eBay made an announcement this week about a bunch of changes to the site.
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200801.shtml#2008-01-29054823
One big change is a fee restructuring that makes the Gallery images (the little pictures beside the items in a search or category listing) free, so that all sellers will start using them and buyers can see little pictures of all items before clicking into the listing.
Another is that sellers will no longer be able to leave negative feedback for buyers.
There are a lot of sellers who are really mad about these changes, but personally I am happy with both of them. Making the gallery free (they raised other prices so it's not that they really lowered prices, it's just that now gallery will be used more) will help buyers find things faster and easier, and I always leave feedback for my buyers when I ship their stuff anyway. The only negatives I ever left for buyers were because they didn't pay, and even that has been rare, because I usually just file a non-payment claim and they get suspended after 3 of those. I never look at a buyer's feedback to see if I want to remove their bid or anything, I don't understand why it's important for sellers to leave negative feedback for buyers.
I had a customer who bought an item right before Xmas. I figure people are busy around then anyway, and the post office is closed some, so I don't have a lot of expectations around that time. He told me he was mailing payment so I figured it would get here eventually... It hadn't arrived at the end of the year and I emailed to ask about it and he called me up. He had been collecting out of Toy Shop and didn't have a computer. Toy Shop went out of business so he started checking out eBay from the library computer. He found an item he wanted from me, and from one other seller. This other seller became impatient after a few days and left this feedback, which was his first to receive on his new eBay account: "WARNING TO SELLERS-Never responded, never paid.Block this Canadian idiot,pronto!" He was all torn up about what this guy had said about him. He told me he was mailing a money order on Jan 3rd (purchase was on the 23rd) and I said that was fine and told him I was sorry he had such an experience with his first feedback. He called me again about the 15th and wanted to know if payment had arrived, and I told him it hadn't, but that the mail was sometimes very slow this time of year, especially between the US and Canada. Finally the payment arrived on the 22nd, postmarked from the 3rd just like he said. I emailed him and left him positive feedback. He called me several days later, he was afraid to check his email afraid that the payment had been lost and that he was going to have someone else mad at him. Now his feedback is at 0 and his percentage is at 50% and this very nice Canadian buyer and monster fan is probably at about 50% sure whether he wants to use eBay ever again or not. Hopefully I can get him to join the UMA, he's really a nice guy and loves monsters.
The 3 negative feedbacks as I've found out aren't always enforced.
I have been burnt by sellers with more then that and because of the payments I sent usely under $25.00 meant that I got screwed and there was nothing done to the seller.
Last year I would say all total I lost close to $350.00 in small payments.It might not seem like a lot to some people but for me its a lot because I'm on SS disability.I make it a point now to only deal with sellers that have a 100% feedback rateing.
Quote from: misterhorror on January 31, 2008, 01:41:47 PM
I make it a point now to only deal with sellers that have a 100% feedback rateing.
I think you are making a mistake there. I'm a seller on eBay as well as a buyer, and I don't have 100% feedback. Pretty close, but not 100%. That's a pretty unrealistic benchmark. The more people you deal with, the more likely you are to end up with a negative, regardless of how upstanding a seller or buyer you are. There are some people that you just can't please, and unfortunately there are people out there that drop negative feedback for no real reason, even if you do bend over backwards to please them. A good seller/buyer can still have a few negatives in their profile just by the luck of the draw.
Personally I like that change. It will make buyers more confident to accurately report bad transactions without the fear of spiteful reprisals. I have not left feedback in the past for this reason and I have also tempered my feedback also for this reason as my ratings are important to me.
There have been times when a seller took ridiculously long time to ship and then refused to combine shipping although they had stated they would prior to the auction closing. As well times when I pay the full price in the shipping calculator only to find the actual shipping was only a fraction of what they charged and they try to justify a tank of gas as a reasonable handling expense. And other such ripoffs. If I look and they are upfront about shipping and handling fees and can decide if it is what I deem unreasonable I do not bid, that is fair, but when they lie to cause overpayment of the shipping calculator, or hide exorbitant handling fees using this method, that's inexcuseable.
Sarge,I see your point about just a few negative feedbacks.Maybe with this new system in place
things will get better and people like me wont get ripped off as much.
It's sad that anyone gets ripped off, but it sounds like you've had more than your share of bad luck with eBay baddies! I really don't blame you for being gun-shy and would expect you to be more cautious with sellers based to the stuff you have had to deal with. I sincerely hope you have better dealings in the future!
I also noticed recently that I no longer receive bid, outbid or winning bid emails. Anyone else experience this?
Thanks!
BK
I don't care for the feedback changes. There are way too many flakey buyers on Ebay these days.
E.A.
Quote from: HMAEA on February 01, 2008, 11:48:21 PM
I don't care for the feedback changes. There are way too many flakey buyers on Ebay these days.
E.A.
Speaking of flaky ebayers. I've been buying and selling on ebay since April of 1999. I can't remember the last time the seller posted feedback for my payment without first expecting me, the buyer to post feedback for him/her. What's the deal? Yes, it's frustrating to not have feedback reciprocated but here's the thing...Sellers grade buyers on communication and timeliness of payment. Period. Regardless of whether or not the buyer is happy with the transaction, they are owed feedback for their payment. If the buyer is pleased with the transaction, they should reciprocate positive feedback for the seller.
I always post feedback for my buyer's first as, HELLO, I got their payment before they got their item. But this crap sellers say "we'll respond to feedback left for us so we know you're satisfied with your purchase." What if I'm not? What if you packed it like crap or misadvertised it and won't refund my payment? You don't deserve positive feedback. But did I pay you right away? Yes. And you're not posting feedback for my payment because??? Because you want your out to retaliate negative feedback ya bastard. Of course with ebay's new rules, so much for that anymore, huh? Okay. Done squawking.
Creepy Jeff
I think that's exactly why the new feedback rules have been created, Jeff. I can see the point of it all, it makes sense and in a perfect world - or at least one a bit more polished than the one we live in - but like Eric said; there are a lot of flakes out there. My negative feeback experiences have been from situations were either someone was new and just jumped to a negative without communicating with me or they were trying to shake down/rip me off as a seller. I'm just concerned that this kind of thing will go on "unchecked" and more frequently now that there is no way for sellers to report on buyers.
One thing I don't agree with is your statement that, "Sellers grade buyers on communication and timeliness of payment. Period." I've had buyers that purchased in a timely manner, were plenty friendly before the package went out, but then started the "shakedown" as I call it. Either, "I never received the item" or "this is not what I hoped it would be" or whatever. And this is on a case-by-case basis - I don't want to sound like every buyer with a concern is a problem buyer - but some of them know the loop holes in the whole system and do their best to get something for nothing. It happens. Shouldn't I as a seller be able to warn the eBay public about this kind of thing, too?
Quote from: poseablemonster on February 02, 2008, 12:41:37 PM
One thing I don't agree with is your statement that, "Sellers grade buyers on communication and timeliness of payment. Period." I've had buyers that purchased in a timely manner, were plenty friendly before the package went out, but then started the "shakedown" as I call it. Either, "I never received the item" or "this is not what I hoped it would be" or whatever. And this is on a case-by-case basis - I don't want to sound like every buyer with a concern is a problem buyer - but some of them know the loop holes in the whole system and do their best to get something for nothing. It happens. Shouldn't I as a seller be able to warn the eBay public about this kind of thing, too?
Thanks for your response Andy. I knew there must be a logical intelligent thought/argument for a seller holding off on posting feedback. I will say though that in over 700 sales, I can count on one hand how many buyers went wacky on me with what you describe as a shakedown. But maybe I've been lucky. Maybe I do a kickass job as a seller shipping fast with fair costs and acurately described items (as I pride myself always to try and do).
But when I as a buyer receive my item and take the time to alert the seller it arrived safely, I'm pleased with the transaction and that I'll be glad to reciprocate feedback - they then have no reason to not. Still, most sellers will flat not post feedback until they get it from their buyers. So in those cases, I pass. I will continue to post feedback for my buyers as soon as I receive payment. If they are unsatisfied for any reason, I'll offer an exchange or refund. If they just "aren't right" and decide to hit me with an inappropriate negative feedback, I can always respond to same within the feedback. Doesn't suck any less to get it but knock on wood I only have two negatives and both were from nutbags.
I don't think there's any question about the fact that you are a great seller, Jeff. You are the best of the best, no doubt. I can't think of anyone who does more for their customers than you. I think this illustrates my point earlier in this thread that no matter how upstanding a seller you are, the more people you deal with, the better the chance that you will cross paths with a nutjob. It's happened to you twice in over 700 sales. It's happened to me five times in over three thousand. No, it doesn't happen much - but it does happen. My fear is that it will happen more frequently now that these feedback rules have changed. From one good seller to another...let's hope that is not the case!
I am both a buyer and a seller, so I feel I know both sides of the coin, as do many people here. I felt Ebay was giving buyers too much power when they were allowed to rate individual aspects of a seller's performance...while not giving the seller the same power. To remove the possibility of leaving a negative for someone who may leave you one seems unfair to me, because the buyer's involvement extends beyond their payment to the seller...will a "shakedown" later occur?
However, this new system may work by eliminating the issue of seller retaliation. It will, unfortunately, free up the itchy trigger fingers of buyers who feel wronged by the universe and want to vent their unhappiness on some poor soul selling a comic book to them, but when the negatives fly, nearly everyone will receive them, and that will provide a little confusion to the buyers as well.
Whatever the case, it's a little comforting to see that the Feedback policy has been changed many times--it's a situation with no simple solution, and Ebay knows it.
I never really liked the feedback system, even though I have a 99%+ positive rating. Every one of my negatives came from a 'kook buyer' that couldn't be pleased, and they usually gave other sellers undeserved negative feedback as well. As anyone who works with the general public will tell you, whether they sell on the internet or face to face in person, there is a given number of goofs out there that cannot be pleased no matter what you do. :P
Quote from: Monster Bob on February 02, 2008, 01:29:07 PM
I never really liked the feedback system, even though I have a 99%+ positive rating. Every one of my negatives came from a 'kook buyer' that couldn't be pleased, and they usually gave other sellers undeserved negative feedback as well. As anyone who works with the general public will tell you, whether they sell on the internet or face to face in person, there is a given number of goofs out there that cannot be pleased no matter what you do. :P
My point exactly, Bob. I think this change could make things worse in that respect. Let's hope it doesn't. And whether it does or doesn't, it won't change how I do business.
I'm in a wait and see position. I know I'll be more prone to leaving bad feedback when warranted, which I've usually just didn't bother for fear of retaliation. The gallery picture was free originally, I believe, and charging for it never made sense to me. Their ever growing fees are more of a concern. Combined with PayPal fees, they hurt. I really miss the pleasure of finding good stuff at conventions, where I could examine an item closely and grade it's condition myself, and I didn't pay fees when I sold stuff beyond the cost of a table (going back quite a ways) when selling. I remember selling my issue of FM 1 for 30 bucks to one really annoying fellow. Yeah, feel free to kick me when you see me.
Which brings me to my 2 biggest complaint: sellers have described items I've bought that were well off the grade given. or they've mailed items in stupid ways causing damage. So that's made me very gun shy and seller specific (once I find one that knows how to grade, I'm a fan for life). My second biggest complaint is buyers being very slow in paying (one never did). I've had 2 sellers go south on me, too.
These days, aside from books and magazines, I usually buy my monster items from Hake's auctions, not eBay.
On the whole, I've been lucky, and I've not had to deal with nuts, though from what I see of eBay these days, my guess is there's more and more of them out there.
John
You know I don't really think this change is a good thing but then I don't think most changes e-bay makes have been for the good. As a buyer and seller I've had horrible experiences with e-bay jerking me around. Their customer service is pathetic and, while I do realize they are huge and have to deal with a lot, they really seem to know that basically they're the only game in town and they can do whatever they want. If I wasn't such an addict for this stuff I'd swear off of 'em all together.
I will say though that I've had pretty good luck with buyers and sellers, a few problems but not much. I've also been guilty of screwing up a couple of times and being late with my payment. For some reason, and I know this is incredibly lame, I'm bad about paying with money orders. I only buy from sellers that take PayPal because of this. :P
Quote from: Iloz Zoc on February 02, 2008, 06:23:16 PM
These days, aside from books and magazines, I usually buy my monster items from Hake's auctions, not eBay.
John
I just bought my very first Hake's item last week.
Quote from: Iloz Zoc on February 02, 2008, 06:23:16 PM
I remember selling my issue of FM 1 for 30 bucks to one really annoying fellow. Yeah, feel free to kick me when you see me.
John
So John, If I annoy you, you will sell me some expensive Monster Goodie for $30? ;D
BK
Quote from: michblk on February 04, 2008, 02:49:53 PM
So John, If I annoy you, you will sell me some expensive Monster Goodie for $30? ;D
BK
:D No, but feel free to kick me instead. I've learned my lesson.