Feedback changes announced!!!

Contains_Mild_Peril

Unfortunately there is no perfect solution. If feedback were hidden until both parties had left theirs, that would mean that others would not be warned about dodgy eBay members until close to the feedback deadline (or after it if the errant member fails to leave feedback). It would also be possible in many cases to anticipate the likely feedback based on communication about a problem, and to "retaliate" on that basis.
The new system just makes a mockery of the whole feedback system. What is the point of sellers leaving feedback for buyers at all if there's only one kind you can leave? Isn't that a bit like a dictatorship allowing citizens the democratic right to vote in elections where only one political party is represented?
I've been racking my brains trying to think of a more acceptable solution to the problem of unfair retaliatory feedback, and the best I could come up with is to keep the current feedback system but with an additional feature: wherever a member's feedback score is displayed, pointing atthe figure with your mouse could bring up a little balloon with statistics on the total feedback as a buyer, as a seller, and left for others. A seller having given and received the same number of negatives would then indicate a probability of habitual retaliatory negging. I know there are flaws in this method, but it's got to be better than preventing any non-positive feedback from being left for nightmare buyers.

nightswimmer

vix2000 wrote: »

I only buy, not sell on ebay and the majority of sellers are brilliant. However, I have had a couple of really bad experiences where I really should have left bad feedback as a warning to other sellers but daren't because I knew the seller would retaliate. To me that makes the current system a total sham.

No offense, but why didn't you leave a negative? If all you do is buy, then you have nothing to lose by getting a negative on your record. As a buyer, it is only when you get a few negatives that it begins to have any effect, and only then it will effect you on certain auctions. If it does get to be a problem, you just start a new acount.

Tea3

Joannef wrote: »

Also I read that paypal can keep sellers' money for 21 days. Does anyone know anything about this and when this starts?

Thanks.

Did not know about this so would also appreciate anyone posting who knows more about this. We closed our ebay shop when this news cane out and now no longer sell on ebay as buyers blackmail was bad enough in some cases without ebay giving them extra power lol. Our website has got much busier since so looks like regular ebay buyers know to use our site now so thats good but I think paypal keeps money long enough without them being able to keep for 21 days (I may have the wrong end of the stick here but after ebays stupid new rules I am cautious of anything paypal and ebay say).

imagia

Tea3 wrote: »

Did not know about this so would also appreciate anyone posting who knows more about this. We closed our ebay shop when this news cane out and now no longer sell on ebay as buyers blackmail was bad enough in some cases without ebay giving them extra power lol. Our website has got much busier since so looks like regular ebay buyers know to use our site now so thats good but I think paypal keeps money long enough without them being able to keep for 21 days (I may have the wrong end of the stick here but after ebays stupid new rules I am cautious of anything paypal and ebay say).

In the present system you get some buyers trying it on with sellers.

In the new system those buyers will demand the moon on a stick from sellers. And whatever you do, you'll probably get negged by them.

vix2000

nightswimmer wrote: »

No offense, but why didn't you leave a negative? If all you do is buy, then you have nothing to lose by getting a negative on your record. As a buyer, it is only when you get a few negatives that it begins to have any effect, and only then it will effect you on certain auctions. If it does get to be a problem, you just start a new acount.

because I am quite proud of my 100% record, some sellers send my items before my cheque clears because of it, and I object to getting bad feedback that isn't deserved. When I buy something I pay immediately. I don't bid on anything unless I want it. I answer all emails as soon as I see them, and always contact the seller if there is a problem. Where in that do I deserve a retaliatory negative? Why should I have to start a new account because of bad sellers? As I said, the majority are great, but the unscrupulous ones that would rip you off wouldn't think twice about leaving an undeserved negative. In my opinion the current method is worthless. I do read a sellers feedback rather than look at the number and it is a big factor in whether I buy or not, but am also aware that some buyers are in my position. I have bought items ranging from 99p to well over £1000.00 on ebay, and, to be honest, its the cheaper purchases that have been a problem.

soolin

Just bumping for the newer users who are now aware of the changes to feedback and may like to add their comments.

grunnie

I have someone this week who hasn't paid for a Buy It Now. By looking into their feedback I discover they have done that twice before. After May I would not be able to leave a negative to warn others. Seems stupid to me as I always leave fair comments for others. I have had some really weird sellers who are mad about keeping their 100% feedback even when they don't provide a good service. Also how do you deal with the few? many who say item hasn't arrived when you know it has been signed for. I refund and state on their feedback FULL REFUND GIVEN item lost in post- as a positive so anyone looking will know they have tried it on before. I think it is time I gave up ebay and tried somewhere else.

v0n

I can see people having field day with the new changes:

1. Cut throating
Just like it happens now with detailed feedback and pushing back on pages. Because feedback will be calculated from the last 12 months, any powerseller can finish off smaller seller undercutting his offers by simply setting up fresh buyer account, buying few 99p items and immediately posting negative feedback - who's going to buy anything from a guy with 15% positive feedback, right?

2. Argos rentals
Because seller can not leave negative feedback, thus warning others about scammer, it basically means big come back for "Argos rental" clientelle. The type of buyer that purchase goods for one use only with intention of returning it. Be it the dress for one night, printer to print out his homework or simply replacement item - let's say you send them new headphones and they return their old, broken ones to you as "goods were DOA". How many people are you willing to chase in small claims court for £9.99?

3. Blackmailing
No negatives for buyers also means the return of "I will pay you half the price or will leave negative feedback" buyers. What are you going to do - post positive negatives and up their score?

4. I'm sure George[SIZE=-1] Agdgdgwngo (Fonejacker character) is shivering with glee thinking of all the possibilities opened by the "no negative feedback" clause to foreign scammers vetoing unpaid item reports with "It's totally innocent, I've sent the bankers draft for two gazillion dollars to the man, together with details of my shipper, here's the postage proof" (que crude scan of xerox copy of several cheques with misspelled "Halifux Bank of Scatland" header and the same number)

In the same time, none of the long standing problems will be affected and won't make eBay better place, even for buyers. Chinese sellers will still be able to change their location to town of "We ship everywhere", England, UK and no amount of "Show items in UK only" filtering will get rid of them in the listings. Clever powersellers will still be able to overcharge for delivery selling items for £1 plus £50 delivery, knowing they are obligated to refund item price only, not delivery. For me those are the reasons why buying numbers on ebay are going down. Try to find any electronic item. You get 200 pages, most of them from sellers outside UK pretending to be local, some of them from so called "selected international power sellers", completely irrelevant hits from US with prices in dollars. Sort the listings by price, to find cheapest item and you'll get thousands of 99p items with £30 delivery, as there is no way of sorting by "total". Plus now [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]some of the listings are pushed artificially back by 4.7 detailed scores.[/SIZE] It's a mess. It has lost it's purpose to buyers and appeal to sellers. It was supposed to be an auction site, not the shopping mall. Someone please suggest good eBay alternative.

imagia

v0n wrote: »

It's a mess. It has lost it's purpose to buyers and appeal to sellers. It was supposed to be an auction site, not the shopping mall. Someone please suggest good eBay alternative.

If you think it's a mess now, just wait until May when out-of-the-loop sellers start finding out about the feedback changes the hard way. That's going to be entertaining!

As far as the good eBay alternative goes, well, there isn't one. There are alternatives, such as eBid and Tazbar (the U.S. has many more that are starting to catch up on eBay), but if you want to make them into good alternatives you'll have to start voting with your feet. And bring all your friends.

StaffsSW

imagia wrote: »

If you think it's a mess now, just wait until May when out-of-the-loop sellers start finding out about the feedback changes the hard way. That's going to be entertaining!

I'm pretty certain those sellers won't be finding it entertaining. Too many malicious feedbacks will only make it harder for buyers to identify the decent sellers. How does that improve the buying experience?