eBay is making a mistake by removing two way dialogue
February 5, 2008 by Chris Norton
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I have just read an article on BBC News informing me that eBay is to remove the opportunity for sellers to leave negative feedback for dodgy/bad buyers.
I have been trading on eBay for the last three years and I am a powerseller with 100% positive feedback with more than (550 trades to my name), so I know a little about trading through the online auctioneer.
I have to say I am pretty disgusted that they will be removing the two way feedback system. This system is what has made eBay successful - it’s at the very core of its existence.
I know there are many instances where sellers have left negative feedback for buyers, but writing as a seller, buyers can be extremely difficult and hard to please. I sell brand new consumer items and sometimes people do try to pull a fast one on you - threatening you with negative feedback, just so they can have a discount.
To date, I have never left negative feedback for anyone yet as I don’t think its a good way to do business. However, I have had several difficult and impatient customers over the years.
The postage strike was an utter nightmare, for eBay sellers as things were lost (although sent by first class) for more than five weeks. I had people sending me nasty emails and threatening negative feedback even though I had the recorded delivery numbers but unfortunately Royal Mail’s tracking system didn’t work as the items were stuck somewhere in the system. Slowly but surely I started to receive apologies from various buyers and I breathed a sigh of relief.
The article says the sellers are saying: "When both sides have equal access and rights to leave negative comments about each other it is a well balanced trading process."
I agree with this, if they leave you negative feedback and you have provided a good quality service you should be able to say how difficult they were.
A spokesman for eBay said: "If a buyer doesn’t pay, the seller can easily contact eBay, we will review any complaint and maybe remove the buyer. The changes aim to "improve the overall customer experience".
Personally, I think eBay should seriously reconsider their position on this issue. eBay is an online community, it’s a social site and once the community becomes one-sided, it becomes biased towards the buyer. I am all for customer relations but eBay’s customers are the sellers too and if this change means we get treated badly and abused further by small minded individuals looking for an easy discount - I think we may see eBay slip into decline.
Cross posted on: Norton’s Notes
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
Jason Whitmen
I agree this is a ridiculous thing for EBay to do. The majority of buyers are honest but there are a few who will hold you ransom over feedback. There must be scammers all over the world rubbing there hands together with glee over this foolish mistake on EBays part. I kinda hope EBay do go bust and disappear only then will change in this market place happen. They are arrogant, self absorbed and deserve to be brought down a peg or two. So you all know I was a Powerseller on 100% feedback before I was scammed and EBay did not care. The buyer was left to do it all over again to some other poor soul. That was the last transaction I ever made on EBay….They need a taste of reality and bringing down from there ivory tower.
For three years I enjoyed getting bargains on eBay from power sellers always wondering how I could figure out something that I could buy cheap and sell for a descent profit. I would try and try to find items to sell, but then, by the time I paid eBay and the post office, there was only a few cents left for me. I later found quite the peculiar tool to aid in my research on items to sell. Not to say I can retire or anything like that, but I will say that I am a FULL TIME eBay super seller now. This tool shows what items are in high demand and low supply. The website is http://dacussc.ainspector.hop.clickbank.net/
Hi Jason, Thanks for your comment I am glad you like our blog. We have got quite a few things in the pipeline at the moment so there should be some more interesting things coming up soon.
Dale - I am sorry to hear you got scammed by a buyer - several have tried it with me and I fear you are right about eBay. They often leave those who get burned to feel the pain on their own. I agree with you and think this whole thing is a very arrogant move.
Jim - thanks for the link to your website but I have down scaled my sales now although I do still sell. I am sure other visitors will find it useful.
C