Feedback

hubb

So why can't we sellers leave negative feedback for buyers who can't be bothered to pay for items or answer emails ? Why isn't it a level playing field. I can't think of one good reason why other sellers can't be warned.:mad:

RFW

It isn't a level playing field, buyers and sellers are different.

Retaliatory negative feedbacks left by sellers to disgruntled buyers was driving those buyers away from the site.

File a non paying bidder report (which also gets your final value fees back) and if my buyer requirement settings are sufficient then your non paying bidder won't be able to bid on my items. If they have had more than one non paying strike, their chances of being booted off Ebay altogether increase.

No regular seller checks the buyer's feedback anyway, so your 'warning' would be pointless. The only time I used to check a buyer's feedback was a few days after they hadn't paid, certainly not before they bought anything, I'd go more mad than I already am doing that.

emerald_starcat

I remember years ago I left a neutral for a seller as I bought a furby and it didn't work. I emailed the seller numerous times but they didn't reply. In the end after much consideration I left them a neutral feedback, and felt a bit bad doing so. However the seller did not reply and I was left with a broken furby (I used to collect furbies!).
Anyway to my dismay the next time I logged onto my ebay accont, that seller had left me a negative feedback! I was totally gutted.
So I am glad as a buyer that sellers can't leave negative/neutral feedback anymore.
But as a seller I get very frustrated when people decide to bid and not pay and wish I could give them bad feedback to warn other sellers.
So what is the solution?

Kestrel

On the very rare occasion that I have a particularly difficult transaction with a buyer I tend not to leave feedback for them, that is the option that you have as a seller - positive or nothing at all.

Almost all of my listings are buy it now and to be honest there is little point in me checking a buyers feedback - once they've clicked, the deal is done regardless of their feedback. I have general blocks in place but sometimes I manually add a potential buyer / previous troublesome buyer to my blocked bidder list but unfortunately the blocks aren't fool proof.

What annoys me is when I get messages such as "Can you do me a discount, I'm a really good buyer - check out my feedback" !!!!!!!!!!

pinkshoes

When you buy from a shop on the highstreet, you can then review the shop online on various sites. The shop cannot review the buyers!!! Ebay is just the same.

Personally I've found it MUCH better since they changed the feedback, as it's cut down idiot sellers who have no respect for the buyer, and if the buyer dared to complain, they'd just retaliate with a negative. Sellers are much more professional now in general.

You can always see what feedback a buyer has left for others, which makes it easy to spot a bad one.

Kestrel

pinkshoes wrote: »

it's cut down idiot sellers who have no respect for the buyer, and if the buyer dared to complain, they'd just retaliate with a negative.

unfortunately there are buyers out there who have no respect for honest, hardworking, small business sellers, and in some cases these buyers hold some sellers to ransom with how the feedback/DSR system is now operated. I think with a little detective work you can usually see through the tit-for-tat feedback wars that used to go on

pinkshoes

Kestrel wrote: »

unfortunately there are buyers out there who have no respect for honest, hardworking, small business sellers, and in some cases these buyers hold some sellers to ransom with how the feedback/DSR system is now operated. I think with a little detective work you can usually see through the tit-for-tat feedback wars that used to go on

If there's any mention of holding someone to ransom over feedback, then ebay will remove the feedback.

Bad buyers only tend to be a minority. If people on here reported every good sale, the forum would be swamped!! It's much more exciting to read about problem buyers and help sellers sort them out.

Ultimately, a negative isn't the end of the world. Just respond to it highlighting (politely) what an ejit the buyer was.