Comments on: When Feedback is Demanded What’s the Point?

By: Ruth

Ruth — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:11:46 +0000

I’ve been both a buyer and seller on eBay, and it does seem the feedback system is imperfect. But it does serve a purpose, too. Feedback is a way to determine the reputation of both buyer and seller. It seems to me that the actual comments left by both buyers and sellers are much more revealing than any score. Some sellers with questionable practices manage to have high scores, and some highly reputatable sellers have low scores for various reasons. But it takes time to go through and read all the feedback comments so most don’t do it.

I do think it is very unfair to allow only sellers to leave negative feedback. I’ve noticed a lowering of most seller’s feedback scores since this new ruling went into effect.

By: "gunner"

"gunner" — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:15:25 +0000

i don’t buy/sell on e-bay, but i bought one of my duty pistols on “auction arms” and got no hassle about leaving feedback, but then i’ve found mostly gentlemen, and ladies, in the legal firearms trade, i can’t speak for the illegal underground market, i don’t go there. i’ve also had a good experience with a casio watch repair shop on the west coast, and called them by phone to tell them how pleased i was with their service, but “begging” for feedback would turn me off cold.
“gunner”

By: Sandy

Sandy — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:02:40 +0000

I’m a buyer and seller on ebay too. I leave a positive feedback for a buyer when I know all is well and they are happy with my item. I do NOT leave it as soon as they pay as the whole buying experience is not complete until the item is received.

As a buyer, I leave positive FB for the item once I receive it.

And as an incentive, a seller will earn a discount if their Feedback range is really, really high. And the way the FB questions are asked, a buyer thinks it’s just fine to leave them a star somewhere in the middle.

Ebay is greedy.

By: Pete Moring

Pete Moring — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:19:36 +0000

As an Ebay buyer and seller I’ve never yet come accross the problem you describe.

Having said that, I only ever leave positive feedback as a buyer. If I have a bad experience I simply don’t leave feedback.

when selling, I only ever leave a positive feedback AFTER receiving it. Otherwise I just don’t worry about it.

They only have a limited time to leave negative feedback, but I do ensure that I never give anyone cause to even THINK about leaving negative comments.

Chill out, and realise that ‘eBay’ is just a ‘tool’, not a way of life.

Good luck,

Pete.

By: Jessie Daniels

Jessie Daniels — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:31:56 +0000

I have been both a buyer and seller on eBay for several years and I personally think the whole “feedback” fiqasco is ridiculous. Many times when I bought items I would receive an email informing me that positive feeedback would be left “after” I posted positive feedback for the seller. This is crap… when I make payment for an item I win on eBay I have carried out all that should be expected for positive feedback to be posted. Further I have sold many items to a person at the same time (one example was 73 items) and then I am required to leave the same number of positive feedbacks (even though only one counts toward a buyer or seller’s feedback rating). eBay’s feedback system is a runaway train with no engineer.

By: Hal

Hal — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:08:47 +0000

Feedback is similar to leaving a tip. By definition a tip is gratuity, and I am in no way required (unless it is stated) to pay gratuity.

I usually leave a tip in a restaurant, but not if the service was bad. I once was berated by a waiter for not leaving enough. I fixed that by taking back what I had left, and giving him nothing.

The first time a seller demands that I leave a gratuitous feedback, I will also leave an ‘F’ and not use that seller again.

The very concept of demanding gratuity pisses me off.

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:40:04 +0000

I was annoyed after I left negative feedback and the seller tried to bribe me with a financial insentative to give a positive feedback. I did not change my feedback.

By: Elliott

Elliott — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:25:56 +0000

I think you’re taking this a bit far, personally. Like it or not, in an online world, feedback is very much like currency because it’s one of the only ways a seller can differentiate from the competition. Prices from individual sellers on sites like Amazon and eBay are so similar on most items that a seller’s feedback rating becomes the default comparison point. Does it really bother you that much to let a seller’s prospective customers know that you were satisfied with your transaction? It’s as simple as typing one sentence and clicking “submit” — and I’m sure you don’t hesitate to log on and submit negative feedback when you’re dissatisfied, so why not reciprocate when a seller boosts your feedback rating?

And don’t you depend on users like me (your customers) clicking on your “Email this link to a friend” requests? That is de facto positive feedback, and if you don’t like leaving it, you shouldn’t be asking for it.