Why is there no negative option on feedback for buyers?

[hammerva]

Good morning.   I am sure it has been explained multiple times but why it is possible to put negative feedback  when you are the one receiving the item but none if you are the one selling the item?   Seems like it is an incentive for shady people.  I have even seen people leave no choice but leave positive feedback with negative explanations.   

[coolections]

You told a person you would only give them half their money back because you sold them nothing but a picture. The reason for no negatives for buyers is because you already took half their money and now want to retaliate by giving them a negative.

[5594shelleys]

Answer the legitimate question. 

Why is there no negative option on feedback for buyers?

[coolections]

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@5594shelleys wrote:

Answer the legitimate question. 

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@5594shelleys  I did. They removed it because too many sellers where giving retaliation negatives. No buyers ever wanted to grade a transaction because they knew they would end up with a negative.

[luckythewinner]

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 I am sure it has been explained multiple times but why it is possible to put negative feedback  when you are the one receiving the item but none if you are the one selling the item? 

On eBay, all buyers really need is an email address to create a buying account. No information that actually identifies them (social security number, credit card, banking information, etc.) is necessary. So essentially the only thing that "identifies" them is the account itself. 

eBay knows that if buyers did get negative feedback, they would just spend a few seconds creating a new account and wiping the slate clean. So I think they actually want buyers to keep the same account so that at least perhaps the blocked buyer lists and non-payment strikes might stick at least for a while. 

Seems like it is an incentive for shady people. 

The incentive for shady people is that they will win pretty much any dispute on eBay regardless of whether they are lying or not. All other  incentives pale in comparison to that, like the trivial nuisance that negative feedback would pose. 

I have even seen people leave no choice but leave positive feedback with negative explanations.   

That violates eBay policy. Putting your own account at risk in an ineffective and easily circumvented attempt top "warn" others is shortsighted and foolish IMHO. 

[soh.maryl]

Sellers have been complaining about this for literally years and will continue to do so.

And those people who feel they have "no choice but to leave positive feedback with negative explanations", they are violating an eBay rule.  When a buyer has received that kind of feedback, he can contact eBay.  The wording will be removed, the green positive doughnut will remain and that seller will receive a "defect".

Not sure how many defects it takes for a seller to be permanently removed, but have heard it's not many.

eBay's site, eBay's rules.  And we all have to know them and abide by them.  

[fab_finds4u]

Sellers are not forced to leave positive feedback when the transaction is negative. In that case they would leave no feedback.

The reason sellers can't leave negative feedback is because sellers were leaving buyers a neg in retaliation when the buyer left the seller negative feedback.  Exactly what the OP wants to do but can't.

[pburn]

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@5594shelleys wrote:

Answer the legitimate question. 

Why is there no negative option on feedback for buyers?

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Here's a legitimate answer:  Because sellers misused it.

[pburn]

The sooner sellers realize leaving negative feedback for buyers makes the seller look like an unprofessional, blaming, immature whiner, the more they'll realize the feedback policy actually helps them more than it hurts them. 

That buyer couldn't care less about your reply; however, potential future buyers often read the feedback left for others in order to decide whether to buy from you. As an example, I would never make a purchase from a seller who sold a digital card and then refunded only half the purchase price to the buyer. 

Talk about shooting oneself in one's foot. The response did more damage than the negative from the buyer ever did. Let's take an objective look at it: the buyer left a negative comment that said simply "P." As a perspective buyer, I'd look at that comment and think, "Well, that's goofy. I'm going to assume the buyer was clueless, so I'll just ignore that negative." But then I read your reply, which is, frankly, unprofessional, hostile and abusive--and could potentially even be an admission of an eBay policy violation regarding selling digital items. And you refunded only half? Nope. Not gonna do business with a seller who (1) replies in such an inappropriate manner; (2) is possibly violating eBay's digital goods policy; and, (3) refunded another buyer only half the purchase price when asked to cancel.

That reply is a perfect illustration of why eBay will no longer allow sellers to leave negative feedback--because of comments like that. I'd say, at least in your case, eBay is doing you a favor by not allowing you to leave negative feedback comments because you're not aware of the damage you're doing to your own account.

[collectfest]

I'd ask eBay directly. Personally, I just accept the policy. If I choose to sell risky product, I will have to accept the rocky road that may follow.

[kensgiftshop]

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@5594shelleys wrote:

Answer the legitimate question. 

Why is there no negative option on feedback for buyers?

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Simple, Ebay said so.

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@collectfest 

I have to agree, I read OPs reply 3 times and I found nothing but a reply to a goofy feedback. OP was simply inquiring why the buyer left a P ? 

     I didn't see hostility or shaming, had that been me I would have asked to buy a vowel!

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@silverstatetreasureboxes wrote:

@collectfest 

I have to agree, I read OPs reply 3 times and I found nothing but a reply to a goofy feedback. OP was simply inquiring why the buyer left a P ? 

     I didn't see hostility or shaming, had that been me I would have asked to buy a vowel!

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I disagree.

The seller would have been better off to have just ignored it.  The feedback received makes the buyer look like a nut, and as a buyer I would have totally disregarded it.

The seller's reply makes me stop and think - why did the seller only give half a refund?  Why is he selling digital items that may not even be allowed?  Do I want to do business with this person?

I'm a buyer who's not familiar with digital trading cards.  I do know that most all digital items aren't allowed. The first thing that comes to my head when I see that reply is the seller is selling things that aren't allowed and then only giving partial refunds if there is an issue.

Sometimes the best thing to do in the case of a wingnut feedback like that is to sit on your hands and keep your mouth shut.

Just my two cents, adjusted to a farthing for inflation. 

[hammerva]

I assume he made the comment because the one negative that I have is because I only partially refunded a person who bought a card not knowing it was digital even though it mentioned a couple times (including the main description) that it was digital.  Because it mentions that I only refunded half his paid.  All 65 cents.   He responded with a 'p' negative feedback.   Was I wrong for only partially refunding him?  Maybe.  Probably.    Why I got out of that stuff because it caused more **bleep** than was necessary for some $2-$5 winning.  

Actually my question had nothing to do with that particular transaction.  It was more about a guy who won one of my auctions and after 5 days and an invoice later hasn't not only paid he hasn't even left a message.   Right now all I can do is cancel order (I am giving him another 10 days) and add him to my blocked list.   and the guy will still have a 100% positive feedback.

[southern*sweet*tea]

eBay gives buyers four days to pay. eBay sends an invoice after the purchase, and another one two days later. There is no need to contact the buyer, they know they need to pay.

If payment has not been made after day four, cancel the transaction for non-payment. This will give the buyer a non-payment strike and you will be free to relist. You can cancel here: https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/getting-paid/cancelling-transaction?id=4136 When a transaction is cancelled for non-payment neither party can leave feedback.

All buyers have positive feedback, unless they have negatives for selling. Negatives for buyers was removed in May 2008. Too many sellers were giving retaliatory negatives when a buyer left a legitimate negative. Also, 85% of the items sold are fixed price. Nobody is going to see the negative until after the buyer has purchased. By then it's too late. Leaving a negative comment under positive feedback is a policy violation that will get the seller sanctioned if the buyer reports it.

Closing out unpaid cases gives the buyer a strike and two of those will block that buyer from bidding or buying from sellers who set their buyer requirements properly. Feedback never did that. If you haven't already, block buyers with two strikes in 12 months in your buyer requirements: https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/buyerrequirements

This only works if sellers do their job and file the unpaid cancellations.