Feedback for items older than 60 days

[throbinson]

Why is the feedback limited now to 60 days?

I have 2 items (2 sellers) that I ordered over 2 months ago (China and Hong Kong) which after many back/forths and being told it's ok don't worry about it... it's obvious this stuff isn't coming. I'd like to leave negative feedback but, no option for feedback at all.

Any idea why there is a 60 day limit? Any/all issues I've had on eBay have taken over 60 days from purchase to resolve. 

[pierrelebel]

"Why is the feedback limited now to 60 days?"

It has been limited to 60 days for the last fifteen years. Nothing new.

Buyers have 45 days from date of payment to file a claim for non-receipt or "goods not as described" and 60 days from date of purchase to post feedback.

I see no reason to extend that period.

[throbinson]

From China, ETA is about 15-25 business days, after which you contact them, which goes back/forth for another week because a different time zone and well, language barriers, they then offer to refund or resend, and if you choose resend that's another 15-25 business days with only their word they ever sent the item in the first place.

If you don't see a need for an extension, you've never bought from China. 😄

Before you leave negative feedback, the site encourages you to contact the seller first to see if they can make things good. If they offer to resend the item and you say yes... your 45 days to make a claim and 60 days to post negative feedback is gone when buying from places like China/Hong Kong. It's basically encouraging people to assume items will never arrive and just leave negative feedback without giving the seller a chance to make good on the sale.

[pierrelebel]

"you've never bought from China.'

???

I was purchasing container loads of "stuff" from China way back in the 1970's.

It has nothing to do with eBay. 

The rules here are simple: 45 days to file a claim, 60 days to post feedback.  Most transactions coming to Canada from anywhere in the world - including China - should be completed within 45 days.  If not, a buyer should file a claim for maximum protection.

[throbinson]

I agree, you buying from China in the 1970's has nothing to do with eBay.

My point was, the rare time I buy from China/HK from eBay, it takes 15-25 business days. Which is about 35 days total.

eBay encourages you to "please contact your seller to see if anything else can be done to make your experience positive. Sellers want you to be happy, and so do we." before leaving negative feedback.

You contact them, they offer to resend it, which is another 15-25 business days (now 70 days total). 

Put it this way... if you sent something to a buyer, the buyer contacts you weeks later and says it never showed and you send another out in good faith... would you be happy if as soon as you sent the item out the buyer gave you negative feedback before giving the item a chance to arrive? Probably not.

As far as "a buyer should file a claim for maximum protection"... that makes sense for expensive items... but when I buy from China, it's usually the $2 stuff. Not enough to raise a fuss over, but enough you'd like to warn others about with feedback.

[femmefan1946]

 they then offer to refund or resend, and if you choose resend that's another 15-25 business days with only their word

And you refuse and ask for your money back. If they don't refund promptly, then you know they are scamming you, so you file an Item Not Delivered claim and get your money back.

No need for angst.

[throbinson]

Ya, seems that's the way to do it... I like to give people the benefit of the doubt and make good, but seems more often than not, it's just easier to get a refund, leave negative feedback and start over again.

[pierrelebel]

"I like to give people the benefit of the doubt"

That is good.  In fact that is great.  I wish more people were like you.

However, you are familiar with the feedback system.  In the past ten years, you have posted seven (7) negative feedbacks and six (6) neutral feedbacks - that works out to 21% of all feedbacks you have posted for your sellers (only 79% were positives).

Somehow, you seem to have a lot of unsatisfactory transactions.  Maybe you need to find a better way of selecting your sellers.

Good Luck.

[throbinson]

Well, a lot of purchases I think I missed giving feedback completely.

In some cases the item I need I have very limited choice where I get it from. Otherwise, I'd stick with North America and save myself the long wait.

Being familiar with the feedback system was never in question, I know how it works, but could have sworn it use to let you view purchases and leave feedback up to 6 months.

I found a few articles online that say as of May 2008, it was changed from 90 days for feedback to 60 days... so, definitely hasn't been a 60 day limit for the past 15yrs.  🙂

Regardless... despite what the current rules are, as I've mentioned above, when purchasing overseas, there are some legit cases where 60 days isn't enough.

Again, I try to let the seller make good on a purchase before leaving negative feedback, 'd like to think no one here is purposely trying to screw people (though there are) and when I buy I try to find sellers with 98% or higher positive ratings, but occasionally stuff isn't as the same as shown in their listing, or in the case of neutral feedback, quality is poor or shipping was way longer than indicated. But, always cheap stuff... anything over $20, I put more effort into and get insurance if an option. 😄

[pierrelebel]

You are correct.  The change was announced five and half years ago:

http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200801290559182.html

Time flies by when you are having fun!

[throbinson]

Ya... despite the BS that happens on eBay, it's still kinda fun...

... though I miss when eBay was well, more individuals auctioning, than wholesellers with Buy Now only as an option. It's hard to tell eBay apart from newegg and amazon these days. 🙂

[femmefan1946]

Although feedback is limited to 60 days (and Disputes to 45 days) , you can leave a Response to any feedback , yours or your sellers, indefinitely.

The Response will not affect your seller's feedback numbers, nor will you be able to leave Detailed Seller Reports, but Responses do stand out on a page.