ebay feedback, leave it, or first leave it last?

T. Erdelyi

T. Erdelyi

Feedback: +9 / =0 / -0
Joined
Feb 3, 2001
Messages
32,366
I sell alot on ebay, my feedback is always been 100%, but I get mad when people don't leave me any feedback on an item they've won.

For you folks who do business on ebay(this is directed at sellers for the most part) when do you leave feedback?

I've noticed a lot more sellers stating up front that they will not leave feedback until the buyer does first.

That seems a little childish but what choice do you have when people don't leave any?

Do you send a follow up email?

What do you say so it doesn't seem like your a BFC Rep Point Wh*re, fortunatley or unfortunately the feedback has some weight behind it on ebay and my reputation means something there.

So what do you good folks do?
 
I do some selling on Ebay myself. I used to wait for the other person to leave feedback first. But after a while I decided it wasn't worth it to try to wait them out. So I started doing all the feedbacks a week or so after the sells. I've found that I get more feedback by giving feedback first.
 
As a frequent eBayer or eBay freq (hehe) I leave copious feedback to those who deserve it. I'm not afraid to be the first to leave feedback on a transaction , to be frank why would I want to spend further time making sure I was left the feedback first ? and yes it does seem , slightly childish :rolleyes:
To make things fun I think of really off the wall things to say like "this guy should be pres! AAA+++" on feedbacks.
Sadly eBay attracts a lot of deadbeat buyers and sellers , I used to really enjoy eBay , now I only shop there if I really get the urge.
 
Some good thoughts folks I guess I need to lighten up, maybe I just make things more complicated than they need to be(my wife tells me that all the time :rolleyes: ).
 
I leave feedback immediately when the item arrives in good order. Then, I send e-mail the seller letting them know that the item has arrived and is in good order and that I'm pleased. I conclude, "I have left positive feedback for you and hope that you will do the same for me."

It just about always works.
 
When I sell, I wait for the buyer to leave feedback before I do. I'm always happy to leave positive feedback for people who deserve it, and I'd say at least 95% of the people I've dealt with deserve positive. But, as a seller, I've encountered more than a few who will try some sort of scam on the seller. It usually happens on a somewhat expensive item and goes like this. Buyer: "It's been three weeks (or four) since I sent you my money for that "William Henry" knife and I don't have the knife yet. What gives?" Then we go round for a bit....emails back and forth and such. So, I eventually say, "OK, what I need for you to do is send me a signed letter stating that you have not received your package. Then I take your letter to the post office and they check it against my insurance receipt to check that your post office does not have your signature for the item. (This is proper procedure) Then we get your money back." There are also variations on this theme. But, invariably, the buyer never responds when he finds out I still have the insurance receipt. This has happened to me several times. Nobody gets feedback till I'm sure it's deserved and everyone's happy.
 
Well, I learned the hard way about how and when to leave negative feedback. The reason sellers wait until after you leave your feedback is because then they get the last jab in. If you give them deserved negative feedback, then a lot of them will immediately stick you back(even if you've done nothing wrong). I once got sort of hosed on a pocketknife deal on Ebay. I wasn't happy with the knife, but didn't trust the clown enough to send it back for a refund. He had already given me positive feedback as the seller, and when I gave him his deserved negative, he was unable to counter. Had I given his feedback first(like they all want you to do), then I'd have been given an undeserved negative. They really need to figure out a better system to protect the buyers from getting ripped off.
 
I leave feedback when I get the item if I'm buying or when I get the payment if I'm selling. Most of my feedback is from buying.

Edited to add: Danbo, if you get an undeserved neg, you can add a comment or response to it. I have seen that a few times. In fact, I think you can post a response to any feedback. Its just that the original never goes away.
 
Danbo, you could have got your money back for the knife. It just takes time. Ebay has a dispute resolution system to protect buyers much more than sellers. If you get hosed, document all email correspondence with the seller listing your complaint, etc. Get confirmation from him that he will give you a refund. Send the item back with delivery confirmation or insurance. If you get no satisfaction, email ebay and they will take care of the problem.

One more note. Just be real careful who you deal with. If a guy has 98-100% positive feedback with hundreds or even thousands of transactions, you can deal with him having little fear of getting hosed. Always read feedback responses from previous buyers before you buy. Let them tell you if the guy's honest or not.
 
I concur with Gollnick. So far I have only bought on Ebay, but I leave feedback as soon as I get the item. I also email the seller and let them know that I received the item. And that I posted feedback for them.
That has worked out for me. But I have to admit, I wish that the seller would leave it as soon as they receive the payment. But I understand why they wait until the buyer first posts the feedback.
I appreciate everyone's input and insights.

Dan
 
Like Danbo, I have received undeserved retaliatory feedback. I've also had people tell me flat out that they make it policy to post negative feedback if they receive neutral or negative feedback - even if the counterparty has fulfilled all of his requirements under the terms of the transaction. In a few instances, where I was less than happy with the outcome of a transaction (damaged product, extremely slow shipping with no response to emails, etc) I was subsequently threatened with negative feedback after voicing my concerns.

I believe that the seller should leave appropriate feedback as soon as the buyer pays for the item, and the buyer should leave appropriate feedback as soon as he receives it. In order for the feedback system to work, people need to be honest and consistent.

If a seller does not leave feedback after I've paid for an item, I won't leave feedback after receiving it. eBay is a vast and impersonal marketplace, where countless hustlers, swindlers, and a-holes go to make their livings. In order to make the most of it, I do my best to follow two simple rules: 1) Don't take things personally, and 2) Don't leave any opportunities open to the liars and the cheats.
 
Danbo said:
Well, I learned the hard way about how and when to leave negative feedback. The reason sellers wait until after you leave your feedback is because then they get the last jab in. If you give them deserved negative feedback, then a lot of them will immediately stick you back(even if you've done nothing wrong). I once got sort of hosed on a pocketknife deal on Ebay. I wasn't happy with the knife, but didn't trust the clown enough to send it back for a refund. He had already given me positive feedback as the seller, and when I gave him his deserved negative, he was unable to counter. Had I given his feedback first(like they all want you to do), then I'd have been given an undeserved negative. They really need to figure out a better system to protect the buyers from getting ripped off.
Click to expand...

I sell more than I buy but I'm never tryin' to get the last word and so far I haven't had to leave any neg feedback, I'm always honest, I just bugs me when people don't follow through with the transaction. if your happy tell 'em if your not tell me if we can't work it out say what you feel you have to ebay still gives me the chance to respond negative feedback.
 
Feedback has always seemed pretty simple to me. The idea is to rate each other on how both parties handled their part of the deal. For the buyer,,,how he paid. For the seller,,,the quality, accuracy of description and shipment of the item.
When I pay you,,I'm owed feedback right then because I've kept my end of the bargain. Once I receive the item,,I owe feedback,,right then.

:)
 
What Phil (notdos) said. Me too. 200+ feedbacks with no negatives. I give A+ as soon as I get paid. I ask for the same or..... BEFORE posting negative, talk to me and I will straighten things out. And I do, if needed.

Coop
 
notdos said:
Feedback has always seemed pretty simple to me. The idea is to rate each other on how both parties handled their part of the deal. For the buyer,,,how he paid. For the seller,,,the quality, accuracy of description and shipment of the item.
When I pay you,,I'm owed feedback right then because I've kept my end of the bargain. Once I receive the item,,I owe feedback,,right then.

:)
Click to expand...


That's always been my take but out of 200 trades/sales 13% of the people failed to leave any feedback, if your happy say so, when I get paid feedback gets left.

I notify them when they win, acknowledge receipt of the of the money, whether it's Paypal, MO, or Personal Check(I even ship on Personal Checks if the person has sufficient positive feedback and trades), finally I email them shipping info and comfirmation # closing the email with something like, "Please email me upon receipt of your item and let me know if everything arrived in satifactory condition".

If I buy off ebay then as soon as my item arrives I inspect it and leave appropriate feedback(luckily I haven't had any problems yet).

I guess I 'll stick to what I normally do, it seems to work for you and Coop I just need to stop obsessing with the feedback that doesn't come.

No feedback's better than negative feedback in most cases. :)
 
A Dogs Best Friend said:
I'm always happy to leave positive feedback for people who deserve it, and I'd say at least 95% of the people I've dealt with deserve positive. But, as a seller, I've encountered more than a few who will try some sort of scam on the seller.....Nobody gets feedback till I'm sure it's deserved and everyone's happy.
Click to expand...

Quoting myself above, obviously. I've never left a negative feedback for anyone. There have been a few times that I felt just slightly dissatisfied, but let it go. Having 98.6% positive rating from several hundred buying and selling transactions, I feel is a good record. (I received one negative as a buyer from a guy who was unhappy that I wouldn't give him a positive feedback after he lost my item) But, after having had a few scam artists try to work on me several times, I can't bring myself to give up my feedback advantage till I'm satisfied that everything is OK and the person I'm dealing with is honest and fair. Both buyers and sellers have to protect themselves and their reputation on ebay and it's always best to check out each seller before buying anything from him/her. I'm honest and fair with people, as are the vast majority of ebay users, but, just as in real life, there are always "the few" that you have to look out for.
 
I agree with NOTDOS, When I sell something and I receive payment, I give positive feedback. When I buy something, I wait for the seller. To me, feedback is a reward for doing your part of the transaction. When I'm paid, the buyer is rewarded, when I buy, I expect to be rewarded WHEN I PAY, not after I leave feedback for the seller.

To me, it's unethical for the seller to withhold feedback until they receive it. I did my part so where's my reward. Unfortunately, I realize the seller is waiting in case I don't rate him well so he can retaliate. Well, that's BS so we generally end up not rating each other.

Not getting rated has no affect on me. I've been with Ebay long enough to have a fairly high rating and that's all I care about. So what if I could have a 1000+ but only have 400+. Also, getting a neg feedback doesn't bother me either so I'm not afraid to rate first (as a seller) nor neg feedback a seller whom I'm know will retaliate.

It's all just a big game and I could care less....JC III
 
I've always thought the seller should leave feedback first, because they are first in the position to do so. If you're selling something and you're paid for it in a timely manner and by a method you approve of then you should leave positive feedback for the buyer of your item.

When I sell on e-bay I always leave feedback as soon as I get paid.

When I buy on e-bay I don't leave feedback unless the seller leaves me feedback first.
 
Paying for an item doesn't entitle any buyer to immediate positive feedback. Payment is just the beginning of the transaction. Some buyers turn out to b the nervous, untrusting types that want daily updates regarding the wherabouts of their $37 package. I'll never leave positive feedback for these folks under any circumstances, because the experience was far from "positive" for me. Then you have the types that complain about an item and want their money back, even on a brand new production item. Or they will complain "it's larger than I thought", or "the color doesn't match my eyes". I'll buy it back to keep the peace, but again, this is far from a "positive" experience.

I think buyers and sellers need to wait until the transaction is truely over before leaving feedback.
 
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