"Verified Purchase" on feedback.

[fribblecollectables]

As per picture.

The words: "Verified Purchase" have now appeared on feedback.

I am guessing this is the work of some proud programmer who toiled all week to achieve this marvellous improvement.

I am imagining whooping and high fives all round the office when they finally came up with this.

Not sure of it's purpose. I mean what is an Un-verified purchase? 

But thanks anyway eBay. It looks cool.

[plpmr]

Indeed one must ask, with so many unsolved problems eBay seem to make feedback a major matter of 'improvement'?

Extending the size of comments, allowing photos and now 'verified'.

Seemingly 'verified' feedback means purchased through eBay - but as I've previously asked, how can one leave feedback for something not purchased through eBay?

[vinylscot]

I think we all agree this is a senseless development.

However, to me, the more worrying thing is - how the h*ll did this idea get through all the stages prior to being adopted? Surely someone in eBay must have twigged that it was absolutely useless.

It shows a complete lack of awareness of their own processes, and gives me cause for concern regarding what they might do next.

[plpmr]

its as if they said, here's an idea lets activate it and see what happens - instead of doing research first.

[the-nutwood-collection]

Extract from an article in Which?

New legislation was introduced this week that aims to address a range of unfair practices on online platforms, including clamping down on subscription traps and tackling fake reviews. 

The Digital Markets Competition and Consumer Bill (DMCC) will also give the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the regulator, new powers to investigate and fine businesses up to 10% of global turnover, and could mean directors are disqualified for not complying with the rules.

I reckon this is the reason for the 'Verified' flag - it's eBay's response to 'tackling fake reviews'. 

Although eBay feedback can only be left in response to an intention to buy (i.e. money doesn't have to change hands, as evidenced by the flag on non-payer feedback) the CMA may not know this.  The provision of a flag shows that eBay is paying attention to the law, and doing its best to comply.  

[thesmokingrunner]

You have a point @the-nutwood-collection  but a review is completely different to feedback.

As others have said you cannot leave feedback unless you have purchased on eBay - whether you then complete the checkout process or not - so the addition of 'Verified purchase' to every feedback comment is utterly pointless.

Granted, it may well be eBay's attempt at complying with the law but it gives the impression that they not only have no idea whether the law actually applies to feedback but also that they haven't got a clue what they're doing. eBay could add 'Verfied puchase' to feedback comments in the background (that is, held on record but not displayed) and provide the CMA with the data if requested, but adding it to every single piece of feedback - and with no prior announcement of the reasons behind the change - serves no purpose whatsoever, other than diverting attention from the genuine and continually unaddressed faults in the site.

[plpmr]

"a review is completely different to feedback."

Indeed when 'verified' is used on other platforms it's when a review of [say dvd film] a product is written and that shows the reviewer purchased the item on that platform.

"so the addition of 'Verified purchase' to every feedback comment is utterly pointless."

Not according to eBay as it verifies that the item the feedback is left for was purchased on eBay - inferring that feedback can be left for items not purchased through eBay.

[myriad*seller]

You can't leave feedback unless you have purchased something, so it is meaningless! 

ALL feedback is from verfiied purchases! It is not possible for a non buyer to leave feedback

How silly! 

[4_bathrooms]

I think eBay has got the wrong end of the stick here.

As @the-nutwood-collection pointed out I suspect the new legislation is the motive behind this. However, it seems eBay have completely misunderstood. As feedback can only be left following a transaction there is no "verification" required unless eBay suspects feedback manipulation. It only really applies to product reviews for items in ebay's catalogue as eBay invites buyers to leave a product review via eBay but eBay also displays product reviews from other sources (like Google Shopping). Off-eBay reviews would not be verified; something eBay is apparently aware of.

[tressygirl]

I have completed quite a few reviews  especially on books I have purchased on eBay.

The review will not go through to be ' published'  if you do not tick the box at the bottom to confirm ...

' I have used / purchased the product being reviewed'.

So reviews along with feedbacks can only be left when the item has been purchased on eBay,  further verification seemingly then,  unnecessary.

[peturning]

It's just a case uf "us too!" from eBay in response to this new legislation.

You are going to see a lot of 'verified' reviews etc appearing on sites since the politicians think that they can solve fake reviews (lol) by requiring it.

Ebay feedback has always had its issues but at the very least you could always be assured that the person leaving it did actually buy something, it's a given so this isn't necessary but I'm guessing eBay - as an online retailer - don't want there to be any doubt to the casual observer.

In this regard it is silly but also harmless, I think.

[moldosgifts]

Can you leave feedback without a purchase? seems pointless to me.

[medealady]

I saw this when researching an item. The problem with checking feedback has always been the fact you do not always see feedback for the item you want. If this 'new' system shows feedback targeted  for a particular item all well and good. The example given however does not support that.  It is product feedback we need.

[thesmokingrunner]

There used to be a method of seeing feedback specific to the item you were interested in buying but only if the seller had multiple items available: next to the quantity box on a listing 'number available' and 'number sold' were displayed and clicking on the number sold would show feedback left by previous buyers for that item alone.

For some reason eBay removed the link on number sold and you can no longer see item-specific feedback. In other words, the product feedback you say we need used to be available but eBay disabled the ability to see it and have added 'Verified purchase' to every single piece of feedback on the site.

Remove something useful and replace it with something pointless. That's the eBay way...

[kempseykate]

---

@thesmokingrunner wrote:

There used to be a method of seeing feedback specific to the item you were interested in buying but only if the seller had multiple items available: next to the quantity box on a listing 'number available' and 'number sold' were displayed and clicking on the number sold would show feedback left by previous buyers for that item alone.

For some reason eBay removed the link on number sold and you can no longer see item-specific feedback. In other words, the product feedback you say we need used to be available but eBay disabled the ability to see it and have added 'Verified purchase' to every single piece of feedback on the site.

Remove something useful and replace it with something pointless. That's the eBay way...

---

You can still feedback for that specific item if you are on a listing for it, click the seller's feedback, and it will just show you feedback for that item (be it 1 or 101).

[thesmokingrunner]

Thanks for that @kempseykate  - I see it now: click the seller's feedback and it takes you to the feedback at the bottom of the listing page and then you have a choice between 'This item' and 'All items'; select 'This item' then click on 'See all Feedback' and you see all the item-specific feedback.

Three clicks to see what you used to be able to see in one click. I should have figured that out...

[kempseykate]

---

@thesmokingrunner wrote:

Thanks for that @kempseykate  - I see it now: click the seller's feedback and it takes you to the feedback at the bottom of the listing page and then you have a choice between 'This item' and 'All items'; select 'This item' then click on 'See all Feedback' and you see all the item-specific feedback.

Three clicks to see what you used to be able to see in one click. I should have figured that out...

---

Indeed, isn't that the way with most ebay 'improvements' 😞

I was looking at something else feedback related the other day - four clicks where it used to take one.

[9-apart-ltd]

😂just what we were thinking as well 

[indigo-island]

I've just noticed this on my feedback (desktop not app).  Not sure I understand at all 🙂

[tigerella-blue]

I am guessing it has something to do with the new HMRC reporting rules which online platforms now have to comply with since Jan 1 2024.

[4_bathrooms]

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@tigerella-blue wrote:

I am guessing it has something to do with the new HMRC reporting rules which online platforms now have to comply with since Jan 1 2024.

---

It doesn't; it's most likely due to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (DMCC Bill) which is expected to become law in the autumn. Under this new legislation certain things are proposed to become specific offences for businesses such as solicting fake reviews and publishing fake endorsements. This includes the removal of perfectly valid negative reviews from websites that offer independent reviews such as Trustpilot, Google and Facebook in order to make the business's overall review score appear higher than it otherwise would. This likely explains ebay's own recent reluctance to remove negative feedback outside of an MBG dispute unless it contains offensive language.

eBay seem to be over-complying with what will be required. eBay feedback can only be left if a transaction has occurred so "verification" isn't necessary. Product reviews for items in eBay's catalogue are different as eBay publishes both reviews left via eBay purchasers and reviews from outside sources (such as Google Shopping). Where product reviews are concerned eBay is correctly marking reviews left via eBay as "verified" and those from outside sources as "unverified".