posted on January 30, 2002 09:16:22 PM new
mballai doesn't get it. But that's ok. What most sellers care about IS that the customer is a good customer. Logic and common sense says that there is more to a good customer than paying.
But you have to have common sense to see that, so we'll get you a primer mballai. Thanks for trying.
posted on January 31, 2002 04:00:37 AM new
Peiklk: I use the same policy as you do. I think it is a good policy and if some don't think feedback is so important, then it won't matter to the bidder if a seller doesn't leave it as soon as he/she receives payment. As long as a seller leaves feedback, what difference does it make *when* it is left?
posted on January 31, 2002 06:48:38 AM new
All these messages started me to wonder when to leave feedback...so, I'm thinking maybe I will wait till item has been received...hmmm, let me go check my feedback...WOW...there's one posted today which reads "POSITIVE...item delivered as promised"... The item is still on my desk because the bidder paid by personal check two days ago. WOW, am I good or what?
posted on January 31, 2002 10:00:53 AM new
You can keep your primer. I have been in the business world for 30 years.
Again, calling something common sense or logical doesn't make it so. I don't have a problem with your "logic" if you will, my issue is whether you want the overhead expense and drawn out transactional time for something that is entirely optional and doesn't materially add value to the transaction.
If you have a high percentage of problem bidders that makes post transactional feedback so essential that you cannot do it on a one-step basis, than you have business issues that need to be resolved that are much more serious than this feedback one. You are stil letting bad bidders dicatate your business practices in the least effective way possible.
It's not what you are doing, but why you are doing it that indicates a problem. You are trying to defend a practice. If a practice is really good, it would not need a defense.
posted on January 31, 2002 10:55:34 AM new
I'm not defending anything expect people like you who make it out to be wrong to do it the way I -- and many others -- are doing.
Yes, feedback adds nothing of value to the transaction. But feedback DOES equate to your reputation on ebay. As such it is VERY important for both buyer and seller.
Someone else here said that there is no risk in waiting until the item is delivered to post feedback. There ARE risks in posting beforehand. Simple enough. If you and some sellers are willing to take that risk, then fine. Many of us are not.
As for the "WHY" I am doing it, I think you've misread something. My reasons why present no problems at all. It's my course of doing business. Providing the feedback at payment or upon receipt takes the same amount of time.
posted on January 31, 2002 01:32:32 PM new
I never said what you were doing was wrong per se, but it is based on a lot of cycle time inefficiencies that do take longer:
1. Many people never let you know if the item has been received and never leave feedback. Are they bad customers and do you ever leave feedback? Do you have a system to leave feedback after so many days if you don't hear anything. If not, why not?
2. This is a lot like holding personal checks but shiping fast on CC payment. Both can reverse. You still have no protection to your feedback's veracity if the bidder comes back at you 60 days out and feedback was left. Where do you draw the line for making absolutely sure your feedback proves the customer is a good one? After all your reputation is on the line.
3. You are shouting by using CAPS. People who shout in a discussion are desperately defensive about something. I'd still like to know why.
4. You still haven't answered why you choose to defend and cater to the minority of your bidders in choosing your business practice of post-transactional feedback by making the majority of your bidders wait weeks or even months for positive feedback.
5. In the hundreds of transactions I've done as a bidder, maybe three or four sellers chose your methodology. If it was so correct, it sure hasn't gotten a lot of practioners in my experience. Why do you think that is?
posted on January 31, 2002 02:21:41 PM new
mballai said:
"1. Many people never let you know if the item has been received and never leave feedback. Are they bad customers and do you ever leave feedback? Do you have a system to leave feedback after so many days if you don't hear anything. If not, why not? "
No. Some buyers do not participate in the feedback system. If they do not respond to my inquiries whether they received the item, of course feedback isn't left -- because technically the transaction is still open. If the reply with "Yes, I got it", then I leave them feedback and all is done whether I get feedback or not. Very simple.
They are not bad customers who do not let me know. Not sure where you got that from. But I cannot in good conscience leave positive feedback if I do not know the deal is complete.
"2. This is a lot like holding personal checks but shiping fast on CC payment. Both can reverse. You still have no protection to your feedback's veracity if the bidder comes back at you 60 days out and feedback was left. Where do you draw the line for making absolutely sure your feedback proves the customer is a good one? After all your reputation is on the line. "
My feedback has nothing to do whether a customer is a good or bad one. The sum total of his feedback from all his transactions is what causes this. An excellent seller can still get a negative legitimately and an horrible scam artist can still get positive feedback. But the average and the frequency of this plusses or minuses tell the real story. I'm only setting on plus or minus.
"3. You are shouting by using CAPS. People who shout in a discussion are desperately defensive about something. I'd still like to know why. "
Actually, you need to check you netiquette rules. SHOUTING IS WHEN SOMEONE TYPES EVERYTHING IN CAPS. Most of the time, they are simply not very computer literate and fail to turn off their CAPS LOCK key.
What I'm doing is EMPHASIS and is perfectly acceptable and shows nothing of a defensive nature. Just because you say it doesn't make it so.
"4. You still haven't answered why you choose to defend and cater to the minority of your bidders in choosing your business practice of post-transactional feedback by making the majority of your bidders wait weeks or even months for positive feedback. "
I don't ship anything that takes weeks or even months -- except perhaps the odd slow-boat international shipment. The timing of feedback is 100% in the customers hands and they are told so in my follow-up email. Do you get this this time? You seem to have twisted what I've been saying to come up with this question.
Those who do not respond are indicating that they are not interested in feedback one way or another.
So no one waits any longer than they choose to. The ball is not in my court on this one. Again, it is not wise to leave feedback upon payment, because feedback represents the assessment of the person over the entire transaction. Not just the first 2/3 of it.
"5. In the hundreds of transactions I've done as a bidder, maybe three or four sellers chose your methodology. If it was so correct, it sure hasn't gotten a lot of practioners in my experience. Why do you think that is? "
Because some sellers don't want to be bothered with feedback. They are already in the system and just post it when payment comes in. This way they don't have to remember to follow-up with the customer.
Or any number of the reasons that you and a few others here have suggested. That's fine. The right way isn't always the common way. But the experiences of a single person isn't a good barometer of what is common either.
posted on January 31, 2002 04:25:50 PM new
Ok so if someone got a package and they say so, you then leave feedback and....two weeks later the bidder from hell you left positive feedback for emerges with a neg and a bidder's remorse chargeback. Or does he have to leave feedback first?
posted on January 31, 2002 05:29:15 PM new
No. Once they let me know they received the item, I leave them feedback. if they do something weird down the road, I cannot do anything about it, nor can I force them to leave feedback or hold my feedback "hostage".
posted on January 31, 2002 06:47:13 PM new
So you are still very much at the mercy of a wacko customer and your "good" customer may not, in fact, be so good after all.
Doesn't that say something about how limited is the value of a seller's feedback regarding the bidder? Whether one waits for payment or longer for delivery and it's confirmation, you still can't really know what you are dealing with when you write that feedback. Nor is there much clue to tell the difference between those who do it on payment or delivery.
I can really see now why some sellers don't bother with giving feedback at all.
