Buyers not leaving feedback

[camille46]

I have about nine buyers who did not leave a feedback.  I even emailed them and politely reminded them to do so.  I take pride in how I wrap the items I ship and I am very descriptive about what I am selling.  So I do not understand if this is a regular problem.  I leave my feedback immediately for them upon receipt of their funds and my shipping.  I even tried delaying my feedback for a few to see if they responded first.  I have had not complaints from any of these buyers.  What's up??????

[badgers_36]

From time to time I want to sell something on eBay. ...

I don't know what the numbers have to be, but it seems like a person like myself who goes out of his way to produce flawless transactions should be able to get to the point where my actions earm me the trust of eBay - even if I've only ever sold a dozen things or so over the time I've been a member.

When you and I joined ebay, our "reputation" was based upon all of our activity since the day we joined.

That is no longer the case.

ebay now only considers a user's "selling reputation' for a 12 month period as "valid".

Being an extremely "occasional seller" since 2000...I've only ever sold a dozen things or so over the time I've been a member...your payments will remain in "Paypal Detention" until you start making ebay more money by selling more than a few items in a 12 month period.

On our original/selling ID, we haven't sold since spring 2008.

Between  '99 - '08, we had over 2000 sales [one neg/one neutral]...although our FB number on that ID indicates only around 1/2 that amount.

Were we to start selling today, not only would our payments also be placed into "Paypal Detention" as are yours , we would also have an "ebay determined" selling limit in place...You can sell up to 30 items or up to $1,500.00 per month, whichever comes first...until ebay determines we "honorable sellers".

[dee_doo]

The only time that i don't leave feedback as a buyer is when the seller doesn't leave me positive feedback when i pay.

When i pay immediately after winning an auction, i've fulfilled my end of the transaction and feedback should given to me.

When sellers ONLY leaves feedback when i do, i see this as pure extortion and not only i don't give feedback if satisfied but i'll never buy from that person ever again.

[gennus8]

As a Buyer on ebay ( I have not sold anything as of yet), and I have several hundred purchases, the reason I may not leave feedback is twofold:

1. If the Seller hasn't left me feedback after I paid promptly then I may not leave feedback for Seller.

2. Since all of my purchases are public record, and anyone can see what I have purchased, I might not want everyone and their mother in my business.

If   a  Seller emails me and asks for feedback, I assure them I will if they will.

[alneeder1]

I love your post about not poking a sleeping snake.  I have been in the habit of sending a notice to buyers about whether they have received an item after 2 weeks of paying.  I very rarely hear back from any of these buyers - not whether they have indeed received their item or any feedback whatsoever.  I have always answered any inquiries about an item in a timely manner because I take some unusual pride in making customers happy with the entire transaction.  I am a small seller on eBay, and have been doing this for over 7 years as a very enjoyable hobby from my regular, very stressful job as a bankruptcy specialist and will continue to sell on eBay until the point where it becomes too cumbersome to try to get around new restrictions that eBay seems to impose on a weekly basis.  As a high note, when the very few customers lately take the time to leave feedback it has been very gratifying.

[alneeder1]

Please on behalf of all small sellers - we really do want to know if an item is not what you expected it to be.  Feedback and communication is the only way we have to know if you are satisfied with a purchase.  AND, I truly honor any requests from my buyers - whether it is to research shipping alternatives, to refund entire purchase price if merchandise does not meet your expectations, or if you did not receive an item - no questions asked.

[fourchette]

I agree with you and I tend to think that the reason sellers aren't allowed to leave negative feedback now is due to their holding out on feedback for paying buyers (unfortunately, this has swung much too far in the opposite direction). Mind you, I'm sure there are unreasonable buyers who also pay immediately (and about whom sellers should be warned) but I'd like to think they're in the minority. As for me, the only times I haven't left feedback for sellers is when I should've left negative feedback but settled for the e-equivalent  of a tongue-lashing, e.g. the seller who, after my request to mark my purchase "fragile, handle with care," sent me back a very sanctimonious reply to the effect that she knew what she was doing (because, after all, everyone is a knowledgeable retailer online--the Internet told them so). Needless to say, my NIB purchase arrived cosmetically damaged due to its not having been packed properly. I was livid, I sent a nasty e-mail, but I didn't leave feedback.

[fourchette]

I had the same experience the one time I sold something. I'd been a member for 12 years at the time, have perfect feedback as a buyer, and PayPal has to hold the money for my $30 BIN sale because I'm guilty until proven innocent? In addition, I've been reporting a seller here for years provides his phone number in his listings; if you contact him, as requested, he tries to sell you the very expensive listing OFF eBay. Does eBay do anything? No. How can you trust a business that's so obviously skewed to favor one side?

[hunterchaz1989]

I stopped leaving feedback till item shows delivered by tracking. Then I wait for buyer feedback. They leave none - I leave none. But, I do get auto reminders from ebay - how important feedback is for buyers, especially new members. Reminds me of second grade. "Hay Ma, teacher put a gold star next to my name." I am not six, please.

[hunterchaz1989]

Hmm, then what you want is to allow negitive feedback from sellers. Or you can only leave positive FB for sellers. And yes, it feels like extorsion when negitive feedback is received as retaliation from a buyer. Feedback should be equal on both sides of the aisle. Wow, just can't see how metrics are fair the way it stands.

[concentric-groove]

Buyers have no reason to leave good feedback. Feedback exists only for leaving bad feedback when you feel like leaving bad feedback. What godly reason would a buyer have for leaving good feedback? What if their item breaks a week later and they can't leave bad feedback because they stupidly left good feedback?

[racestuff4sale]

Isn't it great to have a system that sellers rely on getting positive feedback, yet buyers don't bother? I stopped leaving FB on payments and now wait to receive it first. Hasn't changed a thing. I currently have about 100 unleft feedbacks. People just don't give a **bleep** anymore, unlike years ago when you ran nearly 100%. And don't blame it on just the newbies. I check every buyers feedback page and had someone with 361 rating and they had never left a feedback for anyone. Then I had one above 800. I also run across those that ONLY leave neutrals and negatives. I began including a note with each shipment letting them know to leave feedback to assure me that they were happy with their purchase and to confirm that they received it. No change, I don't waste my ink anymore.

Ebay should set the feedback system up so that we get an automated tick added to our rating after the 90 days is up, if the buyer does not voluntarily leave a feedback. If sellers depend on it, then we should get a little more fairness from eBay's side.

[luc57]

The lack of feedback from buyers is a real problem - I don't sell much, but lately the feedback just isn't being sent by buyers.

I think what ebay should do is that if a seller leaves feedback - it goes into a hold, and doesn't get assigned to the buyer unless he reciprocates the feedback - but the twist is that the buyer can see that the seller has left feedback, but doesn't get it added to his FB total until he reciprocates.

[dnlrobinson]

Buyers may consider it "a bother and a chore", but it can be devastating for the sellers, since we lose our seller statii and get dinged with more fees. So you're costing us money by not leaving feedback, and in turn we have to raise our prices. Taking less than a minute to give some feedback doesn't seem to be asking for anything extraordinary.

[dfcastle]

I am getting frustrated by buyers not leaving feedback and anxious that they are somehow not pleased. I am trying an experiment of leaving feedback for 50% of the buyers, to see if there is a higher rate of feedback from those for whom I leave feedback first. So far, after a couple of weeks, no difference. Feedback rate is very low (10-15%) among both groups.

[anonymoose99]

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@dfcastle wrote:

I am getting frustrated by buyers not leaving feedback and anxious that they are somehow not pleased. I am trying an experiment of leaving feedback for 50% of the buyers, to see if there is a higher rate of feedback from those for whom I leave feedback first. So far, after a couple of weeks, no difference. Feedback rate is very low (10-15%) among both groups.

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Since April 1st, you've left feedback for 41 buyers. You're received feedback from 21 buyers.

Please enlighten us about the "special" math you used to determine that you have a 10-15% rate of return.