Never leave neutral feedback???

[wargul]

Without mentioning seller names - I have been an ebay user since it was run by its original designer in a house somewhere and never had many hassels - firstly as a seller but now only as a buyer. Anyhow, recently I left some neutral feedback for what I considered a very ordinary transaction. WELL, I get an email from the seller about how I have damaged his business and he has a circle of other sellers who will block any further purchases unless I retract the feedback. I have reported the seller's actions to ebay and there is no way I am going to be bullied into changing the feedback - even though it could bite me in the bum as I buy a fair bit of stuff for my collection.

Anyhow, I am wondering how widespread this harassment is and, if widespread, does it render ebay feedback meaningless. Has anyone else been lambasted for leaving neutral feedback? Sheesh, I shudder to thing what would have happened if I'd left negative feedback.

There is a sour taste that I wish would go away.

[6709travis]

Hi,

I had a seller try to bribe me with a small percentage refund after a very poor transaction, but only if I left positive feedback and five stars.  I left the neg he deserved.

Cheers

Cindy

[digital*ghost]

There is no excuse for harassment, but I will say that I at least hope you contacted the seller and let them know about whatever it was that caused you to feel neutral about the transaction before you left FB, as that quite often is a bigger issue than the feedback itself.

In the past, I have been left less than positive FB without the buyer letting me know there was a problem, and it was definitely something I didn't do intentionally, however while I did contact the buyer, it was purely to try and resolve and I never asked them to change FB - these days, low FB / DSRs can cause a bit of damage, but you should never be made to feel pressured into changing what you feel is a fair assessment just because the seller doesn't like it. 

[wargul]

Point taken D/ghost.  I would always try to resolve negative feedback but neutral is just that - neither good nor bad.  The fact that the item was not as described makes it neutral to me... no matter what transpires afterwards.  I don't want to go into specifics but the item just wasn't what was described and could not be mistaken for it.  I agreed to keep the item but the fact that the conversation was required at all is reason enough for neutral.   Its like if I buy a red kettle from harvey norman and when I open the box its a black kettle.  Now HN will exchange it no problems but I have to muck about, make phone calls, and so on...... whereas they should have got it right in the first place.  That, to me, is neutral... I have no basis to be negative but its not a positive experience either.  (I hope that makes sense).

I do agree that the seller should be given every opportunity to avoid negative though.  

[digital*ghost]

I get it 🙂 That's why I didn't ask my buyer to change their neutral - It was a fair comment and I couldn't change or fix what was wrong, only compensate for the trouble they had to go to to fix it themselves. I have to say it did sting a bit when I first saw it, so in that sense I understand why some sellers focus more on getting the FB gone than the issue resolved, but it also taught me a pretty good lesson. 

As a buyer, I tend to consider whether it was intentional or not, as some things are in the eye of the beholder (eg what constitutes 'very good condition') so even if something doesn't meet my expectations it may just have been a difference of opinion, a genuine oversight or something else beyond the seller's control, but sometimes you get something that there can be no doubt was intentionally misdescribed, so even if compensation is offered the real problem isn't being addressed where it should be, if you know what I mean.

[colkym]

wargul that feedback he left you can be removed- the seller has breeched policy by leaving a positive feedback with a  negative comment.

The seller does look like a bit of a hot head doesnt he? LOL, I doubt your neutral damaged his rep much anyway 🙂

[foxette-in-sox]

Why do sellers make complete fools of themselves with follow ups like bidding banned,blocked etc

If someone leaves a neg or a neut,they're hardly going to fall over themselves to want to go back for 2nds-honestly.

[thecatspjs]

Don't you have to tick that you contacted seller before leaving a neutral for a seller?

Think its only fair that a seller that regularly seems to satisfy customers has a chance to respond - even if item is not as described. 

I do very much believe in honesty in feedback - but to leave neutral before contacting is not the way to go I reckon. 

[pinktoedannie]

Point taken D/ghost.  I would always try to resolve negative feedback but neutral is just that - neither good nor bad.  The fact that the item was not as described makes it neutral to me... no matter what transpires afterwards.  ....................

........... I do agree that the seller should be given every opportunity to avoid negative though.  

You would think neutral meant neutral, but in ebay land it impacts negatively on a sellers standing with ebay.  When they are calculating a sellers performance (top rated, above average, average, below standard)  they use a formula - negative counts as minus 1, neutral stands as minus .02 .... (from memory - I have the documentation on computer somewhere) so it isn't actually neutral.   

Since your performance has a direct effect on your ranking in best match sellers are just as eager to avoid neutrals as negatives.

Personally I think sellers who have had low performance rankings due to neutrals should put in a complaint to someone.  God knows who though - it could almost be a ACCC issue (inaccurate and obscure terms and conditions).

   Buyers sometimes leave false neutrals (with glowing positive comments) or they will leave a neutral after a mutual cancellation, even if it was at their request, due to misunderstandings about feedback and what neutral represents in the eyes of ebay.

[wargul]

I did contact Cats - the reply I got was part of the reason for the neutral.  Having said that, when did neutral come to mean negative?  Neutral is "ok", "neither good nor bad"..... so there is nothing that the seller can fix - the transaction was less than positive... that's all.  I wouldn't leave negative without significant exchange with the seller.

Either way I should be able to leave neutral feedback and not be subject to unpleasantness.

Colk - thanks, I hadn't notice that latest bit of harassment.  I have referred it to ebay for correction.  You are right, one neutral feedback is not going to effect anything.