eBay feedback etiquette
Senex
Posts: 483 ✭
As a seller, I always leave feedback upon shipping.
I just made a small purchase on eBay and got a message from the seller that it had shipped and he would leave FB upon receipt of same.
Now I feel as a buyer I have done my part (I paid immediately, as usual), so the seller should leave FB first.
What say you?
I just made a small purchase on eBay and got a message from the seller that it had shipped and he would leave FB upon receipt of same.
Now I feel as a buyer I have done my part (I paid immediately, as usual), so the seller should leave FB first.
What say you?
0
Comments
edited to add... eBay's feedback policy:
We know it can be frustrating when you've completed a transaction with another eBay member and they haven't left you Feedback. However, while we really encourage it, we don't require buyers and sellers to leave Feedback.
eBay feedback for any member, whether you were
engaged in a buy-sell transaction or not.
Many's the time I would be combing through eBay lots
doing research on a German imperial medal or
Franco-Prussian satirical token or what-have-you,
and I'd query a seller of a particular item, asking
for more information if they had it, or seeking more
details about a particular aspect of the item. After a helpful
conversation I would leave them a positive feedback,
whether I bought the item or not --- usually something
along the lines of "Thank you to a helpful and
knowledgeable member of the community."
Of course, before too long eBay changed so you
had to buy or sell before you could leave feedback.
I can understand the reasoning, and the way that type
of system protects against abuses, but it was nice to
be able to say "Thanks" in a tangible way when you
connected with a helpful fellow traveler.
<< <i>I say you are free to leave feedback however you like. You are not free, however, to insist that everybody else agree to do the same. >>
I'm not insisting on anything. I'm just asking for other people's view on the subject. Relax, will you!
As a seller I leave feedback once I am satisfied with the transaction, this includes making sure the buyer is satisfied with the transaction.
Coin Club Benefit auctions ..... View the Lots
<< <i>As a buyer I leave feedback once I am satisfied with the transaction........
As a seller I leave feedback once I am satisfied with the transaction, this includes making sure the buyer is satisfied with the transaction. >>
THIS
Myself I like to use it as a acknowledgement that the item is on it's way. As returns are very few compared to sales, and if needed I know how to make added comments to feedback.
Edited to add, usually I will hold my feedback for buyers with very low feedback scores, especially if they take a long time to pay or create added problems during the transaction. Also I try to leave feedback that to me would reflect the buyers side of the transaction. Fast payment, for people who pay immediately, or just a Thanks for people who wait a week to pay. That kind of things.
My Ebay Store
Sometimes people don't have time to leave feedback right away (this probably does not set well with the feedback police) but I do agree as a seller it is a good policy to leave feedback upon shipment.
As an infrequent seller, I leave feedback when I know that the buyer has received the item in good order.
I do not care what other people do.
<< <i>As a buyer, I leave feedback when I receive the item in good order.
As an infrequent seller, I leave feedback when I know that the buyer has received the item in good order.
I do not care what other people do. >>
I agree.
<< <i>I'm not insisting on anything. I'm just asking for other people's view on the subject. >>
When I say "you" I mean "you in general", not "you specifically".
<< <i>Relax, will you! >>
I am relaxed. How about you?
<< <i>
<< <i>As a buyer, I leave feedback when I receive the item in good order.
As an infrequent seller, I leave feedback when I know that the buyer has received the item in good order.
I do not care what other people do. >>
I would bet if you got a negative you would care, even a small amount. >>
No, I still would not care what other people do.
<< <i>
<< <i>I'm not insisting on anything. I'm just asking for other people's view on the subject. >>
When I say "you" I mean "you in general", not "you specifically".
<< <i>Relax, will you! >>
I am relaxed. How about you?
I'm fine but the original post said nothing about "insisting" anybody to do anything.
As a seller, I assume the majority of buyers are like me, so I wait until I either see their feedback or they contact me with some concern (which has never happened).
For the record, I never leave feedback until a transaction is completed and both parties are satisfied with every aspect of it.
I don't leave feedback as a buyer
I used to
I figure if a buyer cant take the time to let me know they got it by leaving feedback or notification, Then why should I
As a buyer , I always leave feedback to a seller once I receive the item in good order!!!
<< <i>at this point
I don't leave feedback as a buyer
I used to >>
AS you must know the sell doesn't get paid until the buyer leaves feedback or 21 days after the transaction date. Buyers who do not leace feedback are just messing with the sellers cash flow and letting PayPal use the float for 3 weeks.
Just to add fuel to the fire...
As a seller I NEVER leave feedback until feedback is left for me.
There are just too many instances - many of which have appeared on this forum - of "buyers" claiming goods not received when they were or not as described, etc. and trying to rip the sellers off. Many a seller has lamented leaving pos. FB for such buyers.
I (t4biophage on Ebay) have been selling coins on Ebay since 2007, have 100% Pos FB as a seller with absolutely effusive positive comments by my buyers and all 5/5 DSRs (except for shipping despite that I always charge less to ship than the actual cost).
As a buyer I happily leave feedback as soon as an item is received and have no expectation that the seller will leave me feedback until I leave it for them.
<< <i>What RYK said with one exception, I sell a lot
I figure if a buyer cant take the time to let me know they got it by leaving feedback or notification, Then why should I
>>
Why should you? Because the buyer held up his end of the deal and it engenders warm fuzzy feelings in the buyers.
I absolutely refuse to leave sellers positive feedback if they don't leave me one first.
YMMV
<< <i>As a seller, I always leave feedback upon shipping. >>
The same scenario acted out on the buyers part would be to leave positive feedback as soon as shipping notification is received.
BOTH scenarios do not take into account that something could go wrong with the delivery such as a damaged or missing product. As such, both scenarios are "premature" and will not reflect the real transaction "should" something occur.
Leaving Positive Feedback when an item ships, by either seler or buyer, opens certain doors where the feedback could be used against either party. The thing is, the seller is the one that gets hurt the most, not the buyer.
Of course, if a seller don't mind going through the hassle of getting a negative FB removed, then I guess they can leave feedback at anytime they want. Either upon payment or upon shipping.
Anymore, the feedback system, which has been abused to no end in the past, is a useless tool for everybody EXCEPT eBay who can use it to reduce or increase a sellers final value fee's.
Sellers cannot use the feedback system since buyers cannot receive neutrals or negatives. This makes all buyers look like good buyers. Sellers cannot even leave feedback which could be contrued as negative or else the Feedback police get it removed.
Buyers, on the other hand, have an open door for destroying a sellers reputation and having to pay higher Final Value Fee's. This leaves it up to the seller to work with eBay to remove malicious or undeserved negative's and neutral's. It's always a hassle. Buyers CAN use the feedback system for sellers, which is probably good, but then that system doesn;t take into account that many buyers don't even bother to read the listing descriptions!
Since the eBay feedback system is a game anymore, as a seller I choose to play the game when I get around to it and then I only leave feedback if directly asked for by the buyer or if the buyer has already left me feedback. Given my seller status on eBay and paypal, I've never had funds held up due to some buyer not leaving feedback. Especially since I've given Paypal all the tools necessary to validate that I am who I am and that my credit and reputation are good.
The name is LEE!
I'm surprised I haven't heard this mentioned.
Several yrs ago when I sold on Ebay this is what I did.
I would send a note in the package. It would explain simply that I wanted to make sure the buyer was left positive feedback blah blah, therefore it was automated once they left positive feedback. Once they left feedback then mine was left almost instantly. My feedback return was very high. I don't remember the program out there, but you set up like 5 different positive msgs, then it rotates thru them when the seller rec'ves the feedback.
I agree, transaction isn't over until Seller has determined buyer isn't a scammer.
<< <i>
<< <i>What RYK said with one exception, I sell a lot
I figure if a buyer cant take the time to let me know they got it by leaving feedback or notification, Then why should I
>>
Why should you? Because the buyer held up his end of the deal and it engenders warm fuzzy feelings in the buyers.
I absolutely refuse to leave sellers positive feedback if they don't leave me one first.
YMMV >>
This does not take into account buyers who try to hose you after paying per my post. This has happened many, many time to forum members.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>What RYK said with one exception, I sell a lot
I figure if a buyer cant take the time to let me know they got it by leaving feedback or notification, Then why should I
>>
Why should you? Because the buyer held up his end of the deal and it engenders warm fuzzy feelings in the buyers.
I absolutely refuse to leave sellers positive feedback if they don't leave me one first.
YMMV >>
This does not take into account buyers who try to hose you after paying per my post. This has happened many, many time to forum members. >>
Never happened to me and I've been on eBay for 15 years.
At any rate, as a seller you can only leave + feedback. Most buyers are honest and you lose the chance to ingratiate yourself with them by refusing to give FB 1st.
I agree thought that eBay's FB system is unfairly biased in favor of buyers.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>What RYK said with one exception, I sell a lot
I figure if a buyer cant take the time to let me know they got it by leaving feedback or notification, Then why should I
>>
Why should you? Because the buyer held up his end of the deal and it engenders warm fuzzy feelings in the buyers.
I absolutely refuse to leave sellers positive feedback if they don't leave me one first.
YMMV >>
This does not take into account buyers who try to hose you after paying per my post. This has happened many, many time to forum members. >>
Never happened to me and I've been on eBay for 15 years.
At any rate, as a seller you can only leave + feedback. Most buyers are honest and you lose the chance to ingratiate yourself with them by refusing to give FB 1st.
I agree thought that eBay's FB system is unfairly biased in favor of buyers. >>
True you can only leave pos fb, but why would one want to leave pos feedback for a deadbeat, dishonest buyer as has happened to many on this forum in various "ebay" threads?
Please look at my (t4biophage) feedback as a seller. Every one on my buyers left feedback prior to my leaving them FB. Do my buyers not seem very happy? What ingratiates buyers is great service.
Ebay is extremely biased towards buyers, and gets more and more so - the latest being the FVF on shipping. What a joke! The problem with Ebay is that there is no real competition.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
<< <i>I say you are free to leave feedback however you like. You are not free, however, to insist that everybody else agree to do the same.
edited to add... eBay's feedback policy:
We know it can be frustrating when you've completed a transaction with another eBay member and they haven't left you Feedback. However, while we really encourage it, we don't require buyers and sellers to leave Feedback. >>
yep that me... I can see how it might be frustrating for the seller
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
<< <i>Personally I would like to see more phone communications between potential buyers and sellers to avoid any misunderstandings which are more likely with emails because feedback is tougher with an email than with a voice to voice communication. >>
eBay doesn't want buyers and sellers communicating (outside the eBay message system, that is). They might make deals that eBay doesn't get a cut from.
edited for clarity...
<< <i>AS you must know the sell doesn't get paid until the buyer leaves feedback or 21 days after the transaction date. Buyers who do not leace feedback are just messing with the sellers cash flow and letting PayPal use the float for 3 weeks. >>
Completely false!
<< <i>I don't want customers unhappy with their purchase and as such they are free to return the item. So if I leave an exuberant review of the buyer and they are unhappy and want to return it where does that leave me? >>
Since you can't leave anything but + feedback as a seller, it really is irrelevant.
I maintain it is good business for a seller to leave feedback first.
YMMV
As a seller....I simply ask the buyer to let me know if they received and if they are happy! I leave feedback once I have contact from the buyer whether buy feedback,email,ebay message,or how ever. I do not feel like feedback is in order unless a transaction is complete!
<< <i>
<< <i>There are very strong feelings on both sides of this.
Just to add fuel to the fire...
As a seller I NEVER leave feedback until feedback is left for me.
There are just too many instances - many of which have appeared on this forum - of "buyers" claiming goods not received when they were or not as described, etc. and trying to rip the sellers off. Many a seller has lamented leaving pos. FB for such buyers.
I (t4biophage on Ebay) have been selling coins on Ebay since 2007, have 100% Pos FB as a seller with absolutely effusive positive comments by my buyers and all 5/5 DSRs (except for shipping despite that I always charge less to ship than the actual cost).
As a buyer I happily leave feedback as soon as an item is received and have no expectation that the seller will leave me feedback until I leave it for them. >>
It does not make much sense to me to leave feedback until the item is received and the customer is happy. I don't want customers unhappy with their purchase and as such they are free to return the item. So if I leave an exuberant review of the buyer and they are unhappy and want to return it where does that leave me? Personally I would like to see more phone communications between potential buyers and sellers to avoid any misunderstandings which are more likely with emails because feedback is tougher with an email than with a voice to voice communication. >>
<< <i>
<< <i>at this point
I don't leave feedback as a buyer
I used to >>
AS you must know the sell doesn't get paid until the buyer leaves feedback or 21 days after the transaction date. Buyers who do not leace feedback are just messing with the sellers cash flow and letting PayPal use the float for 3 weeks. >>
This is only at the start. Once as seller has a certain number of sales or a certain number of feedbacks (don't remember the specifics) the money is immediately available.
Rob
Successful Trades with: Coincast, MICHAELDIXON
Successful Purchases from: Manorcourtman, Meltdown
I personally leave feedback first if I'm the seller, but some prefer to wait and see how the transaction went, using their feedback to "close the deal" so they know that transaction is complete after the buyer is satisfied. It's not always a tactical thing. Some sellers are actually waiting to see what the buyer thought, and letting him have the first say.
As a buyer, I don't get uptight about it. I figure as long as a seller leaves me feedback eventually, that's fine.
<< <i>I remember back in the day when you could leave
eBay feedback for any member, whether you were
engaged in a buy-sell transaction or not. >>
I too remember those days, and watched a few "feedback bombing" wars where people would get in a squabble and neg each other back and forth repeatedly.
Imagine being able to neg somebody simply because they had a ridiculous listing, or used terms like "L@@K!!" or abused the word "RARE", or used ALL CAPS or bad punctuation or no punctuation at all. Tempting, huh. But it shows how absurd the old "open feedback" was. Makes much more sense the way it is now.
Despite my grumbling every time eBay monkeys with their format and forces me back to the bottom of the learning curve, I must say, they've come a very, very long way since I joined up in '99.
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
As a Seller: I leave feedback immediately and ship within a day- leaving tracking and shipping info with the buyer.
(I'd like the buyer to leave feedback when received so I know it arrived/they're happy- but that isn't always the case.)
As a Buyer: The moment the item arrives I leave feedback as a way the seller knows it arrived/I am happy.
Courtesy on eBay, for me, doesn't involve the other parties actions of civility, or not. I don't allow others behavior to dictate my own.
I have noticed buyers are leaving less F/B. No incentive, I guess.
<< <i>When I buy things on EBAY if I dont receive feedback before the item gets to me I usually take a star off for communication. >>
eBay's policy is that sellers can earn an automatic 5 star rating for communication without leaving feedback for the buyer. Since you have a personal policy that conflicts with this, do you contact sellers in advance of bidding to make them aware of it?
<< <i>When I buy things on EBAY if I dont receive feedback before the item gets to me I usually take a star off for communication. >>
How nice of you!
The name is LEE!
<< <i>When I buy things on EBAY if I dont receive feedback before the item gets to me I usually take a star off for communication. >>
If the seller does not communicate with the buyer at all (what Ebay wants) the seller automatically gets 5 stars. I like to communicate but don't specifically to avoid selling to someone like you who, despite excellent service, will ding me for not leaving feedback first.
What you do strikes me as similar to buyers who leave 4 stars when you charge only half of the actual shipping cost. Of course, this is in some part because Ebay wants shipping to be free even though - and it might be shocking to them - it's not.
<< <i>
<< <i>When I buy things on EBAY if I dont receive feedback before the item gets to me I usually take a star off for communication. >>
eBay's policy is that sellers can earn an automatic 5 star rating for communication without leaving feedback for the buyer. Since you have a personal policy that conflicts with this, do you contact sellers in advance of bidding to make them aware of it? >>
Spot on!
<< <i>When I buy things on EBAY if I dont receive feedback before the item gets to me I usually take a star off for communication. >>
Miss use of the system like this is part of the reason eBay has made that rating unavailable to buyers if the seller prints the shipping label within one day of payment.
<< <i>
<< <i>When I buy things on EBAY if I dont receive feedback before the item gets to me I usually take a star off for communication. >>
Miss use of the system like this is part of the reason eBay has made that rating unavailable to buyers if the seller prints the shipping label within one day of payment. >>
It's the shipping time, not the communication rating which relates to the printing of the label.
The whole system have become just absurd and Ebay becomes more dictatorial and seller unfriendly - the result of no real competition.
I do agree that buyers like lmman make ebay even more frustrating.