@8113jack,
I realise that it can be frustrating when you don't receive feedback that you would like to have.
Just bear the following points in mind...
- eBay specifically state โRemember though, leaving Feedback is completely voluntary.โ
- It's true that eBay also say โIf you've successfully completed a transaction with another eBay member and they haven't left you Feedback, it's fine to send a message as a reminder.โ However, a buyer may interpret a reminder or follow-up request as unwelcome prodding. There have been instances of buyers who were annoyed at just such a reminder, and who felt that the entire transaction was not a good experience as a result, and who thereafter left feedback such as "
Here's the feedback you were begging for. unsatisfactory overall experience."
- Sometimes a buyer doesn't leave feedback because if they gave it, it would be a negative. By not leaving feedback at all, the buyer doesn't feel the pressure to bring down the seller's feedback score. In other words, let sleeping dogs lie.
- Some buyers don't feel the need to leave feedback. They only want to buy. They have the right to that view.
- Some sellers don't leave feedback at all, or don't leave feedback if they can't honestly leave a positive. They have the right to that.
- Some eBay members consider the leaving of feedback as the equivalent of saying "Thank you", and think therefore that not leaving feedback is rudeness. There is no real correlation in respect of that; some buyers will say Thank You as a note when making payment, and some sellers will have an email set up to say "Thank you for your purchase" after payment has been made (or before it's been made, in the invoice).
- Because feedback is not mandatory, its not having been left by some eBay members cannot logically be assumed to be due to laziness. You could only conclude that if each of the non-feedback people believe that they must give feedback and are physically and mentally able to give feedback, but have been lying down on a couch refusing to do so because they don't want to put in the effort. Since you can't determine any of that, the "Some people are just lazy" is an unsupportable assumption.
- There may be any number of factors preventing people from leaving feedback even if they wanted to do so, such as technical issues, health, being overwhelmed, etc.
- Again - because this is the main point - feedback on eBay is entirely, completely voluntary. It does not have to be given. There isn't any stigma or shame in not giving feedback. It's completely the choice of the individual.
Of course, this can make it hard for a young/new business or seller. I myself do give feedback.
There have been many, many threads concerning feedback on these boards. Overall the advice is to expect that there'll be a certain percentage of people who won't or don't give feedback, and not to fret about it. Some sellers will send a polite reminder, but in generally sellers will leave it up to the individual without prodding. Better no feedback than annoyed feedback.
