eBay

io2002 · ‎03-20-2015

Every time I win an auction or buy an item on ebay, I pay for that item within one minute. Done. Five star rating! So, why do sellers wait to give me a rating until I rate them? Every time a seller screws up and I were to give an honest rating - they trash me as a buyer. Even though, as I've said, I pay immediately for my item. It's tantamount to extortion. I'll give you a good rating only if you give me one even if I suck as a seller and screw you over.

This system is broken. I wish I had a suggestion on how to fix it but I just don't. I'm slowly pulling away from ebay. I don't want to but it's uncomfortable at times.

Wondering what other users have experienced.

Cheers,

Ian

reallynicestamps · ‎03-20-2015

I don't think you understand the rating system.

Feedback is voluntary. That's the first principle.

And sellers can only leave two types of feedback : positive or none. So all buyers get 100% positive feedback . There are no Detailed Ratings for buyers.

Buyers can leave positive (please!) , neutral, or negative feedback as well as none. In addition, buyers can rate sellers . If those Ratings drop below 4.3, a seller's fees may rise, her ability to list may be restricted by value or number of listings, her buyers' payments may be held for up to 21 days against her performance, or the selling account may be closed.

Buyers should not be leaving feedback immediately. Wait until you have received your item and inspected it before leaving feedback. There is no way of leaving anything honest until then.

But not every member does leave feedback. Again it is voluntary.

And don't allow a seller to threaten you about feedback. She can only leave you positive fb, and if the words are negative, you can have it removed. (And eBay will have a few things to say to that seller.)

io2002 · ‎03-21-2015

I never leave feedback until I've received my item. Never!

I had no idea that the seller could only leave positive feedback. That's great. Thanks for that.

But, the idea that a seller shouldn't leave positive feedback immediately is a problem for me. As stated, I pay for my item within a minute of winning or buying it. That's my only job as a buyer. Why should the seller not give me immediate positive feedback? Because they want positive feedback before I leave my feedback. That's not right. I've done, as a seller, everything I'm supposed to do.

That still makes the system broken.

I give all positive feedback if the transaction goes well from my end, the buyer's end. Why shouldn't the seller do the same if all goes well from the sellers end - getting paid promptly - period!

Thanks for your reply.

Cheers,

Ian

mcrlmn · ‎03-21-2015

Sellers should always extend good buyers the courtesy of a 'Thank-you'.
A simple, good business practice.

mcrlmn · ‎03-21-2015

Myself and numerous other sellers always leave feedback asap after payment.

Based on your philosophy (which I practice) , many unscrupulous buyers now have 'Excellent eBayer! A Real pleasure to deal with! Thanks!' and 'Thank-you for your purchase and quick payment! Smooth transaction! A+++', etc, etc. instead of no feedback.

I'd rather see no feedback on a scammer, than a bunch of BS stating how great they seemed when the charade began.

The option for sellers to delete feedback they've provided, is not available.

momcqueen · ‎03-21-2015

As a buyer, I leave feedback as soon as I receive the item and, if it's any less than five-star service, I talk to the seller first before proceeding further. Many other buyers, however, don't and ebay allows sellers to decide whether or not to automatically leave feedback when payment is received, or when positive feedback is received. Or not at all.

You may, for example, be a wonderful customer to serve but there are other buyers who don't extend that same courtesy and certain sellers feel that a buyer doesn't deserve positive feedback for the transaction until same is received. There is a great deal more from a seller's point of view to a transaction beyond receiving payment for it. Way way WAY way more.

That being said, as a seller, I ALWAYS leave feedback for my buyers when the item ships. It's a custom statement tailored to each buyer to show them that I appreciate their purchase. In return, I receive feedback as a seller about 30 per cent of the time.

For some sellers, it's not worth the hassle of leaving feedback when feedback is not reciprocated 70 per cent of the time.

decal-fx · ‎03-23-2015

@mcrlmn wrote:
I'd rather see no feedback on a scammer, than a bunch of BS stating how great they seemed when the charade began.
The option for sellers to delete feedback they've provided, is not available.

You can always leave follow up feedback to your Previously made positive comments. Just be calm and factual in any follow up, with out name any calling or other incendiary comments.

maxwar82 · ‎03-25-2015

As a seller, I do not leave feedback immediately and wait until I get feedback from the buyer.

Why? mccrlmn put it very nicely. There is more to an ebay transaction than a simple payment.

I do not think buyers should feel insulted by this. Of course feedback is important. Especially for a new buyer; it gives them credibility and sellers will trust them more. But then that is exactly the point. Trust and status is built on something. And this something on ebay should be a little more than just paying immediately.

While over 99% of ebay buyers are worthy of immediate positive on payment, I hold the brake just in case I meet one of the 0.1 %