated rep - but when she helped me - eBay helped her .. right out of a job).

That all makes getting positive feedbacks important as a sellers reputation can live or die by what is posted on screen. True, untrue, factual, or lie - eBay doesnt care, doesnt want to care and will not fix the monster it created ... because .... "its all the sellers fault" so they MUST deserve what ever comes their way - ie the WAR on sellers.

But alot of sellers (this is for Tool because for the 100000000x time he WILL ask about it) have less options on where to sell - so they have no choice but to be on eBay (it is #2 as far as volume). (Mercari is imploding and Posh? .... slower then molasses running uphill in the winter).

Alot of sellers put their blood sweat and tears into selling and do take it personally - I admit - I do too - especially when I know the buyer is lieing. Do things happen? yes. Contact me - I'll make it right - as said so well above.

But dont come here and try to ruin me or my business because you arent smart enough to use the brains god gave you to figure out how to use the item you bought.

Lastly, eBay being the mafioso company that it is, WONT do what Mercari and Posh do - 3 days with no issues = automatic positive. That would 1) help sellers - which eBay is never inclined to do and 2) if theres ever a dispute - sellers could then point to the positive feedback and say "see theres nothing wrong - even you said so yourself". If there was a chargeback (and eBay gets 1000s) - sellers would use it as a way out - and thats something eBay just can not stand ... for a seller to WIN.