eBay Concierge service allows sellers to remove negative feedback

[tobybiko]

eBay Concierge service is a premium service offered by invite-only. One of the benefits listed is:

Help managing negative feedback

(see https://www.ebay.com/help/account/changing-account-settings/ebay-concierge?id=4358)

How do they accomplish this? Well, I learned today that this is accomplished by allowing a seller to remove up to "10 negative feedback postings per quarter." Yes folks, that's up to 40 negative feedback reviews per year! Not based on anything improper in the feedback but simply as a "courtesy."

And here I thought eBay valued feedback - isn't peer review at the core of their business model? How confident should we be using their platform with the knowledge that sellers can remove the very feedback we as buyers rely on when deciding whether to purchase from a particular seller?

In my situation I purchased a car on eBay Motors. Attempts to resolve issues with the seller were unsuccessful and neither eBay nor eBay Motors would take any action. So I was left with leaving honest negative feedback as my last resort. Imagine my surprise when I learned my feedback was removed! And the seller has done this before. So buyers purchasing used cars on eBay Motors beware! The Seller rating means litterally nothing.

[doc-holmes]

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@lamber9347 wrote:

Sorry but I disagree with your interpretation of feedback. Feedback should be used as a buyer's opinion only. It should not be used to "review" and warn other buyers because that weaponizes it. One person's bad experience doesn't mean others will feel the same. There are plenty of award-winning movies, that make millions at the box office, but personally I hated them. Opinions are unique and different for everyone. Also, there is a small pool of folks who qualify for the concierge service so this isn't something that just any seller can utilize. Caveat emptor applies to any online sale of any item. Best of luck to you....

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Ugh, for me that was the English Patient. I worked at a video store when it was released. I had customers asking me if it was any good. My response? It won 9 Academy awards, but it was the longest, most boring 2 hours and 45 minutes of my life. 

[tobybiko]

I think you proved my point for me. Had I known eBay had a policy of allowing sellers to delete negative feedback without cause I would have looked more closely into the Seller's history, or avoided eBay altogether.

Interesting how no one has actually addressed the point of my post. Not one single reply has addressed the policy of allowing sellers to remove negative feedback without cause and how that might unfairly represent a seller's reputation or rating. Could it be because negative feedback is bad for business?

I don't think most buyers are aware of this policy and therefore I posted here. Feedback ratings are now forever suspect in my view. If you or anyone else cares to address that issue I would be appreciative. Anything else is a red herring and a non sequitur.

[reallynicestamps]

EBay has not used feedback as a measure of member accounts for decades.

It's a matter of opinion only.

Some/many buyers use it as a measure of trust.

Some sellers use it for the same purpose, but not the FB received.

allowing sellers to preserve a 100% rating despite numerous (up to 40 per year) negative reviews

Ratios.

A seller with 100 FB and 40 negs, would have a 60% rating.

A seller with 100,000 FB and 40 negs would have a 100% rating, because of 99,960 happy customers.

every eBay rep I spoke to

Yeah.

The phone reps have a terrible reputation for getting you off the phone as soon as possible even if that means giving you the advice you want to hear instead of the advice you need to have.

[reallynicestamps]

Should eBay allow Sellers to manipulate the Concierge program to disappear negative feedback that would serve to put a buyer on notice that a seller is not to be trusted?

Given the information you posted in #12, I strongly doubt such a small time /occasional seller would qualify for the TRS+/PowerSeller  programs which require many more sales over a shorter period of time.

Even those don't have "concierge" service. I'm not sure of the qualifications for that.

[tobybiko]

I tend to agree which is why I was surprised the Leadership rep brought it up and why they are still investigating the seller in my case. 

The point still stands...most buyers feel confident buying from a seller with a 100% rating and I thought the Community might like to know the ratings are manipulated.

[lovelycuratedcloset]

Question for you - did you threaten to leave negative feedback if your money wasn't returned?

[lovelycuratedcloset]

As to your question about removing negative feedback - feedback is literally life or death for every eBay store. Negative feedback can cost a store thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars. eBay doesn't arbitrarily remove feedback. If there's a valid reason why the feedback shouldn't be there, they will remove it at the seller's request. Concierge service or not, we all have that option and a limited number of requests. If the feedback is deemed true and valid, it won't be removed - but if the buyer has violated policy in any way, it will be removed. There are many ways in which this can happen. My guess is that you violated policy in a way you're unaware of.

[tobybiko]

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@lovelycuratedcloset wrote:

eBay doesn't arbitrarily remove feedback. If there's a valid reason why the feedback shouldn't be there, they will remove it at the seller's request. Concierge service or not, we all have that option and a limited number of requests. If the feedback is deemed true and valid, it won't be removed - but if the buyer has violated policy in any way, it will be removed. There are many ways in which this can happen. My guess is that you violated policy in a way you're unaware of.

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Are you a Concierge member? If not how do you know? Because that is not how it was explained to me. I only know what I was told and that is that "participation in the Concierge program entitles members to up to 10 feedback removals per quarter without cause and that could be what happened here." 

If you are correct in your description of the program I would not feel it was dishonest because you are talking about removal with cause.  I understand the concept of feedback removed for cause and I think all buyers understand and accept that. 

But that is not what I was told. So should I believe your supposition or the actual words of the Leadership group?

Again you folks seem intent on going into my situation which is not what my post was about aside from the fact that it is how I learned of the Concierge program - that is the relevance here. here.  But since you insist: I did not violate any policy and that has been confirmed by every person reviewing the situation including leadership and that is why the seller is still being investigated.  As stated above it is highly unlikely my particular seller is a member of the Concierge program so why you all insist on continuing to talk about that is beyond me 

[vintagecraze50]

I belong to the concierge service and let me tell you they do not play favorites with us. There has to be a valid reason for a feedback removal whether you belong to this or not. The folks at this service are absolutely excellent and answer and return calls promptly. So fast it is unbelievable. I love this service because if I do have a problem they are right there to help me solve any problem whatsoever. 

[vintagecraze50]

Feedback removal does not happen on here without a cause. 

[campanaelia]

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@vintagecraze50 wrote:

Feedback removal does not happen on here without a cause. 

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I disagree, myself and many other buyers have seen ebay remove feedback w/o cause many times. For me they have removed EVERY neg and neutral I've left for the past 3 years. I used to contact customer service and they agreed there was no reason every time. I rarely leave any FB now.

[reallynicestamps]

@vintagecraze50 

How did you get invited to this Concierge service?

What qualifies a seller or buyer for the service?

A Canadian seller has mentioned using it from time to time, but he has also been around since the 20th century and has a five figure feedback number.

(I'm assuming that this is a posting ID.)

[vintagecraze50]

It was a long time ago. Not completely sure why probably has something to do with sales figures, we were doing over 169,000 a year in sales on here when invited.

[exploringsacredspace]

Wow! So feedback is no longer accurate!!!  If they can removed negative feedback, buyers are buying under false pretenses!!,!  THATS’S NOT RIGHT!!!

[imac7065]

I am MSO and have only seen feedback removed for cause.. IE the the feedback was left in mistake, the buyer made threats, extortion, acted in bad faith, etc etc... I've never been able to have any feedback removed just because I wanted it removed in my life... it's possible you didn't realize you said something you shouldn't have OP.. IE "if you don't resolve this I will have to leave poor feedback" - just my educated 2 cents / guess