Seller feedback expectations

[luckyphil222]

One thing that really annoys me about eBay is the expectation some Sellers have regarding the leaving of feedback.  You know how it goes 'you leave positive feedback and I will leave positive feedback'.  Really as as Buyer all I can do is buy the product and pay quickly.  If I pay quickly then I should get positive feedback regardless of the feedback I might leave.

The Seller has a number of aspects they should be judged against, such as actually delivering a decent product, posting it promptly and providing some decent communication.

A number of Sellers are really good and will leave feedback as soon as I pay for the goods and that is appropriate.  Come on eBay make Sellers leave feedback as soon as the Buyer lives up to their side of the bargain.  If not I am considering leaving feedback only for those Sellers that treat me right.

[putney32]

well I'm old school eBay seller, and yes I do leave f/b when I receive payment (but then again, I am very small time and have loads of time on my hands)

however....

eBay suggest that sellers only leave fb after the buyer has left f/b and is happy with the whole transaction.

eBay have even set up a system for sellers whereby when the buyer is happy and leaves a pos. fb then eBay leave a positive automatically for the buyer on behalf of the seller.

so I guess your request, being the exact opposite of what eBay recommends will fall on deaf ears.

[digital*ghost]

Really as as Buyer all I can do is buy the product and pay quickly. 

In my opinion, there's a lot more a buyer can do than simply pay quickly.

If something should go wrong, for example, you can contact the seller and be reasonable and polite, or you can be unreasonable and impolite. You could leave a neg without even contacting them and letting them know there's a problem. You can leave a neg even after you've contacted the seller and they've bent over backwards to try and resolve your issue. And that's just the tip of the iceberg - there are a lot of different post-sale behaviours some buyers engage in that leaves sellers feeling not particularly positive about a transaction.

Feedback is voluntary anyway, and if a seller chooses to leave it, it's entirely up to them when they leave it. 

[thecatspjs]

however....

eBay suggest that sellers only leave fb after the buyer has left f/b and is happy with the whole transaction.

eBay have even set up a system for sellers whereby when the buyer is happy and leaves a pos. fb then eBay leave a positive automatically for the buyer on behalf of the seller.

ebay do not suggest that sellers only lave fb after the buyer has left it.

ebay notes that feedback should be left when a transaction finishes - there are different opinions on when this after payment, after posting or after receiving buyer feedback, and indeed ebay help information on feedback notes:

" There are different philosophies on whether the buyer or seller should leave Feedback first. Each member may choose the best approach to leaving Feedback"

the system that ebay have set up to leave automatic feedback can also be set to leave pos feedback when a buyer makes payment

[a_beautiful_room]

I have always left feedback as soon as a buyer pays, but recently had a buyer purchase a very expensive vintage item, and I left her positive feedback. A few days later I received a blistering and mildly threatening email - she's not happy obviously. No problems, send it back, full and unequivocal refund given, even though she paid by bank deposit and was not entitled at all to a refund. As a good seller, that's what I would do.

And for that, she leaves me a big fat neg.

Do I wish I had left her a positive first? No of course I don't. Post sale she was revolting. Not even polite! She got the refund irrespective of her rudeness - but don't think paying is the be all and end all - it's ONE step in a purchase between buyer and seller.

I would still leave a positive upon payment, it seems to mean a lot to buyers, it's no skin off my nose, but geez it certainly wasn't the positive experience from my point of view. Luckily eBay removed her neg as they could see that I had done everything right but maybe others who are not so persistent (pig headed) might just have to suck it up.

[thecatspjs]

I think you are a fantastic role model seller, beautiful room. :-x

I leave feedback when I post - usually same or next day after receiving payment, not only to say thank you, but as an additional way to communicate that their purchase is on the way. 

[a_beautiful_room]

:-x so sweet thank you.

[calsof]

I have always left feedback as soon as a buyer pays, but recently had a buyer purchase a very expensive vintage item, and I left her positive feedback. A few days later I received a blistering and mildly threatening email - she's not happy obviously. No problems, send it back, full and unequivocal refund given, even though she paid by bank deposit and was not entitled at all to a refund. As a good seller, that's what I would do.

And for that, she leaves me a big fat neg.

Do I wish I had left her a positive first? No of course I don't. Post sale she was revolting. Not even polite! She got the refund irrespective of her rudeness - but don't think paying is the be all and end all - it's ONE step in a purchase between buyer and seller.

I would still leave a positive upon payment, it seems to mean a lot to buyers, it's no skin off my nose, but geez it certainly wasn't the positive experience from my point of view. Luckily eBay removed her neg as they could see that I had done everything right but maybe others who are not so persistent (pig headed) might just have to suck it up.

Agree fully!!!

My first neg came yesterday, not my fault, buyer won't respond, buyer never contacted me... I've been on the phone to eBay for over a couple of hours in the last couple of days and "no can do"!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I wish I had not left feedback. No, I won't stop leaving feedback to buyers straight after they pay. 

Tried everything: pleading, shouting, asking for a supervisor etc etc. I'm sucking it up now :_|

[phorum_junkie*]

So OP you base your ebay experience on when a seller chooses (note the use of the word choose as it is of course entirely voluntary) instead of how well the item was described, how quickly the seller got it in the post and how reasonable their postage cost was.

Well I prefer to base feedback on the entire transaction, I have had many a carp seller who has left me feedback as soon as I have paid and they have sent me poorly described rubbish with an extremely long handling time and ridiculous postage costs then I have bought from many sellers who have completely accurate descriptions, who post the same day I have paid with very reasonable packaging and handling charges and either leave feedback after I have or not at all..

Guess which ones I would buy from again? It most certainly would NOT be those wh left me feedback just because I paid!

[motherbear2003]

Yet another post relating to feedback:|  We are here to buy and sell physical goods, not feedback.