Thread: When did this BS start?

So because some schmoe has a score of 600+ I can't give neutral feedback until a week has passed? I don't think I'm bothering with feedback any more. Can they make it any more meaningless?

That started at the same time the rules changed so that sellers can only leave a positive. Now there is a cooling off period and the buyer is expected to give the seller an opportunity to 'make it right.' You, if you're a buyer, can leave the negative or the neutral but you have to put some time in between your initial anger and the feedback.

yeah, I don't no, I never had to leave Neutral feedback, but your right it defeats the purpose. I'm guessing they want you to talk to your therapist first to make sure you really want to leave neutral feedback. You may have had a bad day at work or something and are just taking it out on the schmoe, because they have 600+ and you are wondering why you can't be a SuperStar schmoe eBay seller, and want to bring them down so they can feel your pain. Just guessing.....

Yeah it's pointless, but I think I would mark my calender and still leave the neutral review after 7 days if that's how you feel, I think they count on you forgetting and not do anything.... eBay has a stake in it too.

I take it you don't like it. You want to contact the seller and air your complaints so he can give you your money back. Send it back, and get a refund. In that case, the transaction is void. We are talking ebay here. Everyone takes a risk and buyers are protected. No need for feedback at all. This is what Ebay is striving for as they advise you to work things out before bashing someone's feedback. I know it has made me look closer at the listing and realize I could have picked up on something as a buyer. Glad to get my money back and learn at the same time. Buyers and sellers are inconvenienced by these things. No need for feedback at all. If you get your money back, you could praise the seller for his honesty in that respect. JMHO

Ebay rewards sellers for their feedback and other ratings by offering lower final value fees on their sales. These perks can amount to hundreds of dollars a month for some more active sellers. One negative or neutral feedback, one poor review of shipping times, etc can cost a seller a lot of money.
I sell a lot on ebay, am a power seller and top rated seller etc ... The few times I had a problem it was damage during shipping. In each case i basically gave the item away to avoid bad feedback. I sell mostly antique tools and one undisclosed scratch or rust spot is BAD for business.

Part of buying and selling on ebay is working TOGETHER with another fallible human being. Ebay does a good job of guiding us toward this. The rest is up to us. Communicate. Improperly described items can be returned regardless of the sellers return policy. Ebay favors buyers heavily. There will always be someone looking to unload their junk for a quick buck. Finding trusting buyers is the harder part.

What exactly happened?

Personally I think this is not that bad.
Feedback is there forever, and sellers are already hamstrung when it comes to feedback.
Forcing some cool off period between an initial emotional reaction and leaving feedback is not a bad thing.
It doesn't prevent you from leaving negative feedback, but it does prevent you from leaving it in the heat of the moment.

I think it is far worse that sellers can't leave feedback for buyers.

If you are unsatisfied, contact the seller. A good seller will work with you to make you happy. I agree with Bruno that it might be annoying for you to have to wait to leave negative feed but you might change your mind or be able to work something out with the seller in that week period. Good luck with the whole situation.

I quit going to eBay a few years ago. Perhaps you fine gents will tell me I am missing out on something, but between the changes they have made in recent years, the rampant UN-checked sales of counterfeit items, and the way everyone with eBay steps back and throws their hands up anytime someone cries foul (because some ripoff artist is stealing and profiting from intellectual property IMO) on their (highly profitable) site...I have no use for it.

Sorry to rant. My wife ran a pretty good business and eBay's antics have resulted in her moving shop elsewhere. They are clearly in it for the money (and I do not blame them for this) but when their policies make it less possible for someone else to cut a profit, I stop rewarding them by moving elsewhere.

(rant off)

Sorry. There are some GREAT places and people to buy razors and knives from...I will continue to do business that way This site (SRP) is where I have met a lot of them...and others relationships I have made doing business with great people led me to THIS site...so my method seems to work for me

I usually just send a note to the seller explains the 'error of their way'. 'Sharp doesn't mean that the spine and edge has been ground down to nothing!'
And leave no feedback. Usually it my fault for not asking and checking closer.

Hey, at least you are leaving feedback! Personally I have sold a bunch of stuff on Ebay and my buyers just refuse to leave me feedback of any kind! Makes me kind of mad, because I am selling off nice stuff shipping it immediately, and mainly doing it to support my RAD, HAD, and SAD!