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.]

[carey-marie]

Yes, the only limitation would be the time limit.  Since as I have been reminded countless times, feedback is voluntary, then it can be removed for whatever reason during the stated time period.  Not made a negative or a neutral though.  

[carey-marie]

Whatever.  My point is not how useful you believe feedback is for buyers, but rather that sellers should not get to keep a benefit that they are not willing to reciprocate.  There are more than enough responses here to indicate without a doubt that positive feedback is important to sellers, ergo, take a second sellers to reciprocate or lose the benefit to yourself.  Period.

[carey-marie]

Yes, and sellers can with a couple of clicks set up auto feedback.  No excuse or reason not to do so.  Period.  Buyers spend their hard earned money for the sellers efforts, reward them with a seller rating boost, and should be able to remove the benefit if they want due to not receiving in return.  Again, it really amazes me that the people insisting it doesn’t really matter are so seemingly upset about the concept off losing the benefit.  Hmmmm, perhaps it is not so unimportant afeter all eh?  So reciprocate.  Easy peasy.

[carey-marie]

First, one does not need to be an expert nor a seller themselves to know based on just the responses to this thread, that sellers care a great deal about getting the feedback. They have no good reason not to reciprocate other than pettiness. Your comments indicate exactly this problem.  

[carey-marie]

Hardly an analogous example. Common sense should indicate this without my having to tell you.

[carey-marie]

Again, whether others agree or not, is not the point of this thread.  The point is reciprocation is a common courtesy when a benefit is received, and there is no good reason not to do so. If a seller doesn’t want to leave feedback in exchange than a buyer should have the ability to simply remove that which was given. If as you say, so many buyers don’t really care,  fine that’s up to them, but those of us who do should be able to take away a benefit that is not returned. That is the point.

[paxilill]

The really need to just remove the comment section for positive feedback. I suspect it's why a lot of people don't bother leaving feedback. The negative side should allow comments for those that need to be ripped into.