Potentially misleading seller “feedback” claims.

[lorddysh-pigge]

I recently found an item that I might have been interested in purchasing. The eBay page had the usual seller’s feedback box up in the top right-hand corner of the page. The figure of 98.1% was in the box. At first glance, anyone could be forgiven for assuming that this represented 98.1% positive feedback for the seller. However, when I drilled into it, out of something like 53 bits of feedback, 52 of them were positive feedback by the ad poster giving positive feedback to a list of sellers HE had purchased items from. The one piece of feedback to him as a SELLER was very negative. I won’t name the seller in question as this is just a heads-up to remind potential buyers that it’s worth taking the time (short and easy) to drill into the feedback as shown as it may be giving a misleading impression that the feedback is all positive for the person selling. I’m sure this seller is not the only one potentially benefitting from this false impression - as we all know, there are scams going on all around us in all sorts of guises.

[domino-710]

All you have to do is click on ' feedback as a seller ' - it's all there - all 1 of them.

[sandypebbles · Accepted solution]

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@lorddysh-pigge wrote:

. The figure of 98.1% was in the box. At first glance, anyone could be forgiven for assuming that this represented 98.1% positive feedback for the seller.

Nope

eBay only allows buyers to be given positive feedback

And it has been that way since 2008

If the person is mostly a buyer only they will always have close to 100% positive

No need to drill anything

A simple matter of a basic awareness of how feedback works

Checking 'feedback as a seller' is pure common sense 

If you sold something and your buyer gave you a neg, it would be the exact same thing

No scam involved at all

[springyzone]

Yes, if a person just looks at the % in a seller's feedback, instead of looking into it in more detail, they might not be getting an accurate picture.

I think this happens quite a bit to buyers new to ebay.

You really need to take the next step to check out feeback as a seller.

Mind you, all sellers have to start somewhere, so even if they only have one or two sales under their belt, you might be willing to give them a try, just perhaps not with a mega expensive item.

There are a couple of other things new buyers may not be aware of. Firstly, if they see a score of 95% positive feedback, they might think a score of 95 is pretty good, whereas in ebayland, it is actually on the low side and worth checking out.

The other thing is by 'drilling down' as you call it, you can find where a seller is located, as opposed to where they say the item is located.

I'm really glad you have worked out exactly how the feedback works and are checking things out now. Unfortunately, we don't seem to geta  lot of new buyers on the board to see your message, but you never know, it may alert someone.

[davewil1964]

OP has been a member for 10 years. Hardly new.

[springyzone]

I was speaking generally about new buyers but must admit, I didn't realise lorddysh had been around that long. I didn't 'drill down' I guess.😁

But I do have a closer look at any sellers I'm thinking of buying from.