Slight Frustration with the Ebay Seller Rating System

[Bosco685]

SITUATION 1:

I had 5 stars across the board until I sold to someone from Brazil. I had even given him FREE insurance and Priority Shipping because he spent so much.

 

Four weeks after not hearing from him on delivery, I logged in and found that he gave me positive feedback, but it was very clear he had knocked me so hard on the ratings, my 5 stars went to just slightly below.

 

After taking a week to cool off, I emailed asking why the low ratings when I had given him free Priority and Insurance, and mailed THE NEXT DAY after payment. His response - "The books took so long, I was mad at you so I gave you 2 stars in each category. Then I realized there was a mail strike in our area. Wish I could fix what I entered for you, but I can't. Sorry!"

 

This was last year before eBay implemented the process where a seller could ask for a buyer to retract and reenter their feedback.

 

SITUATION 2:

Many buyers who never sold on eBay assume 3 stars is good, and 4 stars are outstanding. They do not realize how anything below 5 stars impacts your search standing. I think this is what gets many of us as eBay does a horrible job of communicating how they use the rating system to reward a seller.

[nocutename]

SITUATION 1:

I had 5 stars across the board until I sold to someone from Brazil. I had even given him FREE insurance and Priority Shipping because he spent so much.

 

Four weeks after not hearing from him on delivery, I logged in and found that he gave me positive feedback, but it was very clear he had knocked me so hard on the ratings, my 5 stars went to just slightly below.

 

After taking a week to cool off, I emailed asking why the low ratings when I had given him free Priority and Insurance, and mailed THE NEXT DAY after payment. His response - "The books took so long, I was mad at you so I gave you 2 stars in each category. Then I realized there was a mail strike in our area. Wish I could fix what I entered for you, but I can't. Sorry!"

 

This was last year before eBay implemented the process where a seller could ask for a buyer to retract and reenter their feedback.

 

SITUATION 2:

Many buyers who never sold on eBay assume 3 stars is good, and 4 stars are outstanding. They do not realize how anything below 5 stars impacts your search standing. I think this is what gets many of us as eBay does a horrible job of communicating how they use the rating system to reward a seller.

 

That is what I am saying about the rating system being too subjective. Personally as a buyer, I don't want to be educated on how I should rate a seller. The feedback system works perfectly fine, IMO. There is no annoymous entry and everything is upfront.

[mschmidt]

SITUATION 1:

I had 5 stars across the board until I sold to someone from Brazil. I had even given him FREE insurance and Priority Shipping because he spent so much.

 

Four weeks after not hearing from him on delivery, I logged in and found that he gave me positive feedback, but it was very clear he had knocked me so hard on the ratings, my 5 stars went to just slightly below.

 

After taking a week to cool off, I emailed asking why the low ratings when I had given him free Priority and Insurance, and mailed THE NEXT DAY after payment. His response - "The books took so long, I was mad at you so I gave you 2 stars in each category. Then I realized there was a mail strike in our area. Wish I could fix what I entered for you, but I can't. Sorry!"

 

This was last year before eBay implemented the process where a seller could ask for a buyer to retract and reenter their feedback.

 

The problem with the DSR's is that if you do get positive feedback, there's absolutely nothing you can do to have them changed - ebay only allows you to ask for a feedback retraction if the feedback is negative or neutral.

[FlyingDonut]

Don't worry about it. Nobody looks at them.

[Turtle]

I saw someone touched on this in the thread. I've got 100% feedback (although I'm still under 300, so take it how you will). As a seller, I leave positive feedback when payment is received...buyers seem to like that. I ship same day or next morning and just about everything goes out priority. I've only had 1 buyer complain to me and I made it right...he left me positive feedback.

 

I've found lately that I have to chase the positive feedback from about 50% of the people who buy from me. I keep items in my "SOLD" category until feedback is left and received. I send everything with tracking, so I wait until a week after the package arrives at the destination before sending the "I haven't heard from you regarding the item I shipped you. If everything arrived ok, please don't forget to leave positive feedback. If not, contact me and we'll work something out. Thanks and have a nice day" message. Of the 50% of buyers that get that message, about half of them come back within 24 hours and leave feedback. I guess I slipped too low on the list. I'll never hear from the other 25%...which bugs me!

 

Recently, there was even someone who bought from me that I recognized as a board member. He got the message after a week. No response. A few days later, I sent him a PM (I get worried thinking packages don't arrive) here on the boards. I get a response here and on ebay saying "I received the item and it arrived in great shape. I'll leave feedback soon". Still nothing... How are you gonna do a fellow board member like that?

 

 

[Bosco685]

The problem with the DSR's is that if you do get positive feedback, there's absolutely nothing you can do to have them changed - ebay only allows you to ask for a feedback retraction if the feedback is negative or neutral.

I didn't realize that, but it makes sense.

[Point Five]

Don't worry about it. Nobody looks at them.

(thumbs u

[HOTFLIPS]

We have had our problems with Ebay in the past, What matters to the seller is the DSR (I never agree with it, but it matters to Ebay) , I don't even care about the star system. It is a waste of space.

[Comicsarefun]

Power sellers get 15% CASH BACK on final value fees if they hold all star ratings at 4.8 or above. Drop one single star to 4.7 and you only get 5%. Thus, eBay makes it almost impossible to hold all 4.8's, and they do not want to educate people.

 

If you charge for shipping and ship fast, you will get dinged for shipping cost. If you offer free shipping and use media mail, you get dinged for shipping time. No way to win!

 

 

[Ares]

Put this into your auctions:

 

Items can be shipped: Cheap, Quick and well Packed. But your only allowed two of the three

[bhhooks22]

SITUATION 1:

I had 5 stars across the board until I sold to someone from Brazil. I had even given him FREE insurance and Priority Shipping because he spent so much.

 

Four weeks after not hearing from him on delivery, I logged in and found that he gave me positive feedback, but it was very clear he had knocked me so hard on the ratings, my 5 stars went to just slightly below.

 

After taking a week to cool off, I emailed asking why the low ratings when I had given him free Priority and Insurance, and mailed THE NEXT DAY after payment. His response - "The books took so long, I was mad at you so I gave you 2 stars in each category. Then I realized there was a mail strike in our area. Wish I could fix what I entered for you, but I can't. Sorry!"

 

This was last year before eBay implemented the process where a seller could ask for a buyer to retract and reenter their feedback.

 

SITUATION 2:

Many buyers who never sold on eBay assume 3 stars is good, and 4 stars are outstanding. They do not realize how anything below 5 stars impacts your search standing. I think this is what gets many of us as eBay does a horrible job of communicating how they use the rating system to reward a seller.

 

 

....Quote....... "I'm so sorry , but I was mad at you at time" ..... For some reason I keep chuckling imagining hearing this in a an Asian or Pakistani voice , like Babo-Bat on Seinfeld.

Sorry though .... (thumbs u

[Mio]

You never know what kind of animal you're dealing with at the eFlea-Market. I'm surprised anyone has a perfect 5-star rating on anything, to be honest.

[Bosco685]

....Quote....... "I'm so sorry , but I was mad at you at time" ..... For some reason I keep chuckling imagining hearing this in a an Asian or Pakistani voice , like Babo-Bat on Seinfeld.

Sorry though .... (thumbs u

 

"You are a very bad man, Mister Bosco. Very bad!!"

 

Thanks for the laugh!

[RockMyAmadeus]

Put this into your auctions:

 

Items can be shipped: Cheap, Quick and well Packed. But your only allowed two of the three

 

I pick "Cheap" and "well packed." "Quick" is for losers.

 

 

[Broken Shakespear]

I think it is unreasonable to expect to maintain a 5.0, so I don't know why you are getting worked up about it.

 

The 1-5 scale is a subjective scale, and people will always look at it differently. Maybe you think shipping the next day is exceptional service, and feel you deserve a 5 for doing so.

 

But maybe the buyer thinks shipping the next day should be standard, and doesn't feel that is going above and beyond, so he gives it a 4. Maybe to him, the only way to get a 5 is to ship the same day.

 

Maybe they feel that if you ship it for what the shipping costs actually are, that is just a 4. If you charge a small handling fee, you get a 3. To get a 5, maybe he expects you to have negotiated a special rate with your delivery service and to give him a price better than what he could get himself.

 

Ebay has never defined what a 1-5 mean specifically, so it is up to each member to establish their own criteria. You just aren't happy with what your buyers criteria are, so you should either put him on your blocked bidders list, or move on...

[dopy02]

buy.com who may be the biggest seller on ebay ships all items FREE and has a shipping and handling charges star rating of 4.8

 

I say it is almost impossible to keep a 5 star rating for any real length of time. I seldom see 5 stars across the board sellers. All who are feel free to chime in,

[Bosco685]

You just aren't happy with what your buyers criteria are, so you should either put him on your blocked bidders list, or move on...

Wow! What timing. I just received belated feedback today on a book sold two months ago. Here's the feedback:

 

"Great Books! Super Fast Shipment! Great Ebayer! Highly recommend!"

 

So then I look at my Detailed Seller Ratings and I notice my ship time had gone down to the point eBay gave it a red bar to note a drastic change from previous ratings (yes, they do this to sellers, just to give you an idea how serious they DO take it).

 

The package was mailed the next morning after payment, Priority with Delivery Confirmation, communicated that a shipment had gone out that morning, yet the score was low enough to make a significant difference.

 

It's like some have said on here. It is extremely difficult to maintain a high score, let alone a 5. I just want to maintain a high enough score to communicate I am a seller that cares about the buyer experience overall.

 

BTW Broken Shakespear, you're the same one that was complaining how mycomicshop banned you for complaining too much about their grading, and you wanted to be allowed to buy from them again. Now you come on here and tell people to move along if they don't like the eBay rating system?! How about be consistent in your practices.

[Comicopolis]

(thumbs u

 

I figure that if you remember ebay is a market for con artists and awkward buyers as much as it is for honest sellers and dedicated collectors you won't get so pissed at the smaller annoying facets of it.

 

The way I see it is that if you can get a large % of buyers who are happy with what you've sold and they come back for more you're doing things just right. To even have ratings of 5 across the board in the first place is an achievement. In society today it seems most people have got to look for something to complain about even if everything is good.

 

If your feedback is 100% and you have returning customers then you're winning - big time (thumbs u

 

[Bosco685]

(thumbs u

 

I figure that if you remember ebay is a market for con artists and awkward buyers as much as it is for honest sellers and dedicated collectors you won't get so pissed at the smaller annoying facets of it.

 

The way I see it is that if you can get a large % of buyers who are happy with what you've sold and they come back for more you're doing things just right. To even have ratings of 5 across the board in the first place is an achievement. In society today it seems most people have got to look for something to complain about even if everything is good.

 

If your feedback is 100% and you have returning customers then you're winning - big time (thumbs u

 

I'll give Gav that; as long as buyers come back frequently, that is the real success story.

[pennynike1]

Thanks everyone for your comments. Sorry to hear about your situation Bosco685. It seems that you got jilted much worse than I did

 

My point was more along the lines that it seems a bit odd that someone would deliberately give someone less than 5 stars when they could see a long line of other ebay users who had given 5 stars. The standard was there to be seen if he cared to look.

 

I think it is unreasonable to expect to maintain a 5.0, so I don't know why you are getting worked up about it.

 

The 1-5 scale is a subjective scale, and people will always look at it differently. Maybe you think shipping the next day is exceptional service, and feel you deserve a 5 for doing so.

 

 

If the item was exactly as described, then giving less than 5 stars just seemed wrong to me, espcecially considering the quick turnaround time. My ebay listings, including this one, indicates a 2 business day ship time to be safe. Underpromise and overdeliver is the way I approach it.

 

The 5 star rating was important to me not only because of pride of service, but also because ebay gives a 20% discount to powersellers that maintain a certain star rating. Thankfully, I am still eligible for the discount even with his lower than 5 star ratings (wasn't like he gave me below 4 stars or anything).

 

No worries. The opportunity to vent a bit has allowed me to get over it and simply move on (thumbs u