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Posted: |
Feb 6, 2008 - 11:42 AM
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By: |
Nick Haysom
(Member)
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Major changes coming to the Feedback system:
The eBay Feedback system was originally designed to provide a simple, honest, accurate record of the buyer's and seller's online experience to ensure safe and satisfactory trade. It was driven by two factors: transparency and accountability. Over time, we found that the transparency of the existing Feedback system makes some members reluctant to hold others accountable. For example, buyers fear retaliatory Feedback from sellers if they leave a negative.
Therefore, we'll be making a few significant changes to eBay's Feedback system to continue to improve accuracy and accountability. Within six months, these changes should help to differentiate and reward sellers who provide a positive buying experience on eBay.
What changes are being made to the eBay Feedback system?
There are five key elements to the new Feedback system being introduced in the first half of 2008:
1. Beginning in February, buyers and sellers will be able to earn up to one Feedback per week from the same trading partner. Today, members may only affect each other's Feedback scores one time, regardless of the number of transactions between the parties. This change will both encourage repeat transactions and reward good service.
2. Sellers will no longer be able to leave negative or neutral Feedback for buyers. This change will occur in May, 2008.
3. Removal of negative and neutral Feedback left by members who are suspended or who fail to respond to the Unpaid Item (UPI) Process.
4. Positive Feedback percentage will be based on the past 12 months of Feedback, rather than lifetime, since it is most indicative of the seller's recent performance.
5. Restrictions on when Feedback can be left:
* Buyers must wait three days before leaving negative or neutral Feedback for sellers with an established track record
* Instead of 90 days, members will be able to leave Feedback for 60 days
Why would the new initiatives work better for the marketplace?
We believe that we will reduce any imbalance in the Feedback system with these changes. Buyers will be able to more accurately assess sellers and sellers will be protected from buyers who violate our policies without risking a cut in good buyer activity.
We believe that:
1. buyers will be more honest when they leave Feedback since they will not fear retaliatory negative Feedback.
2. buyers will bid more and higher since their trust in the Feedback system and the sellers will increase.
3. our best performing sellers will be able to differentiate themselves from all other sellers and increase the amount of business they receive as buyers gravitate towards them.
4. sellers will leave Feedback upon payment more often in order to increase their chance of receiving positive Feedback.
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2. Sellers will no longer be able to leave negative or neutral Feedback for buyers.
Out-fucking-rageous! So a buyer can win an auction, not pay, and get away with it? Sure, they'll get a NPB strike, but that's a slap on the wrist.
Seriously, between these new rules, and the ones introduced a few months ago governing payment methods offered by sellers, eBay's going to buggery.
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2. Sellers will no longer be able to leave negative or neutral Feedback for buyers.
Out-fucking-rageous! So a buyer can win an auction, not pay, and get away with it? Sure, they'll get a NPB strike, but that's a slap on the wrist.
Seriously, between these new rules, and the ones introduced a few months ago governing payment methods offered by sellers, eBay's going to buggery.
For me, I don't mind this. I'm tired of dealing with deadbeat sellers who don't follow through, and then stuck with their wrath when I leave accurate feedback for them.
Like most of life, this is probably a work in progress.
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It just keeps getting worse:
http://www2.ebay.com/aw/au/200804101058562.html
Question: do you think their primary interest resides in customer protection, or making more money for themselves? Remember, PayPal is the only payment method through which eBay can charge a fee for themselves. The others (bank deposit, cheque, money order etc.) only attract fees for the customer external to eBay (in other words, the customer pays someone other than eBay the transaction fee). I particularly liked this bit:
"We believe buyers will be more confident shopping on eBay if only the safest payment methods are permitted."
Translation: they don't give a stuff about sellers.
Between this latest change, and the feedback changes announced a couple of months ago, I'm finding little reason not to take my business elsewhere.
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Yeah, my rating went up 88 points the other day.
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Posted: |
May 19, 2008 - 10:31 PM
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By: |
antipodean
(Member)
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Between this latest change, and the feedback changes announced a couple of months ago, I'm finding little reason not to take my business elsewhere.
Well, I've stopped selling on eBay altogether. With a perfect rating of 1000+, it becomes all too easy for a buyer to hold me to ransom by threatening to leave negative feedback.
(If they had a rule where, say, "proven" sellers with a rating of 500+ can leave negative feedback, maybe I'd still consider but to leave sellers at the mercy of deadbeat bidders, no way.)
With the Australia eBay now introducing Paypal as a compulsory method of payment, and Paypal as the ONLY method in June, they're just getting greedy and double-dipping by hitting sellers first with the eBay commission, and then Paypal fees. (And Paypal's currency exchange rates are usually 3-5% higher than standard rates I can get at the moneychanger down the road...)
Their contention that Paypal will make for more secure transactions is utter rubbish. Recently I had to file for a non-delivery dispute on Paypal (seller never responded, so it was decided in my favour) and under their vaunted "buyer protection" they still only managed to recover 15% of what I paid. (My credit card's online purchase insurance covers me for 100%.)
As a seller, virtually all my non-overseas sales using bank direct deposit have been trouble-free - obviously it just means Paypal doesn't get a cut of the action.
I understand that eBay and Paypal are businesses with a responsibility to their shareholders, but the fact also is, their onerous conditions couldn't have made the business decision easier for me. Between their fees and the slender profit margin *and* the risk I have to bear as a seller (e.g. if an item goes missing in the post) it's just not worth it. I'd rather trade privately on forums such as this one.
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Man! Mine shot up to 100% and 290!
(Okay. I'm a piker... )
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antipodean, I agree with everything you said. As of May 12th (the date on which the new feedback rules came into play), I vowed that I would NEVER sell anything on eBay again. The new PayPal only rule they're introducing next month only re-inforces the validity of my decision.
Another thing that I've never liked about PayPal being used as a payment method is the fact that, for those who want to transfer their PayPal balance to their bank account, they have to wait approximately five days for the transaction to be processed. I'll be damned if I'm going to use my hard earned existing bank balance to pay for the postage of something I've sold on eBay. And, of course, there's a fee involved for the transfer. Actually, there are two: one from PayPal, and another from your bank. It's total b/s.
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What they fail, or at least are too arrogant, to realise is that there are other online trading venues to which people can take their business. I know I will be.
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