eBay

vonandron · ‎03-18-2023

Over a year ago, a buyer gave me one star for reasonable shipping costs even though I charged exactly what was listed in the ad and what I paid to ship the item. She left positive feedback otherwise. I've waited a year for that ding on my star rating to age off, but despite the fact that her feedback is now well over a year old, the star rating for shipping has never changed, but instead seems stuck on the 4.7 out of 5. I contacted more recent buyers just to check and they all tell me they left me 5 out of 5 stars on every category. One told me buyers can no longer click a star rating for shipping. Any insights would be appreciated.

vonandron · ‎03-18-2023

I completely understand that buyers might be less than truthful, but I too see that now buyer feedback only allows for specific star ratings on "item description". I don't know when this change occurred. I just find it difficult to believe that despite some feedback aging off and new feedback being added, that the metric hasn't changed in a year. The odds of that actually happening are pretty slim.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎03-18-2023

@vonandron wrote:
Do you happen to know when that change occured? When did they change the buyer feedback so only item description could be various star ratings? Thanks!

eBay's criteria for bestowing automatic 5's for communication, shipping cost, and shipping time have been in place for many years.

The "5" for free shipping was first. Then eBay realized that if there was no communication then that was similar to there being no shipping cost: it's not fair to let a buyer rate a seller on something that didn't happen. And then eBay decided that it's not fair to let a buyer give anything less than a 5 if you shipped promptly and they got their item within 4 days.

buyselljack2016 · ‎03-18-2023

Sorry, but we will have to just disagree on that.

We each have our opinion, and all we know what is said about opinions😁

With 5, 5, 5, 5 you have no issue. You are a great seller.

buyselljack2016 · ‎03-18-2023

And then there are those of us marked down on "shipping speed".

I have no "late shipping". All shipped well before the end of my "handling time", but get marked down because it isn't there in the "Amazon Prime" time frame, or is delayed. Yes, I know I am responsible for what my "chosen carrier" does, but the items are shipped with tracking showing that I did all that I could.

I am 4.9 in communication. I have not failed to communicate in a timely/polite manner with any buyer that has asked a question.

I am 4.9 in accurate description. Not sure how that is possible.

nobody*s_perfect · ‎03-18-2023

@vonandron wrote: ... I did have a buyer recently tell me in a message that she "thought twice" about buying from me when she saw the prominently displayed metrics showing I have a 4.7/5.0 on shipping costs. ....

It's unfortunate that the potential buyer didn't have the confidence to form her own judgment about whether the shipping cost on that listing was reasonable.

In all of my listing Descriptions, I mention that the shipping cost shown in the listing is the actual USPS postage cost, based on the buyer's ZIP Code and the package weight and dimensions. Since I started doing that, I have gotten no questions or comments about my shipping prices. If you add a comment like that, it might reassure buyers like that.

buyselljack2016 · ‎03-18-2023

To expand on this.

Communication. There are buyers that want a pen pal when making a purchase when there is no need for it. They would mark the rating down because the seller did not send them any messages about their purchase.