eBay announced on Wednesday 5/7/08 that they will no longer allow feedback withdrawal. Details and rationale are posted on eBay's announcements board: http://www2.ebay.com/aw/core/200805.shtml#2008-05-07090115 This is the latest of the many "bold changes" eBay has instituted recently that, IMHO, have had an adverse effect on both the buying and selling experience on eBay. Here's the text of eBay's posting: "Hello everyone...as we announced back in January, we're making some bold changes to how Feedback on eBay works. As we get closer to our launch, I wanted to review the changes we've discussed and provide some additional detail and updates. As a recap, here's what we announced in January that is scheduled to launch the week of May 19th in North America (which includes eBay.com in the US, as well as eBay.ca and eBay.cafr in Canada): > Sellers may only leave positive feedback for buyers > We will remove negative and neutral Feedback if a member becomes suspended > Members can leave Feedback up to 60 days after a transaction (down from 90) > We will remove Feedback when a buyer fails to respond to the unpaid item process. > Members will receive credit for weekly repeat Feedback (going back to 1996) > We will base the Positive Feedback Percentage on the past 12 months of activity (and include neutral Feedback in the calculation) > The PowerSeller Program will use the same calculation method described above to determine eligibility for the PS Program for the Positive Feedback percentage requirement of 98% positive. In January we mentioned that we'd block buyers from leaving negative or neutral Feedback for 3 days for sellers "with a track record." Since January, we've made the decision to increase the wait period to 7 days and define "track record" as active PowerSellers who have been on eBay for at least 12 months. We studied the factors that increased risk to buyers the most and found there are three: a) a seller's Positive Feedback percentage and DSRs, b) the volume of a seller's Feedback – both in total and on an ongoing basis and c) length of time a seller has been on site. We selected PowerSellers who have been on eBay at least 12 months in order to minimize risk to buyers, because: a. PowerSellers have to meet quality thresholds for both conventional Feedback and, starting in July, for Detailed Seller Ratings b. PowerSellers have to meet volume requirements – both in total and on an ongoing basis c. One year on-site proved to be an important predictor of lower risk All three factors prove important to predicting the risk to buyers – removing any one of them would increase risk to a level we are not currently comfortable with at this time. We will watch all aspects of the new Feedback system very carefully, studying how the marketplace responds and we will make changes as we see appropriate. We mentioned that we'd be aligning the Mutual Feedback Withdrawal process with the new system. After much consideration, we've made the decision to remove the Mutual Feedback Withdrawal process. The reason is that – under the new rules - it opens sellers up to extortion. As part of this decision, Mutual Agreement from third-party Feedback mediation services, such as SquareTrade, will also no longer be accepted. Over the last several months, we've had many conversations with our customers – both buyers and sellers – and we've had the opportunity to consider ways we can address some of the top concerns we've heard. Based on the input we've received from you, I want to share some additional modifications we're making: We are adding language in the leave Feedback flow for buyers who are in a cross-border transaction that reminds them that international transactions usually take longer to complete. We've improved the interstitial page that all buyers see before leaving negative or neutral Feedback; the updated page offers a stronger message to buyers about the need to communicate with the seller, to allow enough time for the transaction to complete, and to keep Feedback factual. And later this month... In addition to expanding the 3-day block to 7 days, we are introducing a new Buyer Requirement that will allow sellers to block buyers who have been reported by other sellers for eBay buying policy violations (such as Feedback abuse, or email threats). We're expanding the scope of the existing Buyer Requirement for unpaid items, so that it supports more comprehensive blocking of buyers who have a history of non-payment. We've improved the process that sellers use to report buyers for policy violations. Detailed Seller Ratings will be coming to Half in the next couple months. Watch for more information on this via email and on the Half discussion forum in the next couple of weeks. These changes represent a huge investment in transforming the way Feedback works, so that it better serves today's marketplace. Ultimately, the goal is to restore trust and transparency and improve the buying experience, while offering needed checks and balances that ensure our sellers who provide excellent service benefit.
I've already sounded off on how I feel about those who sell and buy things on e-bay. You just have to remember the old adage "Let the buyer beware". I see this as yet another move toward reducing one's freedom of speech by disallowing negative feedback. Of course you can abouse any freedom we have. Anyways, best to guard your purchases and stay out of the run away pricing that can occur. Enjoy the day. Purchase what you need from e-bay but at a friendly, realistic, resonable and responsible price.
Upon introducing this idiocy, a whole bunch of people I know stopped selling. And I set up my own web site. There is definitely a problem within those offices. And we cannot do anything about that from here on TrainBoard. It's up to enough individual users to scream at them. Then, they might listen. Most likely not. Oh well. Boxcab E50
There is no "freedom of speech" guaranteed within private entities. The only "freedom of speech" that exists is mandated by the US Constitution, which prohibits laws limiting it. If eBay wants to do this, they can. Your choice is to go along, or take your business elsewhere.
eBay, schmeBay............... I haven't purchased anything from that place in about a year or so, and I'm not sure I can even remember my username. It's easier for me to get what I'm looking for at the hobby shops (both online and brick & mortar), and at swap meets. So therefore, I have no real opinion one way or another about that site. Which is one less thing for me to get my BP elevated over.........Lord knows there's enough out there to do that.
I swear off buying/selling something on ebay, then regress about every year or so and then I'm reminded what a pain in the rear the whole thing has become. It was cool early on when you could have a virtual garage sale and pick up bargains etc. I hardly see true bargains on ebay anymore. I stumbled upon some real idiots a few years ago when I tried to pare down my CD collection. I have to keep reminding myself "Don't go into the light!!!"
This statement near the end was interesting to me: "Ultimately, the goal is to restore trust and transparency and improve the buying experience, while offering needed checks and balances that ensure our sellers who provide excellent service benefit." Did I miss something? Was there a "crisis of trust" between eBay and its customers - buyers and/or sellers - that required action(s) to restore that trust?
If you have a SquareTrade account you might want to consider cancelling it, since eBay will no longer accept their mediation services (re) feedback removal, in line with their new policy.
I have been a strong Ebay user & ocasional seller. I don't like the idea of sellers can leave positive feedback. I am not sure I understand the logic behind this. Some of my recent purchases on Ebay as of late have been less than desired. While I had these experiences in the past, the trending appears to be lower quality items and higher prices. I will not revolt against Ebay, not yet. I am also unaware of a trust crisis. I dont understand policy changes for the sake of making a policy change. Oh well, life marches on
I've stopped buying trains on eBay unless something really special comes along, which I probably wouldn't know, since I rarely go there. eBay has been a lifesaver is finding things like a motherboard for my old G4. Lowest commercial refurbished price was $400. I got one, guaranteed, for $35 and perhaps $15 shipping. That saved my wife's computer. It's also a good place for compact flash cards and other types of memory--about 1/2 price of local retailers.
No problems! Not that I know of. I doubt the changes mean anything for the casual user, probably fine tuning for the big sellers. Ebay like any sales business likes to tweak things just to make changes, Maybe they need to make changes to justify their jobs?!!! I'd rather have them leave stuff alone so I can use it without thinking but I'll adapt. It's still the best game in town when it comes to convience, variety, and liquidity .....dave
A lot of folks are puzzled by their "trust" statements. The changes essentially effected all sellers, large and small. A lot of people I know have reached a similar conclusion. They seem to be ignoring the age old principles of K.I.S.S., and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Boxcab E50
The only Crisis that has existed are the ones that EBAY refuses to acknowledge exist and so they keep trying to fix it with more things that simply deepen the crisis. The crisis like how PAYPAL operates, how the ebay fees keep going up, how there is so little that can be done about the scam artists on either side - either sellers OR buyers. The crisis like the one where executives are demanding bigger cuts and stockholdres want to see the stock price and dividends going up up up. These are the crisis. I personnaly think feedback has been broken form the start - feedback given first should remain hidden until AFTER you leave your feedback - and there SHOULD be resource to repair bad experiences, that is what SERVICE is there for. If there is an error that can be fixed, let the people fix it. And let the negative feedback be reversed.
Hi Boxcab. Yes they apply to all but I don't think they will effect most of us. The average user just makes positive transactions and gets good feedback no matter what system is in place. The problems are mostly hype, just like the news we see on the TV, bad news is more interesting than good news. I've found that the many of the people bad mouthing ebay on model railroad sites don't even use it! The fact is 99% of ebay users have positive experiences and are happy with the service, the squeaky wheels are a small minority causing problems among themselves. The feedback procedure doesn't affect most of us because we do nothing to cause feedback problems. Ebay would be better off just leaving things alone and not causing speculation about why they are changing things, drawing attention to a non problem makes it a problem....dave
Ebay is nuts. I find myself spending my money more at shows and the new LHS. By time you throw in shipping, I typically would be paying more than MSRP. Ebay used to be a great marketplace but it isn't anymore. We'll see what the earnings look like at the end of the year. I'll bet they are down.
The feedback issue is one that needed to be addressed, but I'm not sure they've addressed it the right way. For years, it has been annoying to buy something -- where essentially you've done your part when payment is sent in a timely manner -- and have a seller withhold feedback until the buyer posts feedback. It makes it where buyers can only post positive feedback -- or just leave no feedback -- for fear of having the seller retaliate.
