Thoughts on feedback

[NinjaJoey23]

Not sure if this has been discussed previously, but in any case...

What do you guys think about the "exchange" of feedback?

Many sellers explicitly state that they will not award positive feedback untilit has been received. I don't understand this because once a seller has received payment, the buyer's part of the bargain has been fulfilled. I think that at that point the seller should award feedback. I think that this shows good faith and sets a more positive atmosphere for the whole process. I almost always award feedback after payment is received.

I see so many auctions that read similarly:

"BUYER AGREES TO ALL THE FOLLOWING TERMS BY PLACING A BID OR BUYING IT NOW:

PAYPAL IS ACCEPTED AND IS DUE WITHIN 24 HOURS NO EXCUSES.

MONEY ORDER IS DUE WITHIN 7 DAYS.

PAYPAL IS ACCEPTED FROM AND ONLY SHIPS TO THE CONFIRMED ADDRESS.

IF YOU HAVE A FEEDBACK SCORE OF ZERO OR PRIVATE DO NOT BID PRIOR TO CONTACTING ME OR YOUR BID WILL BE PULLED AND YOU WILL BE BLOCKED. THIS DOES INCLUDE BUY IT NOW."

(This is a direct quotation)

The last part is especially funny, since if you Buy It Now, it doesn't matter what your feedback is. You're paying for it right there. No wait.

I understand that sellers are afraid of receiving negatives and then not being able to give a "retribution" negative. But usually, if the buyer paid promptly after the auction closed, was then dissatisfied in some way and left the seller a negative, that doesn't warrant a retributive negative. Maybe I am just being naive, but the logic of this loses me. It is as if to say "Well, if you have something bad to say about me, then I also have something bad to say about you."

I have read a few books on eBay selling and powerselling techniques and whatnot. All of the ones I have read suggest awarding feedback as soon as payment is received. In short, I agree.

Thoughts?

[Steven]

For me, and many others it's like this:

As a seller I won't leave you positive feedback until I see you have left me the same, so that way I know

A) Everything's good

and

B) You won't try any underhanded tricks

If a seller leaves the buyer feedback as soon as buyer sends payment, buyer has the ball in his court and can fuck the seller over easily, knowing positive feedback has already been left for them.

On the flip side, as a buyer that's what I expect from the seller myself. I leave + FB as soon as item arrives in satisfactory condition. If seller forgets to leave some back for me, oh well.

I'm glad you have yet to experience a negative situation after leaving buyer feedback first, but it only takes 1 idiot to screw it all up for you.

[p_b]

I can think of two reasons for doing this.

There are quite a few idiots out there who are too stupid to know what they're bidding on. Then they're disappointed when they see what they get and give you a negative. Happened to me once, sumguy bought an old computer (it was even advertised as old, it was a 386 PC) and then wondered that he couldn't load XP on it.....)

Then there are sellers who have some dodgy wording on their auctions, so it might be misleading.

Personally, I give feedback as soon as I received the money. I know what I'm selling and I describe it as such. If I get an idiot, well, they're idiots and people can and do find out why they gave negative feedback.

I don't think I've lost many potential bidders due to this, and if so, they're probably some difficult persons to begin with :-)

[wrldstrman]

Yes once payment is received the buyer did his or her part in paying but the transaction isnt over til the item is received by the buyer and they are satisfied or not. I think when both the buyer and seller are satisfied with the transaction then feedback should be made..

[gum_drops]

The last part is especially funny, since if you Buy It Now, it doesn't matter what your feedback is. You're paying for it right there. No wait.
Thoughts?

I have had many buyers uss buy-it-now and never pay. You are thinking of instant payment required, which is an option with buy it now but most sellers dont use it.

One of the main reasons to leave it second is that many new buyers seem to jump the gun and just leave negative feedback without contacting the seller. I have had several buyers assume that sellers wont work with them and just leave fb out of anger at that moment.

I had one person leave me a neg because he thought I never refunded his payment, which I did. He noticed his mistake and decided he wanted to mutually withdraw the negatives we both left. If i had left positive fb right away he would not of removed his negative he left.