feedback policy change proposal

[carey-marie]

As a long time, consistently excellent buying customer on eBay but never a seller, my biggest complaint revolves around sellers who do not reciprocate the positive feedback that they receive from a buyer. I have read many posts regarding this, most of which make statements about how feedback is never required, some sellers don’t think it’s worth leaving feedback because they can only leave positive for a buyer, etc.  While these statements are true on their face of course, they miss the point I wish to make. As a buyer, when I leave positive feedback for a seller, I have directly benefited them in very important ways, not the least of which is raising their seller score and profile.  The minimum a seller should do is to reciprocate that favor, especially since if a buyer leaves positive feedback there could hardly be a good reason for the seller to not feel the transaction was positive as well.

Here I come to the main point of this post. I would like to see a change in eBay feedback policy, that would allow for a person to remove feedback within a certain time, if they so choose for whatever reason. This change would not allow for changing a positive feedback to a negative for example, but would allow a buyer to be able to remove the positive feedback that was left if the seller is not going to reciprocate. Why should a seller benefit so enormously when they can’t be bothered to take the time to reciprocate to the person doing them the positive favor, let alone purchasing from them?  There would of course be a time limit to take this action, and as I stated, no ability to change a positive to a negative, but the ability to remove positive feedback that raises a score if this is not reciprocated.  This could and should of course work the other way as well. If a seller leaves positive feedback for a buyer, and the buyer doesn’t reciprocate, the seller could choose to remove that positive from the buyer. Obviously these things would be at the discretion of each individual, with no requirement for any such removal, but with the option existing as it is highly offensive to me and I am sure to others that when we benefit someone else and receive nothing in return, it is really a proverbial slap in the face.
A gentle reminder can be left regarding feedback, but in certain cases, these are ignored, and I really think there should be the ability to simply remove the feedback completely so the seller does not benefit from the goodwill if they are not going to reciprocate to the buyer who has benefited them so greatly.  I am very much interested in thoughts and comments regarding the specific details of this proposal, especially any downsides to this proposal that I may not be recognizing.  Thanks.

[house*of*paws]

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@carey-marie wrote:

So what if I am the only person?  What difference does that make to a good idea?

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@carey-marie 

The point was that it is NOT a ‘good idea’.  I apologize for not making that clearer in the reasons I mentioned.

You may have noticed that even other buyers haven’t stepped in to agree with you.

[gone.c-33]

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@carey-marie wrote:

The seller benefited.  I paid them money.  The have no good reason not to return the favor.  Period.

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When you go out to eat, do you ask your waiter to fill out a feedback card for you?

[albertabrightalberta]

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@carey-marie wrote:

So what if I am the only person?  What difference does that make to a good idea?

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It's NOT a good idea! 

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@carey-marie wrote:

I completely disagree that the benefit to the seller is trivial.  Top rated seller get all kinds of benefits, including the ability to screw over buyers with eBay approval.  I have posted on this previously.

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Feedback has NOTHING to do with TRS. And for someone who has never sold anything, one has to wonder how you're such an expert on seller "benefits." 

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@carey-marie wrote:

The seller benefited.  I paid them money.  The have no good reason not to return the favor.  Period.

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The seller benefitted by your buying their item. The ""favor" they return is sending you the item you purchased!  Period. 

[lux.ra_14]

@carey-marie 

If reciprocity is important to you,  don't leave feedback for sellers who don't leave buyer feedback. You can determine that with a couple of clicks.

That way, feedback isn't a factor. It's just an even exchange of your money for the seller's goods.

But in reality, you're getting the better end of it, since the exchange doesn't account for the seller's labor in finding the item, photographing it, writing a description, coming up with packing materials,  and shipping it to you.

[bennotbill]

Buyer feedback is so worthless now that for what it's worth here's my worthless change suggestion.

When a buyer buys something an "I want feedback" button appears.

When pressed a selection of feedback appears "Great Buyer" "What a Star" "The Best" etc.

The buyer is then free to pick the one they most desire from the list.

It would be a great time saver for sellers and hopefully put an end to nonsense feedback threads.😀

[house*of*paws]

@carey-marie 

I understand that you would like the ability to withdraw a feedback (within a certain period of time) if it hasn’t been reciprocated by the seller.  You also said you’d be okay with sellers having the same ability.

I began wondering if you would be willing to allow sellers to withdraw feedback from buyers for a reason of their own … or is lack of reciprocity the only reason you feel is acceptable.  

In other words … are you willing to lose feedback you had already received because a seller felt they had a ‘good reason’ to withdraw it?  Or maybe the seller just ‘felt like’ doing it.  Would they have that right under the policy change you are suggesting?

[I am a buyer only …  if that matters.]