What's the point of eBay feedback (for buyers) these days?

[Dadam]

As title really. I can definitely see the need for seller feedback, but these days when selling I just do buy it now. For auctions, how quickly they pay after winning the item is something to feedback on, but on buy it now the buyer has paid before I get the notification that it's sold. What am I feeding back on? I suppose thanks for buying my item, but that's all I can think of. I'll click Positive, but can never think of anything to say.

If there's issues later I can see it being of more value. I usually hang back until they've given feedback but sometimes forget completely as I only sell a few things a year.

 

[Gillstay]

I always say thank you and if i have met them and they are okay i am enthusiastic. Might help my sales as I appear nice and otherwise its spreads a bit of positiveness.

 

[Profpointy]

One beef I have is as a seller. I sold a pair of quality shoes and the buyer started bitching after a day or two that they'd not arrived. Ebay found in their favour as I'd used normal post without a tracking number and issued a refund.
A week or two later he was reselling the very same shoes. I was not allowed to post negative feedback so I had to post positive feedback with a scathing comment. The guy was an outright thief

 

[Webbo2]

One beef I have is as a seller. I sold a pair of quality shoes and the buyer started bitching after a day or two that they'd not arrived. Ebay found in their favour as I'd used normal post without a tracking number and issued a refund.
A week or two later he was reselling the very same shoes. I was not allowed to post negative feedback so I had to post positive feedback with a scathing comment. The guy was an outright thief

I think I would have reported it to the police.

 

[Profpointy]

I think I would have reported it to the police.

I was very tempted to send him
a "special parcel" of items provided by a neighbour's dog but in the end couldn't be arsed, so settled for the scathing comment

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

One beef I have is as a seller. I sold a pair of quality shoes and the buyer started bitching after a day or two that they'd not arrived. Ebay found in their favour as I'd used normal post without a tracking number and issued a refund.
A week or two later he was reselling the very same shoes. I was not allowed to post negative feedback so I had to post positive feedback with a scathing comment. The guy was an outright thief

It shouldn't be news that standard post parcels will take longer that two days (especially if Royal Mail), but to take side with buyer so soon and give full refund is crazy!

I used to buy off Ebay a tiny bit, but not bought anything there since before 2020.

 

[sevenfourate]

Im ‘Annoyed my ‘Reasonable postage value’ rating as a seller is going down: and considering under the new system - eBay sets the prices not me ! 🤦‍♂️

So how in the heck is my rating able to decrease: Or even be rated: when all
I am effectively is a middle man who prints out the label and posts it…..

 

[wafter]

Seems over the past 10yrs ebay have made a concerted effort to ruin every single facet of their site for everyone; especially sellers.

I've not sold on there for years and only buy on there now when I have no other option.

 

[Fastpedaller]

I think they (Ebay) have 'streamlined' it to the point of no human involvement. We've had a couple of problems recently selling late MIL's many ornaments. Buyers saying there is some damage (yes, it was highlighted in the ad text, and in the photos to make you aware), and Ebay just refund the buyer - we also have no hassle as we keep the sale money, but it grates when you know buyers are 'gaming the system'. I tried to state this to an Ebay member of staff but it was dismissed. So Ebay take a small amount as 'buyer protection' on each item, and I suspect they have an arrangement with the couriers, and make some pennies on that - probably easier than discussing the item and reaching a decision.

 

[sevenfourate]

Haven’t read the whole thread.

What I can say - is I’ve had some less than 5* reviews as a seller: for my postage prices. Which is one of the feedback criteria.

These are the very same prices that are set and eBay controls via Easyship or whatever they call it.

So they set the cost - and i get the feedback. Stupendously good system 🤦‍♂️

 

[SteveH80]

If I've bought something privately or a small specialist company, like guy who repaired my camera, I'll leave feed back but not for general purchase items.
As mentioned there are scammers and eBay seem to just accept it as a business loss and pay it out of 'buyer protection', it's not dissimilar to the accepted loss in supermarkets with self service tills.

 

[wafter]

I think they (Ebay) have 'streamlined' it to the point of no human involvement. We've had a couple of problems recently selling late MIL's many ornaments. Buyers saying there is some damage (yes, it was highlighted in the ad text, and in the photos to make you aware), and Ebay just refund the buyer - we also have no hassle as we keep the sale money, but it grates when you know buyers are 'gaming the system'. I tried to state this to an Ebay member of staff but it was dismissed. So Ebay take a small amount as 'buyer protection' on each item, and I suspect they have an arrangement with the couriers, and make some pennies on that - probably easier than discussing the item and reaching a decision.

Yeah, they always side with the buyer and the whole system is loaded against the seller for ebay's convenience.

Why bother with the costs of employing staff to arbitrate claims when you can by default sell one party down the river and stonewall them when they protest?

For this reason alone I struggle to see why private individuals continue to sell on the platform. Sod the risk of losing the entire item value to a false claim / lining the pockets of a site who are so obviously happy to screw honest users to reward those defrauding the platform.

 

[Fastpedaller]

Yeah, they always side with the buyer and the whole system is loaded against the seller for ebay's convenience.

Why bother with the costs of employing staff to arbitrate claims when you can by default sell one party down the river and stonewall them when they protest?

For this reason alone I struggle to see why private individuals continue to sell on the platform. Sod the risk of losing the entire item value to a false claim / lining the pockets of a site who are so obviously happy to screw honest users to reward those defrauding the platform.

On the positive ....... as a seller you still get paid and don't have any dispute, apart from being disgruntled that we are all paying for a part of it - as a seller you aren't losing the entire value.