New item rating when leaving feedback should not be mandatory

[abbibrodie]

The newest change on the iOS app has introduced a mandatory “How would you rate this item” option when leaving feedback. I’m not sure if this is across platforms.
My feedback is that making this mandatory is a poor user experience, as this is not a suitable field when you have not received the item. I now can not leave feedback for those sellers, as I don’t think it is fair to give them 1 star if I have never even seen the item E.g. it was lost in the post. This means the item will sit in the feedback section and trigger reminder emails, even though I can’t do anything. Can this please be changed to an optional field, or something like a check box added to make it conditional on confirmation that you received the item? 
Thanks 🙂

[varebelrose]

"... this is not a suitable field when you have not received the item..."

Why would you be posting feedback about the seller before receiving the item to begin with?

[abbibrodie]

I’ve given the example in my post of where an item is lost in the post. If you choose or have to receive a refund as the seller doesn’t have a replacement item to send, it isn’t relevant to then give feedback about the item. I would still however want  to give feedback about their communication and my general experience with the seller though. 

[eburtonlab]

At least for the moment you should still be able to leave feedback without rating the item itself using this link:

https://www.ebay.com/fdbk/leave_feedback

Currently only the feedback link you reach via the Purchase History has an item rating section, I believe.

[abbibrodie]

Unfortunately if you have the app (at least on iOS), that link takes you into the app and feeds into the page with the mandatory question. I’d have to use a different device or delete the app to test if that link works independently, which is a messy user experience. 

[eburtonlab]

If eBay browser links are opening in the app by default and you do not want that, using an iOS device tap and hold the browser link and you should see some options to set how such links are treated. Choose "don't open in the app" or whichever option is closest to that, and then eBay browser links should open in your browser.

[dark_jaguar]

Thank you very much for this suggestion!  I was able to properly review a few sellers this way.

[dark_jaguar]

An absolutely ridiculous requirement.  Not only does it remove the option to actually review the transaction in detail (the whole point of an auction house/flea market like eBay), but there are many things for sale here don't really fit a category of "item review".  From individual knick-knacks to modded objects, to buying an item purely for spare parts, how can we actually provide a review of, say, the NES console when what we bought is a non-working system purely to harvest some chips from the motherboard?  How can we review "Custom painted CD artwork for Killer Queen album" when eBay is just going to group it up with all reviews for "Killer Queen"?

eBay is not Amazon and should stop trying to become it.  The very nature of what kinds of sales happen here don't allow for product reviews.

[songstreet]

I agree fully with the points abbibrodie has made just above.

In my view, the important thing is to leave feedback about the

party with whom you traded, whereas describing the item is secondary.

[songstreet]

Very useful info, thx for posting,

[eburtonlab]

You are very welcome.

[vinylfantasy]

I agree fully. I have already given eBay feedback, for what that might be worth. If I am stocking up on filters for air purifiers, for example, and won’t even be using them until long after the feedback window has closed, how can I give a product rating? Why would I want to rate the product at all? Keep a clear separation between feedback for sellers’ performance and “product reviews”. Buyers can mention quality of product in the feedback if they feel it’s relevant to the seller’s performance or integrity.

[mugwamp9]

This is just going to cause buyers to not leave feedback at. Which I just "didn't" do.

[ahhpg]

I agree with this This rating option needs to go or become optional, not all the items i buy are for me so i can't give an opion on them therefor i will start leaving 1 star and that will not be a fair description of the item.

How are you suposed to rate x-mas gifts etc when you only have 90 days and people buy month in advace

Sorry but this is a nuisance to me and may very sell stop me from leaving feedback at all

[sirnickity]

Wanted to add my vote to this.  This started showing up in the app and the website, forcing a review on the ITEM when I'm trying to provide feedback on the transaction / seller.  The Submit button is grayed out until I choose how many stars to give the thing I bought.

This is not helpful, and is one of many changes lately that makes it more cumbersome to leave feedback.  It used to be quick and easy, now I have a couple months of transactions that I should be giving feedback for, because I can't be bothered to fight the app every time.

Just a list of some of the annoying changes since a couple years ago:

1)  The purchase history list is now one of those obnoxious "infinite scroll" lists that populates as you scroll through it.  But, it doesn't load far enough in advance, meaning you are constantly hitting the bottom of the list and waiting for more to populate.

2) ... which is really bad, because the Feedback link takes you to a different page, then when you return, you start at the top of your list again, and have to find where you left off.

3) Most transactions go about the same:  I pay, I wait, something shows up, it's fine.  So I used to have a boilerplate response that fit 90% of transactions, and allowed me to wrap it up with just a few taps.  The text isn't saved anymore, which means I have to type in the same comment over and over and over and over and over ... I do a lot of transactions on eBay.  This is the #1 reason why I have fallen so far behind on leaving feedback.

4) And finally, the item review.  Let's say I buy a used screwdriver.  Does anyone need to know what I think about a Craftsman flat-head screwdriver from 30 years ago?  No.  Nobody does.  What they DO need to know is whether that seller delivered the item they promised, quickly and as it was described in the listing.  So drop it with the item review!  It's a nonsensical distraction that isn't helpful -- if you're buying it, you already know you want it.  Or you don't.  Go Google it then.