Ebay Feedback Policy
gecko109
Posts: 8,231 ✭
This thread is just a shoot-off of the hotly debated current thread on feedback.
My question is this. Ebay's feedback policy states that a SELLER should leave feedback first upon good funds from the BUYER. I completely disagree with this and here is why. Lets say I sell a nice high end AU SLQ to buyer X. Buyer X sends payment via paypal. I send the coin and leave a pos feedback per ebay policy. A week later buyer X wants a refund. I tell him to send the coin back and no problem. He sends me back a cleaned AU SLQ, same date, different coin. Where the hell is MY recourse? If I refuse to refund, he opens dispute with paypal and wins. And I get neg'd after leaving him positive. That is why as a SELLER, I always leave feedback AFTER the buyer tells me he is happy by leaving me feedback first. I do the opposite when I buy. I get the item, then leave positive first if im happy. Discuss.
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Comments
<< <i>This subject has been discussed a hundred times before. BTW I don't believe that eBay's rules says that the seller must leave FB first.... >>
I agree with this but would like to add this thought. In any given retail transaction where customer and seller are face to face-who is expected to say Thank You first? I have worked in retail all my life and always told the customer Thanks for their business-no matter what the feedback after they left my store. When I sell on ebay, I'm confident that the customer will be satisfied and always Thank them for their purchase as soon as they pay. I resent the sellers who hold out on feedback until they see that I leave them a positive.
<< <i>Says seller SHOULD leave feedback first. >>
How do I leave Feedback?
While leaving Feedback is voluntary, eBay encourages all members to leave Feedback after each transaction is complete. There are different philosophies on whether the buyer or seller should leave Feedback first. Each member may choose the best approach to leaving Feedback for them.
<< <i> Lets say I sell a nice high end AU SLQ to buyer X. Buyer X sends payment via paypal. I send the coin and leave a pos feedback per ebay policy. A week later buyer X wants a refund. I tell him to send the coin back and no problem. He sends me back a cleaned AU SLQ, same date, different coin. Where the hell is MY recourse? >>
Does this happen to you frequently? I'm just curious because in the many thousands of transactions I've done on eBay it has never happened to me, and I generally leave feedback as soon as I have good funds.
Russ, NCNE
Each member must decide how best to manage their reputation. eBay's internal research has shown that sellers who leave feedback upon payment receive a higher percentage of feedback compared to those that wait for the buyer to leave feedback first as confirmation that they are satisfied. Other sellers use automated tools to leave feedback and wait until feedback has been left to leave a comment. Regardless of who leaves feedback first, eBay encourages both members to always leave appropriate feedback.
eBay Link
In my opinion, the transaction is complete when I know the customer is satisfied with his/her purchase, any questions answered, any issues resolved. This happens AFTER buyer posts pos feedback. Yes, I am one who waits for the buyer, and for reasons stated earlier in this thread.
My seller account, 1800+ pos, 99.9% 5 stars. 1 Neg from a buyer who tried to scam a free item 2 years ago when 2nd item was sent, Bagdhad Bob talking bobblehead, WITH signature confirmation after buyer claimed not to get first doll. Buyer got 2 for one and tried for 3. I left a pos by accident meaning to leave a neg. I actually got so uptight about the neg, I offered buyer a 3rd for free to withdraw mutually and was told in terms that must be censored to F&%*( OFF.
Feedback WILL revert to 100% after 2000 *individual* feedbacks if only 1 neg is received. I have 600+ more to go to get back to 100%
<< <i>
<< <i> Lets say I sell a nice high end AU SLQ to buyer X. Buyer X sends payment via paypal. I send the coin and leave a pos feedback per ebay policy. A week later buyer X wants a refund. I tell him to send the coin back and no problem. He sends me back a cleaned AU SLQ, same date, different coin. Where the hell is MY recourse? >>
Does this happen to you frequently? I'm just curious because in the many thousands of transactions I've done on eBay it has never happened to me, and I generally leave feedback as soon as I have good funds.
Russ, NCNE >>
491 positive feedbacks, 1 negative. A few months ago, a buyer of one of my coins emailed me saying he was returning it. This was only the 2nd time anyone ever returned anything. Anyway, he insisted I leave him a positive immediately because he had upheld (paid me) his end of the transaction. For the reason in my OP, I explained that i'd be happy to refund him once I had the coin in hand, and then leave a positive feedback. This for some reason pissed him off. Was it a scam in the making? Who knows for sure Russ. Everything worked out in the end, but why not protect myself? You say its never happened to you. Does that mean since I've never had a break in at my home and been burglarized, I should close my SDB account at the bank and keep my inventory at home? Sometimes Russ, you really make no sense. Other times, I read your posts and am impressed with your insights. You run so hot/cold.
US and British coin collector, and creator of The Ultimate Chuck E. Cheese's and Showbiz Pizza Place Token & Ticket Guide
<< <i>Something tells me that a person who would try to cheat you that way is not really concerned about their feedback rating anyway. >>
Thats a good point, until you think that the less negs on his feedback, the longer he can scam.
Ken
Some sellers even get feedback before the item is shipped since I know them and know what to expect.
I think the feedback system could have been a very positive, insightful tool but it has turned into a buyers weapon which some are not shy at all about either threatening its use or actually using it.
The name is LEE!
<< <i> as a SELLER, I always leave feedback AFTER the buyer tells me he is happy by leaving me feedback first. I do the opposite when I buy. I get the item, then leave positive first if im happy. Discuss. >>
That is exactly what I do also.
eBay's feedback system has too many loopholes in it to give you anything more than a general sense of a buyer or seller's integrity or ethical standards, but probably is slightly better than no system at all, since you can read members' comments about the buyer/seller's efficiency, character, etc.
The biggest drawback is that people can and do hold you hostage to their impending feedback. They may really deserve a neg'. or at best a neutral in their dealings with you, but since they withhold their feedback until you've given yours, you hesitate to give them one knowing that someone with the (lack of) integrity they've demonstrated in the transaction will undoubtedly retaliate by giving you an undeserved neg'.
- Jim