E-Bay feedback

[janner]

I recently bought something on e-bay and queried why the seller hadn't left feedback. This is his reply.

"Unfortunately, since joining their seller manager pro subscription it is now out of my hands. I no longer get a choice to leave feedback. As part of the subscription, an automation system has been set up by eBay where positive feedback is automatically left, once received. It seems crazy, but that's how it works. It is totally the buyers choice."

Is this true or is he just making sure I leave him feedback first?

 

[JC180]

I think he may be right, it can be automated and is either left upon payment or upon receipt of feedback.

It is an unwritten ebay rule that a purchaser leaves feedback first in any event and I would never leave feedback for a sale unless received.

 

[janner]

Why?
If I buy something I should receive +ve feedback as soon as I pay for it. It's then up to me me the leave +ve or -ve feedback depending on whether I'm happy with my purchase.
I don't like the idea that the seller can leave me -ve feedback just because the thing he sold me is crap.

 

[rf065]

Why?
If I buy something I should receive +ve feedback as soon as I pay for it. It's then up to me me the leave +ve or -ve feedback depending on whether I'm happy with my purchase.
I don't like the idea that the seller can leave me -ve feedback just because the thing he sold me is crap.

As I understand it, the seller should wait until you are happy with your purchase and have left feedback stating that, before they do the same. There is no point giving positive feedback just because you have paid for the item. Any number of problems could arise after payment and feedback should be given on how the whole transaction was dealt with from start to finish, by both parties.

Feedback can be left automatically by multiple sellers after they have received it from you. If someone is selling hundreds of items every month, they do not have time to give feedback to every sale and prefer to set up an automatic system instead.

Russ

 

[MBManInKen]

I'm with Janner on this one. If I pay my goods swiftly and correctly, then I, as the purchaser, have delivered all that the seller can expect from me. They should consequently leave me feedback.

I will leave feedback once I have received the goods.

Otherwise, people would be pressured to leave positive feedback even if their purchase is not living up to expectation, just to avoid the seller leaving negative feedback out of spite.

 

[rf065]

Like before, feedback should relate to the whole transaction, the seller is still responsible to some extent until you are happy with your purchase. It may get lost in the post, arrive broken or be not as described. You may have misread his advert and bought something, which when it arrives is not what you thought it was going to be,that is not the sellers fault. It is how both parties deal with any problems that arise that will determine what feedback is left. Giving feedback because you paid for an item is very short sighted, although many people do it.

Russ

 

[MBManInKen]

Sorry, does not make sense. That still leaves the purchaser in an extremely weak position.

If there is something wrong with the item, or it does not get delivered (and it has happened to me), that does not necessarily mean that I will give the seller negative feedback. As you suggest, it will depend on how the seller deals with the situation. But the idea that I would provide a seller with feedback before he has given me feedback is rather foolish in my humble opinion.

 

[andy_k]

yes the automated system does exist and yes a lot of sellers use it because it saves them time

No, it's not fair as it's almost blackmailing decent feedback out of buyers who deserve decent feedvback when they pay

Oh dear......soliciting feedback or asking why it's not been left is virtually a capital offence on eBay. A seller or buyer who is approached for feedback can report the culprit to eBay and they can get a "strike" against them

Andy

 

[BTB 500]

Yup I've noticed that as a buyer I rarely get feedback now until I have left feedback. In the past, once you paid you could (rightly) expect feedback as you had completed your side of the contract.

This is typical

Once your item arrives in satisfactory condition, please leave feedback for me. I will do the same for you.

(received today)

 

[SG CL500]

I agree the seller should send feedback first as the buyer will always have compelted his side of the transaction before the seller. I can see why the buyer would want confirmation of everything being OK first.

To be honest it doesn't really phase me (I am a buyer only). I always wait for the seller - and if they refuse to post any I politely reply that it is their prerogative to have a policy of buyer first - similarly it's my prerogative to have the opposite policy. That way nobody gets any and we both move on.

As a result I only have 39 feedback over a few years of buying despite invariably (*see below!) paying immediately at the end of the auciton (only buy with paypal) - but it's had no impact as i've never had any bids rejected.

* I recently bought something where the seller had stated in their ad they prefer chq. I sent them an email asking if they wanted paypal given the current strike, which they confirmed. They also confirmed they had sent the package already - i.e before payment. However, they still wouldn't leave feedback until I had...So they'd send the item out before I'd paid but wouldn't leave feedback before I had.

 

[The Dent Guy]

Its not obligatory to leave feedback as either a seller or buyer.

Im currently being hounded by a buyer who left pos feedback but it just said "thanks".

I made a conscious decision that i wouldn't leave him any feedback at all, which im perfectly entitled to do. IMO his feedback for me was utterly pointless and says nothing about the experience of buying from me.

His persistence in asking (more recently demanding) feedback from me (since mid August) has made me dig my heels in further. I've even pondered leaving him a neutral, letting everyone else know what has been happening.

In short, receiving feedback as a buyer is completely pointless unless you dont pay for the item - in which case it would only be negative.

 

[rf065]

Its not obligatory to leave feedback as either a seller or buyer.

I think that is the most important thing to remember, feedback is not compulsory and everyone has there own idea of who should give it first.

Another aspect is that a lot of people who only buy from e-bay, change their view on feedback only after they start to sell items as well. Then you see things from both points of view.

Russ

 

[chriswt]

I've bought loads of stuff from ebay and sold it too. If I sell something I will never leave feedback until the buyer leaves theirs, but if I'm the buyer and I get exactly what I pay for then I'll leave feedback first.

 

[Spinal]

Funnily enough, the rule used to be written in eBay's guidelines. It quite explicitly said that it was the sellers duty to leave feedback once the item had been paid for.

Then, on the eBay community forum there was a largeish thread about how ebay should FORCE sellers to leave feedback first (i.e. buyer cannot leave positive feedback unless seller has - but can still leave negative) and eBay quietly hid the page that said sellers should leave feedback first...

I still maintain with all my sellers - if they want positive feedback, they MUST leave it first. Otherwise, they have a choice of no feedback or neutral (I give them the choice). Most choose to leave feedback!

Michele