I know there are varying opinions on the value of FB, but I've always disagreed with the view that FB is irrelevant or makes no difference in terms of sales.
In many categories, I think buyers do look at FB and use it at least in part to determine whether to buy from a particular seller. My opinion is that FB gives a snapshot of a seller's service. It isn't as meaningful as a truly open and free-from review system would be, but it isn't meaningless either -- at least up until now (see my comments further on).
Having some recent FB can be just as important as having an old history, which is why getting a continuing stream of FB, no matter how small, is still essential. Buyers may be reluctant in some instances to purchase from a seller who -- apparently from FB -- hasn't made a sale in months. We sellers know that FB doesn't accurately reflect the number of sales, but buyers who haven't sold on eBay may not realize it. I think it is especially critical for lower-volume sellers to have some recent FB comments.
Since eBay FB is completely voluntary I never chase it. However I do include a friendly thank-you note in each package, inviting the buyer to visit my store again (or my website), and mentioning that I'd appreciate positive FB if they're satisfied with the transaction. I leave immediate FB upon shipping each item, although I did experiment for a time with leaving FB just before the time I thought the buyer's parcel would arrive, hoping that the timing would be closer to actual receipt of the item and that when the buyer saw their FB number go up by one they might reciprocate.
Those strategies seemed to have helped -- up until this year. For some reason FB has dropped off the cliff in 2015. Whether that is due to buyers being too busy, too distracted by their mobile devices, too accustomed to eBay's new fully-automated and faceless seller style, or because the idea of FB is no longer a novelty, who knows?
We get bombarded with nuisance requests for our input from every online corner nowadays (including, don't forget, eBay's own reminders to buyers about leaving FB). EBay FB has probably become just another nuisance task.
My own view is that the nuisance factor, together with eBay's policies of automating the buyer-seller relationship and hence removing a lot of the need for personal contact, has affected FB to the point where it no longer fairly represents a seller's current reputation or experience because there just isn't enough of it.
That isn't to say FB per se is irrelevant or meaningless, but that eBay needs a new way to display and use buyer FB. I wouldn't mind seeing a totally free-form review system that didn't entail punishment by eBay for the seller. Let the market itself decide who best to buy from.
Many sellers will be happy to see defects disappear for negative and neutral FB after Febuary 20th. However, we sellers who are having trouble now getting even 30% FB on transactions must remember that after February 20th, the new metrics will be based not on our total transactions, but on the actual number of buyers answer the on-time question when leaving FB. That will make FB potentially even more risky and punitive, especially for lower-volume sellers.
At that point, FB will in effect become a potential liability -- completely at odds with its original purpose of helping sellers present their level of good service to buyers through the comments of previous customers. Sad to say, you might be better off with no FB at all after Feb. 20th.
