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:

Not correct.  I have always left feedback.  There are may occasions where feedback is not counted because of a short time between purchases from the same seller.

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The seller would have been under the same feedback restriction as you when multiple items are purchased within a short time ... so that doesn't explain why you've received more feedback than you've left.  [The only explanation is that you didn't reciprocate all of your 'gifts'.  😉  ]

[carey-marie]

I would also point out, that up until about two years ago on the eBay purchases page, it would display a series of symbols in order from item paid for, item shipped, feedback left, and feedback received, so eBay used to let you know whether you had left and received feedback. Now, of course, they only show whether you yourself have left the feedback.  Interesting change don’t you think?

[carey-marie]

Stating that you did not even bother to take the time to read what I posted, and yet taking the time to leave, a sort of flip response is interesting.

[carey-marie]

Not true, as another poster stated above.

[carey-marie]

Thanks for this…makes sense, and I have done similar but I like your approach.

[tinsoldierunderground]

@carey-marie 

I NEVER said you were.   But the reality is there are MANY on this site who are.  And the pointless nonsense of buyer feedback is that they have a 100% rating just like you and I do.  This is why sellers only pay attention to the feedback a buyer leaves.  A seller not leaving feedback doesn't mean they're not happy dealing with you, things being what they are here, it just seems pointless to many of them.  A friend of mine for over 30 yrs recently retired.  He had a business in the area of military relic collectables, and is a fellow collector himself.

His son took over and sells on this site now.  I've bought from him on several occasions, always leave + FB, and chat with him from time to time... He doesn't leave feedback, never has.  I'm not offended by that.  I get what you're saying, but I don't see ebay changing feedback policy.  Their sole concern is the bottom line, these people only accept ideas from each other.  They're like worms in a glass jar.

[mr_lincoln]

@carey-marie 

-Good points but everyone handles it differently and since it became unbalanced in 2008 some Sellers don't engage with it.

-For myself I leave FB for Buyers no later than the day the item ships, then its done and I don't have to have it on my to do list for the future.  I thank them for their business in basic terms.

-In ALL the years of doing it this way Buyer FB for me has consistently been between 50%-60%.  I NEVER ask for it or put messages in my packages about it or mention it in listings like some Sellers do.  If it happens it happens naturally.  

-I suspect the FB program will eventually be replaced with something else ... 

[gone.c-33]

Yet you found it worthy of two replies.

I didn’t read the whole thing because your take on the whole thing is false: feedback doesn’t benefit you as a buyer in any way whatsoever.

[carey-marie]

Points taken, thank you.  I know that many sellers do get the short end of the deal here, but obviously they still choose to do business so there is obviously a benefit to selling here too.  People generally do not engage in self harm that can be avoided.  Again, I totally understand the voluntary nature of feedback.  But it is also quite clear by all the response to my proposal that no one seems to think feedback once left should be removed.  This indicates the obvious recognition that seller feedback is desired and valuable.  I often receive messages from sellers encouraging that I leave positive feedback for them if I am satisfied with the transaction. This also indicates that feedback left by buyers for sellers is valuable. My point again, simply, is that to those of us that value the reciprocation, and I am not the only one by a long shot, why should it not be allowed to remove the feedback that has been left for someone who is not going to reciprocate. Obviously not all people would do such a thing, but why should it not be allowed to do so? No one has yet answered this directly.

[house*of*paws]

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@carey-marie wrote:

Not true, as another poster stated above.

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Au contraire.  If you left sellers feedback for every purchase ... then there is no way you could have received more feedbacks than you left.  

Sellers have the same feedback restrictions as buyers as far as receiving only a 1-point increase in their score when they've sold multiple items to the same buyer.    There's only one explanation for the difference in your profile:  You left fewer gifts than you received.   

[tinsoldierunderground]

I do see your point, and people come to these boards with stories of sellers treating them horribly after a sale.   

I think the feedback system as a whole, could stand restructuring.  Early on in buying here, I was taken aback when a seller didn't leave me feedback, I just viewed it as common courtesy.  I guess I've gotten thick skinned.🤔  

[bonjourami]

"This also indicates that feedback left by buyers for sellers is valuable."

Yes it is and someday, when Ebay makes a wise decision, they will do away with feedback for buyers, as its absolutely meaningless. But I guess if buyers like yourself,who need that constant 'atta boy! every time they make a  purchase it will continue.Truthfully, its always reminded me of the gold star slapped on the forehead for kindergarters.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@carey-marie wrote:

Not really interested  per se on what most people do or don't do. 

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But isn't that what you've been arguing about? You ARE putting way too much weight on what others do. 

[stacy_1971]

I think that before you can suggest changes in policies concerning a group of individuals, you should be a part of that group.  If you want to make changes for sellers, I think you should be a seller, and understand what it is like to be a seller, and then suggest changes.  I am a buyer and a seller on here, and all I can say is I have way more problems with buyers than sellers.  I can always return something... but get a vindictive buyer, and you have to carry a negative feedback for a year... often for no good reason.  I'm a small seller, and I am a good seller.  I strive to be 100% accurate on discriptions... and yet... I have buyers returning necklaces because "they looked shinier in the photos" and claiming the necklace was not as described.... when it is the EXACT same necklace in the photos as they received.  Know how I know?!   Because I ONLY sell USED jewelry, and they are pretty much ONE OF A KIND ITEMS!   They are always the same ones in the photos as what I send to the buyer....  SO Yeah.... Sometimes I don't leave feedback until AFTER I receive posititive feedback from buyers... because buyers have a habit of waiting for you to leave positive feedback, and they then turn around and leave you negative feedback for some made up reason to be dissatisified in hopes of pressuring you into giving them a refund and letting them keep the item for free... ALL so that they will remove that negative feedback.  For small sellers feedback carries a much heavier weight.  I'm lucky to sell 200 items a month VERSUS some of the cheap junk sellers that sell 2 Billion widgits a month.  One negative to them is nothing.  To me it is horrible!   

[tobaccocardyahoo]

As a buyer when you leave positive FB for a seller, it has a trivial benefit to the seller.

As a seller when we leave FB for a buyer it has no benefit to the buyer other than that which their psychological profile provides for them.

I use the Ebay automatic FB option because it is not worth wasting my time. Some sellers don't do that because encouraging buyers to expect FB is of no benefit to anyone.

Wayback, on this site, some buyers were described as "feedback needy" and ridiculed.