Don't give feedback to sellers until they give it to you.......

[wlkngdshbg]

Time and time again, I buy something on Ebay, I pay immediately with PayPal, and the seller does not give me any feedback until after I leave it for him first.

This is agains Ebay policy I am almost sure. A bit ago Ebay changed policy so sellers could not leave "retalitory" feedback, that is giving a buyer bad feedback who paid quickly, just because they gave well-deserved bad feedback for a good reason.

This ruined the feedback system for ebay, making it useless.

Now, apparently most sellers simply hold off on giving feedback as long as possible. Are they hoping the buyer gets tired of waiting? Are they hoping the buyer simply slips up and leaves it before they are supposed to?

Whatever the reason, there is no GOOD one for not leaving positive feedback for a buyer that pays lightning fast with PayPal. The buyers job is done at that point, and done very well.

Then it is up to the SELLER to pack the item well, ship it promptly, and have the item be as described in the auction.

If the seller screws up or sells something that is not as advertised, then they damn well deserve bad feedback so that the next buyer can be informed of the bad apple.

So in a nutshell, if you are a buyer on ebay, lets start holding that feedback back until the seller does what they are supposed to for a prompt-paying customer. And if they do not leave feedback, lets report them to Ebay so the feedback system is not compromised as it once was, and so buyers can be properly informed of a sellers performance when they are shopping.

Thanks

[rmz83]

This can be fixed very easily.

35 days for Feedback, if the seller or buyer don't give any feedback (manually) during that period, eBay give automatically 5 stars.

[miniaturephotos]

I know this will be so hard for some of you to believe but there are some buyers that buy items, claim they weren't what was sent, file a claim, keep the item, and get the money jerked out of their account with theft of the item. Why is this so hard to grasp for some buyers? Now sellers can't leave negatives for true lousy buyers. What else are they supposed to do? My advice is that we all just stop selling. Then you all can complain there is nothing to buy on ebay.

We wait for you to leave feedback so we can make sure you won't say you didn't like the item or were not offered a refund. Blame ebay for its own policies. Most of us have had it.

[jacquitarocks]

Very insightful. As a buyer and seller I will try to give feedback and receive feedback whenever possible 

[us-remi]

I agree! I'm having same problem. Went from UK to USA eBay accounts and there is a difference.

[urieaal]

seriously, why would you leave feedback before you get your item?

I agree with the above post. I DO NOT leave feedback untill i get my item and look it over. If its as described and well packaged i leave + FB if its not more damaged then i when i bought it on ebay i still leave + FB with a - in the FB like package had no bubble wrap...

PS sellers I hate ordering a game or something that's easily damaged and you were to cheap even though i paid your s&h fee's to add bubble wrap!

[jfou7904]

I am a  buyer and seller. I leave feedback, but a lot of times buyers don't leave feedback, which is really important for sellers. I get frustrated with that, as a buyer I never leave feedback until the seller does first.

[reitelle]

I'm relatively new to ebay meaning that I've had an account since 2008 but I didn't purchase my first item until about a month ago. This is my policy on feedback:

As a buyer I give the feedback as soon as I receive the item and verify that it is in good form and am satisfied.

As a seller, there are two ways I gauge when to leave feedback

1. As soon as the buyer leaves me feedback, that way I know that everything went smoothly and no issues need to be resolved. 

2. If they did not leave me feedback immediately upon receiving the item, I would hold off until their payment COMPLETELY cleared to my paypal and was no longer processing, that way I could make sure the buyer was not scamming me. It's sad that I have to think that way but it's a strange world we live in.

As a seller, I have received immediate positive feedback from my buyers but as a buyer, I have one person whom I purchased an item from and left positive feedback from a month ago and they still have not left me feedback, I'm debating whether or not to send them a casual email about it, I'm not trying to be pushy but as a newbie every little piece of feedback counts for me.

[party_buzz]

I am a seller and i have now stopped leaving feedback as soon as a buyer buys something simple reason is they don't return feedback. There feedback is far more important to me a seller than to them as a hobby shopper. I have over 300 non leaving feed backs at current and i have left them all feedback as soon as they paid, so how is this fair there feedback is crucial to my business that's what i am rated on. So as of today notes will go out to the buyer in there Parcels to please leave feedback as soon as there products arrive to know they have received there goods OK and feedback will then be returned. 🙂

[gblargg]

Here's my take on when people should leave feedback (tl; dr: buyer leaves it after transaction is fully complete and everything's resolved, THEN seller leaves feedback, no sooner)

As a seller, my duty is to ship the item using the method listed on the item's page and resolve any problems related to the item not matching the description. Thus, the buyer will wait until either the item has been received and matches the description, or if not, the seller has resolved things satisfactorily or refused to do so and there is nothing more that can be done. After all this is done, the buyer should leave feedback, since only at this point can the buyer know how the whole thing went. This also serves as a signal to the seller that the transaction is all done.

As a buyer, my duty is to pay promptly, provide a proper shipping address, and if the item doesn't match the description, politely contact the seller to get it resolved. Thus, the SELLER will wait until the buyer has given feedback before leaving theirs. If the seller left feedback the moment the item was shipped, it wouldn't take into account the buyer claiming the item never arrived, making a false claim that the item didn't match the description, or the buyer having a problem but not attempting to resolve it in a civil manner. Leaving feedback prematurely like this would cause scammers and unruly buyers to get good feedback, which would be a disservice to the eBay community.

[juggernaut_comics]

NO!!  Sellers, YOU should give feedback SECOND.  A buyer buys an item and pays for it..thats all a buyer has to do. Big deal. Buyer doesn't pay, seller doesn't ship and reports buyer.

HOWEVER (and as I and many sellers know first hand), things happen that the seller in very good faith NEVER intended in the shipping of the item or in the interpretation of the description that the Buyer gets ANGRY about (shipping damage, nick in item that was clearly visible in picture and described in ad, pissed of at shipping costs when sellers don't make the postage rates.....USPS and UPS DO!!!!).

I have had one compliant about shipping where the buyer would not return the item for a full refund but rather pissed and moaned and threatened to leave neg feedback. Finally eBay explained to him to just get a refund. He did and STILL left neutral feedback. AHole.

I currently have an overseas buyer threatening to leave negative feedback because HE HAD TO PAY CUSTOMS FEES. That is not my responsibility to be aware of every customs law and fee around the world. It is HIS responsibility to calculate all of his costs in buying merchandise whether he intends to own it or "flip" it...period!!!

I have learned from more than one experience:

SELLERS..wait for the buyer to leave you feedback....PERIOD. Especially dealing with international buyers.

[zyonite]

SELLERS..wait for the buyer to leave you feedback....PERIOD. Especially dealing with international buyers.

Wrong, both buyers and sellers - leave you feedback if and whenever you feel like it, for whatever agenda or things going on in your mind, nobody cares, because feedback is optional.

With that being said, I stopped leaving feedback first a long time ago, I couldn't care less if seller gets one less positive for not leaving positive, they need positive feedbacks, not me. I already have enough feedback score to go unhindered in many item listings.

[anemoneantiques]

Couldn't agree with you more. I used to automatically leave positive feedback for buyers as soon as they paid. I felt that was their only obligation. After some run-ins with bizarre buyers, I've realized that I don't want to automatically endorse someone until I see how they deal with possible returns, exchanges and issues of buyer's remorse. I've had a few really ill-tempered buyers who communicated with me through messages in a way that you would never speak to someone in person. All of the abusive communications were over issues that could be very easily resolved through calm communication, and all were attributable to the buyer not having looked at the photos, read the description or understanding that I don't control the domestic or international postal system.

In two recent instances that really raised my hackles, I've had buyers continue to ask me questions well after the transaction was concluded, in a stalker-ish nature. One repeatedly suggested meeting in person to have coffee or a drink, and the other told me that the house next to him was up for rent, in case I'd like to move closer to him. As a result, I've changed my return address to a business center, at extra cost, but it's well worth the worry over an angry or obsessed buyer wanting to come to my home.

In a perfect world, I'd love to leave buyers positive feedback right after they pay. However, there are just too many ways that buyers can turn the post-sale experience into a negative one, even an abusive or physically frightening one for sellers who don't have a non-residential return address.

Feedback is totally voluntary. I have no problem with sellers or buyers who don't leave me feedback. I invariably leave good feedback for neutral or good transactions- I do not expect perfection. However, it's important for sellers not to leave positive feedback for buyers who exhibit abusive or alarming behavior in the weeks after a sale. I'm pretty sure that all of the buyers with whom I've had alarming post-sale interactions have behaved like this before, although they all had 100% perfect feedback.

[darnellmc]

This Buying guide explains why it is the Buyer, not the Seller who should leave feedback first.  And the Buyer's feedback should be made just after they receive and inspect the merchandise.

http://www.ebay.com/gds/who-should-leave-feedback-first/10000000004688841/g.html

[ijustshophere]

Thanks for that link I  have bought 5 items this week off Ebay only one

seller left feedback even though all were paid for just after auction ended.

When a seller that's paid instant and then can't find the time to thank the seller makes me

thank they are hiding something about what they just sold that's how I feel as a buyer.

[p*t*r777]

Buyers & Sellers just have no idea how inportant feedback is for both sellers & buyers; I mean we all in this together right know that feedback is not obligated but think most just simply think are on top a mountain have right to look down at other people feeling they better than others basically most people just simply been spoiled..When all sellers up on here ebay just trying to make ends meat is only right to give in return positive feedback.

It is why starting today am not leaving feedback to sellers until they give their feedback and in return will do the same.