No more positive or neutral feedback on eBay

[fiamme red]

That change starts in May 2008. Some other changes take effect now.

http://blog.auctionbytes.com/cgi-bin/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2008/1/1201611437.html

[Jeff N.]

Very, very bad. Jeff N.

[slowgoing]

I thought it was that sellers couldn't leave negative or neutral feedback buyers who actually pay. Buyers can still leave any feedback they want for sellers.

[MilanoTom]

That change starts in May 2008. Some other changes take effect now.

http://blog.auctionbytes.com/cgi-bin/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2008/1/1201611437.html

I read eBay's explanation, and they have one valid point. Sellers will sometimes hold back their positive feedback in order to keep buyers from posting negative feedback. When a seller posts feedback as soon as I pay, I can almost guarantee that I'll be satisfied. When the feedback doesn't show up right away, it's even odds that the item won't live up to the description. The exception is high volume sellers, who sometimes do a crappy job of posting any feedback.

Regards.
Tom

[ti_boi]

Interesting -- but more importantly the fees for listing go down -- but man oh man do they hammer you if you sell something...I've been on eBay since 1999....my dad also....we've both sold a ton of stuff on there....I may be ready to 'move on' as a seller.....or charge more! Either way....it is probably OK that a seller cannot leave negative feedback once someone has paid! I always leave a POS right after the person pays me....I figure they are 'done' now I have to please them.

[michael white]

The changes are good and long overdue. Sellers are supposed to serve the customers. You shouldn't have to threaten them as I have had to do more than once, to get the frigging thing you bought, and then get neg feedback if you're honest. Sellers have built in leverage; it's called payment due. You don't like the way I pay, don't send the item.

The whole idea of sellers rating buyers is absurd. When I go to the mall, do stores rate how well I treat them? No, I rate them. What an absurd proposition--seller feedback. I really don't care what any seller thinks of me. If you don't want my business, don't place ads, don't accept money from strangers.

It has created a real degeneracy among ebay sellers who feel put out by having to complete the deal as promised. These changes are sane and I think they will help.

[SadieKate]

Finally! The very few times I've wanted to give negative feedback I've haven't left any feedback at all because the seller wouldn't rate me, the buyer, first. Once I've paid for the item my end of the contract is completed. There is one seller in particular that I discovered is nasty, holier-than-thou, and always ready to tell the world that they are right and you are wrong -- even with documentation otherwise. The sellers who rate the buyer first are few and far between but the product and service are always the best.