A simple question- Why has buyer feedback, an action taking only a few seconds fallen to so low?

[realjazz-123]

I know it is not critical for sales, but please tell me why  positive feedback from buyers is almost gone? Over the past year I no longer expect it despite a  successful transaction. At the least the feedback indicates arrival of an item , especially welcome if it had been shipped  untracked. Surely taking a few seconds to press a few keys and acknowledge a completed sale is not  difficult. What has changed  and why has this happened? 

[femmefan1946]

It's never been higher than 40% and most of that in my opinion was sent by sellers.

I have a relatively new ID which has only about 25 sales on it, and in two years I have less than the 10FB that is a criterion for immediate release of customer payments.  Annoying.

I think there are two reasons.

The less important one is that the internet is growing up. When was the last time you ordered pizza or a shirt or a car part online and were even asked to leave feedback? 
FB is a relic of the 20th century internet.

More importantly, eBay members are using the Resolution Centre to settle problems rather than leaving FB, which has never really been more than an opinion, and has no impact on settling disputes or getting refunds or late payments.

I'd be happy just to have FB dropped in favour of a transactions report.

Something like 100 Transactions/100 successful  or 100Transactions/97 completed without Dispute.

And the number of Disputes would have nothing to do with who won or lost.

If I have 100 transactions and four buyers file a dispute, three of which I win, and I file a dispute with a non-paying customer and win, my numbers would be 100/95.

[brettjet38]

"A simple question- Why has buyer feedback, an action taking only a few seconds fallen to so low?"

For the same reason, we no longer use this...

or this...

or even this...

or

they are so last century!! Well, not the cat!

[realjazz-123]

Thanks for your reply which certainly has an alternative to FB. Nonetheless, FB serves as a closure to a transaction. My guess is that if a buyer were not satisfied , the buyer would be quick to leave negative feedback. I think there is a mindset change in the last year or so which has come to have buyers less concerned with anything but the item?? Why??

[cumos55]

If a seller has a problem with a buyer....  the buyer gets reported.   This record is kept private as a record kept by eBay, and not visible to everyone.

With an auction... a potential buyer can be evaluated on the basis of the feedback  that a buyer has left for sellers.

[realjazz-123]

Hey, I love the images!!. Somehow, as I just posted, it is not just technology that has changed, it is the outlook of buyers. I got my item-do I like it or not? If not, negative FB., if yes, nothing.  What has happened, is happening??

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@cumos55 

@brettjet38 

The one thing I do miss in regards to feedback that  eBay for some reason had the irrational wisdom to remove is the history of best offers a buyer has made. Do they(the buyer) use it for every purchase? Are they selective? Are they maybe buying with the intention to resell? Are they just really cheap? Was nice to have this in the sellers toolbox when it comes to making a decision about accepting or rejecting an offer. Similar for buyer making a rational decision to choose this seller based on the mix of feedbacks they have on full display. Good or bad or indifferent!!

Will buyers continue to leave feedback? Maybe the long time veterans. Newer...Once in while buyers probably ONLY when they have a problem or if by nature they are a Grouchy Gus or Angry Annie. No offence intended to anyone named Gus or Annie!!

-Lotz

[femmefan1946]

@brettjet38 

Not so sure-- more than half of my sales are sewing patterns. There has been an uptick in patterns during the pandemic, when it was difficult to find a clothing store open.
No idea where they are getting the fabric and notions.

[brettjet38]

...the cat is using an old manual Singer machine, we no longer use those! Or very, very few of them...

Now they are digital...

[teenytrinkets]

I know why: we're living in an e-commerce world now of super high expectations and instant gratification. We can thank Amazon for that. And now we have 3rd party sales up the ying yang - none of which really use feedback as much as ebay ever did.

15-20 years ago it was all about the feedback! People were so happy to buy stuff online from other people, and sellers were so happy to sell! We wanted to tell the world! In the words of Weird Al: "A++, they all say - found it on eBay"!

[snoopwiz]

Quite true that for many, the percentage of feedbacks received have dropped, sometimes drastically in the recent past but.......it is also true that some continue to receive in and around 80% feedback received per feedbacks given. Ask me how I know that. 

Why do you suppose that is? Perhaps it may depend on the product category, if your buyer "felt a connection" with the independent seller from the way the purchase was handled, communicated with, etc?  

[realjazz-123]

I can only speak about my own experience. I respond to each buyer in a personal fashion which in the past years brought lots of positive FB. I have not changed my sales manner, but in the last  years,  there is MUCH less FB from buyers. They have changed and I have not. I sell in the same category (mainly music). 

   Might be true that buyers of different product groups leave more or less FB to sellers, but overall, it appears that buyers have less and less personal concern in a transaction. The item bought/received is all important with no attachment to any sense of gratitude. FB is a simple gesture of appreciation.

           I am saddened to think this is a sign of the times.

[teenytrinkets]

I'll bite... how do you know that!?

I've had messages back and forth with happy customers that still don't leave feedback. I think if you ask, you shall receive. If you don't specifically ask, it's usually a buyer who also sells that leaves the feedback.

[brettjet38]

...just like good manners and civic duty, FB is going the way of the

[snoopwiz]

I'll bite... how do you know that!?

12,404 divided by 15.148 = .818    Lets round that down to an easy to work with %80

[realjazz-123]

"No argument here", say I in sad agreement.

[esclyons]

and for what it is worth, Feedback doesn't serve as the closure to the transaction, A buyer can leave you great feedback , and still open a case against you for a number of different reasons..

Trust me..

[brettjet38]

"A simple question- Why has buyer feedback, an action taking only a few seconds fallen to so low?"

For the same reason, we no longer use these...

or

or

..things change, and "FEEDBACK" is so last century like those Gold, Silver, or Red little stars stuck in our school books that we got as children.

[realjazz-123]

Yes, but those little gold , red and silver stars made you uplifted and feel good about yourself, and nothing wrong with that.   FB, a very simple gesture,  can do that as well and the little kid inside me misses it!!

[mcrlmn]

Careful what you wish for.

If you want a "transactions report", go to your 'Seller Dashboard'.