Feedback time too short for buyers

[fa1r1e]

I've never left negative or neutral feedback in all the time I've used Ebay.  

I have a few items refunded, but I think that has only been a total of 2 times in 15 years of using ebay.

Currently, I'm assuming because of Covid, packages are taking longer than in my past experience to arrive from China, and this is reflected in the "expected delivery window".

I purchased 3 items on 16th Oct, and the expected delivery windows extend to 17th Dec and 30th Dec.

The 60 day limit on feedback is unfair for both the buyer and seller.  I've noticed quite a lot of negative and neutral feedback for these sellers being "Item not received".  It's not fair for the seller, as, given the current circumstances around Covid, the package legitimately might not arrive within the feedback window.  If the package doesn't arrive within the feedback window, the chances of the seller getting a positive rating for the transaction are close to zero, while the chance of a negative or neutral rating are greatly increased because the buyer can only leave feedback prior to receiving the item.

It's not fair to the buyer either, as if the product doesn't arrive before the feedback cutoff, the buyer doesn't really get the choice to offer fair fairback.  The buyer either, unfairly, rates the seller based on not receiving the product, or alternatively, doesn't get to leave a rating. Being able to rate a seller is what gives me confidence in buying from ebay.

It also diminishes the trust and reputation of Ebay by supporting scammers and penalising honest sellers.  I googled "speedpak" after all three of my purchases being stalled for over 10 days after clearing Australian customs.  It seems a number of sellers are scamming they system, and buyers not being able to leave feedback after 60 days enables the scammers.

[4channel]

Good post. I totally agree! I recently had a package arrive from the US from a good reputation seller. I payed for USPS First Class International and it arrived just about 2 days short of the 2 month / 60 day cut off. Or did it arrive just after? I can't recall now.  This is still happening to many others though, and I have had a few like this incl. one item from the UK.

Some US, Euro etc.. sellers offer economy which under normal circumstances may take a month. (I have been lucky to get item in 3 weeks in the past), and while it's good to get an item like record, small parcel etc. sent for under $10, it will take longer than 2 months in various cases.

We used to have 90 days / 3 months to leave feedback. For Ebay U.S. and Ebay Ca. this was changed after May  19,  2008 from 90 days down to 60.  We need to bring it back to 90. It's common sense!

You're 100% right when you say ....... "The 60 day limit on feedback is unfair for both the buyer and seller. "

Yes, bring it back to 90 days at least while we have issues  with the slowing down of post it's a must!

[dvd.horder]

it is happening a lot...it takes longer to get items from.. over  seas  ..because by the time you get the items ..you hardly do  or you do not have time left.... to do the  feedback...good luck in getting the feedback.. .. done in the time available ... at the moment 

[springyzone]

I think 90 days would be a fair thing.

Some buyers won't bother even if you give them a year but for others, it would give a bit more leeway when items runa  bit late, which can happen at the moment.

[4channel]

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@springyzone wrote:

I think 90 days would be a fair thing.

Some buyers won't bother even if you give them a year but for others, it would give a bit more leeway when items runa  bit late, which can happen at the moment.

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Well, at the moment with buying from the US. Let's use vinyl LPs as an example. Next to economy, I believe that First Class International is the cheapest. Sellers have recently started upping the cost of an extra LP to about US $6 to $8 depending on seller. So that's cost of shipping plus the extra $6 or $8 per extra LP. I can understand why as they are losing money in these troubled times. I recently had a parcel arrive that either arrived 3 or so days before or after the 60 day cut off. That was sent via First Class. Some sellers offer economy which is about a third of the shipping. That's a tempting offer but  there may be no tracking. The economy parcel will take a bit longer than 2 months I'd say. Yes, 3 months is needed!

There are other reasonns for needing longer time. Basically, a restoration to the pre-May 2008 time of 90 days is a sensible idea.

[*tippy*toes*]

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@4channel wrote:

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@springyzone wrote:

I think 90 days would be a fair thing.

Some buyers won't bother even if you give them a year but for others, it would give a bit more leeway when items runa  bit late, which can happen at the moment.

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Well, at the moment with buying from the US. Let's use vinyl LPs as an example. Next to economy, I believe that First Class International is the cheapest. Sellers have recently started upping the cost of an extra LP to about US $6 to $8 depending on seller. So that's cost of shipping plus the extra $6 or $8 per extra LP. I can understand why as they are losing money in these troubled times. I recently had a parcel arrive that either arrived 3 or so days before or after the 60 day cut off. That was sent via First Class. Some sellers offer economy which is about a third of the shipping. That's a tempting offer but  there may be no tracking. The economy parcel will take a bit longer than 2 months I'd say. Yes, 3 months is needed!

There are other reasonns for needing longer time. Basically, a restoration to the pre-May 2008 time of 90 days is a sensible idea.

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Why aren't you hounding eBay to death with this constant drivel, instead of subjecting us to it? Oh that's right, eBay don't care. Neither do most people these days when it comes to feedback.

I don't need to be "rewarded". Buyer pays, I send, buyer receives, end of story. Do you reward Coles each time to go there by putting up a massive feedback flag when you leave? I thought so.

[4channel]

Oh come on *tippy*toes*!

And I didn't start this thread.

[springyzone]

I think the key point here (to me) is ebay has a feedback option. Some people value it and use it, some don't.

Whether it is needed or whether it will always remain in future, who knows.

But when any site offers a function, then that function should operate properly. If the current covid situation is resulting in a lot of overseas purchases missing the feedback window, then it would make sense to widen that window to 3 months for a while.

I can't see that it would hurt.

[padi*0409]

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@springyzone wrote:If the current covid situation is resulting in a lot of overseas purchases missing the feedback window, then it would make sense to widen that window to 3 months for a while.

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In my case springy I've had maybe a dozen or so international buys since March and only 1 of those arrived too late for feedback to be left.

I reckon the subject is a storm in a teacup........just sayin'

[4channel]

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@springyzone wrote:

I think the key point here (to me) is ebay has a feedback option. Some people value it and use it, some don't.

Whether it is needed or whether it will always remain in future, who knows.

But when any site offers a function, then that function should operate properly. If the current covid situation is resulting in a lot of overseas purchases missing the feedback window, then it would make sense to widen that window to 3 months for a while.

I can't see that it would hurt.

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Well said. Yes, that's the main point. A function or service should be in keeping with a current situation. This one is ongoing and in  very recent times I have had stuff come so close to the edge and maybe over the edge. Also with a parcel that came from the UK, recently. It took longer than the other one that took a month and a half from the UK. I forgot to check this one and a week and a bit went by before I remembered,  Too late now. And as I've mentioned in a similar thread, if there's an issue, we need extra time for negotiation or organising a return. There cannoyt be any guarantee on this being successfully done in these troubled times.