Feedback Questions - Retaliatory and Otherwise

[girgoofe]

The one thing, if not the only thing that frustrates me about the eBay is the feedback system. Sellers who will wait till the buyer leaves feedbacks to leave feedback themselves. If someone pays me quickly, they have every right to receive feedback from me, since after all, they completed their part of the bargain and fulfilled their obligation. I always leave positive feedbacks first, rather than waiting. Then it's my job to earn their positive feedback. I'm not sure why some sellers wait until they receive a positive first. I know it's to protect their record, but if the buyer pays fast, what's the problem?

The whole feedback system seems strange to me. Buyers can leave negative feedbacks upon winning an auction and not pay and insist they didn't realize the item was in Canada and had higher shipping to the U.S., or they don't like the shipping charge. Worse is if the buyer is at fault, and you leave them a negative, they can easily retaliate. Doesn't seem fair that feedback can be left for a seller when the buyer hasn't followed through and pay. Just wondering what your experiences have been like with feedback and if there are any tips you would suggest to manage feedback to protect yourself, but not at the expense of with-holding feedback from good buyers.

[www_midcenturymodern_ca]

Touchy subject. I too have recently changed my policy to only leave feedback after I receive it. I have encountered too many sketchy people on Ebay expecially on my higher priced items. The result - my feedback is growing at a MUCH slower pace. You take the good with the bad……

An option if feedback means so much to you is to contest it with square trade as I have a few times. It costs $20 US but if having a perfect rating helps your business (as I beleive it does in mine) is necessary, then why not.

[auctionit-ca]

When I started selling I always left feedback as soon as the buyer paid. Then I found that only 20-30% of the buyers would bother leaving feedback. I would send them an email asking if they received the item and if they were happy and a request for feedback. This increased my feedback response to about 50%.

I changed my policy. Now I automatically leave positive feedback (using Selling Manager Pro) as soon as I receive feedback. I send a thank you email with shipping information after every sale. And I include a letter with every shipment letting the buyer know how to get a hold of me if there are any questions and a polite request for feedback. Now 90% of my buyers leave me feedback and with the exception of 1 buyer, all problems have been brought to my attention before feedback is left (so it can be resolved to everyone's satisfaction).

I have only received one negative from a buyer who received an item damaged in shipping and sent negative feedback before contacting me and then refused to complete an insurance claim form nor give any details about the damage. That is the only person I have given negative feedback in return to. (because he was crazy!).

I don't see it as blackmail, only good business. How do I know if there are problems or if we are doing things right if there is no incentive for buyers to let me know?

Shari - Auctionit.ca

[peteese]

girgoofe,
I believe that you are correct in post #5 when you said that it may depends on what kind of merchandise you sell and who your potential buyers are.
When I started selling, I firmly believed in leaving Feedback as soon as the buyer paid for the goods.
I only made a couple of exceptions when the buyer was difficult to deal with from the beginning.
A few months ago, I changed strategies and began selling the same merchandise, only geared to different buyers. My purchasers have changed from young people, mostly new parents, to the middle-aged and senior folks.
99% of my listings are private listings which require a more delicate approach. I received so many emails from buyers asking me NOT to leave Feedback that I had to make up my own policy.
I now have a policy which is posted in all my listings, on my Me page and each buyer receives a copy via email after their payment is received.
My Feedback rises very slowly since only 40-50 percent of my buyers leave any.

[zarzuella]

(( rushing to look see what peteese is selling :^O ))

Ann

[peteese]

Hi Ann,
You like?
I offer discounts to boardies!!

[zarzuella]

Not yet, thanks! 😄

Ann

[rgilbert15]

I generally leave FB when Buyer has paid and here is my reasoning .... I put something up for sale with pictures and description > in good faith they bid and send me $$$ before actually seeing/touching the item; so I figure they have done their 'bit'.

I offer a 100% guarantee if the item is not satisfactory and encourage people to contact me BEFORE leaving FB. For the most part, this has worked out well, although I have had a couple of people make hasty comments (undeserved [but aren't they all?]) with regard to shipping periods, etc. My wife says I'm crazy to leave FB before seeing theirs, but I continue to do so. I even have my automatice e-mail set up to leave it when a Paypal payment comes in.

By leaving FB as soon as the item is paid (and the Buyer has fulfilled they side of the bargain), I feel it almost obligates them to do the same, unless the item is crap. If you are selling garbage or misrepresenting what you are selling; you should definitely be worried about 'blackmail; FB; but no one in this group would do that anyway.

[thegreatcanadiannorthernstar]

If you leave feedback first as a seller you are opening yourself up to being nailed!!!!!. Sometimes I leave first and sometimes I don't, it depends on what the item is.

As a buyer I had one seller come back after me, and attack me through multiple ids!!!! on everything I put up for sale! because I nailed him for being a crook and fruad and cheat.

This same person sets up multiple ids and when one id gets too ridden with negs he opens up more!!!. Buyers can easily do the same thing!!!!

After 50 or so emailings with ebay, and tracking this guys movements, (he was sort of easy to follow as he used his own many ids to create a positive feedback seller under another id), I had all his comments removed from my feedback, yet all mine remain on his profiles.

Feedback is not that big a deal!!!! I have had sellers with 2000 + feedback slip in items they darn well knew were worth crap and garbadge!!. Many sellers take advantage of big feedback numbers , and CAN AFFORD TO RIP PEOPLE OFF NOW AND THEN!!!!.

SO REMEMBER!!! ITS NOT JUST A FEEDBACK GAME, YOUR OWNLY SAFTEY IS TO STICK TO 100 PERCENT FEEDBACK SELLERS SOMETIMES, SO YOU KNOW THEY CARE ABOUT THE FEEDBACK!!!

[ksdunitz]

Need to respond about feedback.

I only leave it after the buyer has left feedback.

Some buyers have tried to hold my hostage, by not going to return item but demands money returned....I don't think so, then states "I WILL LEAVE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK"... my reply is go ahead, I will do the same.

I have had one person leave negative just because it took 10 days to get his item.

So I say again I only give feedback after I receive it.

k

[systemagic]

Are those your legs Peteese? Nice Booty!

There! I just dramatically increased peer traffic to your listings. (No need to thank me) So much for your previously mature demographic.

Marty

[p_h_g_products]

The blackmail deal really sucks. I hate feedback. I had one person say they wanted to keep their item but wanted me to refund them $159 or I would get n/f. I contacted ebay and because my "refund didn't arrive in 24hrs" He left me negative feedback. EBay wouldn't remove the feedback and the buyer is still an active member (blocked from my site of course). If I had left feedback first no one would have know what a scammer this guy is!

sorry this is the first post I have made on any of the ebay boards so I am a bit long winded

[skminus]

I leave feedback when I receive it, or if the buyer emails me to tell me the parcel has arrived. I enclose a personalized packing slip with my buyer ID, e-mail and the message 'When you receive this parcel, please e-mail me and we can post feedback.'
What still surprises me is the number of people who tell me the got their item, love it, praise the packaging and shipping, but still don't leave feedback, even after I have left a pos. for them. I'm not complaining, as I'm happy with my feedback score.
I guess to some people, eBay is all about getting good widgets rather than feedback.