No Returns and No Negative Feedback

Flyonthewall

Kim_13 wrote: »

I hate people who say that kind of thing. One of my recent purchases arrived in an (open) envelope stating "Please kindly leave us 5 star positive feedback so we can continue to offer quality items at low prices." Sorry, I don't see how feedback has any impact on their costs or on the margins they decide to operate on. 5 star positive was bolded and in red! Needless to say I didn't do so.

I was tempted to neg, but I haven't left any feedback as the envelope probably was sealed when they sent it and nothing was missing.

I'd assume they mean so customers are happy to buy from them as they have so much positive feedback, they keep selling loads because of it allowing for cheaper bulk prices (so lower cost to buyers) and their account doesn't get closed for being a bad seller.

It doesn't really have a direct impact on their costs, but feedback does have an effect on the business (at least to a point).

Brooker_Dave

You can put whatever you like at the bottom of an ebay listing, but that won't stop paypal reversing the payment for the slightest of reasons and leaving you down your item and the postage.

RFW

It may shock some people to know that many people don't know or care about feedback. They'll buy an item "off Ebay" and expect all to be ok.
I was talking to a relative who ordered an item and received entirely the wrong product. He complained and received a long email asking him to leave positive feedback before they would send the right product!
All he wanted was the right item, he ended up with a refund and bought the right product on Amazon.
Feedback started out as a good tool and even a bit of a hook for Ebay, it's now a millstone for many buyers that blinkers them from doing their job properly.

Mistral001

With regard to feedback, I used to get reminders from Ebay to leave feedback, but no longer do. This means that I usually forget to leave feedback I am ashamed to say. When they sent out reminders I always left feedback. Is this something that ebay needs to look at?

Stoke

RFW wrote: »

It may shock some people to know that many people don't know or care about feedback. They'll buy an item "off Ebay" and expect all to be ok.
I was talking to a relative who ordered an item and received entirely the wrong product. He complained and received a long email asking him to leave positive feedback before they would send the right product!
All he wanted was the right item, he ended up with a refund and bought the right product on Amazon.
Feedback started out as a good tool and even a bit of a hook for Ebay, it's now a millstone for many buyers that blinkers them from doing their job properly.

I think some people take feedback seriously. I often use feedback as a way of finding out about the product. I set the filter to negative and 200 feedback comments and then search the name of the product. Many a time, I've been close to buying only to find something like "product is poor quality, and falls apart" something I might be suspicious off from the listing.

Recently, I had the enjoyment of buying a cheap car tool from a company on eBay. It was cheap because it didn't work, and never could work because it was a flawed design. After trying to claim their item was the same in the description as the one sent (it wasn't, the one i received missed a very important component), they accepted a refund, but not before asking me to leave positive feedback for doing so.

What? You sold me a defective item. A completely useless object. You then want me to give you positive feedback when an afternoon of my life was lost thanks to your !!!! tool. No.

Flyonthewall

Stoke wrote: »

I think some people take feedback seriously. I often use feedback as a way of finding out about the product. I set the filter to negative and 200 feedback comments and then search the name of the product. Many a time, I've been close to buying only to find something like "product is poor quality, and falls apart" something I might be suspicious off from the listing.

Yeah. Some take it too seriously though. The worst seem to be the massive sellers where it makes little difference to them unless they suddenly get loads of negatives (in which case, they're doing something wrong and deserve it) and the sellers just starting out who would probably get more if they didn't bug the buyers about it.

I do the same with feedback. Searching for products in feedback to find out the true quality can be very useful. Also helpful to view positive and negative feedback if someone keeps relisting an item and it seems a bit odd (even the lack of feedback can say a lot in that case).

Feedback is helpful, both positive and negative, but there's no point in taking it too seriously and trying to force buyers to leave it. I also think some want it just because they think the buyer then can't complain if there is an issue, which isn't true. I think for many feedback doesn't mean what it used to and a lot of buyers ignore it.

d70cw6

just because someone asks for no negative feedback, doesnt mean you have to do what they ask....

not really rocket science.

Stoke

d70cw6 wrote: »

just because someone asks for no negative feedback, doesnt mean you have to do what they ask....

not really rocket science.

No but it's as if you're entering into a sort of 'gentlemans agreement'

RFW

Stoke wrote: »

I think some people take feedback seriously. I often use feedback as a way of finding out about the product. I set the filter to negative and 200 feedback comments and then search the name of the product. Many a time, I've been close to buying only to find something like "product is poor quality, and falls apart" something I might be suspicious off from the listing.

Seasoned buyers will check feedback and reviews. If you're on MSE forums, chances are you're well clued up. MSE exists because most people aren't. What you actually need from your description are product reviews and not feedback. In that respect, Ebay needs an overhaul of their feedback system. It's probably where they're heading using EANs.
They have tried it in the past but it never quite worked, I'd bet that's where they'll be in a couple of years.

ballisticbrian

You see it all the time, people trying to use eBay as the marketplace they would like it to be instead of what it actually is. If you have some carp to get rid of and want cash and no come-backs, then don't think eBay.

While on the same point, why do some companies think eBay is a dumping ground for goods that would ruin their reputation off eBay? Slightly damaged or improperly processed goods or seconds... dump it on eBay. Not a great idea. I've actually seen a few companies and their feedback on eBay and thought, "I used to think that was a decent company."