Sellers extorting feedback by intimation?

[robert_053]

When selling I have ALWAYS given feedback when the customer pays for the item. The quicker they pay the better the feedback.  AS IT SHOULD BE.

 - - - - - - - - - - - -

When buying how ever I have found a lot of sellers do not leave feedback until you leave them feedback.  Is this GOOD practice?  I don't think so, in fact it causes me to give poorer feedback than I may have originally as I class this activity as bad customer relations in the 'seller's communication' area.  As a rule I start asking why I had not received any feedback after four to five days, then if I do not receive a reasonable answer and immeadiate feedback the seller loses points.  As a majority of postal times from sellers average at least 7 days I usually wait that long before "reducing" the stars on communication.  Then every four days they lose another.

Today I contacted a seller asking "why?" on an item 320731808127 purchased on the 9th of May and received this reply:

"Dear robert_053,

Hi
thank you for your information.
our system work that when customer leave me positive feedback.
the system leave him positive also.
please leave me first.
miranda"

to which I have replied:

Hello Miranda,
That is very rude.
I order and pay for items straight away and so I expect positive feedback STRAIGHT AWAY!
What YOU are doing is extorting good feedback from customers so they will get good feedback too.
IF you had checked my members profile page you would have discovered that this is a particular "HATE" of mine.
It also causes those sellers who do it to LOSE 'points' when it comes to me making my assessment.
To me that is a "failure for proper seller's communication"
**excerpt from my page
**quote**
Business Information

NOTICE TO SELLERS!When I purchase your product and Pay immediately, I EXPECT feedback immediately!! Should you delay feedback, until I receive the item and give YOU feedback, you WILL receive LESS STARS in communication the longer you delay!
**endquote**
Sincerely,
Robb

Do YOU think I am right in doing this?

[skye.shops]

I've sold a few items (not many, mostly a buyer) but I usually leave feedback for the buyer once payment clears...admittedly I have forgotten once & had to be reminded by the buyer (baby brain) but I think it is pretty fair to leave feedback for the buyer once their obligations have been completed satisfactorily...i.e. once they pay in a reasonable amount of time, leave them appropriate feedback. It isn't the buyers fault if I fail in my obligation so why should I withold positive feedback just because I was negligent in my duties to them?

I think that there should be a time limit for leaving feedback for buyers...once payment has cleared then the seller should have 48 hours in which to leave feedback (positive, negative or neutral), after the time has elapsed they can no longer leave feedback. This would mean that they can leave honest assessments of a buyer (in the form of negative feedback where deserved) however not use this as a form of extorting positive feedback from the buyer.

The feedback system is really only useful if you are able to contact the prson who left the feedback to get the whole story anyway but I can see how it would frustrate someone when a seller witholds feedback to try to ensure positive feedback for themselves even if not deserved!

[jameshouseofstyle]

Hi mrs_brand,

Buyers pay - big deal! They have to anyway, it's not some amazing and grand gesture that has to be rewarded with feed back.

They could turn out to be rude, crude, impatient, picking faults with everything - bothering the seller no end - most certainly not even close to a pleasant experience for the seller!

For that alone seller would be perfectly justified to leave a neg saying it was most umpleasant experience  blah, blah, blah - except they can't as only positive f/back is available for the buyers.

So they choose to leave none.

Many times I have heard and seen sellers say how they feel like a royal dill for leaving a glowing report for someone who turned out to be totally horrible in every way - after they paid!

By the same token - wander what the buyer would say if something did go wrong after the sale, feed back was left by both parties - and seller turns around and says: my end of the transaction is completed, I have posted the item, - bugger off!

No transaction is over - until it's over - and only then f/back should be left.

Some may argue that it's a sign of confidence on seller's part in their product, being as described and all that - they are not worried to leave the f/back instantly. Ribbish! Nothing to do with seller's confidence or the product,  for those who don't leave it - it's to do with not knowing what sort of person buyer may turn out to be like - as we all know some will give sellers hell for no reason - just because they can! 

Cheers, January.

[digital*ghost]

I think that there should be a time limit for leaving feedback for buyers...once payment has cleared then the seller should have 48 hours in which to leave feedback (positive, negative or neutral), after the time has elapsed they can no longer leave feedback. This would mean that they can leave honest assessments of a buyer (in the form of negative feedback where deserved) however not use this as a form of extorting positive feedback from the buyer.

I think if you go away and think about what you've said here, you'll realise that at best it's entirely impractical. And, sorry to say, at worst utterly ridiculous.

1. Not all payment methods are automatically recorded on eBay - how would this system work with bank deposit, money order, cheque?

2. As leaving feedback is the seller's choice, why propose a situation that forces their hand one way or another?

3. Items that are paid for don't always stay that way, for any number of reasons.

eBay are very unlikely to re-introduce negs and neuts for buyers as it is, but let's assume they do for a minute - do you actually think anything the buyer may be able to do to deserve a neg can only happen in the first 48 hours of payment clearing?

You know what a buyer deserves after they've paid for an item?

Their item. (And yes, in good time, as described, with reasonable follow-up service if required etc).

Everything else is gravy.

[animecat2]

It get's even more scary

How's this working for you ?

Do you want sales or are you happy to scare buyers off lol

"9) Restocking/Re-listing fee: If for any reasons, the winner wishes to cancel the bidding, for not paying the bidder's account could be suspended, a 20% of the final payable amount or AU$12 (whichever is greater) will be requested as the restocking/re-listing fee. The restocking fee is used to cover eBay fees and seller's basic labour cost in handling this item. Yes this is excessive but so is the “time waste” caused by such bidders."

[aussie.imports]

Geez, i wish him luck with those conditions.

I have very little in the way of T&C's and my store is setup to automatically leave feedback upon payment. I've had a couple of problems with either the item or postage, but at this stage only 1 buyer has not contacted me to fix the problem. The ones that do, get their problems sorted and they're happy. I've had so many repeat customers, that attribute that to good customer service 🙂

As for not receiving feedback, i have approximately 100 buyers out of 1000 that haven't left feedback. And you know what? I don't care. If they don't want to leave me feedback, then so be it, that's their choice and i don't ask them for it either 🙂

[robert_053]

Thanks for pointing that out, as I only prefer PayPal that would be confusing to someone reading that. LOL . . .  As for item 9)  . . .  OK I confess I'm a plagerist, I actually pinched that from a listing from a large auction company operating out of melbourne, that'll teach me to read more thoroughly next time. :_|

I wonder how they get the money?

[robert_053]

Thank you for pointing that out also.

The problem is more where to stick the stamp!

[leader-of-the-band]

Thank you for pointing that out also.

The problem is more where to stick the stamp!

after reading the opening post, I have a suggestion . . . but don't want to add to my collection of posting violations.

[lane-ends]

I think all sellers should be forced to leave feedback as soon as i pay.

I am sick of having to wait around until I pretend the item did not arrive or was not as described by threatening seller with a neg if they dont refund immediately.

]:)

Seriously, its not good enough just to pay for your goods, they need to stay paid for without any wild claims or threats to try and get refunds unjustly.A buyer who makes feedback threats BEFORE they have even bought anything would be high on that risk

Blocked

[iamanark]

.

You ordered

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You paid

.

What makes you think that you should get glowing feedback for something that you are contracted and obligated to do

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Just another one to add to my ... BBL

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