Should sellers be able to leave negative feedback for non-payments?

[2011emc2]

As a first-time seller, I had a buyer who didn't pay and didn't bother to contact me or respond to my emails. I opened an ‘Unpaid Item’ case, which again got no response, and closed the case today.

Yet the only feedback option available to me was to leave 'Positive' feedback for this buyer.

Really, eBay???

This 'buyer' still has a '100% positive' feedback rating on eBay. How is this honest or fair? Shouldn't a feedback system allow members of a community to comment on their actual dealings with people in that community?

Little wonder some sellers try to sneak in negative comments using the positive feedback option, to try to warn other unsuspecting sellers. Yet eBay deletes these from buyers' profiles.

I think eBay should change its feedback policy in order to allow equal footing for buyers and sellers. So sellers would be allowed to either: (a) leave negative feedback - if only for non-payment; or (b) automaticallly note non-payments into each buyer's feedback profile, so these are clear for all to see.

It's not a problem to demonstrate that a buyer hasn't paid. Why not give sellers the same rights as buyers to leave honest feedback? Wouldn't everyone benefit?

I didn't ship the item because payment never arrived or cleared.  Still, what a negative experience, especially the shocking attitude toward sellers whose fees sustain and enrich eBay.

What is your opinion on eBay's feedback policy for sellers?

(Newbies: FB = feedback, NP = non-payment)

[davewil1964]

Because sellers leave them false positives instead of opening NPB cases and giving them strikes.

[*kazumi*]

What I don't understand is how people who have a history of not paying for items are still allowed to buy on eBay. I just closed an unpaid item case (not the first one I've had to open) after receiving no payment and no contact from the person who bid on my item, but I looked at the last two or three pages of their feedback and around 50% of them say that the buyer did not pay for the item or contact the seller.

Do you have in place blocks to block anybody with 2 or more strikes?  You would think that out of the 50% at least 2 would have claimed their FVF back, but then again, on one forum I go to somebody complained about $300 sale that was not paid for and she just re-listed and when I asked her why she has not done the NPB dispute, she said she could not be bothered to wait 8 days to re-list  :_|

[darkdragonempress]

I didn't know it was possible to block people based on non-paying strikes. How do I go about doing it? I claimed my FVC and have relisted the item, but I don't want this person to bid on it again and waste even more of my time.

[leader-of-the-band]

it is easy.

Go to the bottom of any eBay page and click on 'Site map' link.  In the centre column there is a heading "Selling Activities".  Second choice down is "Block Bidder/Buyer List".  Click on that link and then choose "Add an eBay member . . . ".

You can block up to 5000 members this way.  Make sure you put a comma between each one.  Once saved, the list is sorted automatically into alphabetical order.

[2011emc2]

I really empathise with eBay sellers who have had negative experiences with buyers and I agree that the FB system should be more fair and honest.

It is patently unfair that eBay prohibits sellers from leaving anything but positive FB, regardless of how badly buyers behave. How absurd.

Isn’t the purpose of the feedback system to enable us to report and review accurate accounts of members’ dealings with other community members?

I appreciate the advice regarding eBay’s blocking system, yet the question remains:

So what if two-time non-payers can be blocked from bidding?

Block away, knock yourself out. I think it’s a great thing and new sellers should be informed of the option as part of setting up their accounts.

Yet an honest and fair feedback system would not interfere with blocking. There’s no reason we can’t have both.

At the same time, blocking applies only to NPs. It is clear that there are many negative behaviours that are best reported in buyer FB - dragging out the payment process for an unreasonably long period or filing PayPal chargebacks while keeping the items, to name but a couple.

Some buyers have been appalling in their dealings with several sellers, yet have kept their 100% positive FB ratings. That is simply not defensible.

Of course sellers should not be allowed to leave negative FB that’s not justified. That goes without saying, but I guess I need to go ahead and say it anyway, given some of the responses here.

Any buyer or seller who receives unjustified negative FB should be able to have it removed by eBay provided the other party cannot substantiate the claim with evidence such as emails, registered post receipts, bidding & payment history for the item, etc.

Bottom line: Sellers should be entitled to warn each other and be warned, just the same as buyers.

I plan to respectfully raise the issue with eBay and will advise others on this thread of any responses received.

[rumplebear1951]

I plan to respectfully raise the issue with eBay and will advise others on this thread of any responses received.

Good luck with that...don't hold your breath waiting for a response..you are not the first and you definitely will not be the last who has tried to change things regarding seller feedback.

It has been the way it is for over 4 years now...and I don't think it is about to change.

[viewmont1071]

Because sellers leave them false positives instead of opening NPB cases and giving them strikes.

do you know how we can stop those sellers doing that???

A. threaten sellers with "ebay embargoes" and deregistration?? (crikey that is working well ?:|)

or

B. link buyer generic NPB feedback to to the closing of a successful NPB dispute thereby giving sellers that ATM do not open disputes, but leave  "the mark" a reason to pursue the correct course of action??

[viewmont1071]

I didn't know it was possible to block people based on non-paying strikes. How do I go about doing it? I claimed my FVC and have relisted the item, but I don't want this person to bid on it again and waste even more of my time.

many, many sellers do not know.......... however most sellers do know about feedback................

 Imagine if feedback like   ]:)666 non paying bidder]:)  started to appear on buyers feedback automatically when a NPB dispute was closed in the sellers favour...............

How many sellers that ATM do not know about strikes and NPB(ie like you) do you think would become curious and do some research to find out how to leave the "mark"???

[viewmont1071]

OOOOH DID I SEE ANOTHER "WHY CAN I NOT LEAVE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK SELLER THREAD

......... BUMPETY BUMP BUMP BUMP

to save all the reposts :|...gotta love those figures at the top in the poll

[mowermum]

Sellers should have the same rights as a buyer and I would like to leave negative feedback if I have a bad experience with a buyer.  It takes a considerable amount of time effort for a new ebay seller to sort through and understand ebay policy yet have to pay big fees.

Ebay is a publicly owned company and only have shareholders' interests at heart.  As long as they turn over billions of dollars they aren't going to care what seller's think. 

They should have a fairer system, change their policies and create a few more jobs for people tending to feedback disputes.