e-bay categories

[scottish]

I sold quite a few books (non-Comics) just over 2 years ago (some 100+ books) so I have an idea how a seller operates and have some empathy for them.

 

Testomanlives has to be an anomoly don't you think? I would prepare in advance for folks like him. "No bidders with more than 10 negatives in a 6 month time span please." Bam! He's outta there!

 

I hear ya though...there are two views and I can understand each one.

[snizzenfixit]

Haven't in a couple years. What difference does THAT make? I just explained what I expect from a seller. Sellers will live up to MY standards or I will not buy from them. I am certainly not going to bid on auctions that meet YOUR standards. That wouldn't make much sense would it?

 

I am not alone in this either. Sellers are going to find they are getting fewer and fewer bids as time goes on unless they take heed of what the buyers expect. There are enough good sellers out there that buyers don't have to accept less.

 

Phil

[comicinvestor-migration]

One thing I learned awhile back is to not take EBay stuff personally. I used to mail in payment, then receive the books and wonder why the seller didn't post feedback. I'm honest, I pay my bills and I never leave a Neg unless all breaks loose.

 

I'd contact them, letting them know the books arrived and that I'd be posting Postive Feedback later on, and bingo my FB would increase a few hours later. It dawned on me that this seller doesn't know me, has no idea who I am, and simply treats the TRANSACTION itself in a professional manner.

 

I've also talked to sellers who don't even leave Feedback, due to the kind of buyer I was until about 10-20 on the FB scale, when I figured out the deal. Now I get and post feedback, but it doesn't impact my EBay activities, except maybe as a way of monitoring shipments.

[comicinvestor-migration]

"Haven't in a couple years. What difference does THAT make? I just explained what I expect from a seller. Sellers will live up to MY standards or I will not buy from them."

 

Exactly, just the way buyers like yourself are added to my growing list of Blocked Bidders. Life is tough enough without dealing with people who take EBay Feedback way too personally.

 

It's a number, nothing more, nothing less. And like I said, I used to feel the same way as you do, but that was early on in my EBay-newbie days.

 

Now I'm much more interested in receiving NM comics from NM advertised auctions than I am timing exactly when the seller posts feedback.

[scottish]

I don't believe I take it personally either. I expect feedback upon payment because my part of the transaction is complete.

 

Do I not leave feedback if the seller hasn't by the time I receive the product? Heck no! I've left feedback for some and never seen it reciprocated at all. I don't freak out about it.

[comicinvestor-migration]

I expect feedback upon payment because my part of the transaction is complete.

 

In this day and age of EBay and Negative Snipers, this is no longer the norm. Personally, I'd rather lose a few dollars than open myself up to Testo and his raving band of Negative Snipers.

 

I also understand when a seller doesn't leave a positive for me immediately, as unless I'm a regular, I could be a Testo-in-waiting for all he knows. For many, EBay is a business, and letting a Testo-clone have an open shot could literally kill your business.

 

And by all means, don't buy from anyone that doesn't leave immediate Positive feedback, as that translates into more prime books available for Mr. Impersonal.

[Kevin Boyd]

except maybe as a way of monitoring shipments.

 

That's pretty much all that I use feedback for. Within a few hours of shipping the item I usually log in and give the buyer a positive and I know the date that I mailed the item.

 

I couldn't care less about this "holding feedback hostage" garbage. If they pay for the item then they get a positive. If they are extra communicative and friendly, or do something extra which sticks with me, then they get noted for it in the feedback.

 

If they don't give me a positive in return then that's their decision. If they give me a reactionary negative or neutral before consulting with me to resolve what they feel is a problem then there is nothing I can do. I will still try to resolve the problem for them though, and try to make them feel bad about posting that negative.

 

As a seller I give a negative if they don't reply to my e-mails and don't pay. Simple as that. I give a neutral or no feedback if they have a valid reason for not paying.

 

Kev

[snizzenfixit]

Personally, I'd rather lose a few dollars than open myself up to Testo and his raving band of Negative Snipers.

 

You do realize that you are comparing Apples and Oranges here right? I mean Testoman DOESN"T CARE what kind of feedback you leave for him. He is going to blast you wether you leave him feedback in advance or not. Take a few minutes of your precious time and LOOK at the buyers feedback profile. If it isn't riddled with comments added to positives then get some stones and leave a positive.

 

Phil

 

[comicinvestor-migration]

I know what you mean, and I would love to be that same way... but I've hung around on the EBay forums and chat rooms long enough to see large groups of Testo-clones laughing about flooding a seller's account with 25-50 negatives for no reason other than they could.

 

I may be being paranoid, but that's my perogative.

[PovertyRow]

>>1. Feedback shortly after payment is recieved. This is THE reason for seller feedback. Not because I left positive FB or ANY OTHER REASON, simply because my payment was recieved in a timely manner. <<

 

Have to seriously disagree with that. It is not THE reason for seller feedback. The reason for any feedback is to express satisfaction with the transaction in its entirety. Payment is only one of the buyer's obligations, just as sticking an item in a package and mailing it is only one part of the seller's obligation.

 

I have no issue with receiving feedback a week or three after my money has been received.

 

In fact, when I write a dealer, I usually encourage feedback be exchanged after the transaction is completed on both ends.

[Kevin Boyd]

Well, if someone did do something like that, and there was evidence that this was premeditated, and e-bay did nothing about it (and they usually don't) then I would have to let my past record speak for itself.

 

If it drives away enough potential bidders that this is no longer fun and/or profitable then I would stop using e-bay entirely or consign my personal stuff to someone else.

 

Kev

[Kevin Boyd]

The thing I would do is, if I think I see a bidder on one of my auctions who loves to give negatives or looks like a NPB then I would contact them ahead of time to see what their intentions were. If I'm not satisfied with the answer that they give, or I just don't trust them, or I don't hear back from them, then I would cancel their bid and ban them from bidding on future auctions.

 

I usually check out a bidder's feedback before auction's end anyway.

 

I almost had to do this last week, luckily the person was outbid quickly.

 

Of course, this theory doesn't work when the auction gets sniped...

 

Kev

[snizzenfixit]

Have to seriously disagree with that. It is not THE reason for seller feedback. The reason for any feedback is to express satisfaction with the transaction in its entirety. Payment is only one of the buyer's obligations, just as sticking an item in a package and mailing it is only one part of the seller's obligation.

 

In a proper transaction, payment and feedback are the entirety of the transaction of the buyer. There are a million and one variables that can be added when something goes wrong. I am referring to the way things SHOULD flow.

 

Phil

 

[comicinvestor-migration]

Of course, this theory doesn't work when the auction gets sniped...

 

Or a Buy it Now.

 

EBay has too many holes for feedback abuses, that I simply choose not to leave immediate feedback, nor do I expect it from those I buy from.

[PovertyRow]

>> In a proper transaction, payment and feedback are the entirety of the transaction of the buyer. <<

 

Acceptance of the product and its attendant responsibilities are part of being a buyer and part of the whole transaction...IMHO.

[snizzenfixit]

Acceptance of the product and its attendant responsibilities are part of being a buyer and part of the whole transaction...IMHO.

 

Well, when I go to Kroger for groceries I pay and I go home. I owe them nothing more. I am the customer and if anything, they owe me. Using the logic described above, it would be my responsibility to return to Kroger after eating the food and tell them that I was satisfied with my purchase. Not very d*mn likely.

 

As a customer I owe you nothing other than timely payment. As a VENDOR ... YOU owe courteous service performed in a fashion that is acceptable to the MOST potential customers. I am sure that the number of people who would complain about the seller leaving feedback immediately would be a VERY small number, therefore this means that is the way it should be done.

 

If you choose to wait to leave your feedback, that is up to you. Just don't whine when you don't realize the prices you think you should. Of course you could always cancel the auction ... another way EBay babies the seller.

 

Phil

 

 

Phil

[scottish]

Good grief man! Did you read my second statement in that post?

 

I don't freak out if a seller doesn't leave me positive feedback right after I make payment! I will, in fact, continue to do business with sellers that don't leave feedback after my payment and wait for my feedback to be posted.

 

Just because I prefer to see feedback when my part of the transaction is done - doesn't mean I'm a complete insufficiently_thoughtful_person.

[snizzenfixit]

Just because I prefer to see feedback when my part of the transaction is done - doesn't mean I'm a complete insufficiently_thoughtful_person.

 

Sooooo, you imply that because I refuse to do business with sellers that withhold the feedback, that I am a insufficiently_thoughtful_person? Who are you to make that judgement? You know pretty much nothing about me. To imply that someone who does not act as you would in a given situation is a insufficiently_thoughtful_person, is in itself, a moronic implication. I have been impressed with the way you have conducted yourself in the past on these forums Scottish, and am a bit shocked to see you make a statement like this.

 

Phil

 

[scottish]

Dude! Chill out man - that comment was directed at CI not you! I'm with you 100% that feedback should be left when payment is made.

 

And I was calling (or referring to) myself as a insufficiently_thoughtful_person...not you, CI or anyone else.

[snizzenfixit]

OK, sorry. I guess I misread the statement.

 

Phil