I has a seller e-mail me to say he refused to give me positive feedback until I’d left him positive feedback for the item. I DON’T DO feedback trading, it ruins the whole system, so I left him neutral feedback and explained why nicely.

And now eBay don’t even allow sellers to leave neutral/bad feedback! To be honest, I don’t give feedback until I get some for my sales but I don’t hassle buyers if they don’t give feedback.

as a buyer why leave feedback as they have paid you
it was used by sellers to do tit for tat negs IME

I pretty much stopped giving feedback as a buyer on eBay, the sellers get too shirty if you’re honest.
They expect [and sometimes demand] positive feedback with 5 stars across the board for doing the bare minimum of shipping something to you inside the time-frame they quoted.
That’s neutral feedback in my book.

the bare minimum of shipping something to you inside the time-frame they quoted.
That’s neutral feedback in my book.

So, apart from shipping the thing you bought in the time agreed, what would you require from a seller in order to give positive feedback?

I pretty much stopped giving feedback as a buyer on eBay, the sellers get too shirty if you’re honest.
They expect [and sometimes demand] positive feedback with 5 stars across the board for doing the bare minimum of shipping something to you inside the time-frame they quoted.
That’s neutral feedback in my book.

I just give my honest thoughts, but based on once giving a -ve opinion I just now only buy s/h through ebay if I can collect it – just easier.

So, apart from shipping the thing you bought in the time agreed, what would you require from a seller in order to give positive feedback?

Well, maybe a bit of communication, marking things as ‘Dispatched’ maybe?

We have 3 possibilities, Neg, Poss, Neutral
If we agree that a neg is for poor service not dispatching on time or not as described etc. – we’re left with positive and neutral, if doing the bare minimum isn’t neutral, what would you use it for?

Jota – neutral for getting stuff to you inside time frame is just being an arse IMHO

Jota – neutral for getting stuff to you inside time frame is just being an arse IMHO

As I said, I don’t bother anymore
What exactly is wrong with neutral feedback?

What exactly is wrong with neutral feedback?

To me, neutral feedback suggests there has been an issue somewhere along the line. Pos feedback is the norm – neutral is for situations where, for instance, the item didn’t turn up and you had to email the seller and it eventually turned up OK a few weeks later…

You got the goods you ordered in the timeframe specified – what’s the issue?

Problem with neutrals is ebays horrendous selling limits imposed for sellers who don’t meet certain targets

Or the fact that you can get upto a 25% reduction in fees with good feedback

Leaving a neutral could cost someone £100’s a month as no fee reduction for a transaction you had no issues with

I think it’s that eBay will not release funds to sellers unless they get mega-elite-uber-awesome feedback on everything. So basically, honest feedback about the quality of a service, or of goods, goes out the window.

I’ve had some really good sellers on eBay that have posted quickly and kept me informed all the way through the process. They deserved good feedback. I’ve also had people that have posted late, not told me anything and done the bare minimum possible to fulfil an order. That’s fine, but it’s not 5 star service or a positive buying experience, so it won’t get five stars.

To be honest, I don’t give feedback until I get some for my sales

So your feedback rating is completely null and void because any feedback left by buyers was given to stop you withholding their feeback.

I on the other hand, leave immediate feedback on confirmed payment, and every single one of my buyres is then free to leave honest feedback without fear of reprisals. They did, 100% positive.

You got the goods you ordered in the timeframe specified – what’s the issue?

There is no issue, the deal was adequate, no more, no less, ie neutral

I’m with jota180 on this.

Neutral = no problem. But seller didn’t warrant a ‘wow, that was good/fast/well communicated/nicely packed/etc’.

Those that think otherwise (which apperently includes eBay) could do with going to nightschool to improve their education.

To me, neutral feedback suggests there has been an issue somewhere along the line.

That’s what I would have assumed too in the context of Ebay and I have no intention of going to nightschool.

How would it be good – they drive round your house with it,give you a cake and a reach round?
I think you are out of kilter with the ratings system rather than us or Ebay.

I’d agree with Jota180 that neutral feedback should be accepted as what it is. I.e. everything was as expected, no more, no less.

But ebay is broken in that it punishes “acceptable” rather than rewarding exceptional. Therefore it isn’t worth the hassle to give someone neutral feedback as although they delivered a neutral service it seems harsh to penalise them for not doing anything wrong.

How would it be good – they drive round your house with it,give you a cake and a reach round?

funny, I thought I mentioned above the sort of thing that would get a good but to save you scrolling up ….

Well, maybe a bit of communication, marking things as ‘Dispatched’ maybe?

I wouldnt worry mate, i have been through this and the buyer always wins.

i’d advise you to open communications with ebay, they will have copies of all correspondence if you have gone via ebay.

we sold a pram few years ago it was in very good condition, the buyer changed her mind when she saw it and wanted her money back.

i fought it via ebay and opened a complaint, she won in the end, ebay paid her back then came to me for the money.

I wouldnt worry mate, i have been through this and the buyer always wins.

i’d advise you to open communications with ebay, they will have copies of all correspondence if you have gone via ebay.

we sold a pram few years ago it was in very good condition, the buyer changed her mind when she saw it and wanted her money back.

i fought it via ebay and opened a complaint, she won in the end, ebay paid her back then came to me for the money.

Different story though possibly if they would have taken it and then said they didn’t want it because it was dmamaged. How do you prove it was damaged when collected rather than damaged after it was taken? Tricky one that