eBay

purse_of_the_legionary · ‎03-09-2007

Hi everybody,

As many of you saw in their eBay announcements, Feedback 2.0 is coming soon. This is a new parallel fb system to help buyers sharing their experiences with sellers on eBay.

It doesn't seem that we, sellers, will be able to reply to unfair rating from not patient buyer or buyers who doesn't understand that, for example, it is normal to charge an extra $2.00 to prepare their order. For my part, I sell an item that takes 15 minutes to pack and prepare... And I'm also thinking of removing the possibility for int'l buyers to use SURFACE service (cheap, but takes 4 to 8 weeks) to avoid bad rating because of buyers who doesn't understand that THEY chose the slow service.

And we, sellers, what do we have against buyers with bad reputation ? NOTHING, except the ability to block a buyer ID (totally useless once item is purchased or with last second bidders), and the ability to block buyer with -1, -2 or -3 feedback comments (totally useless, from my point of view).

Paying hundreds of dollars in eBay fees each month, I can't believe that I have no way to block buyers with my own specifications. This is my business and I pay my "rent". Of course, eBay would lost many sales, they probably don't give a damn about seller's vulnerability against weirdos.

I suggest, in exchange of Feedback 2.0, that eBay provides the possibility to sellers to block users by their rating %. Here's example of the simple feature we could use :

BLOCK USERS WITH A RATING OF __% OR LESS

This is a tool I'd use, because we, sellers, are defenseless against buyers with bad reputation. I'm sure everybody here experienced at least once the bad surprise of learning that the one who won or purchased an item has 75% of rating, with many negative fb from other sellers stating : "BEWARE SELLERS!", "BUYER NOT PATIENT", "WHY BLAME ME?" or "YOU SHOULD HAVE EMAILED ME", etc.

We are totally defenseless against these unwelcomed buyers. Our reputations are between their hands for sometimes only a $5 profit on an item! Ebay is forcing me to accept them, earning seller fees with them, while sellers are getting their reputations harmed by unavoidable problematic buyers.

Am I alone ?

katiusciav · ‎03-09-2007

nope.
yet another "feature" that gives advantages to buyers. where's our ability to score buyers on a detailed level???? is there anything i can do about the buyer who left me a negetive after not contacting me, complaining he didn't receive his parcel after two weeks? nope. whynot?
i'm sure the next "feature" that comes out will be buyers will be able refute their feedback received, but not sellers.
this really p****s me off. do they ask sellers what their opinions are before implementing these new 'enhancements'? i'm a seller and was never asked, was anyone else??? we pay the fees, not the buyers, so why is it the buyers seem to get more and more of the benefits, while the sellers just keep getting fee increases???
i find this new feedback 2.0 ridiculous. if buyers are able to leave such detailed feedback, why can't we? 😐

Kat

eureka9988 · ‎03-09-2007

Well put, Kat. I agree with you totally. In fact, both of you have made good points. Is anyone listening?????

Renee

futuretech_liquidations · ‎03-10-2007

One major issue (at least I think so) with Feedback version 2 (FBV2) will be the potentially harmfull negative effect that the SHIPPING TIME RATING will have on Canadian sellers. Since alot of us are using CanadaPOST to ship our parcels - we all know and have heard the past horror stories of shipments taking 3-4wks to arrive. On average CanadaPOST Expedite Parcel Service takes 10-12 business days for the USA EAST COAST and 15-20days for USA WEST COAST addresses.

Can you imagine what kind of SHIPPING TIME RATING you will get from a US buyer after they had to wait 3-4 weeks to get their parcel.

All in all, I personally am not to happy about this new FEEDBACK v2.0.

TIM @ FTL

cartoonsinabox · ‎03-10-2007

I agree with you 100% FUTURETECH.
" harmfull negative effect that the SHIPPING TIME RATING will have on Canadian sellers. Since alot of us are using CanadaPOST to ship our parcels"

I am surprised they haven't asked the opinion of Canadian sellers shipping worldwide. This new rating will hurt us .

recped · ‎03-10-2007

Can you imagine what kind of SHIPPING TIME RATING you will get from a US buyer after they had to wait 3-4 weeks to get their parcel.

Maybe you will get something like this

Positive feedback rating - Excellent Record !!! Thanks

from a buyer who waited 5 weeks.

I'm a Canadian seller who ships worldwide, I have no problem at all with the new feedback system.

Under the 2.0 system the buyer who left his comment

Positive feedback rating - legit operation...tho some fumble with the pass-delay of game

Might have reserved his fumble comment for the sub-system of rating.

By the way his complaint was valid, shipment was delayed and it was entirely my fault (well my partners fault!).

"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915
- answering Trolls is voluntary, my policy is not to participate.

zarzuella · ‎03-11-2007

I am surprised they haven't asked the opinion of Canadian sellers shipping worldwide.

No offense, but I got a chuckle at that comment.

bestshowtime · ‎03-11-2007

Can you imagine what kind of SHIPPING TIME RATING you will get from a US buyer after they had to wait 3-4 weeks to get their parcel.
Can you imagine what kind of SHIPPING TIME RATING they will get from a Canadian buyer after they had to wait 5-6 weeks to get their parcel because of Canadian custom.
it is normal to charge an extra $2.00 to prepare their order.
Put it in your items price!
i find this new feedback 2.0 ridiculous
Read about feedback 2.0 careful!
will be the potentially harmful negative effect that the SHIPPING TIME RATING will have on Canadian sellers
Not just Canadian. I think this more about how many days it take for you before you shipping item after you receive payment. But of cause will be abuse in this case.

purse_of_the_legionary · ‎03-12-2007

About bestshowtime's reply :

it is normal to charge an extra $2.00 to prepare their order.
Put it in your items price!

Problem is I already tried to sell this item higher - currently $29.95 US - but even at $32.95 US I see a decrease in my sales. It seems if I want to sell a lot of these, I can't go higher that 30 bucks, mental barrier or something... During last Holiday Season, buyers were ready to pay $39.95 US for this item, but not anymore. I'm selling two times more if BUY IT NOW price is under $30 !

Any suggestion to better hide an extra 2 or 3 bucks in the price of this item - which takes me at least 15 min to pack ?

treasure-pot · ‎03-12-2007

Sorry, but I don't really understand why you need to "hide" the fact that you "use great care to quality package your purchase to ensure safe arrival" (and you may quote me in your listings :>).

I have found that most buyers are more than willing to pay the price of quality packaging when they consider the consequences of poor packaging. Your listings should turn it into a positive benefit of doing business with you. Trying to hide it only makes potential buyers suspicious.

The few that will complain about spending the extra 2-3 bucks are the ones you want to avoid anyway.

Bill treasure-pot

Bill

rgilbert15 · ‎03-12-2007

I do not offer Surface Shipping for International, but Airmail only. This is posted in my listings and if the Buyer chooses not to bid because of the high shipping, so be it. I'd rather not even have their bid than have to dance around why it was taking up to 3 months for their package, numerous e-mails about it and a possible negative Feedback for slow shipping.

Everything I send is packed for interplanetary travel and I very very rarely have a problem with breakage. It does take some extra time/money but overall is worth it, and I factor some of this into my starting price.

I am one of the fortunate Canadian ebayers who ships from the U.S. (90% Priority), so my shipping times have been great and FB 2.0 should not impact me re: Shipping Time Rating. Having said that, it definitely is a bad idea to rate Canadian Sellers on their Shipping Time when they are at the mercy of Canada Post, who seems to have no interest in providing an efficient service.

Out of only 5 broken parcels (over 3000 shipped from myself and wife), 3 got broken in Canada (shipped from and to Canada via Canada Post) ... why is that?!? Only about 5% of our shipping is to Canada. One ebayer I know who ships from Canada using Canada Post refuses to even ship to Toronto and Winnipeg area addresses because of the excessively high breakage he has experienced.

purse_of_the_legionary · ‎03-12-2007

Thanks for your responses guys, it's appreciated... I'll remove the surface service, good idea. Anyway, it's always stressful to wait for 2 months to get a feedback !

purse_of_the_legionary · ‎03-14-2007

As an exemple of what awaits us with Feedback 2.0, I received an email today from an American buyer who is asking - WHERE IS MY ITEM, I HAVE NOT RECEIVE IT! - only three days after item has been shipped. Unbelievable...

Does ebay have something against canadian sellers to release such dangerous feature for our reputations?

recped · ‎03-15-2007

Does ebay have something against canadian sellers to release such dangerous feature for our reputations?

It's not "dangerous" and they have nothing against "Canadian" sellers as Feedback 2.0 will be rolled out on ALL sites over the next few months.

Take a look at .uk to see how it's working out for sellers. Personally I think this is much ado over nothing.

"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915
- answering Trolls is voluntary, my policy is not to participate.

tea_past_times · ‎03-15-2007

Hello. Well I am not worried about the new feedback system. The reason for that is that I take simple precautions against my customers becoming unneccesarily upset:

1)On my ABOUT ME Page I have a SHOULD I BUY FROM TEA_PAST_TIMES Test, which tells all my buyers what to expect after they push the bid button. I encourage them there, not to bid, if they disagree with any of my points. You are welcome to visit my about me page to see what I mean. Believe me, spelling things out in advance sure helps save misunderstanding later.

2)I use Paypal Shipping Labels. When I do that, my customer gets an email from Paypal, letting the customer know the shipping label has been printed. When I select the shipping service, it give me an estimate of the number of business days it takes for delivery. In the space where I can leave a note for the buyer, I tell my American Customers to expect delivery in DOUBLE the amount of time paypal estimates, Because it has to come across an internatinal border.

3) I quote my customers(pricewise) for AIR PARCEL rates, However, I give them a Surface delivery estimate of delivery time. For example, I tell them it will take 11-21 business days surface, but charge them the AIR rate and then I mail it AIR. They sure are happy when they get it in 3 -5 days. SURPRISE!! Read our feedback about our super fast service!! LOL I have not gotten bad feedback because of slow delivery in 18 months.

4) I answer all emails from customers wanting to know the status of their delivery. Of course I have no clue where the parcel is, but you would be amazed at how effective Pretending to know can be. Send them back an email saying it just arrived at the sorting station in New Jersey, and will proceed to California in 2-5 days. LOL

5) Don't feel bad about bending information. We have to do something to make up for the disadvantage we are at when it comes to being a Canadian seller stuck using Canada post.

6) Buyers hate paying handling fees, so don't call it a handling fee, call it insurance. Americans are used to paying for that. Our insurance is included, but who needs to know. You get your handling fee, and everyone is happy. The customer is now insured to get good handling. As long as you state all your fees in the listing, no problem.

7) Basically, the best strategy, in a nutshell, is that every time Ebay comes up with something creative that makes it harder for you to turn a profit, you should put your thinking cap on and be creative, so that the buyers (those who pay no fees) are actually sharing some of the cost of Ebay. Which is only fair. OPINIONS???

8) My customers are getting their items within a week, I average 3.64 US per listing in (handling) costs, and my feedback is great, check out our feedback. I have no worries with the new system.

zarzuella · ‎03-15-2007

Sorry, but I disagree with much of your post.
Communication is key, agreed, but honest communication - not lies and mistruths. I think that your little dishonesties will catch up with you.
And you already have Neg & Neutral FB about long shipping times.

Ann

tobyshitzu · ‎03-15-2007

The me page would ensure I would never consider buying with the part about seller isn't responsible for broken items

tea_past_times · ‎03-15-2007

ZARZUELLA - If telling someone they will have to wait 2-3 weeks and having them be delighted when they get it in 5 days is lying, then I am a liar. Actually though, it's giving people lessened expectations, so they don't worry. BIG Difference!! Yes I have gotten bad feedback in the past for slow shipping - Canada Post's fault, which is why I changed the way I did things, hence the Post, hence my point, in response to the thread's concerns. I never said I haven't gotten a neg over shipping, I said I haven't gottena neg over shipping in 18 months.
TOBYSHITZU - 84 people disagreed with you this month, read THEIR feedback. Sales last 30 days - $2093.00 CDN
TA!!

tea_past_times · ‎03-15-2007

Everyone comes to Powersellers Chat to bitch, but how many people have actually solved the problems people are bitching about?? In Zarzuella's perfect world, Traffic Cops don't speed, Politicians tell the truth, Banker's service charges are fair, Dogs never bite, Babies never cry, and what a wonderful LALA world it is. Good Morning!!