Posting with Private Feedback

[arnl7178]

So many people complain, or call people "trolls" if their feedback is set to private.

They assume, you have no idea what you're talking about, therefore, shouldn't have to the right to voice an opinion.

Why don't eBay just remember everyone's number from showing on the boards? Just have our usernames and "show listings" viewable.

[gec2002]

"looking at someone's listings, their selling history and so forth can only provide so much credence to what has been said"

Yes but experience does count for something, if you do a lot of selling over many years you have most likely dealt with the issue in the real world not just talked about it on the boards.  I wonder about some regulars here that are part of the eBay cheer-squad, if they were trying to deal with eBay changes on a daily basis while running a business I'm not so sure their advice would remain the same.  While some experienced sellers can talk garbage on balance most have good advice to offer, but with Private and Posting IDs it hard to sort the wheat from the chaff, and unfortunately I don't think there's any easy way to get around the issue. 

[***super_nova***]

In any case, there are people who come here with hundreds of transactions under their belt and they ask the most basic question like "I have been waiting for my item for 3 months and how come that now PP tells me that it is too late to make a claim".  Just because they have been here for a long time and have a big number does not mean that they know the policies, or the way to do things.  Many sellers  do not know about BBL, and how to block NPB etc.; I must have posted the instructions for blocks hundreds of times, as do many other people.

I generally post simple facts, how many transactions I made does not come into it; people can judge for themselves, and follow my suggestion or not.  And it is nobody's business what I buy, and I do not wish to  give opportunity to the trolls to interfere with my sales ever again.  Also, that way if I decide to buy something from a person who came here for advice they never know  the connection to this ID.   There have been some very nasty & weird people coming here now and then, and I prefer not to make it possible to find out where I live.

sadly, more and more people come here asking for help and block the access to their ID.  That makes it very difficult to give them good advice as it is impossible to judge if they gave us ALL the relevant info.

[digital*ghost]

"looking at someone's listings, their selling history and so forth can only provide so much credence to what has been said"

Yes but experience does count for something, if you do a lot of selling over many years you have most likely dealt with the issue in the real world not just talked about it on the boards.  I wonder about some regulars here that are part of the eBay cheer-squad, if they were trying to deal with eBay changes on a daily basis while running a business I'm not so sure their advice would remain the same.  While some experienced sellers can talk garbage on balance most have good advice to offer, but with Private and Posting IDs it hard to sort the wheat from the chaff, and unfortunately I don't think there's any easy way to get around the issue. 

Point taken, but I do think some of it is the same as what I often do, offering their own experiences, and it's taken as intended to be gospel. It's difficult to preface every post with credentials even if you do post with a visibly experienced ID - by which I mean the extent of specific experiences which can be right down to a specific type of item/category, not FB number or listings - but the thing to remember is everyone - high FB , low FB, or private FB - is pretty much limited by their own experiences.

To use a specific example, many higher (than me) volume sellers dealing with the trials of Best Match will / have advise(d) using Free Post to other sellers seeking more exposure. I won't tell someone not to try free post, but I will tell them my sales consistently stopped dead every time I tried it myself, and picked up with gusto when I added P&H separately again. It would be a shame for someone not to consider that as a possibility just because they can't look at my listings - they wouldn't be able to verify that claim even if they could. 

[*crikey*mate*]

Please allow me to make this very clear, when it comes to selling on eBay I am not very good with all of the technical ins and outs and the finer details.

It is with the ongoing guidance, patience and generosity of the experienced people here, but particularly those in an eB group of which I belong, that I manage as well as I do.

Once upon a time, I was a powerseller, but have only just returned to selling after a long time and so much has either changed, other things I had forgotten.

Yes, the facts and opinions supplied by the obviously experienced sellers are invaluable to me, but so too are those who either aren't or at least don't appear to be according to their feedback. It reminds me of that old story about the man in the really shabby clothes going into a car shop to buy a fancy expensive car and the sales assistant ignored him. It turned out he was a billionaire and could have paid cash on the spot.

Yes, this ID is private. I just don't want people to know what I buy. Simple as that. I don't think that it is anybody's business but my own.

And until I nail this selling thing, I'd prefer not to post with a selling ID as I have seen and experienced just how nasty and belittling some posters can be, so there is not a hope in Hades that I would open myself up to such public scrutiny.

Here's a very recent example. Of course I know what a Blocked Bidder List is, I had used it years ago when I used to sell. However, I either forgot or didn't know what a BBL was - I always thought it stood for Be Back Later. (I have teens *shrugs*) I could never figure out why some people would always say BBL in the middle of a post.

There was a thread about BBL's here recently, and finally the penny dropped as to what people were meaning. I made a comment about that (not on the public boards) and was humiliated and ridiculed because of it and accused of "playing dumb" etc etc.

So meh.... high, low or private feedback, it doesn't really matter, no one deserves the treatment and disrespect that I often see here on these boards, and by disregarding the person whose opinion, personal experience or professional experience who has the low or private feedback, you just may be missing out on that "fancy car" sale or advice iykwim.

I also think that those who want to "advertise" by using or drawing attention to their selling ID's - I say - Go For Gold - it's a tough world out there, so take any opportunity that you can. To me that makes good business sense.

Just do be aware though, that how people come across may not be how they really are or may not be indicative of how they treat their customers, but there are certainly a few people whom I would say that others may not choose to trade with just in case.

[davewil1964]

You're certainly taking your sig to heart there, foxie.

[arnl7178]

Firstly, Foxette, LOL! ... just lol. So perfectly put. Why some people insist on being rude and showing no manners is completely beyond me. And before someone says it, yes, saying FO to someone isn't exactly polite, sometimes it is just warranted 😕

My grandma once told me she didn't like men with beards because they 'had something to hide'.

Your Grandma sounds like she is/was a very wise woman.

it is not unreasonable for others to be sceptical of what low FB or Private posters say without proof of their experience.

You're right, it isn't unreasonable but there's a big difference between being skeptical and completely dismissing one's opinion based on how many numbers sit beside their name.

Being on the boards a lot really doesn't equate to knowing much about selling or buying probably only that you should get a life.

Your post lost all merit after that. Completely unnecessary.

Some posters also face the problem of being accused of only posting to get people to see their listings thus dismissing any good advice they might have given.

I've seen that a lot too. Either you're hiding and hold no credibility, or your promoting and shouldn't be taken seriously. Yet another reason why I'd like to see no numbers besides anyone's username.

I have seen some very high FB members display a distinct misunderstanding and/or lack of awareness of some very basic policies, and even provide totally inaccurate advice.

I am one of them. Well, not a high FB member, but I've been on eBay for years and still come here to ask questions. I'm learning every day and can honestly say, I do not look at someone's feedback number before accepting their advice. Someone could have a score of 5, but have been trading on eBay since the beginning. Who would know?

Please allow me to make this very clear, when it comes to selling on eBay I am not very good with all of the technical ins and outs and the finer details.

Ditto!

Yes, this ID is private. I just don't want people to know what I buy. Simple as that. I don't think that it is anybody's business but my own.

I agree completely. I wish I used a separate ID for buying for that exact purpose, but I'm too lazy to switch between them 🙂

you just may be missing out on that "fancy car" sale or advice iykwim.

This is what I was saying about always learning. I only just learned that iykwim means "if you know what I mean"! So excited that I remembered that :^O

All in all, thanks to all for your opinions and comments. Personally, I couldn't care less what ID someone is using. I'm grateful people take the time to answer any questions I have, regardless of their little number. I do however, find it extremely annoying when people complain about posters with private feedback. It's completely irrelevant and personally, I think that complaint is much worse for credibility sake, than any private forum member.

[digital*ghost]

My grandma once told me she didn't like men with beards because they 'had something to hide'.

Your Grandma sounds like she is/was a very wise woman.

o_O 

No wonder the cave men had to use clubs - the women didn't trust them until they invented razors.

O_o

[foxette-in-sox]

Sincere apologies Aryl-I just get a bit over people being vilified because these boards may be their only life.:-(

If you post with a buying id,you're a muppet who knows nothing about selling

If you post with a selling id,you're a muppet who know nothing about buying

Ok,group hugs now :-x;\:^O

[digital*ghost]

Sincere apologies Aryl-I just get a bit over people being vilified because these boards may be their only life.:-(

If you post with a buying id,you're a muppet who knows nothing about selling

If you post with a selling id,you're a muppet who know nothing about buying

Ok,group hugs now :-x;\:^O

Sorry, but the Muppet Show isn't complete without Statler and Waldorf in the balcony issuing scorn at everything. 😛

[i-once-was-bump]

I also think that those who want to "advertise" by using or drawing attention to their selling ID's - I say - Go For Gold - it's a tough world out there, so take any opportunity that you can. To me that makes good business sense.

Um, crikey by saying go for gold you need to be prepared to blamed as those posters that go for gold get reported by the trolls.

Pleae don't suggest posters behave in a manner that could see them reported.

If you want to see all the reasons a poster can be reported then click on report abuse in this post and then look at the rather long list BUT PLEASE DON'T click on submit.:^O:^O:^O:^O

Once you have read the list you then have to use a bit of imagination and you will see how each of those reasons can then be twisted to suit the button pushers' needs.