Ebay Feedback

[NoMoCEO]

I just sold a Porsche to a guy in Frankfurt, Germany. You are no longer able to leave neutral or negative feedback (not that I needed to, this guy was great). Positive or nothing at all.

May not be news to you, but certainly was to me. What's the point to feedback now? How do you really know who you're dealing with?

[ramair3formula]

I saw that as well. They must be trying to save face with all the scam artists out there. It's really a crap shoot now as to who you are dealing with. I guess you can screw someone over without the fear of repercussions.

[wmhjr]

The problem is that sellers were taking advantage of feedback and using it as blackmail against buyers. For example, a seller lists an item, describes it and sells it. The buyer immediately pays, gets a run around for shipping, doesn't receive the item for a month, and then finds that the item is "less than" advertised. The buyer then attempts to contact the seller, and is treated like crap with no resolution. The buyer logs negative feedback for the seller, and then in retaliation the seller leaves negative feedback about the buyer. Though this has not happened to me, I can provide clear examples of eBay sellers who made a long standing habit of this. As a result, people were afraid to leave negative feedback about the seller - and therefore the seller continued to prey on people who didn't have an opportunity to learn the truth about the seller.

Buyers can still leave negative of neutral feedback. Sellers cannot. Not a perfect solution, but as a buyer and seller I understand it.

[chief455]

Well, I don't agree.
If the guy that bought my item, paid too slow, communicated like a jerk, hassled me about the item, I should be able to warn others that he is a difficult buyer.

Also - now we must have a credit card to list items?

They have crossed the line.
I hope the masses retreat to old selling methods - worked before erape, could work again.

[wmhjr]

As I said, it's not perfect. But, there were too many complaints being raised about unethical sellers. Frankly, I myself sent a request to eBay asking for the ability to "ignore" all listings from sellers I decided not to deal with (for this as well as other reasons). I both buy and sell on eBay, but got to the point because of these sellers that I pretty much started avoiding it. Now I might use it again.

BTW, if the buyer does not meet their obligations (payment within prescribed time, etc) you can contact eBay and they can either lose the purchase or even be suspended.

Also, I make it a practice that if I sell something, I leave feedback immediately upon receiving payment and shipping instructions. At that point the buyer has completely satisfied their obligations. When I buy something, if the seller does not leave feedback upon receiving my payment then they never get any feedback from me.

What "old selling" methods are you talking about? Classified newspaper ads?

[chief455]

What "old selling" methods are you talking about? Classified newspaper ads?

Yup.
And now we have our internet forums.
Most of the people that love the auction are ones that get too much money from buyers.
Hard to explain, but you all know what I mean.
The world wide auctions have inflated our humble hobby to a living means for many.
While making a decent sale to someone that otherwise may not have found your item is great, I did cars for 25 years before ebay and always managed to sell my stuff and find what I needed.

[BOB VIDAN]

Ebay's whole feedback and DSR's is BS. What irks me the most is non paying bidders. They can win an auction, not pay. Seller files an unpaid item notice, if buyer responds with almost anything, he can leave the seller negative feedback. There is no way on earth a non paying buyer should be allowed to leave ANY feedback.

[PONTIAC DUDE]

The problem is that sellers were taking advantage of feedback and using it as blackmail against buyers. For example, a seller lists an item, describes it and sells it. The buyer immediately pays, gets a run around for shipping, doesn't receive the item for a month, and then finds that the item is "less than" advertised. The buyer then attempts to contact the seller, and is treated like crap with no resolution. The buyer logs negative feedback for the seller, and then in retaliation the seller leaves negative feedback about the buyer. Though this has not happened to me, I can provide clear examples of eBay sellers who made a long standing habit of this. As a result, people were afraid to leave negative feedback about the seller - and therefore the seller continued to prey on people who didn't have an opportunity to learn the truth about the seller.

Buyers can still leave negative of neutral feedback. Sellers cannot. Not a perfect solution, but as a buyer and seller I understand it.


But it's Ok for a buyer to leave negative feedback because shipping might have taken longer then expected and he hammers you over something the seller has no control over. But doesn't state as such.

I no longer leave any feedback........... unless the buyer leaves feedback first. E_BAY SUCKS.

[PONTIAC DUDE]

Ebay's whole feedback and DSR's is BS. What irks me the most is non paying bidders. They can win an auction, not pay. Seller files an unpaid item notice, if buyer responds with almost anything, he can leave the seller negative feedback. There is no way on earth a non paying buyer should be allowed to leave ANY feedback.


Then you have the issues of buying something under $25.00 that is junk and cost you that amount to have E-bay help. But even if they agree, they still can't get your money. Just a statement that you are right. EBAY SUCKS.

[wmhjr]

I wouldn't go so far as to say eBay sucks. It sure isn't as good a deal as it was years past - way too many "dealers" and "commercial" interest. But, facts are facts, and it can result in finding things that you would not otherwise find.

Sounds to me like lots of complaints but no real solutions. I'm of the opinion (and it's JMO) that once a buyer pays, etc, they have completed their obligations. To hold feedback from them until they provide it for you is unethical. It's blackmail. Pure and simple. Buyers are not obligated to provide feedback. Personally, my solution would be to allow sellers to provide negative feedback (or neutral), but to NOT allow buyers to provide POSITIVE feedback until the seller has provided feedback. Buyers could provide negative feedback at any time (as could sellers). If I buy something and the seller does not provide feedback upon getting paid (and I pay real real fast) but instead waits for me to provide feedback, I not only never provide it for them, but I make a note to not purchase from them in the future.

Frankly, good buyers and sellers are all paying the price for some real jerks. Take americanclassicmotors on eBay. There are multiple threads about their blackmail tactics on different bike forums. They have 250 negative feedback in 6 months, but already 107 negative in the past month. That shows that the policy change is now allowing people to provide honest feedback about a very questionable vendor. That's a good thing. The complaints about them are very legitimate. They have sold used parts as new, sold parts they didn't have, waited weeks to ship after payment. These are not "bad buyers".

[TinjunTribe]

Yeah, I found this out recently too. Sold something, got a sob story for a month and a half. Don't bid if you don't havet the friggin money.....jeez. Then I couldn't leave neg feedback.

I read all the info....Ebay now has a "strike" system. You can elect to cease communication with the buyer, and end the transaction (and relist)....which gives the buyer a "strike"....how many "strikes" before they are out I didn't see.

Nothing to stop you from typing a negative message though, even if it doesn't affect their feedback %. Choose "positive" or "neutral" and say what you want to say!

Technically, buyers have 60 days to pay (which is crazy), but after 8 days with no response to a open grievence filed...you can end the transaction. File a complaint, then give them a few days to respond then end it. Your final value fees etc. are taken off your ebay invoice after you do this, but you still have to pay your listing/insertion fees....how appropriate is that..."insertion" fee, they are inserting something all right with all their fees

.........cheez-bay.

[marksking]

I agree and don't with the new policy. I bought a part from a well known e-bay Pontiac scam aretist. It was not as described so I left him negative feedback, so he retaliated by doing the same. But several weeks ago I sold a Harley part to a guy, I listed in the ad that it would be costly to ship. When he got the cost of shipping he flipped out accusing me of ripping him off, then found out the shipping was legit, and tried to negotiate the shipping. He knew he couldn't get bad feedback so he knew he didn't have to pay. He did get a non-pay strike, but where does that show up. Guy was a dead beat, but he can not get bad feedback?????? What's up with that!

[pressthatpedal]

You can not leave positive feeback and then say all the negative you want in the description, as asserted here. That is a feedback violation and Ebay will pull it in a second if the recipient complains about it. I've been on both sides of the fence, buying and occasionally selling. I've had slow-poke and non-payer buyers, and chiseling crook sellers too. Sadly, I must agree with Ebay that the crook sellers are the more problem. Afterall, they can take your money and screw you over, and leave you with a hassle, no money, and no item. A bum buyer just leaves you with a hassle to get your fee back and the disappointment of not making the sale. But the seller still has his item to try and resell. I think Ebay has come to the realization that they will always have sellers wanting to list, but if buyers only hear that Ebay is a place to be ripped-off from, then Ebay loses out more, and honest conciencious sellers lose potential customers.

[BOB VIDAN]

wmhjr. Disagree that all a buyer has to do is pay and his obligation is done. He should let the seller know item was recieved and as advertised or give the seller a chance at remedy if something is wrong, not with just a neutral or negative feedback. Feedback is also optional so neither seller or buyer must leave it.

[2manyT/A'S]

I agree and don't with the new policy. I bought a part from a well known e-bay Pontiac scam aretist. It was not as described so I left him negative feedback, so he retaliated by doing the same. But several weeks ago I sold a Harley part to a guy, I listed in the ad that it would be costly to ship. When he got the cost of shipping he flipped out accusing me of ripping him off, then found out the shipping was legit, and tried to negotiate the shipping. He knew he couldn't get bad feedback so he knew he didn't have to pay. He did get a non-pay strike, but where does that show up. Guy was a dead beat, but he can not get bad feedback?????? What's up with that!

Deadbeat bidders should get a MANDATORY automatic NEGATIVE & non-pay strikes should be displayed on their feedback profile.

It appears that Ebay is actually ENCOURAGING non-paying bidders.

As I understood the rules,it WAS three strikes & YOU'RE OUT,but that doesn't appear to be the case anymore.

They are quick to take your $$$,but otherwise pretty much USELESS .

I've had MORE deadbeat bidders in the last three months than I've had in the past 8 years!

[wmhjr]

wmhjr. Disagree that all a buyer has to do is pay and his obligation is done. He should let the seller know item was recieved and as advertised or give the seller a chance at remedy if something is wrong, not with just a neutral or negative feedback. Feedback is also optional so neither seller or buyer must leave it.

Well, I don't completely agree. When the buyer has paid he's done. Does the seller tell the buyer all the time even that the item has shipped? Usually no. Does the seller "check" to see if it was received? Usually no. (Actually I do, but I'm pretty particular - want to make sure that the deal is completed with no issue). I DO agree that the buyer should NOT leave negative feedback about an issue until they have tried to resolve it with the seller and truly got no remedy. Absolutely. I also agree that feedback is optional. But, it's encouraged and frankly expected. I leave feedback for each and every buyer within hours of receiving payment (and the check clearing if it's a personal check - I put that in my auction terms).

[wmhjr]

Deadbeat bidders should get a MANDATORY automatic NEGATIVE & non-pay strikes should be displayed on their feedback profile.


I very much agree with that one.