Changes coming to eBay feedback system

[FlyingDonut]

From RubyLane:

 

Survey Says

TIAS.com and AuctionBytes.com run ongoing surveys related to collecting and online auctions. Here are the results from the last survey, which asked readers of two newsletters, Collectors' News and AuctionBytes-Update, what they think of eBay's Feedback System.

 

1,000 people responded. We learned that 29% of the respondents thought eBay's feedback system was fair or poor; 35% thought it was adequate; 29% felt the system was very good; and 7% rated it excellent.

 

The feedback system is eBay's method for establishing a user's reputation. Members rate their trading partners with a Positive, Negative or Neutral feedback, and have one line (80 characters) to explain why. eBay members may only give feedback once per transaction. They can check the feedback of other users to

see if an excessive amount of negatives have been accumulated, which may be a warning sign that there is a problem with that member.

 

AuctionBytes advises that eBay users look beyond the raw numbers of feedback to look for possible warning signs. Yet many bidders fail to do in-depth research. When asked how they analyze a seller's feedback before bidding on an auction,

here's what respondents said:

 

· 80% look at the number of negatives and neutrals

· 61% look at the total number of feedback points

· 47% look at whether the seller's past transactions were as a buyer or seller.

· 32% look at the kinds of things the seller sold in the past

· 14% look at the dollar amounts of the seller's previous transactions

· 8% never look at someone's feedback before bidding.

 

It's not an easy task to look at feedback to examine all of these factors given the way the feedback is presented on eBay. There are tools from third-party vendors that can help eBayers to do so more easily, and 20% of respondents said they use such tools.

 

We asked eBay what they thought about their feedback system and whether any changes were forthcoming. "The biggest problem is making everybody happy," eBay spokesperson Kevin Pursglove said. "Within that subtext is the reality that we're just not going to make everybody happy."

 

Although he wouldn't be specific, eBay's Pursglove said he "wouldn't be surprised to see an announcement about changes to the feedback system in the next 2-5 weeks. Before the end of the quarter, anyway." "We're always looking for ways to

improve feedback," said Pursglove. "But when you weigh it overall, I think it's a very effective system."

[OldGuy]

"It's not an easy task to look at feedback to examine all of these factors given the way the feedback is presented on eBay. There are tools from third-party vendors that can help eBayers to do so more easily"

 

What are these tools? Anyone here use them?

[chromium]

Well there are some 'tools' here on the board... And they do provide a wealth of info about certain sellers

[ArAich]

Ricky being the #1 tool...followed closely by Bonds25......what more does anybody need....

Best ebay busters in town....

[Rickdogg]

The funny thing is...that I just happen to stumble on these things. I'm search ebay for this stuff, but I really don't.

[read_em-migration]

"What are these tools? Anyone here use them?"

Well, here's one little search engine for ya. This search engine extracts the negs and neutrals that a Ebay user has received and given:

Neg and neutral search engine

And this one's not very helpful I don't think, but you might find it interesting.

Feedback Timeline

I wish I could say I developed these, but I'm lucky I know enough HTML to post these links.

Have fun!

[Rickdogg]

WOW! That's awesome!

[read_em-migration]

I thought you might like that first one, being the Vigilante Dachshund that you are

[hogations]

Very cool tool! Ya wanna see negative feedback that makes my skin crawl? Check out mine (ebay id: hogations)

[ubiquiti]

relax...it was only 5 dollars.

[drbanner]

Is it true you can "follow up" to a neg with profane language, have someone complain to ebay about it, and they'll remove both the neg and your follow-up?

[FlyingDonut]

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

[Crackandpresstoan11]

I neg'd some loser, and when he neg'd me, he stated he would kick my if he ever ran into me. I complained to Ebay about his reply, and they removed both of our neg's.

[greggy]

Is it only my system but does this seem slow when you are looking for negs/neutrals?

[Bonds25]

Mine me off too - the last one makes me fume. I had some [!@#%^&^] win from Poland, and I actually mailed the book to him before him paid. Then he proceeds to tell me I paid too much to ship it and never pays for the item. ARGGHH!

 

http://www.haus.org/cgi-bin/negs?User=ummseven&Dirn=Received+by

[Crowzilla]

Is it true you can "follow up" to a neg with profane language, have someone complain to ebay about it, and they'll remove both the neg and your follow-up?

 

I know they supposedly don't allow profane language - so it sounds like it might work. I think i will try it and see what happens.

 

[drbanner]

He never paid!?!? Ouch...man, based on what you guys have experienced I guess I've been lucky, although I did get ripped once for not waiting 10 days for a personal check to clear. Oh well, live and learn!

[hogations]

"IIs it only my system but does this seem slow when you are looking for negs/neutrals? "

 

I think it takes a while to compile for people with lots of feedback. Took a while for me as well.

[Crowzilla]

okay, i just tried that vulgar thing, but it wouldn't let me leave the F word as a comment for someone - they have a profanity check system now.,

so I left:

"screw you - i should kick your and am going to have ebay investigate you."

 

that shuld violate two policies - threating actions and feedback about investigations,

i'll report it tomorrow and let you know what happens.

 

[ArAich]

i'll report it tomorrow and let you know what happens.

 

Thats rich... looks like you will be reporting yourself to get yourself naru'd ......