Feedback IS a pain!

[sparky2115]

I have read much about this subject.  If I buy a bunch of things on eBay, suddenly need to spend more time sending the silly signals and feedback message to say how amazing and how great and how it changed my life...bla,bla,bla - come on this is totally ridiculous. 

If I'm not happy, I'll tell you.  No message means I'm happy - that should be enough.  When I buy something in a real shop, I say "thank you", and walk away.  No need for any chit-chat and how well the transaction was done.  It's all done and life moves along - yes?  Why do you need this silly "feedback" rubbish.  It's nutty!

I'm just sick of it.  Sorry - rant done!

G.

[gutterpunkz05]

No need to rant,  leaving feedback is voluntary,  which means  you    do    not    have    to    leave    any       feedback    at    all.

FB  serves a purpose for those who know how to use it.

[springyzone]

Don't leave it then. It's your choice.

Personally, because I am not buying from ebay as such but from lots of different sellers, I like to at least glance at their feedback rating. I don't read every comment by any means, but I do look to see if most past buyers had a problem free experience.

So feedback has its uses, which is why I make a point of leaving it. I figure if I like to see how others went, I should return the favour.

But not everyone leaves feedback and if you aren't interested in reading or giving FB, you can easily just skip it.

[zanadoo_56]

I always leave feedback.  Some sellers like it and I'm happy to oblige.

What I find feedback useful for is when I am looking for a specific item and there's only one seller that has it and they don't have a 100% rating I will look at their feedback for sure and read the bad reviews.

Is the feedback specifically to do with the item I want to buy?

Have buyers had issues with packaging or tardiness in posting the item?

Does the seller post offensive replies to bad feedback?

These things matter!

If the seller has a 100% rating I do a quick scan and also look at their star ratings.  Some buyers may give them a good review but still mark them down on stars (especially product description and postage) so it's worth having a closer look.

It's up to you to decide, but if a seller has done a great job but has a neg from yonks ago I like to do my bit to not let that matter any longer. 🙂

[shoppingbag*]

As a Seller, I can give you a different point of view.  Feedback does not require a lot of carrying on, and it only takes a minute to say "thanks" or "received" that is all that is required and then tick all five stars if you are happy. This lets the Seller know that the parcel that was safe-dropped at your door was indeed received and that you will not come back in two weeks time demanding to know where your parcel is, or then decide to leave bad feedback because someone stole it or your housemate forgot to give it to you.

I have on many occasions bent over backwards to please a buyer and refunding excess postage to the ones who did not ask for combined postage, but cost me extra fees by not following the instructions in the listing. I have packed the items very well, after supplying all the packaging at my own cost and gone out of my way to make a special trip to the Post Office to get the parcel to them as quick as possible. I have thanked the buyer for their purchase via feedback, as soon as they have paid, so I consider it a small courtesy for the buyer to just say "received" or "thank you" to put my mind at rest that the parcel was received, was not lost of damaged and that the buyer was happy.

Only around one third of buyers bother to leave feedback, deeming it unnecessary to be this polite, and for that reason every listing I have put up in recent times has "signature on delivery"  $2.95, that each buyer pays if they want to buy from me. I feel sorry for imposing this on those who do the right thing, but I accept that we are a mostly selfish society where little niceties are no longer the norm. I know of some sellers who get so cranky when feedback is not left they will block the buyer from further purchases if they do not receive feedback, after making extra efforts to please the buyer. So be warned, your attitude may come back to bite you.

[sandypebbles]

I hope you leave a note for sellers that you buy from telling them not to bother wasting their time leaving you feedback

If it is silly rubbish , you won't want it left for you either 

Spoiler

Of course it is meaningless as a buyer, so indeed 

Spoiler

Not sure what you mean by the  'silly signals and feedback message to say how amazing and how great and how it changed my life...bla,bla,bla'


'Thanks' hardly takes any effort

I agree, manners are hard and it takes much longer to type 'thanks' than it does post a rant about doing it

It looks like you leave automated feedback anyway

[sugar249]

In the time it took you to write the rant above,, you could have written some feedback.  

[shoppingbag*]

If you should decide to become a seller, then you will find out that without any positive feedback, buyers will be hesitant to buy from you. New sellers especially need feedback to build up a good reputation as a seller. I see that your sellers have done you the courtesy of leaving it for you. Sellers are not mind readers, but you expect they should know that you are happy with your parcel, that it arrived ok etc. Lots of parcels are now "safe dropped" and I worried about many items I sold when I did not hear anything from the buyer. Surely, it should not be such a drama to drop a "thanks" as feedback to put the seller at ease. Sellers read here, and no doubt by now you could be on blocked lists. You present as a would-be difficult buyer and many of us do not want the hassle.

[digital*ghost]

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@sparky2115 wrote:

When I buy something in a real shop, I say "thank you", and walk away. 

I get heaps of FB (as a seller) that just says "thank you".  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

They're fine, you know? I appreciate this token gesture of courtesy, just like the cashier in a "real" shop appreciates it but knows it's typically done out of social obligation and doesn't hang their livlihood or even whole work-day experience on it - if they've been working there a long time, they might not even notice [or care] if people utter a "thanks" or not. 

I also get some really detailed and massively complimentary ones, sometimes I dunno what I even did to deserve such glowing praise, they are always unexpected, but it's really nice to see sometimes, and can make my day infinitely better - I'll remember those buyers and comments because they are exceptional; ie. not the norm. 

Look, if you're feeling pressure from somewhere to write a detailed and carefully considered "review" of the seller, then I might understand where you're coming from here, but TBH this is one of the bigger song & dances I've seen about FB in general for a while, from a buyer or seller. 🙃

If you get notes in your packages asking for FB, understand the seller is usually just trying to avoid bad feedback as the first indication something has gone wrong, and / or throwing out hooks and hoping a few bite to help build their overall reputation, they're typically not demanding or expecting it from everyone (well, I guess there might be a few here and there who take it far too seriously - they can be ignored easily if they are a seller).

If you get emails from eBay reminding you to leave feedback, switch them off in your communication preferences.