Ebay buyer left Neutral Feedback because I didn’t leave Feedback First
With the impact that a neutral feedback can now have on your Sellers Feedback scores, basically the same as a Negative, I was worried to see a buyer leave me a neutral feedback on all 15 items they purchased because I hadn’t left them feedback first! Here is the actual comment:
Excellent, as described - disappointed I have to leave feedback first
Now I openly email my customers for these particular items as they are affected massively by the buyers physique (ie. they are slim fit as stated in the auction) and if they find that they are too tight I simply get them to send them back and I will supply a looser fitting replacement of the exact same item (at my cost!). I tell them that feedback will be left once the transaction is complete and that I deem it complete when the buyer leaves me feedback, I fully state my reasons for this (experience tells me that feedback issues on the sizing, although clearly stated, happen) and even state that as per the new rules I am only able to leave a positive and that I am confident that everything will be 100% as promised with the transaction.
When Ebay announced the changes I was a little sceptical but was willing to give the system a go as I was confident that my own business practices would not generate me any issues, as they haven’t for the last 6 years..but how was I wrong. I am now firmly starting to move over to the community of doubters, I was going this way after reading lots on the forums about these issues anyway but this buyer has firmly planted me there now. I have reported this to Ebay but got a generic reply back, as expected really, because Ebay expect the seller to leave feedback first and deem this correct.
I have no intention of changing this business practice for these lines (feedback) but will monitor the situation and if things continue will simply drop the line and focus on other things but this is obviously going to be limiting to my business and something that I am not willing to simply sit back and take so looks like I may be increasing my exit rate from Ebay.
Only one seller you may say but how many other sellers (inc. powersellers) will be seeing the same effects, I’m not asking for a biased marketplace to the sellers but surely a little more of a level playing field would be appropriate?
May 27th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
You can see more @ http://www.ebay-reviews.info
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June 4th, 2008 at 1:05 am
wow that is pretty sad. I bet you see a lot of this type of thing, mainly people giving an excuse to not give positive feedback.
sukosakis last blog post..Do Classified Ads Work for Affiliate Marketing?
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June 18th, 2008 at 5:22 am
I’ve gotten my first neutral since this new FB issue and let me tell you not having any recourse for a buyer leaving a neutral that could have been solved easily but has now turned my 100% fb into a 91.9% fb stinks!
Even if I try to rectify the situation the fb stays. eBay doesn’t care about sellers any more.
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Mike reply on June 18, 2008 8:15 pm:
Yeah Ive gained a few recently, however I’ve stopped worrying about this now…leave a reply and move on. Genuine Ebayers that check feedback can pick up on the idiots quite easily. The question now is do buyers still use feedback as a guide? How many major sellers have major negs/neutrals and still sell their products…
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June 23rd, 2008 at 10:27 am
It really is amazing that these types of idiots exist, hopefully ebay will make some headway in eliminating them.
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Mike reply on June 23, 2008 11:30 am:
I pretty much think that feedback is a dead entity on Ebay now, the balance has been ruined and the initial ideology of the feedback process has been corrupted.
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August 23rd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Coll blog, thanks.
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