New Mandatory Feedback Requirement

[marste_3593]

So, my leaving feedback days are done, as Ebay is now forcing me to rate the product I purchased before I can leave feedback, which has nothing to do with my experience with the seller.

Hope other buyers will follow suit and boycott leaving feedback for sellers as this is obviously another decision by Ebay purely motivated by they're well known greed.  Still wonder though if this is their plan, to put buyers off from leaving seller feedback so that unsuspecting buyers will purchase from bad sellers as no-one leaves feedback anymore but they still get their seller commision.

[marste_3593]

Another very possible theory is that as the buyer bought the item they will rate it high and those, in the future, that see the items rating as high will think 'great' and buy it - Ebay get's their seller commission more easily.  Total greed.  I refuse to be compicit with Ebay's greed but I'm stuck in a dilemma as if leave a positive product review Ebay will get their commission more easily, fuelling their greed but if I don't leave seller feedback, unsuspecting buyers will buy from sellers, including bad sellers and Ebay will get their commission more easily as buyers are buying in ignorance from bad sellers as they have no negative feedback, again fuelling Ebay's greed as they still get the seller commission.  No win?  Looks like it.

[marste_3593]

I think I'm going to leave feedback for sellers to help future prospective buyers but will always rate the item 1 star to make sure Ebay do not benefit from a higher rating.  Those who search for an item probably know whether the item is good anyway. 

Ebay must have had pretty good advice on this to concoct such a greed supporting decision but thankfully there is a way to circumvent it.

[*vyolla*]

Can you post a screenshot of the bit where you have to rate the item before you can leave feedback?

Do you mean that you're being asked to leave a product review before you can get to the leave feedback section?

[marste_3593]

Buy something on Ebay and you'll see it.

[*vyolla*]

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@marste_3593 wrote:

Buy something on Ebay and you'll see it.

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I'm not seeing it, that's why I asked.

[marste_3593]

Here you go, adding to your knowledge, so you'll hopefully help others.

Unless the product is rated, feedback cannot be left, the feedback button does not go blue.

[marste_3593]

What Ebay site do you use?  I am on Ebay UK.

[*vyolla*]

That's a standard feedback page. The overall rating bit (which has always been a compulsory field) is at the top. You rate the overall transaction between 1 - 5 stars, that's always been the case. You can't complete the more detailed fields without first giving the transaction an overall rating. 

That bit is compulsory and always has been.

None of the following fields are.

[marste_3593]

No, you're wrong, I click 'Positive', enter a feedback comment, click 'yes' to 'arrived on time', click the stars for item description, dispatch time and seller communication but the 'leave feedback' button is still grey unless I rate the product.  This has never been a mandatory feedback requirement before, Ebay feedback 101.  

I know you're trying to help but your information and experience is out of date.

[tommystrezures]

I have just gone to leave feedback on a recent purchase, and I am not getting the "how would you rate this item", our screen here is as follows:

May I ask what is the item that you purchased? It may be/could be related to this, as I personally have never been asked to rate an item.

[marste_3593]

Good for you, did you see my screenshot above?  I did not photoshop that extra new mandatory requirement.

[marste_3593]

It is not relevant to this thread.

[marste_3593]

Can you 'see' the extra mandatory item that was not there before?

Plus, for your info, the * next to the 'rate this item' is a common way to denote that a field or option is mandatory.  That's why the 'leave feedback' box is greyed out until I rate the product.

[papso22]

You haven't asked for help though.  You just stated that you were no longer going to leave feedback.

If you want help, ask a question.

[marste_3593]

Ok, why am I now seeing a new mandatory feedback requirement, that wasn't there before, and unless I rate the product I bought, I can't leave feedback?  Please can you help me to understand why this has happened, whether it's a permanant change or just Ebay having a mess around. 

[rainbowtrax]

Unfortunately, ebay lost the plot years ago and work by a couple of rules.

1. Make sure nothing is simple.

2. If it ain't broke, fiddle endlessly until it is.

To that end, they've over-complicated leaving feedback and even got themselves completely confused as to the fact that feedback is for rating the seller and a product review is for rating the item. They've also managed to fiddle so much that users get completely different versions of the Leave Feedback page simply depending on where they've accessed it from. 

The two different versions of the page that I'm getting at the moment look like this.

1. From the Leave Feedback link on my (or anyone's) feedback profile page (I call this the not too bad version)

2. From the Leave Feedback link next to the item in my purchase history (I call this the ridiculous version)

Version 1 almost makes it clear that the comment box is for rating the seller not the item. Other than not being clear enough, it would be ok except for the "Did it arrive on time" trick question where "on time" refers to a fantasy ESTIMATED delivery date dreamt up by ebay that bears no relation to the true on time date of the postage service used. So not too bad considering this is ebay.

Version 2 is all sorts of messed up. It still has the trick "on time" question. But it also has the wording changed for the comment box to "Tell us what you loved about this item" which leads buyers to think it's a product review they're writing when it absolutely isn't. Ebay does have product reviews but this page isn't it.  Then you have the Add Photos section which, again, is more pertinent to a product review, not a seller feedback page. (I suppose you could take a photo of the packaging, for example, if you wanted to praise the seller for that.) I hate this version of the feedback page as it's deliberately steering the buyer to leave a product review instead of feedback on the seller.

Now it seems we have a Version 3, as in the OP's screenshot, which to me looks as bad as version 2 for the same reasons. No idea how or from where you get version 3 but it clearly exists.

If only ebay would keep things simple and the same across the board. If they could teach themselves the difference between a product review and seller feedback, that would be a bonus.

[rainbowtrax]

@marste_3593 try going from the small Leave Feedback link at the bottom of your own feedback profile page. If it works as it does for me then you should get my version 1 from there.

[marste_3593]

Many thanks for taking the time to send such a comprehensive reply.  You are a true rarity on this forum and I appreciate it.

I have noticed that Ebay tinker and 'play' with things sometimes as things change, appear and disappear.  Examples include the way seller's pictures are displayed, used to be one at a time, then thumbnails, now one at a time again and the saved search option disappeared for a while, then reappeared. 

[marste_3593]

Ok, thanks, that sounds good, any chance of a screen shot of that feedback location, cheers.

[rainbowtrax · Accepted solution]

Go to your feedback page here: Feedback profile (ebay.co.uk) and it's at the bottom (see screenshot below).

[marste_3593]

Is the feedback link you mentioned where it says, 'Suggested next - Leave Feedback'

[rainbowtrax]

Yes, it is.

[marste_3593]

Cheers, will use that link and hopefully continue get the feedback page I'm used to.

[marste_3593]

Just clicked from that 'leave feedback' link, and onto multiple purchases to leave feedback, and getting the usual feedback page so going to mark your reply as the solution.  Many thanks, you are amazing.