Using 'eBay' in Negative Feedback - a cautionary tale

RFW

So you bought a faulty product, the seller did not provide satisfactory customer service, so Ebay stepped in and refunded. Ebay's job done.
Anything after that is window dressing.
I rarely leave feedback as a buyer there isn't much point. Ebay offer full buyer protection so checking feedback shouldn't really matter.

stevelittle

I couldn't disagree with you more. Feedback is both fully integral to and a extremely important part of the transaction process on eBay, which is surely why it is there and why most other people give it credence.
Having used the words 'eBay' and 'case' in a previously left and un-removed feedback,how would I know not to use either word?
I stand by the premise of my original post and assertion that eBay's policies are at best convoluted and their actions are wholly inconstant.
One final point is that I have been very surprise to encounter such blatant apologists for eBay on this forum.

Yahoo_Mail

stevelittle said:

Having used the words 'eBay' and 'case' in a previously left and un-removed feedback,how would I know not to use either word?

Read the terms and conditions or policies regarding feedback?  Even if you read them before, these things can and do change over time.  What may have been allowed a week ago might not be allowed today.

Or you can not bother doing that and have your feedback removed, which is an alternate method of informing you not to do whatever it is you did going forward. Given that there is no penalty to you for this action being taken I'm not sure why you're so bothered about it.

I could see the argument for the feedback being removed but you being allowed to post new feedback that complies with the rules. I'm not really sure why people aren't allowed to do that.

stevelittle

 ".....but you being allowed to post new feedback that complies with the rules. I'm not really sure why people aren't allowed to do that."   That's exactly my point.
"...... I'm not sure why you're so bothered about it.. Simply removing the feedback, instead of providing the opportunity for it to be re-written, answers that question. 

steviebabes

What usually happens is savvy (also dodgy) sellers know the rules about feedback and will get it removed quickly if opening a case is mentioned.

stevelittle

"What usually happens is savvy (also dodgy) sellers know the rules about feedback and will get it removed quickly if opening a case is mentioned."
It seems that's certainly what has happened in my case and without the opportunity provided to re-word and, importantly, re-instate the negative feedback, it points the finger at eBay in terms of where their loyalty/bias and priorities lie:
 'Sellers' - ka-ching, profit, keep them happy
 'Buyers' - no income, no value, no say

Spoonie_Turtle

stevelittle said:

"What usually happens is savvy (also dodgy) sellers know the rules about feedback and will get it removed quickly if opening a case is mentioned."
It seems that's certainly what has happened in my case and without the opportunity provided to re-word and, importantly, re-instate the negative feedback, it points the finger at eBay in terms of where their loyalty/bias and priorities lie:
 'Sellers' - ka-ching, profit, keep them happy
 'Buyers' - no income, no value, no say

Not quite. If the buyers don't buy, then eBay don't get the fees from the sales.

It's also unusual to see someone lamenting that eBay sides with the seller. Multiple threads here would indicate that's not usually the case!

In this instance you seem to have fallen foul of the rules, which is unusual for a buyer. If the seller responded properly to the case then they didn't get a strike for the transaction, but they probably lost their fees. If eBay had to step in because the seller didn't respond as they were supposed to, that does give them a defect - too many of those and eBay charge them more / restrict their listings / etc.

Granted they could offer the option of rewording disallowed feedback, but that increases the workload and thus would increase the fees. Maybe a buyer would assume that doesn't affect them, but when prices go up to account for fees, it would. 

The other thing is, while it's good to be able to warn buyers so they don't have their time wasted on useless sellers, if there aren't warnings but the sellers are rubbish then they still lose business because people won't ever come back to them.

RFW

stevelittle said:

I couldn't disagree with you more. Feedback is both fully integral to and a extremely important part of the transaction process on eBay, which is surely why it is there and why most other people give it credence.

It isn't. It used to be. As pointed out above the "strike" system makes more of a difference to accounts than feedback. The strike received lowers their items in search and more strikes threatens their account. Feedback is increasingly worthless on Ebay, good or bad. If a buyer has a bad transaction they will get a refund from Ebay and the seller receives a strike. If a buyer doesn't ask for a refund and just leaves negative feedback (this, amazingly happens a fair amount) then not much happens to the buyer.

DiddyDavies

stevelittle said:

I couldn't disagree with you more. Feedback is both fully integral to and a extremely important part of the transaction process on eBay, which is surely why it is there and why most other people give it credence.

Feedback stopped being integral and important when eBay changed it so that buyers couldn't be left any negatives.
What is the point in a feedback system where however bad, demanding or downright fraudulent a buyer may be, a seller only has the option to leave no feedback or positive feedback?

stevelittle said:
One final point is that I have been very surprise to encounter such blatant apologists for eBay on this forum.

Just because people point out how the feedback system works doesn't mean that they are in any way "blatant apologists for eBay".

stevelittle

"It's also unusual to see someone lamenting that eBay sides with the seller. Multiple threads here would indicate that's not usually the case!"
I can only speak from my experience as a a buyer in this instance and I stand by the premise of my original post.

"Granted they could offer the option of rewording disallowed feedback, but that increases the workload and thus would increase the fees. Maybe a buyer would assume that doesn't affect them, but when prices go up to account for fees, it would."
This is a lame excuse on behalf of eBay, for the right and fair option of simply re-wording feedback, if eBay really insist that this should be absolutely necessary, just because eBay is mention in the feedback, despite the fact that that the purchase was made through eBay.

"Just because people point out how the feedback system works doesn't mean that they are in any way" "blatant apologists for eBay".

In what context has anybody here explained/justified the logic behind removing genuine feedback because it mentions 'eBay' or 'case'??