Ebay feedback system

[Stu]

It's my opinion that Ebay should change their feedback system.

The first person to complete their part of the Ebay trade is always the buyer, by making payment. Once payment has been made the buyer's part of the transaction is complete.

Sellers should leave feedback as soon as full payment is made, or leave feedback (obviously negative) if no payment is received.

It should be made impossible for the buyer to leave feedback first. Only negative feedback, in the form of an ebay report, could be left if the seller fails to deliver an item that has been paid for. This should only be possible once the mediation procedure has been used, and only then can the seller leave any feedback appropriate.

As an Ebay seller I believe that if I sell something that is shite (which I would never do) the buyer should not be put off leaving negative feedback for me by the veiled threat that I will leave negative feedback for them, as some sort of tit-for-tat reprisal.

Sellers often say they expect feedback first as some sort of signal that the item has arrived, but I actually expect that in most cases they are worried that their crappy stuff will result in negative feedback for them.

As a buyer I have not actually had any bad experience resulting from the above, I have however stopped bidding on items where the seller states they will not leave feedback untill the buyer does (in this case I suspect the item is dubious), and I have stopped giving feedback to sellers who have not left feedack for my promp payment.

All sellers should be honest enough to have confidence that their item will arrive safely and be exactly as listed, if not better.
They should therefore have the confidence to leave the buyer positive feedback promptly when payment has been made.

Anyone who understands the above must surely agree that it would be in Ebay's advantage as it would increase buyer’s confidence in their system, which is how they make their millions.

[bigred5765]

on the other hand, as a seller and buyer of ebay you wouldn't believe how petty some buyers/Sellers are, and expect even used/second hand stuff to be as new,i would never leave feedback till i get it, you may say tit for tat, but some people leave negative feedback just because they can, and love to ruin your good record, IE i sold Matty's xxxcr to a bloke in Italy,it had loads of pic,s and was described as used 8-10 months old but in OK order. he left neutral feedback because the box had been opened buy customs,hows that my fault,
so theres to sides to a coin stu

[Stu]

Originally Posted by bigred5765

.........., IE i sold Matty's xxxcr to a bloke in Italy,it had loads of pic,s and was described as used 8-10 months old but in OK order. he left neutral feedback because the box had been opened buy customs,hows that my fault, ........

I've got that covered to some extent in my original post, at least worded from a negative feeback point, not specifically neutral feedback.

I can see exactly where you are coming from as I have had the same. It has pissed me off big time on a couple of occasions.

I still believe however it should remain the right of the buyer to leave feedback as they see fit. That is exactly how buyers have confidence in the system, for the benefit of all.

[shinytopman]

Originally Posted by bigred5765

on the other hand, as a seller and buyer of ebay you wouldn't believe how petty some buyers/Sellers are, and expect even used/second hand stuff to be as new,i would never leave feedback till i get it, you may say tit for tat, but some people leave negative feedback just because they can, and love to ruin your good record, IE i sold Matty's xxxcr to a bloke in Italy,it had loads of pic,s and was described as used 8-10 months old but in OK order. he left neutral feedback because the box had been opened buy customs,hows that my fault,
so theres to sides to a coin stu

You can reply to neg feedback if you feel it is unjust!.......

I agree with stu why should a buyer be held to ransome of neg feedback when he has done the right thing and upheld and paid his side of the auction !

[bigred5765]

not saying anyone should be held to ransom, im just making the point that there are loads of t+++++rs on there, that have nothing better to do than leave bad feedback just because they can, and have no idea how feedback should work, or be used,
and i do reply to bad feedback if its unjust
still doesnt stop idiots doing it,

[Stu]

Originally Posted by bigred5765

........... im just making the point that there are loads of t+++++rs on there....................

You are sopt on there Carl.

I once sold a Renault Clio, clearly described as spares or repair - the big ends were bummed - it went for £120.

The buyer picked it up with no insurance, tax or MOT and then tried to drive it home to Hull from Burnley, ON THE M62. He seemed a little upset that it went on fire & seized just before Halifax, up on the moors. The West Yorkshire Fuzz were not too pleased I imagine.

His threat of negative feedback was met with a 'yeah - whatever' resopnse. It never arrived, I think he was too dumb to be able to work out how to do it.

[bigred5765]

he he just my point,
it does need looking at some how buy ebay, but just what the hell they could do, i have no idea,but i still wont leave feedback till i get it even as a seller or buyer,
rant over

[bigred5765]

double

[bigred5765]

post

[antnee]

As an Ebay seller I believe that if I sell something that is shite (which I would never do) the buyer should not be put off leaving negative feedback for me by the veiled threat that I will leave negative feedback for them, as some sort of tit-for-tat reprisal.

i agree to that in a certain degree, but ebay have changed the feedback a little with the star ratings, but i see a buyer leaving feedback as receiving the item. also i consider comms in my feedback, which goes on till the last feedback is submitted, so to give feedback before the transaction is complete wouldnt be right

[Stu]

Originally Posted by antnee

.............. but i see a buyer leaving feedback as receiving the item. ..............

That's not the purpose of feedback.

Originally Posted by antnee

............so to give feedback before the transaction is complete wouldnt be right

Leaving feedback is not part of the transaction. Feedback is a comment on the 'buying experience' only, not part of the actual purchase.

[losixxx]

totally agree stu, i never leave feedback first if im a buyer

[HVAC25000]

Originally Posted by Stu

As an Ebay seller I believe that if I sell something that is shite (which I would never do) the buyer should not be put off leaving negative feedback for me by the veiled threat that I will leave negative feedback for them, as some sort of tit-for-tat reprisal.

Sellers often say they expect feedback first as some sort of signal that the item has arrived, but I actually expect that in most cases they are worried that their crappy stuff will result in negative feedback for them.

I could not agree more.


Ebay sucks in general, imo.

[jim76]

LOL - ebay is changing it's feedback system so buyers can only receive good feedback!!

Oh, and raising it's final value fees to over 8%!!!! :-(

http://www.trustedreviews.com/softwa...th-FeedBack/p1

[Stu]

The full release,

http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200801....08-01-29054823

Quote,
"The current feedback system isn't where it should be. Today, the biggest issue with the system is that buyers are more afraid than ever to leave honest, accurate feedback because of the threat of retaliation. In fact, when buyers have a bad experience on eBay, the final straw for many of them is getting a negative feedback, especially of a retaliatory nature.

Now, we realize that feedback has been a two-way street, but our data shows a disturbing trend, which is that sellers leave retaliatory feedback eight times more frequently than buyers do ... and this figure is up dramatically from only a few years ago.

......starting in may.........sellers may only leave positive feedback for buyers (at the seller's option)."

It makes business sense for them to do it. It obviously differs from what I suggested, but it's in the same ball-park.

I like the change to the feedback percentage display also, I'll be back at 100% -

Re. the cost thing, you'll only be better off if your item sells for less that a couple of quid, they are being greedy there in my opinion.

[losixxx]

so if the buyer messes you about with slow payment or winge's cause he hasnt readyour listing properly you can't do didly squat about it...seems fair!

[Stu]

That's obviously the flip side to the coin; the new rule as it stands is weighted against sellers.

The feedback system was however originally conceived to give buyers confidence in sellers, not vice-versa

From Ebay's point of view it's the lesser of the two evils.