eBay

murphcrud · ‎08-10-2016

Hi Guys,

I have noticed under some listings ( see item # 282089061204 as an example) that shows stars with ratings immediately under the listing heading. When you click on the rating, the page scrolls to the bottom of the listing; there it shows 'Most Relevant Reviews".

In this case it shows by mahin888. Sold by shink2.

Now for my questions --- What does all this mean? Did mahin888 sell these coins to this seller? Did shink2 sell them to mahin888 or this to this seller? How can someone write a review on something that hasn't been sold? Are these reviews based on previous sales or purchases to or from the buyer or seller and have nothing to do with the item being listed and is merely informing potential buyers regarding the seller. Why would someone be able to leave a review on the seller or item before they have seen or purchased it ---as I just did. This makes no sense.

Who has any answers?

Last question---- Who's on second??? Duh.

momcqueen · ‎08-10-2016

@murphcrud wrote:

Hi Guys,

I have noticed under some listings ( see item # 282089061204 as an example) that shows stars with ratings immediately under the listing heading. When you click on the rating, the page scrolls to the bottom of the listing; there it shows 'Most Relevant Reviews".
In this case it shows by mahin888. Sold by shink2.

Now for my questions --- What does all this mean? Did mahin888 sell these coins to this seller? Did shink2 sell them to mahin888 or this to this seller? How can someone write a review on something that hasn't been sold? Are these reviews based on previous sales or purchases to or from the buyer or seller and have nothing to do with the item being listed and is merely informing potential buyers regarding the seller. Why would someone be able to leave a review on the seller or item before they have seen or purchased it ---as I just did. This makes no sense.

Who has any answers?

Last question---- Who's on second??? Duh.

mahin888 was the reviewer and purchased a coin somewhat like the one you're looking at from a seller called shink2.

Are these reviews based on previous sales or purchases to or from the buyer or seller and have nothing to do with the item being listed? Yes.

Why would someone be able to leave a review on the seller or item before they have seen or purchased it ---as I just did.

Because ebay is under the impression that buyers love reviews so they are willing to accept anything from anyone in order to populate their catalogue.

I can't say I support reviews or their adoption on ebay. As a buyer, I find little to no value in what is said by someone else about a product. Unless they are Product Reviews on the Manufacturer's website so that if the critique is valid, the people who made it can speak to its shortcomings. As a seller, I am knowledgable about the products I sell and provide my own reviews which indicate what I find to be a product's shortcomings. I use what I sell so I can speak to it.

Most product reviews I find are asinine. They hurt my brain to read them.

nojusticenopeace · ‎08-10-2016

I think they're useful in cases like most of the buy-it-now Chinese listings where 200 people are selling the same item, and where the norm is for sellers to openly and brazenly lie about the products. There's lots of stuff I was tempted to buy until I went into the feedback and found multiple comments about the item not being as depicted. A lot of the Chinese smoking pipes claim to be "carved" and "wood" for example, and I can personally attest from bitter experience that they are neither.

momcqueen · ‎08-11-2016

Good point but that'a a different function than Product Reviews per se. That's seller feedback which ebay is moving to make more readily searchable.

murphcrud · ‎08-11-2016

Thanks for your reply.

Ebay should give their head a shake. What a pile of useless information is being compiled in these reviews ----and none of it means anything that is relevant to the item being sold.

'Good Work' Ebay.