Monday, July 24, 2006

Uncool Ebay Sellers

Ebay’s feedback system is quite flawed. I’m sure everybody knows this but I’m going to write about it anyway. When I sell something on Ebay, feedback is given once I’m paid. As a seller, that is what counts, being paid. As a buyer, I give feedback once I receive the item, and make sure it is as described. What I don’t like is when sellers who have been paid on time, shipped their item, refuse to give feedback until you have left feedback for them.

Why is that wrong? Well, because I can be the best customer in the world, always paid on time, never ripping anybody off, but if the seller ships me something bogus, or broken, or not as described and I leave them negative feedback, they can simply retaliate by doing the same to me.

Of course, we all know that eBay is all about protecting the seller, because, that is where they make their money.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Joe,
I can sympathize - what you describe has never happened to me, but, if has to you, then I would retaliate using the internet. Write about the seller, and the situation which caused the problem, in your blog - & tag it. Further, Find other websites, blogs or forums which deal with the item in question, such as watches, ham equipment, etc., and leave detailed and reasoned comments there as well. Next, ask friends and acquaintances to do the same on their websites and their blogs. I have communicated with you frequently enough to know that you are an honest person - I would post a description of the situation on my blog as well. Lastly, I would DEFINITELY send multiple complaint emails to eBay - they do protect tehir sellers, but, if a seller did this to you, it is likely that he/she did the same thing to at least one other person. With enough complaints, a seller loses their reputation and eBay will not allow them to sell any longer, because the last thing that eBay needs is disgruntled buyers.

73
Earl Voss
KC2ORQ

Anonymous said...

As a buyer (I've never sold anything on eBay), I once received an item that didn't work, but the seller was apologetic, courteous & prompt with refunding me, and I sent his item back. I gave him good feedback. Only gave negative feedback once - I ordered a couple of books from an eBay store, and it took over 3 weeks to get them, with no e-mail to notify me that shipment was delayed. When I e-mailed the seller, he/she indicated that this was normal procedure.
~mom