posted on March 26, 2001 05:52:42 AM new
I opened my email yesterday, and had this email:
This is just a reminder to ask that if you were happy with the transaction, to please leave feedback! (Every positive helps, as you can probably relate!)
I was happy, and I left positive feedback the day I received the widget, on March 22nd.
If you were unhappy, please reply and let me know!
Thanks again!
HELLO???????????? Give me a freaking break! I wait 2-3 weeks to do my feedbacks, in case anything and I do them in bulk, to save time. I know what I WANT to tell this lady, and probably what you guys would tell her too, but I will probably just give her her freaking feedabck today.
posted on March 26, 2001 05:59:40 AM new
Dear Buyer,
Thank you for your email and the great feedback you left me!
I've left positive feedback for you also, and apologize for any delay in leaving such as I usually do my feedbacks twice a month for the sake of efficiency.
I've greatly enjoyed this transaction, and hope we do business again.
(Some buyers like the strokes - to me it's not that big a deal to give them.)
posted on March 26, 2001 06:09:10 AM new
why you make a big deal about it? I just asked for feedback. I paid for the item didn't I???? You don't have to give fb if you don't want to but why you bash me on the boards???? Good grief!
posted on March 26, 2001 06:16:30 AM new
OK, I guess you guys probably email every person you deal with, if they don't leave feedback, remind them that you did, so they should too. And I guess that the minute you mail an item, you leave positive feedback.
posted on March 26, 2001 06:17:27 AM new
The bidder had no way of knowing how you handle feedback. Most bidders don't have a clue about how you run your business and why you do it that way. In their eyes, your transaction with them is all there is to ebaY.
posted on March 26, 2001 06:20:09 AM new
as a buyer I dont email anyone and ask for feedback but as a seller if someone emailed me and reminded me to leave them feedback I would just go and do it (if I had not already). I leave feedback on every single transaction but if I had forgotten it surely would kill me to go and leave the buyer a positive. There are a LOT of newbies on eBay and to them every single positive counts. Yours could be the one that gets them their "10" star, or put them at 20 or whatever.
posted on March 26, 2001 06:23:01 AM new
Well, cin131, if you get hundreds of these each time you have auctions ending, then you might want to add something in your EOA to state, "I leave feedback in bulk several weeks after the auction is over".
If you only get the occasional one like this, what's the big deal?
posted on March 26, 2001 06:28:35 AM new
Actually, no, I only leave feedback after it's been left for me - not popular, but after being the victim of feedback extortion, it's the way I do it.
The point is that while 95% of one's sales are just EOA, get payment, ship item, leave feedback, the other 5% may require a little extra effort.
Your way of leaving feedback isn't wrong at all - it's efficient.
I only ship once a week for the same reason - pulling out all the packing materials, etc. every day in my small home was making me hate eBay selling - now I devote one full day to packing & shipping.
I just don't mind the extra effort - if it makes someone bookmark my seller's page, heck, that 2minute email/feedback post was well worth it.
posted on March 26, 2001 06:29:30 AM new
No big deal. I just thought it was rather bold to be ASKING for feedback, but, since no one else seems to think it's out of place, every time I buy something from now on, AS SOON AS I open the package, I'll email the seller and tell them to leave their feedback NOW. NOT to wait to see if there's a problem, I left mine, and so should they. Actually, why haven't they already? They recieved my payment, didn't they?
posted on March 26, 2001 08:02:10 AM new
It didn't sound to me like the buyer was demanding feedback. I didn't even see the word NOW in the email you posted. They had no way of knowing that you did plan to leave feedback at a later date. It seemed like a polite email to me. No demand, just a request.
posted on March 26, 2001 10:24:24 AM new
I think eventer has the best solution. Many people (not just newbies) expect feedback very shortly after the transaction is completed. I had feedback show up almost 2 months after an auction, but the seller put in his EOA that they do feedback in bulk as time permits. I think the minimum should be once a month, but you'll get fewer buyer questions if you state that clearly in your EOA. FWIW
posted on March 26, 2001 10:45:59 AM new
cin131 - I'm with you on this one. I leave feedback once every 2-3 weeks. When someone emails me regarding leaving them feedback my answer is "I leave feedback every 2-3 weeks, you will receive feedback at that time". Just as an FYI to everyone: I have received over 2,400 feedbacks and left over 3,600.
posted on March 26, 2001 11:04:16 AM new
looks to me like a nice, polite email. your buyer's just trying to build up his/her feedback and, in case you've forgotten, is reminding and asking nicely. as others have pointed out, she couldn't know you leave fb in bulk every 2-3 weeks [nothing wrong with that - saves time].
i don't sell a lot, so can leave fb more often than you sellers who do.
it would help the buyers to understand, and cut down on emails requesting feedback, if sellers who leave it in bulk every 2-3 weeks stated this in their eoa.
posted on March 26, 2001 12:30:02 PM new
Feedback should be left as soon as the transaction is complete. When I sell, I leave feedback as soon as I ship. When I buy, I leave it as soon as I've inspected whatever I bought.
As a buyer, I love getting e-mail from sellers that states the tracking number of my package, as well as a pleasant "I've left feedback for you, thanks for buying".
Those are the sellers that I want to do business with in the future. Sellers that take weeks to leave feedback could be costing me bids on items I'm selling. I also just figure that they only do feedback in exchange.
posted on March 26, 2001 12:41:13 PM new
Reminds me of an email I got yesterday. "Hi, I won and paid with Billpoint. Here is a link to leave me feedback for my fast payment!"
posted on March 26, 2001 01:20:36 PM new
I like the nice polite way your buyer requested feedback. She mentioned that she had already left you feedback. So, you wouldn't need to worry about retaliation.
cin131 said "No big deal. just thought it was rather bold to be ASKING for feedback, but, since no one else seems to think it's out of place, every time I buy something from now on, AS SOON AS I open the package, I'll email the seller and tell them to leave their feedback NOW. NOT to wait to see if there's a problem, I left mine, and so should they. Actually, why haven't they already? They recieved my payment, didn't they?"
Looks like she waited a few days to ask if you would leave her feedback. She left you a positive when she received her widget 4 days ago.
As a seller I leave feedback either when they pay via an online payment place or when they pay via snail mail. I usually ship out within a day or two of payment. It bothers me when sellers say they will leave feedback only when it is left for them. I do understand why some sellers do that but I do not do things that way.
As a buyer, if I haven't yet received feedback from the seller, I send an email to the seller when the item arrives. If the transaction has gone smoothly I will mention that I am happy with the item and I will leave (or have left) feedback and I hope they will do the same.
posted on March 26, 2001 01:39:13 PM new
Thanks for the positive feedback, and your "bid"ness - I really appreciate it. I will leave feedback for you shortly, also.
You might want to check my latest auctions - I just added another of your favorite widgets!
posted on March 26, 2001 01:41:43 PM new
OK....You have all convinced me. Starting today I will leave feedback immediately and wait 2-3 weeks before shipping the item.
posted on March 26, 2001 01:52:05 PM new
Say, Brooklynguy, we're all just trying to help you.
When I first started buying 1 1/2 years ago, feedback was *verrrrry important* to me. I took pride in polite and frequent e-mails to the sellers and quick payment (and I still do, of course). I loved every single feedback I got--and a few times I did email the sellers to ask if it had slipped their minds. I told them I was going for my next colored star and hoped my end of the transaction was everything they'd hoped for. People were very kind to me.
Now it isn't as important, but I do have to wonder why some folks don't leave it. I used to teach school, and the kids would get antsy if they didn't get their tests back in two or three days. Feedback is important in all of life, in lots of different situations, and is one of the most important parts of customer service, both buying and selling.
I think you'd be wise to add your rule to your terms in the auction. And also, I would include it in my end of auction e-mail to the buyer, just as a reminder to them. ~Adele
posted on March 26, 2001 02:45:27 PM new
Roadsmith, good idea to put it in the auction itself. Since bidders are notorious for not reading things or forgetting what you have previously told them, it wouldn't hurt to go a step farther and include a sentence in your shipping notice:
Example: "Your precious widget has been carefully packed and shipped today. You have been such an extra-special customer that I will leave incredibly gracious and positive feedback for you the next time I do my monthly updates. I hope I've given you such a warm, fuzzy feeling that you'll shower me with praise in YOUR feedback and purchase even more items from me in the future. Don't forget to bid early with a high proxy so that looky-loos will run up the price on you and then abandon it so you end up paying even more than if you'd gone into a retail store. And don't forget to increase your bid EVERY time you get an outbid notice--haven't I treated you well enough to deserve that little bit of consideration???"
All levity aside, it wouldn't hurt to remind them that you intend to give them feedback, they just need to wait a bit. Since newbies are generally REALLY anxious to build feedback, it might be nice to make an exception and leave feedback right away if their rating is less than 10 and they've been a very good bidder (JMO).
posted on March 26, 2001 02:46:40 PM new
upriver, I was feeling better, until I got your condescending email.
I'm sorry, I feel it is crass and bold to ASK for feedback. I guess I grew up in a different era or something. And I feel that it sounded rather childish, I did it for you, now it's your turn.
I personally don't keep that close tabs on my feedback, and I don't have the nerve to ASK people to leave positive feedback for me. If they choose not to leave feedback, then that's their choice. There's no rule stating that anybody HAS to do it.
I mailed the package on the 21st. 5 days later I'm being reminded to do something that is totally optional??
Like I said earlier, since everyone else seems to think it's OK to go asking for kudos, I'll just ask everybody I buy from for feedback, the day I receive the package in the mail. Please leave me good feedback, I did it for you...." Gee, I just got your package in the mail, and noticed that you haven't left feedback yet, are you gonna? please? when will you?
posted on March 26, 2001 03:05:00 PM new
Geez! Leaving feedback is not that big a deal. I think the bidder sent a very nice email and it would not hurt sellers to treat their bidders with a little kindness and understanding. It may be easier than complaining how bids are down! I go out of my way to make sure my feedback is given in a fast manner. I guess there is not a lot I won't do for my bidders - they bid well and I
appreciate them.
I just had a funny thought - if everyone starts the "I won't leave feedback until I get it" mentality then they may as well close the system down, you all will be sitting there waiting for the other to make the first move.
If you are a seller and the buyer has done his part - leave feedback in a gracious and timely manner.
If you are a buyer and are pleased with the transaction, leave feedback in a gracious and timely manner. If you're not pleased - email the seller and try and work it out.
What is so hard about that.
While I am a seller, I give the edge to the buyer - I believe that bids improve when sellers improve and believe in bidder satisfaction. It will only make ebay a better place to do business and will benefit the seller in the long run.
posted on March 26, 2001 03:57:30 PM new
Fast mail service. Your buyer said they received the package the 22nd! I wish all my items could arrive so quickly.
posted on March 26, 2001 04:24:27 PM new
Just think of all the feedback you could have left in the time you've spent complaining about that poor buyer. Do you really think it was worth all of this?
posted on March 26, 2001 05:09:02 PM new
Don't worry, I've been duly chastised for waiting a week to leave feedback, I've left all my feedback, even on the payments I recieved today. I've given all my buyers lost of compliments, stroked them to the max. Hopefully, all of the sales go well.
My question to you guys: Have you guys NEVER had sales go bad after you mail the package?
posted on March 26, 2001 06:08:47 PM new
Isn't is just a little tacky to ask anyone for positive feedback???????? That's no better than a waiter/waitress asking for a tip at the end of your meal, Christ sake....
Furthermore, the feedback (positive or negative) should be genuine and not seeked. No one's going to go around asking for a negative so why shouldn't the same rule apply for positives?
[ edited by ytcollectibles on Mar 27, 2001 07:47 AM ]
