HOW DO YOU GET BUYERS TO LEAVE FEEDBACK?

[Anonymous]

As im sure i am not the only seller that has the same problem with getting feedback.

I tried business cards with thank you and a Canadian flag pin attached that  hasn't worked except for a person in the UK she thought it was great.

I've tried sending a follow up thank you note with a message kindly leave feedback ,not much help either.

I've done the vintage kraft paper wrap that is too costly.

I stopped doing anything and i seem to get the same average on feedback.

Has anyone tried anything that works well for them?

[sylviebee]

Why do you care about FB unless it's neutral, negative, or really really low?

248 looks like a  nice comfortable number to me.

More FB won't help you sell your items.

[mr.elmwood]

Are you selling to make money, are you selling to get feedback?

eBay pretty much considers FB to be worthless.

[Anonymous]

? Feedback is extremely important especially when you still a lot of vintage and porcelain
.buyers read the feedback ratings and comments .you don't think more is better ?

[Anonymous]

Come on I asked a fair question stick to that I don't need comments on why fb is not needed. I do quite well on ebay and would like to here from people that really want to hear from their customers. .I also run a multi million dollar retail store and I enjoy hearing from my customers there.so please if you don't have a suggestion then don't post thanks.

[sylviebee]

You've already answered your own question.

[Anonymous]

Anybody that has done anything that helps them I would love to hear from you.thanks

[ricarmic]

Hi! I do appreciate the feedback buyers leave, however I've never found a formula to ensure it comes.

I do think that different customer bases tend to respond more or less (ie stamp collectors probably are more likely to leave feedback than cell phone buyers).

I do notice however that when I check glowing feedback a customer has left me, lo and behold, they have left the same feedback to all the sellers they've purchased from.....so I'm not sure one can derive much from it anyway.

Having said this, when I get a feedback that says nice stamps recommended (mods I made this up) and I check other feedback they've left and it is usually excellent stamps very recommended (again made up) I know that my stuff wasn't as good as usual....to that buyer....

[triber]

I think that feedback is important for buyers. I never buy something without carefully checking feedbacks, which means they are important for sellers also. I think most buyers would only read the first page anyway. Personally, I mostly click on negs and neutrals of other sellers before I purchase.

I don't think there is any way of getting buyers to leave feedback apart from making sure you leave feedback for your buyers right away. I used to ask buyers to let me know that they had received their item by leaving feedback, but after a buyer was very offended by it, I have stopped doing it.

I recently received a feeback with "!"  that was it, I really wondered if that was a negative or positive comment until I looked and found a couple of hundred exclamation marks by the same buyer, not any other comments.

[Anonymous]

That's interesting I'll have to go back and have a look at this.

[ricarmic]

Hi again Barn!

I did think of something that I do do that may help.

I personalize my feedback. I do use standard wordings but if a person buys 5 things, they get 5 differently worded feedbacks from me.

If the buyer is a repeat buyer, my wording reflects the fact that they are a repeat customer. The more times they've been a repeat customer, the more positive adjectives are in the feedback wording....to what I can fit of course...

I do think that that helps, if not for new buyers at least for return customers, I do see situations where my repeat customers do something different when they leave feedback for me, as in give me different wordings for each or that they give me multiple feedbacks when they might only normally give one.

[ricarmic]

PS I forgot to add what I think just about everyone does: I leave feedback first, when I ship....

[realjazz-123]

Receiving a positive feedback is an uplifting moment which is beyond money.  When it still happens, it gives my eBay experience a bonus reward to which I look forward. As well,  a larger number of feedbacks -however viewed by eBay -will never hurt sales.

[jersey..authentix]

I have to agree with Mr Elmwood. You're at a decent number why worry about feedbacks. Like the old saying goes " be careful what you wish for". Those feedbacks you're not getting could have  negatives in there.  

But that's not what you want to hear. Ok you want feed backs? Do like someone has already said , give feedbacks first. That doesn't alway work either. If you really want the best chance to get a feedback from buyers is to ask them, nicely.

[realjazz-123]

Recently I sent  a package and I myself paid a good amount to get fast tracked delivery. The buyer took time to email and to thank me for the fine transaction, but never left feedback. I was disappointed (see my earlier post) , but I am getting used to no feedback on most sales. Exchange of seller item for buyer $$$  seems to be what eBay has nearly become. I like a personal touch on line are in  a retail outlet-like giving and receiving  a warm genuine smile. 

[pierrelebel]

Standard answer: feedback is voluntary and, quite frankly, much less important than you think.

It is a question of managing your expectations.  If you expect 90% or 100% of your buyers to leave feedback you will be disappointed.  Many buyers come to eBay to buy "stuff" and do not care about the rest of the system such as leaving feedback or DSRs.  It is not that different than going to a restaurant when they ask you to file a "feedback" card about quality, service, prices, etc... Most folks ignore it.  They come to the restaurant to eat and that's it.  If they like it, they will come back; if not, they will not.

Now some sellers experience a high percentage of feedback left by buyers while others do not.  Much may have to do with the category where you list.  Stamp collectors for instances may take the time to leave feedback while younger computer game buyers may not.

Also, in recent years, fewer buyers leave feedback.  Ten year years ago 85% of my transactions resulted in positive feedback; now it is down to about 75%.  Many other sellers have seen their percentage drop a lot more.

First step to take it to leave positive feedback for the buyer as soon as payment is received.  I have always confirm receipt of payment to the buyer by thanking them for their purchase and payment, giving them a shipping date (usually next day) and method of shipment and letting them know that positive feedback had been posted on eBay for their prompt payment.

It is that simple.

Good Luck

[ricarmic]

Hi Real! Actually if I had my "druthers" I would rather receive a specific message from the buyer directly, even when (just as in your case) the same buyer normally does not leave official feedback.

Normally I learn a lot more from the specific messages than I do from the official feedback.

It is worth mentioning that despite the fact I sell stamps, I sell "dangerous" stuff as in mostly bulk lots which are open to (mis)interpretation.

Over the last 15 years I have modified my products and especially my selling practices/wordings to try to minimize the potential for misunderstandings.

Feedback of either kind (formal vs informal) has been the primary driver of those changes/adjustments.

As a note, I never normally make a permanent wording or selling practice change based on one buyers input. One comment on its own could be just a buyer that didn't read the listing at all, or as in something I have on a different thread they were looking at someone else's item, or on a different thread they were having a bad day or whatever.

Normally "problems" show up as several complaints/concerns about a specific wording type or product line.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replys. I guess the best practice is to stick with my system and contact the buyer and thank them for their business and maybe a blurb on why feedback is welcomed.

[pjcdn2005 · Accepted solution]

I thank them when I send them  'your item has shipped' note and also leave feedback about that time. If you want to ask for feedback that's up to you but I don't recommend it. Keep in mind that sometimes a buyer who isn't totally satisfied will not leave feedback at all but if they are asked to...they might leave feedback that you would rather not have.

 You do have feedback now that buyers can look at and read if they want to.  Even if a small percentage of your buyers leave feedback, there will always be feedback for others to look at so trying to get more buyers leave it, doesn't necessarily benefit you.

[femmefan1946]

Ship promptly.

Leave feedback when you ship.

Say in the feedback that you have shipped and give date, service and tracking if any.

More sellers leave feedback than buyers. Feedback from sellers is the "Have a nice day of real world retail."

Don't nag buyers. The business card is okay, but I'd rather include a note about other similar items I have available (with my email address) than ask for feedback.