Automated Feedback ???

[annm3448]

Can anyone explain what on earth is "Automatic Feedback".  As a private seller I've recently been successful in selling 6 items, even though I'd hoped that a few of them would have made a little more money than they actually did.   I was punctual with the dispatch of each item, having wrapped them in advance and getting them to the post office for next day posting.  However, I'm now most disappointed to find that only one of the 6 buyers has taken the trouble to provide personal feedback, while 2 other items have received automated feedback and the remaining 3 have received no feedback at all.  I've been buying and selling on EBay for 20 years and this whole Ebay system  is so totally different that's it's now unrecognizable from the way I remember it used to be - to receive a decent comment from a satisfied buyer to me was important.  Personally I won't be bothering to sell anything on EBay again since to sell good quality items that only make small amounts just isn't worth the hassle of repeated trips to the post office.

[luka0001]

Fewer and fewer people leave feedback.  eBay has reduced it to a nasty generic message.

Don't take it personally, I remember how it was and the conversations with people but that's gone now.

Seems the longer the F.B. comment the more it get bumped to the top of you FB, even if it's 6 months old.

I would ask do you FB to M&S  when you buy?. 

People don't usually leave F.B. so you get it automated. Was good how it was 25 years ago, but changed completely now.

[cobwebcottage]

The automated feedback is what it says on the tin and you have highlighted why it was introduced as many buyers do not leave any feedback. For every one seller who doesn't like it, there are dozens who would rather receive it than nothing at all.

The only way to be happy with the sale price of your goods is to list them at the buy it now price you want.

Trips to the Post Office, well that's what online selling is about although you can choose for your parcels to be collected.

[luka0001]

Think you missed the point of O.P. 

Times have changed.

[wyntersemporium]

EBay was great way back in 1998, very easy to put up items etc.

takes 15-20 mins to add what the item is etc 

[sml192]

eBay automated feedback

eBay automated feedback is automatically added to the seller’s account when a transaction is successfully completed. This positive feedback gives other eBay users confidence in this seller and in our marketplace. We only do this if the following criteria are met:

• You didn't leave feedback within 7 days of delivery (as confirmed by tracking)
• We can’t see any indication of an issue with the transaction
• Tracking shows the item was delivered on time

Automated feedback from eBay will remain visible unless there is an indication that there was an issue with the transaction, for example the item was damaged or you opened a return. If this happens, we will remove the automated message.

You can still leave your own feedback within 60 days of delivery, in which case the automated feedback will be replaced with yours.

[jonatjonatjonat]

I honestly don’t get the issue with automated positive feedback.

it alleviates the admittedly small risk of a new seller ending up with negative feedback as their first feedback if the issue was postage related.

[cobwebcottage]

So what point do you think I have missed?

I have answered all of the queries in the opening post.

Of course times change, you have to change with it or stay behind.

[luka0001]

I think O.P is referring to 20 years ago. When there were conversations with buyers, before and after F.B.

For myself, selling off my grandparents and parents  things, I learnt a lot about what I sold. 

This contact no longer exists, eBay is now a market place like any other.

[inji99]

Hi annm3448

I too have just received some 'automated feedback' from eBay & found it rather confusing, the comments left made really wonder whether the purchaser had left them or a computer had as they seemed too bland and perfunctory to have been written by a human. As far as I know, the purchaser has not left me feedback (I spend much time and angst looking for the 'classic view' tab & as is my general rule on eBay, I will not return the compliments until I know they have received & are satisfied with their purchase.

eBay is different to how I remember it 18 years ago when I joined and 21 years ago when I used a third party selling service to sell my Swatch collection before I had a computer or internet, the soul has long gone in my opinion, but occasionally there seems to still be a flicker of the old spirit, collectibles where the buyer hopefully has the same enthusiasm for the subject & local pick up where a certain amount of communication is required to arrange time & place. Every new eBay policy seems more trivial & controlling than the last as a seller, maybe one day I will appreciate them as a buyer, you've survived 20 years & are probably better equipped than most for the next 20 ! It's a tool, cupboards get cleared & realistically its probably the best place to advertise some things. A final thought, when I became a member in 2007 there were probably people who first started using it in 1995 who thought it had changed for the mmmm. More annoying !

[inji99]

The risk that we all took, love my 100% feedback  but these days on eBay I'm beginning not to care, past purchases have often been decided on the other member's feedback, if it references only dispatch & delivery these could be measured with 5 stars 

[jimthing]

Does this automatic feedback system actually work? 

I have several sales that fulfil the criteria for receiving automatic buyer feedback, but am not receiving any? 

[inji99]

Hi,

      I found out yesterday (07/09/25) that I had been left some 'automatic' feedback, I kept on clicking on to my feedback, toggling back and forth between the 'new look' & 'classic view', one moment I found it, the next I couldn't , funnily enough the buyer has just left me 'actual' feedback this morning (08/09/25) ! When I had been left this auto fb, my tally of stars did not seem to rise.

If it works, I'm still unsure but after reading this thread & a cursory Google, I think it only started this year, further implementation of the system happened around June, it only occurs 7 days after delivery & there are changes to the tone/frequency of the reminders generated & sent to the buyer to get on and leave feedback.

[inji99]

P.S Just checked, my feedback is still stuck on 633, 634 seems to be missing in action !

[jimthing]

I know how it's supposed to work, but it's not working properly, as I have sales from a month ago that still have no feedback left, despite meeting all the criteria. 

[inji99]

Reading message 2 from luka0001, our FB's are not necessarily in chronological order (anymore) and in my own recent experience (7/8th Sept. '25) even 'actual' FB has not increased my tally of stars, to me there seems to be many ways of viewing ones profile/feedback, too many possibly ! Hope you get it sorted & post a remedy back here on the thread, as per one of my replies to jonatjonatjonat , I'm beginning (but not totally given up) to care with regards to my feedback

[jimthing]

The main feedback page is in chronological order, but these automatic feedback do not appear there. You have to click the "Show automated feedback" to even see it! Then page search for the ones with "eBay automated Feedback" next to them. 

Silly system, again. 

[inji99]

The hidden feedback option, seems so obvious now ! 

[kikicollectables]

I only withoutvexception only leave feedback in response to buyees feedback. Automatic feedback is fairly meaningless as buyers will start to not bother leaving it at all and sellers will do the same so eventually sellers will likewise have all Autofeedback and buyers none at all. 

[inji99]

Could not agree more ! When I started on eBay nearly 20 years ago, I heeded the advice of friends who were trying to become 'Power sellers' that in order for me to receive my stars I should always err on the side of complimentary even if the item purchased was not quite as good as its description or delivery had been a P.I.T.A , but as time went on & I had served my time, got to 100 then 500 & felt royally cheesed off that I had not been left feedback occasionally as a seller, I wouldn't automatically rate the seller as 5 star in the sellers ratings & on 1 occasion I actually left someone 'Neutral' feedback. Even after getting to Purple star status, rarely does the system give me the option of leaving 'Negative' feedback although I would probably try to resolve the issue with the seller before hitting the keyboard.

A few hours ago I watched an episode of 'American Dad' (one of my favourite shows) on the telly, the plot revolved around Francine & Steve leaving their Uber driver Kirk only 4 stars & the ensuing chaos thereafter, Klaus (the psychotic scientist trapped in the body of a goldfish) hires Kirk to assemble his Ikea bookcase & isn't impressed when he sees one washer has not been attached, he threatens to leave Kirk 4 stars, it does not end well for Klaus !

The new system of auto feedback will only hasten the disconnection between eBayers, civilians & businesses alike.