Revisit self changing feedback. Why in stone?
Summary: The discussion revolves around why feedback on eBay cannot be easily changed by the author, with several participants explaining that this policy prevents potential abuse and manipulation. jgrit questions the rigidity of this rule, while others, like participatrophy, provide examples in support of the existing restrictions, such as avoiding retaliatory or unfair changes. The consensus suggests that while the system is designed to maintain fairness and transparency, it also limits flexibility for legitimate changes. Some express frustration with eBay's current system and its resistance to modernization.
Top reason feedback cannot be changed by the author at any time?
32 comments
za811154
·1 month agoFeedback is kept “in stone” to maintain fairness and transparency. If it could be changed anytime, it would lead to abuse and manipulation, so eBay limits changes.
tewhol-0
·Aug 12, 2026 at 12:47 PMWhat happens when an issue arises and, understandably, you leave a negative review because you are frustrated with the situation, but the buyer ultimately takes appropriate steps to resolve or make amends for the problem?
In that scenario, would it be reasonable to allow the original feedback to be amended to accurately reflect the outcome?
Conversely, could you provide an example of how allowing users to modify their feedback in the future might create opportunities for abuse or manipulation? I’m particularly interested in understanding where the line should be drawn between maintaining fair, transparent, and honest feedback and allowing users the flexibility to update their reviews when circumstances genuinely change.
jonathanbrightlight
·Aug 12, 2026 at 3:21 PMSellers can send a Feedback Revision Request to buyers in that situation, letting them change their review. If it could be done without that, buyers could manipulate sellers by demanding they do something or they'll change their existing review.
tewhol-0
·Aug 12, 2026 at 3:31 PMThat would be pretty easy to filter out with their AI in the conversation between seller and buyer.
jonathanbrightlight
·Aug 12, 2026 at 4:04 PMI don't want AI anywhere near that type of thing.
gosimus
·1 month ago · Edited@jgrit
< Top reason feedback cannot be changed by the author at any time? >
Members get 60 days to leave feedback. If that isn't enough time to compose, edit, and polish a comment, then I'm just shaking my head.
Recently, I purchased an NOS item that contained an alkaline battery that had been installed at the factory. The battery had corroded and there was a mass of icky white stuff that had exuded from the negative end. The seller was apologetic and offered to implement any solution I wanted. Great seller.
I told the seller that I would use the item (a computer mouse) for four weeks – 28 days leaves me 2 days to open a return – to see if it had been damaged, and then make a decision. I'm holding off on the feedback until then as well. I expect to leave positive feedback, but I'm waiting to see if I will mention a return.
It has been about 3 weeks and the mouse has worked without a hitch so far, so I anticipate that I will just make my usual comments about fast shipping, sent in a sturdy box, etc.
My point is, I am using half of my 60 day feedback window to decide how to word my feedback. If I can't figure out what I want to say in 30 freakin days, then you can send the guys in the white suits after me, and should.
robot-hands
·Aug 10, 2026 at 8:11 PMWhite stuff is always ok. Blue stuff usually insn't.
mudshark61369
·1 month ago · Edited@jgrit ,
You were asked if the feedback revision concerns an item you purchased or sold and so far you have not replied to that question. Most of us are responding as if you want to revise a feedback you left for a seller.
You cannot revise at all, a feedback you that you left for a buyer. You can however, add a follow up comment to it. However, the buyer can respond to that comment, which would be the end of the story.
It also helps when responding if you first use the (@) key and select the username of the person you are responding to from the list that will appear just click on their name.
mudshark61369
·1 month ago@jgrit ,
Are you asking about revising feedback as a buyer or seller? Even back in the day when buyers had 90 days to leave feedback, they could not revise it without asking a seller for a revision request or the seller sending a request on their own. Even then as now Feedback can only be revised upward not down. I do not remember if a negative left for a buyer back then could be revised at all.
Top reason why. Because allowing the person who left feedback to change it, could easily lead to abuse of the feedback system.
kibble-net
·1 month agoBecause you have to take some
P E R S O N A L
R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y
Use your words carefully.
pickapaper
·1 month agoDoes this have anything to do with the negative you received?
If so, the buyer (author) can revise it.
BTW, those are some interesting feedbacks you have left for others.
soh.maryl
·1 month agoIn order for the buyer (author) to revise FB, he would have to agree to a request from the seller and the seller would have to send him a form called Feedback Revision Request form or something like that.
pickapaper
·1 month agoThe OP has been on eBay for 27 years and has sold many thousands of items. He has 40 feedback revisions on his feedback profile so I assumed he knows how to revise feedback or have it revised. Actually, I'm not really sure why he asked the question that he did, or what kind of answer he expects.
robot-hands
·1 month agoBecause that would be something that everyone can get behind and would be a positive addition that would slightly modernize an outdated relic...that would also reduce the need for an ebay employee to intervene in.
...but the last thing you, I or anyone else wants is ebay messing around with a fragile site full of glitches.
The amount of stuff they break while implementing years and decades of late innovations is truly madding for a multiple billion dollar global company.
kensgiftshop
·1 month agoBecause Ebay says so.
adamcartwright
·1 month agoI guess you would have to ask eBay why their policy doesn't allow revising FB at will.
annadryl
·1 month agoNeed some context here: buyer or seller (the rules are different) and is this adding to the already left feedback in a positive or negative way? As mentioned, they can be revised, this valid advice. Or are you just suggesting it should be open-ended? What has changed since it was already left?
And WHY in 2026 does anyone care about feedback any more? No one reads it. That was our parents' ebay.
adamcartwright
·1 month agoI still care about FB.
I think the FB buyers and sellers leave for each other is informative.
christworks
·1 month ago@jgrit Once you post feedback, you cannot edit it unless the seller requests you edit it or eBay contacts you and asks you to edit it. Sellers only get a handful of revision requests per year. If eBay asks you to edit your feedback it means you have violated the feedback policy, so that's not good. If a seller responds to your feedback you should have a chance to respond to their response but your original feedback will remain.
jgrit
OP1 month agoNot the issue I raised, at all.
christworks
·1 month ago@jgrit When a poster makes no sense (re: Why in stone?), it leaves those of us who volunteer our time trying to figure out what you are asking. Do a better job at asking the question, then you'll get a better answer.
robot-hands
·1 month agoI must be missing the confusing part.
janet9988
·1 month ago · EditedNO ONE can just change a feedback. The ONLY time a feedback can be changed is if the SELLER requests a buyer to do so. PERIOD.
The issue you raised is NOT possible.
jgrit
OP1 month agoThe issue is why?
participatrophy
·1 month agoBecause it would be abused.
robot-hands
·1 month ago...and that is different than now because?
participatrophy
·1 month agoThe ideal amount of abuse would be none. No abuse is not a viable option. So given the choice between limited vs unlimited abuse....
jgrit
OP1 month agoAn example? To be clear, an example that would exceed current abuse availability?
participatrophy
·1 month ago · EditedGee sure is a shame I had to change my feedback to negative but you refused to send me a refund or a free replacement even though when I broke the item I bought from you it was only like 2 days past the return window.
Hey! The seller I recently bought 10 items from and then returned 7 of them one at a time every day for a week on their dime appears to have blocked me as a buyer and won't respond to any of my messages! I'm gonna go change all 3 positive feedbacks I left them into negatives saying "worst seller ever!"
Is this for real not blindingly mega obvious to you or are we just coming at this from totally different perspectives? If what @robot-hands mentioned above is more along the lines of what you had in mind, then yeah that I can get behind, easy. I mean if I really stretch it there's maybe something to do with sellers having only a set number of revision requests which could potentially be more-exploitable if that were removed...but I'm hitting levels of devil's advocate there that wouldn't even really be worth considering in the present context.