Ebay Sellers: How Important Is Buyer Feedback?

Are there consequences for a seller if a buyer does not leave feedback, i.e. does no feedback make the rating go down?

I stopped giving feedback several months ago because I have come to the conclusion that the feedback system is pretty much meaningless. It seems everyone has high scores with AAAAAAA++++++++ comments.

I have only had that one negative experience out of many transactions so I don't want to skip the feedback process if it penalizes the good sellers. But it seems like wasted effort to me... am I right?

Karen

The sellers who survive the new feedback system Are the ones who get a lot of stars. Otherwise you fall off the end of the world.

Leaving No feedback or No Detailed Seller Rating (DSR) stars does not affect a sellers rating, other than he misses out getting another number added to his score, which is important for new sellers or those who don't sell a lot all the time.

In order to maintain a good score so you won't be struck by lightening when a person leaves you a negative, you have to sell some things all the time (and get good ratings).

It is just when you leave less than 5 stars that the seller suffers.

One person leaving 1 star ratings on every DSR, even though every other sale's DSRs gets 5 stars, will hurt a seller. Some people use the stars as a form of angry, uncontrolled response. It doesn't help fix the seller's problem (if it was the seller's problem in the first place) but it makes you feel like you did something instead of nothing. Fixing a problem requires communication both ways.

Here is a site that explains the star ratings. Make sure to click through to the bottom link that says 'this page' to get the full story.

http://www.leavingfeedback.com/

Thanks, Puzzler,

I had read the FAQ on leaving feedback so I understood what would happen if a seller got bad feedback but I couldn't see how it could matter if I didn't leave any.

Would it be important to give feedback to those sellers I skipped for me to go back and rate them months later?

For the one seller I had a problem with I ended up leaving 4 stars in one category (I don't remember which one) and rather bland but not negative comments. Did that ruin his rating?

As I understand it if you left 1 to 5 stars then that counts. Zero stars does not count in that category.

Positive, neutral, negative counts. No feedback doesn't count.

You can, if you wish, using the item number, use advanced search and go back to the listing, even when it has left your 'My ebay' page. Not too long, maybe a few months or so, but this is good for those of use who just have to cross the T's and dot the I's.

As for going back, I would only do it if the seller had not too many feedback to start with at all. Sellers with some feedback every month (say 10 to 20 or so at least) should be OK to not go back to.

There is a percentage of buyers and sellers too, who do not wish to leave feedback at all, like yourself, for various reasons. It is, of course, your choice in the end.

As a seller and buyer all the time, it matters to me as sometimes I am slow to do any ebay stuff at all and get low feedback numbers by the month so when I start up to sell again (or buy) I am worried about getting any bad feedback at all. A lot more than someone who has thousands of feedback and a neg or neutral or two gets buried in the mass of generally good feedback.

Not that I am one to attract bad feedback at all. I do strive for good customer service and to be helpful and appreciate the same in return. But stuff happens to all of us, sickness, accidents, mistakes, we are all human, or I hope so. haven't met a Martian yet anyway.

As a buyer, I only leave Feedback now if the seller leaves it for me first [having finished my part of the transaction I should get my feedback instantly]. However, this does not happen at ebay so I rarely leave feedback these days. Just one or two sellers to whom I go often and who abide by general feedback rules.

I just want to add that this mostly happens on ebay only. Elsewhere, the feedbcak system works fine, in my experience anyway.

Londonbus1

The unfair ebay feedback system has totally shaped our selling strategy.

After much heartache the system we have now is a great system for all concerned.

But what do you do!

I was threatened bad feedback because the person had someones else's stamps by the name of Bonus.

Another person threatened bad feedback because I used the word "Thanks"

And then it gets very weird and not suitable for this forum.

I really feel for a seller that has one bad feedback out of a heap of very good ones and it makes me think about the situation I have mentioned above.

Really good explanation Puzzler.

As a seller, I always leave feedback the day I ship the item and I tell the buyer at the time of invoice. It's one of the ways I let the buyer know I've shipped the item along with an actual email saying that I did. I don't use ebay's shipping services and don't mark them as shipped on that website as that system is beyond broken - difficult and too slow to be effective (Delcampe's system is much more easier to use thus items are easy to mark as shipped and feedback takes seconds). Feedback and the personal email should suffice for that need on ebay - I don't care about TRS status, never had it, never will and I do just fine. I would also like to receive feedback from my buyers. I don't care about the numbers, stars and all that, but I like to know that the item has been received and the buyer is happy with the item. If not feedback, then an email will do. It gives me piece of mind and a feeling that I did a good job. Again, it's not about the numbers, stars, and other silly tags, but it's about positive communication that fosters goodwill for both sides.
Will

I leave feedback for my buyers on the day I mark the item as posted and pop it in the mail.

I expect feedback in return as a matter of simple courtesy. I don't need "WOW, FANTASTIC, BEST SELLER ON EARTH!! A+++++++++++++", but I would appreciate a bit more than "OK" for something sold at 10% of CV and delivered across the world in four days.

Some buyers (no disrespect intended) are as rude as some sellers.

If you buy something across the counter, you say "thank you". Feedback is the same thing.

Does it matter stats wise? Not really. It's just a courtesy that can help a new seller develop a confident customer base. THAT is important.

It's a duty for a good Ebayer to leave feedbacks. If you don't for me it's like you are not serious.

Karen, I think that not leaving feedback does negatively affect a seller. Imagine a seller sells 100 items, and 99 people are perfectly happy, but do not leave feedback. The 100th person is not happy, and leaves negative feedback. The seller now has 100% negative feedback, which in reality ought to be 99% positive. A big difference.
OK that's an extreme example to make my point - but as both an occasional buyer and seller (though not of stamps, just the usual domestic stuff) on ebay, I think the feedback system , however imperfect, ought to be used.
If I sell an item and no feedback appears, firstly I am concerned that the person is not happy and that I don't know why, then I am slightly peeved that I have made a sucessful sale to a happy customer, but received no boost to my feedback score. I need that positive to counteract a negative (whether deserved or not) I might get in the future.
So please, leave feedback - it doesn't take long and it does count.

OK that's an extreme example to make my point - but as both an occasional buyer and seller (though not of stamps, just the usual domestic stuff) on ebay, I think the feedback system , however imperfect, ought to be used.




Totally agree

irishjack
Good post even without the quote.

If I don't leave feedback it's because it wasn't good enough for a postive, but not bad enough for a negative. Neutrals do nothing. So I chose to leave none. The second email I get nagging for feedback (they get one free) this is what they get....

Nags for feedback, here it is.

They also get a 1 for communication since they are nagging me for something that is not required.

I wouldn't nag anyone for feedback - for precisely the reason that Scubu has illustrated, I don't want to wake a sleeping dragon - it might wake up and bite
But I don't agree that neutral feedback does nothing. OK it might not be reflected in the overall scores - but it lets the seller know what they have done wrong, or could do better, and it lets other people know what to expect from the seller.
Of course, its always a choice to leave no feedback, its not compulsory, and its not a perfect system, but its a bit like voting. You can exercise your right to vote, or your right not to vote. But not voting can not be said to be a neutral act - it does have consequences.

To add to my earlier post, I stopped leaving feedback on ebay as a buyer because I was always leaving feedback first and then the seller would conveniently forget to leave for me. I am not bothered about scores or points but it was becoming too one-sided. I am not the kind of person who sends an email to remind someone to leave feedback.
So I don't even think about feedback anymore unless the seller leaves me feedback after receiving payment and then I will always return it.
Otherwise nothing doing. And 90% of the time it's 'nothing doing' !

Again I have to stress this is only on ebay. Elsewhere the feedback system works perfectly as it should, at least in my experience.

Londonbus1