topic Re: Feedback options too limited in Buying

Feedback options too limited

r4vi — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:58:11 GMT

Hi,

I find that the number of characters available is too restrictive.

Regarding positive feedback - sometimes I would like to point out how a seller went out of their way to help, to differentiate them from others where their assistance/patience/resolution of problems has been exemplary. In these cases I always make sure to send them a message thanking them and congratulating them on their performance.

Regarding negative feedback - well this is the main issue I wanted to comment on.

I find it VERY hard to explain my case for negative feedback in the number of characters allowed. I have a purchase that I have just made where the seller misrepresented their product, provided incredible poor documentation of operating procedure, where the product does not perform as stated, and has come with a manufacturing fault.

I have been told that the problem is operator error, which is patently incorrect. The seller has referred to nonexistent correspondence as backup to their argument, which is laughable as it's easily verifiable as to whether said correspondence occurred as all communication has been via eBay messaging.

I have sent photos of the manufacturing defect (blown track off PCB which has been very badly repaired) and been ignored.

So how do I communicate all of this when the time arises for me to leave feedback?

I won't leave feedback yet as if I do, they will just get snarky, and I am quite happy to leave good feedback if my issues are resolved to my satisfaction. I'm very fair, and I've had problems with sellers where they have screwed up and resolved the problem cheerily, and left positive feedback mentioning their great resolution. Check my feedback left for others if you don't believe me.

But when a seller is lying, or trying to belittle me, or abuse me, or fob me off, or saying "we have perfect feedback for this item" when it's completely not true, how do I get this across in such a small space?

I will be putting up a web page about my experience with this latest seller and product - but I can't put an URL in my feedback for them as that will get eBay snarky with me. So I'm limited essentially to just putting up a page and hoping others will find it.

I see a lot of redneck feedback left for sellers and this infuriates me - if people don't give the seller a chance to resolve the issue, that sucks. I've been bitten by buyers (years ago now) where they haven't read the item description, or bought an item I have listed as pickup only and then asked me to send it to another country even, and then left me neg feedback without trying to resolve the issue.

But what about people such as myself who try to be as community-minded and respectful as possible, who just want their problem resolved properly, and who try everything they can to give the seller a fair go, just to be fobbed off or ignored?

I want to make people aware of the problems with the product that I bought, and the attitude of the seller, and I'm not the first person to have problems with this seller.

Caveat emptor - yes. But where I have done everything right and the seller is being an arse - well why can't I state my case?

Re: Feedback options too limited

thesoulyearns — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:46:22 GMT

There is enough space to "get the message across" so to speak. Just tell the facts.

Re: Feedback options too limited

r4vi — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:58:52 GMT

That's a very "the reality is..." response.

Re: Feedback options too limited

arnl7178 — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:00:32 GMT

Honestly, I don't have the time to read the actual messages.

I check out their stars, and their percentage and make my decision.

Positive feedback with negative comments cannot be left anyway so I think the stars are the most accurate way of "checking someone out".

Re: Feedback options too limited

thesoulyearns — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:08:11 GMT

Like arnl7178, I also generally don't read feedback before bidding/buying unless there's a warning sign. Most sellers have good feedback and 99% of the time pose no problem. It's good to check feedback beforehand and that relies on each buyer leaving honest feedback.

If you only have a limited space then make the most of it. Mark the stars right down if it's accurate to the transaction. Of course, there's also the negative feedback option if you're truly unhappy with everything.

Re: Feedback options too limited

r4vi — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:11:02 GMT

Problem is a seller is often given feedback based on whether the item is received in one piece and works well enough straight away.

But what happens when you have a problem AFTER leaving the feedback? What about "12 months warranty" and then in two months they don't want to know you?

That aside, you can get a good feel for what a seller will be like if you have problems, less from the feedback left by the buyer, but more from the seller's response to that feedback.

If I'm paying an appreciable amount of money for something that is say electronic/electrical, I ALWAYS check the feedback. I'll even Google that seller to see what people think of them.

If you just look at their percentage and stars, you don't get much of a picture, especially when the seller has gone to pot lately, or where they have perfect service when it comes to silicone iPhone case but screw someone over when they sell a welder.

When you are dealing with a professional seller who sells items valued between $5 and $1000, spreading across a wide variety of categories, then just looking at the synopsis is not indicative of the buyer experience.

IMHO

Re: Feedback options too limited

r4vi — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:18:10 GMT

Of course I make the most of it. I am simply stating that when a seller has performed very badly you get very little opportunity to make your case. And when they respond with some remark they think is witty or condescending, I become quite infuriated.

I haven't personally ever had any seller respond to neg feedback I have left. The most they have done is make the item private so people can't follow up on the item I have left feedback for.

If someone contacts me about neg feedback left for a seller because they want information before buying, I take the time to respond, being as fair as I can and simply stating the facts as I see them. I believe in community and giving a crap about other people.

An example of a neg I left not long ago - "Item not complete, automated response to my communications, no resolution." That was the best I could do in the space provided, and that problem was simple enough.

Some are more complicated and it can be a struggle to put one's point across in the space provided without resorting to "don't buy from this sod he sucks" like a lot seem to do.

Re: Feedback options too limited

thesoulyearns — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:30:55 GMT

It seems that the answer you're looking for is one where either eBay or a further enforcer is contacted directly, outside of the normal responses, to deal with a dodgy seller. There should be someone here who can direct you to the appropriate person to take things like this further.

Re: Feedback options too limited

digital*ghost — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:08:37 GMT

An example of a neg I left not long ago - "Item not complete, automated response to my communications, no resolution." That was the best I could do in the space provided, and that problem was simple enough.

I know it's probably still not going to be enough for you, but you do have double that amount of space to try and state your issue. You can leave a follow-up comment to any feedback that you have left, at any time (even months down the track, and regardless of what type of feedback was originally left), giving you another 80 characters to use, and generally making the feedback stand out a little bit more on the page. It's not much, but every little bit helps.

Re: Feedback options too limited

***super_nova*** — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:43:50 GMT

I am sorry, but people are not interested in the whole sorry saga. Saying for instance: "item damaged, seller refused refund", together with low DSR, is enough for people to know what to expect.

Re: Feedback options too limited

putney32 — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:57:38 GMT

now how did I guess this would be an agr.===== thread

Re: Feedback options too limited

2106greencat — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 23:01:33 GMT

I can't remember how many characters are available in the feedback area, but normally something like:

Awesome seller, went above and beyond - a+ 5 Stars

Shocking seller, item faulty, offered no assistance or restitution

That would kind of do for me

Re: Feedback options too limited

punch*drunk — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 23:03:45 GMT

now how did I guess this would be an agr.===== thread

lol, then it wont matter what feedback the buyer leaves. The seller will either bribe them to change it, or ebay will remove it for them. I have never seen another seller whose negative feedback magically disappears.

Whatever you do, check here before leaving your neg, because it if it even slightly crosses the line into being against policy, it will be removed quicker than a flash.

Re: Feedback options too limited

***super_nova*** — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 23:17:56 GMT

I can't remember how many characters are available in the feedback area, but normally something like:

Awesome seller, went above and beyond - a+ 5 Stars

Shocking seller, item faulty, offered no assistance or restitution

That would kind of do for me

Exactly right cat 🙂 FB supposes to be impression of the transaction.

There was a time I wished I had more space, but then I realised that what is available is plenty for what needs to be said; as opposite what i would like to say 🙂

Especially for positives. For instance, last year I bouight a little embellishment for something I was making for my granddaughter; it arrived broken (no protection in envelope). i Contacted the seller and next day, before I even had the chance to check my emails, the replacement (very similar to the first and just as pretty) with very lovely card and apology arrived. When I turned my computer on, I realised that she also refunded the payment (less than $2). Now, if I left really detailed descriptive FB, like: "wonderful seller refunded in full for damaged item, and also sent replacement" I would have set her up for every scammer in town. So instead I would have said something like: "excellent seller, item gorgeous, perfect"

Re: Feedback options too limited

2106greencat — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 23:53:24 GMT

Now, if I left really detailed descriptive FB, like: "wonderful seller refunded in full for damaged item, and also sent replacement" I would have set her up for every scammer in town. So instead I would have said something like: "excellent seller, item gorgeous, perfect"

I would not have even thought of the scammer side of things! Very good point Nova 🙂

Re: Feedback options too limited

falc93 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 01:53:22 GMT

I tend to agree - but further and possibly in the direction of a solution if it could be accomodated is that I find the single feedback very limited. By that I mean I'd find it very useful if transacting and product / post transaction feedback were separate - ie. as a buyer, my placing an order and making appropriate and correct payment IMO entitles me to good buyer feedback immediately, but sellers often hold out on giving feedback until you've given positive feedback to them. All bla bla I know but in short I have come across quite a few sellers who have very high or even perfect rating but in fact their product and/or service is shoddy - tho indeed their transcating and shipping is very sharp. Their rating is only deserved with respect to fast transaction and shipping. Quandry with the current system is whether to go with feedback on that basis and just personally remember not to buy from them again or leave negative feedback and suffer damage yourself... So far I've been a coward and protected my own rating by feeding back on the transaction only, not the quality of goods or service.

Re: Feedback options too limited

chuk_77 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 02:32:41 GMT

how can you suffer damage yourself?

Sellers can not leave negs for buyers and if they leave a green dot with a neg, ebay will remove it

Re: Feedback options too limited

2106greencat — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 03:09:49 GMT

Honestly, I don't have the time to read the actual messages.

I check out their stars, and their percentage and make my decision.

Positive feedback with negative comments cannot be left anyway so I think the stars are the most accurate way of "checking someone out".

Quick reply to the above just to clarify. Positive feedback with negative comment can be left for a buyer. It is against policy and will be removed if the buyer contact eBay, but on many occasions a buyer is unaware of this and many feedbacks when you go in to look will have countless neg+ noted.

Re: Feedback options too limited

straybooksoz — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 07:56:10 GMT

as a buyer, my placing an order and making appropriate and correct payment IMO entitles me to good buyer feedback immediately,

Why? Feedback is voluntary. eBay even allows sellers to automatically leave feedback AFTER the buyer leaves it.

Feedback is supposed to be the giver's opinion of the transaction. The entire transaction, not just the buyer paying part of it. What if you turn out to be the buyer from hell, wanting a full refund without returning because there is a 0.2mm scratch on the item that the seller didn't mention?

Did I mention feedback is voluntary? Besides, buyer feedback is a count of how many things you've purchased from sellers who leave feedback, and is essentially meaningless.

Re: Feedback options too limited

falc93 — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 07:58:25 GMT

"sellers can not leave negs for buyers" - Oh! - sorry then, I wasn't aware how it all works then...