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Ebay Rant

July 20th, 2007 · 5 Comments

Have you noticed the Ebay trend where sellers withhold feedback until after the buyer gives them favorable feedback? This is driving me nuts!

I don’t buy a lot of things on Ebay but when I do I make sure to send the payment right away. My first purchases were paid by check and I always made sure to have the check mailed within 24 hours of the sale. Now I have Paypal and I usually make the payment within one hour of the sale. As the buyer that completes my obligation and since I paid promptly and in full I think that I deserve positive feedback.

Some sellers see things differently. Either as a way to force me into giving them feedback or as a way to ensure they can fight back after negative feedback, they are holding my feedback hostage. The buyer gets no respect. I take a risk that after I send off my money the goods will not be sent, or that they won’t be as promised. I am just suppose to trust the seller and the system.  This withholding of feedback makes me think that I am also suppose to think twice about reporting on bad sellers.

I think this stinks. So now I have a policy; I will not post feedback until I have received it. Since I don’t sell items I am not very concerned about my feedback score. I feel a bit like David standing up to Goliath but that’s the way it will be. Today’s rant from the soapbox is now over.

Tags: Ramblings

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5 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Suzanne // Jul 21, 2007 at 7:33 pm

    This is a big pet peeve of mine on eBay. I always give buyers feedback as soon as I receive their payment, because like you I believe they deserve it if they pay promptly.

  • 2 wendy // Jul 23, 2007 at 8:13 am

    I agree with you. I sell a lot on eBay, but I try to always post buyer feedback as soon as they have sent payment. When I am a buyer, I want my feedback right away too.

  • 3 Trish D // Jul 25, 2007 at 7:52 am

    I agree it’s super frustrating. I’ve been stung by that policy, too. (I left honest feedback - all neutral - for a large seller who didn’t deliver as promised, and was slammed with negative feedback in which they completely lied!)

    Sad thing is, that when I *do* sell the occasional item on the ‘bay, I use that policy (and actually have it listed as such right in the auction). Sad, but just a case of now covering my hiney (which is a big job!!)

  • 4 JJ // Sep 10, 2007 at 3:15 am

    You are ridiculous. Get a life.

  • 5 Shannon // Sep 10, 2007 at 6:54 pm

    What a nasty comment. Seems ridiculous to wade through several months of posts just to insult someone.

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