confusing feedback

[pmlinne]

I've been reading various feedback comments on different items to get a feel for what kind of feedback could be left.   I find it a little confusing to see that a buyer has been given a positive rating, but the comment does not match, eg. buyer did not pay even after several emails.  While I find the comment very helpful (for me as a seller), I am wondering if it would be construed as negative and therefore removed.  If I remember correctly, sellers can not leave negative feedback for buyers.  Is this positive rating/negative (?)comment feedback allowed? 

[femmefan1946 · Accepted solution]

You are right. Sellers can leave only positive feedback and the comment itself cannot be negative.

If the buyer reports the comment to eBay, the violation will go on the seller's record. Violations are one of the criteria for deciding Top Seller Status.

If you are unhappy with a transaction as the seller, your best bet is to leave no feedback at all.

If the bidder did not pay, file the Unpaid Item Dispute promptly. If the bidder pays, fine, leave positive feedback without further comment. Or none, if you prefer.

If he does not pay, he gets a Strike (two of those and he will find it very hard to bid on eBay), you get your fees, and he cannot leave feedback or Detailed Seller Ratings.

Bidders with Unpaid Item Strikes are automatically blocked by thousands of bidders. Many sellers also Block bidders who do not have active Paypal accounts.

[dmil8030 · Accepted solution]

People say and do all sorts of things which are 'officially' not allowed.  Leaving negative comments in a positive rating is one of these, and can be removed by ebay if the recipient requests it.  The following link will tell you about it, and there are various related 'about feedback' links on the right:

http://pages.ebay.ca/help/policies/inappropriate-feedback-comments.html

Among the more amusing comments I have found are those left by the seller of this item:  160868597426.  Presumably some people don't know they can have these remarks removed.  Some do, as one was recently removed in which the seller made dreadful insults about the buyer's wife, whom the seller could not possibly have met because the buyer lives in France.

Funny, though, that there is no similar policy about false negatives.  You know, when the buyer leaves praise like "Great product, fast shipping, excellent thanks" beside a red circle.  That must be especially annoying to sellers. 🙂