What a bummer.

Today I went from a five year history of 100% positive feedback with 1143 unique buyers to a 99% positive with 1172 buyers.

My first neutral ever was from a non-paying bidder who DID respond to the NPB process, but ultimately never paid. The second neutral was last month from someone who failed to read the correct measurements listed in the auction. I would have let her return them, but she left neutral to another seller for the same thing only the week before. Someone tell her she isn't a Size 6 anymore.

I've never had a negative.

It looks now like 1 in 100 was dissatisfied, when actually the truth is that 1142 buyers have been very satisfied and have said so.

How did the rest of you make out?

Jane

I am back to 100%. My score had dropped to a 99.8% after a couple of bad sellers and one NPB. My numbers jumped way up because I often make repeat purchases from my favorite sellers.

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A deal is not always a deal - Some just make you pay at the end.

I'm glad it worked out better for you.

In principle I agree that one year's feedback should give a better overall picture of a seller's performance, but it sure killed me. 1 neutral out of 1142 shouldn't yield 99% IMHO.

My 5.0 star rating was hurt by a young mother unhappy with two pound EXACT shipping from the East to West coast. Life isn't always fair, is it.

hi all

i know your pain . after 10 years and 4000 positive feedbacks
a nuetral dropped me from my 99.8 to 99.7
not gonna kill me

but nuetral shoudl be jsut that. nuetral.

i really thought twice while leaving my positive feedback for my buyers.
yeah they were good. but heck why bother since all they can get is positive.

it kinda makes it a mute point now to leave any feedback for buyers.

good luck to us all LOL
katt

I went from 99.9 to 100 - no biggie - but I'm still miffed about the no negative - I thought we could at least leave neutral, but nope. I left my last negative a few days ago for a non-paying bidder from March. I am sitting on 2 more non-paying bidders, both going on 3 weeks now, getting ready to finalize the disputes - So they will will get a "strike"... hoooooo, I'm sure they're shaking in their boots.

It just sux...period!

And I totally agree, a neutral is a neutral and should not affect your score at all!

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Mary

Really lousy you can't warn other sellers but keeps sellers from intimidating buyers with false negs and then trying to get a mutual removal (now gone).

Can't win anymore with ebay. Constant changes trying to patch a sinking ship.

Seems to make a bit of sense to me. I mean after you pay the seller and all that jazz you should get a positive for your end of the transaction. Many sellers, myself included, won't leave positive feedback until you do, so if you neg them, then they neg you back. That probably stops a lot of negatives that would otherwise be left.

Negatives on a buyer doesnt have nearly as much impact. I mean the buyer buys your item, and completes transaction, it really doesnt matter to you if he had negatives from before. In fact if he did have negatives, you would just assume it was because he left negatives for sellers and the sellers retaliated.

With the last minute sniping that goes on its not like you have much of a chance to cancel bids from buyers that have bad feedback anyways.

What is does take away is the sellers ability to withhold feedback until they get the positive, which will mean they wont only get negatives from people who don't care about their feedback..

Of course now the problem can be reversed, with buyers extorting sellers over feedback.. so donno if this change really helps anything. Feedback really should not matter to a buyer. If you only buy stuff with your ebay id, you can always make another id if you get too many negatives.

Just my 2cents.

I agree. Feedback if you are a buyer is really meaningless. I too am a seller that does not leave feedback till I receive feedback, this is because the transaction is not over just because a bidder pays. As we all know so much can go wrong after the sale. Once a buyer leaves me feedback and I know they are happy I leave feedback.

Here is what I'm thinking could happen...buyers that would normally hesitate leaving neutral or negative feedback for a small issue will now have no reason NOT to leave neut or negs. What do they have to loose? Nothing.

Buyers who may not be absolutely 100% ecstatic about their purchase can leave a neutral or neg for stupid silly things, like shipping-transit times, which, we all know sellers have no control over.

Sellers, we've all had those hard-to-please buyers that no matter what you do, you cannot make them 100% happy - even refunding a payment for example, because a buyer bought the wrong size shoe. What's to stop them from giving you a neut or neg anyway just because they're jerks.

JMHO - I hate eBay.....I just have no choice right now, because no other auction site gets the hits eBay does...sigh

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Mary

I dropped from 100% down to 98.4% because of 2 neutrals.

One was left by a buyer who purchased some rubber stamps from me. I was left a neutral with "fine" in the comments box. Turns out that is the only feedback they ever leave.

The other was left by someone who felt I didn't describe a board game accurately. I posted zillions of pictures, and was incredibly descriptive. They still were not pleased. So they left a neutral.

Both neutrals were surprises, as none of the buyers even contacted me before leaving feedback.

I am not a high-volume seller, so this new feedback change really hurt my percentage.

Oh well. Soon 80% will be the new 100%.

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"Yesterday my life was duller, now everything's technicolor!"

I think the playing field will even out, but it will take a full year. I agree, we'll see much lower percentages.

I have another irate customer right now. This is his first purchase in over a year, he paid with PayPal using an eCheck. No explanation will satisfy him as to why I am not shipping until the eCheck clears as the funds were withdrawn from his account four days ago. Even with the new 7 day rule for leaving neutral/neg, four days have passed already since the auction closed, and I doubt I can get it to him FCM before the 7th day.

Once again, I'm anticipating totally undeserved feedback with absolutely no recourse. GRRRRR.

Good luck!

I always forward a copy of the email I receive from paypal telling me not to ship until the echeck clears. They really cant dispute that. Anyway it has worked for me. Hopefully your buyer will calm down and see he is wrong.

I think ebay is just way too greedy! Not to mention that of the few purchase I make verse selling, now most of those sellers have dropped out...from phone cards and more, but now I BUY DIRECT from those sellers yet, buy contacting them via email or phone and paying via paypal. Its sad that ebay has 28% share in craigslist now too. They dont want anyone to have a free listing!

That's what started the conversation with him. When he received the forwarded email, he wrote:

This time I did exactly the same as I had done before and I didn't specify anything; I just agreed to what was in the ordering page; I didn't even have to put my Bank account number. This is an unexpected delay. But I hope it makes you feel better.

It went downhill from there. The eCheck cleared tonight, and it will be in the mail first thing tomorrow.

Most likely his credit card on file is expired. That is why it went to echeck. His fault not yours. You might mention that to him. Let him check it. But most likely he will deny it and still blame you. I hate ebay and paypal. I just want to get everything I have sold and get out.

I have seen some type of note in seller's auctions saying something like:


My feedback is 98.2% but I have only 1 neg and one neutral

When the seller puts it into real terms, it's easier to ignore a less than stellar number. I thought it was a good idea. I'm not much of a seller, but appreciated it as a buyer.

Paulette