eBay

prettywoman-2012 · ‎01-26-2020

O.K., so I just managed to list a Samsung Android phone used only very gently, for a short time. It is in excellent condition, inside and out and was listed only because it was replaced by an iPhone recently. The Samsung phone is really in superb condition, there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. It was put away and stored in a drawer for a few months, it was charged and came back to life instantly, after which we performed a factory reset in just 5 easy steps and now the phone is like new, ready to assist its new owner. After finishing the listing, I saw that there are stars exhibited atop of the listing, which indicate this type of phone has been rated by buyers as 4.5 out of 5 stars. This is totally misleading, because all the other phones on which these ratings are based, belonged to other sellers. Is there a way to get rid of this star rating above our own listing? Is it caused by having pulled some of the technical information of this gadget from the eBay catalogue?

Who would bother to buy a used phone (since it has to be listed as used) after looking at those less-than-perfect stars, which many buyers - especially those who are new to eBay - may interpret as the rating for the same item sold by us, when it is not at all the case?

Thanks

PW

eleanor*rigby · ‎01-26-2020

If you'd prefer that product reviews not show on your listings, remove them through your account settings.

eleanor*rigby · ‎01-26-2020

I should have added, "if that option is still available." Too late to edit original post. Looks like the option to remove the product reviews is gone now.

pjcdn2005 · ‎01-26-2020

I agree, they shouldn’t have the reviews showing for a used product. I am guessing but if you don’t enter the upc the reviews might not be attached?

wesk_36 · ‎01-26-2020

@pjcdn2005 wrote:
I agree, they shouldn’t have the reviews showing for a used product. I am guessing but if you don’t enter the upc the reviews might not be attached?

Apparently, from another topic, even without a upc code, ebay may still put those badly placed reviews based on products that match and other factors. Ebay doesn't allow sellers to opt-out anymore; ebay thinks they increase sales and they could care less what anyone thinks!

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/My-product-reviews-show-up-in-a-competitor-s-listing-for-a/m-p...

"Can I opt-out of product reviews for my listings?

No. Starting on May 6, product reviews will be available for those listings that are eligible. eBay sellers who previously opted out of product reviews on My eBay will will be opted back into product reviews. If you opted out and want to opt in to take advantage of the benefits of product reviews before May 6 you can do so on My eBay." blah blah blah!

https://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/sprupd16/product-reviews.html#tab=faqs

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Posting ID

prettywoman-2012 · ‎01-26-2020

@pjcdn2005 wrote:
I agree, they shouldn’t have the reviews showing for a used product. I am guessing but if you don’t enter the upc the reviews might not be attached?

Hi Thanks, I did not have to enter a UPC code. THAT part of the situation is correctly recognized by eBay's software. Up until this morning, when I last checked (before posting here), the box to include catalogue information was still there and I remember having checked it, yesterday, when listing this item. So, currently it is checked.

Not sure what might happen when I uncheck it - or whether it still can be unchecked - will have to see. However, if it is a trade-in between not having the star ratings and also not having the the technical data in the item specific VERSUS having both, I believe it is still better to keep the technical data, even if this automatically means that the stars will show up. Hmm. I wish one could just select that the technical data transfers from the generic listind, but not the stars ... alas, it does not appear to be a choice. Seems like a no-win situation.

Thanks and happy Sunday

PW

prettywoman-2012 · ‎01-26-2020

@wesk_36 wrote:

@pjcdn2005 wrote:
I agree, they shouldn’t have the reviews showing for a used product. I am guessing but if you don’t enter the upc the reviews might not be attached?
Apparently, from another topic, even without a upc code, ebay may still put those badly placed reviews based on products that match and other factors. Ebay doesn't allow sellers to opt-out anymore; ebay thinks they increase sales and they could care less what anyone thinks!
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/My-product-reviews-show-up-in-a-competitor-s-listing-for-a/m-p...

"Can I opt-out of product reviews for my listings?
No. Starting on May 6, product reviews will be available for those listings that are eligible. eBay sellers who previously opted out of product reviews on My eBay will will be opted back into product reviews. If you opted out and want to opt in to take advantage of the benefits of product reviews before May 6 you can do so on My eBay." blah blah blah!
https://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/news/sprupd16/product-reviews.html#tab=faqs

Hello and thank you for taking your time to respond to my concern! I just followed the second link you have shared, and found this:

Sellers that list the same product share the same reviews, providing a reliable and consistent user experience for buyers. Reviews are associated with products, not individual listings.

Now if I could just figure out how those star ratings / reviews are reliable and consistent with the phone in my listing - especially, since there a few people who rated this phone (sold by other sellers) as perfect in the text they have left behind - yet still left 4 out of 5 stars, only! Obviously, a used phone can be in a variety of different conditions, from pristine (like mine) to very bad (like a few other, similar phones sold on eBay). But to jeopardize a seller's chance to sell an item by subjective opinions on those transactions, is a little bit frightening, to say the least.

It is like putting not just one, but several less-than-100% sellers' feedback at the top of my listing and then expecting the buyer to happily read on!

I would also like to know whose idea was it, to make this mandatory.

Have a nice day!

PW

coolections · ‎01-27-2020

They are not grading a phone as to new or used. That is a product review and as in any product review, there is never a point where everyone thinks a Samsung phone is a perfect 5. Don't worry about it as it really has no effect on "your" specific phone, but just what people think of the Samsung phone in general.

luxe_beauty_4_less · ‎01-27-2020

I wouldn't fret it anyway. Anyone searching for that phone on eBay already knows if it's good or not. I never read product reviews in listings on eBay and I buy a lot here.