I like it when sellers help OTHER sellers to get more feedback. They do it by PARTICIPATING.

[phanoto]

One of the reasons I leave feedback for every customer is to help other sellers to get more feedback. 

The Principles of Reciprocity is well documented as it relates to individuals.  Also, eBay tell us how it works with a buyer and seller:  If the buyer leaves feedback, the seller is more likely to leave feedback;  if the seller leaves feedback, the buyer is more likely to leave feedback.  There may be some exceptions, but we know this is the way it works in most cases.

The Principles of Reciprocity also works as it relates to two groups, but documentation is more difficult to find.  When one group does something nice or beneficial for the other group, the other group is more likely to do something nice or beneficial for the first group. 

Buyers and sellers are Reciprocal Groups with "feedback" being the thing which can be reciprocated.  When more  members of one group leave feedback, more of the members of the other group will leave feedback. 

[turquoisetulips]

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@18704d wrote:

Why do buyers and sellers need more feedback?

Thanks,

Lynn

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In just speaking for myself  I certainly don't NEED anymore feedback .There's more than enough already there that will show any potential buyer  that I provide good enough  product and service . Receiving  more feedback  is just an added on bonus  but it's not something I worry about .  Tulips 

[gracieallen01]

"Get great feedback and DSRs: .... "

Yes, that reminds me of another line from ebay:

" Great News for Sellers "

Memorable moments in History!

[turquoisetulips]

I can see needing to have X amount to make buyers and sellers comfortable, since they insist on using a feedback system, sellers and buyers are literally forced to get to at least 100 FB before they don't look like scary newbies to either party.

It's a flawed concept, but shows no signs of changing anytime soon. lovefindingtreasures -

I can also understand why new sellers would desire some good feedback scores . They tend to show any potential  buyers (  who do check on  seller  feedback ) that the seller is probably a  good risk . I don't know if  100  positives  is the actual desired amount  with most new sellers  or not,,   but I do wonder why you think it's a flawed concept ? Is it the 100 + feedbacks desired  or is it just the desire  for good feedback flawed  in your opinion ? Just curious . Tulips 

[wpt05]

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@phanoto wrote:

...

 Sometimes we got a negative just because we did not leave feedback. 

...

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In my opinion this is a form of feedback extortion.  

"Feedback extortion policy overview

Buyers:
The buyer isn't allowed to threaten to use feedback or detailed seller ratings in an attempt to force a seller into providing:
Goods or services that weren't included in the original item's description or purchase price.
A return, refund, or replacement item not covered by the original listing or the eBay Money Back Guarantee.
If there is a problem with a transaction, the buyer should report the problem in My eBay."

Since feedback is optional, it is a service not included in the listing.  So if they are demanding it, they are violating the policy.  

Also, under the feedback manipulation policy it states "... In addition to these guidelines, we’ll remove Feedback from buyers that show patterns of disproportionately high rates of low Feedback and/or detailed seller ratings."

[wpt05]

As a buyer, I look at a seller's feedback before making a purchase.  After the transaction is over, I post feedback for the seller.  If I do not, I am actually doing a disservice to other buyers.  They have helped me decide which seller to buy from so I in turn help them decide which seller to buy from.  

[mr_lincoln]

@phanoto   Many of your threads revolve around Feedback and you started one asking how to increase Feedback not too long ago ... I remember a new Seller once post on The Community that (in so many words) they were looking for other Sellers who would buy cheap stuff from each other and leave FB so their counts could go up.  They were immediately advised that it is a policy violation on ebay ...

While I "get" the gist of this most recent thread I am not sure I agree with the opening statement about leaving FB for Buyers that helps other Sellers get FB ... "other" Seller have no clue what you are doing nor do they care.   Feedback in my opinion is an "earned" metric.  I leave FB for Buyers while the label is printing, mainly so its done and I don't have to come back later and do it, to me that's efficient use of my time.   If a Buyer leaves Positive FB for me that's great, it has consistently run between 55% to 60% for 3 straight years ... no more and no less. 

If you look at the last 3 months of your sales, get that total then get the total FB left for you that's probably a good indication as to how your FB count will go up in the future.

So what's the magic FB count number to have???  I don't know and again, just my opinion, at a certain point how much more FB does one need?  I think really really high FB counts may indicate a Seller who is so busy they may miss some detail in packing and shipping an order ...

[mr_lincoln]

@turquoisetulipswrote: " ... I have always left feedback for my buyers as soon as they pay or right after I ship their purchases . The amount of feedback I've received has always been fair to good in numbers but now is showing a dramatic increase especially within the last few months . I do not ask my buyers for feedback . The only things I do besides leaving prompt feedback for them is wrap their purchases in bubble wrap tied with colorful ribbon and then place a thank you sticker on top and then ship quickly with tracking . These methods seem to work fine . Tulips "

____________________________________________________________________________

I leave FB while the label is printing, then its done.  I pack items as carefully and safely as possible to give them the best chance to arrive as purchased, I never ask anything about FB (tacky), FB for 3 years has consistently been between 55% & 60% ... I think a lot depends on what one is selling as ...

[southern*sweet*tea]

I leave feedback first. I don't do it to help other sellers get feedback - I don't give a rat's hiney if I or other sellers ever get another feedback again.

I do it to THANK my BUYERS and as a secondary benefit it protects my feedback from those few cereal buyers that neg if they don't get feedback.

Since buyer feedback received is neutered and no longer valuable as a tool to vet buyers, that's what it should be used for, thanking the buyer. Nothing more, nothing less...if it's even used at all. Feedback is, after all,  voluntary.

[mr_lincoln]

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@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

I leave feedback first. I don't do it to help other sellers get feedback - I don't give a rat's hiney if I or other sellers ever get another feedback again.

I do it to THANK my BUYERS and as a secondary benefit it protects my feedback from those few cereal buyers that neg if they don't get feedback.

Since buyer feedback received is neutered and no longer valuable as a tool to vet buyers, that's what it should be used for, thanking the buyer. Nothing more, nothing less...if it's even used at all. Feedback is, after all,  voluntary.

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Nice post, me too ... it is to Thank the Customer for their purchase.  Any issues after that are handled separately.  I also Reply to all FB left, again, thanking them for the Feedback they left.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@turquoisetulips wrote:

---

@phanoto wrote:

One of the reasons I leave feedback for every customer is to help other sellers to get more feedback. 

The Principles of Reciprocity is well documented as it relates to individuals.  Also, eBay tell us how it works with a buyer and seller:  If the buyer leaves feedback, the seller is more likely to leave feedback;  if the seller leaves feedback, the buyer is more likely to leave feedback.  There may be some exceptions, but we know this is the way it works in most cases.

The Principles of Reciprocity also works as it relates to two groups, but documentation is more difficult to find.  When one group does something nice or beneficial for the other group, the other group is more likely to do something nice or beneficial for the first group. 

Buyers and sellers are Reciprocal Groups with "feedback" being the thing which can be reciprocated.  When more  members of one group leave feedback, more of the members of the other group will leave feedback. OP

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I have always left feedback for my buyers as soon as they  pay  or  right after I ship their purchases . The amount of  feedback I've  received has always been  fair to good  in numbers  but  now  is  showing  a dramatic increase  especially within the last few months . I do not ask my buyers for feedback . The only things I do besides leaving prompt feedback for them is  wrap their purchases in bubble wrap tied with colorful ribbon and then place a thank you sticker  on top and  then ship quickly with tracking   . These methods  seem to  work fine . Tulips 

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Possibly the dramatic increase in feedback you are experiencing is due to new members?  Ebay ran several commercials in the last quarter of 2018 in hopes of increasing sale and gaining new users~this seemed to coincide with a plethora of threads about possible scamming new buyers, because they were new~and possibly these new buyers want to be conscientious and post feedback?

[castlemagicmemories]

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@wpt05 wrote:

---

@phanoto wrote:

...

 Sometimes we got a negative just because we did not leave feedback. 

...

---

In my opinion this is a form of feedback extortion.  

"Feedback extortion policy overview

Buyers:
The buyer isn't allowed to threaten to use feedback or detailed seller ratings in an attempt to force a seller into providing:
Goods or services that weren't included in the original item's description or purchase price.
A return, refund, or replacement item not covered by the original listing or the eBay Money Back Guarantee.
If there is a problem with a transaction, the buyer should report the problem in My eBay."

Since feedback is optional, it is a service not included in the listing.  So if they are demanding it, they are violating the policy.  

Also, under the feedback manipulation policy it states "... In addition to these guidelines, we’ll remove Feedback from buyers that show patterns of disproportionately high rates of low Feedback and/or detailed seller ratings."

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Yes, if feedback is voluntary, and it is, negative feedback for not giving feedback first should be removed, IMO.

[mrconran]

I leave feedback as I feel it is polite to say thank you for shopping with me. Although recently I have changed it to alert my buyer's that they may have a shipping refund.

[lovefindingtreasures2]

I find it a flawed concept in it's entirety now.

I used 100 as an example of how much FB is enough to make a buyer and seller comfortable with each other. For me it is 0 feedbacks on up, people have to start somewhere and I actively bring new buyers to this platform all the time, so 0 doesn't even raise an eyebrow with me. Is 10 enough for some sellers to see? Nope. I've read sellers who want to pre-block any buyer with less than 50, 25, 100, 10, whatever amount, you get it. Every seller is different, but few sellers it seems(I am not one of them) like a new buyer with no FB or just a few FB's.

I've seen sellers here over and over again come right out and say, "How do I block this 'probably innocent' buyer from my auctions or from buying my stuff, I just know they are going to scam me, they have no feedback!! Or low feedback. Or just joined. Seriously? Right there FB is a problem, for eBay. Sellers pre blocking buyers out of fear. How many buyers left eBay never to return with a bad taste in their mouth due to this phenomenon which is only increasing now that sellers are getting more scared by all the buyer weighted (in their favor) policies? THAT'S a bigger problem here now than FB, the return anything for any reason, no questions asked or cared about.

With social media (I have many Pinterest groups), I bring in new buyers all the time to eBay and other platforms. They have to join to buy. I see them as awesome, I brought new buyers to the platform. Others see them as something to block. I've only had one problem, ever, with a 0 buyer and he was a competitor that I blocked previously, so he came back on and messed with me. I alerted eBay to him and he is GONE. Other than that, every 0 buyer, every low FB score buyer has been awesome. The best actually!

Is 10 enough for a buyer to buy from a new seller? Not in my experience in how people view things. 1-25 is similar to a lot of people, 25-50, etc., Triple digits looks better, after that, I doubt most buyers or sellers care. That is where my 100 feedbacks come from. It goes out of double digits and the eye reads it as 'better'.

Feedback is a dinosaur. It's a lie actually, as sellers cannot leave negs for buyers under any circumstances. Sellers leave generic, "Best buyer in the entire World, I recommend this buyer" FB's before sales are completed. I know, I do it myself. They pay, I rate.

I can't say anything other than thanks for paying for a buyer, unless we actually spoke in messages (a rarity), so my FB for them is nonsense. They paid. I leave FB first, always have. So my FB is baloney, I have no idea what kind of buyer they are until 2 months is up 🙂

FB is irrelevant to me in regard to a buyer as a buyer's FB is always stellar. A buyer only has FB that is 100% perfect. It helps me in no way unless I sense a problem with someone (usually in messaging or make an offer) and I look to see what FB they left for their sellers.

Feedback is manipulative, not accurate for either buyer or seller, and is a relic of Internet's past. People write all kinds of mostly hogwash, you bought, I shipped, you liked, I get paid. Did the sale go well? I also think if we are going to stay with FB and apparently make it so important, than any buyer or seller who doesn't rate is an instant 5 Star when the time is up. No gripes from either side? Positive FB for all.

I like how another platform I sell on doesn't release the funds to the seller until buyer rates, within 3 days. No rating, instant Great FB. No games. They wait longer than 3 days, they cannot rate you. So they have to decide if the item they bought fits, works, is correct, no renting, no garbage, no drama! No drama, I love that part, no drama!

Feedback is flawed, not accurate, get's people emotional and angry, some use it as a weapon, a tool to manipulate. I think the very fact that the buyers themselves are leaving less and less feedback as the years move forward speaks volumes. They don't want to leave feedback, they are happy with their gizmo and they are off to the next seller, site, store. They want to be left alone.

We don't leave feedback for every thing we buy at the grocery store, gas station, health food store, yard sale. I have had 3 different businesses this week write me to review my transaction with them.

1 was a gas station smog check.
2 were medical doctors.

Both for just doing their job, nothing special, my car passed smog, the doctors looked at me.

As both a seller and a buyer, I am tired of businesses bugging me for reviews, feedbacks, and any other way they can get publicity for their product and stores. Like most people, I just want to get my daily chores done without having to take a test afterwards. I especially love the ones when you don't do a review, they keep sending 'please review' emails. I have no desire to review my pharmacy, grocery store, pet store, gas station, and neither do most other people.

A lot of buyers feel similar about feedback too, and asking them to give you FB is a recipe for disaster, I hope most sellers know this 🙂

Times are changing, people are in a bigger hurry than ever now to do it all, and leaving feedback is clearly not what a lot of people want to do. They don't want to, it annoys them. How many people here are annoyed when you are asked to complete a 'survey' on your recent visit to whatever you did? I get tired of them, just like I get tired of the endless people knocking on my front door trying to sell me things.

That's my long winded explanation to why I thin FB is a dinosaur. I always leave it for everyone, sellers and buyers, but I think it's becoming a flawed concept for the myriad reasons above and probably more reasons that I remember.

Do I wish people would leave it? Yes, I do. Do I stress over it. Nope. Do I block people over low FB. Nope. Do I freak when a 0 buyer is paying me money. NO WAY!!!!

All you 0 feedback buyers, you are welcome at my stores anytime, I love you!

[castlemagicmemories]

Feedback is a dinosaur. It's a lie actually, as sellers cannot leave negs for buyers under any circumstances.

It's that way for both sides.  While sellers say not being able to leave negs is one reason, buyers say their feedback left for the seller that disappears is their reason.  (the feedback they left disappears, not the seller)

[turquoisetulips]

Okay , I see you have some good points .It's true all buyers  get positive feedback   because sellers simply have no  choice but  to leave anything else . When someone makes a purchase from me they almost always pay  right away  so their  previous feedback as a buyer  wouldn't make any difference to me anyway . The same thing  applies  if they're a new buyer who has paid  .. Again ,  It just doesn't make any  difference because  I certainly would have no intention  of blocking them  just because they're new to e bay[ Sorry you're a newbie , here's your money back lol]     . Where  I do  find the feedback system useful is when I go to make a purchase  from a seller that I don't know  . I do believe reading feedback  has  helped me to avoid   problems  with sellers  who have grown too comfortable  with providing lousy service . Tulips