Ignorance of Newbies and feedback.

Dazzieboo

I have been selling and buying on Ebay for quite some time now and I always think carefully about what feedback to leave if things haven't quite worked out as expected. But, I always get in touch with the seller or buyer first to come to some agreement about refund etc first.

I sold a leotard on there, bidding ended on August 28th, I didn't hear a word from the buyer and had no feedback left, so sent her a friendly e-mail 2 weeks after the auction ended asking if everything was ok and had she received the parcel, still no response until 2 days ago and she leaves me negative saying "not worth the effort". :mad: Gobsmacked was not the word and I disputed the feedback straight away, she e-mailed me back saying she would agree to the feedback withdrawal and has done so already, she had no idea what impact a negative would have on someone and didn't realise it would effect the score.:eek:

It is a long time since I have left a neg, but I am sure there used to be a message pop up saying try and resolve differences with the seller / buyer before leaving neg / neutral feedback, is this still in place ?.

Her reason for leaving the negative was the leotard was too big for her 9yr old daughter and she felt I misled her by saying it fitted a 9-10 year old,.I bought it off Ebay with the same description, it fitted my 9yr old who grew out of it when she was 10 and 3 months, so I resold it using the same description, I can't see what is misleading about that.

I wonder how many newbie's to Ebay actually read the introduction pages which emphasise on communication if unsure.

Hintza

Two things spring to mind,

Never contact buyers again, you soon hear if there is a problem.

Personally I would have followed up with a negative before asking for mutual withdrawl just leaves a word of caution for other sellers.

Newbies are the worst for having a very fast trigger finger..not much you can do. The only thing I ask buyers (on packing slip) is to please contact me in the first instance if there is a problem.

Dazzieboo

Unfortunatly, I had already left her positive as she paid within 5 mins of the auction ending, my positive feedback to her has also been withdrawn, but I did have a chance to leave a follow up message to my negative which is still there and explains her wrong doing, if I ever see a mutually withdrawn feedback, I always check the other persons comments and draw my own conclusions from that, hopefully this will be done in my case from others.

Hintza

That brings the third thing to mind never leave feedback for buyers until they have left it for you

Now we will have this debate all over again...arghhh!!

Moglex

Hintza wrote:

Now we will have this debate all over again...arghhh!!

Yes indeed, the dodgy dealer's charter.

"Never leave leave feedback for buyers until they have left it for you so that they will be too intimidated at the thought of a retaliatory neg to neg you, and you can continue to con poor unsuspecting ebayers."

Hintza

Moglex wrote:

"Never leave leave feedback for buyers until they have left it for you so that they will be too intimidated at the thought of a retaliatory neg to neg you, and you can continue to con poor unsuspecting ebayers."

Or the alternative scenario as described by OP.

Hintza

The one thing to remember sellers have little or no way of deciding who can bid on your auction. Therefore buyers need a score of zero or better to allow them to bid that buyer could have 100 +ve feedbacks and 100 -ve feedbacks and there is not miuch the seller can do. Whilst the buyer has the option of not buying from low rated seller. It is therefore much more important for sellers to have good feedback as any decline in this will seriously affect their sales.

So I don't really see it as dodgy dealers charter, buyers need to be truthful, honest and thoughtful when they consider leaving any feedback, of course poor sellers need to be highlighted, but only after a buyer has at least given them a chance to rectify any problems. The easy part of selling on ebay is the sale. The hard part is dealing promptly and efficiently when things go wrong.

kriss_boy

With zero feedbackers I just molly cuddle them..

Email them right away as well as invoicing them. A cheery email with all the info they need and I usually say "the items packed ready to post asap so you could have it by monday if you pop the cheque in the post todat" etc...

seems to work i think...

Moglex

Hintza wrote:

The one thing to remember sellers have little or no way of deciding who can bid on your auction. Therefore buyers need a score of zero or better to allow them to bid that buyer could have 100 +ve feedbacks and 100 -ve feedbacks and there is not miuch the seller can do. Whilst the buyer has the option of not buying from low rated seller. It is therefore much more important for sellers to have good feedback as any decline in this will seriously affect their sales.

Yes, I do see your point here.

The trouble is that because honest sellers need to leave feedback last in order to legitimately protect their feedback scores, dishonourable ones can hide behind that 'rule' to carry on with their nefarious practices.

Not really much to be done about it, though.

Hintza

That is why the sensible folk have a buying and selling account. I would have no qualms about leaving negative feedback as a buyer if the seller didn't live up to expectations.

I don't really understand why buyers are so scared of a retaliatory feedback as long as they are being reasonable. As a buyer I think I have only ever left one negative and I have bought from China to USA without a problem. I read many sellers feedback and am gobsmacked at some of the nasty feedbacks I see left by unreasonable buyers.

rose_sparky

kriss_boy wrote:

With zero feedbackers I just molly cuddle them..

Email them right away as well as invoicing them. A cheery email with all the info they need and I usually say "the items packed ready to post asap so you could have it by monday if you pop the cheque in the post todat" etc...

seems to work i think...

I do the same.

I also think their first ebay purchase can make or break them as far as ebay is concerned so I think it's quite important they find it a good experience.