topic Re: Feedback etiquette in Buying

Feedback etiquette

melenny01 — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 05:48:24 GMT

What is everyone's opinion on leaving feedback as a buyer? I won't leave feedback until the seller has left it first because as a buyer and having paid for the item I have completed my end of the bargain first, therefore I beleive the seller should comment after receiving funds which Is before the item is posted. I think when the seller tries to wait they are being defensive and possibly have something to hide or want the opportunity to leave poor feedback if they receive it. When I sell something I always leave feedback first.

Re: Feedback etiquette

*sparklz* — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 05:53:23 GMT

There is many many many many threads on this subject.

Everyone is different.

Some sellers leave it when an item is paid for

Some seller leave it when the post the item

Some sellers leave it daily, weekly or monthly

Some sellers have it set to be left once they receive it.

Some seller do not leave it at all.

And some will not leave it when pestered to have it left.

Many seller believe that a transaction is finished once the buyer has the item, is happy and leaves feedback as the seller then knows they have the item and will then leave it for the buyer.

So what comes first the chicken or the egg?

And what good is feedback to buyers other than to show you purchased something when sellers can not leave anything but positive anyway?

Buyers are encouraged to leave honest factual feedback but sellers are stopped from doing this

Re: Feedback etiquette

lyne-flyn — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 05:52:56 GMT

As sellers can only leave positive feedback it is a pointless exercise you playing a **bleep** for tat game.

Are you buying items or green dots on a computer screen?

Re: Feedback etiquette

kopenhagen5 — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 05:55:17 GMT

This topic has many threads on it if you do a search.

Many sellers, myself included leave feedback after the buyer has because as far as I am concerned the transaction has not finalised until buyer informs me it has arrived and in good order.

As well, something most buyers don't realize, when a seller leaves feedback it disappears from all reminders and like most good sellers, the preference is to have it highlighted until it is delivered and customer is happy, especially when doing hundreds of transactions.

Whilst I understand your scepticism, I think you will find most sellers do it for good customer service reasons.

Also keep in mind, feedback is voluntary, no one needs to leave any feedback.

Re: Feedback etiquette

harley_babes_hoard — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 05:59:03 GMT

simple, If you are happy with the item when it arrives leave feedback. feedback is voluntary after all sellers don't have to leave it nor do buyers.

Re: Feedback etiquette

fixnwear — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 07:08:05 GMT

melenny01,

there is no f/back etiquete, as f/back is voluntary.

It seems to me (just looking around on the boards) that f/back on the whole has 2 main functions:

1. Primarily used as weapon, by buyers to wield over sellers in order to get their own way - and happy to see of lately - becoming less and less effective

2. Number of pos. f/back is good to ofset some negs that seller may receive

Other than that - feedback and all "well meaning" comments are surprisingly ineffective.

Especially the negs - as they don't really stop anyone from buying from that seller - and more often than not f/back giver ends up looking worse than the seller!

In some cases downright humiliated and embarrased, ispecially if their id name is posted by the seller as a part of f/back response.

And it results in being blocked by just about every other seller who sees it!

And OP - whithold your f/back all you like - it means nothing to sellers, and even less to any new prospective buyers!

If it was such a vital factor in any given transaction - millions of other internet sites that don't have f/back wouldn't sell anything at all - but if anything - exactly the oposite is happening.

They are thriving - I can attest to that - have been shopping on the web for years.

Re: Feedback etiquette

joethenuts — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 07:10:52 GMT

100%

Re: Feedback etiquette

k1ooo-slr-sales — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 07:54:17 GMT

@melenny01 wrote:
What is everyone's opinion on leaving feedback as a buyer? I won't leave feedback until the seller has left it first because as a buyer and having paid for the item I have completed my end of the bargain first, therefore I beleive the seller should comment after receiving funds which Is before the item is posted. I think when the seller tries to wait they are being defensive and possibly have something to hide or want the opportunity to leave poor feedback if they receive it. When I sell something I always leave feedback first.

I would like anyone who agrees with the Opening Poster to read the following threads:

http://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Selling/Wrong-address-on-ebay-paypal-item-returned-to-sender-buyer-w...

http://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Selling-on-eBay/a-buyer-has-requested-a-chargeback-from-paypal-for-a...

. . . . . . and then come back here and tell us whether they think that the sellers in those threads should have left feedback once the item was paid for or not?

If you post in support of the Opening Poster after reading those threads then you can join the OP on my Christmas list

"I think when the seller tries to wait they are being defensive and possibly have something to hide" . . . . . Oh Really!!!! They aren't, by any chance, just exercising their right to leave feedback once the transaction has concluded?????? What a load of carp!!!!!!

"When I sell something I always leave feedback first" . . . . . good for you . . . . that is your choice . . . . . and I support you 100% in deciding when YOU like to leave feedback . . . . but that doesn't mean all sellers should be like you. God help us!

Re: Feedback etiquette

downeyas — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 10:40:07 GMT

I leave feedback when I have been paid and I have printed out the invoice

Re: Feedback etiquette

k1ooo-slr-sales — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 10:46:13 GMT

@downeyas wrote:
I leave feedback when I have been paid and I have printed out the invoice

. . . . good for you . . . . that is your choice . . . . . and I support you 100% in deciding when YOU like to leave feedback

Re: Feedback etiquette

imastawka — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 11:25:32 GMT

Lol. It's become a game of hide and seek, slr

How come you haven't been busted for it ? - seek and ye shall find

Re: Feedback etiquette

k1ooo-slr-sales — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 12:02:37 GMT

A) there are none so blind as those that can not see

Re: Feedback etiquette

opmania — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 12:13:00 GMT

@melenny01 wrote:
What is everyone's opinion on leaving feedback as a buyer? I won't leave feedback until the seller has left it first because as a buyer and having paid for the item I have completed my end of the bargain first, therefore I beleive the seller should comment after receiving funds which Is before the item is posted. I think when the seller tries to wait they are being defensive and possibly have something to hide or want the opportunity to leave poor feedback if they receive it. When I sell something I always leave feedback first.

as a seller I never leave feedback first for no other reason than if a buyer does not leave it, then they are not worried about recieving it . feedback is more important to buyers than sellers generally .

after a buyer has recieved their goods if they leave feedback then this tells the seller that they have recieved their goods and are happy with the transaction

If on the other hand a buyer recieves an item that they are not happy with it's always nice if you can contact the seller before leaving feedback .

most sellers are more than happy to help if there is a problem

Re: Feedback etiquette

the_pooze — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 12:20:23 GMT

As a Seller I always leave feedback after the Buyer has left same and indicate as such in my listings as it seems to be the most logical order for it to be done as it serves as an indicator that the item has, in fact, arrived at the intended location and it gives the Buyer and I an opportunity to resolve any issues that may crop up (not that it's happened to date but, I'm a realist, something may crop up one day) before "closing out" the transaction.

As a Buyer, I don't expect a Seller to leave feedback until I've received the item and left feedback. Happened once that I wasn't happy with the item, contacted Seller, things got a bit heated, harsh words exchanged but, we struck a compromise we could both work with and I left positive feedback. Didn't expect any from the Seller at all but, they ended up leaving me a really positive comment.

At the end of the day, whatever works for you but, best to state at what point in the transaction you will leave feedback if you're a Seller as that way, the Buyers isn't left guessing.

Re: Feedback etiquette

davewil1964 — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 13:07:56 GMT

@downeyas wrote:
I leave feedback when I have been paid and I have printed out the invoice

I leave it sometime after I post, and get around 50% in return. I don't waste paper and ink printing invoices, though.

But that doesn't matter as defect thresholds are based on transactions, not feedback, in which case no feedback is (defectless) good feedback. The only time it would be an issue is if you get a neg, which does count against feedback totals.

Which has nothing to do with the OP, who doesn't seem to understand the concept of voluntary feedback.

Re: Feedback etiquette

i-love-my-sheep — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 13:48:39 GMT

If you think feedback should be left as soon as you've paid, to give you that pat on the back for paying for something you bought, then you should leave feedback as soon as the seller marks the item as posted, before you've received it. After all, the seller has done their bit and posted, just like you've done your bit by paying. Fairs fair.

Re: Feedback etiquette

falconsportspack — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 20:12:58 GMT

Because buyers can now only receive Positive feedback & is basically useless for anything, the sooner buyer feedback is replaced by a transaction count the better.

Re: Feedback etiquette

springyzone — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 23:47:52 GMT

I guess it depends on the personality of the buyer.

I personally leave feedback after every transaction, regardless of whether the seller has left any, and I try to honestly reflect how the transaction went for me.

If they sent something fast or if they were really helpful, I would like to mention it. I think those comments can be useful information for other buyers.

Fortunately, all my transactions over the last year or so have been very positive. Much harder if something wasn't so good.

I give feedback once I have the item, I don't base it on whether or not the seller has given me any feedback. Most seem to give me feedback after I have given it to them and that is fine with me.

Probably not logical, but I do think it looks organised when a seller does finish with feedback (after a positive transaction). It doesn't matter if it comes before or after mine but it feels as if the whole transaction has been completed, all the i's dotted and t's crossed.

Yep, probably illiogical but i think a fair few buyers feel that way.

Re: Feedback etiquette

digital*ghost — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 09:50:50 GMT

@melenny01 wrote:
I think when the seller tries to wait they are being defensive and possibly have something to hide or want the opportunity to leave poor feedback if they receive it.

This is called an impression, i.e. that's the way it looks to you based on your own ideas, experiences and bias.

It's much simpler not to assign motives to someone else based on those kinds of things. There are many reasons why a seller will choose at which stage they leave feedback, and that choice is theirs - respect that, rather than second-guess it, and this won't be an issue.

Re: Feedback etiquette

magickmarketing — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 18:07:13 GMT

Apparently, your buying is based on green dots, which contrasts with your selling (those who buy from you).

I looked at your feedback as both a buyer and a seller, and I noticed something very revealing...

It seems you only buy from sellers with 10,000's or 100,000's of feedback. Why is that?

Yet, almost all of your buyers (those to whom you sell) have FB scores under 500.

Now, if you don't comprehend the irony of those stats in relation to your comment, you'll never understand.

A seller who moves 1,000's of cheap items per month can leave immediated FB and afford to take a few 'hits'.

A seller who moves a few expensive items per month cannot afford a single negative FB or any DR's below 5.