Thread: Ebay Policies Last Straw WARNING: Rant!

Ok, I've been very patient with eBay over the last few years that I've had a store with them. I've dealt with their crappy server software glitches, user-UNfriendly listing programs, etc.

But now...

Their new feedback policy has just gone into effect at my store. My wife and I have worked our asses off providing top notch customer service. And for the entire time we've had the store we've maintained a 100% positive feedback rating, until now.

Ebay's new rating calculation counts two neutrals we received, due to slow shipping on the pasrt of the good 'ole USPS, against us. Now our rating is 99.1%!

Now some may say that's still a good rating. But it's still not 100% and that's gold on eBay.

We've refunded customers, sent out duplicate items due to purcahes lost in the mail (yep USPS again), tracked items, etc, etc and now we get dinged for something that wasn't even our fault

No, we haven't complained to eBay yet, but I can almost hear the answer, "We're sorry sir, but a lot of our sellers are unhappy with the new changes...but a 99.1% is still a good rating..." Yada, yada, yada...

So I'm considering canceling our store. If that's the way eBay is going to treat the people who are helping them to make their miilions...well

Anyways, now that that's off my chest, what do you all think?



Scott

Originally Posted by honedright

Ok, I've been very patient with eBay over the last few years that I've had a store with them. I've dealt with their crappy server software glitches, user-UNfriendly listing programs, etc.

But now...

Their new feedback policy has just gone into effect at my store. My wife and I have worked our asses off providing top notch customer service. And for the entire time we've had the store we've maintained a 100% positive feedback rating, until now.

Ebay's new rating calculation counts two neutrals we received, due to slow shipping on the pasrt of the good 'ole USPS, against us. Now our rating is 99.1%!

Now some may say that's still a good rating. But it's still not 100% and that's gold on eBay.

We've refunded customers, sent out duplicate items due to purcahes lost in the mail (yep USPS again), tracked items, etc, etc and now we get dinged for something that wasn't even our fault

No, we haven't complained to eBay yet, but I can almost hear the answer, "We're sorry sir, but a lot of our sellers are unhappy with the new changes...but a 99.1% is still a good rating..." Yada, yada, yada...

So I'm considering canceling our store. If that's the way eBay is going to treat the people who are helping them to make their miilions...well

Anyways, now that that's off my chest, what do you all think?



Scott

I would say don't "cut off your nose to spite your face". If you have been making good money selling on ebay a 99% rating isn't going to make that much difference if any at all. I think most people take the persons overall rating under consideration. I have no problem buying from a seller with less then 100% unless their rating is so low compared to their overall number of feedbacks it is obvious that they have a problem.

I never put much truck in ebay seller ratings.
Sure, I would not buy from a seller with 13 % positive feedback, but a seller with 1000 sales and 99% positive feedback is the same for me as 100%.

What I'v always found unfair was that sellers refuse to leave feedabck before I left mine. WTF?
As long as I pay on time, they should leave feedback because my end of the deal is fulfilled.

Instead they wait for my feedback, and then pay back in kind.

Originally Posted by Bruno

I never put much truck in ebay seller ratings.
Sure, I would not buy from a seller with 13 % positive feedback, but a seller with 1000 sales and 99% positive feedback is the same for me as 100%.

What I'v always found unfair was that sellers refuse to leave feedabck before I left mine. WTF?
As long as I pay on time, they should leave feedback because my end of the deal is fulfilled.

Instead they wait for my feedback, and then pay back in kind.

I disagree on when a buyer should expect feedback, it ain't a done deal until the buyer receives and approves the item. Then the transaction is complete.

Scott,
I know the feeling. On the new "stars" ratings...communication, item as described, shipping time, shipping cost I've already lost half of my fifth star on shipping time and shipping costs.

On small items I sell on eBay..vintage fountain pens I ship the day after I get paid via Priority Mail at actual cost. It also states that in my auctions so why the hit on time and cost?? My only shipping cost mixups were with International First Class and on those I refunded the difference once I had the actual figure.

I can't help the USPS costs or tansit times yet take the hit.

On the vintage typewriters I sell I make it clear it will take an extra day or two for safe packing.

I can almost bet now that the sellers cannot leave neg or neutrals buyers will be even more eager to leave negs for sellers.

Tony

Originally Posted by Slant-Fan

I disagree on when a buyer should expect feedback, it ain't a done deal until the buyer receives and approves the item. Then the transaction is complete.

Unfortunately there are sellers who don't place feedback even then unless buyer has

As far as when to leave feedback, until my buyer has told me that the item has arrived, is in good shape, is what they expected and wanted, the sale is still not completed. The only way the buyer has to tell me those things is, usually, through feedback. Once I know that the buyer is happy, I complete the sale with my feedback.

As to the other, we are holding on for a bit just to see what happens. Reading the seller message boards on eBay, a lot of sellers are P.O'd.


Scott

I think that sucks. Neutral feedback should be just that. It shouldn't count against you. Maybe you can put a comment on your site to mention it.

They don't teach this in school anymore... "The buyer is the king"

This is an effort to make a sweeter deal for buyers on ebay… so they will stay with ebay.

Lets face it, scared/dissatisfied buyers = less business for both ebay and sellers.
How many times you hear people complaining about being “screwed” by sellers with high feedback count (the bullies). As far as I know, feedback count do not expire, and if you are in the ebay selling business long enough your count will go up, so the future is still in favor of the seller.

Sure ebay/paypal share of your profit have gone up, but open a brick and mortar shop space... sale or no sale you will still have recurring expenses... rent, furnishing, utilities, repair, pilferage, security, TAX!!! (did I miss anything?)

And yes you WILL meet the unreasonable ebay customer but thank goodness they are far and few between so don’t fret… simply keep up the good work and you will always have new and repeat customers no matter what the percentages say.

And remember... You cannot satisfy everybody... but you can satisfy most!

You can still list somebody on your refuse to sell to list, if they leave too many negatives, they will in essence black list themselves...

I can tell you this much, if I do sell, I will be looking at the feedback the buyer has left, and if it's all negative, they may go on my list before the auction is closed...
Not to mention I'll probably watch some of my favorite sellers to see who has burned them.
There are too many users on E-bay to weed all the bad ones out, but if this is the only recourse, I will use it.