Changes in feedback rating on eBay

Syracusian · April 25, 2007 5:09PM

Feedback System Changes

Buyers will soon be able to leave Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs) on four aspects of a transaction: accuracy of Item Description, Communication, Shipping Time, and Shipping and Handling charges. In addition to the current overall positive, negative, or neutral rating and comment, DSRs will appear on the Feedback Profile page after 10 or more buyers have left them.

The item title and price will also be visible on the Feedback Profile page for 90 days after Feedback has been left, so buyers can more easily determine the item associated with the Feedback.

These exciting changes add a new dimension to eBay's reputation system, increasing transparency, improving a buyer's ability to accurately rate a transaction, and enabling our best sellers to stand out.

Rickc300 · April 25, 2007 5:40PM

This sounds interesting, but I wonder how many will take the time to actually do it. I have just gotten over the 500 feedback rating even though I have completed over 1000 transactions on eBay. The more complex a system is, the less likely it is going to be used IMO...

Syracusian · April 25, 2007 6:06PM

Oh, I intend to use it allright, especially the 4th section, but the others too, at least in the beginning. Besides, I don't think that there will be a choice not to use it. This way, you leave a positive feedback, but you make sure to mention that you weren't happy with the 30 day wait for a pricey item, or the excessive shipping etc.

Congrats on your 500, we all tend to repeat deals with the ones who satisfied us the most, don't we?

clarkbar04 · April 25, 2007 6:07PM

<< This sounds interesting, but I wonder how many will take the time to actually do it. >>

I wondered the same thing as soon as I saw it.

BTW I have 644 feedback - mostly as a buyer tho! 137 as a seller. 100%.

Rickc300 · April 25, 2007 6:50PM

<< Congrats on your 500, we all tend to repeat deals with the ones who satisfied us the most, don't we? >>

Thank you! Yes, I do tend to keep coming back to my favorite sellers and buyers keep coming back to me as well... Maybe because we offer the same items in our tastes of collecting? I have only dealt with a few people here on the forums but they are more likely to get my business again than someone here I have not dealt with.

I wish the feedback ratings would include repeat buyers/sellers. I can leave you 20 positive feedbacks and it only rates as if only bought one item (coin) from you, then if something should go bad, I can leave a negative feedback with the same weight. 20 VS 1 with the same rating... Something is flawed there in my opinion. Then again, if all were like the people here things would never get to that point. It is amazing how well things can be worked out with just a little communication like we all have here on the "boards"

harasha · April 25, 2007 7:12PM

I do not know if the "Shipping Time" is a fair criterion. One of my favorite vendors is in Brazil. Great descriptions, fully candid communication. However, shipping from Brazil is terrible. The one negative I ever saw regarding this vendor was some guy who complaned about the shipping time. This, despite the fact that the vendor expressly details the time it is going to take for an item to get where it is going to.
I guess that what I am trying to say is that Shipping Time is something out of the control of the vendor. The vendor should just make sure that the buyer knows about potential delays.

ajaan · April 25, 2007 8:33PM

I wish they had an extended feedback for sellers to leave buyers. For example:

<< Paid in reasonable time. >>

MacCrimmon · April 25, 2007 10:00PM

<< I do not know if the "Shipping Time" is a fair criterion. One of my favorite vendors is in Brazil. Great descriptions, fully candid communication. However, shipping from Brazil is terrible. The one negative I ever saw regarding this vendor was some guy who complaned about the shipping time. This, despite the fact that the vendor expressly details the time it is going to take for an item to get where it is going to.
I guess that what I am trying to say is that Shipping Time is something out of the control of the vendor. The vendor should just make sure that the buyer knows about potential delays. >>

Issues with "shipping time" will be the biggest grievance to deal with. Most people do not realize it takes up to 4x longer to receive Registered packages...........we'll see how this one goes.

Daltonista · April 25, 2007 10:06PM

Very interesting to me...especially the fourth category about S&H, which I believe I will use lavishly, as I'm often appalled at the sellers who are using this as a profit center, or as a side enterprise to cover their mortgage payments and morning stops at Dunkin' Donuts on their way to the post office.

I've been both buying and selling very part-time on eBay (world coins and rare books and vinyl as a seller; Davis coppers and Dalton silver tokens & antique college mugs as a buyer) for eight years now as collegianakid, and with 847 recorded feedbacks I still have "only" a 99.9% rating, thanks to ONE, SINGLE negative received 5-6 years ago as a flame from a seller I criticized for charging me 6x what it cost her to ship an item...her negative amounted to "I don't like his attitude." These new categories will permit us to leave a little more "news you can use" about sellers without intiating a flame war.

BTW, my "actual" feedback rating at this point, calculated using reality-based arithmetic, should be something more on the order of 99.9912%, but it appears that one negative amounts to a life sentence at eBay...no way to ever work it off, I guess. That percentage would be even higher, of course, if the calculation were based instead on the 947 transactions for which feedback was actually left. Like many of you -- and echoing Rickc300, above -- I've had lots of happy bidders who keep coming back, or I'll buy multiple items from a single seller, whether over time or in one lucky evening.

What do you folks think? Maybe if I volunteer for a couple of years of community service on weekends I'll be able to work off that one lousy feedback?

satootoko · April 26, 2007 5:10AM

My fear is that the sellers who refuse to leave feedback until the buyer does will consider a low rating in any of the special categories as the equivalent of a neg, and respond accordingly.

spoon · April 26, 2007 10:00AM

<< My fear is that the sellers who refuse to leave feedback until the buyer does will consider a low rating in any of the special categories as the equivalent of a neg, and respond accordingly.

>>

Me too!

That, and even the best sellers out there can expect to have mid-level ratings on shipping time and cost categories.

The worry, I think, shouldn't be whether anyone takes the time to leave this extra feedback, but whether it remains relevant. Will buyers refer to it and trust it after seeing some of their favorite power sellers getting hit with low ratings.

It's a nice idea. But with the social aspects that make eBay oh-so-special, I'm not sure it'll be all it was intended to be.

spoon · April 26, 2007 10:08AM

Also, (I haven't read the full press release) will these ratings be compounded for every transaction? These are transaction specific things after all. Or will each buyer have one vote regardless of repeat business as the current positive/negative system is calculated?

Another thing, leaving the item title with feedback is nice, would be nicer if it were permanent though. Or at least leave the category breadcrumb (Coins > World > Europe > Germany) permanently with feedback so people can know what someone specializes in. That way when a seller who hasn't been active for two years pops up with a batch of high value items out of nowhere, we can see whether he's ever dealt with coins before or has been a beanie baby peddler.

satootoko · April 26, 2007 10:28AM

<< It's a nice idea. But with the social aspects that make eBay oh-so-special, I'm not sure it'll be all it was intended to be. >>

Why should this "improvement" be different from all the others that don't accomplish what EBay tells you they will?

wybrit · April 26, 2007 12:52PM

Buyers will soon be able to leave Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs) on four aspects of a transaction: accuracy of Item Description, Communication, Shipping Time, and Shipping and Handling charges. In addition to the current overall positive, negative, or neutral rating and comment, DSRs will appear on the Feedback Profile page after 10 or more buyers have left them.

Just in time for the exorbitant postal hikes and rule changes May 14. Registered overseas fee goes from $7.90 to $10.15, just like that. Shipping a slabbed piece to the UK will run $12.85 plus packaging costs.

Changes in feedback rating on eBay

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