Comments on: How far would you go to keep perfect eBay feedback? http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/ Personal finance, commentary, and spending less the easy way Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:24:44 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: goofies button girl http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/comment-page-1/#comment-140711 goofies button girl Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:08:07 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/#comment-140711 I bent over backwards for my clients, but it didn't matter. Neutrals turned into negatives May 19, 2008 -- and was retroactive. My perfect score diminished along with my reputation. It's not safe to sell on eBay anymore. I got out. There are lots of other options like Amazon, Etsy, and RubyLane. Best wishes! I bent over backwards for my clients, but it didn’t matter. Neutrals turned into negatives May 19, 2008 — and was retroactive. My perfect score diminished along with my reputation. It’s not safe to sell on eBay anymore. I got out. There are lots of other options like Amazon, Etsy, and RubyLane.

Best wishes!

]]> By: Scarfish http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/comment-page-1/#comment-77829 Scarfish Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:23:46 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/#comment-77829 I wouldn't worry about it so much, really. The only time I got negative feedback was for a sale that didn't actually happen--I had some things listed on Half.com--and feedback shows up on both seller pages, despite the sales processes being nothing alike. Half.com sold my (one) CD to two different buyers at the exact same instant. When I complained about it, they assured me the transaction was a technical error and hadn't actually happened. I never received money from either "buyer", but I sent them both an email saying they were free to try to buy it again (I included the email I'd received from Ebay in response to my complaint). The CD was sold the next day to a totally separate third party. Two MONTHS later, I got negative feedback from one of the people who initially tried to purchase the CD. She never tried to contact me, and when I pointed out that I'd never received payment for anything, she emailed "Yeah, I thought it was a little strange that the money never left my account." Yet she still expected to get the CD, apparently, and so left me negative feedback. Ebay refused to delete it, despite their original email that the transaction hadn't happened and feedback wouldn't be an issue. I've continued to buy and sell on ebay since then, and have had no repercussions for that one piece of negative feedback--my 99.9% score seems enough to convince most people I'm of my word. One thing that novice Ebayers need to understand is that feedback is not everything--as a seller, I will not leave feedback for a buyer until they've left it for me. I have no other way to know for sure that they received their item in good condition in a way that meets their expectations. I am not holding their feedback hostage, I simply will wait until I know they're satisfied before giving up my last word on the transaction. As a buyer, I leave feedback for a seller immediately upon receiving the item (if there's a problem, I contact them first). In neither situation do I ask the other party to leave feedback for me. While feedback is something that helped Ebay become what it was, there are too many problems with the situation to justify the concern some people give it, IMO. I wouldn’t worry about it so much, really.

The only time I got negative feedback was for a sale that didn’t actually happen–I had some things listed on Half.com–and feedback shows up on both seller pages, despite the sales processes being nothing alike. Half.com sold my (one) CD to two different buyers at the exact same instant. When I complained about it, they assured me the transaction was a technical error and hadn’t actually happened. I never received money from either “buyer”, but I sent them both an email saying they were free to try to buy it again (I included the email I’d received from Ebay in response to my complaint). The CD was sold the next day to a totally separate third party.

Two MONTHS later, I got negative feedback from one of the people who initially tried to purchase the CD. She never tried to contact me, and when I pointed out that I’d never received payment for anything, she emailed “Yeah, I thought it was a little strange that the money never left my account.” Yet she still expected to get the CD, apparently, and so left me negative feedback. Ebay refused to delete it, despite their original email that the transaction hadn’t happened and feedback wouldn’t be an issue. I’ve continued to buy and sell on ebay since then, and have had no repercussions for that one piece of negative feedback–my 99.9% score seems enough to convince most people I’m of my word.

One thing that novice Ebayers need to understand is that feedback is not everything–as a seller, I will not leave feedback for a buyer until they’ve left it for me. I have no other way to know for sure that they received their item in good condition in a way that meets their expectations. I am not holding their feedback hostage, I simply will wait until I know they’re satisfied before giving up my last word on the transaction. As a buyer, I leave feedback for a seller immediately upon receiving the item (if there’s a problem, I contact them first). In neither situation do I ask the other party to leave feedback for me. While feedback is something that helped Ebay become what it was, there are too many problems with the situation to justify the concern some people give it, IMO.

]]> By: mbhunter http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/comment-page-1/#comment-77512 mbhunter Mon, 23 Jul 2007 03:40:48 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/#comment-77512 PaulD: Yes that's an issue. I think many new eBay users don't know this, and I wonder if this is why experienced users won't allow bids (or ask for contact before a bid) by a new user. Gaming the Credit System: Ahh, so eBay rounds up. Didn't know that! PaulD: Yes that’s an issue. I think many new eBay users don’t know this, and I wonder if this is why experienced users won’t allow bids (or ask for contact before a bid) by a new user.

Gaming the Credit System: Ahh, so eBay rounds up. Didn’t know that!

]]> By: Ben http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/comment-page-1/#comment-77464 Ben Sun, 22 Jul 2007 22:24:34 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/#comment-77464 So far, I've done whatever it takes. I just accepted a return 60 days after a purchase just to get good feedback. So far, I’ve done whatever it takes. I just accepted a return 60 days after a purchase just to get good feedback.

]]> By: Gaming the Credit System http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/comment-page-1/#comment-77422 Gaming the Credit System Sun, 22 Jul 2007 18:11:35 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/#comment-77422 Yes, this is definitely an issue. I have maintained 100% positive so far, but I know that a negative will be coming sooner or later because some people are just jerks. But at one point I will lose my Negative Feedback Virginity, and it will sting for a bit, but from then on it won't be such a big deal. On the other hand, I have encountered people with feedback in the thousands who are still at 100%. It seems that eBay will indeed round up to 100% if you have a couple of negatives but an overwhelming number of positives. Just looking through my own feedback, I can find people with the following scores: 7654+, 3- : 100% 2037+, 0- : 100% 3731+, 1- : 100% 2135+, 1- : 100% Yes, this is definitely an issue. I have maintained 100% positive so far, but I know that a negative will be coming sooner or later because some people are just jerks. But at one point I will lose my Negative Feedback Virginity, and it will sting for a bit, but from then on it won’t be such a big deal.

On the other hand, I have encountered people with feedback in the thousands who are still at 100%. It seems that eBay will indeed round up to 100% if you have a couple of negatives but an overwhelming number of positives. Just looking through my own feedback, I can find people with the following scores:

7654+, 3- : 100%
2037+, 0- : 100%
3731+, 1- : 100%
2135+, 1- : 100%

]]> By: Pedro http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/comment-page-1/#comment-77404 Pedro Sun, 22 Jul 2007 15:57:06 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/#comment-77404 As a buyer i didn't have any bad deal, but as a seller i had 2 guys that won my auctions and then told me they didn't want to pay. I stroked them with a non paying dispute. I didn't receive negative feedback. As a buyer i didn’t have any bad deal, but as a seller i had 2 guys that won my auctions and then told me they didn’t want to pay. I stroked them with a non paying dispute. I didn’t receive negative feedback.

]]> By: PaulD http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/comment-page-1/#comment-77372 PaulD Sun, 22 Jul 2007 11:06:07 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/#comment-77372 Your post illustrates what I view as a major shortcoming in ebays feedback system. People do not provide honest feedback because they are concerned about receiving negative feedback in retaliation. When I was new to ebay I did business with someone who had 96% positive feedback, which sounded good to me. When he shafted me, I left negative feedback. He retaliated and I ended up with a feedback rating of negative one. I ended up starting over with a new handle. I found that it is more helpful to me to look at the feedback a person has left for others than to look at the feedback that others have left for a person. I now do not consider doing business with anyone with feedback less than 98% and would prefer better than 99% feedback. I also look to see whether they have a pattern of leaving retaliatory feedback and will not do business with them if they do. Ebays feedback system would be far more helpful if they came up with a method to protect consumers from retaliatory feedback. Your post illustrates what I view as a major shortcoming in ebays feedback system. People do not provide honest feedback because they are concerned about receiving negative feedback in retaliation. When I was new to ebay I did business with someone who had 96% positive feedback, which sounded good to me. When he shafted me, I left negative feedback. He retaliated and I ended up with a feedback rating of negative one. I ended up starting over with a new handle.
I found that it is more helpful to me to look at the feedback a person has left for others than to look at the feedback that others have left for a person.
I now do not consider doing business with anyone with feedback less than 98% and would prefer better than 99% feedback. I also look to see whether they have a pattern of leaving retaliatory feedback and will not do business with them if they do.
Ebays feedback system would be far more helpful if they came up with a method to protect consumers from retaliatory feedback.

]]> By: ~Dawn http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/comment-page-1/#comment-77287 ~Dawn Sun, 22 Jul 2007 00:59:29 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/07/21/how-far-would-you-go-to-keep-perfect-ebay-feedback/#comment-77287 I have bent over backwards for a buyer. I bought the pin code for him to unlock a phone I sold him, that cut off the price of the my revenue, but I got really good positive feedback. Still at 100% I have bent over backwards for a buyer. I bought the pin code for him to unlock a phone I sold him, that cut off the price of the my revenue, but I got really good positive feedback.
Still at 100%

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