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)

[digital*ghost]

Yes, DG I agree a poll with an improved question and broader options would be better,

In order for a poll or survey to have genuine relevance, it needs not only to contain completely impartial questions, but it has to acquire more information than can be gleaned from a single question, even one with many different options.

A survey must ascertain specifics about the people who choose to respond in order to assess the data that's received in its proper context, as I am sure there would be completely different trends between those who are buyers only, those who are sellers only, those who buy and sell, those who have never had an NPB and those who experience them perhaps on a daily basis. 

The limited exposure of Trading on eBay forum, and its segregation of buying and selling boards, coupled with both the very limited options available for poll questions and options and the fact that it opens the way for unlimited biased opinions to be displayed with the question, means these polls are (to me personally) good for naught but entertainment value...or perpetuating arguments...so, for all of the above reasons, I would not personally want to see another one taken as seriously as this one has been.

With all due respect to those that have taken this thread seriously, I just simply...can't. 

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

IMO -  one of the things the poll reveals is that there are actually a lot more discussion board visitors that differ in opinion with a few posters who might sometimes think that their opinion may reflect a larger majority than it does 🙂

I have a confession to make - I voted more than once on this poll by voting with all of my IDs  😛

If others have done the same then that just adds weight to the argument that the poll results are invalid and/or skewed.  I am not going to tell you which option I voted for, or how many times I voted, but I will tell you I voted for the same option each time I voted.

[thecatspjs]

Lol ~ I have no doubt that there would be a number of posters that have done that 😛

[leader-of-the-band]

Lol ~ I have no doubt that there would be a number of posters that have done that 😛

could that be a pseudo concession that the poll results may be questionable?

[thecatspjs]

bahahahahahah

of course they are :^O:^O:^OB-)

thats beside the point 😛

[digital*ghost]

bahahahahahah

of course they are :^O:^O:^OB-)

thats beside the point 😛

Forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but I don't quite follow the logic since that comment and admission, by virtue, would make all your references to the poll results when legitimising the relevance of this thread (and consistent bumping of it) also questionable.

I won't ask what the point is, 'cause (and I don't think I can say this without coming across as rude, even though I'm not intending to be) I'm really not interested now that I know for sure you don't actually give any credence to the poll. 

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

hmmmmmmmmm ?:|

Poll results continue to have relevance to current threads

I think someone is using this thread as a scratching post B-) and the poll results are highly laughable questionable.

[thecatspjs]

might be - might not be ????? you decide

[prim1952]

I believe that all feed back should be uplifting, we are all here to sell our goods, if you aren't happy with something then it should be between the buyer and the seller and hopefully any  problems will be resolved.

[davewil1964]

Good theory