We’re introducing automated positive feedback to put your business in the best light.
Summary: The discussion, initiated by hansatrade, revolves around the introduction of an automated positive feedback feature to enhance the visibility of a business. Several participants, including mandicrafts, mrdutch1001, and grann-4629, engaged in the conversation, exploring the implications of this new system. flipistics shared additional thoughts, while ricarmic and others contributed to the ongoing dialogue, highlighting various perspectives. The discussion extended over a few months, indicating ongoing interest and diverse viewpoints on how automated feedback could influence customer perceptions and business success.
Your effort should never go unnoticed—and we’ve made sure it won’t. Starting in March, we’ll provide automated feedback for eligible orders, giving you more opportunities to increase your feedback score.
What’s changing
Most transactions go smoothly, with sellers providing great service, but that hasn’t always been reflected in buyer feedback. Now, you’ll automatically receive feedback for successful transactions that meet all of these criteria:
1. You shipped the order with tracking and it arrived on time
2. The buyer hasn’t left feedback
3. The buyer hasn’t reported any issues
If a buyer decides to leave feedback, we’ll replace our automated message with their revised message. If the buyer returns the item or reports an issue, we’ll remove our automated feedback.
You don’t need to take any action to benefit from automated feedback. You’ll start seeing this feedback appear in March.
regs43
·5 months agoI have 140 automated feedback since whenever it started, and 488 feedback for the past month. I dont leave feedback first and have it set to auto reply when I recieve a feedback. I usually check it once a week and just skim for 2 seconds to see if anythings wacky.
snoopwiz
·5 months agoKa Ka
No matter what.
Ka Ka
transtraders
·5 months ago19 of last 25 were automated for me.
I don't bug people to leave feedback and I don't leave them feedback unless they do for me. Just how I have always operated.
hansatrade
OP5 months agoI do exactly the same - no feedback until I get one. It might explain, why our results are similar.
ricarmic
·5 months agoI did the same, leave feedback "last" in the era when one could leave neutral/negative feedback against buyers, because in my mind the transaction wasn't finished until I knew it reached the buyer and the results of same via feedback (ie if they left negative feedback without allowing me to work with them to fix whatever the problem was, depending on situation they may have received a neutral/negative back from me).
When ebay stopped the ability for sellers to leave negative feedback, IMO there was no sense in waiting any longer because leaving positive (or none) were the only remaining options for sellers so I opted to change my process and leave my feedback at dispatch time.
I do recognize repeat buyers with different, ("better" IMO) feedback than first timers.
hansatrade
OP5 months agoAutomated feedback - how is it going? Here a short summary (my last 25 feedback):
GENUINE FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
GENUINE FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
AUTOMATED FEEDBACK
ricarmic
·5 months agoMine is the opposite:
1 out of last 25
but
12 out of last 50 (two buyers who bought lots of things)
Keep in mind that I send a communication (form letter message) and leave feedback when I ship, I use different feedback messages for EVERY item a multi item purchaser purchases, and about half of my buyers are repeat buyers so I will probably have a higher buyer feedback response %.
snoopwiz
·5 months agoMine is the opposite:
1 out of last 25
but
12 out of last 50 (two buyers who bought lots of things)
Keep in mind that I send a communication (form letter message) and leave feedback when I ship, I use different feedback messages for EVERY item a multi item purchaser purchases, and about half of my buyers are repeat buyers so I will probably have a higher buyer feedback response %.
Similar to ricarmic other than the high repeat buyers. Currently at approx 80% legit feedbacks, 7 fake ones total, all in the past few weeks. Not a fan of it. Hear that Ben? I am not a fan of it.
flipistics
·5 months ago@hansatrade I think it's fine. I do think rather than automated feedback they'd be better off having stats. For example, average business days to ship, percentage of returns, etc. Let the genuine feedback stay but not affect any percentages or ratings.
snoopwiz
·6 months agoPersonally, not a fan. At the very least, have their system wait until the time limit for the buyer to leave a FB has come and gone. 7-14 days after item is received? Better yet, squash it. I see zero benefits other than perhaps to a new/still low feedback seller to artificually pump their number up. . Did I mention they should squash it? (Sorry Ben)
hansatrade
OP6 months agoIt seems it works as predicted: for the last 18 feedback I got, 3 were "genuine" ones, 15 were automated.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·6 months agoHave you spotted any "variety"? All I've seen to date are "Order delivered on time with no issues". Multiple feedbacks (1 combined transaction) from same buyer still only count as +1 total.
hansatrade
OP6 months agoNo, all the same. They are visible only if the box "show automated feedback" is checked - otherwise they are hidden.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·6 months ago@hansatrade
Maybe instead of addressing no feedback eBay needs to advise BUYERS that <<<the shipping they are seeing "in vast majority of cases" are what is available to sellers and IS discounted. Couriers and the postal systems are charging fuel surcharges based on world situations. These add on charges are out of sellers control.>>> Many buyers just aren't truly aware of what a shipping charge is made up of. (Or they figure eBay sellers are a mirror to Amazon experience.)
Might cause buyers to think twice before grading sellers on what they believe is the excessive shipping they are seeing.
From a personal standpoint buyers leave feedback for 2 main reasons. Either the seller went above and beyond with their transaction or something happened along the way to cause it to go off the rails. Do you leave feedback everytime when you buy a slurpee/coffee at 7-11? Probably not!!
needsmorerobots
·6 months agoI may late on this, but it's a hard pass from me.
The feedback I get from my customers are hard won. I consider it a badge of honor. Automated feedback waters this down and will have future buyers questioning that integrity.
If I can opt out, I will.
hansatrade
OP6 months agoI got my first automated feedback today. It didn't hurt...
recped
·6 months agoHow long since it was shipped/delivered?
hansatrade
OP6 months agoSold March 1, delivered March 7 (USA) - so it seems, thay wait 1 week only.
hansatrade
OP6 months agoJust got another one - shipped Jan 29, delivery date unknown (small packet to Netherlands).
lotzofuniquegoodies
·6 months ago@hansatrade
You don’t need to take any action to benefit from automated feedback. You’ll start seeing this feedback appear in March.
Still haven't received one of these. I've seen where other sellers have had several. I have a large quantity going back to beginning of year where items were received and I left feedback. Crickets.
hansatrade
OP6 months agoAccidentally, I provided false info - I forgot to click on "show automated feedback", which is hidden.
The 2nd item was also shipped on March 1, and delivered on March 7 - like the 1st one. The feedback from Netherlands was a "genuine" one.
lotzofuniquegoodies
·6 months agoThe Show Automated Feedback checkbox is MIA on my display. With photos is there.
byto253
·8 months agoNot a big deal but will nerf the power of negatives to some extent.
fergua3
·8 months agoso after 18 years of doing everything they could to discredit sellers with harsh metrics and strict dsr's we had to meet (beginning with Donahoe's 'tough love' approach), Ebay has finally figured out that wasn't the best idea. Brilliant. Now that there is competition for our businesss they aren't being bullies any more.
ricarmic
·8 months ago@fergua3 this really doesn't do anything to diminish the harshness of the metrics, they've been ingnoring negative feedback from metrics for a long time.
Anything like defects, late shipping etc are all based against transaction countss not feedbacks, so more positive feedback doesn't really make a difference.
The autofeedback does push negatives off the "top page" so to speak quicker and our visible feedback positive percentage will go up so that is a "marketing" positive.
ricarmic
·8 months agoAnother site I list on moved to automagic feedback a couple years ago. Their style is if no feedback is left by the buyer within 45 days an automagic positive is left (and it is called that ie automatic feedback). I recall when it came out there were buyers complaining that a patient person awaiting an item that took a long time to arrive lost the ability to leave feedback once the 45 days went by.
For me, it will not make as large a difference because I ship a lot of untracked stuff within Canada, so I fail the first requirement. Everything to the US is tracked so that should help for the US ratings.
regs43
·8 months agoI used to get excited to hit feedback goals when I first started out, the last major milestone was 20K (but my excitement was very minimal lol). I would likely be close to 50K by now if ebay didnt handcuff sellers in past years (only 1 feedback from a member counted), I have a lot of repeat buyers, close to 1/4 of my sales in a year. When that rule was lifted I started to see meaningful progress. But as someone else mentioned most buyers don't bother leaving feedback now.
Generally to me feedback only matters if you have a ton of negative and or neutrals as that kind of indicates a transaction with that seller could possibly have more risk of not going perfectly. I also rarely look at feedback in general.
mrdutch1001
·8 months agomore AI, non-human **bleep**, who needs it?! NO, thanks!
hansatrade
OP8 months agoWhy not? I don't have anything against more positive feedback. The feedback system has failed years ago - buyers don't bother anymore to leave any comments. For the last 100 transactions I got maybe 10 feedback?
I personally welcome that change.
grann-4629
·8 months agoWhy do you welcome that change?
tks. 😎
hansatrade
OP8 months agoI will reformulate the question:
"Why do you think that getting more postive feedback is bad for your business?"
mrdutch1001
·8 months agoI for one don't really " need" more feedback, as my well established record stands for itself, BUT I would prefer feedback come directly from the hand of the buyer in the buyer's own words, specific to the transaction...otherwise it's just fake, made up and irrelevant...
hansatrade
OP8 months agoFake? Made up? Irrelevant? Seriously?
A seller will get an automated feedback, ONLY IF:
1. "The order arrived on time"
2. (...)
3. "There was no issue with the order"
It's still beyond my comprehension, why some people here are AGAINST IT?
No matter it has been left by Ebay, or a buyer - it ALWAYS confirms a seller is doing a good job.
I was not EXCITED after Ebay announced that change, but having to choose between:
BAD / NEUTRAL / GOOD, I chose GOOD.
mrdutch1001
·8 months agoand I shall choose "Indifferent"
C'est la vie!
Que sera, sera!
grann-4629
·8 months agoIt's still beyond my comprehension, why some people here are AGAINST IT
I'm not against it - I just think it causes more grief than good.
When I buy something at a store, I always thank the cashiers out of politeness (yes, I'm that old), not to thank them for good product, good service etc. They are doing their job and they get paid to do it.
In my mind, good feedback is starting to become a form of 'tipping', and we all know where that's going.
Or it's used as a tool to degrade someone else, which results in another post here 😎
recped
·8 months agoSome are against it because they have a theory that those buyers that don't currently give them feedback will now start handing out negs instead.
Four months into this for the US and there have been no signs that this has happened (of course the sky is always falling!).
Then there are the sellers who just want to complain about anything that eBay does.
grann-4629
·8 months ago"Why do you think that getting more postive feedback is bad for your business
I don't.
I am wondering why getting more feedback is good for an eBay seller's business, especially if it's not coming from a buyer, but from eBay. Maybe it's just a numbers or per-centage thing ...
I don't understand why sellers need to be stroked for doing what they are supposed (contracted?) to do (their job). This is like paying a firefighter $150K per year to fight fires (the job) and then paying him/her more to actually go out and knock one down.
At any rate, as a buyer only, I will continue to provide feedback to those who sell to me ... at least until eBay gets rid of this feature that creates so many problems for sellers.
ricarmic
·8 months agoIn the current context, IMO the only thing it does positively for us is reflect a better % after our name.
Supposedly it represents our successful transaction rate, so 100% looks quite good after a sellers name, 94.5% doesn't look so good.
This change is likely to bring the 94.5% up to a higher % number, the higher % number is better "success marketing" to potential buyers.
What I do when I am buying is I look at the sellers negatives. I look to see how they respond... ALL CAPS, demeaning, belittling the buyer are all signs/forewarning that if there's problems they likely won't have my back so that seriously lessens my likelihood of buying from them (even if it is cheaper). I don't care about positives so for me from a buying perspective it would make no difference.
mrdutch1001
·8 months agoI agree and for myself I always look at feedback for any negatives, neutrals and the reasons thereof, responses, replies to, etc. as well as feedback "Left for others".
flipistics
·8 months agoI don't see a downside. IMO, people generally leave feedback for one of three reasons. Either they're annoyed at the automated messages asking them to leave feedback, they had an exceptionally good experience, or they had a bad experience. The automated feedback system should prevent smaller volume sellers from being hurt as bad by a buyer who leaves negatives no matter what, or has a package lost in the mail, etc.
hansatrade
OP8 months ago1. You shipped the order with tracking and it arrived on time
Unfortunately, the automated feedback doesn't apply to packages lost in mail.
flipistics
·8 months agoNo, but if 20% of buyers leave feedback, the damage of the negative for the item that was lost in the mail is greatly reduced when feedback instead approaches 100%.
It's probably not an issue for most people posting here (I'm not sure if anyone in this thread even HAS a negative in the past year).
mandicrafts
·8 months agoUS sellers don't seen keen on this feature that they've had for a few months. It kind of makes our real hard-won fb meaningless?