General Discussion (Model Railroader)

What do you think?

If you buy something on ebay and pay with PayPal or anything else don't you think the seller should post feedback right away? I mean you've completed your portion of the transaction satisfactorily. There should be no reason to have to wait for weeks after the auction for them to post feedback for you. Why do most sellers only post after you have received the item(s) and posted for them? I thought feedback showed that you had done your part according to all the complicated ebay rules.

Just curious.

Roger Huber

There are buyers who are just plain old born to complain.  Having suffered though many in my years mangling the shady o'rack and a camera shop, these chronic complainers will invent problems if there isn't one to exaggerate about.  Sellers are waiting for the final shoe to drop before adding their comments. 

What you call courtesy I'd call strategy.If I were a seller,I'd never post a feedback before I'm satisfied that the buyer has received his parcel and confirmed it with his feedback (or an email like I do).This way I'd be most sure that any unsatisfied buyer would let me know so I'd have a chance to correct the situation,given the buyer's claim is legitimate.

oldline1:

What do you think?

If you buy something on ebay and pay with PayPal or anything else don't you think the seller should post feedback right away? I mean you've completed your portion of the transaction satisfactorily. There should be no reason to have to wait for weeks after the auction for them to post feedback for you. Why do most sellers only post after you have received the item(s) and posted for them? I thought feedback showed that you had done your part according to all the complicated ebay rules.

Just curious.

Roger Huber

ROGER!

 Actually, I think you are EXACTLY CORRECT about this. I am an eBay seller and I never hold feedback as "ransom". After the customer does their part (pays), a good seller will immediately leave positive feedback and then continue with the rest of the transaction. If you have any problems from there, it's up to the seller to make it right and work out the details. This is why 100% of my customers have been happy in the past. I do buy as well so I see it from both ends. Roger...if you paid up...you have a right to immediate, positive feedback.

Jeff (MrKLUKE)

P.S. No, I'm not selling anything now so this post is only a reply, not a pitch. I just feel strongly about the topic and agree with the OP. 

Jacktal:

What you call courtesy I'd call strategy.If I were a seller,I'd never post a feedback before I'm satisfied that the buyer has received his parcel and confirmed it with his feedback (or an email like I do).This way I'd be most sure that any unsatisfied buyer would let me know so I'd have a chance to correct the situation,given the buyer's claim is legitimate.

I am a buyer/seller on ebay and I agree with the above statement. If you receive the item and it was damaged by USPS or UPS I try to work it out before any feedbacks are left. That is also why every one of my packages have insurance on them so you have to sign for it. And if you say the package was damaged all you have to do is refuse it and email me or if it broke after you got it and you would like your money back. well send me the item back dont just assume I am going to say keep it and here is your money back. But please just dont go nuts like one person did.

In principle, I agree with Roger and Jeff.  The buyer's responsibility after winning the auction is to pay quickly.  The seller may, and should, leave feedback as soon as payment is received, or at least when the item is shipped.

In reality, that doesn't happen as often as it should.  Sellers can no longer leave negative feedback for buyers.  If the seller leaves positive feedback immediately, he leaves himself open to dishonest buyers holding him at ransom to get his positive feedback.  And some buyer will make unreasonable demands and the seller has little or no choice but to accept the demands of get negative feedback.

As a buyer, I never leave feedback until I have received the item, examined it and tested it if necessary.  If I encounter a problem, I contact the seller and try to work out a solution that's acceptable to both parties.  Only as a last resort will I leave negative feedback.

As a seller, I leave feedback the same day I ship the item, which is usually the day after payment has been received, although I often ship the item the same day I get payment.  That has been my policy ever since I started selling on e-Bay.  Yes, I run the risk of being slammed by an unhappy seller.  If there's a problem, I will take care of it even if it means a full refund without the need of returning the merchandise.  Even so, the buyer may still leave negative feedback.  Such is life on e-Bay.

Darrell, quiet...for now

I only post feedback after both sides of the transaction is complete.  Once the buyer posts feedback that he is happy with his purchase then I will post feedback and I very clearly say that in my first Email to my winning bidder.   What about buyers that don't post feedback at all?  I've sold probably 15 items that never got any feedback. 

 Many of the large sellers with thousands of feedbacks, either don't have the time or don't care when they get that big. At least thats what I've noticed. My feedback score is large enough now where I don't care either.

Driline:

 Many of the large sellers with thousands of feedbacks, either don't have the time or don't care when they get that big. At least thats what I've noticed. My feedback score is large enough now where I don't care either.

Most of them use an automatic feedback system. because I have seen some where as soon as you pay you get feedback. I know my sister does

 I had this problem too.  I got to the point that I f they didn't leave feedback for me, the buyer first, I didn't leave any for them.  I am not concerned about my feedback numbers, just my score.

However, I think that eBay's policy has changed in that the seller HAS to leave positive feedback when they are paid.  This was a few months ago.  Since then I have not had a problem.

I don't leave it as a seller until received.  Not to use it as ransom, but because there are a ton of buyers out there who don't bother to leave feedback even after I've left mine. 

I'm curious though, why do you ask, Roger?

oldline1:

What do you think?

If you buy something on ebay and pay with PayPal or anything else don't you think the seller should post feedback right away? I mean you've completed your portion of the transaction satisfactorily. There should be no reason to have to wait for weeks after the auction for them to post feedback for you. Why do most sellers only post after you have received the item(s) and posted for them? I thought feedback showed that you had done your part according to all the complicated ebay rules.

Just curious.

Roger Huber

I stopped using Ebay about three years ago because of the feedback and high school type of mentality used by Ebay. Yes, they get the feedback and list their good and bad feedback whenever, but I thought it was a superficial type of system that could not be relied on. 

All of my Ebay transactions were with major dealers so it became useless to me since I can call them and have exact model I want shipped the next day and it can be sent back.   

Just my thoughts about Ebay, but I know they do a lot of business and many people use it.  I continue to watch Ebay now and then and see some items going for more money used and rare new items than I paid for them from a dealer.   Go figure!   And yes, there are deals out there.

CZ

 I have sold items on Ebay in the past. Customers paid up and got feedback. I was too small to worry about negative feedback and moved on to the next purchase. I think out of 150 sales I had only one problem damage complaint which was refunded (10 dollars) and one no feedback from a customer. I dont lose sleep over it.

I am strictly a buyer now, I check with hobby shop first, internet second, ebay last. However we were able to purchase some needed resources in some quantity unrelated to trains in the past on Ebay. One good thing about my previous ebay experience is that there are certain Sellers who do a good job and ship well.

Recently for me as a seller I have run across an idiot who could not read or chose not to.  I marked I ship to U.S. Only and had in the listing I do not ship out of the country.  I also stated that due to the ruff handling of packages(I was a freight pilot for 5 years and saw how usps and ups and fed ex handled their packages) I do not accept responsibility of broken things after it gets to said shippers.  I also stated because things might get broken during shipping that I do not accept returns.  So I had this idiot french guy bid and win a model car.  When I found out he was from france I wrote him and told him that I do not ship overseas and he said no problem.  So I waited a couple days to mutually cancel the sale and contacted the losing bidder for a second chance offer.  The french guy cancelled my cancellation notice and put up a big stink to send it.  After a dozen emails he forced me into sending him the truck.  I packaged very well with bubble wrap and peanuts and did the 3 foot drop test, checked and found nothing broken or misplaced on the truck.  So I resealed the box and sent it on it's way with no insurance because usps said they did not offer it for overseas.  It arrived and he claimed it was broken.  Demanded his money back so we went to paypal and he won to get his money back and I get my truck back.  He then demanded more money and said he was not shipping the truck.  Contacted paypal and they awarded me the money.  He has hassled me for over 2 weeks to ship and to reimburse him.  I am done with him ignoring all his emails and demands.  But can I leave a negative feedback for stupidity, No and now after over 245 sales and buys I Have my first negative feedback.  I have never had any problems with any other shipments so I don't really care what was said but I wish I could have left a negative as well.  I think I am done with that stupid site.  buyers paradise sellers nightmare.

Mike, We're you aware you can block bidders outside of the US?  There are a host of other seller's tools as well.  Did you post feedback on your negative feedback?