Garnering Feedback and Reviews
Hey guys! We're fairly new to online reselling, and would like some tips or suggestions for getting reviews. We include a thank you card with a personalized note and politely but briefly request buyer feedback on our invoice that we include. Otherwise, we've been advised not to solicit reviews. Anyone have good luck with this or perhaps our expectations are too high? We look forward to your thoughts.
16 comments
onefootflipper
·3 years agoMy very long term experience with this is that every single thing you do to remind the buyer of the transaction or who the transaction came from just increases your chances of a claim or negative feedback.
That invoice reminds that impulsive shopper / serial returner who the item came from when they finally open it almost a month later. No invoice, they probably move onto the next box and return that instead.
Also, it sounds stupid, but the monetary cost of including invoices is actually quite high over the lifetime of a seller. It isn't just the printing cost. There is also the labor cost and the added weight. Sure it is just a piece of paper, but 1/25 the time that piece of paper pushes that under 1 pound order to the next weight class and 1/100th of the time it does so for orders over 1 pound.
You should have your feedback set to automatically be left upon payment. I used to leave feedback in bulk a couple hundred at a time until I realized that every single time I did that I would remind someone of the transaction and suddenly they would have a problem with it.
12345jamesstamps
·3 years agoThere's good feedback and bad feedback....I wouldn't suggest it in a note or anything. Might get some of those feedbacks you don't want. A lot of buyers don't do feedback.
However, adding a freebie in with the item might get you a thank you in a feedback.
I use real stamps mailing my items on envelopes and packages and my buyers expect that and I do get some good feedback on that.
And super fast shipping will get positive feedback also.
kandf_vintage_finds
·3 years agoI've never asked for feedback
I've never included an invoice
I've never included a thank you card
I've never left feedback for a buyer unless they do first
I always ship same day if possible.... next day if not
I accurately describe my items
My items look better in person than in my photo's
I price competitively
I give the buyer the shipping discount (eBay Price)
I pack with care and over protect fragile items
I combine shipping. I issue a refund on shipping if the buyer overpaid
This is what I do to get good feedback. It may or may not work for others but I focus on what most buyer 's really want
curiouskittiescollectibles
OP3 years agoYeah, that sounds about right lol. Thanks for the reminder lol
ckimodog
·3 years ago@curiouskittiescollectibles
eBay sends reminders for buyers to leave feedback. Feedback is not required by the seller or the buyer. If you receive some nice feedback, great! Wishing you success and lots of sales!
Good luck!
tobaccocardyahoo
·3 years agoEbay buyers are the most likely online buyers to leave FB.
Sites like Amazon have typical levels of FB approximating 1% or less.
I do not value FB as a buyer or a seller. I make no effort to receive it, but I do.
gloryglorygifts
·3 years agoFirst off, welcome! I hope that you do very well on here.
My suggestion? Include the thank you card and leave the feedback request off the invoice/packing slip. Ebay will remind them to leave it.
Just give them top-notch customer service. Clear/clean pictures, good descriptions, competitive pricing and they do love free shipping. Ship within your stated handling time, watch your stock so that it doesn't go out of stock, pack your item well, and answer any questions quickly.
I got a little over 30% that left feedback in the last year but most of it is quality ones. I will take that over volume any day. Good luck!
curiouskittiescollectibles
OP3 years agoThank you for your reply. Just for giggles, I removed the drop down option about feedback. We'll see how it goes but I suspect you are correct. The info about how often people leave feedback is good to know. I had never left feedback as a buyer on ebay before becoming a seller lol. I hate filling out survey's etc. So I get that others may hate to do it as well. 🙂
chapeau-noir
·3 years agoI use one of the 'hope you enjoy it' drop downs and just handwrite "Thank you!" on my packing slip.
Agree that I tend to be hands off about the entire thing, but don't think using the drop-down actually hurts, it just may not help, either.
chapeau-noir
·3 years ago@curiouskittiescollectibles
@hartungcards
I actually don't see a problem with using the drop-down menu choice for feedback simply on the packing slip - it's nothing new in retail to do so. Where the problem comes in is when the seller writes the buyer, makes an issue of it in their own feedback, or otherwise solicits it with other marketing materials. It's all in the optics IMHO. I wouldn't do anything further, though. About 30-35% of transactions actually get feedback and I understand the desire to hurry the process along when one has a low FB number, but the important point is that it's all good feedback. It will increase as time goes on.
ETA: I think most buyers would understand given the OP's low feedback number, anyway.
4pawsup*
·3 years agoI am a new seller as well. Seems like around 30% of the buyers leave feedback. I never ask and most times i do not even have to send an invoice.
curiouskittiescollectibles
OP3 years agointeresting. we figured since it was on the drop down menu for ebay on the invoice, that it was ok. Thanks!
curiouskittiescollectibles
OP3 years agoI'm sorry for the confusion. We've never solicited feedback. I meant, that per ebay policy it isn't advisable. We use the standard ebay filter on our invoices which allows for the asking of the feedback but we don't go out of our way to solicit.
hartungcards
·3 years agoAsking for feedback on your invoice is soliciting feedback. Don't do it, even if you're allowed to. In general, when it comes to feedback, no news is good news.
soh.maryl
·3 years agoAsking in any form for FB is soliciting FB. Sooner or later, you'll hit the buyer who was not 100% tickled pink with his purchase, but decided just to not leave any FB. You don't want to see what he will leave in response to your FB request.
hartungcards
·3 years agoIf you've been advised not to solicit reviews, then stop doing it. You've sold 33 items and have 12 positive feedbacks as a seller. You're doing better than most.