eBay

jonathankirkland · ‎09-22-2017

I wish ebay had some type of system in place where a buyer could not continue to purchase items until they have left feedback for items they purchased previously.

As a new seller, I'm noticing a disturbing trend that it seems maybe only 40% or so of buyers are leaving feedback. I feel it is very important, especially to a new seller, to have that positive seller feedback to encourage potential future sellers that I am legitimate and that they can buy with confidence.

Whenever I sell an item I always print out the packing slip using ebay's tool and a pre-written note which states:

"Thank you for your purchase. If there are any issues, please contact me prior to leaving negative feedback. If you are satisfied, please leave positive feedback for me"

And I highlight this with a yellow highlighter and put it right on top so the buyer can't miss it when opening a package.

But like I said, I noticed it's very hit or miss whether they will ever bother.

In my ignorance when I first started selling, I would send a PM to buyers a few days after delivery of the item kindly requesting feedback if it was positive or if there was a problem to please respond and tell me what it is.

But then someone wrote back to me, very annoyed, that this was "cheesy and inappropriate". At first I was annoyed by that kind of response, but later on I deciced he was probably right and decided not to pester buyers anymore via a PM.

Does anyone have any ideas about a system that could be put into place that would effectively force buyers to leave feedback before making additional purchases?

7606dennis · ‎09-23-2017

Feedback is voluntary. There is thus nothing to enforce.

"It is an intelligent man that is aware of his own ignorance."

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emerald1830 · ‎09-22-2017

Feedback is NOT mandatory..and be careful, we've seen sellers bug the heck out of buyers for feedback and they get a big, fat red donut...

No news is good news...why poke?? I don't always leave feedback for my sellers..and it's usually because I wasn't 100 percent happy..like a CD I just purchased..scratches all over..but no big deal to me..it was inexpensive..

sidemouse · ‎09-22-2017

No feedback is good feedback.

oleander1993 · ‎09-22-2017

I understand where you're coming from, but honestly, that just won't ever happen. And I think there has been a dramatic drop in the percentage of feedback left to me as a seller since eBay stopped penalizing sellers for negative feedback. I guess people are less interested since they can't hurt you with it.

But I have left feedback for my 99%+ of my buyers....and have never asked anyone for feedback....and never will.

Just keep giving good service and your positive feedback will come. I helped boost mine initially by buying inexpensive things that I also wanted or needed from companies that sell on eBay. Many of those give automatic positives when you pay.

EBay takes a lot of patience but I just love selling and the good outweighs the bad for me. All the best to you!

southern*sweet*tea · ‎09-22-2017

Feedback is voluntary. You cannot "enforce" something that is voluntary.

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell

jonathankirkland · ‎09-22-2017

Okay fair points made.

But I've read articles about feedback "etiquette" and the general concensus from what I could tell is that as a seller, you should leave feedback immediately after the buyer pays.

Is that the case? Or is it just personal preference?

fashunu4eeuh · ‎09-22-2017

@jonathankirkland wrote:
I wish ebay had some type of system in place where a buyer could not continue to purchase items until they have left feedback for items they purchased previously.

As a new seller, I'm noticing a disturbing trend that it seems maybe only 40% or so of buyers are leaving feedback. I feel it is very important, especially to a new seller, to have that positive seller feedback to encourage potential future sellers that I am legitimate and that they can buy with confidence.

Whenever I sell an item I always print out the packing slip using ebay's tool and a pre-written note which states:

"Thank you for your purchase. If there are any issues, please contact me prior to leaving negative feedback. If you are satisfied, please leave positive feedback for me"

And I highlight this with a yellow highlighter and put it right on top so the buyer can't miss it when opening a package....

Does anyone have any ideas about a system that could be put into place that would effectively force buyers to leave feedback before making additional purchases?

Feedback is entirely voluntary. To work as intended, it must remain so. Forced feedback would defeat the purpose, thwarts my freedom to choose. For example, if i have a poor buying experience and it's a new seller, rather than leave a neutral or negative, i leave nothing at all. I cut the seller some slack and choose not to saddle him with a poor score right out of the gate but also not reward him with what would be a meaningless positive.

I also think it is a bad idea to even mention negative feedback at the end of a transaction like your highlighted note to your new buyer, asking to be contacted first. That to me suggests a lack of confidence that the transaction will be problem-free. That's hedging your bets. Feedback scores no longer affect a seller's performance metrics so why bring attention to something that has not gone wrong, ...yet? I don't anticipate poor feedback, i expect a smooth transaction instead. It's better to concentrate all that energy on good customer service and leave the worry in its proper sphere until such time that something actually happens.

gracieallen01 · ‎09-22-2017

@jonathankirkland wrote:
Okay fair points made.

But I've read articles about feedback "etiquette" and the general concensus from what I could tell is that as a seller, you should leave feedback immediately after the buyer pays.

Is that the case? Or is it just personal preference?

That consensus is a subjective opinion of only a portion of the ebay community.

And, obviously not a majority according to the opinions expressed on your thread right here.

Not saying 'NO' doesn't mean 'YES'.

The foolishness of one's actions or words is determined by the number of witnesses.

Perhaps if Brains were described as an APP, many people would use them more often.

Respect, like money, is only of 'worth' when it is earned - with all due respect, it can not be ordained, legislated or coerced. Anonymous

fashunu4eeuh · ‎09-22-2017

@jonathankirkland wrote:
Okay fair points made.

But I've read articles about feedback "etiquette" and the general concensus from what I could tell is that as a seller, you should leave feedback immediately after the buyer pays.

Is that the case? Or is it just personal preference?

This gets debated all the time on the boards. There are roughly two camps, the leave-it-after- payment camp, and the wait-until-they-receive-their-items-and-then-leave-it camp. Both sides have compelling reasons for doing it their way. For me, I prefer to leave it after payment. I don't like to wait to see how the transaction is going to turn out before leaving it. Again, i feel that is anticipating something going wrong. But every seller has to judge what works best for them.

femmefan1946 · ‎09-22-2017

Feedback has no effect on your eBay metrics for selling.

And since only about 40% of transactions attract any FB,most of which I suspect is left by sellers, this is a good change.

It does have an effect when your future customers check it.

So FB has a public relations effect.

My suggestions are:

Leave FB on shipment. I use FB to tell my customers when and how I shipped since I rarely use tracking.

Do NOT ask for return FB.

Keep your Terms of Sale short and friendly. Don't have any Terms that will turn off customers like 'no returns' or 'no PO boxes'.

Do NOT leave Responses to FB unless they are calm and factual. (Or a special thank you. ) Responses draw more attention to the original FB than you might like.

"That's what the money is for."-- Don Draper

lex-talon · ‎09-22-2017

@jonathankirkland wrote:
I wish ebay had some type of system in place where a buyer could not continue to purchase items until they have left feedback for items they purchased previously.

As a new seller, I'm noticing a disturbing trend that it seems maybe only 40% or so of buyers are leaving feedback. I feel it is very important, especially to a new seller, to have that positive seller feedback to encourage potential future sellers that I am legitimate and that they can buy with confidence.

Whenever I sell an item I always print out the packing slip using ebay's tool and a pre-written note which states:

"Thank you for your purchase. If there are any issues, please contact me prior to leaving negative feedback. If you are satisfied, please leave positive feedback for me"

And I highlight this with a yellow highlighter and put it right on top so the buyer can't miss it when opening a package.

But like I said, I noticed it's very hit or miss whether they will ever bother.

In my ignorance when I first started selling, I would send a PM to buyers a few days after delivery of the item kindly requesting feedback if it was positive or if there was a problem to please respond and tell me what it is.

But then someone wrote back to me, very annoyed, that this was "cheesy and inappropriate". At first I was annoyed by that kind of response, but later on I deciced he was probably right and decided not to pester buyers anymore via a PM.

Does anyone have any ideas about a system that could be put into place that would effectively force buyers to leave feedback before making additional purchases?

You will receive differing opinions, both pro and con. I've had sellers send me email reminders to leave feedback, stickers on packages, etc. Ebay will not force any buyer to leave feedback and prevent them from purchasing items, that is just silly.

jonathankirkland · ‎09-22-2017

@fashunu4eeuh wrote:
I also think it is a bad idea to even mention negative feedback at the end of a transaction like your highlighted note to your new buyer, asking to be contacted first. That to me suggests a lack of confidence that the transaction will be problem-free. That's hedging your bets. Feedback scores no longer affect a seller's performance metrics so why bring attention to something that has not gone wrong, ...yet? I don't anticipate poor feedback, i expect a smooth transaction instead. It's better to concentrate all that energy on good customer service and leave the worry in its proper sphere until such time that something actually happens.

My mistake, I went to double check and what I actually have saved in there is:

Thank you for your purchase. If you are satisfied, please take a moment to leave positive feedback for me. If there is any issue, please contact me prior to leaving feedback.

I believe it is important to make it very clear to the buyer that they can contact me with any concerns.

ms.piercing · ‎09-22-2017

"I feel it is very important, especially to a new seller"

How would you feel if everytime you purchased something in a normal store they would make you to fill out a form with feedback. And not allow you back untill you did so.

Heck, I am annoyed when cashier is asking me for zip code before transaction.

PS: buyer pays you his good money, you send him item. Do not bring feelings into this. Leave them for family at home.