Knock me over with a feather --- Changes to the FB system!

[imagi.nation]

Well, there certainly does seem to be some goodies coming out of eBay Live this year. Check out this excerpt from a recent post to the announcement:

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Today, at eBay Live! 2005, Bill Cobb, President of eBay North America, announced a number of changes we will be making to the feedback system later this year.

These changes include:

1. Neutralizing feedback left by members who don't participate in issue resolution processes. We believe that members unwilling to participate in processes designed to help resolve issues, such as the Unpaid Item process or the Item Not Received process, shouldn't be able to impact another member's reputation. After this change is implemented, if a member leaves feedback for a transaction and does not participate in these processes, eBay will neutralize their feedback. This means the rating (whether positive or negative) will not affect the recipient's feedback score. While the feedback comment itself will remain, it will include an administrative note from eBay indicating that the feedback doesn't count towards the member's total score.

2. Removing feedback from users who are indefinitely suspended within 90 days of registration. We believe that members who are indefinitely suspended within 90 days of registering on eBay were never truly members of the Community, and so their feedback comments and ratings should not count. We will automatically remove feedback (positive, neutral, and negative) left by such users.

3. Requiring new members to complete a tutorial before leaving neutral or negative feedback. This change will require all new users (members with a feedback score of less than 10) to complete a short tutorial before leaving neutral or negative feedback. We hope that the tutorial will educate new members about the feedback system as well as ensure that they are aware of the various communication tools available to them prior to leaving feedback for their trading partner.
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Full text at: http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200506.shtml#2005-06-23213051

[moogie1*]

This is a definite improvement! Way to go ebay.

[catseye*]

Neutralizing feedback left by members who don't participate in issue resolution processes.

So a deadbeat only needs to respond once, and we're screwed?

Removing feedback from users who are indefinitely suspended within 90 days of registration.

and how do we know if they are INDEFINITELY suspended or just suspended for a short period of time?

Requiring new members to complete a tutorial before leaving neutral or negative feedback.

Right, like they read NOW! What makes us think they are going to read this?

[moogie1*]

catseye - you sound pretty jaded 😞 Lots of bad experiences?

[imagi.nation]

I don't think it's a perfect resolution (there could be no perfect system anyways), but it's far better that what it is now.

"So a deadbeat only needs to respond once, and we're screwed?"

That's the same as it is now, only it sounds like now you won't need to pay SquareTrade $20 to compell the other side to respond or not respond.

"and how do we know if they are INDEFINITELY suspended or just suspended for a short period of time?"

We probably won't, but if a buyer creates a new account and buys your items just to maliciously leave neg FB it would certainly follow that they would be indefinitely suspended and so at least negs left by vandals would be removed. Again, much better than what the system is now.

"Right, like they read NOW! What makes us think they are going to read this?"

If they are stopped from leaving a neg or a neutral UNTIL they take the tutorial I imagine a fair percentage will read the tutorial (I'm just crazy optimistic, it's a new thing I'm trying out today). At the very least, it may slow down hotheaded newbies enough so that they consider more carefully the implications of what they are doing.

If someone is determined to leave you a neg no matter what I don't think this system will be much of a deterrent. However it hopefully will address the problem of clueless newbies leaving feedback without even thinking of contacting you first, or leaving a neutral thinking that it doesn't impact the seller's reputation.

Ernie.

[mark_karcz]

I'm with imagination on this one. If they are convinced to leave you neg FB then they will. But if this process helps even just one person to not leave FB or feel its too much work to go thru the tutorial, then I'm all for it. One less neg on your score is great right? And how many times have we had bad experiences with newbs? So this can only help the cornerstone members of this community. At least Ebay is on the right track with this one!

[sunset_sports_cards]

I believe they had to do something, and in my opinion it is a step in the right direction. I hope the newbies read the tutorial before they leave the proper feedback. But I doubt it. At least for the time being it is something to work with and maybe expand on in the future.

[auctiondropnship]

moogie1*

I am with catseye on this one

[audioshack]

I'm also with imagi.nation - these are positive changes that have been needed for some time.

The system is still not perfect but anything that helps to reduce the negs left by NPB's and newbies is greatly appreciated.

[belldandyrose]

this is a vast improvement from what we currently have. there's no foolproof way to prevent people from leaving negative feedback unappropiately...