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@pennyforum14 wrote:

Some sellers do not answer questions because they can get auto 5 stars for communication if there is no two-way communication between the seller and the buyer.

 

What the....?   In what world is good communication defined as no communication at all?  Why would Ebay grant automatic five stars for communication for NOT communicating with buyers at all?  This defies all logic!  Do they honestly think that any two way communication is an indicator poor performance issues?  They really have lost the plot!

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Communication is not limited to direct or manual messages between buyer and seller.

The entire point of a listing is to communicate something (or rather, several somethings) to potential buyers. Including (but not limited to) the item the condition, postage costs and handling times, return policies and other terms of sale. 

If a buyer can confidently purchase something and not need to communicate via direct messages at any point of the transaction, eBay have decided the seller's communication can be rated at 5.

That's not the only factor for an auto-5 though - handling time has to be 0-1 business days, and a tracking number must be uploaded within 24 hours. (Marking an item as sent, as well as providing a tracking number for the package, is also considered communication).

That system also doesn't suggest that communicating directly with buyers is a bad thing, it just means eBay has no place or basis to assess the nature of that communication, so the buyer does.