"What is it with feedback these days?" Topic

My conscience tells me I leave feedback as a seller when they pay promptly, and as a buyer when the item arrives. The 'system' gives me the ability to mark them up or down for speed of service, accuracy of description, quality of packaging etc.

Seems like a simple enough system to me.

I've recently made 2 purchases, neither wargaming related. I paid instantly and they appear to have shipped promptly. By that, I mean the goods have arrived in good condition.

Now I know it's petty and really doesn't matter, but both of them appear to be waiting for ME to place my feedback before they place theirs… what are they waiting for? Going to complain about the colour of my money after I receive the goods? Do they have some doubt about their own honesty when they post the item that they fear I may have reason to complain?

This should probably be in a rant.

While I'm at it though, I've even had a couple with the message, "leave me positive feedback and I'll leave positive feedback for you". What is this? Blackmail feedback? I leave feeback based on the quality of service, not based on the quality of your feedback.

Yes, definitely should be in a rant.

You nailed it, it is blackmail feedback. If you leave them good feedback you can expect the same, you leave bad you'll get bad, even though you as the buyer paid promptly.

I've gotten bad feedback from a seller because I gave him bad feedback (he said he didn't have the item I had won).

I almost always wait until the buyer leaves feedback because at that point the sale is completely over. If I leave feedback too early, when I receive payment, how do I know if the buyer is going to screw me later by saying the package never arrived, for example? I need to protect myself as a seller.

Buyers who never leave feedback miff me.

There is no perfect system.

I suspect this has been raised before, but it would be interesting if you were notified that the other party has left feedback but could not see it until you had left your feedback.

I guess I am not seeing the problem. It basically boils down to honesty. If I promptly send you payment, I expect feedback right away. By the same token, I leave feedback as soon as I receive the item. If I have an issue with the item, I try to resolve it with the other party first. If it seems to be taking too long to get the item, I send an email asking when I might expect the item. I know it's all based on honesty and trust, extremely limited commodities right now. If they want to leave bad feedback on me because they fouled up, fine, go ahead, my other feedback should tell folks the truth.

I almost always wait until the buyer leaves feedback because at that point the sale is completely over. If I leave feedback too early, when I receive payment, how do I know if the buyer is going to screw me later by saying the package never arrived, for example? I need to protect myself as a seller.

But they can do that anyway, whether they leave feedback or not. Anyone can say the package didn't arrive (only had it once, and it was going to Italy, so may genuinely not have arrived!) How do you know when you're being screwed over, and how do you know when it genuinely hasn't arrived? Royal Mail allegedly lose rather a lot of post every year…

The thing is, they are obviously waiting for me to leave feedback. I'm not fussed, I have great feedback, so I thought I'll wait and see if they leave theirs. After all, they've got the money (otherwise they wouldn't have posted the goods).

Raynman: I know it's all based on honesty and trust, extremely limited commodities right now

Tip of the hat to you Sir, I know there are some bad people out there but I like to think that the vast majority are honest. I'm an honest person so I like to view the people I deal with as being honest like me. While it is disappointing to find those that aren't, most of the time I am right.

From over 500 purchass on ebay I've only had 1 go astray, one that was totally substandard and 1 where the seller decided they didn't have the item I'd bought – so overall ebay works for the kind of things I buy.

The blackmail side is a problem that ebay doesn't really seem to have hold of – it shiould be a simple thing for feedback to be anonymous until both have left feedback or the end of the feedback period.

I tend to wait until everything has arrived and been resolved before I leave feedback. I also encourage other sellers to do the same when I buy from them. The reason?

If there is a some sort of problem, then the way it is dealt with by both parties plays a part in the final feedback.

If there is a problem of some sort I will do my best to resolve it, and that can also be reflected in feedback.

It is not blackmail feedback, it just a way of icing the cake when all is done and dusted.

I don't leave feedback anymore unless I'm selling. A non-entry doesn't affect their rating. Sellers haven't ever given me negative feedback for not leaving feedback.

Yet.

Like I said, Geoff, it's an imperfect system. You raise a good point. I have waited for a couple weeks feedback, got none, so just gave the outstanding 5 buyers I was waiting on positive feedback. Three suddenly left me positive feedback after that. So it's a give and take under their system.

Jay, you make it harder for new sellers like myself to create a rep because you don't leave feedback. Please leave feedback for sellers just starting out. Every feedback does count for us! :-)

As a buyer, I never leave feedback first. I'm taking the risk of sending money to a strranger, and have completed my part of the bargain first. It's the seller's responsibility to acknowledge that.

Fortunately, I have enough positive feedback, and it's 100%, that I no longer care if I don't get feedback for a transaction. So if a seller plays that game with me, he just doesn't get anything.

I think, like me, that most people don't think about feedback at all. It's another step that is extra work. I go in to leave feedback maybe 4-5 times a year. It's probably something along those lines. For people with occasional purchases, I don't think they ever leave feedback.

(opinion) Feedback is supposed to be posted after the transaction is over. It is not over once the Buyer pays.

As a Seller, if you post feedback as soon as you are paid, what do you do when there may be an issue later? Like when your stuff arrived and he claims it did not? Or he claims it was not what was described in the auction? Or if the Buyer has some other issue unrelated to "your liability" and decides to hold you responsible anyways?

I need SOMETHING from the buyer showing they are happy with the transaction before I leave any feedback. I do not care who leaves it first, just an email saying it was good-to-go is all I need and I'll post first, but I want SOMETHING to use in case there is suddenly there is an issue that is brought up later.

As a Buyer, if I am happy with the transaction once I receive the product, I leave feedback whether it is first or not.

800+ @100% Positive.

I'm with Mardaddy on this. I almost always wait until everything is complete, ie both parties satisfied before leaving any feedback.

Flintloque 09 May 2008 7:27 a.m. PST
As a buyer, I never leave feedback first. I'm taking the risk of sending money to a strranger, and have completed my part of the bargain first. It's the seller's responsibility to acknowledge that.

I agree. If the seller doesn't leave feedback regarding my payment being prompt, then I don't leave feedback for the seller. I've even had sellers tell me they wait for feedback from the buyer before leaving feedback. I use paypal whenever possible, or an USPS MO. In either case the seller has payment before I have my item – I have fulfilled my part of the contract, and the seller should acknowledge that as quickly as I paid.

Fortunately, I have enough positive feedback, and it's 100%, that I no longer care if I don't get feedback for a transaction. So if a seller plays that game with me, he just doesn't get anything.

Ditto.