posted on May 21, 2001 07:51:31 AM new
After having left somewhere between forty and fifty feedbacks more than I have received over the past 14 months that I have been on eBay, I will now only buy from sellers that leave feedback first. I always answer e-mails quickly and friendly and send payment immediately. The truly good sellers on eBay today are few and far between, but from now on they will be the only ones that I will buy from.
posted on May 21, 2001 08:02:56 AM new
I understand how you feel BUT, how prior to the close of the transaction are you going to know if the seller is one who leaves feedback first?
Lets say you come to my auction and want to bid. What are you going to do, write me and ask if I leave feedback first? Realize that won't work as dishonest sellers will tell you anything.
2nd you come to my auction and want to bid, do you then research all feedback I have left to see if my feedback predates the buyer's feedback? That is about the only way to make certain of who leaves feedback first....that is time consuming, but if you have nothing else to do, I guess it would work.
Personally, I see buying and selling as just that. We do leave feedback as soon as payment is received, but I don't do or not do something based on feedback in fact I have no idea what percentage of our buyers leave or don't leave feedback - I'm on eBay to sell, not run a popularity contest.
Like in “real life” I don’t restrict buying at a store just because the owner doesn’t thank me each time for my purchase – it would be nice, but I am looking for price and quality, not kudos.
posted on May 21, 2001 08:04:24 AM new
Hi B.R.! I recently had a buyer who stated in her email response to me that she would leave feedback after she receives the item and sees that I have left feedback for her first. At first I thought that was kinda snippy, then I figured, hey, that's cool! Nothing wrong with that. I leave feedback upon receiving payment anyway.
As a buyer AND seller, I notice that almost every selller has left me feedback but, in reality, probably only 2/3 of the buyers have left feedback. Many of them wrote me to tell me how pleased they were with the transaction and their purchase but never left feedback. Perhaps there are some that just aren't familiar with the feedback system, who knows! I don't really care either way. I'm not in it for the feedback.
PS..I should revise my initial statement to say that I ALMOST ALWAYS leave feedback upon receiving payment. There have been 2 or 3 instances where certain elements of the transaction left me feeling uneasy at which point I waited. In each of these cases it has turned out that the buyer had an agenda beyond just making a purchase. One was a stolen credit card and one was someone who was suddenly bidding on tens of thousands of dollars worth of stuff...
[ edited by sharkbaby on May 21, 2001 08:52 AM ]
posted on May 21, 2001 08:11:39 AM new
What I think we're all forgetting is feedback is not a requirement, it's a courtesy. I've left more as a seller than received, but that's my way. I leave it upon receipt of payment.
I received a note from a bidder one time along with her check advising me that she would leave feedback only if I left her feedback and that feedback had to be left as soon as I received the payment.
Bottom line is I never left her any feedback.
I have 4 outstanding buyers right now who never had the courtesy to tell me they received the items. No feedback was left by them, however, I left it for them. I'm not the type to ask for it, so I'll let it go.
[ edited by mtnmama on May 21, 2001 08:12 AM ]
posted on May 21, 2001 08:17:03 AM new
"I have 4 outstanding buyers right now who never had the courtesy to tell me they received the items. "
No news is good news. I don't check on whether buyers advise me they have received the item, I don't check on whether buyers leave me feedback. I do leave FB when I ship the item, and at that point I'm done and move on... if the buyer wants to leave FB, or tell me he got the item, or that he likes it, that's nice, but not necessary.
posted on May 21, 2001 08:18:27 AM newmtnmama - Now that WAS snippy! I wouldn't have left her feedback either. I also agree with you that it is merely a courtesy and, being who I am, I prefer to leave feedback when I receive payment in most cases as I stated earlier. I NEVER ask for feedback as that feels cheesy to me.
HOWEVER, I don't begrudge others for differing opinions and am not trying to push my way on anybody else. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT CLEAR before someone blasts me for stating the way I prefer to do business. We all have our own ways and I respect that!
posted on May 21, 2001 08:21:06 AM new
Actually there are plenty of great sellers on eBay. And many of them do not leave feedback or wait until they get around to it (getting the stuff in the mail is a rightful priority).
After 1200+ transactions, feedback doesn't matter too much. Stay focused on what counts: a great transaction. Feedback is gravy.
posted on May 21, 2001 08:22:43 AM new
I have never understood why people spend so much time tracking who has, and who has not, left feedback. I just leave feedback, or not, depending on how the other party has conducted themselves, and move on.
posted on May 21, 2001 08:44:16 AM new
jwpc, that is exactly what I do. I check the first feed back page on the seller when I come to an auction that I am interested in bidding on. Guess what? it works great for me.
posted on May 21, 2001 08:46:07 AM new
Gawd you people (buyers and sellers alike):
Feedback is NOT A RIGHT... It's a BONUS.
You're treating it like you deserve a POSITIVE feedback for each and everything you buy and sell.
Plus you're attempting to use feedback as a barganing chip...that's just plain wrong.
While that would be nice to have, the fact is that if you are a good seller, you leave feedback to all your good buyers, and if you are a good buyer, you leave feedback to all your good sellers.. PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
You should not use it to extort feedback or favors from the opposite party (in fact, eBay has rules against this).
I as a seller have closed 1220 items and left 1220 feedback, but only received 790 in return. (And all of it "glowing" so the others who also received equal great service just didn't bother to leave like feedback)
As a buyer, I have purchased over 90 items and only recived about 60 feedback and left only 85 feedback due to the fact that I was disappointed in 10 of the transactions (Items packed poorly and broken with no compensation from seller, items described incorrectly (e.g. "near-Mint" but clearly used and nearly abused), again with no compensation).
I chose not to leave negative feedback, rather none at all, as the transaction completed and they wern't trying to steal from me, yet were inexpierenced... I felt helping them via email instead of a negative would be better.
posted on May 21, 2001 08:49:19 AM new
Hi BuyersRule,
You state: "The truly good sellers on eBay today are few and far between, but from now on they will be the only ones that I will buy from." I am wondering what categories you are buying in? How many transactions have you had that makes you believe that?
I find that most sellers I have dealt with over the past few years have been quite good.
When I purchase items I am more concerned about the seller's rating, whether the item is described accurately, shipped promptly and packaged with care than I am about the feedback issue. Almost all sellers leave me feedback.
With the "seller versus buyer" animosity that seems to have arisen lately it will do nothing to improve the reputation of online auctions. Personally I don't want to start a transaction (buying or selling) with an assumption of suspicion or mistrust about the other person I am dealing with.
posted on May 21, 2001 08:51:56 AM new
There seems to be a unnatrual preoccuption with feedback on this board.
We seem to lose track of the fact that the transaction is the game...not feedback
As A buyer I want a good deal or something I can't find elswhere or both
As a seller I want profit..
Feedback is a nice aside but it is not the reason for the transaction !!
Buyers rule: If you don't bid on sellers who don't leave feedback GREAT I hope we have the same intrest so you will be one less competitor.....I would rather buy the item a few dollars cheaper than receive feedback
My goodness, if you read all the posts, you'll see most of us agree with you.
Personally, if this particular bidder won't bid on my auctions, I'd be happy as punch, because forewarned is forearmed. I don't want someone withholding feedback until I leave mine. Chances are they'd get theirs right away, but recently I was hospitalized without prior notice and it's not always possible to do the correct thing right away.
I have no patience for inflexible bidders or sellers.
BuyersRule, it only counts if you let it and you have less than 10. Over that, who cares?
posted on May 21, 2001 09:09:20 AM new
Every buyer who thinks that things should be done "a certain way" should also try their hand at selling. They will very quickly see both sides of the coin.
posted on May 21, 2001 09:13:14 AM new
That's a good point, shaani!
Besides, there are very legitimate reasons that many sellers don't leave feedback until the buyer has received their item and has left feedback to let the seller know that they are pleased with the transaction...
Personally, I am neurotic and can't stand to see too many transactions stack up in my feedback forum. So it is twofold that I leave feedback right away. One reason is to thank the buyer for their (prompt) payment and the other is to clear clutter!
posted on May 21, 2001 09:46:36 AM new
I usually have no clue which buyers have left feedback for me and which ones haven't. Why? Because I don't really care.
I go out of my way to make sure my buyers have a pleasant transaction, and my feedback profile reflects that. I ALWAYS leave feedback for my buyers when the transaction is completed. If the buyers leave it for me, great. If not, I never even know it.
posted on May 21, 2001 09:52:07 AM new
BuyersRule...It is a shame that the eBay sellers you have encountered have driven you to your new feedback policy....In the past several months, I have found all the sellers I have dealt with (40+) to have been excellent...Great communication, fast shipping, good packing & typically feedback left at the time of shipment (read: before mine was left)....So, I'm pretty sure that there are still lots of great folks out there selling....I sincerely hope that you buy from some of them soon....
Personally, I'm a 3+ year seller, and a "red star", so at this point, as much as I would like to receive feedback from my buyers, as long as I know that they were pleased with their purchase, that's good enough for me. I can remember tho' waiting for each & every feedback as I climbed the feedback ladder, and did become frustrated when I had done all I could for the sale/buy & never heard anything from the seller/buyer....Yes, feedback is a bonus, but eBay is feedback driven. It's part of the environment & completed transactions without them almost seem like they haven't reached closure...Although a few of the posters here don't appear to worry about feedback, but rather a successful sale, just take a look at the number of threads here at AW with topics on feedback, and you will see that it still effects a good number of people, both buyers & sellers...
I always leave feedback when payment is received (or check cleared). I will continue to do so, & will add that fact to my auction descriptions. Thanx for lposting a customers viewpoint.
posted on May 21, 2001 09:58:05 AM new
Shall we talk about the bidders that never leave feedback? As long as they get theirs they are happy, but none for anyone else.
E BAYs own tos states if one wishes to leave it, its when the deal is done. Where this myth ever came from about " I paid you, where is my feedback?' Is beyond me.
This smell's a lot like a fishing trip.
[ edited by gs4 on May 21, 2001 10:04 AM ]
posted on May 21, 2001 10:06:00 AM new
As a seller I take the time to do good descriptions and extra photos on each auction.I try to answer questions right away. I send out payment information within 2 hours of auction end. I also take the time to safely package my items. I also try to mail out items the same day payment arrive. I also send an email thanking them for payment and letting them know the item is in the mail.
As a buyer I would much rather have the seller do all the above things than leave me feedback.
posted on May 21, 2001 10:38:06 AM new
mtnmama, it is sellers like you that I will avoid in the future. Beleive me I would never bid on one of your auctions.
posted on May 21, 2001 10:57:18 AM newThe truly good sellers on eBay today are few and far between, but from now on they will be the only ones that I will buy from.
Do I understand you correctly? You are not considering the transaction itself? Only who leaves feedback first? And this is how you determine a truly good seller?
Does your first name start with a J by any chance?
posted on May 21, 2001 11:04:17 AM new
no sandvet, it is the no communication and the poor overall seller attitude. The truth hurts doesn't it sellers!
