Too frightened to leave neg feedback in case it's reciprocated

Snooze_Control

It amazes me the number of posts I read from Ebayer's who have been conned but are too frightened to leave negative feedback in case it's reciprocated. Why does it bother you so much? Any potential buyer with an ounce of sense would read through the feedback (negative & neutral comments especially) and decide for themselves what the real story is.

I'm a big seller on Ebay with a 5 figure feedback score and if I'm not happy with the service I've received (eg. late/non-payment or if I'm buying, non replies to emails or slow dispatch) and if I don't get a satisfactory resolution privately then I won't waste any time in leaving them negative feedback and don't care whether they leave me it in retaliation either, I shall just reply to it stating my case.

I've got 46 negatives over the past 12 months (4700+ positives) and out of those I honestly say that only 6 of them were my fault from when I posted wrong items (twice) and the other 4 from when I was laid up in bed with 'flu. My overall feedback score is 96.7%.

People should stop worrying about getting negative feedback left in retaliation when they've been conned or suffered a sh*t service and let the buyer decide who the one at fault is. Judging by the amount of people on here not even reading the feedback AT ALL then I wouldn't let it worry you. I often see feedback left for others when they've received crap service and they leave a positive feedback but say something like "items took a month arrive and wasn't as described". !!!!!!?! You can tell straight away they've done it to avoid being given negative feedback back. :rolleyes: It really annoys me when I see people do that. If you get crap service, leave NEGATIVE feedback!

SC

soolin

The reason people don't leave negs is that as a seller a feedback score of less than 98.5% or so would mean people are less likely to buy. Everyone has their own comfort levels and 98.5-99% is about mine. I have a seller I use regularly and in fact I placed another order last night, but their feedback is dropping rapidly and unless it starts improving this will be my last order. They are shooting star sellers at over 20000 feedback and were maintaining 99.6 for most of the year and have now slipped to 98.9% which all the negs basically saying the same thing that where goods fail to arrive seller doesn't want to know and just quotes 'you didn't pay for insurance' at them.

However, using a separate buying and selling account means that negs can be left for a seller without any impact on your selling account.

Snooze_Control

But that isn't necessarily down to the feedback score is it? The guy could well have a 20,000+ feedback score, but it could be for 40,000 transactions and half of them have left negatives.

I don't have any "comfort levels" (as you put it) for buying. The seller could have a 50% feedback score (1 positive, 1 negative) and I would still buy from then if the feedback comments looked "right". I can't say I've had any problems selling my stuff with 96.7% but I guess I wouldn't get your business due to your, well - pardon me for being blunt - narrow-mindedness.

SC :cool:

soolin

Snooze_Control wrote:

But that isn't necessarily down to the feedback score is it? The guy could well have a 20,000+ feedback score, but it could be for 40,000 transactions and half of them have left negatives.

:cool:

The feedback score for the seller I mentioned is 98.8% currently so 1.2% of people have felt aggrieved enough to leave a neg. As I agree with your first post that many people do not leave negs the real percentage of aggrieved buyers will be significantly higher, which is much more worrying. I can't remember the exact feedback, except there was lots of it, but it was sort of in the region of 20,000 positives and 220 negs.

In the case you mention for your own feedback yes I would be narrow minded enough to avoid you entirely. Everyone can pick up one or two flakey buyers, but to start getting a lot of odd buyers could suggest that you have either a problem with what you sell, or have perhaps a customer service policy that I would not be happy with.

Soo

FloFlo

If you think you are selling a lot now, think how much you could be selling if you improved customer service. I wouldn't buy from someone with 46 negs in 12 months, too many unhappy customers. I am also a four figure seller as you put it and I have 100% positive feedback, its hard work and I've made mistakes which I have put right so that the customer does not feel the need to complain. Most people are happy if you keep in touch when problems arise. There are some very weird buyers out there but keep them sweet and block them from bidding again.;)

durham_girl

I wouldn't buy from you either, there's just too many negs there. I am also a 'four figure seller' but I have 100% feedback. As the above poster said, it is hard work to keep it that way, but it is worth it to ensure that potential buyers feel comfortable entering into a transaction.

windswept

I too, have 100% and am proud of that, do people also realise, that as a buyer, you are only covered by paypal if the seller had above 98.5% , it states that in paypal's buyer protection pages. so if you buy from a seller below that, you buy at your own risk. I always advise people to buy with a credit card through paypal, so you are covered that way.

apprentice_tycoon

I too am a 4 figure seller and was very proud of my 100% (I had 2 negs but worked them out back to 100% each time I hit another 2000 f/backs) but this last year I've picked up 2 more negs, both spurious, with the first I'd already given f/back but now I've learned after 7 years not to be so trusting (or hopeful) and wait for a pos f/b before I give mine.

Last week I had the dubious delight of giving a neg in BLOCK CAPITALS to a silly bu33er who gave me a neg because a piece of china was accidentally damaged before posting it, I explained it fully with profuse aplogies and refunded him within minutes. I wish that I could have written it in red ink I was so mad with him.
It wasn't a rare item just a common cup, there was probably a dozen more listed

I'm afraid that I wouldn't buy from someone with 46 negs either, I have over 4700 feedbacks too like the OP but as a buyer I'd get the impression that one more won't make any difference so the incentive for the seller to try hard isn't there

Marvo434

Yes but...
I don't sell much anymore, but to a certain extent agree with OP. I stated before on this forum that I actually felt some relief once I had got my first (totally spurious) neg, as it stopped me worrying about getting one and bending over backwards to idiots to avoid one.

icklejulez

As a buyer and a seller I personally wouldnt buy from you either, sorry.

~cleo~

i wouldnt buy from you either - but i also would like to add for me if i see a run of negs together it puts me off - although i rarely buy from anyone with less than 98%

windswept - i didnt know about 98.5% and paypal thanx