Neutral Feedback. A useful tool?

braddick

I agree with most here that Negative Feedback on eBay should be reserved for those deals where either fraud or some type of serious misrepresentation was involved. Especially that which is unresolved after emails and possibly phone calls were placed to try and fix.

Positive feedback, the most commonly given, reflects a smooth transaction, or one that ended up with a positive results. (For example, a return and a subsequent refund that was timely would warrant positive feedback.)
What about Neutral feedback?
Have you ever used it? Do you look poorly upon it?
If a Negative is an "F" and Positive is an "A" (or, maybe a "B"), then is Neutral feedback like a "C"?

Why don't more bidders/sellers use it?

AbesNeighbor

I don't usually give negative feedback. Most mistakes are human ones. I've never been treated poorly by a seller. Only twice I sold items that weren't paid for. I just received my money back from E-bay and resold the items. Chalked the experience up to "Business". Both buyers had good feedback records. I guess I'm just too good natured to leave them for a minor deal.

Dan

keithdagen

Personally, if I can't give a "positive," I just don't leave feedback. It's easier for me that way, and no potential repercussions involved with getting a negative or neutral in return, even if I fulfilled my side of the transaction. Especially as a seller, when the buyers take several weeks to pay, I just let it slide and don't leave any feedback.

braddick

So, in a sense, no feedback is neutral feedback, although no one else if privy to knowing what you experienced.

nwcs

I've not used it yet. I used to do feedback as soon as I got an item and remind the seller to do it. But no longer. Now I post no feedback till they do.

crito

useful tool? sure, for feedback bombers. square trade members can get negs removed (for a fee) but not neutrals, which makes them the preferred weapon.

DCAMFranklin

I think a Neutral feedback can be a bit of a "wake-up call" for a seller. Sort of a way of saying, "Hey, service has to get better than this!" Yet, you don't sting him/her with a negative. I gave a neutral once to a seller. His service was a complete failure. He didn't let me know my payment had been received. Refused to answer e-mails. Never let me know when the coin was mailed. The coin was mailed 3 weeks after my payment was received. Just a shamble, as far as service went. However, the coin was exactly as expected and perhaps nicer. So, I submitted a neutral letting him know I expected an update during the process and I certainly expected an answer to my e-mails. I don't believe the neutral does much to "warn" any potential buyers.

gmarguli

Both buyers had good feedback records. I guess I'm just too good natured to leave them for a minor deal.

Of course they have good feedback. It's good because people like you refuse to leave negative feedback and other sellers aren't getting a fair warning. If they failed to pay, then NEG them.

A buyer with a feedback of 30 positives says nothing to me. A buyer with 30 positives and 4 negatives says something to me and that is "Cancel their bid".

Failing to leave negative feedback is just allowing other users to get screwed.

keithdagen

So, in a sense, no feedback is neutral feedback, although no one else if privy to knowing what you experienced.

They did pay, although it may have taken two or three weeks to squeeze a check out of them. I find that as a seller, most buyers don't bother with feedback anymore, so I don't want to leave a neutral, then get hit with a neg for doing it. If the buyer pays promptly, I still leave a positive as soon as I ship the coin.

gmarguli

I find that as a seller, most buyers don't bother with feedback anymore

Then you're doing it wrong.

When I used to leave feedback when I got their payment, I would get around 50% feedback. This also left me open to a bunch of scammers and headaches.

Then I switched to placing a note in the package that states: "I will be more than happy to leave you positive feedback, as soon as you email me and acknowledge receiving this item."

Since doing this my feedback level has increased to around 85% with getting 100% feedback on my previous set of auctions.

leothelyon

It's amazing when a seller has several recent negs but yet there are still some clowns out there bidding on his auctions, can't they read? Ebay should have thumbs up or down icons, with the bird finger for the negs. I hate looking through 200 feedbacks to find the negs!

Leo

braddick

There's a program, somewhere- Dog97 (I think) posted it here once, that allows you to weed out the positives and go straight to the negatives!
It was a fun, useful tool.

lordmarcovan

Here's one I just found.

Don't know anything about it, but it's free. Amherst robots wants money for their service.

Clankeye

<< <i>that allows you to weed out the positives and go straight to the negatives! >>



I think there is software like that for the forum too, Braddick. Allows you to get past all the positive, educational posts, and get right to the negative, fur-flying flame wars.

Clankeye

DCAMFranklin

<< <i>

<< <i>that allows you to weed out the positives and go straight to the negatives! >>



I think there is software like that for the forum too, Braddick. Allows you to get past all the positive, educational posts, and get right to the negative, fur-flying flame wars.

Clankeye >>




Now THAT'S funny!

Libertad

I left a neutral for a seller last week, and struggled to determine why I wouldn't have left a negative.

Bought two inexpensive, common dates as AU with AU pic, and VF and EF on arrival. Noted that the image was not of the item sent, and I e-mailed him to ask why ?

He replied promptly, had a fairly good excuse, apologised, offered full refund. He had used a file photo. Didn't mention it in the offering on this auction, though he said he usually does, had to use a different computer, blah-blah.

I didn't want to leave a NEG for $10 deal. I realize the situational issues aren't valid to a lot of folks, but they were to me.

mic45

When I buy a coin on E-bay I usually send a letter along with payment explaining that when I receive the coin I will leave positive feedback. If the coin' grade and/or discription is as listed. Inasmuch as I know grading is subjective, if the coin is raw and the transaction is small ($25 or less) and the coin is within a point or so of the grade, I will most likely still leave positive feedback. If the coin is way off the mark or is listed as "full steps or 'Full Bell Lines" (Yes lucy, I love the Frankies) I will write the seller and gauge his response before I post feedback. I have only left neutral feedback once and that's when I got a type 1 79 jeff instead of a type 2. Seller and I went round and round until he realize he may have sent me the wrong one. The type 1 was so nice I kept it and bought a type 2 from him. On negative feedback, the bull you go through with it, retalitory negs, BS responses, etc.. is not worth it to me. My best neg is refusing to do business with that party again and warning my friends about him. My feedback demostrates I am a quick payer and a repeat customer to those who treat me fairly. Moreover, I guess I've been lucky. I've only been realy burned once and I went to safe harbor for that (a joke in my opinion)
Indeed, I've gotten lucky too. I recently paid $12.00 for a 50-s Franklin that the seller sold as "UNC". Came to me a strong 65, clean fields, great strike, clean cheeks, and FBL. so I guess I'm way ahead. I haven't written this much since college!!!!