Buyers on eBay are not leaving feedback for purchased items?

[wavesales]

Hi Everyone,

Earlier on I checked my sales and feedback and I cannot understand why buyers are not leaving feedback for my purchased items, I even have repeat buyers not leaving feedback as well, I have not had any buyers contacting me with any issues but still, buyers are not leaving feedback. What a strange phenomenon it is very bizarre indeed I've never seen this in 20 years. Even the products that I have sold for years are top quality items and still no feedback.

Is anyone else on here having the same or similar issues?

[pillarboxred]

I find it soul destroying and it causes anxiety. Sadly, if you sell a fragile, expensive item, prospective buyers wonder whether the sale and delivery were successful, as there is risk. They look for Feedback and, if there is none, they wonder whether they should bid on your items.

The Entitled are always with us and have a lot of money so we just have to lump it or cease using the platform. In a shop yesterday, I overheard a man say he used to sell a lot on eBay but can't be bothered now. I often say to stallholders they should sell their things on eBay but most of them shrug and say "I used to": it seems to be too much time and work for little return even though creating a listing is faster and easier than it was in 2000.

[pillarboxred]

I understand that eBay rates sellers behind the scenes and a closed sale with no Feedback left but no issues raised is counted as a good sale. That's how a high street retailer is assessed by investors. So eBay's rating of a seller is not exactly the same as the Feedback rating but the public Feedback rating  can draw in or discourage bidders even if, in the company's eyes, a seller is doing ok.

[pillarboxred]

 I think that a default feedback +ve rating should be given if a sale is successful and after 90 days no issues have been raised. It shouldn't masquerade as a personal comment but it is well-earned and people need to know how well a seller has served the community. 

[pillarboxred]

I'm not sure that such a system-generated feedback rating would be seen by the public. Isn't it hidden in the statistics covering a seller's sales, part of  the score?

[plpmr]

There's a newish feedback system where eBay leaves a seller positive feedback which says -

“This seller successfully completed an order.”

And on their profile there's a notice which shows how many the seller has got -

“eBay automated feedback: X”

eBay explain -

“We leave automated positive feedback when a seller successfully completes one of their first few orders and there’s no buyer feedback about it.”

However, seemingly the buyer can cancel that by leaving their own feedback.

[vintagechinashop]

Vinted do this if the buyer hasn't left feedback after a certain time you get an automated positive but it does show as automatic feedback so not sure what the value of this is other than to give a prospective buyer an indication of how many items you have sold without issue which might encourage some buyers.  I have sold over 700 items in a year yet I have less than 300 feedback 

I'm sure eBay wouldn't do this because it would affect metrics and eBay want to keep as many sellers on the naughty step as possible 

[therenewalworkshopltd]

I really don't think that it makes an awful lot of difference on how much feedback you have, whether it be automated or not.  Unless you are right at the begining and have virtually nothing.

That is the point when it skews badly.  An automated system like Vinted, would help in that regard.

But overall, I don't think it really matters, as at the end of the day, it's only function really, is to show buyers how you have handled problems.

Who cares if you have 1000 good feedback, it's only the 1 negative that they will look at.  🙂

[nigel_paul_wright7557]

Leaving feedback isnt compulsory on ebay.

I had a seller complain to me three times I hadnt left him feedback.

So I left a neg for "feedback harassment"

[plpmr]

Feedback has always been voluntary, that is until eBay brought in their new system whereby eBay will leave positive feedback for new sellers if the buyer does not leave feedback.

That means feedback is no longer voluntary but compulsory.