Does no one give feedback any longer?
Summary: In a discussion about the declining rate of feedback from buyers on eBay, va3ssp expresses frustration over selling 11 items without receiving feedback, even after giving a significant shipping refund. Other participants, such as brettjet38 and msau4301, suggest that feedback is becoming less relevant as a metric for sellers and is rarely left by buyers, who may still respond to eBay's automated reminders. eburtonlab mentions checking a buyer's feedback history before leaving feedback themselves. reallynicestamps and others agree that feedback is seen as outdated, while edubb101 emphasizes leaving feedback for buyers upon shipping the product, as buyers' obligations are fulfilled once payment is made. Overall, the consensus is that while feedback can be valuable, it's increasingly uncommon, and sellers shouldn't take its absence personally.
I've been on a selling spree for a couple months (11 delivered so far), and have yet to receive any feedback. **bleep**?
I always leave positive feedback as soon as payment is made.* Should I start "begging" for feedback...?
Of my own volition, I gave one buyer a 50% shipping refund ($150!!!) because I managed to find cheaper shipping than eBay's stupid quotes, and even asked for FB in my note to him. Nothing yet...
What are your experiences?
* I now check a buyer's feedback page first. If their ratio of given feedback to purchases is low, I don't bother giving them any...
va3ssp
OP2 years agoInteresting. Coincidentally, I finally got 1 FB after 14 deliveries, and sure enough, he says "Shipping time is a bit slow but still reasonable."
Well, I shipped it 4d (1 business day) after payment (my specified time is 5bd), and he's the one who chose the cheapest shipping option! Total time on the road was 11d (Canada >>> US), including 7d in the US!
Yeah...people can be idiots...
rainbow71113
·2 years agoI prefer not to get any feedback because even though they might put a positive comment they might say it was delivered late generating a defect for me. I noticed when I left feedback tonight it says that delivery on time was optional but it used to say ....was your item delivered by such and such date so the buyer could see if it was delivered on time. This isn't the case now so it's a toss up if the buyer feels it arrived on time or not. Since a lot of my mail is done with lettermail, hence no tracking- that leaves me open to a lot of potential defects. On the plus side I noticed it does mention how much you paid for shipping so the buyer can see if that was fair or not but let's be honest...how many people think ANY shipping charges are fair even though we have no control over what the post office charges. I've had to stick to lettermail rates to try to get any sales and even with that option I still have many days without any sales. I've never seen my business do so badly as it has over the last year or so.
edubb101
·2 years agoHello,
When I first started selling back in 2006 I only left feedback once I had recieved feedback. I did this so that I knew all was good.
When I got back into selling in 2014 I started leaving feedback for my buyers as soon as I shipped the item. I found this suggestion on the board some time ago but the logic was that the buyers responsibility is to put an item in their cart and pay for it. Once they've done this they have fulfilled their obligation.
Ebay sends out auto reminders to leave feedback for items purchased. I have recieved a couple recently as I have some outstanding positive feedback to leave going back over 30 days. Sometimes people like myself just take their time.
All the best
va3ssp
OP1 year agova3ssp
OP1 year agova3ssp
OP2 years agoreallynicestamps
·2 years agoIn my experience (since 1998) most transactions don't get any feedback, with the general opinion being that only about 40% of transactions getting any.
In my opinion, most of the FB is left by sellers.
As brettjet says, FB is a relic of the 20th century internet.
EBay doesn't use FB to assess member accounts. Claims and Defects do that.
Unhappy buyers leave feedback.
It is not a good idea to ask for FB.
You might get it.
eburtonlab
·2 years agoI now check a buyer's feedback page first. If their ratio of given feedback to purchases is low, I don't bother giving them any...
According to your feedback page you have received more feedback than you have left.
Some users almost always leave positive feedback. Other users almost never leave positive feedback. Not much you can do about either of those types to affect your chances of getting positive feedback.
Then there are some users that wait to leave feedback until after they have received feedback. When two such users are involved in a transaction together, neither receives any positive feedback, as each is waiting for the other to blink first.
Leaving positive feedback without regard to whether you have received any feedback is one way to maximize positive feedback received, if that matters to you.
msau4301
·2 years agoI probably get about 60 - 70%) of my buyers leaving feedback but a good chunk of those are repeat buyers, some of which I've sold to for years, plus I sell in a collectible category (vintage Barbies) so many of these people have been buying here a long time and are used to feedback.
I would never message anyone to ask for feedback, as brettjet says it's not valued the way it used to be. Just offer good service (and product!) and hope for the best. The types of items you are selling, and new buyers could be part of the reason for no feedback.
I can relate to going the extra mile with no appreciation (your exampe of giving $150 shipping refund!) I've given shipping refunds to people who have bought multiple items without even asking about combined shipping and refund them and they never give feedback. Often the buyer who ask umpteen questions, ask for extra photos, etc. are ones that don't bother either. We just can't take it personally.
You may also find some people don't leave feedback right away. eBay mails out reminders to leave feedback for items getting close to 60 days, sometimes people might respond to those too. Just like the Amazon requests I get all the time to review my items....though sometimes so quick I've never even used/tried it to know.
Though I know it doesn't matter so much, I still like getting the feedback myself, who doesn't want some appreciation. It's like getting a thank you for doing something.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·2 years agoUnsure the why, just know it does but when I do get feedback it comes in waves. Nothing for several weeks then 3 or 4 over the course of a day or 2. As others stated majority of buyers no longer leave feedback. And even greater chance of buyers that buy to resell leaving feedback. Just my observations. Still very whackadoodle for ebay to send reminders to sellers to leave feedback for buyers that chose NOT to pay. And several times. Like what do you say in those situations? Thank you for not paying? Hmmmm....
brettjet38
·2 years agoSimple Repeat Buyers Get Feedback
Buyers who never leave Feedback, get no feedback as they do not use it so why bother...
And, for the last few years, most Buyers no longer leave Feedback, it's a relic of the late 20th C. and is not even used by eBay as a metric in a seller account, it's just optics, PR.