New ebay feedback policy

Broccoli B · Posted: Feb 07, 2008 8:27 am Post subject: New ebay feedback policy

What do you guys think, Sellers can no longer leave feedback of buyers. Does this solve the retaliation feedback problem?

Jester · Posted: Feb 07, 2008 8:32 am Post subject:

So what happens when you get a deadbeat bidder? Or can you still leave feedback in that situation?

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

There's a bunch of new rules, such as the deadbeats feedback will all be removed if their accounts are suspended. But overall, no I don't think it really solves the problem. People not being idiots and just following the rules would solve the problem.

edrex · Posted: Feb 07, 2008 8:40 am Post subject:

I think the problem of sellers refusing to leave buyers feedback until the buyer gives them a positive one far outweighs the problem of deadbeat buyers. I think this is definately a step in the right direction.

sandm · Outlaw Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Posts: 141

it will solve the retaliation problem, of which my 2 negatives have both been due to, but there will be other problems that will pop up. I don't think ebay could ever make a feedback system that is perfect. nice to see them at least listening to the community and trying to make it better...

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

edrex, the bigger reason that sellers don't leave feedback until a buyer does, is because earlier on Sellers would leave their "Quck Payment A+++++" and then never hear from the buyer again, so Sellers would never get an appropriate amount of feedback for the transactions they were completing.

I still don't leave feedback right away for that reason, and sometimes it's nice to have the retaliation option. I had one person complain about a textbook I sold them because it took 1 week to arrive. I shipped the thing the same day the auction ended. Rolling Eyes

edrex · Posted: Feb 07, 2008 8:54 am Post subject:

ontrider, but that makes it impossible to have a realiable feedback system... if the seller tells me that they are not going to leave a feedback until I do then one of two things is going to happen: I had a good experience buying from them and will leave a positive feedback which will be returned, or I had a bad experience buying from them but fear that my leaving an honest negitive feedback will then be retaliated which will damage my reputation later when I go to sell something. In the case of the latter I am more likely to just never leave a feedback in which case people who look at that sellers feedback will now never see the negitive transactions that took place.
I've always held that sellers should have to rate buyers before buyers rate sellers, its only fair. As a buyer, my side of the transaction is done when I pay for the item. If I paid within the time specified in the auction I should recieve a positive feedback. If that system causes buyers to not leave seller feedback then just change the site around a little. Ebay could create pop-ups for unleft transactions so that every time the buyer comes to ebay a reminder pops up that links them to feedback they need to leave. And it doesn't go away until they take the 5 seconds to complete the feedback.

gswake · Posted: Feb 07, 2008 8:56 am Post subject:

ontrider, clearly, you should have sent it next day air. Duh! Laughing

edrex · Posted: Feb 07, 2008 9:00 am Post subject:

What about an automatic system of feedback for buyers? Ebay can log when online payments are made so if the buyer pays for an item within 2 hours of the auction ending they get 5 points. 2-12 hours is 4. 13-24 hours is 3, etc... and fail to pay would result in -5 points. The seller would no longer be responsible for leaving feedback, but would still be able to see what kind of buyer they are dealing with. The only thing that could screw this up is check/money order payments, but I would have to assume that those make up a smaller percentage of payments anyway and a secondary system would have to be used on those cases.

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

How do you know if it's paid? Some people have alternate checkouts, credit cards, cheques, money orders and other things not linked in any way to Ebay. Laughing

It's tough... I'm sure the Ebay guys have gone over most of the angles.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

They should just mandate the use of paypal. I'm sure it would cost them some business but it would make the feedback system work better if you could verify payment.

edrex · Posted: Feb 07, 2008 9:41 am Post subject:

ontrider, I'm with Wakebrad. Switch to Paypal, Google Checkout, and maybe one other eCheck type system and be done with it. People with bitch and moan at first, but in the end I think it will be better for sellers and buyers.
And after moving to a system like that, wait a year or two and implement a sort of checkout system when you bid. Now, you have to select payment as part of your bid so if you do win you are automatically charged your winning bids amount to the payment you selected. Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom - no more deadbeat buyers.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

edrex, exactly.

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

And ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom... all sellers are then at the mercy of ebay/paypal to determine what commission fees are going to be.

edrex · Posted: Feb 07, 2008 10:41 am Post subject:

They aren't already?

oshensurfer · Posted: Feb 07, 2008 3:39 pm Post subject:

edrex, They are and that's why I don't use ebay very often. I loathe Paypal.

bonsaitree · Outlaw Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 198

The system needs to store the feedback from both parties until both parties have entered their feedback. Only after both the seller and buyer have submitted it should it be release and be part of a persons feedback. But like a couple have said, at least they're trying to fix it.

pooser · Wakeboarder.com Freak Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 4738

bonsaitree, I agree. I was thinking having a two week period for the buyers and sellers to leave feedback, during that time any feedback left would be hidden. Then after the two weeks are up neither party can leave additional comments and the feedback becomes unhidden. Would prevent retaliation feedback but I don't think there is anyway to "make" some one give you feedback.