I like it when sellers help OTHER sellers to get more feedback. They do it by PARTICIPATING.

[phanoto]

One of the reasons I leave feedback for every customer is to help other sellers to get more feedback. 

The Principles of Reciprocity is well documented as it relates to individuals.  Also, eBay tell us how it works with a buyer and seller:  If the buyer leaves feedback, the seller is more likely to leave feedback;  if the seller leaves feedback, the buyer is more likely to leave feedback.  There may be some exceptions, but we know this is the way it works in most cases.

The Principles of Reciprocity also works as it relates to two groups, but documentation is more difficult to find.  When one group does something nice or beneficial for the other group, the other group is more likely to do something nice or beneficial for the first group. 

Buyers and sellers are Reciprocal Groups with "feedback" being the thing which can be reciprocated.  When more  members of one group leave feedback, more of the members of the other group will leave feedback. 

[castlemagicmemories]

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@rosachs wrote:

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Feedback Extortion has always been a violation of feedback-related eBay Policy.  My normal response, which so far has worked well, is to simply report the buyer & their comments (Report A Member - bookmark the page) and then simply ignore the threat and handle the issue as I would any other.

It is a violation of policy but I feel that Ebay has come to relax many of their rules in favor of buyer retention, and in the case  of feedback extortion, the feeling may be that it is only natural to mention possible consequences, negative feedback, as leverage.  I am not saying this is right, but I can understand why that view might be taken.

Do I know that eBay follows up on all my reports?  Nope - there's no confirmation.  However, many of the buyers I report simply shut up and follow eBay policy -- I get no more threats or implied threats.  And as far as I can recall, none have left negative feedback as yet.  Or if they did, it was easy enough to call eBay and have it removed, as I had previously reported the threat and now the buyer has carried thru on that threat.

Perhaps the buyer gets an educational message stating that it is against Ebay policy?  I don't know.  I have never seen a post that stated that.

eBay's not dumb, but they don't go looking for these types of issues either.  If we sellers were to report ALL the buyers who engaged in this type of activity, eBay would have to acknowledge it as an issue and address is more actively.  If only a few report these buyers, it stays a 'non-issue' due to the very low level of reports received.

Possibly.

Think about it -- buyers complain about excessive shipping and eBay puts FVF on shipping.  Yeah, it's a money-grab, but they had the perfect reason due to the very vocal buyers.  Why can't sellers do the same?  Why can't we rub eBay's nose in the problem until changes are made?  But beware...  if eBay may just be waiting for a reason to eliminate the feedback system altogether and rank sellers strictly on performance and returns... making both of those things much more critical than they are today, and making it easier for eBay to squeeze the small or marginal seller, rather than bother to try and help them.

There's a saying, be careful what you wish for.

Buyers who threaten or curse or are otherwise 'disruptive' (since eBay so likes that term) should always be reported.  Until such time as eBay eliminates the problem or accepts that buyers are not always good people.

Threatening, profanity, hostility, abuse should not be tolerated by anyone, buyers or sellers.

-Bob.

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[castlemagicmemories]

 I also think if we are going to stay with FB and apparently make it so important, than any buyer or seller who doesn't rate is an instant 5 Star when the time is up. No gripes from either side? Positive FB for all.

That overlooks the choice that buyer or seller can make to not leave any feedback and actually takes that away from them, and as often said, that can result in receiving negs from those who decided their issues did not warrant negative feedback, since those buyers may then post to be sure an unwarranted positive, 5 star feedback isn't received.  

You don't know there are no gripes and you can't assume there aren't any just because negative feedback has not been posted.  Take that away, and many will go to expressing those issues through negative feedback.  

[rosachs]

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:

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@rosachs wrote:

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Think about it -- buyers complain about excessive shipping and eBay puts FVF on shipping.  Yeah, it's a money-grab, but they had the perfect reason due to the very vocal buyers.  Why can't sellers do the same?  Why can't we rub eBay's nose in the problem until changes are made?  But beware...  if eBay may just be waiting for a reason to eliminate the feedback system altogether and rank sellers strictly on performance and returns... making both of those things much more critical than they are today, and making it easier for eBay to squeeze the small or marginal seller, rather than bother to try and help them.

There's a saying, be careful what you wish for.

Buyers who threaten or curse or are otherwise 'disruptive' (since eBay so likes that term) should always be reported.  Until such time as eBay eliminates the problem or accepts that buyers are not always good people.

Threatening, profanity, hostility, abuse should not be tolerated by anyone, buyers or sellers.

-Bob.

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I totally agree: "Be careful what you wish for...".  I've made that statement many times in many different discussions.  There will always be consequences that were not brought into the discussion, not considered possible.

I've also counseled sellers:  Address the issues and ignore the rest.  I've 'replied' to some customers a dozen times, none sent, before I finally worked past the 'respond in kind, but more' responses and simply addressed the issues.  Part of what motivates me is also the belief that nothing irritates a truly disruptive buyer than a seller who refused to get riled or sink to their level.  Don't give them anything to whine to eBay about and odds are good that calmer heads will prevail.

And when I've needed to report buyers, I do so immediately, even if the transaction or resolution is still in progress.  If they continue, I continue to report each message.  It rarely goes beyond that first inflammatory message... I just work very hard not to sink, to rise above, and totally tick them off.  If they're just upset and not disruptive, my steady/focused response to the issues tends to turn them around, back to conversation and away from arguing.  Not guaranteed, but it works often enough for me.

-Bob.

[castlemagicmemories]

Stating the obvious, but YOU'RE GREAT!

[rosachs]

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:

Stating the obvious, but YOU'RE GREAT!

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Not great - just experienced.  I was selling 'online' back when that meant logging into a local BBS to buy/sell/trade with people all over the country and/or world one slow message at a time.  Back with dial-up modems were all the rage and PCs were speed-rated in MegaHertz and hard drives measured in MegaBytes.  And let's not forget the Turbo button!  🙂

Sometimes people need to hear the obvious to be reminded of it.  It just becomes that much more obvious when someone says it, again.  🙂

-Bob.

[castlemagicmemories]

And when I've needed to report buyers, I do so immediately, even if the transaction or resolution is still in progress.  If they continue, I continue to report each message.  It rarely goes beyond that first inflammatory message... I just work very hard not to sink, to rise above, and totally tick them off.  If they're just upset and not disruptive, my steady/focused response to the issues tends to turn them around, back to conversation and away from arguing.  Not guaranteed, but it works often enough for me.

Must say you are a consummate professional.  You rise above and don't resort to abuse, hostility, and unprofessional behavior to drive someone to abandon their concern.  It takes great courtesy and skill for this.  I used to profusely thank people for their patience (when they didn't display any).  They had no idea that was what I meant.  Never stooping to that level is the mark of exceptional professionalism and customer service.

[phanoto]

It looks to me like almost everyone agrees on when is the best time for a seller to leave feedback.

Sellers wants to leave feedback at a time which satisfies the largest number of the seller's customers if I am not mistaken.

So, all a seller needs to do is read the discussion boards and see if more buyers are saying they prefer that the seller leave feedback at payment; or, if more buyers are saying they prefer that a seller waits until the buyer leaves feedback before the seller leaves feedback. 

[phanoto]

Some sellers dislike eBay's advising buyers to leave feedback if the buyer has not left feedback after a certain length of time.

Some sellers dislike it because it might cause a buyer to leave feedback when the buyer was slightly dissatisfied with the seller, but had decided to not leave feedback.  If the buyer leaves feedback, it would be a neutral or a negative.

This does not bother me at all as a seller, even though it would cause me to sometimes get a neutral or negative feedback.  The reason it does not bother me is that it will cause other seller to get as much or more neutral or negative feedback than I get.  Compared to other sellers, I will look as good or better than I would look  if those buyers had not been advised by eBay to leave feedback