eBay to get rid of negative feddback, sort of...

HMTKSteve

article

eBay has decided to get rid of negative and neutral feedback for sellers. Buyers can still leave negative feedback but sellers can not. Ebay says they are doing this to improve the service for customers but are they not missing the point that the have two sets of customers, buyers AND sellers. They need both to run their business as eBay does not do any selling of their own but instead collects fees from both sides.

I think this is bone-headed on the part of eBay. I read a lot of comments from sellers who hold back their feedback in case the buyer leaves them a negative feedback rating. My personal view is that as soon as payment is received the seller should leave feedback and upon receipt of the item the buyer should leave feedback. I have always done feedback this way.

I do have one exception. If a customer is not satisfied with the deal I am willing to work with them up and until they post negative feedback. Once the buyer posts feedback I consider the whole deal complete.

Apreche

I don't think sellers should be able to leave feedback for buyers. eBay can detect if the buyer paid the seller, through Paypal, and that's all the buyer is obligated to do. Why bother the seller with having to click positive or negative feedback if eBay can do it automatically for them? Buyers should only be able to leave negative feedback if they did not receive the product, as there is no way to detect that.

HMTKSteve

I agree, however...

eBay is forcing Sellers to either leave positive feedback or no feedback at all.

Kilarney

The main concern is that buyers will demand things by threatening negative feedback. For example, "refund me $10 or I'll leave negative feedback."

I guess that's why they are doing away with negative feedback.

Apreche

eBay is forcing Sellers to either leave positive feedback or no feedback at all.

I don't think it's a problem, it just changes the dynamic a bit. Thing of it like Digg where you can see Diggs, but not buries. The only problem I see is that it will be hard to tell the difference between someone who sells a lot, and has few positive feedbacks, and a new seller. They need to show how many sales someone has made in addition to the number of positive feedbacks they have. Also, lots of casual eBayers, like myself, ignore all that feedback bs. How do you tell the difference between someone who doesn't care about leaving feedback and someone who purposefully doesn't leave it?

Rym

Also, lots of casual eBayers, like myself, ignore all that feedback bs.

Hear hear!

People are scary about their feedback: it's one of the reasons I really, really dislike Ebay.

HungryJoe

I don't mean to jump on a bandwagon, but I have never checked those feedback comments regarding a seller. Most of them are completely useless. On the rare occasions when I actually buy something from eBay, I am very annoyed when the seller starts to tell me that I should leave feedback. I think feedback should be limited to exceptional circumstances, e.g. if a seller took your money and then sent you an item that was not the item described or didn't send anything at all.

Neito

if a seller took your money and then sent you an item that was not the item described or didn't send anything at all.

Dave

I disagree. Feedback is very important because it, like the memo line in checks, allows me to write ridiculous shit like:

"Fantastic Customer. A tribute to the Agrarian Mythos."

or

"The seller was not a dinosaur. This contributed to my experience."

If they take that away, one of my many little joys will be removed from this earth.

Apreche

If they take that away, one of my many little joys will be removed from this earth.

Use it on Amazon reviews.