The Problem with Feedback Here on BF!

Railsplitter said:
I usually give it a couple of days after the tracking says Delivered. If I don't hear from the buyer by then I usually PM or email them to make sure they are satisfied.

I do the same thing with my Paypal funds. I don't feel right spending the funds until I know the deal is done.
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I've started putting terms in my sale threads that buyers have three days after USPS shows delivery was made to contact me if they are dissatisfied to arrange for return and refund. I think that's pretty reasonable.
 
It is kind of annoying to do several deals and leave positive feedback and get nothing from the other half of the transaction ...

and especially when you don't make alot of buys or sales on here then it appears as though your feedback isn't much but could easily be double what it shows if members completing transactions would take 2 minutes to leave feedback.
 
I always ask (remind) through a follow up email or PM and provide the thread link. Still, I occasionally have to guide people through the entire process. There is nothing intuitive about leaving feedback here on BF.

AND - why are we asked to leave a second comment :confused:?? Is that just added info for Admin? Even so, what's the point?

The idea of automatically inserting the link into the feedback section once you click on add feedback, is a great one.

Please MAKE IT SO! :thumbsup:

Ray
 
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Feedback is comments on transactions, and it should not be demanded. Heck I dont even think it should be requested. Feedback is not necessarily mutual because even for a done deal it is possible that Party A is super fast, communicative, and very readonable while Party B is slow, unattentative, and very picky.
 
In my opinion, our credibility and reputation is built more by participation in the community than exchange. Our participation also gives a good glimpse into our habits, which translates to how well the knife is cared for - an important consideration on the exchange.

Since I cannot make any assumption about the time of the other party, any conclusion about lack of feedback may potentially be offmark and only upset me. So I just let go. Enjoy the company, enjoy the knives, and you have your solid credibility. :-)
 
choombak said:
In my opinion, our credibility and reputation is built more by participation in the community than exchange. Our participation also gives a good glimpse into our habits, which translates to how well the knife is cared for - an important consideration on the exchange.

Since I cannot make any assumption about the time of the other party, any conclusion about lack of feedback may potentially be offmark and only upset me. So I just let go. Enjoy the company, enjoy the knives, and you have your solid credibility. :)
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Excellent point.
I will rarely deal with a seller who has > 5000 posts......all in the Exchange.
When seeing participation in the other forums you can get a ‘feel’ for a member’s values and personality.
Joe
 
I agree Joe I check that also ... and even if someone has 300 positive feedbacks but the vast majority of their activity is in the exchange I tend to pass.

I prefer to do business with members that contribute to other parts of the forum also.
 
palonej said:
Excellent point.
I will rarely deal with a seller who has > 5000 posts......all in the Exchange.
When seeing participation in the other forums you can get a ‘feel’ for a member’s values and personality.
Joe
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On that subject-I have never held it against anyone that is just in the exchange. Different people enjoy the hobby in different ways. Not all enjoy the social aspects though I encourage them to at least try. They may find they like it more than they thought and will certainly gain a load of knowledge in the process. I will however avoid those I feel are trying to make a business of the exchange. They just work too hard at it and it turns me off. Those posting in other areas will have an edge over those that don't due to my already being familiar with them somewhat and if not I can get some insights by looking up their posts.
Not that there was anything wrong with the way you look at it and many feel the same-your post was just used as a lead in to the subject.
 
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One thing that helps everybody involved is to say something when you leave feedback. I leave feedback, but I very regularly forget to, and a quick reminder is all I need to get that done. Most trades don't involve feedback, though, as I've had over 100 successful trades or sales (likely closer to 200) but only have around 50 feedback. The majority of people who are somewhat concerned about it are new members, or people new to the exchange looking to get feedback out of single digits.
 
It's an annoyance yes, but not rant material...:D

Feedback has to be voluntary for it to have any validity otherwise it's pressure to mutually congratulate each other and we're all so happy & positive :poop: If somebody fails to leave you feedback maybe you should not buy from them again, simple really.
 
My take after 2 months here . . . . I remind seller when I pay with PP in the comments "to please leave feedback and I'll do the same after knife is received as described". Many will say this isnt ebay, but their etiquette is once a BUYER pays for an item, FB should be left immediately by the seller and THEN the buyer leaves his FB after receiving the item.

I learned very quickly here that you dont post FB as a buyer UNTIL the seller posts FB for you. Otherwise, you waste your time hunting them down again and thats just rude on their part.
Leave the FB as soon as its paid for or it smacks of you are trying to wait and see if the buyer notices a particular defect first that they did not mention.

After 18 transactions here, NO ONE has ever left me FB after I paid for the knife. Most sellers just forget and a simple prod is all they need, but its still annoying.

Once FB is left and the seller doesnt reciprociate, I can't go back and take mine back!
If there is one thing that should be changed its that we should be able to update and rescind their FB IMO.

The posting of the link is a great feature as it cuts down on the unscrupulous who would pad up their FB.
 
expidia1 said:
My take after 2 months here . . . . I remind seller when I pay with PP in the comments "to please leave feedback and I'll do the same after knife is received as described". Many will say this isnt ebay, but their etiquette is once a BUYER pays for an item, FB should be left immediately by the seller and THEN the buyer leaves his FB after receiving the item.

I learned very quickly here that you dont post FB as a buyer UNTIL the seller posts FB for you. Otherwise, you waste your time hunting them down again and thats just rude on their part.
Leave the FB as soon as its paid for or it smacks of you are trying to wait and see if the buyer notices a particular defect first that they did not mention.

After 18 transactions here, NO ONE has ever left me FB after I paid for the knife. Most sellers just forget and a simple prod is all they need, but its still annoying.

Once FB is left and the seller doesnt reciprociate, I can't go back and take mine back!
If there is one thing that should be changed its that we should be able to update and rescind their FB IMO.

The posting of the link is a great feature as it cuts down on the unscrupulous who would pad up their FB.
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Dude, you got it all backwards. The buyer should leave feedback for the seller when they get their item. Only then, does the seller leave some return feedback for quick payment, smooth deal, etc. Buyer leaving feedback lets the seller know that what they recieved is all good. Some will not reciprocate feedback for others, it's the just the name of the game here.
 
91bravo said:
Dude, you got it all backwards. The buyer should leave feedback for the seller when they get their item. Only then, does the seller leave some return feedback for quick payment, smooth deal, etc. Buyer leaving feedback lets the seller know that what they recieved is all good. Some will not reciprocate feedback for others, it's the just the name of the game here.
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Yeah, agreed with 91bravo. As the seller, I only truly know the deal has been completed to satisfaction when the buyer leaves feedback and/or lets me know they received the knife and are happy.
Most of the time I never hear whether the seller even received the knife, let alone if they are happy with it or not. Therefore no feedback from me.
If you buy something on the exchange here, start with simply letting the seller know that you received the item and are satisfied (ie DONE) with the deal, so feedback can be given.
Lately, I don't know if most buyers are happy or not with the deal due to skipping this BASIC step.
 
Well as a buyer once I pay by PP my end of the transaction is complete and the seller IMO should leave FB based on the buyer paying promptly.
If a buyer wants to email the seller when the item was received and is in good order thats just icing on the courtesy cake. I always expect to receive and item exactly as described, so I dont see why a the seller cant leave FB promptly or it undermines the accountability between the buyer and seller process.
Im not saying its wrong as I can see that IMO FB here its just ass backwards.
The sellers hold back until they are assured they are not going to rack up negative FB.
BUT tgis is not a bad thing either as the sellers seem to care about the transaction being completed to the satisfaction of both parties and thats why they wait. This is a good thing as at least here the seller will take a knife back rather then have the buyer unsatisfied especially if it was misrepresented in the description. Ebay just SCREWS the seller EVERYTIME buy reversing the transaction. I won’t sell on Ebay anymore.
 
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As the buyer, if you consider payment the end of the deal then IMO you are omitting yourself from any recourse thereafter. What happens if you receive the knife and there is a problem? According to you, the deal is already done at that point and feedback has already been left.
It's not a fear of negative feedback from the buyer that keeps me from leaving any as a seller; it's the fact that I am left with ambiguity. I personally consider the deal DONE when the buyer assures me they are happy with the entire transaction (including the sellers duties of packing, shipping, insuring, etc.) and the knife that they now have in hand.
Maybe you are onto something though and feedback only really pertains to the actual "buying/selling", while ignoring the object itself??? I dunno, people are a mystery to me.
 
expidia1 said:
Well as a buyer once I pay by PP my end of the transaction is complete and the seller IMO should leave FB based on the buyer paying promptly.
If a buyer wants to email the seller when the item was received and is in good order thats just icing on the courtesy cake. I always expect to receive and item exactly as described, so I dont see why a the seller cant leave FB promptly or it undermines the accountability between the buyer and seller process.
Im not saying its wrong as I can see that IMO FB here is ass backwards.
The sellers hold back until they are assured they are not going to rack up negative FB.
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I've only bought one knife here through the exchange so far and I think the deal went down just how it's supposed to.
I posted in the sale thread, we worked things out through email, I paid, he shipped the knife (packaged extremely well!) with tracking.
I received the knife, inspected and determined it was as described. Then I left positive feedback and I emailed him to let him know that I received the knife, was happy and left him positive feedback. Then he returned my email and said he would do the same...and he did.
Easy peasy! And it was an international shipping deal.:thumbsup:
 
expidia1 said:
Well as a buyer once I pay by PP my end of the transaction is complete and the seller IMO should leave FB based on the buyer paying promptly.
If a buyer wants to email the seller when the item was received and is in good order thats just icing on the courtesy cake. I always expect to receive and item exactly as described, so I dont see why a the seller cant leave FB promptly or it undermines the accountability between the buyer and seller process.
Im not saying its wrong as I can see that IMO FB here is ass backwards.
The sellers hold back until they are assured they are not going to rack up negative FB.
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You've got this all wrong (again). No deal is complete and satisfactory until both sides are content with the outcome. The Seller needs to know that the Buyer has taken possession of the the sale item and accepts it as received. If you think your responsibility as a buyer ends with payment, that makes you a bad buyer in my book.
 
91bravo said:
I hate when a buyer just goes missing. Send tracking #, silence. Tracked and delivered, silence. Some folks just have ZERO communication skills. If you think about it, a good deal comes from great communication!
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^^^ :thumbsup:

TinyDog said:
It is amazing how so many folks can be dependable for product clarity for sale, Communication to sell, and Reasonable shipping and fair price.

Why is it so hard for some not to have 10 sec to deliver feedback for a positive transaction? Especially after receiving feedback from the Positive opposite party? Why are some so lazy other than the fact they do not give a crap!!! One of the reasons I am no longer a gold member as this sight as good as it is should develop a system that provides feedback for all transactions. After all, that is what builds our credibility here without it a user cannot sell. I personally am tired of the standard folks who provide good descriptions or items, and continue to sell on the backs of others positive feedback without leaving any of their own. Seems like trend that continues for the folks who are just to lazy to provide feedback for transactions that are not only good but conducted in the highest honor as the seller or buyer.........Shame on you lazy azzholes! TD
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^ My sentiments exactly, TD! :thumbsup:
 
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