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Auction website tells sellers you've got to eliminate the negative and don't mess with Mr inbetween
Ebay will change its feedback system so that only buyers can leave feedback in a bid to stop sellers retaliating against critical comments.
The online auction site said the move was to make buyers feel more comfortable using the site and leaving feedback that can flag up dodgy dealers or bad buying experiences.
From May, sellers will be blocked from posting any negative or neutral comments about buyers. It said that it would provide sellers with a way of removing negative feedback if it is unfair and also give better support to sellers for buyers who do not pay.
An Ebay representative told us: "The new system will give buyers greater confidence in who they’re buying from and in rating those sellers, and for good sellers who provide good customer service to have a greater opportunity to stand out.
"The reason [for the change] is that a small (but vocal) minority of sellers use the threat of negative feedback against a buyer to ensure they don’t get a deserved negative themselves.
"Frankly the system has allowed them to do this. A significant proportion of negative feedback left by sellers is retaliatory in nature; ie the buyer who has done nothing wrong other than honestly rate a poor transaction, is punished for doing so by the seller.
"Come May, it will be much easier for buyers to honestly rate and spot who some of these poorer sellers are. We will, however, be providing some back-end support to make sure sellers aren’t unfairly hit by any bad buyers, and if they are, to remove the unfair feedback."
However, being able to remove unfair feedback has not mollified sellers who believe that changing the feedback system could leave them open to extortion. They fear rogue buyers could threaten to leave negative feedback; effectively blacklisting them.
Additionally sellers are up in arms about the changes announced to the listing and final commission fees. They have vented their anger on Ebay message boards, threatening to strike, after Ebay announced last week that it is cutting the amount it costs to list an item on the site by a third but will increase the commission it charges on completion of a sale from 5.25 per cent to 7.5 per cent. So to sell a £100 camera now costs £6.70, where previously it would have cost £5.85.
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retaliation
This last Christmas I had a bad experience with a seller, that did not answer my e-mails after I won a bid. I contacted e-bay for the sellers information and as soon as the seller got informed she e-mailed me insulting me. After I received the item I gave her a nuetral feedback because I think that it was what she deserved. After that she gave me a negative feedback in retaliation and sent me several e-mails insulting me because I had given her a neutral feedback. This was a really unpleasant situation and ever since I have not made any other purchases through e-bay. I am glad that this change has been made.
Posted by Grisel, 07 Feb 2008
Buyer's Shouldn't Care
I only BUY on ebay. Never sell. And I refuse to leave feedback until the seller leaves me feedback. Honestly, I don't care if they don't leave me feedback anyway. As long as I pay (and I always do immediately), sellers will always sell to me. I'm sure this is a different situation for those who buy AND sell - or just sell (because feedback ratings will be important from the 'selling' point of view) - but for people who only buy, it wasn't an issue before. And it was funny too - because sellers would email me and say "Please leave me feedback when you receive the item so I know you got it." And I would reply "Please leave me feedback when you receive my payment so I know you got it." It started a lot of 'healthy' conversations. :) I guess the difference is that I'm not trying to be unfair - or to ruin anyone's business. I won't rate negatively unless I've gone through all the steps of resolving the issue (contacting the seller - contacting eBay, etc). If, after all of that it still doesn't get resolved - and I feel like I was treated unfairly... then I'd leave feedback. For those who may want to know - I've only left negative feedback once (2 years ago). The seller was a fraud, and their account was removed 2 weeks after my complaint. Aside from that - I have never left negative feedback (going on 9 years using eBay).
Posted by Ron Baker, 07 Feb 2008
Ebay Feedback
It just will not work - The feedback system as it is currently, forces compromise on both parties. To reduce the pressure on one side only degrades the system. Retaliatory feedback is always obvious - you just need to read the feedback left by the other party and you usually get an idea of who did what. Perhaps recording/noting the time and date feedback was left would help establish the real facts. It is so important and integral to the Ebay way, it is worth them policing it more thouroughly - just as they may the accounts dept?
Posted by Ian Keep, 06 Feb 2008
The 'Rogues' gave genuine Sellers a bad name
I purchased an MP3/4 Player which turned out to be from H.K. and not London as was the stated location. The instructions were impossible to understand so, in fairness, I praised the product but gave a Neutral for the instructions. The seller contacted me and said that unless I withdrew my Neutral he'd give me a Negative - this must have happened before as there was a link set-up & ready for my retraction. I refused and consequently, my 25 Positives and 100% record was reduced to 96.2%. The Seller didn't give up there, he sent me another email offering me a gift saying it wasn't too late to change my mind. I reported all of this to eBay and sent them copies of all the emails, but they refused to do anything about it. Needless to say, I no longer purchase on eBay, as my experience has shown that you can't believe the feedback - it could be that buyers were blackmailed into retracting their criticism. Maybe I'll start using them again if they restore my 100% record.
Posted by Maureen Davison, 08 Feb 2008
very bad
The change in the feedback system is wrong. I have had 1 buyer who left me bad feedback cliaming a brand new factory sealed game had no hologram on the back, which was totally imposible to have this missing. I asked ebay to remove it. they did not. So I think the change will only open the door to more lies being told by buyers in thier feedback. As for the price hike. Ebay don't need to make anymore money as they already make enough through ebay, PayPal and Shopping.com.Pure greed.
Posted by jon, 22 Feb 2008
It's asbout time Ebay looked at who provides their income
It's about time Ebay thought about their actions before alienating sellers by this arrogant decision to bias feedback in favour of the buyer. Sellers are Ebay's main source of revenue. The seller is charged to list his item and commission when it is sold. The buyer conversely pays nothing! If there were a viable alternative I for one would wave Ebay a 'fond farewell' as I am sure lots of other sellers would. Loss of buyers through negative feedback costs Ebay nothing, loss of sellers will cost them dearly. The sooner they realise that 'he who pays the pipers calls the tune' and they support the sellers, without whom they would not exist, the better.
Posted by E W Parkman, 10 Apr 2008
Not Good
I agree it has to be a balance on both sides. I am a powerseller on eBay and have had 1 negative comment in my history, so unduely worried by the changes. However, if eBay are going to implement these changes then they need to ensure better support for sellers , the sad truth is there are other businesses that will only too quickly use this to jeopardise established and trustworthy sellers.
Posted by JPT, 08 Feb 2008