Why don't all sellers use the same guidelines for Leaving Feedback?

[phanoto]

Many buyers like to know what to expect when buying on any website.    Therefore, it would be best if buyers knew what to expect about getting feedback from sellers.

Just about all sellers know that feedback for buyers is not useful for letting other sellers know that a buyer acts fairly and is honest, or that the buyer is unfair and dishonest.  Therefore, it is logical that sellers would want to leave feedback in such a way that displeases the smallest number of the seller's customers. 

Sellers can use the following facts to decide when to leave feedback and what to say in the feedback in order to displease the smallest number of customers:

1.  Fewer buyers are displeased by the seller leaving feedback before the buyer receives the item. 

2.  Fewer buyers are displeased by the seller thanking the buyer in the feedback or by saying something nice about the buyer.  Other sellers know that the good things said about a buyer in feedback do not indicate how fair and honest the buyer is. 

3.  When more sellers leave feedback soon after payment is received, buyers will leave feedback for a larger percent of their purchases from other sellers. 

Comments that are often made which are true but have nothing to do with what is the best way for sellers to use the feedback program for buyers:

1.  Leaving feedback is voluntary.

2.  Buyers do not need more feedback after they get enough to cause sellers to be comfortable selling to them.

[phanoto]

@div_style wrote:

True, that sellers have choice of when or if to leave FB for buyers.

My choice is to leave FB upon payment (done automatically by eBay) because buyers like it, and it lets them know you have responded to the sale.  It does not matter whether FB is useful or valuable or not.  It does not matter if the sale goes sour for some reason.  It does not matter to me that I may have left FB for a rotten dirty scoundrel of a thieving buyer.  It costs me nothing in time or money to have eBay leave FB for buyers.  And if there is some problem with the transaction, buyers who have already received positive FB are generally friendlier and easier to work with.

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"My choice is to leave FB upon payment (done automatically by eBay) because buyers like it, and it lets them know you have responded to the sale. "

Yes, buyers like it.  And, since it takes almost no time for a seller to leave feedback,  I am wondering why some sellers do not use it the way which will benefit them the most.

"It does not matter whether FB is useful or valuable or not.  It does not matter if the sale goes sour for some reason.  It does not matter to me that I may have left FB for a rotten dirty scoundrel of a thieving buyer.  It costs me nothing in time or money to have eBay leave FB for buyers."

Yes, if a seller wants to do what is best for business,  the seller will learn to not be bothered by those things which are not important.

Even those sellers who say they do not want to give positive feedback to a buyer who will later do something to cheat the seller usually say that other sellers pay no attention to the good comments about a buyer in feedback.  Sellers are more likely to look at "feedback left" by the buyer. 

"And if there is some problem with the transaction, buyers who have already received positive FB are generally friendlier and easier to work with."

Yes, sellers who want to do what is best for their business will want to be sure  to leave positive feedback for all buyers who will later try to cheat the seller.   That will often cause the buyer to not do so many bad things to the seller, and to do more of those things the seller wants.

[plantyhuffman]

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@inhawaii wrote:

Re: Why don't all sellers use the same guidelines for Leaving Feedback?

For the same reason you like your steak medium-rare and i like mine medium-well.

Sellers are different, have different opinions and do things differently.

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Sounds like someone doesn't like communism.

That's not very 2019 friendly.

[onlinecentral]

I leave feedback for everyone that leaves me feedback first, on a daily basis.
At 30+ plus days, after the return period has expired, I leave feedback for everyone else, on a weekly basis.
If you leave feedback right away when the payment is made, you are giving positives to buyers who return items.

A useful tool would be 2 'odometer' numbers indicating the total lifetime buying and selling transactions for a member.

[phanoto]

Someone said that the subject of "FEEDBACK" has been discussed so much that everyone has read all there is to say about it.

There are a few MILLION people who buy and sell on eBay who have not read anything about the different opinions people have about leaving feedback. 

HUNDREDS of people would like to know if they are using feedback the best way or not.   And, usually those people cannot find even ONE feedback thread without searching for some of the old threads. 

If you leave feedback for all of your customers at payment,  I think most people would like to know why you think that is best for your business. 

If you don't leave feedback until the  buyer leaves positive feedback for you, or until enough time has passed that you think the buyer probably will not try to cheat you, I think most people would like to know why you think that is best for your business.   If you don't think it is best for your business, I think most people would like to know what you DO THINK is best your business. 

[pink.fish.rule]

You really miss the Forest huh?

[phanoto]

Reasons sellers have given for not leaving feedback  until enough time has passed to cause the seller to  think the buyer is not going to do anything bad:

1.  They just dislike saying anything good about a buyer who later does something bad.

2.  They dislike leaving feedback for a buyer who may not leave feedback even after receiving feedback from the seller. 

3.  They do not leave feedback for anyone because they think  feedback for buyers does not help the buyer.

Reasons sellers have given for leaving feedback at payment:

1.  More buyers are satisfied with a seller who does that, and some buyers are dissatisfied with a seller who does not do it. 

2.  It causes more buyers to participate in the feedback program, which results in more feedback left for all sellers. 

3.  More of the sellers who  leaves feedback get more feedback because some buyers will  not leave feedback first.  But, some sellers say they get more feedback when they do not leave feedback, even though the buyer does not desire more feedback.

4.  It takes less time and trouble because the seller can leave feedback for everyone who paid in just a few seconds.

5.  Other sellers pay no attention to the praise or compliments a seller makes about a buyer.  Therefore, it does not matter if a seller says good things about a buyer, and then the buyer does something bad.   Also, a seller can just say "THANKS" in the feedback statement.

6.  To avoid leaving positive feedback for a buyer who will later do something bad, the seller would have to treat his/her good customers the same way the seller treats bad customers for about a week or longer after the sale.  

7.  Sellers want to help their customers by leaving feedback for the customer.  Many sellers think that other sellers are more comfortable selling to a buyer who has several recent feedback.   Many buyers feel better when they know that the seller is not as likely to be uncomfortable selling to the buyer.

[keziak]

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@kathy507 wrote:

Feedback for buyers on this site is meaningless since all buyers get a positive and a seller cannot leave a negative comment to alert anyone of a bad buyer experience.  Almost all sellers know this.

Personally I wish they would just remove the ability of sellers to leave feedback for buyers since it tells others nothing.  Other sites do not allow sellers to leave feedback for buyers already.

I always wonder why buyers ask a seller to leave feedback.  For example from a buyer:   "I left feedback for you, please do the same."   Do they not realize feedback for them is meaningless or is there some basic need to be complemented involved?

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I use buyer feedback to see if they have had a lot of transactions or are a newbie. 

[phanoto]

eBay said in their information for sellers:

Get great feedback and DSRs: The key to getting positive feedback and ratings is excellent customer service. Always represent your item accurately and honestly. Make your terms of sale easy to find and understand, especially concerning payment terms, shipping, and returns. Respond to questions quickly, be patient and courteous—and be sure to leave positive feedback to encourage your buyers to do the same.

[phanoto]

eBay emails sellers to remind them to leave feedback.  This is what eBay says:

"Don't forget to leave feedback.

Leaving feedback is an important part of buying and selling on eBay.

When you buy an item, leaving feedback is a great way to rate your experience with a seller on eBay. If you're a seller, leaving feedback for your buyers is a great way to say thank you."

Why would eBay want sellers to leave feedback if didn't cause more sales and profits for sellers?

[gramophone-georg]

Still on the same crusade, I see.

[chapeau-noir]

Keepin' the dream alive.

[magicjohnsonsvariety]

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@phanoto wrote:

eBay emails sellers to remind them to leave feedback.  This is what eBay says:

"Don't forget to leave feedback.

Leaving feedback is an important part of buying and selling on eBay.

When you buy an item, leaving feedback is a great way to rate your experience with a seller on eBay. If you're a seller, leaving feedback for your buyers is a great way to say thank you."

Why would eBay want sellers to leave feedback if didn't cause more sales and profits for sellers?

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I've been on here since 1999, and the day I take suggestions from ebay is the day I will be 6 feet under.

Why is Feedback from buyers a complete analysis on the entire transaction?.....

While a Sellers FB has now been minimized and reduced to a mere "thank you"??

The question clearly asks "How was your Experience?"......not....did the buyer pay?!

"Let us know how it went"....Well, I don't really know the answer to this until I hear back from my customers.

[tryno2]

Why don't we all just set up an auto feedback saying "A+ Buy" for every item sold.  Would that really be helpful, OP?   Millions or is it billions of transactions every year, every one of them getting feed back saying A+ Buyer.  Really doesn't sound very useful or meaningful to me.  As a seller I normally give feedback once I've heard from the buyer that everything went good.  If I don't hear from them, then I don't do feedback.  See to me, the deal isn't final until I hear that the buyer has approved of the item.  

[magicjohnsonsvariety]

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@tryno2 wrote:

Why don't we all just set up an auto feedback saying "A+ Buy" for every item sold.  Would that really be helpful, OP?   Millions or is it billions of transactions every year, every one of them getting feed back saying A+ Buyer.  Really doesn't sound very useful or meaningful to me.  As a seller I normally give feedback once I've heard from the buyer that everything went good.  If I don't hear from them, then I don't do feedback.  See to me, the deal isn't final until I hear that the buyer has approved of the item.  

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Sadly, We have become a rubber stamp society.

When every customer gets a smiley face thank you...buyer feedback becomes completely meaningless and all this leads to increased fraud by thieves who are now more protected online than ever before.

[phanoto]

Someone said: 

It isn't beneficial to one's business to leave or not leave feedback.

My comments:

If it is not beneficial to a seller's business to leave feedback, and not beneficial to not leave feedback, then one of these statements must be true:

1.  NONE of a seller's customers prefer that the seller leave feedback.  OR;

2.  The same number of the seller's customers prefer that the seller NOT leave feedback as the number of customers who prefer that the seller leave feedback.

3.  100 % of the seller's customers do not care whether a seller leaves feedback or does not leave feedback.

So, if it does not matter whether a seller leaves feedback or not, which of those three statements are true?