Is the meaning of neutral feedback changing in 2025?

[collectiblenotes]

I started back on eBay back in 2000 and have seen pretty much all changes on the platform and with feedback.  The one thing I always thought was constant was the meaning of neutral and negative feedback.  I always felt that they pretty much were the same and a neutral was nearly as bad as a negative.  In the past year or so I have been seeing more neutrals with a legitimate neutral comment like "it was okay".  Most of the people leaving genuinely neutral comments are post pandemic sign ups.  Do you think that these newer buyers look at neutral feedback as a truly neutral experience, and if so, does neutral feedback have a different connotation than it has in the past?

[loose_goose_garage]

If you think of it as a Star Rating similar to Amazon or other Retailers,

1 Star- Negative

2-3 Star- Neutral

4-5 Star- Positive

[pastimpressions]

Yes, @loose_goose_garage and on that platform, when you attempt to leave a very poor and/or negative review you are prompted to reconsider and seek resolution prior to submitting the negative review/feedback.

Don't know if that works the same on this platform as I have never had just cause to leave a seller negative feedback?

[fern*wood]

Who knows, the meaning probably varies from person to person. I may be evolving a bit over time with new shoppers that shop other sites as well as ebay.   It seems long time sellers on here get more worked up over neutral & definitely negative feedbacks than others.   I quit thinking so much about either after ebay stopped counting them against us as defects.   Some recent posts on here where sellers are quitting over feedback seem over the top. 

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@collectiblenotes wrote: ... one thing I always thought was constant was the meaning of neutral and negative feedback.  I always felt that they pretty much were the same and a neutral was nearly as bad as a negative. ...

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You and perhaps many other members might feel that way, but the rest of us, including eBay, consider a neg to be much worse than a neutral. For instance, eBay only uses negs when they compute a seller's feedback percentage, which might be the only indication that a buyer ever sees regarding whether a seller's feedback history is not entirely positive.  

ETA:

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@collectiblenotes wrote: ....  Do you think that these newer buyers look at neutral feedback as a truly neutral experience, and if so, does neutral feedback have a different connotation than it has in the past?

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LOL, just minutes after writing the above post, I encountered this comment which certainly reinforces your suspicion that buyers are handing out neutral ratings pretty casually. This comment's "good shipping time" wasn't even enough to earn a positive rating from their buyer (who has 89 feedback and thus isn't strictly speaking a newbie).

[loose_goose_garage]

For Neutral it does not say anything, likely because it doesn't effect the numerical feedback score.

If you click Negative, this pops up before you even type a response:

[luckythewinner]

The one thing I always thought was constant was the meaning of neutral and negative feedback. I always felt that they pretty much were the same and a neutral was nearly as bad as a negative

I started selling here around the same time, and I never thought that. IMHO a negative has always been far worse than a neutral.

[bashort]

I see how someone  new to ebay and new to the feedback rating could very easily leave a neutral rating because they thought it was appropriate, they ordered a widget, they got the widget as expected on time no drama, seller did nothing special so a neutral rating fits.

I used to have a boss who on performance evaluations to get a "exceeds expectations" you would have to excel at something, if you showed up every day and got the job done you would get a "meets expectations" 

[collectiblenotes]

I am happy buyers get that prompt.  The only thing I wish eBay would change is that it requires the buyer to contact the seller before leaving the feedback.  That either makes the seller correct the issue the buyer had or at least understand what the issue was and they can expect a negative rather than just waking up to one.

[fern*wood]

I agree, it just makes feedback a negotiating tool to be held against us.   I dislike the verbiage used in that popup.  To state to give sellers a chance to help is fine, but then to state allow sellers to make it right is like saying give them a chance to give you back money.   I'm fine with communication if it can help with a problem, but I don't see why feedback needs to be involved at that point.