The feedback method is unfair to sellers and buyer. It needs to be changed. Negative should not be allowed unless the buyer or seller wins a case against the other. They can leave positive or neutral, but not negative, unless they win their case. Sellers should have the same right to leave negative feedback if the buyer looses the case. Most buyers are decent honest people, but about once a year I get a buyer that I know lied on a claim or to me saying "This item is dirty, smells. I want a full refund including shipping. And I'll leave good feedback for you". You know what that means! "if you don't give me 100% of my money back I'll leave nasty negative feedback". You know that nothing was wrong with the item, but how can you prove it doesn't smell? A picture won't show no smell! They are threatening you in a round-a-bout way. eBay please redo the feedback program to be fair to all! Stop the threats from nasty buyers!
Most of us sellers will agree that that they have recieved negative feedback from buyers who misread the description, who were unhappy with their purchase through no fault of the seller, who were simply unsatisfied, the item didn't fit, they thought it would be bigger or smaller although the seller description gave measurements.
Sometimes there is is no easy absolute answer to a dispute. No one is at fault, just a misunderstanding or the problem doesn't have an easy 'you're wrong, I'm right' decision that eBay's employee, as a negotiator, can choose. No one should be allowed to leave negative in that case.
