Reminding buyers to leave feedback

[bidfires]

Does anyone know how to direct buyers to leave feedback?

I send my buyers a follow up email (using the contact buyer link) a week or two after the parcel has been sent to them. But I also want to leave EASY INSTRUCTIONS or A LINK directly to leaving feedback for me.  Anyone know how to do this. The email that gets sent to them has no easy link to get there, and I was lost as well. I would have to go back in and do it manually, which makes me think that's why so many unexpereinced buyers don't leave feedback.

Help please.......it would be graciously appreciated.

[trulyspecialgoodies]

Feedback is completely voluntary (for both buyers and sellers) and many people never leave it - they are just interested in receiving their item 'as described' and in a timely manner.

eBay send a reminder after 30 days if feedback hasn't been left.

Don't stress over feedback - when you're a new seller it's normal to want your numbers to rise quickly, but it's not going to happen. Just keep providing as good a service as you can to your buyers and eventually you will see this good service reflected in your feedback score.

[bettyboopsadaisy]

Good advice from trulyspecial !!

One other point worth bearing in mind -

Sometimes buyers make a conscious choice NOT to leave feedback. They may not think the item they purchased from you wasn't worth Positive feedback, but also may not think that it warrants Negative or Neutral feedback either.

Like you, I've sent out follow up messages to buyers after a certain period of time elapses without any feedback. Be aware this CAN backfire on you. Buyers who might not otherwise have left feedback, are reminded that their item wasn't everything they had hoped it would be and at that point choose to leave neg or neutral feedback.

Their issue may have nothing to do with the service you have provided - ie, slow to receive (Austpost's renowned lack of efficiency), different colour to what they were expecting (computer monitors differ in colour representation) but you may still receive the flack for it,

On the other hand, I have also received pos feedback I might not otherwise have got, as a result of sending out the follow-up messages. Its up to you.

I don't go so far as providing links though. I think if a buyer, experienced or not, wants to leave feedback, they will work it out !!

[huntingdale2013]

On our selling ID. I sometimes out of interest I look at our buyers feedback left. One buyer never leaves feedback except Negatives and the most common comment was 'Was Pestered To Leave Feedback'. I f I had sent a feedback reminder, I would have got a neg, no if's or but's

So I say to you, just be careful what you wish for, because you may get feedback you really don't want. The last thing you need as a low feedback seller is a Neg.

I completely understand that as a new seller you would like to see your feedback count rise as fast as possible, but as mentioned above, just continue to provide excellent service and the feedback will take care of itself, we find only around 25% of our buyers leave feedback. so I wouldn't stress too much about it. Good luck with your selling ventures.

[thecatspjs]

IMO the best way to encourage your buyers to leave feedback without following them up to beg or harrass for feedback, is to simply provide exceptional customer service in every aspect of your selling activities. 

[zelly888]

Most sellers do provide exceptional customer service in every aspect but still don't receive feedback.Even though it's voluntary IMO not receiving feedback from a buyer is the buyer just being lazy and not bothered to leave one.

[thecatspjs]

When I purchased more frequently on ebay I did not have that experience zelly, you must be better than me at spotting the stand-outs.

I found many sellers did the minimum no more, no less - ie reasonable effort with packaging and post time. From time to time I struck sellers who just put in extra effort that was apparent in every part of the transaction and it is those sellers that are saved in my favourites.

[rwarvi]

+bidfires, there is a real danger in contacting a buyer too frequently, whatever the reason.

My belief is that 90% of buyers just aren't interested in the seller's feedback score and therefore won't be interested in your reminder messages to leave feedback.  This is because, primarily, humans are inherently self-interested and, secondly, because many buyers don't support or pay attention to the eBay feedback system.

My estimate is that on the Australian eBay site 40% of all my buyers have left feedback.  In fact, it seems that the more effort I use to ensure a good transaction the less likely I am to receive feedback.  I believe this is because the buyers are more likely to leave feedback when there is less communication from the seller.  Buyers think that "if a seller needs to send a message to the buyer then there is something lacking or missing in the sales process".  Buyers are primarily only interested in two things: (1) the product and (2) when they will receive it.  They don't like using their time to read a seller's reputation-focussed messages.

The 10% of buyers that are interested in the feedback system are globally-minded idealists.  I have left feedback for every transaction bar one or two due to procrastination during a busy period.  I do this for the purpose of informing other buyers about a seller's attitude and performance.  However, people provide feedback for many different and varied reasons, e.g. to taint another competitor's reputation; to vent their frustration over something that could have been resolved via eBay messaging; or to advertise their own store.

[davewil1964]

I'm sure bidfires (if they are still a member given their feedback is still low) has cogitated on this for over 3 and a half years. And may even have come to a conclusion as to the wisdom of asking buyers for feedback. 

My experience is that buyers left a lot more feedback 3 and a half years ago, so your current numbers probably don't reflect the situation as it was when the question was asked. Over three and a half years ago.

[zanadoo_56]

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@bettyboopsadaisy wrote:

Good advice from trulyspecial !!

One other point worth bearing in mind -

Sometimes buyers make a conscious choice NOT to leave feedback. They may not think the item they purchased from you wasn't worth Positive feedback, but also may not think that it warrants Negative or Neutral feedback either.

Like you, I've sent out follow up messages to buyers after a certain period of time elapses without any feedback. Be aware this CAN backfire on you. Buyers who might not otherwise have left feedback, are reminded that their item wasn't everything they had hoped it would be and at that point choose to leave neg or neutral feedback.

Their issue may have nothing to do with the service you have provided - ie, slow to receive (Austpost's renowned lack of efficiency), different colour to what they were expecting (computer monitors differ in colour representation) but you may still receive the flack for it,

On the other hand, I have also received pos feedback I might not otherwise have got, as a result of sending out the follow-up messages. Its up to you.

I don't go so far as providing links though. I think if a buyer, experienced or not, wants to leave feedback, they will work it out !!

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The issue of leaving feedback when the item didn't fit a straight out Positive but not so bad to give a Negative or Neutral either is a valid one. 

Over the years I've thought about what to say re purchases like this and occasionally I'd give good feedback because the item was OK...but I might also mention it owed more to good luck (due to poor packaging) that I got it undamaged, or I might say nice item and luckily the stain/mark washed out, or a few stitches fixed it to like new (when it was described as mint condition). 

These days I don't see as many sellers of the things I like to buy that are - shall we say - economical with the truth in their descriptions, or foolish enough to send a CD in a plastic case (smashed in the post) wrapped only in thin paper and the bare minimum of sticky tape...from UK to Oz. 😞

My favourite excuse from a seller was when I bought a poster which was rolled up, then wrapped in paper and posted to me from the UK, and it arrived somewhat squashed so I asked why he didn't sent it in a cardboard tube.  His reply was "I didn't have time as I thought you wanted to get it as quickly as possible.'  Arrrggghh.