Closing Ebay Account & Feedback Gripe
After doing business on Ebay for several years, I have decided to close my account. Not a light weight decision seeing as I have made several thousand dollars on Ebay over the years selling legitimate goods. They have made their decision(s), and I have made mine. I applaud AA, GB, and other sites for their lawful enterprise in the arms business.
Feedback gripe. As a seller, I always leave positive feedback when the buyer pays in a timely manner and do so when the item ships. As a buyer, I am tired of sellers that only leave feedback after I have received the item, left them feedback, and emailed them that I "patted them on the back" for a good job. So,
if you don't leave me feedback when I pay, I don't leave you feedback when I receive it. That's fair. I have 100% positive feedback on Ebay, GB, and AA, over 100 deals in all; from automobiles, to guns, to computers. Not a lot by some standards but enough to establish a honest reputation as a buyer and seller.
My advice to all sellers and buyers, treat the other party well, and try to make the deal a good one for both sides. Problems happen in shipping, money orders get lost, etc., but always do the right thing and your reputation will flourish.
Jim
Feedback gripe. As a seller, I always leave positive feedback when the buyer pays in a timely manner and do so when the item ships. As a buyer, I am tired of sellers that only leave feedback after I have received the item, left them feedback, and emailed them that I "patted them on the back" for a good job. So,
if you don't leave me feedback when I pay, I don't leave you feedback when I receive it. That's fair. I have 100% positive feedback on Ebay, GB, and AA, over 100 deals in all; from automobiles, to guns, to computers. Not a lot by some standards but enough to establish a honest reputation as a buyer and seller.
My advice to all sellers and buyers, treat the other party well, and try to make the deal a good one for both sides. Problems happen in shipping, money orders get lost, etc., but always do the right thing and your reputation will flourish.
Jim
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Not that it matters because I won't sell on eBay anymore, but I disagree completely that as a seller, you should leave good feedback when payment has been made in a timely fashion.
There is so much more to the selling experience than payment. If the buyer starts harassing you day after day after day, wondering where the package is, and you've provided them with a tracking number more than once, shouldn't you leave that information in the feedback?
If UPS leaves the item on the buyer's front porch, and you wrote on the package, "LEAVE ON BACK PORCH" because the buyer told you to do that, and then the buyer blames you for the package left on the front porch, shouldn't you leave that information in the feedback?
If the UPS guy leaves the package on the porch and it rains, and the package gets wet, and you are blamed for it by the buyer, shouldn't you leave that information in the feedback?
If the Buyer receives the package, and demands a refund because the item is "broken" (when, in fact, it isn't and he's switched items on you), don't you think it is your duty to leave that in the feedback?0 -
MrEbay...if you sold gun parts on flea-barf...bring 'em over here. About 2 weeks ago GB put out on the newswire their rant against Ebay for their commie new policy against gun parts...got gun parts?...[;)] 
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Welcome. Sounds as if you have some issues. Hope you post often and please Show us what you're selling.
Me? I'm too lazy to offer feedback.0 -
Once I got a few positive feedbacks as a buyer, I really didn't care if the seller gave feed back on me or not. Several have not. Wouldn't a buyer with negative feedback be prone to just re-register under a different name? I think a lot of sellers also have a bricks and mortar store and multiple auctions on GB so it would be easy to forget feedback on a buyer. All in all, I think GB as an auction site and these forums are just about the finest site on the internet. If they could just ad "spellcheck" to the reply toolbar.[:D] 0 -
...ha ha, just read your FB part, grin. Funny how when a seller doesn't want to leave YOUR FB when he recieves your payment, though YOU have completed YOUR end of the transaction...seller wants to wait and see what you leave HIM...Ive lost LOTS of FB by not leaving the seller any, just to see if they would "give" first"...most did, some didn't...couldnt care less...[;)] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by spanielsells
Not that it matters because I won't sell on eBay anymore, but I disagree completely that as a seller, you should leave good feedback when payment has been made in a timely fashion.
There is so much more to the selling experience than payment. If the buyer starts harassing you day after day after day, wondering where the package is, and you've provided them with a tracking number more than once, shouldn't you leave that information in the feedback?
If UPS leaves the item on the buyer's front porch, and you wrote on the package, "LEAVE ON BACK PORCH" because the buyer told you to do that, and then the buyer blames you for the package left on the front porch, shouldn't you leave that information in the feedback?
If the UPS guy leaves the package on the porch and it rains, and the package gets wet, and you are blamed for it by the buyer, shouldn't you leave that information in the feedback?
If the Buyer receives the package, and demands a refund because the item is "broken" (when, in fact, it isn't and he's switched items on you), don't you think it is your duty to leave that in the feedback?
I second that, I never have and never will leave feedback before the transaction is complete, the transaction is complete when the seller recieves the item and is happy. Untill then I still have a chance to fix any wrongs etc.
Maybe I'm wrong but with 500+ combined positive feedback I think I am doing it right
In the end as long as your good to your customer/seller you are doing it right no matter when you leave feedback. However had I given feedback as soon as I was paid I would have been burned several times by con artists, even thought they tried to get me, they never left negative feedback because they knew I would put what they were doing in there feedback if they did.
Sometimes I did anyhow if it was a blatant con. Sometimes I only knew it was a con when they didn't leave feedback I called there bluff and won.0 -
HERE YOU GO, WHAT GB PUT OUT LAST WEEK...... quote:GunBroker.com News & Announcements
GunBroker.com Welcomes eBay(r) sellers 8/8/2007 8:54:25 AM EST
GunBroker.com Benefits From Changes to eBay(R) Firearms Auction Policy ATLANTA, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Though eBay(R) has changed its policies to prohibit the auction of firearm parts such as barrels, magazines and trigger assemblies, essentially any part involved in the firing of a gun, thousands of gun part auctions will continue to take place on GunBroker.com, the Web's largest hunting and sport shooting auction site. According to GunBroker.com Chief Operating Officer, Donald Hall, the recently-announced update to the eBay Firearms, Weapons and Knives Policy has already perpetuated a substantial shift of auction listings over to his company's site. "There has been a solid increase in the number of listings of all types of gun parts on GunBroker.com, especially in the days since the eBay announcement," Hall said. "We've also seen a jump in first-time visitors and buyers recently, and while I don't think the phenomenon is 100-percent attributable to eBay's withdrawal from firearms parts auctions, it certainly has had an impact." Hall said the GunBroker.com site currently features more than 200,000 auction listings for firearms, parts and accessories, and attracts more than two million unique site visitors each month. The site draws all types of gun enthusiasts, from sporting shooters, to hunters, to law enforcement professionals, among others, all of whom buy and sell guns and gear in a safe, secure and lawful manner. GunBroker.com offers sellers a gun-centric bidder/buyer audience, and since basic listings are free, with no insertion fee, the seller only pays the site a fee if the item sells. In addition, Hall says that the overall fee structure on GunBroker.com is less-expensive than other auction sites as well. "It's a win-win-win situation," Hall said. For more information about the eBay's changes to its Firearms, Weapons and Knives Policy, see http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200707301000452.html. For more information about GunBroker.com, visit http://www.gunbroker.com. Founded in 1999, GunBroker.com promotes responsible gun ownership. As a company, GunBroker.com sells none of the merchandise listed on its Web site. Third-party sellers list items on the site, and every buyer or seller must be legally allowed to own firearms. Ownership policies and regulations are followed using licensed firearms dealers as transfer agents. The site also features fraud insurance. GunBroker.com is an informative, detailed, secure and safe way to buy and sell firearms and hunting and shooting accessories.
...GET YOUR BUDDIES AND MOVE OVER HERE...[;)]0 -
I've done well over 100k transactions on ebay, and have over 33k unique positive feedbacks.
Ebay is DONE. I've been using them since Day 1 when they started, when it was still called "Auction Web". They just keep adding more and more asinine rules and crap that no one wants.
I'm a large stockholder in ebay as well. I bought within 1% of their lowest price, shortly after the IPO, when it dipped. I'm going to sell it soon, as their profits are going to crash, and crash hard in the next year.
Ebay doesn't care ONE BIT about the seller. They are ran by mealy-mouthed idiots who don't listen to their customers.
When they flew me (for free) out to Anaheim for the first "Ebay Live" I talked to a few of the bigwigs, including the CEO. They said straight out "We know better than the sellers what people want on ebay, we've done the marketing surveys."
At one point, I was paying ebay well over $5k a month in fees. Now, it's maybe $200, max.
About the feedbacks: I've been screwed SO many times when I left feedback before the seller did, putting "Quick to pay, good buyer, etc" and then the buyer goes and leaves a negative because "It took 6 days to arrive" or something stupid like that. No more. If you don't leave me a feedback FIRST, you won't get one from me. Recently, I sold a woman a plant, and it didn't arrive. It finally came back to me, marked "address unknown". The address on it was correct (I've had this happen once before.) So, I sent her a NEW one, since that one was about dead. The second one doesn't arrive, AT ALL! So, I just sent her a refund. So, I was out about $30. What does she do, after I refund her the money? GIVES ME A NEGATIVE! There are just simply too many idiots out there to deal with any more.....and ebay doesn't care what they do with the feedbacks.
Ebay used to be great. Good luck.
Thats my ebay experience. It was good at first, made hundreds of thousands of dollars......but no more.
Merc0 -
If im selling, I dont leave feedback until customer is satisfied. He is satisfied when he leaves me feedback, right? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by cartod
If im selling, I dont leave feedback until customer is satisfied. He is satisfied when he leaves me feedback, right?
Same here. What few problems we've had - we've always made it right, and buyer then still leave shining feedback.
My feedback score is like 708 with 1 neg...and it was a retalitory neg from a seller that i left neg on.0 -
I agree with the above. As a seller it is best to leave feedback only after buyer has received and left feedback. I'm only happy with the deal when the buyer is happy too. Done deal. 0 -
Bummer. Too bad ebay decided to do this, I don't think it will hurt them (us) financially horribly but it still sucks, I very much would love it we were allowing people to trade guns and related stuff. Sad to see it's happening and even worse to see that no one at ebay really gives a damn about it. 0 -
Wrong, you should be happy with the "deal" when you receive payment because legally that is the fulfillment of the buyers contract. Nothing annoys me more than sellers holding feedback over your head. There could easliy be policies in place to prevent this. It is wrong. 0 -
Leave feedback, halfway through the transaction? I don't think so. It ain't over till it's OVER.
When the buyer has item in hand, AND IS SATISFIED, it's over! Until then there are a myriad of problems that can arise, both real and/or manufactured by the buyer.
Feedback should reflect the WHOLE auction experience, from start to FINISH, not just HALF of it.0 -
quote:Originally posted by jpwolf
Wrong, you should be happy with the "deal" when you receive payment because legally that is the fulfillment of the buyers contract. Nothing annoys me more than sellers holding feedback over your head. There could easliy be policies in place to prevent this. It is wrong.
Legally speaking the seller doesnt need to leave feedback at all, and neather does the buyer. I don't know how you see this as him holding it over your head, if you want feedback that bad send him an email explaining this and that you recieved the item and its what you wanted. He may then leave postive feedback before you do.
Most sellers wont leave feedback without hearing anything, I have left feedback before recieving before because the buyer told me he recieved the item and was happy. Thats fine I know the transaction is finished if I don't hear anything I assume its not in the past I would even email a buyer if I hadn't heard from them after so long to see if they got the item and was happy with it if they were I left postive feedback. And if they wernt happy I made them happy then left my postive feedback.0 -
I also usually wait to leave feedback to be sure the buyer is happy.
If you leave feedback first, some buyers will try to coax a better deal after they receive the item. I usually ask them to leave feedback after they receive the item and are satisfied. I tell them that I intend to leave good feedback but want to know that they are satisfied. Most seem to understand. I am willing to post feedback first if I am the buyer. The seller has no reason to leave bad feedback if I paid promptly and met his terms, which I do.
Buyers hold all the cards otherwise. If they use paypal, they can even reverse the charges and you have already left them positive feedback. If they try to reverse the charges after they have left YOU positive feedback, I think you have a much better leg to stand on to get your money. Bet you didn't think about that!
I have even left positive feedback for 2 different buyers when they didn't complete the transaction. If they get in touch promtly and let me know that something has come up, and agree to pay the listing/selling fees, I try to understand that bad things happen sometimes.
Just my thoughs...0 -
quote:Legally speaking the seller doesnt need to leave feedback at all, and neather does the buyer.
That's not what I said, is it?
quote: I also usually wait to leave feedback to be sure the buyer is happy.
What does this have to do with whether or not you should leave positive feedback once you are paid?0 -
As a buyer only I think it's wrong to not leave feedback when you recieve my money in a timely fashion. Most sellers don't leave feedback until they recieve their good feedback so that they can ding you if you ding them. Very poor business practice in my opinion and complete horse pucky. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Mercury
I'm going to sell it soon, as their profits are going to crash, and crash hard in the next year.
And what is your assessment is based on? Because you left? [;)] How much were you making selling on eBay and where do you sell now? What's the difference in your profits when you were paying $5K in fees and now $200?
I agree with everything else, but believe me, a company that has as much as eBay has in actives isn't going anywhere and its "profits aren't going to crash". Don't forget that eBay, like ANY business, is driven by a buck and if they saw certain policies were significantly hurting their profits - doubt not they'd be taking a different approach. As majority of customers are happy, eBay execs keep on doing what they do best -- make a sh-tload of money, if there'll be a noticeable exodus, the board of directors probably replace most of execs and company would take a different course, but as of now everyone's happy with all the numbers and projections. So, what's that saying, dog's barking but caravan keeps on moving, yeah?0 -
quote:Originally posted by Kodiakk
As a buyer only I think it's wrong to not leave feedback when you recieve my money in a timely fashion. Most sellers don't leave feedback until they recieve their good feedback so that they can ding you if you ding them. Very poor business practice in my opinion and complete horse pucky.
I agree. Many buyers turn away because sellers hold them hostage with feedback, especially occasional shoppers. The whole feedback system is flawed, there're many better ways to do it, and frankly, I think the only way that would work is to have a rating system for sellers and only "paid/unpaid" rating for buyers without any comments from a seller. It is already being discussed internally. ("It" being rehaul of the whole feedback system)0 -
good feedback is largley meaningless, because sellers hold it over buyers. There are some great folks and some jerks on both sides. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by thesneakyrussian
quote:Originally posted by Kodiakk
As a buyer only I think it's wrong to not leave feedback when you recieve my money in a timely fashion. Most sellers don't leave feedback until they recieve their good feedback so that they can ding you if you ding them. Very poor business practice in my opinion and complete horse pucky.
I agree. Many buyers turn away because sellers hold them hostage with feedback, especially occasional shoppers. The whole feedback system is flawed, there're many better ways to do it, and frankly, I think the only way that would work is to have a rating system for sellers and only "paid/unpaid" rating for buyers without any comments from a seller. It is already being discussed internally. ("It" being rehaul of the whole feedback system)
I don't get how sellers hold it over them? You can create a new ebay account any day of the week for any reason whatsoever, the only person feedback really affects is the seller.
If you never plan on selling anything feedback will never affect you unless you have -1 or better in which case you can just go create a new account.0 -
quote:Originally posted by pickenup
Leave feedback, halfway through the transaction? I don't think so. It ain't over till it's OVER.
When the buyer has item in hand, AND IS SATISFIED, it's over! Until then there are a myriad of problems that can arise, both real and/or manufactured by the buyer.
Feedback should reflect the WHOLE auction experience, from start to FINISH, not just HALF of it.
That pretty much covers it.0 -
I'm going to look for somewhere else, mostly because of that asinine policy they started where your account gets suspended if you have more than 5% (1 in 20) bad feedback over 90 days, including neutral feedback.
so far I have a list. I haven't checked them all out yet.
if you go to this link,
http://www.powersellersunite.com/auctionsitewatch.php
they have a listing of the top sites and their current market volume.
***********************
the list
***********************
directory:
auction-lynx.com
auction site stats:
http://www.powersellersunite.com/auctionsitewatch.php
"A" List
http://www.bidville.com <<-
http://www.ecrater.com <<-
http://www.blujay.com <<-
http://www.tazbar.com <<-
http://www.epier.com <<-
http://www.wagglepop.com <<-
http://www.auctionquests.com <<-
http://www.bid-alot.com <<-
http://www.plunderhere.com <<-
http://www.hibidder.com <<-
http://www.zolanta.com <<-
http://www.stuffpals.com <<-
http://www.webidz.com <<-
gorage.com
amazon.com
gunbroker.com
bidch.com
"B" list
http://www.midwestbids.com/
http://bidzville.com/
http://us.ebid.net/
http://www.inetbid.com/
http://www.satisfaction.com/
http://www.baymore.com
http://www.hibidder.com
http://auction.overstock.com
http://www.woocha.com/auction
http://www.auction-classified.com
http://www.7bids.com
http://www.mightybids.com
http://www.thefreeauction.com
http://www.epier.com
http://www.bidchaser.com
http://www.emaximarket.com/auction_html/index_first.htm
http://www.bestworldauction.com
http://www.bidwerx.com
http://www.auctionquests.com
http://www.froggiebid.com
http://www.sumobid.com
http://www.anyotherbids.com
http://www.ibidfree.com/Auction/xcAuction.asp
http://www.pricefire.com
http://fleavenders.com
http://www.buyselltrades.com
http://www.ibidubid.com
http://www.auction-warehouse.com
http://www.onetradezone.com
http://auctionfire.com
http://www.yourearthnow.com
http://www.auction1online.com
http://www.auctionsaloon.com
http://hutchauctions.com
http://www.onlineauction.com
http://www.auctionweiser.com
http://www.snappybids.com
http://www.romahawk.com
http://www.auction.com
http://www.bidspotter.com
http://www.buyitsellit.com
http://www.auctioncrazed.com
http://www.lowbid.com0 -
bidville.com and wagglepop.com are the biggest contenders, from what I've read so far. 0 -
GunBroker.com (as rated by HitWise.com) has more traffic than any of those other sites. We are the #3 Auction website period, not just for firearms and shooting sports. #3 overall. (#1 is eBay and #2 is eBay motors.) Looking at the example below, pull up the auctionsitewatch.com at http://www.powersellersunite.com/auctionsitewatch.php
GunBroker.com is currently running about 200,000 auctions so pull up every one with that many auctions or more by going to http://www.quantcast.com/traffic-compare.jsp?domain0=gunbroker.com&domain1=bidville.com&domain2=ecrater.com&domain3=uk.ebid.net&domain4=blujay.com
The graph shows the number of unique visitors per day. GunBroker.com has 15 times (or more)visitors as those other sites. Feel free to check them out, but the bottom line is More visitors = More Buyers and More Sellers / Items. Plus GunBroker.com fees are significantly lower than eBay or any of those other jr. auction sites.
We will be previewing our new user interface in the next month or so. Engineering has been hard at work on this for over a year. We are sure that everyone will enjoy the new functionality and speed. Keep your eyes on the News and Announcements page (and here in the forums) for a chance to see the preview.0 -
Are they going to offer Spellcheck? 0 -
Because the buyer is the first to complete their part of the transaction, and because the buyer is the first to exhibit trust by sending money with only the promise of receiving what they have paid for, I believe 100% that the seller should show good faith and be the first to leave feedback. Upon receipt of money by the seller, the buyer has held up their end already and feedback on the part of the seller should not be used as retribution. Sellers refuse to leave feedback first because they are afraid the buyer won't be happy and will leave negative feedback when the seller won't make good on something. At that point, the onus is on the seller to make sure things are square, not the buyer. As for all the things that go on after that, that is what follow-ups are for. 0 -
I appreciate it when a seller leavs me feedback as soon as they receive payment.
Gunbroker allows feedback to be changed/amended if there's trouble down the road with the transaction. What's the big deal? Joe0 -
A friend shipped some reloading dies to a guy that bought them on ebay. The buyer declined insurance for the package.
My friend, the seller, got delivery confirmation that the package was delivered and the date and time the post office delivered.
The buyer claimed he never got the package and called his credit card and reversed the payment. Paypal took the money back out of my friends account and told him since their was no SIGNATURE for the package, they could not be sure the guy did receive them.
If this happened to you, do you still think the buyer deserves positive feedback? That is why I ask the buyer to post first. If they do, you have proof that they are happy and can not reverse the payment. This is what I was talking about above.
Edit-My friend was out the dies, the cost of mailing, and the money. He had already given positive feedback and I think he even got negative back from the buyer. He lost all the way around.0
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