A small rant on rating ebay sellers

[davrow]

As an eBay buyer, I am there to buy things. eBay isn't social media and it is not part of my agreement to rate buyers. My job is to provide money, not gold stars.

Sorry if that doesn't work for you sellers. Well, no, not actually sorry, just being polite.

 

[newbury]

As a seller I was always quick to rate a buyer and nothing aggravates one more that a buyer that doesn't reciprocate. I finally quit rating a buyer until after they rated me and sent them a message letting them know that right up front. Your ratings matter a bunch on ebay and when you're involved in a transaction you should promptly provide one whether asked to or not.

As a buyer usually with a CC I don't give a flip about being rated. I don't expect the clerk at the 7-11 to give me a rating.

As an eBay buyer, I am there to buy things. eBay isn't social media and it is not part of my agreement to rate buyers. My job is to provide money, not gold stars.

Sorry if that doesn't work for you sellers. Well, no, not actually sorry, just being polite.

That pretty much sums up my attitude

[]f you're not pleased with the transaction, notify the seller and give him a chance to make it right before giveing a not perfect rating.[/I]
His livelyhood may be at stake.

I've only been buying on ebay since about 1998 when my son and I bought an IBM laptop. I've usually got prompt service and have had few complaints. The primary problems have been very poor packaging and a few times years ago when things were on auction and did not meet an unstated minimum price and the seller canceled the auction.

But lately all my buys have been "buy it now", like going to Walmart but ebay has turned out slightly cheaper for commodity items.

But I'm tired of this attitude demanding that I rate everything above average.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I love the deals I get on Chinese Electronics. But the language barrier has me irritated. One latching relay had a description that included "Humane". They probably meant user friendly.

Anyway, they are of no help at all for information or problems. But oh so very apologetic and friendly. So now, I make good fun out of very poorly worded English Feedback! Relay working the best always.

 

[rtimgray]

When eBay was more of a person-to-person buying/selling forum, I placed some value in feedback and ratings, and would leave them dutifully. In the last 5-10 years, I probably haven't left feedback or ratings for anything. I agree with the posters above that so long as I pay for my item and I receive the item as described, my transaction is over.

Good luck and take care.

 

[TCowner]

I agree with JD855guy. If i make an immediate payment then I have met my obligation for a positive rating as a buyer. But I see more and more sellers who will not rate me until I rate them. SO I have stopped offering feedback if they decided to do that. Many of the "buy it now" purchases I have made, the seller will rate me quickly and I appreciate that. When their item arrives and it is the condition described, and shipped within the time period promised, the give them their positive feedback immediately. The other sellers will just go without feedback.

 

[Clay45]

I am not an "Ebay Seller" and don't have an ebay store. But I started selling not long after it came about and before digital images were possible. Ebay was primarily an online classifieds rag. People started using the rating system pretty quickly and I didn't receive any ratings for about the first dozen items I sold or so on ebay even though I gave the buyers prompt ratings. When buying something myself a seller included the following line at the end of their item description. " I appreciate prompt rating and will gladly reciprocate."

I began to use that myself and it worked. Wouldn't change a thing either. Once i sold my backpacking, fishing, and golf stuff I became mostly a buyer.

 

[dfkrug]

This is bassakwards. As a buyer I have completed my obligation when I submit payment and should receive positive feedback as soon as possible from the seller. On the other hand I reserve the right to receive and inspect my purchase before leaving feedback for the seller. I absolutely NEVER leave feedback for a seller that hasn't left feedback after payment unless the product or delivery does not meet the advertised expectations in which case I will neg you.

When I receive an item that is as advertised and the seller has left my positive feedback for immediate payment I ALWAYS leave positive feedback for the seller as soon as possible. Bonus comments for good communication and questions answered if any.

Sorry, but I think you have it backwards.

Today, with most eBay sellers being large companies making sometimes hundreds of sales per day, they leave
feedback automatically as soon as the payment is made.

eBay grew out of selling used stuff by auction, and the established procedure was (and is) for the buyer to
get their item, inspect it, approve it, then leave feedback. The seller then leaves feedback. Sellers
used to be able to leave negative feedback on a buyer, but no more. So the buyer can be honest,
without fear of retaliation. The buyer should leave 5 stars for all criteria unless there is a problem
that the seller does not resolve, after making honest attempts.

I have been buying and selling on eBay for more than 18y now, and the feedback system is still
important, esp for buyers and sellers of used stuff by auction. Sadly, most buyers today do not
seem to leave feedback at all.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I have only ever had one Ebay purchase where the item was not in stock as advertised. It left me with a piece of equipment down while waiting on the part which I could have driven for and gotten for about the same price. I had only figured on a few days not two weeks.

If I don't have anything good to say then I often do not say anything especially if it involves wasting my time on the internet. That seller had the audacity to email asking why I had not provided feedback.

Most of my purchases are for new parts. When I get something that is as advertised and on time then I click on "positive". I do not see the need to go beyond that with a drawn out comment. I just type in thanks or something of that order.

 

[dirt ditch]

I have been buying on fleaBay for over 15 years. In that time only sold 2 items. Realized selling on their site took more effort than it was worth. I only use buy it now and haven't bid on an eBay auction in a decade. eBay is better now than it was in the past but the worst thing is that they allow sellers to completely hide their identity and location. A lot of times just a ____.com email address and "shipped from US" being all the information you get. The fact that the seller receives my name, email, and physical address and I receive no information in return does not set well with me and I won't buy from them anymore. For the last couple years I always check Amazon because 90% of the time they have the same item cheaper with free shipping. Even outside sellers on Amazon have to give you their information up front. As far as a sellers feedback, I don't give it much value because I have returned Items that were not as described. I am always out the return shipping and wasted time. So I don't even bother to leave feedback.

 

[dfkrug]

eBay is better now than it was in the past but the worst thing is that they allow sellers to completely hide their identity and location. A lot of times just a ____.com email address and "shipped from US" being all the information you get.

The seller has less info on you than you do on them, until you win the auction, or do a BIN and pay. It is true that some sellers do not list where they are in the listing, except for their country. You can find out how close they are to you by changing the list option to order by distance. When you DO buy something, then you have the sellers name, email address, and physical address, shown in your PayPal account.

As for Amazon being less expensive, I rarely find that so. If you have Amazon Prime, then your $100/y gets you "free" shipping on some, but not all items.

Oh, yeah, I have never eaten the cost of a defective product return using eBay, and I have received some bad stuff from China, always cheerfully replaced at the seller's expense. The buyer protections on eBay are quite strong.